norite

rock

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

Norite is a variety of gabbro, which is a coarse-grained, intrusive igneous rock. It is composed of a granular aggregate of basic plagioclase feldspar and orthorhombic pyroxene, often with some magnetite. The name "norite" originates from Norway, where it was first identified. Norite is a type of rock, and its composition is primarily defined by its mineral content.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

mineral deposit
Immiscible melts
…of a mafic rock called norite lies above a discontinuous zone of gabbro, some of which contains numerous broken fragments of the underlying basement rocks and some of which is rich in sulfide ore minerals of nickel, copper, and platinum-group metals. Many hypotheses have been suggested for the origin of…
Read More
…of a mafic rock called norite lies above a discontinuous zone of gabbro, some of which contains numerous broken fragments of the underlying basement rocks and some of which is rich in sulfide ore minerals of nickel, copper, and platinum-group metals. Many hypotheses have been suggested for the origin of…
Read More