# Gabbro

Gabbro is a type of dark, coarse-grained rock found deep within the Earth's crust. It is often used in construction and as a decorative stone due to its durability and attractive appearance.

- **Category:** [Mineral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mineral)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

![Gabbro](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/GabbroRockCreek1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Wilson44691 ( Mark A. Wilson at the Wayback Machine , Department of Geology, The College of Wooster)., Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GabbroRockCreek1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Gabbro has a dark, often greenish-black or gray appearance with visible coarse grains. Its specks of plagioclase feldspar can sometimes flash with an iridescent blue or green sheen, making it distinct from finer-grained dark rocks.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia

## Interesting facts

- Gabbro makes up most of Earth's oceanic crust, the vast floor beneath our seas!
- If you find Gabbro, you're standing on rock that forms in super-hot magma chambers beneath volcanoes!
- Sometimes called 'black granite', Gabbro can have iridescent flecks that shimmer like a hidden rainbow!
- This rock is like Basalt's older, deeper brother, formed slowly underground!

## Special abilities

- **Tough Protector:** Gabbro has incredible hardness and resistance to wear, making it a super strong material for buildings and roads.
- **Shine Shifter:** Gabbro can be polished to a beautiful luster, revealing shimmering specks that catch the light like tiny stars.
- **Dense Builder:** Gabbro is very dense and heavy, which makes it perfect for strong foundations and heavy-duty construction.

## Measurements & details

- **Color Range:** dark green, black, dark gray
- **Hardness:** 6.5
- **Luster:** vitreous to dull
- **Specific Gravity:** 3

## Traits

- [Igneous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/igneous): Igneous rocks are formed from the cooling and solidification of molten rock (magma or lava).
- [Metamorphic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/metamorphic): Metamorphic rocks are formed when existing rocks are changed by heat, pressure, or chemical alteration.
- [Geode](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/geode): A geode is a hollow, spherical rock formation lined with inward-growing crystals or concentric banding, often found in volcanic or sedimentary rocks.
- [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient): Ancient refers to organisms, objects, or geological formations that have existed for an extremely long period.
- [Crystalline](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/crystalline): Crystalline describes a mineral or rock composed of crystals, often exhibiting a regular atomic structure and geometric external form.
- [Natural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/natural): Natural refers to organisms, materials, or phenomena existing or produced by nature, not artificially created.

## Collections

- [Minerals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/minerals)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Gabbro is a rock and is not dangerous to touch, but be careful around sharp edges.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Gabbro?

Compare crystal habit, luster, transparency, cleavage and surface texture. Minerals with different compositions can share almost the same color. Mineral Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What colors can Gabbro be?

dark green, black, dark gray

### How hard is Gabbro?

6.5

### What kind of luster does Gabbro have?

vitreous to dull

### What is Gabbro's specific gravity?

3

## More Mineral

- [Quartz Crystal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/quartz-crystal)
- [Amethyst](https://www.snappit.app/explore/amethyst)
- [Rose Quartz](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rose-quartz)
- [Citrine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/citrine)

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Source: [Gabbro: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gabbro)