METAMORPHIC ROCKS
Metamorphic rocks form when existing rocks (igneous or sedimentary) are changed by heat
and pressure deep inside the Earth. This change happens without melting. The word
metamorphic means changed form
Fig, 8 Metamorphic Rocks
Formation Process
1. Rocks are buried deep within the Earth.
2. They experience high temperature and great pressure.
3. Minerals rearrange and new textures form.
4. The rock becomes harder and more compact.
Types of Metamorphic Rocks
Foliated Metamorphic Rocks
Show layers or bands due to pressure.
Examples: Slate, Gneiss.
Non-Foliated Metamorphic Rocks
Do not show layers; have a uniform texture.
Examples: Marble, Quartzite.
Characteristics
Very hard and dense
May show banding or sheets (foliation)
Interlocking mineral grains
No fossils due to heat and pressure.
Importance
Metamorphic rocks are important because they:
Provide strong building and decorative stones
Reveal information about Earth’s internal conditions
Form valuable mineral resources.
Examples;
Fig,9 Marble Fig,10 Slate
Fig,11 Gneiss Fig,12 Quartzite
STRATIFIED ROCKS
Stratified rocks are rocks that show distinct layers called strata. These layers form over long
periods as sediments are deposited one above another and later turn into solid rock. Most
stratified rocks are sedimentary in origin.
How Stratified Rocks Form
1. Older rocks break down into sediments by weathering.
2. Sediments are carried by water, wind, or ice.
3. They are deposited in seas, lakes, or riverbeds in layers.
4. Over time, layers are compacted and cemented into rock.
Each layer represents a different time period of deposition.
Characteristics
Clearly visible layers (bedding planes)
Layers may differ in color, grain size, or material
Often contain fossils
Comparatively softer than many igneous rocks
Common Examples
Sandstone – made of sand grains in layers
Shale – very fine layers that split into sheets
Limestone – layered rock often containing shells/fossils
Importance
Help scientists study Earth’s history through rock layers
Source of fossils and past life evidence
Provide materials for construction and cement.
Stratified rocks are identified by their layered structure formed from deposited sediments.
Their strata record the passage of time and make them valuable for understanding geological
history and for practical human uses.
Fig,13 Conglomerate
UNSTRATIFIED ROCKS
Unstratified rocks are rocks that do not show layers (strata). They have a massive structure
and appear uniform throughout. Most unstratified rocks are igneous in origin, formed from
the cooling and solidification of magma or lava.
Formation
1. Molten material (magma/lava) cools and hardens.
2. Because the material solidifies as a single mass, layers do not form.
3. The texture depends on how fast the cooling occurs.
Characteristics
No visible layers or bedding planes
Hard, compact, and crystalline or glassy
Do not contain fossils
Often very strong and durable.
Importance
Provide strong materials for construction
Help in understanding volcanic activity
Widely available in the Earth’s crust
Examples;
Fig, 14 Granite Fig,15 Basalt
Fig, 16 Obsidian Fig, 17 Pumic
FOLIATED ROCKS
Foliated rocks are metamorphic rocks that show layers, bands, or sheets. This layered
appearance is called foliation and forms when rocks are subjected to high pressure and heat
deep inside the Earth, causing minerals to align in parallel layers.
Fig,18 Foliated Rocks
Formation
1. Existing rocks (igneous or sedimentary) are buried deep underground.
2. They experience intense heat and pressure.
3. Minerals rearrange and line up in parallel bands.
4. The rock becomes harder and shows a layered/banded pattern.
Characteristics
Visible bands or sheets (foliation)
Hard, dense, and compact
Minerals arranged in parallel lines
Do not contain fossils.
Importance
Provide durable materials for roofing and flooring
Help geologists understand pressure conditions inside Earth
Attractive patterns used in decoration.
Fig,19 Schist Fig,20 Gneiss
SILICEOUS ROCKS
Siliceous rocks are rocks that contain a high percentage of silica (SiO₂), mainly in the form
of the mineral quartz. Because of this, they are very hard, compact, and resistant to
weathering and chemical action.
Fig, 21 Siliceous Rocks
Composition
Dominant mineral: Quartz (silica)
May also include feldspar and other silicate minerals
Typically light-coloured and gritty or crystalline
Formation
Siliceous rocks can form in different ways:
From quartz-rich sand that becomes sandstone (sedimentary)
From recrystallization of sandstone into quartzite (metamorphic)
From silica-rich magma forming rocks like granite (igneous)
From chemical/biogenic silica forming chert (sedimentary)
Characteristics
Very hard and durable
High resistance to erosion and acids
Non-fossiliferous in most cases
Crystalline or fine microcrystalline texture.
Importance
Provide durable construction materials
Major source of silica for the glass industry
Resist weathering, forming prominent landforms
Examples;
Fig,22 Quartzite Fig, 23 Granite