Country rock (geology) in geology when the term "country rock" is used include: When describing a pluton or dike, the igneous rock can be described as intruding the surrounding "country rock", the rock into which the pluton has intruded. When country rock is intruded by dyke, it is called "discordant intrusion," while intrusion by a sill indicates a "sub-parallel" or "concordant intrusion". Most intrusions into country rock are via magma. Usually, country rock is intruded by an igneous body of rock which formed when magma forced upward through fractures, or melted through overlying rock. Magma then cooled into solid rock, different from the
Lava of lava dome eruptions include the Novarupta dome, and successive lava domes of Mount St Helens. Lava tubes are formed when a flow of relatively fluid lava cools on the upper surface sufficiently to form a crust. Beneath this crust, which being made of rock is an excellent insulator, the lava can continue to flow as a liquid. When this flow occurs over a prolonged period of time the lava conduit can form a tunnel-like aperture or "lava tube", which can conduct molten rock many kilometres from the vent without cooling appreciably. Often these lava tubes drain out once the