autolith
geology
Also known as: cognate xenolith
Quick Summary
An autolith is a fragment of rock that was previously crystallized from a magma but is enclosed within material from the same magma that solidified later. These fragments are genetically related to the igneous body they are found in.12
Autoliths are a type of inclusion, which is a general term for incorporated rock bodies within an igneous formation. They are distinct from xenoliths, which are rock fragments unrelated to the igneous body they are found in. The term "autolith" was first used in 1900.21
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