Rocksday

Trachyte

A pale volcanic rock rich in alkali feldspar, with a rough feel (its name means 'rough').

Trachyte specimen
Photo: Joseph H. Hartman, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify trachyte

  • Light gray to tan, rough to the touch.
  • Small aligned feldspar laths.
  • Little or no quartz.

Often confused with

Where it's found

  • Drachenfels, Germany
  • Euganean Hills, Italy
  • Auvergne, France

Uses

Building and paving stone.

Rock tumbling

Can be tumbled with care.

Did you know?

Parts of Cologne Cathedral were built from trachyte quarried at the Drachenfels.

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