Well, let me tell ya, this thing they call Augite, it ain’t somethin’ you’d find just anywhere. You see, Augite’s a kinda rock-formin’ mineral that’s part of a big ol’ family called pyroxene. Now, don’t go thinkin’ it’s some fancy new thing—they’ve known about it since back in 1792 when some feller named Abraham G. Werner named it. He picked it outta the Greek word “auge,” which means shine or luster, ’cause it sure does sparkle when the light hits it right. Now, I ain’t no expert, but I can tell ya, it’s got a real fancy way of breakin’ apart too, with them cleavage surfaces lookin’ all sharp and angled, like the way my scissors might break a piece of fabric. It’s got these crystals that look like prisms, all slanted and smooth like they come straight outta the ground.
So where’s this Augite found, you ask? Well, it pops up mostly in rocks, big rocks, the kind that come from the hot stuff deep down under the Earth. They call ’em mafic rocks, like basalt or gabbro, and sometimes you might even find it in those ultra-mafic rocks. Sounds fancy, don’t it? But what it really means is just rocks with a lot of iron and magnesium in ’em, the kinda stuff you find in volcanoes and such. I reckon it’s like the Earth’s way of makin’ some real strong stuff, deep down in the ground where it’s all heated up and pressured. Don’t go thinkin’ it’s rare though, you can find Augite in lots of places—especially out in places like the Tillamook Highlands up in Oregon. Now, I ain’t never been to Oregon, but I hear they got some good ol’ rocky hills out there.
Now, let’s talk about what Augite can do. Augite is pretty handy when it comes to makin’ up the stuff that’s deep in the Earth. You see, it’s one of the main minerals that shows up in all them mafic rocks. But just like the rest of them minerals, it’s always changin’. It ain’t just sittin’ there, all set in its ways. It can alter itself and mix with other minerals too, so it don’t always look the same everywhere you go. Kinda like how a piece of bread can be made different depending on what flour you use, Augite might change around into somethin’ else after a while, like it’s gettin’ used up or havin’ a little weatherin’ done on it.
Now, them fancy geologists who study these things—well, they call it a solid solution in the pyroxene group, which is a long way of sayin’ it’s got some different kinds of minerals in it. You got yer Diopside, yer Hedenbergite, and then there’s others that mix in with it too. I reckon it’s kinda like cookin’ a stew—you throw a bunch of ingredients in, stir it all up, and it makes somethin’ new. That’s what Augite does, it don’t just sit there in one shape; it mixes and matches to create a whole range of different types, depending on what’s around it.
What’s special about Augite? Well, Augite is one of them minerals that makes up a good bit of the Earth’s crust, and it’s a part of what helps hold them volcanoes together. If you ever see some basalt or gabbro rock, and it’s real dark, almost black-like, there’s a good chance Augite’s been sittin’ in there, holdin’ it all together. It’s also real common in them ultramafic rocks, which just means rocks that got a whole lotta iron in ’em. So, whenever you see a rock that’s got that dark, heavy feel to it, just know, Augite’s probably somewhere in there.
How do you spot it? If you’re out on a hike, and you come across some rocks that look real dark, almost black, with a kinda shiny surface, you might just have Augite in your hands. Now, it ain’t always easy to tell, but if you’ve got an eye for it, you’ll notice the way the crystals break at right angles. They’ll have a kinda blocky look to ’em, and that’s one of the tell-tale signs that Augite’s in there. It don’t always look the same, but if it’s one of those dark, shiny minerals, it could be Augite.
All in all, Augite might not sound like much, but it sure is important. From the deep rocks in the ground to the hills and valleys of places like Oregon, it’s out there, workin’ its way into the world and makin’ up the Earth as we know it. It might not be somethin’ you find every day, but when you do, you’ll know it’s been around a long time, playin’ its part in the bigger picture of the world.
Tags：[Augite, Pyroxene, Mineral, Basalt, Gabbro, Mafic Rocks, Geology, Earth Crust, Rocks, Crystals]
English (Australia) 
English (United States) 
Russian 
Spanish