Basic definitions
Rock: a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or glass.
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
All rocks that form from cooling of a mass of molten rock
(melt or magma).
Includes crystalline rocks (interlocking mineral crystals)
and glasses (lacking crystalline minerals).
Igneous Rock
Coarse-grained: 1 mm or larger.
Coarse-grained
Fine-grained
Granite
Rhyolite
Silicic or
felsic
Diorite
Andesite
Intermediate
Gabbro
Basalt
Mafic
Peridotite
Ultramafic
Komatiite
Complete melting of a mixture of potassium feldspar (Kspar) and quartz occurs at a minimum of 1000 C when
there is 42% Quartz and 58 % K-spar.
Time 2.
As the first crystals begin to form in the magma (olivine) they
remove iron and magnesium from the magma, changing the
composition of the magma as the crystals settle to the bottom of the
magma chamber.
Time 3
As successive minerals crystallize, following Bowens series, the
composition of the magma continues to change or differentiate.
2. Assimilation of host rock: if the rock into which the magma has
intruded is melted by the high temperatures, its inclusion in the
magma will change its composition; the rock type that forms will
similarly change.
Igneous Structures
Volcanoes are structures that are produced by extrusive
igneous activity (when magma is extruded to the surface).
Plutons are solitary masses of igneous rock within the crust.
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Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary rocks include those that are made up of
discrete particles of minerals or rock fragments (termed
clastic sedimentary rocks) and those made up of
interlocking crystals (termed chemical sedimentary rocks).
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Solutions.
Stable mineral grains (e.g.,
quartz) as detrital grains.
New minerals grains (e.g., clay
minerals, oxides).
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Sediment Name
Rock Name
(particle shape)
Gravel
Conglomerate (rounded)
Breccia (angular)
Sand
Sandstone/Arenite
Silt
Siltstone/Lutite
Clay
Claystone/shale
> 2 mm
Conglomerate is made up of
well-rounded gravel.
2 0.0625 mm
0.0635 -0.004 mm
<0.004 mm
Sandstone:
Individual grains can be seen with the naked eye.
Breccia is characterized by
angular gravel.
Siltstone is very fine-grained
but feels gritty to the touch.
The shape of the gravel indicates
that it has not traveled far from
where it formed.
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Shale is smooth to the touch and weathers into thin flat slabs.
Halite
hopper
crystal
Gypsum rosettes
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Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks form when pre-existing rocks are subjected to
high temperatures and/or pressure and interaction with chemically
active fluids.
Metamorphic Grade: a
measure of the degree to which
a rock has changed during
metamorphism.
Types of Metamorphism
Burial metamorphism: occurs when rocks become buried within the
crust due to subsequent deposition.
Metamorphism begins at
temperatures above 200 C (about 8
km depth).
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The type of rock that forms with contact metamorphism varies with
the composition of the original rock and the distance from the
intrusion (cooling away from the intrusion).
The zone of contact metamorphism is termed a metamorphic aureole.
Sandstone
Quartzite
Limestone
Marble
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Regional Metamorphism:
Under a directed pressure crystals that grow will grow more readily
in the direction that is perpendicular to the applied force.
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Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Involves:
Cooling of magma (to form igneous rocks).
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