Chapter 3

PETROLOGY
 Petrology
Petrology is the branch of
geology that focuses on the
study of rocks, including their
origin, composition, structure,
and the processes that form and
transform them
Classification Of
Rocks
 What are Rocks?
Naturally occurring solid
aggregates of minerals.
Fundamental building blocks
of the Earth's crust.
 Types of Rock

Metamorphic Rock Sedimentary Rock Igneous Rock

Rock Cycle
Metamorphic Rock
 - The word“metamorphic”comes from the Greek
word means “to change form”.
- Form from heat and pressure changing the original
or parent rock into a new completely new rock parent
rock can be either sedimentary, igneous, or even
another metamorphic rock
 THE DESCENDING OF ROCK LAYERS AT
SUBDUCTION ZONES CAUSES METAMORPHISM
IN TWO WAYS:

The shearing effect of the

When rocks melt it is then
plates sliding past each
other causes the rocks considered igneous not
coming in contact with the metamorphic, but the rock
descending rocks to next to the melted rock can be
change. Some of the
changed by heat and become a
descending rocks will melt
because of this friction.
metamorphic rock.
 METAMORPHISM

A change in the constitution of rock specifically:

a pronounced change effected by the pressure, heat,
and water that results in a more compact and more
highly crystalline condition.
 TWO MAIN WAYS THAT METAMORPHIC ROCKS
CAN FORM

CONTACT METAMORPHISM REGIONAL

occurs when magma comes METAMORPHISM
in contact with an already occurs in a wide area.
existing body of rock.
METAMORPHIC ROCKS ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO
CATEGORIES:
FOLIATE
• Foliate comes from the latin
NON FOLIATES
word that means “sheets”, as • Non foliates are
in the sheets of paper in a book.
• Composed of large amounts of
metamorphic rocks that
micas and chlorites. These have no cleavage at all,
minerals have very distinct
cleavage. example quartzite and
• Foliated rocks generally marble
develop from a parent rock
containing multiple minerals or
mixtures of multiple rock types
QUARTZITE
-Quartzite is a non-foliated
metamorphic rock composed
almost entirely of quartz.
- It is dominated by quartz, and in
many cases, the original quartz
grains of the sandstone are
welded together with additional
silica.
 Formation
Quartzite is a metamorphosed sandstone.

- It forms when a quartz-rich sandstone is

altered by the heat, pressure, and chemical
activity of metamorphism.
 Characteristics and Physical Properties
• Texture: Granular
• Parent Rock: Sandstone
• Hardness: 7 on Moh’s scale hardness
• Color: Pure quartzite is white but
quartzite exists in a wide variety of
colors.
• Other features: Generally gritty to
touch.

• Porosity: Quartzite has a range of

porosities.
Characteristics and Physical Properties
Uses
• Quartzite is used for making bricks and other strong building
materials.

• Crushed quartzite can be used as a railroad track ballast

because it is so hard and durable.

• It can be used in many different shapes and forms including

landscaping, building stone, as a feature wall, tiles or even stone
cladding. Some of the most common uses indoors are floors,
countertops, vanities, fireplace surrounds, etc
 Additional Facts About Quartzite

• At least 90% of quartzite rock is quartz.

• The purest form of silica found on Earth can be found in

quartzite.
• The shade of quartzite is dependent upon the amount of iron
oxide.

• Can be found in many countries including Canada, the United

Kingdom, and the United States is present.
Marble
• The word “marble” derives from
the Ancient Greek mármaros ,
“crystalline rock, shining stone”
• Marble is a granular
metamorphic rock, it is derived
from limestone or dolomite and it
consists of a mass of interlocking
grains of calcite or the mineral
dolomite.
 Formation
• Form of it when limestone buried deep in the
older layers of Earth’s crust is subjected to
heat and pressure from thick layers of overlying
sediments.

• It may also form as a result of contact

metamorphism near igneous intrusions.
 Characteristics and Physical Properties
Uses
• Color: White, pink
Marble is a versatile and beautiful natural stone
• Parent Rock: Limestone
that has been used for centuries in a wide variety
• Grain size – medium grained; can of applications.:
see interlocking calcite crystals with • Building and architecture
the naked eye. • Sculpture
• Hardness – 3 on Moh’s scale of • Countertops and tabletops
hardness • Flooring

• Landscaping
• Rocks Texture: Granoblastic,
granular:. • Art and crafts
 SLATE
comes from the Old French word “scalar”
meaning fragment, from the verb slater, to
shatter. Is a fine-grained, foliated
metamorphic rock this is created via the
alteration of shale or mudstone by means of
low-grade local metamorphism. It is famous
for an extensive form of makes use of such as
roofing, floors, and flagging due to its
sturdiness and appealing look.
 Formation

• usually formed from mudstone that has

been put under pressure and heated up
during plate collisions and mountain
building.
 Characteristics and Physical Properties

• Parent Rock: Shale, Mudstone, or Siltstone.

• Color: Gray slate is common, but occurs in a Uses:
variety of colors, including brown, purple, Slate is mainly used for:
green, and blue. • Roofing
Characteristics and Physical Properties • Facade cladding Flooring
• Texture – Foliated Metamorphic Rock • Decorative aggregate
• Grain size – Very fine-grained
• Other uses: tables, countertops,
• Hardness –it ranges between 2.5-4 on the
plates for restaurant.
Moh’s scale
• Other features – smooth to touch.
 GNEISS
Gneiss first has been used English since at least 1757. German word
Gneiss that mean “spark”.
foliated metamorphic rock that is a common distribute type of rock high-
grade regional metamorphic approaches from pre-current formations
that have been initially both igneous or sedimentary rocks
 Formation
•All gneiss forms as a result of high-grade, regional
metamorphic conditions
• Gneiss rocks exhibit a unique form of foliation known as
gneissic banding, which are thicker bands of foliation than
most metamorphic rocks display. It is one of the features
that helps differentiate gneiss from other foliated rocks.
 Characteristics and Physical Properties

•Parent Rock: Shale, granitic and volcanic rock Uses

• Texture: Foliated, foliation on a scale of cm or • It is long lasting sufficient to carry out properly as a size
more. stone. These rocks are sawn or sheared into blocks and
slabs utilized in a ramification of constructing, paving,
• Grain size: Medium to coarse grained; seeing with and curbing initiatives.
the naked eye. • Some of it accepts a vibrant polish and is appealing
sufficient to be used as an architectural stone. Beautiful
• Hardness: it ranges 6-7 on the Moh’s scale floor tiles, facing stone, stair treads, window sills,
counter tops, and cemetery monuments are regularly
• Color: generally alternating lighter and darker crafted from polished gneiss.
sub-parallel discontinuous bands.
• Other features: Generally rough to touch.
 SCHIST
Name origin: The name is derived from the Greek word
(schízein),that means “to split.”
Schist is foliated medium grade metamorphic rock.
 Formation
• It usually has better crystallization of mica
minerals. They are biotite, chlorite and muscovite
so this is called schistosity texture.
• Schist is medium grade metamorphic rock,
formed by the metamorphosis of mudstone /shale,
or some types of igneous rock, to a higher degree
than slate, it has been subjected to higher
temperatures and pressures.
 Uses
• It is used in building houses or walls.
• It has been previously used to make
decorative rock walls.
• Presently, It is used as a decorative
stone as well as for jewelry.