In its oxide or silicate form, silicon is used to make concrete, bricks, glass, ceramics, and soap. Silicon metal is also the base material for making silicones used in such products as synthetic oils, caulks and sealers, and anti-foaming agents.
Intrusive igneous rocks crystallize below Earth's surface, and the slow cooling that occurs there allows large crystals to form. Examples of intrusive igneous rocks are diorite, gabbro, granite, pegmatite, and peridotite. Extrusive igneous rocks erupt onto the surface, where they cool quickly to form small crystals.
1 Aphanitic igneous rocks have a fine-grained texture and most of their crystals are too small to see with the naked eye. 2  You will need to use a magnifying glass to observe the crystals in aphanitic rocks. 3  Igneous rocks that form too quickly for crystals to form have what is called a glassy texture. An example of an intrusive rock is granite. 2  When magma is above the earth's crust, it is known as lava. 3  Extrusive rocks form through very fast cooling of lava above the Earth's surface. 4  Extrusive rocks have very small, almost microscopic crystals.