Guided Discovery and Scoring Rubric for Petrographic Analysis of a Thin Section
Based on H. Williams, F.J.
Turner, C. M., Gilbert,
(1982),
Petrography An Intrdocution
to the Study of Rocks in Thin
Sections, 2nd Ed., p. 53-
Igneous Petrography 67 and 79-89.
Sample #:
1. General Textural Characteristics
A. Degree of Crystallinity: Is this rock
Holohyaline
Hypocrystalline
Holocrystalline
B. Grain Size
Aphanitic (not visible to the naked eye)
Microcrystalline (observed with a microscope)
Phaneritic (grains observable with hand lens)
Uniform grain size, < 1 mm, fine-grained
Uniform grain size, between 1-5 mm, medium grained
Uniform grain size, between 5 mm- 3 cm, coarse grained
Uniform grain size, > 3 cm, very coarse grained
C. Igneous Fabrics
(Shape of individual grains and relationships between grains)
Euhedral, grains entirely bounded by rational crystal faces
Subhedral, grains partly bounded by rational crystal faces
Anhedral, Devoid of crystal faces, irregular shapes
D. Some Specific Igneous Textures to Look For
Equigranular, equidimensional, equant grains of uniform size
Subhedral granular, some grains w/ eu-, sub-, and anhedral (also called granitic, or
hypidiomorphic-granular)
Anhedral granular, most grains are anhedral
Inequigranular Textures
Porphyritic Texture
Fine grained "groundmass" or matrix is present
Distinctly larger phenocrysts are present
Microporphyritic--phenocrysts must be seen with 'scope
Serrate porphyritic--continuous variation in grain size
Hiatal porphyritic--two distinct populations of grain sizes
Glomeroporphyritic--phenocrysts in clusters
Vitrophyric, phenocrysts lie in glassy matrix
Cumulate Textures--aggregate of grains accumulated due to crystal settling
Intercumulus--minerals from interstitial melt in final stages of crystallization
Intergrowths
Graphic, cuniform intergrowth of quartz and Kspar
Myrmekite, "wormy" intergrowths of quartz in sodic plag; replacement of potassic feldspar at contacts with
plag.
Ophitic, plag laths enclosed in large sub-hedral pyroxene
Poikilitic, randomly oriented grains entirely enclosed by loptically contiuous crystals of another
composition
Exsolution
Perthite--lamellae of plagioclase in Kspar
Anti-perthite--laemellae of Kspar in plagioclase
"Inverted Pigeonite"--oriented cpx lamellae in opx
Some Reaction Textures
Relict minerals--remnants of an early stage of crystallization that have not been completely replaced
Coronas or Reaction Rims--early-stage grains surrounded by later overgrowths in a reaction series
Some Textures in Volcanic Rocks/Lavas
Intergranular--small grains fill interstices
Intersertal--interstices are filled with glass or secondary minerals
Hyalopilitic--glass occupies interspaces between microlites
Pyroclastic--fractured appearance of grains
Glass, Pumice, Fiamme
Matrix Grains
Felty--microlites of plag, irregularly oriented in matrix
Trachytic--sub-parallel orientation of microlites in matrix
Vesicular--spherical or ovoid cavities in rock
Amygdaloidal--vesicles filled with secondary minerals
Drusy or Mariolitic--terminated crystals grow into vesicles
2. Petrographic Classification of Igneous
Rocks
A. Color Index (CI): Ratio of dark to light
colored minerals; estimated visually or
determined by point count
% Estimated
or Point
B. Modal Mineralogy Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
TOTAL
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