WEST YANGON UNIVERSITY
DEPERMENT OF GEOLOGY
CLEAVAGE & SCHISTOSITY
Submitted
By
Mg Myo Naing
4 Geol- 24
January, 2024
INTRODUCTION
What does cleavage mean in geology?
Within the field of geology, rock cleavage is a type of rock layering or planar formations
that form within finely grained rocks due to deformation and metamorphism caused by
heat and pressure. Specifically, cleavage is a type of foliation which is a term used by
geologists to describe certain types of deformed repeating layers that form within a rock.
How can you tell if a rock has cleavage?
A rock has cleavage if it is a finely grained rock that has undergone metamorphic
processes such as applied heat and pressure due to tectonic activity. These rocks exhibit
characteristic parallel lines of cracks. These formations can either be continuous
throughout the rock or disjunctive if the cracks have separated regions from one another.
What is rock cleavage?
Rock cleavage is a type of secondary foliation that results as a type of metamorphized
planar layering that occurs within fine-grained rocks that undergo certain processes. Rock
cleavage occurs due to heat, pressure, and metamorphism. When rock formations have
cleavage, they form cracks that typically run like parallel lines, though not always
depending on the rock and the kinds of deformation processes.
Rock Cleavage
Cleavage is a term with more than one meaning, but is used by geologists to describe
characteristics exhibited by certain types of rocks that have undergone certain processes.
But exactly what is rock cleavage? Or what is a simple rock cleavage definition?
Cleavage is a type of rock layering or planar formation that forms within finely grained
rocks due to deformation and metamorphism caused by heat and pressure. Specifically,
cleavage is a type of foliation which is how geologists refer to certain types of deformed
repeating layers that form within a metamorphic rock. There are two main categories of
foliation: primary and secondary. Primary foliation occurs within igneous and
sedimentary rocks, and secondary is undergone by rocks experiencing metamorphic
circumstances. Cleavage is a type of secondary foliation that occurs in fine-grained rocks
with planar layering and is the result of metamorphic processes such as stress, heat, and
pressure. But what does cleavage look like? This depends on the types of rock or
processes which result in or exhibit different types of cleavage.
Rock Cleavage Types
Space cleavage occurs within rocks that are composed of minerals that are distributed
relatively evenly throughout the rock system. When these rocks undergo deformation and
metamorphism, they form layers that are described as discontinuous. The layers appear
spaced apart because they consist of different minerals, but also appear as gradients
fading between layers because of the relatively even distribution of mineral composition.
What is schistosity texture?
Rocks that undergo the same processes that produce cleavage, but consist of coarser-
grained textures, are regarded as having schistosity. These rocks exhibit mineral growth
within their layers that cause the parallel cracks associated with cleavage to form.
Schistosity
There's another kind of foliation similar to cleavage. Schistosity is also a secondary
foliation; however, schistosity is used by geologists to describe secondary foliation within
coarser-grained rocks. Cleavage, again, is used to describe secondary foliation within
fine-grained rocks. Rocks that undergo secondary foliation such as cleavage or
schistosity, are undergoing gradual changes in heat and pressure. Rocks that are being
metamorphosed may start out being composed of certain minerals; however, the added
heat and pressure of some minerals along with others can result in changing mineral
compositions. Additionally, within coarser-grained rocks, patterns can begin to form due
to mineral growth due to changing heat, pressure, or water content. When the mineral
growth results in formations similar to cleavage, such as parallel lines, the formations are
referred to as schistosity. Depending on what stage these finer-grained rocks are in,
different terms are used to describe them.
Schist is used to describe rocks that have undergone processes creating schistosity and
exhibit mineral growth on and within them. However, when rocks undergoing these same
processes haven't yet produced mineral growth, they are referred to as phyllite.
This image shows a large boulder of phyllite and the cracks and patterns associated with
It.
Slaty cleavage and Schistosity
Slaty cleavage and schistosity are caused by the parallel arrangement of play minerals;
such as the micas or chlorites, or by the parallel arrangement of ellipsoida grains of such
minerals as quartz and feldspar.
The term slaty cleavage is used for less intensely metamorphosed rocks, such as slate,
whereas schistosity is employed if the rock is recrystallized into minerals that are radily
recognized by the naked eye. Cleavage and schistosity may or may not be parallel to
bedding
Fracture Cleavage
Cleavage is the property of a mineral that allows it to break smoothly along specific
internal planes (called cleavage planes) when the mineral is struck sharply with a
hammer. Fracture is the property of a mineral breaking in a more or less random pattern
with no smooth planar surfaces
Shear Cleavage
“Shear cleavage” typically refers to the development of cleavage planes in response to
shear stress during deformation processes in rocks. When rocks undergo shearing forces,
the minerals within them may align along planes parallel to the direction of shear. This
alignment creates what is often termed “shear cleavage.”
Slip Cleavage
That variety of foliation along which there has been visible displacement, usually shown
by bedding that is cut by the cleavage. Such displacements are commonly shown along
many adjacent cleavage planes
Bedding Cleavage
Cleavage or schistosity that is parallel to the bedding is commonly referred to as bedding
cleavage or bedding schistosity./It is commonly similar to slaty cleavage in that it caused
by parallel platy minerals.
Axial Plane Cleavage
Cleavage or schistosity that is essentially parallel to the axial planes of the folds is called
axial plane cleavage. The term is generally used in combination with one of the terms
given above
Axial Plane
