Metamorphic Petrology (Geo2055) METAMORPHIC TEXTURES
NOTES TO PRACTICAL SESSION
Attributes of metamorphic minerals
and rocks
The fundamental building unit of any
rock is the individual mineral. Like any rock,
metamorphic rocks are made of aggregate of
single mineral species or a combination of two
or mineral species.
Minerals of a metamorphic rock can be
either modified older mineral grains (inherited
from the parent rock/ protolith) or new mineral
grains (uncommon in other rock types)
generated through chemical reactions during
metamorphism. Metamorphism also imparts
new fabric (distinct internal re-arrangement of
the constituent grains) to the rocks, due to the
physical conditions imposed on them. These
typical features provide useful information
(criteria) to characterize the conditions of
metamorphism and protolith of a metamorphic
rock.
Therefore, proper identification of
common metamorphic minerals, and
characterization of the textural attributes of
mineral grains and rocks in the field/hand
specimen/thinsection is the fundamental aspect
of metamorphic petrology.
Common metamorphic minerals
Examinations of most common rocks on
Earth indicate the occurrence of about 85 rock-
forming minerals, which are formed through a
variety of processes in the mantle, crust and
surface of the Earth. Among these the most
common metamorphic minerals are listed in
table 1. The list comprises index minerals
characterizing certain metamorphic P-T
conditions and minerals that are diagnostic of
other rock types.
Physical attributes of metamorphic rocks
Interpretation of the history of a
metamorphic rock requires a practical
knowledge about the physical attribute of its
constituent mineral grains and their physical
relations to each other, in the outcrop/sample or
under the petrographic microscope. This in other
words emphasizes the importance of proper
identification and description of the texture of
individual grains, their distribution and
orientation within the rock (bulk fabric). Some
of the diagnostic textural elements and adopted
nomenclatures are briefly summarized below
with convenient illustrations.
The development of textures in a
metamorphic rock is mainly related to the
dynamic and kinetic phenomena of the physical
metamorphic processes. Study of the textures of
metamorphic rocks has the following
petrographic and petrogenetic importance.
1. They provide a means for classifying
metamorphic rocks, and hence for their
nomenclature.
2. They may help identify the original rock
type prior to metamorphism.
3. They help identify which minerals may
have formed with each other (in
equilibrium?) and which minerals are
definitely out of equilibrium, and hence
help establish the order of crystallization
and paragenetic sequences which are
essential in understanding the P-T
history of the sample.
4. They help identify metamorphic
reactions that may have taken place
during the rock's history, and are
therefore essential for deriving the P-T
paths of such rocks.
5. They help identify the relationship
between deformation and mineral
growth, which is essential for any
tectonic interpretations.
6. They are critical for determining the
number of deformational and/or
metamorphic events affecting an area.
Texture is a term that describes the size,
shape and orientation of the grains constituting a
rock, as well as the relationship between these
grains. Main features of these terms are detailed
below.
Grain Size:
This usually defines the mean or
maximum diameter of a mineral grain in
millimeters. The size of individual grains is
commonly used to classify rocks as fine,
medium, coarse and very coarse grained. The
size ranges of these divisions vary slightly from
one author to the other (See table 3). So far there
is no internationally standardized scheme
demarcating the size boundaries between the
major divisions. Therefore one can adopt
consistent size ranges that suite his observation
to classify rocks as fine, medium or coarse
grained and indicate the preferred/chosen size
range marks in parenthesis.
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 Table1. Common metamorphic minerals (Simplified formula of mineral end members)
Oxide proportions
Mineral group End member Formula
K2O Na2O CaO MgO FeO Al2O3 SiO2 H2O
Forsterite Mg2SiO4 - - -  2 - -  1 -
Olivine
Fayalite Fe2SiO4  - - -  - 2 -  1 -
Sphene (titanite) CaTiSiO5                 
Almandine Fe3Al2Si3O12  - - -  - 3 1  3 -
Pyrope Mg3Al2Si3O12  - - -  3 - 1  3 -
Garnet Grossular Ca3Al2Si3O12  - - 3  - - 1  3 -
Spessartine Mn3Al2Si3O12                 
Andradite Ca3Fe 2Si3O12 
3+
               
Vesuvianite (idocrase) Ca19Mg3Al10Si18O68(OH)10 - - 19  3 - 5  18 5
Andalusite/
Al-silicates Al2SiO5 -  - - -  - 1 1  -
Sillimanite/Kyanite 
Staurolite Fe-staurolite Fe2Al9Si4O22(OH)  - - -  - 2 4.5  4 0.5
Chloritoid Fe-chloritoid FeAl2SiO5(OH)2  - - -  - 1 1  1 1
Zoisite Ca2Al3Si3O12(OH)  - - 2  - - 1.5  3 0.5
Epidote
Clinozoisite Ca2Al3Si3O12(OH)  - - 2  - - 1.5  3 0.5
group
Epidote (Pistacite) Ca2Fe Al2Si3O12(OH) 
3+
               
Lawsonite - Ca Al2Si2O7(OH)2.H2O  - - 1  - - 1  2 2
Mg-cordierite Mg2Al4Si5O18  - - -  2 - 2  5 -
Cordierite
Fe-cordierite Fe2Al4Si5O18  - - -  - 2 2  5 -
Enstatite Mg2Si2O6  - - -  2 - -  2 -
Ferrosilite Fe2Si2O6  - - -  - 2 -  2 -
Diopside CaMgSi2O6  - - 1  1 - -  2 -
Pyroxene Hedenbergite CaFeSi2O6  - - 1  - 1 -  2 -
Jadeite NaAlSi2O6  - 0.5 -  - - 0.5  2 -
Aegirine NaFe Si2O6 
3+
               
Wollastonite CaSiO3  - - 1  - - -  1 -
"4:4:2" Mg4Al8Si2O20  - - -  4 - 4  2 -
Sapphirine
"7:9:3" Mg3.5Al9Si1.5O20  - - -  3.5 - 4.5  1.5 -
Amphibole Anthophyllite Mg7Si8O22(OH)2  - - -  7 - -  8 1
(Ca-poor) Cummingtonite Mg7Si8O22(OH)2  - - -  7 - -  8 1
Tremolite Ca2Mg5Si8O22(OH)2  - - 2  5 - -  8 1
Ferro-actinolite Ca2Fe5Si8O22(OH)2  - - 2  - 5 -  8 1
Amphibole Tschermakite Ca2[Mg3Al2][Al2Si6]O22(OH)2  - - 2  3 - 2  6 1
(hornblende) Edenite NaCa2Mg5[AlSi7]O22(OH)2  - 0.5 2  5 - 0.5  7 1
NaCa2[Mg4Al]
Pargasite - 0.5 2  4 - 1.5  6 1
[Al2Si6]O22(OH)2 
Amphibole Glaucophane Na2Mg3Al2Si8O22(OH)2  - 1 -  3 - 1  8 1
(sodic) Riebeckite Na2Fe3Fe 2Si8O22(OH)2 
3+
               

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 Table 1. Common metamorphic minerals (Simplified formula of mineral end members)
Oxide proportions
Mineral group End member Formula
K2O Na2O CaO MgO FeO Al2O3 SiO2 H2O
Muscovite KAl2[AlSi3]O10(OH)2  0.5 - -  - - 1.5  3 1
Paragonite NaAl2[AlSi3]O10(OH)2  - 0.5 -  - - 1.5  3 1
Mica Margarite CaAl2[Al2Si2]O10(OH)2  - - 1  - - 2  2 1
Phlogopite KMg3[AlSi3]O10(OH)2  0.5 - -  3 - 0.5  3 1
Annite (Fe-Bt) KFe3[AlSi3]O10(OH)2  0.5 - -  - 3 0.5  3 1
Prehnite - Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2  - - 2  - - 1  3 1
Feldspar Microcline/
KAlSi3O8  0.5 - -  - - 0.5  3 -
(potassium orthoclase
feldspar/plagioclase Albite NaAlSi3O8  - 0.5 -  - - 0.5  3 -
) Anorthite CaAl2Si2O8  - - 1  - - 1  2 -
Meionite 3CaAl2Si2O8.CaCO3                 
Scapolite 
Marialite 3NaAlSi3O8.NaCl                 
Ilmenite  - FeTiO3                 
(Mg-)Spinel MgAl2O4  - - -  1 - 1  - -
Spinel  Hercynite FeAl2O4  - - -  - 1 1  - -
Magnetite FeFe 2O4 
3+
               
Brucite  - Mg(OH)2  - - -  1 - -  - 1
Diaspore  - AlO(OH)  - - -  - - 0.5  - 0.5
Calcite/ Aragonite  CaCO3                 
Carbonate
Dolomite  CaMg(CO3)2                 
Magnesite  - MgCO3                 
Apatite  - Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F,Cl)                 

Index minerals:
Minerals which can only form under a restricted range of (P) pressure and (T) temperature are
named index minerals. These minerals are important in determining the limits to which pressure and
temperature were reached during metamorphism. Some of the most commonly known are, Kyanite,
Sillimanite and Andalusite. All three have identical chemical compositions (Al2SiO5), but exhibit
different crystal structures.
If Andalusite is found in a rock, this indicates that the temperature and pressure were relatively
low. Andalusite is often found in contact metamorphosed shales.
Kyanite is regarded as an indicator of high pressure, although it must be noted that the higher the
temperature of the rock, the greater the pressure needed for kyanite to form.
Sillimanite is an indicator of high temperature and can be found in some contact metamorphic
rocks adjacent to very hot intrusions as well as in regionally metamorphosed schists and gneiss that
formed at considerable depths.
All three could occur within the same rock, and could be said to be mutually stable; it could be
inferred that temperature was close to 500°C and pressure almost 4 kbars during metamorphism.

3
4
Table 3. Common nomenclature defining grain
and "cellular" are expressions of this
size data. incompleteness. For nonspecific classification of
such conditions Hibbard (1995) introduced the
Nomenclature Size range Size range general term integrity. Complete crystals have
(Author A) (Author B)
>50mm > 10 mm
high integrity, whereas a completely cellular
Very coarse
grained crystal has low integrity. Such a scaling is not
Coarse grained >5 to <50mm 5 to 10mm intended to be sensitive to the presence or
Medium grained >1 to <5mm 1 to 5 mm absence of crystal faces.
Fine grained >0.1 to <1mm 0.1 to1mm A crystal that has inclusions of other
Very fine grained >0.01 to <0.1mm <0.1 mm grains is not a complete crystal either, and it too
(10-100) has a reduced integrity. A crystal that has a few
Glass/Sub Glass to cells, a few inclusions, or simply an irregular
Microscopic 0.001mm (<10)
materials surface represents intermediate integrity.
Incomplete noncrystalline grains or grains
Variable grain size distribution in a rock composed of submicroscopic material can also
is described in relative terms by establishing be scaled according to integrity. For example, a
statistically definable size groups such as within pumice fragment is a glass grain with very low
the limits of the major size ranges shown in integrity.
table 3 or another. The common nomenclatures
defining the presence of irregular size Crystal Zoning
distribution within grain aggregates of a rock are Crystal zoning (CZ) chiefly reflects
given in table 4 and illustrated in figure 1. changes in composition and crystal structure as
Table 4. Nomenclature describing variable grain the crystal grows.
size distribution in a rock.
Minerals that are members of a solid
Nomenclature Characteristic features solution series, such as plagioclase feldspar ,
Equigranular Uniform grain size distribution olivine, clinopyroxenes and amphiboles
Seriate Non uniform grain size, size typically develop growth zoning, recording not
inequigranular groups with two different size only the chemical-structural changes but also the
ranges shape of the crystal as it enlarges. Thus, crystal
Bimodal Non uniform grain size, size
zoning is a record of crystal morphology prior to
inequigranular groups having two different
remarkable size ranges final growth, and this is petrogenetically
Trimodal Non uniform grain size, size significant.
inequigranular groups having three different For example, a plagioclase crystal may
remarkable size ranges grow in magma by enlargement parallel to
crystal faces, but finial growth of the crystal
Grain Morphology (Shape)
may compete with adjacent crystals for space
and finish with an irregular non-rational surface.
The shape of grains (i.e., grain If classification of grain morphology is based on
morphology, GM) can be expressed by this final growth morphology alone, the major
reference to three-dimensional axes describing record of ’euhedral’ growth has been ignored.
either euhedral (idioblastic), subhedral Expression of zoning is seen as
(subidioblastic), anhedral (xenomorphic), differences in (1) extinction position, (2)
equant, tabular, platy, or prismatic solids. pleochroism, and/or (3) birefrigence Zoning may
A different nomenclature for describing also be expressed by former differences in
grain morphology is recently adopted by composition that later are the locations of
Hibbard (1995) and these are: eustructural, for exsolved phases. This expression is typical in
shapes reflecting crystal structure, astructural, alkali feldspars in slow-cooling magmatic
for shapes not reflecting crystal structure, and systems. Another well known 'secondary"
substructural, for intermediate shapes (Figure expression of zoning is the sericitic alteration of
2). Crystal surfaces may be crystal faces, planar more calcic zones of plagioclase.
surfaces that are irrational with respect to crystal Zoning related chiefly to differences in
Structure (such as polygonal mosaics), or extinction position includes morphological
nonplanar surfaces that are curving or irregular. changes, such as the change from non-fibrous
Some crystals are incomplete. Terms quartz to the fibrous variety chalcedony. Zonal
such as ‘skeletal,’ "dendritic," "spheruhtic," arrangement of cellular and noncelluar portions

5
of plagioclase crystals is rather common in
volcanic rocks. This is a morphological zoning,
but it is also typically compositional since the
cellular plagioclase is typically different in
composition from the noncellular portion.
Variations in triclinicity of K-feldspar may be
observed as abrupt or gradual differences in
extinction position. Zoning may also be
expressed by the preferred location of
impurities, such as inclusions of other mineral
phases, and by the preferred location of fluid
inclusions.
Zoning may develop as a progressive
change in composition and/or crystal structure,
or it may occur abruptly. Progressive zoning
records a continuous change in composition and
accompanying crystal structure. The classic
example of progressive zoning is "normal
zoning" in magmatic plagioclase, resulting from
a gradual decrease in the anorthite content from
core to rim of the crystal. Optically this is
expressed by a progressive change in extinction
position "Normal" indicates that crystallization
takes place in response to falling temperature, as
it does in magmatic and hydrothermal systems.
Step zoning applies to abrupt changes in
composition that partition crystals into areas of
distinct optical character. Oscillatory zoning is
a fine-scale repetitive version of step zoning
and/or progressive zoning. Each oscillation in an
oscillatory zoned plagioclase typically begins
with a step to higher anorthite content followed
by a progressive return to the original or a lower
anorthite content. Combinations of these zoning
types in single crystals are rather common.
If zoning conforms to the general shape
of a crystal it is continuous zoning. If it is lo-
calized at certain crystallographic regions, it is
sector zoning. If the zoning is localized in sev-
eral areas in the crystal, with little or no
preference for certain structural positions, it is
known as patchy zoning (See Figure 3).
Grain Discontinuities
Inaddition to twinning and zoning, there
are several other intracrystalline attributes of
crystals that have optical expression. They
include optical imperfections relating to the
nature and location of dislocations, including
progressive extinction ("wavy" or "undulatory"
extinction), deformation lamellae, kinkbands,
subgrains, and deformation 'bands." Both
crystal grains and unit grains may have micro
fractures and micro faults, both being non-
distributive grain discontinuities (Figure 4).
Progressive extinction is one expression
of a strained crystal lattice. Besides the
progressive nature of extinction, deformation of
a crystal lattice may be detected simply by the
distorted ("bent") shape of the crystal and/or by
the presence of arcuate twin lamellae with
tapered terminations.
Subgrains look like shadowy crystals
within crystals. The orientation of subgrains (or
subcrystals) deviates only slightly from the
orientation of the host crystal. If there is more
deviation of lattice, the sub-grains are
considered to be new crystals. "Ribbon
structure" applies mainly to extremely elongated
quartz crystals occurring in some quartzofelds-
pathic metamorphic rocks.
Crystal Twinning
The crystallographic properties of twins
have an extensive literature, but 1itt~ is known
about the occurrence and petrogenetic
significance of twinned crystals. It is known,
however, that complexly twinned plagioclase
(albite-pericline-Carlsbad) is common in
magmatic rocks and rare (absence?) in rocks
formed by recrystallization processes. It is
known that alkali feldspar Baveno twins are
common in certain granites, but it is not known
what special circumstances are required. The
same can be said for Manebach twins,
chessboard plagioclase, and twinned birefracting
garnet.
The petrogenetic significance of
microcline twinning seems to be the best
understood. Microcline (triclinic) cannot grow
twinned. It has been demonstrated that twinned
microcline must have had a monoclinic alkali
feldspar predecessor, such as orthoclase. The
transformation is evidently facilitated by the
presence of an aqueous phase and/or by
shearing, underscoring the petrogenetic value of
this type of twinning.
Repetitive rhombohedral twinning of
calcite is another example of twinning indicating
something special about environment. In this
case, the twins are secondary, forming
mechanically in a dynamic environment. In
sharp contrast, cementing sparry calcite in
carbonate rocks is typically untwinned.
Some twins are so common that their
absence is the indicator of special conditions.
For example, the lack of albite-twinned
plagioclase is characteristic of some
metamorphic rocks in which the plagioclase
occurs in polygonal mosaics with quartz.
6
 Not all twins are easily identified by
routine optical investigation. Plagioclase twins
may be easily misidentified. For example, ala A
and ala B twins are very similar to albite twins,
and Carlsbad twins are very similar to albite-
Carlsbad twins. Sketches of some of the more
common twin types are presented in Figure 5.
Grain Relations
Even the casual observer has to be
impressed by some of the intricate patterns of
grain interrelation generated by rock-forming
processes. Grain relations (GR) are grouped as
follows: granular, intergranular, transecting,
including, and mantling. Some glassy rocks and
some rocks with submicroscopic material will
have no grain relations, since either there are no
grains or grains are isolated in these matrix
materials and do not contact each other. The
grains of some rocks have only granular (side by
side) relationships. However, most rocks with
grains have a dominant granular texture and
other grain relations as well. An illustrated
classification of grain relations is shown in
Figures 6, 7 and 8.
Granular Texture. A granular relation consists
of grains in contact with each other, in a more-
or-less side-by-side relationship. The size and
shape of the participating grains are variable,
and their interface may be simply planar or
curved, or complexly sutured or scalloped.
Apparent inclusion of one grain in another may
result from direction of sectioning of a non-
planar interface, yet the real relationship is side
by side.
Granular grain relations dominate
crystalline rocks such as granites, schists, and
crystalline limestones. Rocks dominated by the
presence of clastic, cataclastic, or pyroclastic
grains, such as arenites, cat-aclasites, and ash
flow tuffs, are also characterized by granular
texture.
Intergranular-Texture. An intergranular
relation can be described as the occurrence of
any relatively small volume rock-forming
material located between and confined by
grains. For example, the sodic plagioclase
located between larger grains of alkali feldspar
is an intergranular relation, as is the quartz
located between plagioclase crystals.
‘Intergranular’ has also been used for the oc-
currence of relatively small pyroxene crystals
located between larger plagioclase laths, typical
of some basaltic and diabasic rocks. This
relation is viewed in the present classification as
senate inequigranular or bimodal inequigranular
in the context of grain size, as well as granular
in the context of grain relations.
Transecting-Texture. A transecting
relationship between grains includes glass,
submicroscopic material, or crystals in
microveins (and 'mesoveins" of hand specimens)
that have a transecting relationship with grains
or nongrained rock material. Typically, the veins
result from precipitations and reactive replace-
ments in fractures and faults (originally grain
discontinulties host.
Including Texture. Including grain
relationships do not necessarily mean that a pre-
existing grain was included by a later-forming
grain. There are seven subtypes of including
relations whose names are given here in a way
that avoids genetic connotation.
One including relation applies to a
relatively large host grain containing other
grains that are orders of magnitude smaller. The
composite grain is here termed a poikigrain.
This relationship is common in metamorphic
rocks in which porphyrograins are pokiloblasts.
Garnet and staurolite porphyroblastic
poikiloblasts typically contain many small
grains of quartz.
Poikigrains of magmatic rocks are
commonly phenocrysts. Certain hybrid granitic
magmatic rocks have poikigrains consisting of
randomly oriented grains of plagioclase and
biotite in a much larger K-feldspar host. Alkali
feldspar phenocrysts in two-feldspar granites
and granodiorites commonly contain small
plagioclase crystals that commonly have
preferred crystallographic orientation with
respect to the host crystal. Small, more-or-less
round grains of quartz in plagioclase or K-
feldspar of some inequigranular granitic
magmatic rocks is an including texture. The
quartz is commonly restricted to the outermost
portion of the host crystal defining a localized
zone of inclusions. Magmatic poikigrains,
including phenocrysts, have poikilitic texture.
Another including relation consists of
included and partially included grains that are
much larger in relation to the host grains than
those inclusions of poikigrains. The volume of
the host crystal typically is less than the
aggregate volume of the inclusions. The
composite grain is defined here as an oikigrain.
Oikocrysts with a pyroxene host are common in
some cumulate rocks, and ophitic texture,
consisting of plagioclase laths in pyroxenes
(amphiboles and biotite as well), is considered
7
here to be an oikigrain variety characteristic of
some gabbroic and diabasic magmatic rocks.
Graphic texture is primarily
represented by the occurrence of "graphic"
quartz in either K-feldspar or sodic plagioclase,
but other mineral pairs have the relationship. A
graphicgrain has the graphic texture.
Vermicular texture is an including
relation characterized by "wormlike"
(vermicular) forms of a mineral phase in a
larger host mineral. The composite is a
vermiculargrain. The well-known variety of
this texture, myrmekite, consists of vermicular
quartz in a more dominant sodic plagioclase
host. Some very fine examples of vermicular
texture involve sulfides, among them chalcocite-
bornite, krennerite-pyrrhotite, and oxide silicate
pairs such as chromite in orthopyroxene.
Coexistence and gradation of graphic
and vermic'liar texture characterize the rock
granophyre. For example, quartz in K-feldspar
and plagioclase may have both straight and
curved interfaces. Granophyric texture is a
term that generalizes the coexistence of graphic
and vermicular morphologies. A symplectic
relationship refers to intergrowths of two
minerals without making morphological
distinctions. The term eutectoid refers
specifically to pairs that are known to have
crystallized simultaneously at a eutectic.
Cellular texture is an including relation
that applies to incomplete crystals resulting from
cellular growth (both biotic and abiotic) or par-
tial dissolution. Plagioclase may be either boxy
cellular or spongy cellular Cellular olivine and
pyroxene are common in quenched volcanic
rocks. Cells may also occur in non-crystal grains
such as the chambers in corals and fusilinids . A
cell implies that space" enclosed by crystalline
or noncrystalline wall material is subsequently
filled with crystalline or noncrystalline material
such as glass, submicroscopic material such as
micrite, organic material, epitaxial crystals (K-
feldspar in plagioclase cells), and nontaxlal
crystals (quartz in K-feldspar cells). Petrified
wood is a good example of floral cell filling.
The definition of cellular-including cannot be
purely descriptive be-cause recognition of the
cellular form as deriving via growth or
resorption is an interpretative exercise.
Lamellar, lensoid, and rod textures apply to
mineral pairs resulting from exsolution in solids,
simultaneous crystallization in liquids, and
reactive replacement. Perthite and antiperthite
are well-known examples resulting from
exsolution.
Superposed texture having an inclusion
configuration typically results from pseudo-
morphic or partial pseudomorphic replacement
of one material by another. For example, calcic
cores and zones of plagioclase commonly are
replaced by epidote, calcite, or sericite.
Sericitization of andalusite may be partial or
complete. Interpretation is required in cases
where the genetic history may not be clear.
Transition of superposed-including to
transecting texture is one such situation.
Mantle Texture. A mantle relationship
most commonly is characterized by the
occurrence of one mineral phase rimming
(mantling) another. The mantling phase may be
a single crystal or a cluster of crystals. There
may be an epitaxial relation between mantle and
host core phase, especially if there is crys-
tallographic similarity (feldspar on feldspar), or
there may be no crystallographic continuity if
crystal structures are very dissimilar (homblende
on quartz). Epitaxial single-crystal mantles are
the most common.
Fabric
Fabric is an expression of location and
orientation of rock-forming materials in rocks
(Figure 9). If there is no preferred location and
no preferred orientation the fabric is
nondirectional. If there is preferred orientation,
preferred location, or some combination of the
two, the rock has a directional fabric.
Rock-forming materials contributing to
preferred location are of two general types; (1)
compositional and (2) physical. Preferred
location of hornblende with respect to feldspar
and quartz in a layered gneiss is a compositional
feature. Color layering as controlled by trace
amounts of hematite in sandstones or magnetite
in obsidian is also a compositional preferred
location.
Physical preferred location includes
bedding and laminations of sedimentary rock in
which grain size is the dominating control.
There may also be differences in grain shape
that have preferred location. Elongate minerals
such as amphiboles and platy minerals such as
micas may locate preferentially apart from
equidimensional minerals such as quartz and
feldspars, but this is also a compositional
preferred location. Most examples of preferred
location relate to differences in grain
composition and grain morphology.
8
 Preferred orientation of rock-forming
materials relates to the orientation of inequant
grains. Preferred dimensional orientation may
or may not have preferred crystallographic
orientation. For example, quartz in some
metamorphic tectonites may have preference for
crystallographic C to lie normal or subnormal to
a plane of flattening. Such quartz grains
typically also have grain dimension preferred
orientation with the shortest dimension of the
grain lying in the Plane of schistosity and the
longest dimension defining a lineation
(stretching lineation). Mineral grains such as
amphiboles and micas commonly have preferred
dimensional orientation in rocks, but since the
shape of these grains is a reflection of their
crystal structure the preferred orientation is also
crystallographic. This orientation was not that of
the stretched and flattened quartz previously de-
scribed. Dimensional orientation may also be
defined by noncrystal grains such as rock
fragments in clastic sedimentary rocks and
pyroclastic rocks.
Preferred orientation and preferred
location of rock-forming materials have two
fundamental structural expressions. Planar
fabric derives from preferred locations and
preferred orientations of platy or tabular
dimensional grains. Linear fabric derives from
preferred orientation of elongate grains. Tabular
grains (or triaxial ellipsoids) can contribute to
both planar and linear aspects of rock fabric.
Metamorphic textural terms
Relict textures (palimpsest textures): are
textures inherited from the original rock type,
and which have survived metamorphism.
Typomorphic textures: textures characteristic
of metamorphism
Superimposed textures: textures characteristic
of a post- metamorphic event, e.g. alteration,
weathering, ... etc.
Relict Textures
There are several types of relict textures.
Relict textures in metamorphic rocks are
indicated by applying the prefix "blasto" to the
original textural name. Relict textures are best
preserved in low-grade rocks. Examples of such
textures include:
 porphyritic
 ophitic
 intergranular
 intersertal
 amygdaloidal
 spherulitic
 variolitic
 pisolitic
 oolitic
Typomorphic textures
I- TEXTURES OF THERMAL METAMORPHISM:
When thermal metamorphism is not
associated with any deformation, the mineral
grains are randomly oriented, resulting in either
granoblastic or hornfelsic textures. The
following are some of the types of granoblastic
textures:
1- Granoblastic polygonal: where the
equidimensional grains may have well
developed crystal faces resulting in straight
grain boundaries, and where triple junctions are
common.
2- Granoblastic interlobate: where the grain
boundaries are somewhat irregular
3- Granoblastic amoeboid: where all the grains
have irregular outlines, and all the minerals are
anhedral.
4- Granoblastic decussate: where the
interlocking randomly oriented crystals are
somewhat elongate, prismatic or subidioblastic.
Usually applied to rocks with one or two mineral
species only. Triple junctions are common.
5- Nodular: results from the growth of oval -
shaped porphyroblasts of such minerals as
cordierite or scapolite in association with other
randomly oriented minerals as Qz, ..etc.
II- TEXTURES OF DYNAMIC METAMORPHISM:
6- Porphyroclastic: A texture produced by the
crushing or fragmentation of large grains,
resulting in two distinct grain size distributions
of the same mineral: coarser grained
porphyroclasts and finer grained fragments.
7- Mortar: similar to porphyroclastic but in
which the smaller fragments are further crushed
to finer and finer sizes (close to becoming
powders), while some porphyroclasts still
persist.
8- Protomylonitic: A more advanced stage of
cataclasis, where some minerals begin to deform
in a ductile manner, giving rise to an incipient
foliation or preferred orientation.
9- Orthomylonitic (mylonitic): Where the rocks
develop a well - defined foliation. In quartz rich
rocks, an orthomylonitic fabric is often indicated
by quartz crystals elongated like ribbons or
flames (ribbon quartz).
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10- Polygonized/ recrystallized/ annealed
(ultramylonitic): The most advanced stages of
cataclastic metamorphism result in the
recrystallization of the highly strained crystals
into smaller ones developing a granoblastic
polygonal texture. At the same time, a foliation
defined by micaceous or prismatic minerals
persists.
III- CRYSTALLIZATION TEXTURES:
11- Porphyroblastic: Where coarse - grained
metamorphic minerals (porphyroblasts) occur in
a matrix of finer grained crystals.
12- Poikiloblastic: Where coarse - grained
metamorphic minerals contain numerous
inclusions of finer - grained crystals of other
minerals. It is of different types:
a- Fish-net or skeletal texture: rapid
crystallization
b- Sieve texture
c- Rotational texture: where the
inclusions are oriented at an angle that suggests
that the poikiloblast may have rotated during its
growth, thus indicating syndeformational or
syntectonic growth. An alternative interpretation
of such texture is the rotation of the foliation
during the growth of the poikiloblast, which still
makes the growth syndeformational.
d- Snowball: Similar to rotational
texture, but where the inclusions define a spiral
shaped trail, which may have developed from
the "rolling over" of the poikiloblasts.
e- Helicitic: Where the poikiloblasts
overgrow the pre-existing foliation. This texture
therefore indicates post-tectonic crystallization
of the poikiloblasts.
Replacement textures
13- Mesh texture: develops in serpentinites,
where the needle shaped serpentine minerals
occur in aggregates interwoven like a mesh.
14- Hour-glass texture: Also in serpentinites,
where the serpentine minerals replace the
granular olivine crystals giving rise to hour-glass
like appearances.
15- Bastite texture: A third texture that occurs in
serpentinites, where Opx crystals were
completely replaced by aggregates of serpentine
minerals retaining the prismatic shape of the
original Opx.
16- Pseudomorphic replacement textures:
(i) single-crystal
(ii) multicrystal
(iii) multi-phase, multi-crystal
Reaction textures
17- Epitaxial overgrowth: Epitaxial overgrowth
is characterized by optical continuity between
the mineral and its overgrowth. Both the mineral
and the overgrowth must belong to the same
structural group, and may possibly be the same
mineral. This type of overgrowth is controlled
fully by the the matrix mineral.
18- Topotactic replacement: One mineral
overgrows another of a similar structure (e.g.
Actinolite rims on glaucophane). Orientation of
overgrowing mineral is controlled by that of the
overgrown one.
19- Kelyphitic texture (also a replacement
texture): A kelyphitic texture is a replacement of
one mineral along its rim by an intergrowth of
two or more minerals, in a way that the new
minerals almost completely surround the
mineral being replaced. The term is most
commonly used when the replacing minerals
form during retrogression. Examples include
kelyphitic rims of chlorite + Fe-oxides after
garnet.
20- Reaction-rim texture: when one mineral
replaces another along its rims, suggesting a
reaction between both phases. The contacts
between both phases are irregular.
21- Corona texture: several concentric layers of
one or more minerals completely encircling an
older phase. The layers (which range from one
to five in number) represent a sequence of
reactions that have taken place (none to
completion) to replace the mineral in the core or
center of the corona. Coronas form during both
prograde or retrograde metamorphism.
22-Atoll texture: where the core of a mineral is
dissolved or replaced leaving behind a surviving
rim. Such textures usually form due to an
original compositional zoning within the mineral
with the replaced core.
Intergrowth texture
23- Symplectites (also a reaction texture): Are
irregular fine-grained mineral intergrowths that
form as a result of a certain reaction that did not
go to completion. These intergrowths are often
recognized by their wormy appearance and often
occur along the boundaries of reacting minerals
(or ones not in equilibrium).
Examples of commonly intergrown mineral
pairs: Qz-Feldspar/ Amph-Spinel/ Plag-Mgt/ Gt-
Qz/ Plag-Cpx/ Bt-Qz/ Ep-Qz/ Amph-Plag. Note
that a common type of symplectitic intergrowth
is the myrmekitic texture commonly observed in
granites, where wormy quartz occurs in
plagioclase crystals in contact with biotite.
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Symplectitic intergrowths are more common in
high temperature rocks.
Polydeformational/Polymetamorphic
textures
24- Crenulated cleavage/schistosity: Results
from the folding of a foliation.
25- S-C fabric: A more advanced stage of
crenulation, where one or more minerals are
orientated along the crenulated surfaces to
define a new foliation (S2) at an angle to the
older one (S1). This commonly involves some
form of "recrystallization".
Special textures and features
26- Pressure shadows: are ellipsoidal regions
adjacent to a rigid crystal where minerals grow
developing textures that differ from those
defined by the same minerals in the rest of the
sample. Growth in a pressure shadow is
therefore influenced by the crystal faces of the
rigid mineral which seem to "protect" the
minerals in its immediate vicinity from the
deformation affecting the same minerals in other
parts of the sample. Accordingly, the foliation
wraps around the rigid crystal and its shadow.
27- Kink bands (deformational bands): Are
bends and twists within some minerals as a
result of their deformation. Kink bands develop
in pre-tectonic minerals.
28- Zoning: Compositional change of a crystal,
often accompanied by a change in some of its
optical properties.
29- Twinning: Some twinning may be induced
by deformation.
30- Exsolution texture: results from the
incomplete miscibility between two components
(end-members) of a solid solution series. A
decrease in temperature may result in the
separation of these two phases, one in the other
commonly along cleavage planes. Common in
high grade rocks that cooled slowly.
30- Mica fish: Are lenticular porphyroblasts of
mica which commonly develop in a shear stress
environment and can be used to indicate the
sense of shear.

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Metamorphic structures
Metamorphic rocks exhibit a variety of
planar and linear structures, which can range
from structures similar to the original protolith
at low grades of metamorphism to structures that
are purely produced by deviatoric stress acting
on the rock during metamorphism. The most
common structures are foliations and lineations.
FOLIATION

It is defined as a pervasive planar

structure that result from the nearly parallel
alignment of sheet silicate minerals and/or
compositional and mineralogical layering in the
rock. Most foliation is caused by the preferred
orientation of phylosilicates, like clay minerals,
micas, and chlorite.
As metamorphism proceeds, the sheet
structure silicates (flat minerals with basal
cleavage) such as mica (biotite and muscovite)
and chlorite start to grow. The sheets orient
themselves perpendicular to the direction of
maximum stress. The new parallel mineral
flakes produce a planar texture called foliation.
(from the Latin folium - leaf). Foliation can be
subtle or pronounced depending on the degree of
metamorphism.
There are three major types of foliation
structures that develop as temperature and
pressure increases, and are listed below.

Slaty cleavage - a pervasive, parallel

foliation (layering) of fine-grained platy
minerals (chlorite) in a direction
perpendicular to the direction of maximum
stress. Produces the rocks slate and phyllite.

Schistosity - the layering in a coarse grained,

crystalline rock due to the parallel
arrangement of platy mineral grains such as
muscovite and biotite. Other minerals
present are typically quartz and feldspar,
plus a variety of other minerals such as
garnet, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite.

Mineral Banding (Gneiss) - The layering in a

rock in which bands or lenses of granular
minerals (quartz and feldspar) alternate with
bands or lenses in which platy (mica) or
elongate (amphibole) minerals predominate.

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