We have had a discussion in class we were wondering if lava ever is green?

Lance Johnson (student)

Hi Lance,

Lava certainly never comes out green, and it isn't green after it cools, either. Sometimes a lava flow gets coated with a layer of moss or algae if it is in a very moist environment so it might look green, but in that case it is really the layer of small plants that is green. Another thing sometimes happens to very old lava flows. If the conditions are right, the actual minerals that make up the lava flow start to be changed into other minerals due to the action of water percolating through, or perhaps hot gases percolating upward (if the volcano is still active). These "secondary" minerals that form out of the original minerals are sometimes green, but again, that color is not the color that the lava came out. There is a photo of some of these green rocks in VolcanoWorld. Look for "La Reforma under the searcher"

Sincerely,

Scott

Other Categories        Other Questions
To VolcanoWorld