The Three Main Rock Groups

It was James Hutton (1727-1797), the famous 18th century geologist, who
popularised the idea of a Rock Cycle, demonstrating the relationships between
igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. The Rock Cycle relies on the upper
part of the earth ( mantle, crust and surface) acting like an automatic recycling
system. The material from which rocks are made isn't destroyed when they are
weathered and eroded, but is recycled, forming new types of rocks. This process is
continuous and is assumed to have worked in the same ways since the earth was
formed.

There are many different rocks on the Earth and other planets, but every single one
can be fitted into one of the three main groups; Igneous, Metamorphic and
Sedimentary.

The groups are defined according to the origins of the rocks. In other words, the way
in which a rock is created determines the group to which it belongs. Within each
group the characteristics of the rocks can vary greatly, in colour, hardness, mineral
composition and texture, but they will all have a common type of origin.

Let's look briefly at each of the groups.

Igneous Rocks
The word Igneous comes from the latin, ignis, meaning fire. In ancient times
volcanoes, the source of many igneous rocks were thought to be mountains that
were on fire, so the rocks were known as fire rocks. We now use the term to
describe all rocks that have been formed from molten rock, whether they formed on
the surface or at depth within the planet.

As we have seen in previous lessons, molten rock below the surface is known as
magma and when it flows out onto the surface it becomes known as lava. Just as the
name of the molten rock material changes, so does the name given to the types of
rock it forms. Rocks formed from cooling magma are known as intrusive igneous
rocks; rocks formed from cooling lava are known as extrusive igneous rocks.

An important characteristic of igneous rocks is that they are crystalline, or made of

crystals. The basic components of igneous rocks are minerals, each of which has a
fixed chemical composition. Each mineral forms a characteristic type of crystal. For
example, the well known igneous rock, Granite, is composed of three main minerals,
Quartz, Mica and Feldspar, all of which look different and can be clearly seen in a
sample.
 The three main minerals in granite can be seen in this polished cross-section.
Black=Mica, White=Feldspar, Grey =Quartz

The size of the crystals is usually determined by the speed at which the molten
rock material cools. Quick cooling produces small crystals, slow cooling produces
larger crystals.

A well developed quartz crystal found on Dartmoor, Devon, by a junior school pupil

The size of the crystals can be used to further classify igneous rocks.

Metamorphic Rocks
These are rocks of either Igneous or Sedimentary origins that have been altered due
to heat and/or pressure, with some help from chemically active fluids. The word
comes from the Greek words , meta, meaning change, and morphe, meaning form.
No melting is involved and the rocks remain solid all the time, though they may
become folded and contorted by vast pressures.

The only sources of intense heat and pressure lie below the surface so that is where
all metamorphic rocks must form. The only times we see them are when upper
layers of rock are eroded away, exposing the layers formed at depth.

Although most metamorphic rocks form very deep within the crust, it is possible for
rocks relatively close to the surface to undergo metamorphism if igneous rocks are
intruded close by. The intense heat from the igneous rocks can literally cook the
surrounding rocks, altering their character and composition. In this way, limestone
can become marble, and shale be converted to slate.

Sedimentary Rocks
These rocks are created from sediments, the broken up particles of other older
rocks. Common rocks such as chalk, sandstone and clay are sedimentary rocks
formed from the accumulation of eroded material on the Earth's surface.

Uniquely among the three main rock groups, we can actually watch sediments settle
out of muddy water, and gathering in layers along the bed of a stream. This means
that we can observe the processes that form sedimentary rocks. The Principle of
Uniformitarianism enables us to conclude, with a few reservations, that the
processes we can see happening today, are the same ones that formed the
sedimentary rocks around us thousands or millions of years ago.

There are several ways to classify sedimentary rocks, but a common one is
according to the process which led to their deposition.

Rocks formed from particles of older eroded rocks are known as Clastic rocks.
These include sandstones and clays.
Rocks formed from plant and animal remains are known as Organic. These include
Limestone, Chalk and Coal.
Rocks formed from chemical action are known as Chemical. These include
sedimentary iron ores, evaporites such as rock salt (Halite), and to some extent flint,
limestone and chert.

Clues that may help you recognize a sedimentary rock are...

• It looks like bits of other rocks stuck together.

• It has a gritty feel and bits can be rubbed off it.
• It contains fossils, bits of shell or pebbles.
• There are no, or very few crystals in it.
• All the grains look rounded and worn.

Fine grained sandstone with fossil shell imprints - clear evidence that it's a sedimentary rock.