Lecture 4 Igneous Rocks

ROCKS
What is a rock?
a naturally-occurring aggregate of one or more minerals; may or may not contain
mineraloids, natural glass and organic matter.
Types of rocks vary based on composition, color, texture, structures, etc.
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What are igneous rocks?
Ignis
= fire
Formed from solidification of magma (intrusive) or lava which flows out from dept
hs(extrusive)
What is magma?
Molten material which may contain suspended crystals and dissolved volatiles (gas
ese.g. water vapor, CO2, SO2)
Molten rock composed of varying amounts of
- Liquid; Silicate (sometimes carbonate or sulfide); Ions of K, Na, Fe, Ca, Mg,
Al
- Solid; Minerals; Rock fragments
- Dissolved gas; H2O, CO2, SO2
Temperature: 600-1200oC
Generated by increase in temperature, decrease in pressure and addition of volati
les
Sources of heat for melting in the crust
original heat of the earth at the time of formation
some elements, e.g. U, produce heat through radioactive decay
heat transfer by conduction from a nearby body of magma
hot mantle plumes may upwell into the crust
frictional heat caused by rocks grinding past each other
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Origin and Formation of Magma
Magma forms at:
Mid-Oceanic Ridges (MOR) divergent boundaries
Subduction Zones convergent boundaries
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Hot spots mantle plumes

Magma is classified according to:

Silica content - amount of SiO2
Viscosity - resistance to flow
Temperature - temperature of melt formation
Common Types of Magma
Basaltic magma
a.High density
b.Low viscosity
c.Relatively low silica
content
d.Crystallize at high
temperatures
(~1000 - 1200C)
Granitic magma
a.Low density
b.High viscosity
c.Relatively high silica content
d.Crystallize at ~600C)
basaltic (mafic)
andesitic (intermediate)
rhyolitic (felsic)
Basaltic magma accounts for about 80 percent of all magma erupted by volcanoes.
Rhyolitic and andesitic magma accounts for 10 percent each.Classification (cheml
composition)
Felsic, Silicic or acidic
>63% SiO2
Intermediate
52-63% SiO2
Mafic or basic
45-52% SiO2
Ultramafic or ultrabasic
<45% SiO2
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*There is a wide variety of igneous rock types but only a few basic types of mag
ma,
becausethe asthenosphere and upper mantle have a fairly uniform composition.
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Variation in Magma Composition
Magmatic Differentiation process of changing the composition of magma

Processes:
-Assimilation of country rock When a molten body moves up through "country rock,
it assimilates rock (melts and incorporates elements from the surrounding rock).
This changes the magma composition.
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-Magma mixing - If two or more magmas with different chemical compositions come
in contactwith one another beneath the Earths surface, then it is possible that t
hey could mix with eachother to produce compositions intermediate between the en
d members.
-Partial Melting rocks melt incrementally because the minerals that compose them
have different melting points. The composition of the resulting magma is differ
ent for every melting temperature.
-Fractional Crystallization - As a magma crystallizes, the magma becomes deplete
d in the elements that are entering the crystallizing minerals and so the melt c
hanges composition over time. As a cooling melt changes composition, the mineral
s that are in equilibrium with it (i.e.that are stable in the melt at the temper
ature and pressure conditions of crystallization) typicallyeither change composi
tion and/or change to structurally-more complex minerals as in Bowen sReaction S
eries
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Bowens Reaction Series (look for a figure showing this)
Discontinuous Series olivine

pyroxene

amphibole

biotite

Continuous Series Ca-rich to Na-rich plagioclase feldspar

At the lower temperatures orthoclase feldspar

muscovite

quartz

*As you lower the temperature, the silicate structure becomes more complex
Properties of Magma
>Viscosity
property to resist flow
Effects of different factors
temperature, viscosity
SiO2, viscosity
dissolved H2O, viscosity
>Density
heavier oceanic crust

mafic rocks

lighter continental crust

Two kinds of igneous rocks

felsic rocks

Extrusive (volcanic) molten rock solidified at the surface.

Ex. Basalt, Andesite, Rhyolite
Intrusive (plutonic) igneous rocks formed at depth.
Ex. Gabbro, Diorite, Granite
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Forms of intrusive rocks
>Stock small discordant pluton
>Batholith more than 100 sq. km. in outcrop area
>Dike tabular body cutting across bedding
>Sill concordant tabular body
>Laccolith blister-shaped sill