Types of rocks

Rocks are a combination of minerals that

are bonded together in some way.
All rocks are made of minerals •
Monomineralic- contain one mineral –
Polymineralic- contain more than one mineral

Rocks are classified into three groups by how they are

formed

Types of Rocks

Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic

 Types of Rocks

Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic

•Sedimentary Rocks: •Metamorphic Rocks:

Igneous Rocks: are formed when old
Form from sediments
Form from molten rocks change by heat
(pieces of other rocks) that
rock that cools and are cemented together. and pressure.
hardens.

Rocks are classified by how they form

 Classification of igneous rocks-
2 types
Intrusive Extrusive
• Form from magma • Form from lava
• Cooled and • Cooled and
solidified hardened quickly at
(hardened) slowly or near the surface
deep underground of the earth.
• Large crystal size • Small or no crystals
Igneous rocks are
also formed
when volcanoes
erupt,
causing the
magma to rise
above the earth's
surface.
 Types of igneous rocks
• Granite- most
abundant igneous
rock
• Can be made up of
feldspar, quartz, mica,
and hornblende
 Obsidian
• • Obsidian rocks are
igneous rocks that
form when lava
cools quickly above
ground.
• Obsidian is actually
glass and not a
mixture of minerals.
The edges of this
rock are very sharp.
 Pumice
• Pumice rocks are •
igneous rocks which
were formed when lava
cooled quickly above
ground.
• This rock is so light, that
many pumice rocks will
actually float in water.
• Pumice is actually a
kind of glass and not a
mixture of minerals.
Extrusive

Insrusive
Can be:
• Felsic: light colored rocks that are rich in elements such as
aluminum, silicon. Lower density
• Mafic: dark colored rocks that are rich in iron and Mg. Higher
density
• Coarse-grained texture: takes longer to cool, larger visible
mineral crystals
• Fine-grained texture: cools quickly with small mineral crystals
• Glassy Texture: cools the quickest, no mineral crystals form
• Vesicular texture: Gas pockets (holes)
• (note) Texture refers to the size/appearance of the minerals
 Fragments of 
rock get broken
down into 1. ARE USUALLY FORMED IN
A WATERY
sediments ENVIRONMENT.
Sediments are  2. OFTEN LAYERED
transported, 3. ARE THE ONLY ROCKS
compacted, and THAT CONTAIN FOSSILS
cemented into
rock
Fossil formation
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/conte
nt/visualizations/es2901/es2901page01.cfm
Clastic Rocks – fragments cemented
together and include the sediments: sand,
silt, clay, pebbles, and boulders
Generally these rocks are formed from •
one mineral
Rock salt
(halite)

Rock gypsum- made

from gypsum
 Or Bioclastic

Bituminous coal- fossil fuel Limestone- made from

Formed from plant remains in Mineral calcite and
Swampy areas- most are millions Fragments of shells
Of years old
3. Metamorphic rocks
 Metamorphic rocks are
rocks that have
"morphed" into another
kind of rock. These
rocks were once
igneous or sedimentary
rocks.
The rocks are under
tons and tons of
pressure, which fosters
heat build up, and this
causes them to change.
 How are they formed?
• Metamorphic rocks are pre-existing
rocks that have been changed by heat
and/or pressure without melting.

• These pre-existing rocks are called

parent rocks
 Classification- 2 groups
• Foliated • Non-foliated
• Mineral crystals are aligned,
or arranged in bands or • Mineral crystals do not have
layers. mineral crystals arranged in
bands of layers. Example marble
• Banding: High grade and quartzite.
metamorphism. Alternating
layers of dark and light minerals.
Metamorphism
• Regional
Metamorphism
– Caused by extreme
pressure and heat.
– Happens over wide
“regions”.
• Contact
Metamorphism
– Caused by contact
with extreme heat.
Holey schist!
 Rock Cycle
• Rock must go through melting and
solidification to become an igneous rock
• Rock must go through weathering and
erosion to become sedimentary rock
• Rock must go through heat and pressure to
become a metamorphic rock
Based on the characteristics, what
kind of rock is A? B? C? D? E? Write
the key word that led you to this
conclusion.