A lava or other igneous rock composed chiefly of carbonates rather than silicates.
〔地质〕碳酸盐岩
unusual magmas such as carbonatites
mass nouncarbonatite is rich in calcium carbonate
Example sentencesExamples
Indeed, pegmatites from gabbros to granites to carbonatites to anorthosites are known.
Subordinate volumes of carbonatite and lamprophyre magmas are also present.
The rock turned out to be an apatite-bearing carbonatite.
It consists of gabbroic, ultramafic and alkaline rocks, mafic dyke swarms and carbonatites.
Next in abundance, although rare in comparison to silicate rocks, are carbonate-based magmas and lavas known as carbonatites, which have little (less than 15 per cent by weight) or no silica content.