CLASSIFICATION

OF ROCKS
Igneous rocks
Sedimentary rocks
Metamorphic rocks
Igneous rocks
are either:
crystalline when they form from cooled magma
or lava, or
pyroclastic when they are made of consolidated
eruption products like volcanic ash
Difference between magma and lava:

Magma is a molten rock beneath the surface of the Earth

Lava is a molten rock material extruded to the surface of the

Earth through a central vent (volcano) or as fissure eruption
magma lava
Crystalline textures differ depending on how
fast and where the cooling took place.
 a.
Intrusive or plutonic rocks that form from slowly
cooled magma have time to form large mineral
crystals that are visible without the aid of a
magnifying lens.
 The resulting texture is called phaneritic
which is derived from the Greek phaneros meaning
“visible”.
In cases when minerals crystallize very slowly at
depth, a pegmatitic texture is one composed of very
large crystals (larger than 2 to 3 cm)
basalt andesite rhyolite

obsidian
 b.
Extrusive or volcanic rocks that form from rapidly
cooled magma usually exhibit aphanitic textures.
 Aphanitic is derived from the Greek aphaneros
which means “not visible”.

Thus, the mineral crystals of aphanitic rocks cannot

be distinguished without the use of a magnifying lens.

Vesicular texture which is a result of gases escaping

while the volcanic rock is being formed.
dunite diorite gabbro

granite
 c.
There are instances when a magma body intrudes into a
shallow depth near Earth’s surface, and begins to crystallize
slowly. Then subsequent volcanic activity extrudes the
partially crystallized magma onto the surface, thereby
speeding up the rate of cooling. Such rocks may show at least
two distinct crystal sizes, which results into porphyritic
texture.
Pyroclastic is derived
zsfasc
from the Greek pyro which
means “fire” and klastos which means “shattered”.
Sedimentary rocks
are clastic when they form from lithification of rock
and mineral fragments such as:

quartz feldspar clay

Sedimentary rocks are crystalline when they
precipitate out of solution which forms:
dolomite halite

calcite gypsum
Sedimentary rocks can also be bioclastic when it forms
as the result of the accumulation of organic material or
biological activity.
 Clastic sedimentary rocks

conglomerate breccia sandstone

shale
` ` Nonclastic sedimentary rocks
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

limestone rock salt rock gypsum

chert
 Metamorphic rocks
may be foliated when the dominant agent of
metamorphic is pressure, or crystalline when the
dominant is heat.
1. Platy or elongated minerals align themselves parallel to
the axis of pressure, resulting in a layered appearance or
foliation.

Minerals differ in foliation based on their composition:

 If the minerals are microscopic, the rock may not
appear foliated to the naked eye. The foliation,
however, will manifest itself physically in the rock’s
tendency to separate along parallel planes.

This type of texture is called slaty.

 If the minerals are barely visible to the naked eye, their
alignment results in an obvious but not very well-
defined foliation.

This type of texture is called phyllitic.

 If the minerals are visible to the naked eye, their
layering is more distinct and results in a texture called
schistose. These types of rocks are usually composed
of platy minerals like chlorite, graphite, biotite, and
muscovite.
 If the minerals are visible and elongated, the rock
exhibits a coarsely branded appearance due to the
alignment of minerals like amphibole, feldspar, and
quartz.

This type of texture is called gneissic.

 2. Crystalline textures result when the parent rock is
exposed with enough heat that it induces recrystallization
of the existing minerals.
 Foliated metamorphic rocks

slate phyllite
 Foliated metamorphic rocks

schist gneiss
 Nonfoliated metamorphic rocks

quartzite marble