MINERALS

&
ROCKS
EARTH MATERIALS AND
PROCESSES
 ROCKS
 Is a natural substance
composed of solid crystals of
different minerals that have
been fused together into a
solid lump.
MINERALS
 A naturally occurring inorganic element
or compound having an orderly internal
structure and characteristic chemical
composition, crystal form, and physical
properties.
MINERALS

QUARTZ FELDSPAR AMPHIBOLE

3 Main Categories of Rocks
IGNEOUS ROCK
Latin word “ignis” means fire.
Parent material is usually magma, a
molten material from deep w/in the Earth
that cools and hardens.
IGNEOUS ROCK
Exothermic process – heat is liberated;
change of phase from liquid to solid.
They are given names based on texture
(how big the crystals) and composition (what
they are made of).
 TEXTURE
Strongly affected by the rate of cooling of the
magma.
Crystals are usually minerals
The slower the rate of cooling, the larger the
crystals found in the rock resulting in a coarse-
grained igneous rock.
TEXTURE
 TEXTURE
The faster the rate of cooling, the smaller the
crystals are and resulting into a fine-grained
igneous rock.
Coarse-grained varieties are considered
phaneritic.
Fine-grained are considered aphanitic.
TEXTURE
 COMPOSITION
Refers to the elements in the magma that directly
affect the kind of mineral that is formed when the
magma cools.
MAFIC-associated w/ crustal spreading
FELSIC-associated w/ crustal compression and
subduction.
COMPOSITION
MAFIC – high in magnesium
and ferric oxides.
- dark color
- common sample is basalt,
gabbro
COMPOSITION
FELSIC – is higher in
viscosity than mafic
- light in color
- common sample is
granite, rhyolite
 TYPES OF IGNEOUS
ROCKS
A. Igneous Intrusive or Plutonic Igneous
 they hardened deep inside the crust
 rocks cool slowly and are usually coarse-grained
in texture.
 samples are granite, gabbro, diorite, and andesite
 TYPES OF IGNEOUS
ROCKS
A. Igneous
Intrusive or
Plutonic
Igneous
 TYPES OF IGNEOUS
ROCKS
A. Igneous Extrusive or Volcanic Igneous
 solidification occurs at the surface of the Earth.
 lava cools faster and solidifies quickly (fine-
grained texture).
 samples are basalt, obsidian, pumice, scoria
 TYPES OF IGNEOUS
ROCKS
A. Igneous
Extrusive or
Volcanic
Igneous
SEDIMENTARY ROCK
Formed from “lithification”, a process of
cementing soft, unconsolidated sediments
into hard rocks.
DEPOSITION-the transported rock pieces
settle at the bottom.
STAGES IN THE FORMATION OF
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
 3 MAIN TYPES OF SEDIMENTARY
ROCKS
1. Clastic Sedimentary rock – are derived from
mechanical weathering which involves the
breakdown of rocks into smaller ones at the
surface of the crust, accumulate as clasts, pile
on top of one another and “lithified”.
 3 MAIN TYPES OF SEDIMENTARY
ROCKS
2. Chemical Sedimentary rock – form when
dissolved materials precipitate. Precipitation is
the process of separating a solid substance
from a liquid.
 3 MAIN TYPES OF SEDIMENTARY
ROCKS
3. Organic Sedimentary rock – are formed by
the accumulated sedimentary debris caused by
organic process.
SEDIMENTAR
Y ROCKS
 METAMORPHIC ROCK
Name from “meta” (change) and “morph”
(form).
Pro-lith  original rock (may be an igneous,
sedimentary, or another older metamorphic
rock).
 METAMORPHIC ROCK
METAMORPHISM – old rocks are forcefully
changed into a new kind. The change is
particularly a transformation of the rock’s
mineralogy and physical characteristics.
 TYPES OF METAMORPHIC
ROCKS
A. Non-foliated metamorphic rocks – these rocks
are formed around igneous intrusive.
- it shows colored bands that reflect very small
impurities.
- have uniform texture and do not have a parallel
layered appearance.
 TYPES OF METAMORPHIC
ROCKS

A. Non-foliated
metamorphic
rocks
 TYPES OF METAMORPHIC
ROCKS

A. Non-foliated
metamorphic
rocks
 TYPES OF METAMORPHIC
ROCKS

A. Non-foliated
metamorphic rocks
(marble, quartzite)
 TYPES OF METAMORPHIC
ROCKS
A. Foliated metamorphic rocks – these rocks are
formed w/in the earth’s interior under extremely
high temp. and unequal pressure.
- the rock has a layered band appearance.
 TYPES OF METAMORPHIC
ROCKS
A. Foliated
metamorphic
rocks (slate,
gneiss,
serpentine)
TYPES OF METAMORPHISM
A. Contact (thermal) metamorphism
- evolves when rocks near igneous
intrusive get heated. This produces non-
foliated metamorphic.
TYPES OF METAMORPHISM
B. Regional (pressure) metamorphism
- affects a larger area, commonly ddue to
mountain formation. Foliated rocks are
produced and strong pressure effects are
greatly seen on them.
ROCK CYCLE
Summarizes the transformational process that
change rocks from one kind to another.
It shows the entire journey of rocks formed as
they changed.
Rocks are recycled.
ROCK CYCLE
 INVESTIGATING MINERALS
THAT MAKE UP ROCKS
1. Color – minerals can have different colors
depending on how they are formed.
2. Luster – is the way light interacts w/ the surface of a
crystal or mineral.
- originate in latin word “lux” means light and
generally implies radiance, gloss, brilliance or sparkle.
 INVESTIGATING MINERALS
THAT MAKE UP ROCKS
3. Streak – refers to the color displayed
in finely powdered form left behind
when rubbed on a rough surface.
 INVESTIGATING MINERALS
THAT MAKE UP ROCKS
4. Hardness – refers to the resistance of
a mineral to scratching. It is the measure
of the bonding strength between atoms.
 INVESTIGATING MINERALS
THAT MAKE UP ROCKS
4. Hardness
 INVESTIGATING MINERALS
THAT MAKE UP ROCKS
5. Specific Gravity – refers to the mass
of the mineral compared to the mass of
an equal volume of water.
- tells you how many times the mineral
is heavier than water.
 INVESTIGATING MINERALS
THAT MAKE UP ROCKS
6. Cleavage or Fracture – refers to how
smoothly the minerals break. If the minerals
break apart in similar pieces, it is said to
have good cleavage. If it breaks like a piece
of glass w/ uneven, jagged edges, it is
classified as fracture.
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