Minerals and Rocks

Part 2
Learning Objectives
1. I can classify and describe the three basic rock types;
2. I can explain how and what type of environment each of these rock
types are formed;
3. I can explain how rocks are transformed from one rock type to
another through the rock cycle;
4. I can identify and describe the different geologic processes that
operate within the rock cycle.
Rocks
• Any naturally occurring solid mass composed of a single mineral or an
aggregate of 2 or more minerals
Igneous Rocks
• Rocks that are formed from the solidification of molten rock material
(magma or lava).
• Plutonic igneous rocks --- molten rock solidifying below the Earth’s
surface
• Minerals are formed during crystallization of the magma.
• Rate or speed of cooling is one of the most important factors that
control crystal size and the texture of the rock in general.
Magma Vs Lava
Plutonic or Intrusive Rocks
• Solidified magma under the earth
• Gradual lowering of temperature gradient at depth towards the
surface would cause sow cooling or crystallization
• Phaneritic texture forms when magma deep underground in the
plutonic environment cools slowly, giving the crystals time to grow.
• A phanerite is an igneous rock whose microstructure is made up of
crystals large enough to be distinguished with the unaided eye.
Phanerite
Aphanite, or aphanitic as an adjective, is a name given to certain
igneous rocks that are so fine-grained that their component mineral
crystals are not detectable by the unaided eye. This geological texture
results from rapid cooling in volcanic or hypabyssal environments.
Vesicular texture is a volcanic rock texture
characterized by a rock being pitted with many
cavities at its surface and inside.
Porphyritic texture relating to or denoting a rock texture, typically found in volcanic
rocks, containing distinct crystals or crystalline particles embedded in a fine-grained
groundmass.
Translate porphyritic to
Use over time for: porphyritic
Volcanic or extrusive rocks
• From solid lava at or near the surface of the earth.
• Fast rate of cooling or crystallization due to huge variance in the
temperature between earth’s surface and underneath
• Common textures: aphanatic, porphyritic, and vesicular
Pyroclastic rocks: fragmental rocks usually associated with violent or
explosive type of eruption.
Igneous rocks based on silica content
• Felsic is 65% silica generally light colored
Andesitic 55-65% silica generally medium
colored or medium gray
Mafic 45-55% silica ang generally dark
colored
Ultramafic <45% silica very dark colored
composed mainly of mantle material called olivine
and pyroxene
Sedimentary Rocks
• Formed through accumulation, compaction, and cementation of
sediments.
• Processes at or near the surface of the earth include: weathering of rocks,
sediment transport and deposition, compaction and sedimentation
• Factors include water, wind, and ice.
• Common features: strata and fossils
• Non clastic/chemical/biochemical are sediments that precipitated from
concentrated solutions like seawater or from accumulation of biologic or
organic material like shells
• Clasic/Terrigenous form from the accumulation and lithification of
sediments derived from the breakdown of pre-existing rocks. They are
classified according to dominant grain size.
Metamorphic Rocks
• Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock
types, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in
form". The original rock is subjected to heat and pressure, causing
profound physical or chemical change. The protolith may be a
sedimentary, igneous, or existing metamorphic rock.
• Some examples of metamorphic rocks are gneiss, slate, marble,
schist, and quartzite
Contact Metamorphism
is a type of metamorphism where rock minerals and texture
are changed, mainly by heat, due to contact with magma.
Creates no foliated metamorphic rocks
Regional Metamorphism occurs over a much larger area. This metamorphism
produces rocks such as gneiss and schist. Regional metamorphism is caused by large
geologic processes such as mountain-building. These rocks when exposed to the
surface show the unbelievable pressure that cause the rocks to be bent and broken
by the mountain building process. Regional metamorphism usually produces foliated
rocks such as gneiss and schist.
Dynamic Metamorphism also occurs because of mountain-
building. These huge forces of heat and pressure cause the
rocks to be bent, folded, crushed, flattened, and sheared.
Foliates are composed of large amounts of micas and chlorites.
These minerals have very distinct cleavage. Foliated
metamorphic rocks will split along cleavage lines that are
parallel to the minerals that make up the rock. Slate, as an
example, will split into thin sheets. Foliate comes from the
Latin word that means sheets, as in the sheets of paper in a
book.
Non-Foliates are metamorphic rocks that have no cleavage at all.
Quartzite and marble are two examples of non-foliates that we are
going to study