Fabrics: Foliation and Lineations

Random Fabrics Preferred Orientation

Foliation Lineation
 Foliation
General term that refers to any planar fabric or layering in a rock , with
the implication that the rock did not lose cohesion along foliation planes
during the formation of the foliation.

Tectonic Foliation

1. Pervasive planar structure that is formed during deformation

2. Preferred orientation of stretched minerals
Primary foliation Tectonic foliation
 Tectonites:

Rocks whose structure is a product of deformation and which are commonly, but
not necessarily , metamorphosed.

These rocks are characteristic of orogenic belts.

S-tectonite L-tectonite
LS-tectonite
 Foliation
General term that refers to any planar fabric or layering in a rock , with
the implication that the rock did not lose cohesion along foliation planes
during the formation of the foliation.

Tectonic Foliation

1. Pervasive planar structure that is formed during deformation

2. Preferred orientation of stretched minerals

Tectonic Foliation

Cleavage Schistosity Gneissosity

 Cleavage
Foliation formed by tectonic deformation at a relatively low grade of
metamorphism

Cleavage

Disjunctive Crenulation Cleavage

• Cleavage planes (cleavage domains)

cut across earlier foliation

• Adjacent cleavage domains separated by microlithons

where earlier foliations are still visible

Earlier foliation not reoriented by disjunctive cleavage

 Disjunctive Cleavage

Discrete surfaces and zones separating domains of less deformed

rock (microlithons)

Cleavage
domain
Microlithon
 How does discrete crenulation cleavage form?

Pressure solution (Durney, 1972): Phenomenon of dissolution of minerals under

non-hydrostatic stress .

They occur on surfaces statistically perpendicular to:

• an axis of gravitational load .
• to an axis of weak tectonic compression (tectonic pressure solution)
• Continuous process of dissolution+migration+growth to remove anisotropies
of stress
 Disjunctive Cleavage:

(Durney, 1972)

• The platy residual minerals lose the mechanical support strong alignment
parallel to the pressure solution surface
 DisjunctiveCleavage

e.g.) stylolites
 Pressure Solution series for single crystals
(Trunet, 1968)
1. Halite, Sylvite
2. Calcite
3. Dolomite
4. Anhydrite
5. Gypsum
6. Amphiboles & Pyroxenes
7. Quartz, Glauconite, Rutile, Hematite
Less Presolvable

8. Feldspar, Cassiterite
9. Mica, Clays
10. Arsenopyrite
11. Tourmaline, Sphene
12. Pyrite
13. Zircon
14. Chromite

• For any two minerals in contact, the one higher in the Pressure solution series will
dissolve faster—impressed by lower in the series.
Classification of Disjunctive cleavage
Classification of Disjunctive Cleavage