Rocks and Minerals

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Identifying rocks and minerals

Identifying rocks and minerals

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Rocks

Naturally occurring aggregate of minerals

Lithosphere (Earth’s crust made of rocks)
Three main types igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary
Petrology is the scientific study of rocks.
Does not have a fixed chemical composition.

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Igneous Rocks

• Crystallise from molten material either above (volcanic) or below (plutonic) the Earth’s surface
• Characterised by interlocking crystals
• Volcanic rocks fine-grained

Plutonic rocks coarse-grained

Image sources:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug/permits/grand_valley/gv_rock.shtml
http://www.beg.utexas.edu/mainweb/publications/graphics/granite.htm

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Igneous Rocks

• Formed as a result of heat and pressure being applied to pre-existing rocks

• Characterised by foliation
• Structure where crystals align perpendicular to the direction of pressure
• Classified by texture and mineral/chemical assemblage.

Image Source :
http://www.cropsoil.uga.edu/soilsandhydrology/Important%20Rocks%20&%20
Minerals.htm

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Sedimentary Rocks

• Formed when sediments are cemented together at or near the surface of the Earth
• Sediments formed as a result of chemical or mechanical weathering, erosion,
transportation and deposition.
• Commonly form layers as sediment is deposited following erosion and
transportation
• May contain structures to indicate way-upness!

Image source: http://www.edupic.net/geo.htm

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Classifying Sedimentary Rock

Breccia Conglomerate Sandstone

Halite Limestone Coal

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Minerals

• Naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes

• Have a characteristic chemical composition, a highly ordered atomic structure
and specific physical properties
• Range in composition from pure elements and simple salts to very complex
silicates with thousands of known forms
• Study of minerals is called mineralogy
• Can be mined and processed to obtain constituent metals

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral

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Rocks v Minerals-
What’s the difference?

• A mineral is made up of one substance that under normal circumstances would form crystals.
• Rocks are made up of minerals. Most rocks have several types of minerals in them, but some have only one type of
mineral. For example, sandstone is mostly quartz.
Examples:
• Minerals: Quartz, feldspar and mica.
Rocks: Granite, pegmatite, shale, slate, gneiss, schist (all made of quartz, feldspar and mica)
• Mineral: Calcite
Rock: Limestone and marble (made of calcite)
• Minerals: Plagioclase feldspar and augite
Rock: Basalt (oceanic volcanic rock made of plagioclase and augite)

Source: http://borntoexplore.org/ryan/rocksvs.htm

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Task

Identify the samples provided as either rocks or

minerals, justifying your response for each.

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