METAMORPHIC ROCKS Week 11

LOW GRADE METAMORPHISM

 Tempertaure conditions = 200˚C - 350˚C

 Minerals:
mostly hydrous minerals
Clay Minerals
Serpentine
Chlorite
 HIGH GRADE METMAMORPHISM

 Temperature > 600˚C

 less hydrous minerals and non-hydrous minerals that

characterize high grade metamorphic rocks

 Index minerals:
Muscovite - hydrous mineral that eventually disappears at
the highest grade of metamorphism
Biotite - a hydrous mineral that is stable to very high grades
of metamorphism.
Pyroxene - a non hydrous mineral.
Garnet - a non hydrous mineral.
 PROTOLITH COMPOSITION

 Protolith is a parent rock – which has gone under

metamorphism due to increase and temperature conditions

 Minerals and structures are destroyed during metamorphism,

but minerals present in metamorphic rocks gives an idea
about the parent rock

 New minerals that are formed, only if chemical elements

present in parent rock
 General terms used to describe the chemical composition of
both the protolith and the resulting metamorphic rock are:
 Pelitic
 Mafic
 Calcareous
 Qaurtzo feldspathic
 PELITIC

 Alumina rich rocks, usually shales or mudstones.

 These ae usually clay minerals

 Micas, chlorite, garnet, kyanite, sillimanite and andalusite forms

grade of metmorphism increases

 Abundance of sheet silicates, they commonly form

 Slate
 Phyllite
 Schist
 Gneiss
 MAFIC

 Mg and Fe rich rocks with low amounts of Si.

 Minerals like biotite, hornblende and plagioclase form during

metamorphism

Amphibolites
 CALCAREOUS

 Calcium-rich rocks usually derived from limestones or

dolostones

MARBLE Calcite.

METAMORPHISM
 QUARTZO-FELDSPATHIC

 quartz and feldspar containing rocks

 Protoliths Granites, rhylolites

 arkose sandstone

GNEISSES
(quar tz, feldspar, and biotite)