METAMORPHISM

Concepts/ Terms to Remember:

 Metamorphism produces metamorphic rocks out of sedimentary, igneous, or even
another metamorphic rock. These rocks change with time, pressure and heat.
 All the important processes of metamorphism can be related to geological
processes caused by plate tectonics.
 Chemical changes during metamorphism occur when ions move and new minerals
form.
 Physical change during metamorphism is known as foliation.
 Foliation is the formation of alternating bands of crystals of different colors. It is
caused by extreme pressure applied to the rock in just one direction.
 2 main types of metamorphism: Contact metamorphism and Regional
Metamorphism
 Regional Metamorphism - changes in enormous quantities of rock over a wide
area caused by the extreme pressure from overlying rock or from compression
caused by geologic processes. Deep burial exposes the rock to high temperature.
Occurs when a large mass of rock is exposed to differential stress and to high
temperatures.
 Contact metamorphism - changes in a rock that is in contact with magma because
of the magma’s extreme heat. happens when magma intrudes a cooler rock,
exposing the rock to higher temperatures but not to higher pressures.
 Different kinds of metamorphism produce different mineralogy and texture on the
metamorphic rock. These are then used to classify metamorphic rocks into either
foliated metamorphic rocks or non-foliated metamorphic rocks.
 Foliated- refers to the arrangement of the mineral crystals in the metamorphic
rock and is often exhibited by those that are formed by regional metamorphism.
 Foliated Metamorphic Rocks – exhibit parallel alignment of minerals.
 Examples of Foliated Metamorphic Rocks: Slate, Schist, Phyllite, gneiss, migmatite
 Non- Foliated Metamorphic Rocks – are produced when there is very little
deformation and when the parent rock has equidimensional crystals.
 Examples of Non foliated Metamorphic Rocks: Hornfels, amphibolite, quartzite,
marble