EN
⚠️ Take a close look at the pink granite tiles, which can already be found
at the airport entrance.
At Malta International Airport, you can see a type of natural stone with several distinctive geological features that are clearly visible on its polished surface.
This stone, known as Rosa Limbara, is characterised by large feldspar crystals, dark inclusions, and striking mineral textures.
Log conditions and complete the task on site.
⚠️ Only publicly accessible areas of the airport should be observed.
Answer the following questions:
Question 1:
Mineral visibility & boundaries
The polished surface of the stone shows several minerals that can be distinguished visually.
a) Identify three different minerals by describing one visible characteristic for each.
b) How clearly can you see the boundaries between these minerals?
Choose one boundary and describe.
Question 2:
Xenoliths & inclusions
a. Describe the dark inclusions (xenoliths) that you can see in the tiles.
- What is their shape?
- Are they evenly distributed or clustered?
b. Do you observe any differences in size, color, or texture between the inclusions?
If so, which ones?
Question 3:
Feldspar megacrystals
a. Rosa Limbara often contains large pink feldspar crystals.
Describe at least one clearly identifiable crystal:
- Is it elongated or blocky?
- Are the boundaries sharp or irregular?
📷 Take a photo that identifies you at the airport and add it to your log.
(August 25, 2019: It is now allowed to ask for a photo as a supplement to the answers).
No manipulated pictures and no grouppictures (every logger adds his own personal picture to his log)
Before logging send your your answers by mail or messagecenter. Finds without the required photo and/or the right responses will be deleted without warning.
Have fun!
Crystal Chronicles @ 🇲🇹 ✈️
The granite contains four identifiable mineral groups and distinct dark inclusions.
The polished surface makes the textures easy to examine.
Potassium feldspar
Large, pink crystals are the most striking feature of the stone.
Blocky in shape and often several centimetres in size.
Clear grain boundaries are visible between minerals.
Plagioclase
Smaller, lighter crystals are found amongst the larger feldspar grains.
Sometimes shows subtle twinning stripes when viewed at an angle.
Quartz
It fills the spaces between the other minerals.
The grain boundaries often show interlocking or sutured textures.
This indicates that the quartz crystallised later and filled the remaining gaps.
Biotite
Small, black-to-brown mica flakes with a metallic sheen.
Often found along crystal boundaries or in narrow clusters.
Sawi52
Inclusions
The dark inclusions in Rosa Limbara come from another rock that is older than the surrounding granite or gneiss.
These fragments are called xenoliths.
Formation
Magma (the molten material from which the granite forms) rises from deeper parts of the crust.On its way upward, it breaks off pieces of older rock and surrounds them. When the granite cools, these foreign rock fragments remain trapped while the surrounding granite crystallizes.
Result
Dark spots appear in the light granite, revealing the geological history of the region, essentially small “witnesses” of older rocks that existed before the granite formed.
Xenoliths
These dark, irregular patches are fragments of older, fine-grained rock that have been incorporated into the granite.
SOURCES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenolith?utm_source=chatgpt.com, https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/ks3/gsl/education/resources/rockcycle/page3596.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com,
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MT
⚠️ Agħti ħarsa mill-qrib lejn il-madum tal-granit roża, li jistgħu diġà jinstabu ħdejn id-daħla tal-ajruport.
Fil-Malta International Airport tista’ tara tip ta’ ġebla naturali li turi diversi karatteristiċi ġeoloġiċi distintivi, li huma viżibbli b’mod ċar fuq il-wiċċ illustrat tagħha.
Din il-ġebla, magħrufa bħala Rosa Limbara, hija kkaratterizzata minn kristalli kbar ta’ feldspat, inklużjonijiet skuri, u tessut minerali evidenti.
Irrakkomanda l-kundizzjonijiet u ikkompleta t-tfittxija fil-post.
⚠️ Għandek biss tinnota u tesplora l-oqsma tal-ajruport aċċessibbli għall-pubbliku.
Irrispondi għall-mistoqsijiet li ġejjin:
Mistoqsija 1:
Viżibilità u fruntieri tal-minerali
Il-wiċċ illustrat tal-ġebla juri diversi minerali li jistgħu jiġu distinti viżwalment.
a) Iddeskrivi tliet minerali differenti billi tispeċifika karatteristika viżibbli għal kull wieħed.
b) Kemm huma ċari l-fruntieri bejn dawn il-minerali?
Agħżel fruntiera waħda u iddeskriviha.
Mistoqsija 2:
Xenoliti u inklużjonijiet
a) Iddeskrivi l-inklużjonijiet skuri (xenoliti) li tista’ tara fil-madum.
- X’forma għandhom?
- Jidhrux imxerrdin jew fi gruppi?
b) Tinnota xi differenzi fid-daqs, fil-kulur jew fit-tessut bejn dawn l-inklużjonijiet?
Jekk iva, liema?
Mistoqsija 3:
Megakristalli tal-feldspat
a) Rosa Limbara ħafna drabi tinkludi kristalli kbar u roża ta’ feldspat.
Iddeskrivi mill-anqas kristall wieħed li jista’ jintgħaraf b’mod ċar:
- Jidher twil jew blokkjat?
- Il-fruntieri tiegħu huma ċari jew irregolari?
📷 Ħu ritratt li juri lilek fl-ajruport u żidha mal-log tiegħek.
(Awwissu 25, 2019: Issa huwa permess li titlob ritratt bħala suppliment għall-mistoqsijiet).
Ne scal man bilithi gewrîtan edder gewandalon, endi ne skal man gemênelîke bilithi gebrûkian. Hver logger scal sîn êgen antliti-bilithi to sînum logge leggian.
An er loggien scal þú thíne andwurdon mid brêve edder 'Messagecenter' sendan. Fundun utan the bihovlicho bilithi endi/edder rîht antrwardi werden anwarnlôs bilêgid.
Ġib pjaċir!
Crystal Chronicles @ 🇲🇹 ✈️
Il-granit fih erba’ gruppi ta’ minerali li jistgħu jiġu identifikati u inklużjonijiet skuri distintivi.
Il-wiċċ imnaddaf jagħmilha faċli li jiġu osservati t-tessuti u l-mudelli tal-minerali.
Feldspat tal-potassju (Potassium feldspar)
Kristalli kbar u roża huma l-aktar karatteristika notevoli tal-ġebla.
Huma blokkjati fil-forma u spiss diversi ċentimetri fid-daqs.
Il-fruntieri ċari bejn il-minerali huma viżibbli b’mod ċar.
Plagioklas (Plagioclase)
Kristalli iżgħar u aktar ċari jinstabu fost il-kristalli kbar tal-feldspat.
Xi drabi juru linji żgħar ta’ twinning meta osservati minn angolu differenti.
Kwarts (Quartz)
Jimla l-ispazji bejn il-bqija tal-minerali.
Il-fruntieri bejn il-kristalli spiss juru tessuti interlokati jew suturati.
Dan jindika li l-kwarts kristallizza l-iżjed tard u jimla l-bqija tal-ispazji.
Biotit (Biotite)
Flakes żgħar tal-mika, minn skur sa kannella, b’glanz mettaliku.
Spiss jinstabu ħdejn il-fruntieri tal-kristalli jew fi gruppi ristretti.
Sawi52
Inklużjonijiet
L-inklużjonijiet skuri fir-Rosa Limbara ġejjin minn ġebla oħra li hija aktar antika mill-granit jew gneiss li joqogħdu madwarha.
Dawn il-frammenti jissejħu xenoliti.
Formazzjoni
Il-magma (materjal imsajjar mill-madwar li fih jinħoloq il-granit) tirriġħ mill-partijiet aktar fil-fond tal-krušta.
Fit-triq 'il fuq, tqaxxar biċċiet minn ġebla aktar antika u joħdohom miegħu.
Meta l-granit jikkonsolida, dawn il-frammenti ta’ ġebla barranija jibqgħu maqbuda filwaqt li l-granit ta’ madwarhom jikkristallizza.
Riżultat
Speċi ta’ daqs skur jidher fil-granit ċar, juri l-istorja ġeoloġika tar-reġjun, essenzjalment bħala “xhud” żgħar ta’ ġebel antik li kien jeżisti qabel ma nqalgħal il-granit.
Xenoliti
Dawn il-patches skuri u irregolari huma frammenti ta’ ġebel antik b’grad għoli ta’ fini, li ġew inkorporati fil-granit.
SORSI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenolith?utm_source=chatgpt.com, https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/ks3/gsl/education/resources/rockcycle/page3596.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com,
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