A phanerite is an igneous rock whose microstructure is made up of crystals large enough to be distinguished with the unaided eye. In contrast, the crystals in an aphanitic rock are too small to be seen with the naked eye.

What does Phan mean in phaneritic?

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… aid of a microscope (called phaneritic, from the Greek phaneros, meaning “visible”). On the other hand, magma erupted at the surface is chilled so quickly that the individual minerals have little or no chance to grow.

How do you describe Phaneritic texture?

Phaneritic - This texture describes a rock with large, easily visible, interlocking crystals of several minerals. The crystals are randomly distributed and not aligned in any consistent direction.