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
They form from the accumulation and compacting of
materials like minerals, organic matter, and debris
over time. These materials are typically deposited in
layers and can be found in a variety of environments,
such as riverbeds, oceans, deserts, and lakes.
 There are three
main types of
sedimentary rocks
Clastic (Detrital): Formed from the fragments
(clasts) of other rocks. Examples include
sandstone, shale, and conglomerate.
 Chemical: Formed from the evaporation of water,
leaving behind minerals that precipitate. Examples
include limestone and rock salt..
Organic: Formed from the accumulation of plant and
animal material. Examples include coal and some
types of limestone.
 Sedimentary rocks can contain fossils, as the
conditions for their formation can preserve ancient
life. They are typically layered, with older layers
found beneath younger ones, a characteristic known
as stratification..
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

OCCURRENCE
and
PROPERTIES
 SANDSTONE
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock
composed mainly of sand-sized
mineral particles, primarily
quartz, cemented together by
minerals like silica or calcium
carbonate.
 SANDSTONE
Occurrence:

Sandstone forms in environments like deserts,

riverbeds, and beaches, where sand grains accumulate
and are eventually compacted and cemented together
over long periods, often thousands or millions of years.
The cementing process binds the sand particles,
creating the solid rock known as sandstone.

It is the second most common sedimentary rock

constituting about 10 to 20 percent of the sedimentary
rocks in the Earth's crust.
 SANDSTONE
Properties of Sandstone:
• Texture: Clastic
• Composition: Composed mostly of quartz sand,
but it can also contain significant amounts of
feldspar, and sometimes silt and clay.
• Color: Light tan. Other elements, however,
create colors in sandstone. The most common
sandstones have various shades of red, caused
by iron oxide (rust).
 LIMESTONE

Limestone is a sedimentary
rock primarily composed of
calcium carbonate (CaCO₃),
often derived from the remains
of marine organisms like coral
and shells.
 LIMESTONE
Occurrence: Most limestones form in shallow,
calm, warm marine waters between 30 degrees
north latitude and
30 degrees south latitude.

Common locations where limestone occurs

includes:
*Caves: Over long periods, water dissolves
limestone to form limestone caves
*Lakes: Some freshwater lakes with high
calcium concentrations can also produce
limestone deposits, although marine settings
are more common.
 LIMESTONE

Properties of Limestone:
• Texture: It is a soft rock and
is easily scratched.
• Composition: Clay minerals
and Quartz
• Color: Dark Gray to Black
 SHALE

Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock that

forms from the compaction of mud, clay, and
silt over millions of years.
 SHALE
It is a fine-grained, hydrous
aluminosilicate mineral with a
chemical composition that is ILLITE
similar to muscovite, a common
mica mineral.

KAOLINITE

SMECTITE
 SHALE
ILLITE

Kaolinite is a white, soft clay

mineral made of aluminum silicate,
commonly used in ceramics, paper
KAOLINITE
production, and cosmetics.

SMECTITE
 SHALE
ILLITE

KAOLINITE

Smectite is a group of clay minerals

characterized by their ability to swell
when water is absorbed. SMECTITE
 SHALE
OCCURRENCE:
Shale is commonly found im sedimentary
basins, river deltas ,
foodplains, and deep marine environments.

Forms from compacted clay and silt over

long periods in
low energy environments like lakes and deep-
sea floor.
 SHALE
PROPERTIES:

Fine-grained and composed mainly of

clay , minerals
and quartz.
Has a laminate for fissile structure.
Can vary in color depending on mineral
cotent.
Often acts as a cap in oil and gas
reservoirs due to
its low permeability.
 SHALE
Characteristics
Texture: Shale has a smooth texture due to its fine-
grained nature.

Brittleness: It is brittle and can break easily along its

layered structure.

Color Variations: The color of shale can vary depending

on its mineral content; black shales often contain
organic material that can generate oil or natural gas
 CONGLOMERATE

Conglomerate is a coarse-grained sedimentary rock

composed of rounded gravel-sized clasts, typically
larger than 2 millimeters in diameter, that are
cemented together by a finer matrix of sand, silt, or
clay.
 CONGLOMERATE
OCCURENCE
Found in river channels, alluvial fans, and
coastal environment where high energy conditions
exist.
Forms from the cementation of roumde d gravel
and pebbles, transported by water over long
distances.
common on ancient riverbeds and mountainous
regions.
 CONGLOMERATE
PROPERTIES
Coarse-grained, with rounded clasts embedded
in a finer matrix.
High porosity and permeability, making it a
potential reservoir rock for groundwaterv and
hydrocarbons
Typically composed of quartz, feldspar, and
other durable minerals.
Color and composition vary depemdimg on the
source of rocks.
 CONGLOMERATE
CHARACTERISTICS
Texture: Conglomerate has a clastic texture,
meaning it is composed of fragments that have been
transported and deposited.
Clast Composition: Conglomerate consists primarily
of rounded clast
Color and Hardness: Conglomerates can exhibit a
wide range of colors depending on their mineral
content and can vary in hardness from soft to hard.
 BRECCIA

Breccia is a type of sedimentary rock characterized

by large, angular fragments or clasts that are
cemented together by a matrix of finer material, such
as sand, clay, or mineral cement. These clasts are
usually pieces of older rocks that have been broken
up, transported, and then compacted to form a solid
rock.
 BRECCIA
OCCURRENCE:
Found in fault zones, landslide deposits, volcanic
regions and impact craters.
forms from cementation of angular rocks
fragments often due to rapid deposition after
mechanical weathering or catastrophic events.
It can also be form from collapse in caves (karst
breccia) or hydrothermal processes.
 BRECCIA
PROPERTIES
Coarse-grained, with angular clasts that
indicate minimal transport.
Clasts are bound by a finer matrix, often
composed of clay, sand, or mineral cement.
typically has lower porosity than conglomerate
due to the angular shape of fragments.
colors varies widely depending on the parent
rocks and cementing material.
 BRECCIA
CHARACTERISTICS
Texture: Due to the angular nature of the clasts,
breccia often has a rough texture and can feel coarse
to the touch, making it distinct from smoother rocks
like conglomerate.
Color: The color of breccia can vary widely based on
the types of clasts and the matrix composition.
Composition: Rocks, minerals (quartz) and other
minerals