DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

I. Megascopic description and identification of

rocks referred Under theory
II. Physical properties of Igneous rock
 Geologically rocks can be classified into three
categories:

1. Igneous rocks.
2. Sedimentary rocks.
3. Metamorphic rocks.
• Igneous rocks are formed out of very hot molten material called lava
or magma.
• When molten material is underneath the earth surface it is called
as magma where as when the molten material reaches the earth
surface and flows over it, it is called as lava.
• Igneous rocks are also called as Primary rocks.

Forms of igneous rocks

• Volcanic or Extrusive igneous rocks :The extruded lava on
solidification over the earth’s surface gives rise to extrusive igneous
rocks.
• Plutonic or Intrusive igneous rocks :The magma on solidification
bellow the earth’s surface gives rise to intrusive igneous rocks.
• The igneous rocks are often characterized by the presence of
crystalline minerals and interlocking texture.
• The igneous rocks are usually massive, un-stratified, un-
fossiliferous and often occurs as intrusive cutting across other
rocks.
• The volcanic igneous rocks are always extremely massive or
vesicular or amygdaloidal.
Color of igneous rocks can be identified
as :

a. Leucocratic
b. Mesocratic
c. Melanocratic
d. Hypermelanocratic
 a) Leucocratic:

• The rocks which are light in color.

• These rocks are rich in felsic minerals.
• Color index: 1 to 30
• Example: Granite, Pegmatite.
 b) Mesocratic:

• The rocks which are neither dark color nor light color
are termed as mesocratic.
• Color Index: 31 to 60
• Ex.: Syenite.
 c) Melanocratic:

• The rocks are generally dark in color.

• The rocks are rich in mafic
• minerals and are having relatively high specific
gravity
• Color Index: 61 to 100.
• Ex.: Dolerite, Gabbro
 d) Hypermelanocratic:

• The rocks which are very dark (dense black)

are hypermelanocratic in nature.
• Ex.: Obsidian
 Depending upon crystallization there are following three
type of texture:

a. Holocyrstalline
b. Hemicrystalline or mesocrystalline or hypocrystalline
c. Holohyaline
 a) Holocyrstalline:

• When all the mineral constituents of igneous rocks are

distinctly crystallized.
• The rocks with holocrystalline texture are called as
Phaneric rocks.
 b) Hemicrystalline or mesocrystalline
or hypocrystalline:

• When minerals of rocks are composed of mixture of

crystalline and glassy material.
 c) Holohyaline:

• When the rocks are completely made up of glass, it is

holohyaline in nature.
• The rock is called as aphinitic.
Depending upon the average grain size, the igneous rock may be
divided into following two types:

a. Phanerocrystalline or phaneric igneous rock

b. Aphinitic igneous rock
 a) Phanerocrystalline or phaneric igneous
rock

In phanerocrystalline igneous rocks the crystall are visible

in naked eyes.

Phaneric rocks are divided into three types:

a. Corased grained
b. Medium grained
c. Fine grained
 b) Aphinitic igneous rock:

Grains identified only under microscope.

The shape can be studied in following ways:

a. Panidiomorphic
b. Hypidiomorphic
c. Allotriomorphic
a) Panidiomorphic:

Constituent mineral grains are euhedral.

Ex. Lamprophyre.
b) Hypidiomorphic :

Mineral grains are subhedral.

Ex.: Granite, Syenite.
c) Allotriomorphic :

Mineral grains are mostly anhedral.

Texture is the intimate mutual relationship between
mineral constituents and glossy
material in a rock.

a. Equigranular

b. In-equigranular
i) Porphyrolitic texture
ii) Poikelitic Texture
a) Equigranular :

When mineral grains are more or less equal in size

b) In-equigranular :

In this texture majority of crystals shows great difference

in their grain size.

There are following types of inequigranular texture:

i) Porphyrolitic texture:
ii) Poikelitic Texture:
 i) Porphyrolitic texture:

Here large size crystals known as phenocrysts are

enveloped in fine grained glossy material known as
microcrystalline matrix.
 ii) Poikelitic Texture

Here fine grained crystals are enclosed in large

crystals of same or other mineral.
Depending upon the mode of occurrence igneous rocks are
classified into three categories:

a. Plutonic igneous rocks:

b. Volcanic igneous rocks
c. Hypabyssal igneous rocks
 a) Plutonic igneous rocks:

• The rocks which are formed at great depth , under great

pressure, high temperature in the presence of huge
quantities of volatile.
• Thus at great depth due to high temperature, cooling is
too slow, as a result of this well developed crystals are
formed .
• Ex. Granite, syenite, gabbro etc.
 b) Volcanic igneous rocks:

• These rocks are formed on the earth surface, as a result

cooling is very fast and there is very less time for the
formation of crystals.
• Thus due to fast cooling volcanic rocks are fine grained
in nature.
• Ex.: Basalt, rhyolite, trachyte.
 c) Hypabyssal igneous rocks:

• These rocks are formed at shallow depth, at

moderate temperature and pressure and medium
rate of cooling.
• Therefore the rock is composed of medium grained
crystals.
• These rocks are coarse than volcanic and finer
than plutonic rocks.
• Ex.: Dolerite.
Minerals from which rock is formed.

The major mineralogical components of igneous rocks can be divided into two

groups:

• Felsic (from feldspar and silica) Ex. Granite, Rhyolite

• Mafic (from magnesium and ferrous iron) Ex.Gabbro,Basalt

1. Colour : Melnocratic
2. Mineralogy
a) essential minerals : Plagioclase Feldspar,
Pyroxene (Augite)
b) accessory : Hornblende, magnetite and
apatite
3. Texture : Fine grained
4. Specific gravity : High
5. Type : Volcanic
6.. Mode of formation : Due to fast cooling of lava as surface intrusive and extrusive
7. Mode of Occurrence : Sills, flows, and dykes
8.. Name of the rock : Compact Basalt
9.. Use: As building stones, Road metals, Railway ballast
1. Colour : Mesocratic
2. Mineralogy
a) essential minerals : Alkali Feldspar,
Plagioclase Feldspar, Mica
b) accessory : Hornblende, magnetite and
apatite
3. Texture : Medium grained
4. Specific gravity : Medium
5. Type : Plutonic
6. Mode of formation : Due to slow cooling of magma
7. Mode of Occurrence : As intrusive rock
8. Name of the rock : Syenite
9. Use: As building stones, Road metals, Railway ballast,
1. Colour : Leucocratic
2. Mineralogy
a) essential minerals : Alkali Feldspar,
Quartz, Mica
b) accessory : Hornblende, magnetite and
apatite
3. Texture : Fine grained
4. Structure: Flow structure
5. Specific gravity : High
6. Type : Plutonic
7. Mode of formation : Due to slow cooling of magma
8. Mode of Occurrence : Sills, flows, and dykes
9. Name of the rock : Rhyolite
10. Use: As building stones, Road metals, Railway ballast,