Rock Identification Tables

http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blrockident_tables.htm These tables will help you identify almost any rock you're likely to find. Explanations and notes on rock identification are below the tables.

Identification of Igneous Rocks

Grain Size fine fine fine fine or mixed fine or mixed fine or mixed mixed coarse coarse coarse coarse coarse coarse coarse very coarse Usual Color dark light dark light medium dark any color light light medium to dark medium to dark dark dark green any color Other glassy appearance many small bubbles many large bubbles contains quartz between felsite and basalt has no quartz Composition lava glass lava froth from sticky lava lava froth from fluid lava high-silica lava medium-silica lava low-silica lava Rock Type Obsidian Pumice Scoria Felsite Andesite Basalt Porphyry Granite Syenite Diorite Gabbro Peridotite Dunite Pegmatite

large grains in fine-grained large grains of feldspar, quartz, pyroxene or matrix olivine wide range of color and grain size like granite but without quartz little or no quartz no quartz; may have olivine dense; always has olivine dense dense usually in small intrusive bodies feldspar and quartz with minor mica, amphibole or pyroxene feldspar with minor mica, amphibole or pyroxene low-calcium plagioclase and dark minerals high-calcium plagioclase and dark minerals olivine with amphibole and/or pyroxene at least 90% olivine typically granitic

mostly pyroxene with olivine and amphibole Pyroxenite

Identification of Sedimentary Rocks

Hardness hard hard hard or soft hard or soft hard or soft hard hard soft soft soft soft soft very soft very soft Grain Size coarse coarse Composition clean quartz quartz and feldspar Other white to brown usually very coarse gray or dark and "dirty" round rocks in finer sediment matrix sharp pieces in finer sediment matrix feels gritty on teeth no fizzing with acid foliated black; burns with tarry smoke fizzes with acid no fizzing with acid unless powdered mostly pieces salt taste white, tan or pink Rock Type Sandstone Arkose Wacke/ Graywacke Conglomerate Breccia Siltstone Chert Shale Coal Limestone Dolomite rock Coquina Rock Salt Rock gypsum

mixed mixed sediment with rock grains and clay mixed mixed fine fine fine fine fine coarse or fine coarse coarse coarse mixed rocks and sediment mixed rocks and sediment very fine sand; no clay chalcedony clay minerals carbon calcite dolomite fossil shells halite gypsum

Identification of Metamorphic Rocks

Foliation foliated foliated foliated foliated foliated foliated nonfoliated nonfoliated nonfoliated nonfoliated nonfoliated Grain Size Hardness fine fine coarse coarse coarse coarse fine fine or coarse coarse coarse coarse soft soft hard hard hard hard soft hard hard soft hard Usual Color dark dark mixed dark and light mixed mixed dark greenish dark red and green light light Other "tink" when struck shiny; crinkly foliation wrinkled foliation; often has large crystals banded distorted "melted" layers mostly hornblende shiny, mottled surface dull and opaque colors, found near intrusions dense; garnet and pyroxene calcite or dolomite by the acid test quartz (no fizzing with acid) Rock Type Slate Phyllite Schist Gneiss Migmatite Amphibolite Serpentinite Hornfels Eclogite Marble Quartzite

The first step in using these rock identification tables is to decide whether your rock is igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic.

Igneous: A tough, frozen melt with little texture or layering; mostly black, white and/or gray minerals; may look like lava (about igneous rocks) Sedimentary: Hardened sediment with layers (strata) of sandy or clayey stone; mostly brown to gray; may have fossils and water or wind marks (about sedimentary rocks) Metamorphic: Tough rock with layers (foliation) of light and dark minerals, often curved; various colors; often glittery from mica (about metamorphic rocks)

Grain Size: "Coarse" grains are visible to the naked eye (greater than about 0.1 millimeter), and the minerals can usually be identified using a magnifier; "fine" grains are smaller and usually cannot be identified with a magnifier. (using a magnifier, identifying minerals) Hardness: Hardness (as measured with the Mohs scale) actually refers to minerals rather than rocks, so a rock may be crumbly yet consist of hard minerals. But in simple terms, "hard" rock scratches glass and steel, usually signifying the minerals quartz or feldspar (Mohs hardness 6-7 and up); "soft" rock does not scratch a steel knife but scratches fingernails (Mohs 3-5.5); "very soft" rock does not scratch fingernails (Mohs 1-2). Igneous rocks are usually hard. Texture: The texture of a rock refers to the details of its visible characterthe size and quality and interrelations of its grains and the fabric they form. Larger-scale features, such as fractures and layering, are considered rock structures.