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Agents and Types of Metamorphism

This document discusses metamorphic rocks. Metamorphism is a process that changes the form of preexisting rocks through heat, pressure, and chemically active fluids. Heat comes from geothermal gradients and intrusive bodies. Pressure comes from overlying rock. Fluids act as catalysts. There are different types of metamorphism including contact, regional, and hydrothermal. Metamorphic rocks exhibit textures like foliation and minerals are used to classify metamorphic zones and grades. Resources extracted from metamorphic rocks include marble, slate, talc, graphite, and gemstones.

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20 views22 pages

Agents and Types of Metamorphism

This document discusses metamorphic rocks. Metamorphism is a process that changes the form of preexisting rocks through heat, pressure, and chemically active fluids. Heat comes from geothermal gradients and intrusive bodies. Pressure comes from overlying rock. Fluids act as catalysts. There are different types of metamorphism including contact, regional, and hydrothermal. Metamorphic rocks exhibit textures like foliation and minerals are used to classify metamorphic zones and grades. Resources extracted from metamorphic rocks include marble, slate, talc, graphite, and gemstones.

Uploaded by

joey
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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METAMORPHIC ROCKS

Objectives

1. List the agents of metamorphism and briefly


describe the effects of each agent.
2. Briefly describe the textures exhibited by
metamorphic rocks.
3. Describe the use of index minerals in the
interpretation of metamorphic zones.
4. Discuss the types of metamorphism.
5. Discuss the relationship between metamorphism
and plate tectonics.
Metamorphic Rocks
Recall:
What is metamorphism?
• Means “to change form”
• A process that leads to changes in the mineralogy,
texture (e.g., grain size), and sometimes the chemical
composition of preexisting (igneous, sedimentary, or
metamorphic) rocks, in the solid state, to another
rock Why do rocks change?

heat, pressure, chemically active fluids


Agents of metamorphism: Heat
Sources of heat?

• Geothermal gradient - temperature


increases with depth (20o – 30oC per km in
the crust)

• Large bodies of molten rock or intrusive


bodies

 Provides the energy to drive chemical


reactions → recrystallization of minerals
Agents of metamorphism: Pressure
Confining pressure
• Equal stress in all
directions from
overlying rock
• Minerals may
recrystallize into more
compact forms

Differential stress
• Stress is greater in
one direction than in
others
Agents of metamorphism: Chemically
active fluids
Sources of fluids?
• Water trapped in pore spaces of the original rock.
• Water from magmatic bodies (hydrothermal fluids)

Role of fluids
• Act as catalysts promoting recrystallization
Types of metamorphism
Contact or Thermal Metamorphism

- Occurs when
magma invades
pre-existing rock
- Takes place at
shallow depths (0-
6km) and low
pressure.
Regional Metamorphism

- Takes place at considerable


depths over an extensive area
(5-30 km)
- Under high pressure
- associated with the
process of mountain
building.
- When continents collide
(A) or oceanic crust
subducts (B)
Hydrothermal metamorphism

- Chemical alteration at high


temperatures and moderate
pressures by hot, ion-rich
(hydrothermal) fluids that
circulate through fissures and
cracks.
- common in
basaltic rocks

- form rich ore


deposits
Classification of metamorphic rocks

Based on:
1. Texture – size, shape and relationships of
constituent minerals (foliated and non-
foliated)

2. Protolith – original rock that was transformed


by metamorphism

3. Mineralogy – mineral assemblage present


Textures of metamorphic rocks
1. Foliated – exhibits a pervasive planar
structure due to the nearly parallel alignment
of minerals and/or compositional and
mineralogical layering in the rock

2. Non-foliated – no preferred mineral


orientations; metamorphism leads to
transformation of one mineral to another
Foliation
Round grains can become
flattened

Sheet silicate minerals can


have a preferred orientation
Foliation
Foliated rocks
Non-foliated rocks
Protoliths
Metamorphic grades
Resources from metamorphic rocks

1. Marble - statues and ornamental building stone


2. Slate - roofing, flooring, billiard tables, blackboards
3. Talc - powder
4. Graphite - pencils and lubricants
5. Garnet and corundum - gemstones and abrasives
6. Kyanite, andalusite, sillimanite - ceramics industry.
7. Sulfide deposits (bornite, chalcopyrite, galena, pyrite, and
sphalerite)
8. Iron and tin oxide deposits (hematite, magnetite and
cassiterite)
9. Tungsten deposits (wolframite and scheelite)
10. Precious metal deposits (gold)
Uses of metamorphic rocks
Metamorphic rocks in the Philippines

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