Imperfectly crystallized; as, granite is only crystalline, while quartz crystal is perfectly crystallized.

consisting of or containing or of the nature of crystals; "granite is crystalline"

Indicates a rock is composed of mineral crystals rather than glass. In general, when igneous melts cool very fast they form glass (like obsidian), but when they cool slower, mineral crystals have an opportunity to grow.

Glass like formation of a mineral. A diamond is a crystalline form of carbon.

rock that is intruded into other rocks and solidifying without coming to surface. Rock Type Names: granite, porphyry, dykes, plugs, quartz monzonite, granodiorite, quartz diorite, aplitic, pegmatitic, plutons

a general geologic term for igneous and metamorphic rock Return to Previous Page.

Crystalline - A rock that consists wholly of crystals or crystal fragments.

Rock types made up of crystals or crystal fragments, such as metamorphic rocks that recrystallized in high temperature or pressure environments, or igneous rocks that formed from cooling of a melt.