Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks are formed when existing parent
rocks are transformed (metamorphosed) by heat and
pressure deep below the surface of the earth or along the
boundary of tectonic plates.
The three primary causes of metamorphism include one
or more of the following conditions: heat, pressure,
and/or chemically active fluids.
During metamorphism, rocks may fold, fracture, or even
partially melt to a viscous state and flow before
reforming into a new rock.
Metamorphic rocks change in appearance and
mineralogy from their parent rock source.
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Metamorphism
Metamorphism can occur along a range of heat and
pressure intensities from low- to high-grade
metamorphism.
Low-grade metamorphism involves lower temperature
and compressional forces that result in less overall change
to the parent rock. In many cases, after low-grade
metamorphic changes the parent rock may still be easily
distinguishable.
Temperature = 1000 C to 5000 C.
High-grade metamorphism results in a total
transformation of the parent rock into a new rock whereby
its original parent-rock source is difficult to identify.
Temperature = >5000 C.
Metamorphic Conditions
Contact or Thermal Metamorphism:
occurs when parent rock is intruded by magma (usually an
igneous intrusion).
Metamorphic changes under these conditions are primarily
the result of temperature changes associated with the
intruding magma.
Additionally, when hot ion-rich water circulates through
fractures in a rock, it can also cause chemical changes to the
parent rock.
These heat-driven, chemical reactions occur with igneous
activity and the presence of water.
Dynamic Metamorphism:
Occurs when rocks are subjected to extreme pressure very
rapidly.
Two situations are noted, (a.) fault zones and (b.) impact
craters.
(a.) In the upper crust, faults are planar zones of crushed rock.
The heat generated by friction during faulting can melt and
metamorphose portions of the rock.
(b.) Impact craters formed by extra-terrestrial objects
(meteorites) colliding with the earth are commonly identified
by exotic high-pressure minerals formed during the meteorite
crash. Stishovite and coesite, both are high-pressure forms of
quartz resulting from meteor impacts.
Regional Metamorphism:
occurs when rocks are subjected to both heat and pressure on
a regional scale.
It is caused by burial deep in the crust and is associated with
large scale deformation and mountain building.
It is the most widespread form of metamorphism.
Causes of Metamorphism: Heat
Heat provides energy for chemical reactions to proceed
resulting in new minerals to form from original minerals in the
source rock.
Heat provides the energy that enables individual ions in the
rock to mobilize and migrate between other ions re-crystallizing
and forming into new minerals.
Heat involved in metamorphism comes from two main sources:
Heat transferred during contact metamorphism from
magma or igneous intrusions.
Progressive temperature increase associated with
geothermal gradient as rocks are transported to greater
depths below the Earth’s surface.
Causes of Metamorphism: Pressure
Pressure equals force per unit area: (Pressure = F/A).
Pressure increases with depth as the weight and thickness of the
overlying rocks increases.
Pressure during metamorphism is manifested by two different
forces:
body force (confining pressure) and
surface force (differential stress).
Body force —
forces are applied equally in all directions (gravity and weight),
individual grains are compressed closer and closer together.
Extreme confining pressures that occur at great depths may even cause
ions in the minerals to recrystallize and form new minerals.
Surface force —
operates across a surface and occurs when rocks are compressed or
extended along a single plane (push-pull forces).
As a result, the rocks are shortened or extended in the direction the
pressure is applied.
Near the Earth’s surface, the cooler temperatures make rocks brittle
and more susceptible to fracturing than folding.
Deep below the Earth’s surface, higher temperature conditions, make
the rocks ductile and they flatten and elongate as oppose to breaking
along a fracture, the resulting rocks then exhibit intricate folding
patterns.
min
max
inter
Differential Stress
(Surface Force)
Uniform Stress
(Body Force)
Granite Granite-Gneiss
Causes of Metamorphism:
Chemically Active Fluids
Chemically active fluids that are present between mineral
grains during metamorphism act to facilitate ion
movement and the re-crystallization of existing and new
minerals.
Higher temperatures increase the reactive capability of
ion-rich fluids. When these fluids come in contact with
mineral grains, the grains readily dissolve because of
differential chemical potentials, and ions migrate to areas
of lower potential eventually recrystallizing.
Chemically active fluids have the ability to move between
different rock layers and transport ions from one rock to
another before they recrystallize.
The Role of Parent Rocks in
Metamorphism
Parent rocks provide the minerals and ion sources that are
transformed into new minerals and rocks.
In most cases the new metamorphic rock has the same chemical
composition as the parent rock that they formed from.
Examples of parent rocks and their metamorphic products:
Sandstone Quartzite
Sedimentary Metamorphic
Granite Gneiss
Igneous Metamorphic
Limestone Marble
Sedimentary Metamorphic