tuff - rhyolitic tuff with pumice clasts - a classic ignimbrite or pumice-dominated pyroclastic deposit - Unit of 5 student specimens

This particular volcanic igneous rock, the Bishop Tuff, is composed of volcanic ash and fragments of pumice that were ejected from vents near Mammoth, California 700,000 years ago. It is a classic example of an ignimbrite, where the ash was very hot when it fell to earth and the ash and pumice fragments were welded together. The Bishop tuff is variable. These specimens were collected in one area where it contains darker pumice clasts (from klastos, Greek = broken in pieces).

This is a self-teaching tuff. It looks ashy and is gritty to the touch. Students will get the picture. The pumice fragments are a light purple and the ashy matrix has a slight purplish cast. Tuff and rhyolite often look similar, since they have a similar silica rich composition and are both generally light in color. The angular clasts in a tuff separate it from a rhyolite.

Tuffs are light colored, usually shades of buff or gray, and since they are silica rich, they are not dense. These specimens are fairly light weight for their size, reinforcing the volcanic ash origin.

Shipping: By Priority Mail or USPS Ground Advantage, whichever is cheaper, unless we find a better rate. Click > here < for shipping rates. Use back button to return to this page.

Making multiple purchases? Click on the "combine shipping" button in the shopping cart. We'll send an invoice with combined shipping. A link in that invoice will bring you back to checkout, no hassle.