Comendite

Peralkaline rhyolite from rift zones

Comendite, an igneous rock specimen
Igneous

Comendite is a peralkaline rhyolite — a silica-rich volcanic rock unusually enriched in sodium and potassium. It typically forms in continental rift zones and oceanic island settings, often as dramatic obsidian-like flows or as the explosive products of caldera-forming eruptions.

Composition

alkali feldspar, quartz, aegirine, arfvedsonite, aenigmatite, volcanic glass

Where Found

San Pietro (Sardinia, Italy), Pantelleria (Italy), East African Rift, Ascension Island, Socorro Island (Mexico)

Mohs Hardness

6-6.5

Fun Fact

Comendite is named after the village of Comende on the Italian island of San Pietro, where these unusual sodium-rich lavas were first described in the 19th century.

Test Your Knowledge

What property makes comendite unusual among silica-rich volcanic rocks?

Photo Attribution

Title: Comendite rjw.jpg

Author: Robertwhyteus

License: public domain

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