Rocks melt over a temperature range that generally depends on their mineral composition, but typical melting temperatures fall between about 600°C and 1300°C.
- Silicate minerals, which make up most rocks, start melting around 600°C and are completely molten by about 1200°C. Different silicate minerals have distinct melting points within this range, grouped as high, medium, and low melting point solids
- Basaltic rocks melt roughly between 984°C and 1260°C, while granitic rocks melt between about 1215°C and 1260°C. The presence of water and other mineralizers can lower these melting points in natural magmas
- The mantle rock begins to melt at approximately 1330°C, but much of the mantle remains solid despite temperatures above this due to pressure and other factors
- Alkali feldspar, a common mineral in rocks, melts between 1000°C and 1160°C, with interactions occurring up to 1350°C
- Overall, melting of rocks in the Earth's interior typically occurs between 600°C and 1300°C, turning solid rock into magma
In summary, rocks melt over a broad temperature range roughly from 600°C to 1300°C depending on their composition and environmental conditions such as pressure and presence of fluids.
