Lab 5.

Metamorphic
Rocks

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 Metamorphism and
metamorphic rocks
• Any rock subject to conditions that are
different from those under which they
originally formed, are changed, or
metamorphosed as a solid (without
melting

• Every metamorphic rock has a parent

rock (the rock from which it formed) –
Parent rocks can be igneous,
sedimentary, or other metamorphic
rocks

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 Metamorphism
ØChanges in: –

• Mineralogy .

• Texture.

• Chemical composition
(sometimes).

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 Causing of
Metamorphism

The agents of metamorphism

are:
ØHeat (T)
ØPressure (P)
ØHot water

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 Ø Temperature ranges between 200 °C and 850 °C.
Ø Heat energy breaks and reforms atomic bonds.

Agents of Metamorphism Ø Sources of heat:

1.Geothermal gradient
1. Heat (T) 2.Magmatic intrusions ( contact )
3.Compression
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 Agents of Metamorphism
2. Pressure (P)

ØMetamorphism occurs mostly in 2 to 12 kbar

range.
ØT and P both change with depth.
ØMineral stability is highly dependent upon T & P.
ØThis stability can be graphed on a “phase
diagram”.
ØSource of pressure:
1. Burial influence of an overlying rock
2. Plate tectonic
ØTypes of P: confining pressure and differential
stress.

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 • Forces are applied equally in all directions.
Confining pressure • Analogous to water pressure.
• Causes the spaces between mineral grains to close, dense.

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 • Forces are unequal in different directions result of tectonic
forces.
• Compressional stress, normal stress and shear.
Differential pressure • Rocks are squeezed .
• Develops folds or foliation.

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 • Hot water with dissolved ions and volatiles.
Agents of Metamorphism • Hydrothermal fluids accelerate chemical reactions.
3. hydrothermal fluid • Alter rocks by adding or subtracting elements.
• Hydrothermal altration is called metasomatism.

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 Metamorphic Environments
The types ( and settings) of metamorphism:
a. Cataclastic (dynamic) metamorphism - it
occurs along fault zones where there is local-to-
regional shearing and crushing of rocks.
b. Contact or thermal metamorphism –heat
from magma alters surrounding country rocks,
no pressure. At shallow depth (less than 6km).
c. Hydrothermal metamorphism- chemical
alterations from hot, ion-rich water
d. Regional metamorphism- Occurs in the cores
of mountain belts and subduction zones(
converging margins).
e. Burial metamorphism- e.g. burial of
sediments deeper than 10 km- non-foliated.
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1. Dynamic Metamorphism

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 Fault zone
Dynamic
metamorphism
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 Mylonite

Mylonite

Fault zone
Dynamic metamorphism
Augen gneiss 14
2. Contact Metamorphism

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3. Hydrothermal Metamorphism

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 4. Regional Metamorphism
The rocks are subjected to tectonic forces ("pulling apart" =
tension or "pushing together"=compression) to change the local
rocks.
• Examples: slate, phyllite, schist, and gneiss.
• They arise by the combined action of heat, burial pressure,
differential stress, strain and fluids on pre-existing rocks.
• The resulting rocks are always deformed (as a result of the
differential stress) and commonly exhibit folds, fractures and
cleavages
• Regional metamorphism covers a wide range of temperature
and pressure conditions from 200° C - 750° C and 2 kbar -
10 kbar (or 5 km - 35 km depth).
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 • Features for Identification
1. Texture (foliation, non foliation)
Identification of
2. Mineral composition
Metamorphic Rocks
3. Grain size of abundance material (matrix)

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 1. Texture
Ø Foliated

• Rock has a significant component of platy minerals.

• Subjected to differential stress (formed under directed

pressure).

• Classified by composition, grain size and foliation type.

Ø Non foliated (granular)

• No distinct layering character

• Often a massive crystalline texture

• Formed under uniform pressures

• Classified by mineral composition.

https://youtu.be/3E5hdVEvjT0
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 1 2 3 4

1. Slate 2. Phyllite
• Low grade of metamorphism • Low to medium grade of metamorphism.
• Looks like blackboard (dull surface) • Clay minerals neocrystallize into tiny mica.
Classification of • Fine clay. • May have little "waves" on surface ( crenulations)
• Phyllitic texture.
Foliated • Slaty cleavage.
3. Schist 4. Gneiss
textures • Medium to high grade. • High grade of metamorphism.
• Has a foliation called schistose • Metamorphic texture consisting of large grains in a
texture.
finer grained matrix.
• Has other minerals due to
• Light bands of felsic minerals ( quartz and feldspars)
neocrystallization process like quartz,
• Dark bands of mafic minerals (biotite or amphibole).
feldspars, kyanite, garnet, staurolite 20
• Gneissic texture.
and andalusite.
 Classification of non -foliated textures
Ø (Non-foliated) OR granular OR massive.

Ø Rocks do not have a platy or sheet-like structure(the grains will not align).

Ø Formed around igneous intrusions where temperatures are high, but pressures are
relatively low and confining.

Ø Original minerals recrystallize into larger sizes and atoms become more tightly packed
together, and higher rock density.

Ø Rock not subjected to differential stress.

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 Classification of non-foliated textures:
Marble https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/white-marble-53523b1c29c145a99035fcb3347aa76f

• Medium to coarse –grained.

• Non-foliated metamorphic rock.

• Crystalline texture formed by tightly interlocking grains of calcite or dolomite.

• Limestone or dolostone protolith.

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• How does the texture of the marble differ from the
texture of the limestone?
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 Classification of non-foliated textures:
Hornfels https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/contact-metamorphism-granite-and-hornfels-4e744adb1d244d9eb1e04f51ce08f4ca
• Fine-grained
• Non-foliated metamorphic rock having a dull luster.
• Microystalline texture (that may appear smooth or sugary).
• Dark in color.
• Hornfels form by contact metamorphism of any rock type.
• Alteration by heating.
• Associated with plutonic intrusion.
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/hornfels-0b1793fe7ba142f9ad5ceaf2f8ecc3ed

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 Classification of non-foliated textures:

Quartzite https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/quartzite-9902e1d81bca4df4abfed8bf7c13ab6a

• Medium- to coarse-grained.

• Non-foliated metamorphic rock consisting of quartz grains.

• Sandy texture.

• Sandstone protolith.

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 Classification of non-foliated textures:
Anthracite https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/anthracite-07c976c1da6c437397590d05c7e97a82

• Fine-grained.

• Non-foliated metamorphic rock, also known as hard coal (because it cannot easily
be broken apart like its parent rock bituminous or soft coal.

• Has a glassy texture and breaks along glassy, curved (conchoidal) fractures.

• It is formed by low-to intermediate-grade metamorphism of bituminous coal,

lignite or peat.

• Bituminous protolith.
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 Classification of non-foliated textures:

• Serpentinite https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/serpentinite-peridotite-metamorphic-rock-
8bf71d27ca1542238de9ab6c337e64b6
• Non foliated to weakly foliated.
• Mainly serpentine mineral.
• Variable grain size.
• Peridotite protolith.

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 Anthracite
White marble Eclogite Hornfelse

Hornfelse

Quartzite
Pink marble 28
 Identifying Metamorphic Rocks
Rock Name Texture Mineral Composition Grain Size

Eclogite Non-foliated /crystalline Garnet and pyroxene, actinolite, Medium to coarse

chlorite, muscovite and pyrite.
Marble Non-foliated /crystalline Calcite Medium to coarse

Quartzite Non-foliated /sandy Quartz Medium to coarse

Serpentinite Non-foliated /crystalline Serpentine Medium to coarse

Hornfelse Non-foliated /microcrystalline Depends on parent rock Fine

Amphibolite Non foliated /crystalline Amphibole minerals Medium to coarse

Anthracite Non-foliated /glassy Bituminous Fine

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 2. Mineral Composition
Important Metamorphic Minerals
Mineral Diagnostic Mineral Properties Metamorphic Grade

Many colors (often dull, sometimes translucent), hard (scratches glass),

Quartz conchoidal fracture (can break in smooth curves), Any
no cleavage

Often dark red, hard (scratches glass), can have conchoidal fracture (break in
Garnet Medium-high or higher
smooth curves), no cleavage, crystal is 12-sided

White, soft (scratched with a knife but not with a fingernail), cleavage in 3
Calcite Any
directions (rhombic), reacts (fizzes) with dilute acid

Brown/translucent, soft (scratches with fingernail), 1 good cleavage (flakes

Mica Medium-low or higher
off into thin sheets)

Light to dark green, hard, good cleavage, needle-shaped crystals. A type of

Actinolite Medium-high or higher
amphibole

Feldspar White/pink/tan, hard (scratches glass), good cleavage in 2 directions High

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Metamorphic Minerals

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 3. Grain size
• Coarse-grained - particles that are larger than a grain of sand (approximately)

• Medium-grained - particles that are still visible individually yet somewhat smaller than a
grain of sand (approximately)

• Fine-grained - particles that individually invisible - too small to be individually resolved

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3. Grain size

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 Protliths
( Parent Rocks)
• Any pre-existing rock - sedimentary,
igneous or metamorphic - may be heated
and/or squeezed within the earth. The
product of this process is a metamorphic
product that has been transformed from
the pre-existing rock, termed a protolith.

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 Quartz sandstone vs
Quartzite
• Quartz sandstone features
• Medium-grained (sand-sized grains)
• Variable mineral composition
• Quartzite features
• Medium-grained (sand-sized grains)
• Tightly interlocked grains
• Typically not foliated (but may be
foliated by later deformation).

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 Fossiliferous limestone
vs marble
• Fossiliferous limestone features
• Sedimentary rock
• Minerals (calcite, aragonite, dolomite)
• Fossil shells, fragments
• +/-matrix (mud, sand, gravel)
• Marble features
• Fine- to coarse-grained crystals
• Lack fossils
• May be various colors
• Typically not foliated (but original
sedimentary layering of different beds
may resemble foliation ) 37
 Conglomerate vs
Metaconglomerate
• Conglomerate features
• Sedimentary rock
• Gravel-sized, rounded fragments
• +/-matrix (mud, sand, gravel)
• Variable composition for fragments and
matrix
• Metaconglomerate features
• Gravel-sized, rounded, elliptical fragments
• Elliptical fragments generally parallel
(long axis)
• Foliation seen as parallel alignment of long
axes
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 Shale vs Slate
• Shale features
• Fine-grained
• Typical sedimentary layering
• Tends to split into thin, flat
sheets
• Slate features
• Fine-grained
• Foliation present as cleavage
that differs from original
bedding or lamination

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 Slate vs Phyllite
• Slate features
• Fine-grained
• Relatively dull (non-reflective) surface
• Phyllite features
• Fine-grained
• Distinctly reflective surface from flat
mica crystals in parallel layers
• Foliation seen in parallel alignment of
rippled surface (crenulations) and
microscopic crystals
• May exhibit few, medium- to coarse-
grained, mineral crystals (e.g., garnet)
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 Phyllite vs Schist
• Phyllite features
• Fine-grained
• Distinctly reflective surface from mica
crystals
• Foliation seen in parallel alignment of
rippled surface (crenulations) and
microscopic crystals
• May exhibit few, medium- to coarse-
grained, mineral crystals (e.g., garnet)
• Schist features
• Medium- to coarser-grained (individual
crystals distinct without magnification -
"grainy")
• Variable minerals 41
 Granite vs Gneiss
• Granite features
• Coarse-grained (phaneritic)
• Felsic composition (feldspar, quartz),
some mafic minerals (e.g., biotite mica)
• Gneiss features
• Coarse-grained (phaneritic)
• Felsic composition (feldspar, quartz),
some mafic minerals (e.g., biotite mica)
• Segregation of felsic and mafic minerals
into distinct layers (bands)
• Foliation seen as parallel alignment of
layers in bands.

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 Mudstone vs Hornfels
• Mudstone features
• Fine-grained (mud-sized grains)
• Variable mineral composition
• May show (or not) developed sedimentary
feature(s) (e.g., mudcracks, burrows, fine
layering)
• Hornfels features
• Fine-grained (mud-sized grains)
• Variable color
• Irregular fracture
• Lacks sedimentary features
• Distinctly non-foliated
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Grade of Metamorphism and Index
Minerals

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 Metamorphic rocks 3D Models
• Serpentinite https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/serpentinite-switzerland-ae98fd8b4ddd4fb7bd697b919e99d462
• Slate https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/gray-slate-77-5-28-2020-742becfb4f484fca9c9e1f2888d55705
• Hornblende gneiss https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/hornblende-gneiss-97-05-26-2020-
4e7359a3e41a413082d18ee938331ae0
• Mica schist https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/mica-schist-79-05-26-2020-a2b7146a2af24e4d8c72e4b3d83d823c
• Quartzite https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/quartzite-76-05-26-2020-d67bc8e8f2724e0c808bbf14724a050a
• Hornblende schist https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/hornblende-schist-95-05-21-2020-
b0b461dc78b14db58ceec638235a50ca
• Biotite gneiss https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/biotite-gneiss-sample-91-05-20-2020-
003632c644d54bd19d82bf1b3076d278
• Amphibolite https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/amphibolite-b6f9dc677dad41bda7b59331a408da65

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 Slate https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/gray-slate-77-5-28-2020-
742becfb4f484fca9c9e1f2888d55705
Name Slate
Texture Foliated; Very fine-grained, slaty
Composition Chlorite, Plagioclase, Quartz
Index Minerals
Color Bluish-gray
Miscellaneous Foliation surface is dull and planar; Slaty Cleavage
Metamorphic Type Regional
Metamorphic Grade Low Grade (Low P - Low T)
Parent Rock Shale or Mudstone
Metamorphic Environment Low grade regional metamorphism along a convergent plate
boundary

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