Earth Science
1- Igneous Rocks
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IGNEOUS ROCKS
They are formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. The melt originates deep within the Earth
near active plate boundaries or hot spots, then rises toward the surface. Igneous rocks are divided into two groups,
intrusive or extrusive, depending upon where the molten rock solidifies.
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Syenite
Intrusive Igneous Rocks:
Intrusive, or plutonic, igneous rock forms when magma is
trapped deep inside the Earth. Some of the magma may feed
volcanoes on the Earth's surface, but most remain trapped below,
where it cools very slowly over many thousands or millions of
years until it solidifies. Slow cooling means the individual mineral
grains have a very long time to grow, so they grow to a relatively
large size. Intrusive rocks have a coarse-grained texture.
Extrusive Igneous Rocks:
Extrusive, or volcanic, igneous rock is produced when magma
exits and cools above (or very near) the Earth's surface. These
Basalt
are the rocks that form at erupting volcanoes. The magma, called
lava when molten rock erupts on the surface, cools and solidifies
almost instantly when it is exposed to the relatively cool
temperature of the atmosphere. Quick cooling means that
mineral crystals don't have much time to grow, so these rocks
have a very fine-grained or even glassy texture.
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Classification of Igneous Rocks
Natural Occurrence Form Classification Silica (SiO2) Content Classification Textural Classification
-Intrusive (Plutonic) Igneous Rocks -Acidic rocks -Phaneritic (Coarse Grained) Textures
-Extrusive (Volcanic) Igneous Rocks -Intermediate rocks -Aphanitic (Fine-Grained) Textures
-Subvolcanic Igneous Rocks -Basic rocks -Pyroclastic texture
-Ultrabasic rocks
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1- Natural Occurrence Form Classification
a- Intrusive rocks: are formed due to the cooling b- Extrusive rocks: are formed due to the cooling
and solidification of magma buried deep in the and solidification of magma (lavas) on the earth’s
magma chamber within the earth surface under atmospheric conditions
(Plutonic rocks) Medium- and coarse-grained (Volcanic rocks) Fine-grained
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c- Subvolcanic rocks (hypabyssal rocks): are found between the plutonic and volcanic rocks in terms of their textural
properties. The magma cools down at an intermediate rate.
Andesite with amphibole phenocrysts
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2- Silica Content Classification
Percentage of SiO2 by weight (%)
a- Silica >66%, Acid Rocks
(Felsic or Silicic or Leucocratic Rocks)
b- Silica 66- 52%, Intermediate Rocks
(Mesocratic Rocks)
c- Silica 52-45%, Basic Rocks
(Mafic or Melanocratic )
d- Silica <45%, Ultrabasic Rocks
(Ultramafic or Holomelanocratic)
Felsic: light-colored minerals
Basic: dark minerals
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3- Textural Classification
Granite
a- Phaneritic (Coarse Grained) Textures
Slow cooling.
Large, visible crystals.
Crystals can be identified without a microscope.
b- Aphanitic (Fine-Grained) Textures Basalt
Rapid cooling magma at or near the Earth’s surface.
Thus, crystals prevented from growing very large.
Microscopic crystals.
May contain vesicles (holes from gas bubbles).
Tuff
c- Pyroclastic texture
The fragmental appearance produced by
violent volcanic eruptions.
Often appear more similar to sedimentary
rocks.
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Hot gas bubbles are often trapped in the quenched lava,
forming a bubbly, vesicular texture.
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Occurrence modes of igneous rocks in nature (Forms)
Concordant Plutons: They intrude to layers of host
rocks as being parallel.
• Laccoliths
• Lopoliths
• Sills
Discordant Plutons: They cut across preexisting
rocks and their structures at various angles.
• Batholiths
• Stocks
• Dyke
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Volcanic neck
Dike
This picture from Shiprock, New Mexico, shows the remains of a volcano and a weathered
out igneous dike
Some questions in lecture 4
1- What are the types of igneous rocks according to the following :
a- Their Natural Occurrence ?
b- Their Silica Content?
c- Their Texture?
2- Write in the occurrence modes of igneous rocks in nature
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