Igneous Rocks

Chapter 3
Learning Goals
• Describe the rock cycle, the driving forces, and basic
formation of each rock type.
• Explain the ways in which rocks melt
• Know the broad classification of chemical compositions
of magma
• Explain how magma and rock composition is influenced
by partial melting and fractional crystallization
• Identify plutons based on morphology and relation to
surrounding rocks
• Classify igneous rocks using basic terms to describe
composition and texture
Rocks!
• Rocks are consolidated mixtures of minerals

1) Igneous
2) Sedimentary
3) Metamorphic
Igneous Rocks
• Formed from
crystallization of
magma

Andesite
Sedimentary Rocks
• Formed from
weathered
fragments of other
rocks
• Fragments are
buried,
compressed, and
consolidated
Metamorphic Rocks
• Formed by
temperature, pressure,
fluids, and time
• You can start
anywhere!

• In general, any rock

can transform into
another rock

• The exception to the

above is that
sedimentary rocks
don’t transform into
igneous, they have to
become metamorphic
first
Magma vs lava

Lava: Molten rock

above the ground

Magma: Molten rock

below the ground
 Volcanoes erupt lava
lava and magma for a specific volcano are the same, the terminology just
clarifies above vs below the ground
Magmas
Melt

3 Parts:

Crystal (solid)

Melt (liquid)

Volatiles (gas)

volatile crystal
Magma Compositions
• Although magmas are
varied in composition and
depend on the rock it was
derived from, magmas are
dominated by Silicon and
Oxygen

• The percentage of SiO2 in

the magma has significant
consequences to how the
magma is erupted

Generic magma composition

2 Types of igneous rocks
Intrusive/Plutonic: Magma cools slowly below surface
Extrusive/Volcanic: Magma cools quickly above surface
Intrusive/Plutonic
Slow cooling results in
large crystals

The crystals are

large enough to
see with the
naked eye

Granite is an intrusive igneous rock

Extrusive/Volcanic
Rapid cooling results in
small/no crystals

The crystals are

too small to see
with the naked
eye

Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock

 Extrusive Intrusive

Incr. SiO2
 All magmas are derived

Partial Melting from partial melting

of rocks in the mantle
or crust

Rocks are made from different minerals

Minerals melt at different temperatures

Temperatures rarely exceed that of all mineral’s

melting points

Result: Only part of rock melts

Ways to Make Magma
1) Increase temperature

2) Decrease pressure (Decompression melting)

3) Add water or other volatiles (Flux melting)

Decompression melting and flux melting are the main mechanisms

for creating magma
• The actual temperature and pressure as one goes down
into the Earth is tracked by the Geothermal Gradient
1) Increase temperature

Wow! Hotter
things melt…
2) Decompression Melting

Decrease
pressure while
maintaining
temperature
3) Flux Melting

Adding
volatiles
lowers the
melting point
of rocks

Liquidus curve
shifts left
Decompression Meting
At divergent boundaries,
mantle rock rises in response
to the newly created space

The mantle rocks rise and are

kept at approx. same temp
but reduce pressure,
inducing melting
Decompression Melting
• Hot spots (mantle plume) are deep magmas from
deep within the mantle
• As the plume rises it continues melting due to
decreases in pressure
Flux Melting
• At convergent
boundaries where
subduction takes place,
water is released into
the mantle from the
subducting slab

• The added water

(volatiles) lower the
melting point of the
mantle rock
 Tectonic Summary for Melting

Most melting is controlled by plate tectonics

Crystallization of Magma
• Rocks crystallize at different temperatures
depending on mineral composition
• Minerals crystallize at different temperatures
The sequence at which minerals crystallize from is
known as Bowen’s Reaction Series
• More mafic minerals crystallize first
• Plagioclase crystallizes around the same temp as pyroxene but
depends on the plagioclase composition
• Ca-rich (Anorthite) à Na-rich (Albite) à K-rich (K-Spar)
 Incr SiO2

Incr FeO + MgO

Fractional Crystallization
• The consequence of Bowen’s Rxn series is that as
magmas cool, mafic minerals crystallize first,
making the magma composition more felsic
Fractional Crystallization in Magma Chambers
Porphyritic Texture
• After minerals crystallize in the magma, and are
brought up to the surface, the lava will quench and
form a porphyritic texture
Large Phenocrysts
Large Phenocrysts Fine Groundmass
 Classification of Igneous Rocks

• The red line separates non-ferromagnesian (light) and

ferromagnesian (Fe/Mg dark) minerals
• The more mafic a rock, the higher portion of ferromagnesian
minerals it contains
• Texture of igneous rocks is a result of the crystallization process
or the eruptive style of the volcano
Movement of Magma towards the
Surface
• Hot magma is less dense than the surrounding
rock, so it rises
• If the surrounding rock is plastic, the magma will
push through
• If the surrounding rock is brittle, the magma will
fracture the rock and break through
• The rock in which the magma protrudes below the
surface is termed country rock

Country Rock

Country Rock
 Xenoliths
• As the country rock is fractured and breaks, it falls
into the magma and in termed a xenolith

Mantle
xenolith
Dykes and Sills
• Depending on how tabular bodies of magma
interact with surface stratigraphy, they are either
termed dikes or sills

Sills are concordant (parallel) with

existing layering

Dikes are discordant with existing

layering

If there is no layering present, the

tabular body is a dyke
 Dyke Sill

Magma intrusion is at an Magma intrusion is parallel

angle to existing layering to existing layering
• When magmas intrude colder country rock, the margins
cools, leading to chilled margins, a margin of rapidly
cooled magma
• This is especially obvious in dykes
 Larger underground Intrusions

Any body of magma

that crystalizes
underground is
known as a pluton

Plutons can be
further divided by
size and shape
A: stocks or batholith.
B: sill
c,f: dyke
d: laccolith
E: volcanic pipe
Batholith
• Large pluton (>100 km2) usually formed by several
stocks merging together

• Batholiths are
almost always
intermediate to
felsic in
composition
Laccolith
• Mushroom shaped body of magma that inflates
between layers, moving them upwards
Give names to each letter
• After each magma body cools, what would we
call them?