Rocks practical

Igneous Rocks
Remember: Crystals have random orientation, relatively large crystals can be seen:
phenocrysts.

Volcanic
Remember: aphanitic texture

Rhyolite
Quartz, sanidine,
plagioclase and
micas.

Andesite

Dark grey, brownish, or

greenish veriaties.
Plagioclase (green) and
hornblende are usually
visible.

Basalt
Mainly augite and
plagioclase and some
olivine. This rock is
usually black.

Phonolite
Gives a clear sound, no
quartz but foides. Sanidine
is the main alkali feldspar

Volcanic glass

Pumice

Obsidian and Peckstone

Plutonic
Remember: phanitic texture

Granite

Plagioclase and quartz and

orthoclase/microcline are
the main minerals. Could
be reddish if orthoclase
has high percentage.

Diorite

Plagioclase is most noticeable and

also hornblende.

Gabbro
It looks a little like diorite but with more augite and olivine.
Ultramafic
More than 90% mafic minerals.

Aplite
This is just a word used to
describe that the crystals
are unusually small

Pegmatite
This is just a word
used to describe that
the crystals are
unusually large

Syenite

Mainly alkali feldspars.

It is important to realize
either quartz or foides
like leucite are present.

Sedimentary rocks
Remember: These are formed on or just below the surface at T up to 200 C. It is made up of
grains or organic material that was transported or covered and cemented together .

Clastic (allochtonous)
(Pyroclastic: not relevant for practical)

Terrigenous (siliciclastic)
Remember: these rocks are composed of individually transported fragments that are later
cemented together.

Breccia
>50% fragments and
>50% of these fragments
is angular and larger than
2 mm

Conglomerate
>50% fragments and
>50% of these fragments is
rounded and larger than 2
mm

Sandstone

Use the triangle

Greywacke

Arkose

Quartz arenite

Quartz wacke

Sand
Too easy
Claystone

>75% clay

Shale
Size of particles is very
small so could be
confused with claystone.
Characteristic is that it
shows a black brown
colour and it is layered.

Non-clastic (autochtonous)
Organic
Caustobioliths
Lignite
Looks like anthracite but it is less brittle, doesnt glisten and layering is less obvious.
Composed mostly of carbon
Anthracite
Shiny, very brittle, clear
layering. Composed
mostly of carbon

Limestones

Also important: if it is clastic it is a marl, if it

contains dolomite it is a dolostone.
If it looks like tiny balls it is an oolite.

Mudstone

Wackestone

Packstone
Grainstone
Dolostone

Oolites

Travertine
Marl (clastic limestone)

Residual
Laterite: looks like bauxite only it is more iron rich and so it is browner
Bauxite
Mainly gibbsite,
diaspore and
boemite. These are
white. The red colour
comes from
ironoxides

Chemical
Evaporites are the only group of interest here.
Rocksalt
Mainly halite

Metamorphic rocks
Remember: metamorphic rocks can be recognized by the fact that the crystals usually show
preferred orientation (lineation and foliation). Relatively large crystals are called
porhydroblasts.

Contact metamorphism (high T low P)

These rocks show no lineation or foliation but only one rock belongs in this group.
Hornfels: exhibit a brown grey or black colour. There is barely any orientation
because they are created without significant increase in pressure.

Regional metamorphism (high T high P)

Slate: very fine foliation. They look like stacked thin plates. Micas are the main
mineral

Phyllite

Looks like a slate but

the foliation is slightly
more coarse. Silky
luster on the cleavage
planes.

Schist
The foliation can be very
irregular. Quartz and mafic
minerals can usually be
distinguished. Feldspars
are usually absent.

*Glaucophane schist: schist containing glaucophane which can give it a blue-ish

colour.
*Greenschist: schist containing green minerals like epidote and chlorite.
Gneiss

Even less foliation than in a

schist. The foliation looks like
banding. Feldspars are
important in gneiss. Quartz is
also usually clearly visible.

Amphibolite

Contains plagioclase and

amphibole. No
developed foliation. Can
look a little like gabbro.

Eclogite: green pyroxene and red garnet give the distinct colour.
Quartzite: mostly composed of quartz
Marble: No foliation. Consists of calcite or dolomite. It used to be a limestone.