GENERAL GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Rhyolite (/ˈraɪ.əlaɪt/ RY-ə-lyte) is the most silica-rich of volcanic rocks. It is generally glassy or fine-grained (aphanitic) in texture, but may be porphyritic, containing larger mineral crystals (phenocrysts) in an otherwise fine-grained groundmass.

Detailed explanation-2: -Volcanic rock (or lava) that characteristically is light in color, contains 69 or more percent of silica, and is rich in potassium and sodium. Low-silica rhyolite contains 69 to 74 percent silica. High-silica rhyolite contains 75 to 80 percent silica.

Detailed explanation-3: -Rhyolite is felsic igneous extrusive rock and it is a fine-grained and dominated by quartz (>20%) and alkali feldspar (>35%). Due to the high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous.

Detailed explanation-4: -Felsic rocks have the highest content of silica, and are predominantly composed of the felsic minerals quartz and feldspar. These rocks (granite, rhyolite) are usually light coloured, and have a relatively low density.

Detailed explanation-5: -Rhyolitic magma contains the most silica. Other types of magma have less silica in them. Basaltic magma has only 45 to 55 percent silica, and andesitic magma has about 55 to 65 percent. Rhyolitic magma also has a lower temperature than the other magma but higher viscosity and gas content.