Melting Rocks

 Question
 Does a rocks melt like an ice cube, all at the
same time?
 Melting Rocks
 Rocks melt according to their melting points.
 Example: Ice cube with wax
 Which would melt first ice or wax?

 This example is known as partial melting.

 Partial Melting: some minerals melt at lower
temperatures and other minerals remain solid
 Think of “stew”
 Fractional Crystallization

 Opposite of Partial Melting

 Last to melt are first to solidify (crystallize)
 Bowen’s Reaction Series
 N.L. Bowen
 Canadian
 1900’s
 Stated that “as magma cools, minerals form in
predictable patterns”
 Known as Bowen’s Reaction Series
 Bowen’s Reaction Series
 Two Branches
 Feldspars
 Continuous,gradual change of mineral
compositions
 Iron-Rich Minerals
 An abrupt change of mineral type
Bowen’s Reaction Series
Feldspars
 Continuous Change
 First Feldspars are
rich in Calcium (Ca)
 Sodium (Na)
increases as cooling
continues
 Last Feldspars to
form are Sodium rich
(Na)
Iron Rich Minerals
 Discontinuous Change
 Magnesium (Mg) cools
around 18000C, when
olivine crystallizes, this
continous up to 15570C.
 Now Pyroxene begins to
form. All olivine that was
formed is now turned to
pyroxene
 Quartz is the last to form,
because silica and oxygen
are the last to crystallize
Why do we find Olivine?
•Amongst the common rock forming minerals Felspathoid
minerals containing less % of silica are also present which are
usually allied with Feldspars

Nepheline
(Silicate of sodium
and aluminium=>Albite

Leucite
(Silicate of potassium
and aluminium=>Orthoclase