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Metamorphic Rock Formation and Types

Metamorphic rocks undergo changes from their original forms due to heat, pressure, and fluid activity in their environment. Heat can come from intrusive magma or deep burial, while pressure results from the weight of overlying rocks. The changes produce new minerals and/or altered textures. Metamorphic rocks show either foliated textures where minerals are arranged in parallel formations, or nonfoliated textures with roughly equidimensional mineral grains. Different metamorphic grades are defined by specific mineral assemblages that form under increasing temperatures and pressures.

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Mohd Hafiez Hamid
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104 views29 pages

Metamorphic Rock Formation and Types

Metamorphic rocks undergo changes from their original forms due to heat, pressure, and fluid activity in their environment. Heat can come from intrusive magma or deep burial, while pressure results from the weight of overlying rocks. The changes produce new minerals and/or altered textures. Metamorphic rocks show either foliated textures where minerals are arranged in parallel formations, or nonfoliated textures with roughly equidimensional mineral grains. Different metamorphic grades are defined by specific mineral assemblages that form under increasing temperatures and pressures.

Uploaded by

Mohd Hafiez Hamid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Metamorphic rocks.

❑ Metamorphism – transformation of pre-existing


rocks (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
rock).

❑ Undergoes change to reach equilibrium in new
environment – deform material must remain
solid.

❑ Changes result – formation of new minerals


and/or change in texture.
Agent

❑  Heat:
- ↑ rate of chemical reactions → produce minerals
different from original rock.
- from intrusive magma / result of deep burial.

❑  Pressure:
- from weight of overlying rocks.

❑  Fluid activity:
- may contain ions in solution, ↑ rate of chemical
reactions → enhance metamorphism.
Confining stress
Differential stress
CHAP 3.3 – Types of metamorphic rocks.

❑ Contact metamorphism: magma alters the


surrounding country rock - heat.
Types of metamorphic rocks.

❑ Dynamic metamorphism: associated with fault


zones & mountain building – pressure & heat.
Subducting sediments are
metamorphosed by increase
in pressure & temperature.
Types of metamorphic rocks.

❑ Regional metamorphism: associated with


overburden stress – heat & pressure.

Earth surface

Overburden pressure
P = ρ gh .

Parent rock
Grade metamorphism.

❑ Gradation of metamorphic: ↑/↓ pressure or


temperature – recognize by minerals.

❑ High grade metamorphic (heat) - changes in


texture & new mineral.

❑ Certain minerals are form with specific


temperature & pressure – index minerals (low /
intermediate / high grade metamorphic zone).

❑ Different rock composition develop different index


minerals. E.g shale (clay-rich rock).
Texture

❑ Foliated texture:
- minerals arranged in parallel fashion.
- rock subjected to heat & differential pressure.
- size & shape mineral grains → fine / coarse
foliation.
- schistosity : Type of foliation with scaly
appearance, under extreme-pressure regimes
gives very fine mica crystal → rock name schist.
- e.g.: slate, phyllite,schist,gneiss.
Foliated metamorphic rocks
Rock cleavage in schist
Texture.

❑ Nonfoliated texture:
- minerals do not show a discernible preferred
orientation.
- under microscopic: reveal some flattening &
parallelism of grains.
- result of recrystallization.
- mosaic of roughly equidimensional minerals.
- existing minerals & available ions in water will
recombine to form minerals that stable in new
environment.
Nonfoliated metamorphic rocks
Engineering properties.

❑ Compression &
shear strength differ
–orientation.

❑ Critical for slope


stabilization &
reservoir –
**permeability in
cleavage.

Rock Cycle

❑ Rock cycle provides way of viewing the


interrelationship between earth’s external
(weathering, transportation, deposition) &
internal (magma generation, melting)process.

❑ 3 major groups of rock; characterized by


mode of formation, i.e:
- Igneous.
- Metamorphic.
- Sedimentary.
Figure 6: Hand specimen of rocks

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