METAMORPHIC

ROCKS
 Metamorphism
 The transformation of pre-existing rock into texturally or
minerologically distinct new rock as a result of high temperature
and pressure or both, but without melting of rock.
 So,the rocks formed as a result of metamorphism are
known as METAMORPHIC ROCKS.
 Metamorphism is the solid-state recrystallization of pre-existing
rocks due to changes in physical and chemical conditions, primarily
heat, pressure, and the introduction of chemically active fluids.
 Mineralogical, chemical and crystallographic changes can occur
during this process.
 Marble,Slate,Phyllite,Gneiss are well known metamorphic rocks.
 Sedimentary
0 km rock

Metamorphic
rock

Sediment Igneous
rock

10 km
~200ºC Sedimentary Metamor
rock -phism
occurs
Increasing depth
and temperature

Metamorphism between
about 10
and 50
km of
depth
50 km
Melting
~800ºC
These rocks don’t
melt
Factors Controlling Characteristics
of Metamorphic Rocks
Composition Of the Parent Rock
 The mineral content of metamorphic rock is
controlled by the chemical composition of the
parent rocks.
 For example, marble is indicative of parent
rock composed of Caco3.
 Slate is result of metamorphism of Shale.
 Similarly, Granite Gneiss shows
metamorphism of Granite.
Factors Controlling Characteristics
of Metamorphic Rocks
TEMPERATURE
 What is temperature range at the site of
metamorphism.
 Each mineral has its own melting and boiling
point.
 Pressure at the site is also very important.
 Generally acidic rocks have low temp. range
with compare to basic rock.
Factors Controlling Characteristics
of Metamorphic Rocks
PRESSURE
 Earth pressure is called litho static pressure.
 Earth pressure is generally, confining, but may
be differential.
 Under effect of pressure, rock grains get closer
and eliminate pore space.
 Trapped water is released, and may play role
in metamorphism.
Origin of pressure in metamorphism
Factors Controlling Characteristics
of Metamorphic Rocks
TIME
 The effect of time is very hard to comment.
 Laboratory calculation have resulted million of
years for note-able effect of metamorphism,
 e-g acidic rocks have growth rate 1.4
millimeter per one million year.
 Others effects like temp. pressure, location of
metamorphism also effect rate of
metamorphism.
TYPES OF METAMORPHISM
CONTACT METMORPHISM
 Contact metamorphism /Barrovian zone occurs
adjacent to pluton, when magma intrudes relatively
cool country rocks.
 The zone of contact metamorphism is called
AUREOLE.
 Dikes/Sills generally have small aureoles with
minimal metamorphism whereas large
ultramafic intrusions can have significantly thick and
well-developed contact metamorphism.
 Meteorite can also cause metamorphism,called
 REGIONAL METAMOPHISM
 Also known as dynamo thermal
metamorphism is caused at very large scale
and at greater depth about 5 km deep.
 It covers large areas of continental crust
typically associated with mountain ranges,
particularly subduction zones or the roots of
previously eroded mountains.
 The temp range is about 3000c to 8000c.
 Depending on pressure and temp conditions, a
parent rock may recrystallized into different
metamorphic rocks, e-g
BASALT (low P,T) GREEN SCHIST
BASALT (high P,T) AMPHIBOLE SCHIST
 Regional metamorphism can be described and
classified into metamorphic facies or
metamorphic zones of temperature/pressure
conditions throughout the orogenic terrane.
 PROGRESSIVE
METAMORPHISM
 Change of metamorphic rocks with progressive
change of PRESSURE,TEMPERATURE.
 At higher pressure and temperature, we have
greater metamorphism effects, and as we away
get away from the site of metamorphism
progressively, the effect of metamorphism
decreases.
 E-g Shale Slate Phyllite Schist Gneiss
 Progressive regional metamorphism: from low grade
(slate); to high grade (gneiss)
 METASOMATISM
 Meatsomatism takes place, when very hot water
is introduced in the process of metamorphism.
 In this process, different ions are exchanged.
 Water can hold different ions like K +,Na+,Si+4
and O-2.
 In this way, large crystal of Feldspar may grow
in SCHIST due to addition of potassium or
sodium ions.
 Hydrothermal Metamorphism
 Hydrothermal metamorphism is the result of the
interaction of a rock with a high-temperature
fluid of variable composition.
 The difference in composition between existing
rock and the invading fluid triggers a set of
metamorphic and metasomatic reactions.
 The hydrothermal fluid may be magmatic
(originate in an intruding magma), circulating
groundwater, or ocean water.
 Convective circulation of hydrothermal fluids
in the ocean floor basalts produces extensive
hydrothermal metamorphism adjacent to
spreading centers and other submarine
volcanic areas.
 The fluids eventually escape through vents in
the ocean floor known as black smokers.
 The patterns of this hydrothermal alteration is
used as a guide in the search for deposits of
valuable metal ores.
Hydrothermal metamorphism
 Dynamic Metamorphism
 Dynamic metamorphism is associated with zones of
high to moderate strain such as fault zones.
Cataclasis, crushing and grinding of rocks into
angular fragments, occurs in dynamic metamorphic
zones, giving cataclastic texture.
 The textures of dynamic metamorphic zones are
dependent on the depth at which they were formed,
as the temperature and confining pressure determine
the deformation mechanisms which predominate.
 Metamorphism along a fault zone
 Within depths less than 5 km, dynamic
metamorphism is not often produced because the
confining pressure is too low to produce frictional
heat. Instead, a zone of breccia or cataclasite is
formed, with the rock milled and broken into random
fragments. This generally forms a mélange*.

 Within the depth range of 5–10 km pseudotachylite is

formed, as the confining pressure is enough to
prevent brecciation and milling and thus energy is
focused into discrete fault planes. Frictional heating
in this case may melt the rock to form
pseudotachylite glass.
 Within the depth range of 10–20 km,
deformation is governed by ductile
deformation conditions and hence frictional
heating is dispersed throughout shear zones,
resulting in a weaker thermal imprint and
distributed deformation.
 Here, deformation forms mylonite, with
dynamothermal metamorphism observed
rarely as the growth of porphyroblasts in
mylonite zones.
 Overthrusting may juxtapose* hot lower
crustal rocks against cooler mid and upper
crust blocks, resulting in conductive heat
transfer and localised contact metamorphism
of the cooler blocks adjacent to the hotter
blocks, and often retrograde* metamorphism
in the hotter blocks. The metamorphic
assemblages in this case are diagnostic of the
depth and temperature and the throw of the
fault and can also be dated to give an age of
the thrusting.
IMPACT METAMORPHISM
 Falling Meteorite, if they are of larger size,can
cause impact metamorphism.
 It creates locally metamorphic zone at the site
of
strike.
 It also creates progressive metamorphism.
 Products are called impactites.
 Metamorphic Facies

 Metamorphic facies are recognizable terranes or zones

with an assemblage of key minerals that were in
equilibrium under specific range of temperature and
pressure during a metamorphic event.
 Low T - Low P : Zeolite
 Mod - High T - Low P : Prehnite-Pumpellyite
 Low T - High P : Blueschist
 Mod to High T - Mod P : Greenschist - Amphibolite - Granulite
 Mod - High T - High P : Eclogite
 Metamorphic Grades
 In the Barrovian sequence (described by
George Barrow in zones of progressive
metamorphism in Scotland), metamorphic
grades are also classified by mineral
assemblage based on the appearance of
key/index minerals in rocks of pelitic (shaly,
aluminous) origin.
 Low grade ------ Intermediate ------ High grade

Greenschist -------- Amphibolite -------------- Granulite

Slate --- Phyllite ---- Schist ---- Gneiss

---Migmatite(partial melting) >>>melt

Chlorite zone Garnet zone Staurolite zone Kyanite zone

Biotite zone Sillimanite zone

 Identification of
Metamorphic/Metamorphic Structures
Foliation/Foliated Rocks
 Under effect of metamorphism, minerals in
rocks are arranged in line/direction.
 If rock splits easily along nearly flat and
parallel planes, indicating that platy mineral
were pushed into alignment, we say rock is
SLATY or it has SLATY CLEAVAGE.
 If visible platy minerals or needle like mineral
have grown parallel to a plane due to
differential stress, the rock is SCHISTOSE.
Development of foliation due
to directed pressure
 Metamorphic textures

 Porphyroblastic textures
 Large grains, called porphyroblasts,
surrounded by a fine-grained matrix of
other minerals
 Porphyroblasts are typically garnet,
staurolite, and/or andalusite
 If rock becomes very ductile and the new
minerals get separated into distinct layers(light
and dark color layers),the rock has layered or
GNEISSIC texture.
 Non-foliated Rocks

• Marble:
-metamorphosed
limestone

Quartzite:
•• Quartzite:
-- metamorphosed
metamorphosed
quartz sandstone
quartz sandstone
 Metamorphism and Plate
Tectonics
 Plate tectonics facilitate the process of
metamorphism.

 Plate boundaries generate different types

geological setting ,which have different ranges
of temperature and pressure, across the
boundaries.
 Common metamorphic rocks
 Foliated rocks
 Slate
 Very fine-grained
 Excellent rock cleavage

 Most often generated from low-grade metamorphism of shale,

mudstone, or siltstone
 Phyllite
 Gradation in the degree of metamorphism between slate and schist
 Platy minerals not large enough to be identified with the unaided
eye
 Glossy sheen and wavy surfaces

 Composed mainly of fine crystals of muscovite and/or chlorite

Phyllite (left) and Slate (right) lack
visible mineral grains & Less wavy
and shiny
•We also see
predominant mineral
called INDEX
MINERAL.
Common metamorphic rocks
 Schist
 Medium to coarse-
grained
 Platy minerals
predominate
 Commonly include
the micas
 To indicate
composition, mineral
names are used (such
as mica schist)
Common metamorphic rocks
 Gneiss
 Medium to coarse-
grained
 Banded appearance

 High-grade
metamorphism
 Often composed of white
or light-colored feldspar-
rich layers with bands of
dark ferromagnesian
minerals Displays banded appearance
 Common metamorphic rocks
 Non foliated rocks
 Marble
 Coarse, crystalline
 Parent rock was limestone
or dolostone
 Composed essentially of
calcite or dolomite crystals
 Used as a decorative and
monument stone
 Exhibits a variety of colors
Common metamorphic rocks
 Quartzite
 Formed from a parent rock of quartz-rich
sandstone
 Quartz grains are fused together
QUARZITE
MARBLE
SLATE
MUSCOVITE
SCHIST
GARNET SCHIST
GNEISS