Dolerite data table

Family:
 Igneous.
Formation: Molten rock which has cooled quite quickly.
Texture: Medium - you can just about make out crystals with the naked eye.
Colour: Black, sometimes with a greenish tinge
Location: Not widespread, but volcanic plugs, sills and dykes tend to be made out of it. For example, Slemish in County Antrim is a dolerite plug. There are also an area with a lot of dolerite in County Tyrone.
Uses: None.
Chemistry: None.
Notes: Cooled a little more slowly than basalt, so has larger crystals that can be seen clearly with a hand lens.

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