Plotting on ternary diagrams 1

Method for plotting a

point with the
components:70% X,
20% Y, and 10% Z on
triangular diagrams.
For each component,
you always measure
from zero of that
component (opposite
side) toward the corner
of that component.
If done correctly, the
lines for all 3
components should
cross at the same point.
Plotting on ternary diagrams 2
The plotting position for
this point is:
X value = X/(X+Y+Z)
Y value = Y/(X+Y+Z)
Z value = Z/(X+Y+Z)
Where X, Y, and Z are
the numerical values of
the three plotted
components (e.g., weight
% of SiO2, Al2O3, and
FeO in a chemical
analysis, or Quartz,
Alkali feldspar, or
Plagioclase in a mode)
for this one point.
Plotting on ternary diagrams 3
Another method for
plotting a point with the
components: 70% X,
20% Y, and 10% Z on
triangular diagrams.
The X component line
is drawn at 70% X like
the previous two slides.
The second line is radial
from X to the position
between Y and Z
determined by:
Y/(Y+Z)
This is especially useful
for the IUGS
classification diagrams
 Q (Quartz) The rock must
Classification of plutonic Rocks: Quartzolite contain at least
10% of thesum of
QAPF
90 90

the minerals on the

Quartz-rich corners.
A classification scheme for 60
Granitoid

60

coarse-grained igneous

i te
ran
rocks that have more than

To
ar G
Grano-

na
Granite
diorite

ldsp

lite
10% (quartz + feldspar +

i Fe
al
Alk
feldspathoids). The odd Alkali Fs.
Quartz Syenite
20

Quartz Quartz Quartz

20 Qtz. Diorite/
Qtz. Gabbro

names are mostly from the Alkali Fs.

Syenite
5
Syenite
Syenite
Monzonite Monzodiorite
5 Diorite/Gabbro/
10 35 Monzonite 65 Monzodiorite 90 Anorthosite
A (Alkali-
ancient history of natural feldspar
(Foid)-bearing
Syenite
(Foid)-bearing
Monzonite
(Foid)-bearing
Monzodiorite
P
10(Plagioclase)
science.
10

(Foid)-bearing

( Fo
Alkali Fs. Syenite (Foid)-bearing
Diorite/Gabbro

id)

ro
The prefix (Foid) refers to feldspathoid, a (Foid) (Foid)

bb
Sy
Monzosyenite Monzodiorite

Ga
en
it
variety of generally low-silica felsic

id)
e

(Fo
minerals like nepheline. DO NOT USE 60 60

THIS TERM! It is meant to be replaced (Foid)olites

by the actual feldspathoid present, so a

nepheline-bearing monzodiorite would
be called a nepheline monzodiorite. F (Feldspathoids)
 Classification of mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks
Plagioclase IUGS classification schemes for coarse-
Anorthosite grained gabbroic rocks (left) and ultramafic
90
rocks (below). Note that the corners are at
Gabbros 10% of other components, whereas the
edges are only at 5%.
Olivine Ultramafic rocks
Olivine Dunite
gabbro 90

Peridotites

We
te

hr
i
urg
Plagioclase-bearing ultramafic rocks

lite
Lherzolite

rzb
Pyroxene Olivine Ha
(b)
Ultramafic rocks
classified over
40

here
Orthopyroxenite Olivine Websterite Pyroxenites
10

(c) 10
Websterite
Clinopyroxenite
Orthopyroxene Clinopyroxene
 Q
Classification of volcanic rocks: QAPF
IUGS classification scheme for volcanic No
volcanic
rocks. This works the same way as for rocks

the IUGS scheme for plutonic rocks, but

60 60

historically volcanic rock names have Rhyolite Dacite

been different and fewer.
20 20

You might wonder how it is possible to Trachyte Latite Andesite/Basalt

quantify all of the minerals in a volcanic A (foid)-bearing
35
(foid)-bearing
65
(foid)-bearing P
rock, given that mineral grains in many 10
Trachyte Latite Andesite/Basalt
10

volcanics are very small and many (Foid) (Foid)

volcanics contain a lot of glass. Phonolite Tephrite

In such cases quantification of the

identifiable crystals is meaningless in 60 60

the sense of this diagram. It is more (Foid)ites

useful to plot a volume norm from a

chemical analysis instead.
F
 Classification of volcanic rocks: fragmental textures
Classification schemes for the pyroclastic rocks. Left, based on the type of
material (after Pettijohn, 1975). Right, based on the size of the volcanic
fragments (after Fisher, 1966).
 Chemical classification of igneous rocks: Na-K-Si
Chemical classification of volcanics based on total alkalis and silica (after
Le Bas et al., 1986).
Chemical classification of igneous rocks: K-Si
 Chemical classification of igneous rocks: Si-Zr-Ti
Interestingly, certain trace elements vary more or less with the major
elements that define rock mineralogy. Data from the Partridge Formation
volcanics, Massachusetts (Hollocher, 1993).
 Zr-Ti
Chemical

Data from the Partridge Formation

of igneous

volcanics, Massachusetts (Hollocher, 1993).

classification

rocks: Nb-Y-