Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks: includes all those rocks which have formed in the solid
state in response to pronounced changes of temperature, pressure, and
chemical environment, which take place, in general, below the shells of
weathering and cementation.
What is a metamorphic rock?
• The term "metamorphic" means "to
change form."
• Any rock (igneous, sedimentary, or
metamorphic) can become a
metamorphic rock. If rocks are buried
deep in the Earth at high temperatures
and pressures, they form new minerals
and textures all without melting. If
melting occurs, magma is formed,
starting the rock cycle all over again.
Metamorphic rocks
• When rocks are baked by heat of molten magma or squeezed by the
movements of huge tectonic plates or by the pressure of overlying
thick succession of rocks
⚫ They are altered or changed beyond their recognition
⚫ i.e. change in Chemical composition, texture and structure
Metamorphic rocks
Metamorphism
Is the process that occur in rocks due to the
effects of
• High temperature
• High pressure
• Chemically active fluids
Temperature
• The source of temperature is either from magma or due to the depth factor
• Metamorphism usually result into change in min. comp. and texture of rocks (Ig.
and Sed.) which are subjected to temp. > 1000 C and pressure > 1000’s Mpa.
• Low-grade metamorphism:
Occurs at about 1000 C to 5000 C.
• High-grade metamorphism:
Occurs at > 5000 C
Metamorphic Environments
There are a number of environments in which metamorphism occurs. Most are
in the vicinity of plate margins, and many are associated with igneous activity.
Contact or thermal
metamorphism occurs
when rocks immediately
surrounding a molten
igneous body are
“baked” and therefore
altered from their
original state.
Metamorphic
Environments
Regional metamorphism occurs where rocks are squeezed between two converging
lithospheric plates during mountain building.
Recrystallization: Minimization of Interfacial Free Energy by Minimizing Surface Area
Sandstone Quartzite
Crack
Recrystallization
Cement Crack Crack
Granite Granite-Gneiss
STRUCTURES IN METAMORPHIC ROCKS
• Foliation: when platy, lamellar or flaky minerals (eg. sheet silicate minerals the micas:
biotite and muscovite, chlorite, talc, and serpentine), occurring in rock orient themselves
parallel to one another (i.e. perpendicular to the direction of maximum pressure or
stress).
Random
Preferred
orientation
orientation
Of minerals
Of minerals
•Lineation: when prismatic or rod-like
minerals (eg. Hornblende, tourmaline etc.)
occurring in a rock orient themselves parallel
to one another (perpendicular to direction of
maxi. Pressure or stress)
SLATY CLEAVAGE
- usually formed during the early stage of Low-grade
Metamorphism due to lithostatic stress.
- New sheet-structure minerals tends to be parallel to the
bedding planes during metamorphism.
- however, further deep burial along the continental
margin; compressional forces will cause deformation
(folding).
- hence, the sheet minerals as well as foliation will no
longer be parallel to the bedding planes, such type of
foliation in fine grained rocks is called slaty cleavage.
PHYLLITES
-usually associated with intermediate grade of
metamorphism; where the mineral grains grows
large in size as compare to that seen in slates
-This develops a pronounced foliation where
the preferred oriented minerals are seen.
SCHISTOSE
STRUCTURE
- usually formed during intermediate and high grade metamorphism
- Grain size increases and can be seen by naked eye; grains tends to enlarge with increasing grade
of metamorphism; the coarse grained sheet-structure minerals show preferred orientation
- grain size is the main difference between the slaty structure and schistos structure.
GNEISSIC
STRUCTURE
- usually associated with high-grade regional metamorphism (where differential stress prevails I.e. tectonic
forces)
- where the sheet silicates and other minerals like quartz/feldspars/hornblende/pyroxene are segregated in
distinct bands in the rocks- known as gneissic banding.
Metamorphic Rock Types
• There are two types of
metamorphic rocks.
• Each is classified
according to its
composition and texture.
• Foliated
• Nonfoliated.
Foliated Metamorphic Rocks
• FOLIATED metamorphic rocks are
those in which the minerals have
been flattened and pushed down
into parallel layers. The bands in
foliated metamorphic rock look like
pages in a book.
• Examples of foliated rocks are slate,
shale, and gneiss.
Non-foliated
• NON-FOLIATED metamorphic rocks do not display
layers. Rather, they are massive structures with no
obvious banding. The mineral grains grow and
rearrange, but they don’t form layers.
• A good example of non-foliated rock is quartzite, the
smooth-textured, metamorphosed form of the mineral
quartz.
• A coarse-textured non-foliated rock is marble.
• Anthracite, or hard coal, is a non-foliated rock that
forms when intense pressure drives gases out of soft
coal, causing it to harden.
Non-foliated
• NON-FOLIATED metamorphic rocks do not display
layers. Rather, they are massive structures with no
obvious banding. The mineral grains grow and
Quartzite rearrange, but they don’t form layers.
• A good example of non-foliated rock is quartzite, the
smooth-textured, metamorphosed form of the
mineral quartz.
• A coarse-textured non-foliated rock is marble.
• Anthracite, or hard coal, is a non-foliated rock that
forms when intense pressure drives gases out of soft
Marble coal, causing it to harden.
Types of Metamorphism
1. Contact 2. Regional 3.Metasomatism
• Around Wide Areas Due to the hot water
Intrusions 5-20 Km,
• Shallow: 0-6 Km Sometimes 30+
• Low Pressure High Pressure
• Local Usually
Accompanied
by Deformation
Major Metamorphic Rock Types
Mineral assemblages characteristic of metamorphism at a particular grade
TEXTURE TYPE OF METAMORPHISM
FOLIATED REGIONAL METAMORPHISM
NON-FOLIATED CONTACT METAMORPHISM
PARENT ROCK RESULTING METAMORPHIC ROCK
Contact Metamorphism:
LIMESTONE MARBLE
BITUMINOUS COAL ANTHRACITE COAL
SANDSTONE QUARTZITE
GRANITE GRANITIC GNEISS
Regional Metamorphism:
SHALE SLATE, PHYLLITE, SCHIST, GNEISS
