P E T R O L OGY
Some halite is processed for
GEOLOGY  PETROLOGY
Whats with geology and Petrology ?
About Us
INTRODUCTION!
1Petrology
2Etymology
3Branches of petrology
4Significance of studying rocks
Petrology-is a field of GEOLOGY
that focuses on the study of rocks and the conditions under which they are formed.
Scientific study of rocks that deals with their composition, texture, and structure; their
occurrence and distribution; and their origin in relation to physicochemical conditions
and geologic processes
Branches of Petrology
corresponding to the three main types of rocks
IGNEOUS-Igneous petrology focuses on the composition and texture of igneous rocks
(rocks such as granite or basalt which have crystallized from molten rock or magma).
Igneous rocks include volcanic and plutonic rocks.
SEDIMENTARY-Sedimentary petrology focuses on the composition and texture of
sedimentary rocks (rocks such as sandstone, shale, or limestone which consist of pieces
or particles derived from other rocks or biological or chemical deposits, and are usually
bound together in a matrix of finer material).
METAMORPHIC -- Metamorphic petrology focuses on the composition and texture of
metamorphic rocks (rocks such as slate, marble, gneiss, or schist which started out as
sedimentary or igneous rocks but which have undergone chemical, mineralogical or
textural changes due to extremes of pressure, temperature or both).
Significance of studying rocks
1.Their minerals and global chemistry provide information about the composition of the
Earth's crust and mantle.
2.Their ages can be calculated by various methods of radiometric dating, and a time
sequence of geological events can be put together.
3.Their features are usually characteristic of a specific tectonic environment, allowing
scientists to reconstitute tectonic processes.
4.Many rocks host important ores that provide valuable raw materials that we rely on
for our sustenance and technological development.
Igneous rocks are formed from the solidification of molten rock material. There
are two basic types.
Intrusive igneous rocks crystallize below Earth's surface, and the slow cooling
that occurs there allows large crystals to form.
 Diorite is the name used for a group of coarse-grained igneous
rocks with a composition between that of granite and basalt. It
usually occurs as large intrusions, dikes, and sills within continental
crust.
 Gabbro is a coarse-grained, dark-colored, intrusive igneous rock.
It is usually black or dark green in color and composed mainly of
the minerals plagioclase and augite.
 Granite is a light-colored igneous rock with grains large enough to
be visible with the unaided eye.
 Pegmatite are extreme igneous rocks that form during the final stage of a
magma’s crystallization.
 Peridotite is a generic name used for coarse-grained, dark-colored,
ultramafic igneous rocks.
Extrusive igneous rocks erupt onto the surface, where they cool quickly to form
small crystals.
 Andesite is the name used for a family of fine-grained, extrusive igneous
rocks that are usually light to dark gray in color.
 Basalt is a dark-colored, fine-grained, igneous rockcomposed mainly
of plagioclase and pyroxene minerals.
 Dacite is a fine-grained igneous rock that is normally light in color. It is
often porphyritic.
 Obsidian is an igneous rock that forms when molten rock material cools
so rapidly that atoms are unable to arrange themselves into a crystalline
structure.
 Pumice is a light-colored, extremely porous igneous rock that forms
during explosive volcanic eruptions.
 Rhyolite is an extrusive igneous rock with a very high silica content. It is
usually pink or gray in color with grains so small that they are difficult to
observe without a hand lens.
 Scoria is a dark-colored igneous rock with abundant round bubble-like
cavities known as vesicles.
 Tuff is an igneous rock that forms from the products of an explosive
volcanic eruption.
What Are Sedimentary Rocks?
Sedimentary Rocks are formed by the accumulation of sediments. There are three basic
types of sedimentary rocks.
Clastic sedimentary rocks such as breccia, conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, and shale
are formed from mechanical weathering debris.
Chemical sedimentary rocks, such as rock salt, iron ore, chert, flint, some dolomites, and
somelimestones, form when dissolved materials precipitate from solution.
Organic sedimentary rocks such as coal, some dolomites, and some limestones, form
from the accumulation of plant or animal debris.
CLASTIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock that is composed of large (over two-millimeter
diameter) angular fragments. The spaces between the large fragments can be filled with
a matrix of smaller particles or a mineral cement which binds the rock together. The
specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Conglomerate is a clastic sedimentary rock that contains large (greater than two
millimeters in diameter) rounded particles. The space between the pebbles is generally
filled with smaller particles and/or a chemical cement that binds the rock together.
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock made up mainly of sand-size (1/16 to 2
millimeter diameter) weathering debris. Environments where large amounts of sand can
accumulate include beaches, deserts, flood plains, and deltas. The specimen shown
above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Siltstone is a clastic sedimentary rock that forms from silt-size (between 1/256 and 1/16
millimeter diameter) weathering debris.
Shale is a clastic sedimentary rock that is made up of clay-size (less than 1/256
millimeter in diameter) weathering debris. It typically breaks into thin flat pieces.
CHEMICAL SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
Rock Salt is a chemical sedimentary rock that forms from the evaporation of ocean or
saline lake waters. It is also known by the mineral name "halite." It is rarely found at
Earth's surface, except in areas of very arid climate. It is often mined for use in the
chemical industry or for use as a winter highway treatment.
use as a seasoning for food.
Iron Ore is a chemical sedimentary rock that forms when iron and oxygen (and
sometimes other substances) combine in solution and deposit as a sediment. Hematite
is the most common sedimentary iron ore mineral.
Chert is a microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline sedimentary rock material composed of
silicon dioxide (SiO2). It occurs as nodules and concretionary masses, and less frequently
as a layered deposit. It breaks with a conchoidal fracture, often producing very sharp
edges. Early people took advantage of how chert breaks and used it to fashion cutting
tools and weapons.
Flint is a hard, tough, chemical or biochemical sedimentary rock that breaks with a
conchoidal fracture. It is a form of microcrystalline quartz that is typically called “chert”
by geologists. It often forms as nodules in sedimentary rocks such as chalk and
marine limestones.
Dolomite (also known as "dolostone" and "dolomite rock") is a chemical sedimentary
rock that is very similar to limestone. It is thought to form when limestone or lime mud
is modified by magnesium-rich ground water.
Limestone is a rock that is composed primarily of calcium carbonate. It can form
organically from the accumulation of shell, coral, algal, and fecal debris. It can also form
chemically from the precipitation of calcium carbonate from lake or ocean water.
Limestone is used in many ways. Some of the most common are: production of
cement, crushed stone, and acid neutralization.
ORGANIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
Coal is an organic sedimentary rock that forms mainly from plant debris. The plant
debris usually accumulates in a swamp environment. Coal is combustible and is often
mined for use as a fuel.
Dolomite, also known as "dolostone" and "dolomite rock," is a sedimentary
rock composed primarily of the mineral dolomite, CaMg(CO3)2. Dolomite is found in
sedimentary basins worldwide. It is thought to form by the postdepositional alteration
of lime mud and limestone by magnesium-rich groundwater.
Dolomite is slightly harder than limestone. Dolomite has a Mohs hardness of 3.5 to 4,
and limestone (composed of the mineral calcite) has a hardness of 3.
Limestone is an organic sedimentary rock that forms from the accumulation of shell,
coral, algal, and fecal debris. It can also be a chemical sedimentary rock formed by the
precipitation of calcium carbonate from lake or ocean water.
Metamorphic Rock
meta- meaning change and –morphos meaning form, is one of the three rock categories
in the rock cycle
has been changed by temperature, pressure, and/or fluids
Metamorphism occurs when solid rock changes in composition and/or texture without
the mineral crystals melting, which is how igneous rock is generated. Metamorphic
source rocks, the rocks that experience the metamorphism, are called the parent rock or
protolith, from proto– meaning first, and lithos- meaning rock, metamorphic processes
take place deep underground, inside the earth’s crust.
Three factors
Temperature measures a substance’s energy—an increase in temperature represents an
increase in energy. Temperature changes affect the chemical equilibrium or cation
balance in minerals.
Pressure is the force exerted over a unit area on a material.
A third metamorphic agent is chemically reactive fluids that are expelled by crystallizing
magma and created by metamorphic reactions.
Two kinds of Metamorphism
1) Regional Metamorphism - Most metamorphic rocks are the result of regional
metamorphism (also called dynamothermal metamorphism). These rocks were typically
exposed to tectonic forces and associated high pressures and temperatures.
2) Contact Metamorphism -
(also called thermal metamorphism) is the process by which the country rock that
surrounds a hot magma intrusion is metamorphosed by the high heat flow coming from
the intrusion.
Types of Metamorphic Rocks
Foliated Metamorphic Rocks
Foliated metamorphic rocks have four distinguishable types of aligned textures and
they normally have a banded or layered appearance.
Foliated Rocks:
Gneiss
Phylite
Slate
Schist
Non-foliated Metamorphic Rocks
Non-foliated metamorphic rocks do not have a banded or layered appearance. The
extensively known example of non-foliated metamorphic rock is marble. Other
examples include quartzite, hornfels, and novaculite.
Hornfels
Amphibolite
Novaculite
Marble
Quartzite