: of, relating to, or being a group of usually dark-colored minerals rich in magnesium and iron
Examples of mafic in a Sentence
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The institution notes that Fuego's eruptions have become more mafic with time, meaning the volcano is expelling darker, denser lava with higher magnesium and iron content.
—
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
And my lab was just funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation to study Plinian eruptions of mafic composition.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2024
However, there is a group of mafic eruptions that are high in magnesium and iron that also have that magnitude.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2024
Basalt is also derived from melting the mantle, but in that case, only 10 to 20 percent is typically melting thanks to fractional melting (the lowest temperature minerals melt first, leaving behind the more mafic minerals/elements).
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2016
The large shield volcano is similar in many ways to Kilauea, were many of the eruptions occur as mafic (low silica) eruptions of lava flows from fissures that open on the sides of the volcano.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2014
Basaltic lava is mafic, an abbreviation of two of its prevalent elements, magnesium and ferrum, derived from the Latin word for iron.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 24 Nov. 2015
Orange is hotter, in the intermediate range, and yellow is hotter still, in the mafic range.
—New York Times, 18 May 2018
Kilauea releases mafic magma, and the temperature at eruption is about 2,140 degrees Fahrenheit.
—New York Times, 18 May 2018
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Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
And my lab was just funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation to study Plinian eruptions of mafic composition.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2024
However, there is a group of mafic eruptions that are high in magnesium and iron that also have that magnitude.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2024
Basalt is also derived from melting the mantle, but in that case, only 10 to 20 percent is typically melting thanks to fractional melting (the lowest temperature minerals melt first, leaving behind the more mafic minerals/elements).
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2016
The large shield volcano is similar in many ways to Kilauea, were many of the eruptions occur as mafic (low silica) eruptions of lava flows from fissures that open on the sides of the volcano.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2014
Basaltic lava is mafic, an abbreviation of two of its prevalent elements, magnesium and ferrum, derived from the Latin word for iron.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 24 Nov. 2015
Orange is hotter, in the intermediate range, and yellow is hotter still, in the mafic range.
—New York Times, 18 May 2018
Kilauea releases mafic magma, and the temperature at eruption is about 2,140 degrees Fahrenheit.
—New York Times, 18 May 2018
Cite this Entry
“Mafic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mafic. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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