EVT533 1.

3 Rocks and Minerals

Study

of rocks is known as petrology. A rock is a solid naturally occurring materials, is made up of minerals or minerals like matter. Rock composed of various minerals. Some rocks are composed of just one minerals such as pyrite and quartz two common rocks in these category. Most rocks are solid mixture of several minerals like granite.

Rocks are the basic material for soil formation. Rock are classified by how they are formed. There are 3 basic groups of rocks.
Igneous
Sedimentary Metamorphic

Other types of rocks: Sedimentary rocks. It is made of seashells example coquina the shell rock are made of minerals but they are not minerals. Coal. It is considered a rock but it is not made of minerals because it comes from organic matters plants.

Igneous rocks.
The name from the latin word for fire igneus. The name is appropriate because these rocks are born of fire. Beneath the thin rocky crust of the earth is the inferno of the mantle! The mantle is the origin of this rock type.

The Mantle

Under the crust is the fiery hot mantle. The coolest outer part of the mantle is about 1000oC (1800oF ). Here the rock is molten liquid, white hot. All Magma is made up of a fairly uniform mixture of elements. Some of the major elements present are SiO2, Fe, Na, K, Al, Mg, and gasses including water vapour, O2, CO2, N2, H2 and SO2. These elements form chemical combinations that crystallize in patterns to form eight basic rock forming minerals. These eight minerals form most rock. They are olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, orthoclase, plagioclase, muscovite, biotite, and quartz.

The Formation of Igneous Rock Igneous rocks are formed from this molten magma. These rocks form when the magma cools and crystallizes. This can happen above ground as with volcanoes it is then called extrusive.

The Formation of Igneous Rock

The molten magma can also crystallise below the surface. When the molten rock rises in the crust but cools before it reaches the surface it is plutonic igneous rock and is categorized as intrusive.

E X A M P L E S I G N E O U S

R O C K S

Andesite is a gray to black volcanic rock. It is generally erupted from stratovolcanoes as thick lava flows. It can also generate strong explosive eruptions to form pyroclastic flows.Andesites erupt at temperatures between 900o C and 1100 C. Andesite contains crystals composed of plagioclase feldspar, pyroxenes, and hornblende. The word andesite comes from the Andes Mountain Range where andesite is common. Basalt Lava - Basalt is a hard, black volcanic rock. Less than of the weight of basalt is silica (SiO2). Because of basalt's low silica content, it has a low viscosity (resistance to flow). This enables basaltic lava to flow quickly and allows volcanic gases to escape without explosive events. The minerals in basalt include olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase. Basalt is erupted at temperatures between 1100 to 1250 C. Basalt is the most common rock type in the Earth's crust most of the ocean floor is made of basalt. Basaltic magma is commonly produced by direct

The word Sedimentary comes from the Latin word sedimentum, which means settling. There are three types of sedimentary rocks: Clastic Chemical Organic

The clastic rocks are formed from broken bits and pieces of other existing rocks that settle out of water or air. The broken bits and pieces are called sediments and are caused by weathering. Examples are:

Breccia is made up of angular pebbles cemented together.

Conglomerate is made up of rounded pebbles cemented together.

Sandstone is sand grains cemented together into solid stone.

Chemical sedimentary rocks form from dissolved minerals that are precipitated or separated from water. This happens most frequently when water evaporates leaving the minerals behind. Examples are:

Halite is made when a body of seawater becomes closed off and evaporates. As the water evaporates it the remaining water can no longer hold the same amount of salt. The salt precipitates out and is deposited as crystallized halite or rock salt.

gypsum is an evaporate made of calcium sulfate that has many forms. Clear flattened crystals are called selenite. Satin spar and alabaster are also common forms of gypsum.

limestone is made primarily of calcium carbonate or calcite. The most common source of this calcite is the shells of marine organisms.

Organic sedimentary rocks are composed of organic matter in the form of plant fragments. We usually think of this group of rocks as coal. Lignite is black and has a crumbly consistency. Bituminous coal can be dull to shiny and black.

Metamorphic rocks Metamorphic Rocks are rocks that have changed form due to heat and pressure. There are two kinds of metamorphism:
Contact

metamorphism Regional metamorphism

Contact metamorphism Contact metamorphism occurs when magma intrudes or forces its way into existing rock. The heat of the magma bakes the surrounding rocks causing them to change. This is a local event. The changes due to contact metamorphism are relatively small and are said to be low-grade metamorphism. An example of contact metamorphism is the metamorphic rock marble. Marble is created from limestone that has been subjected to heat.

Regional metamorphism Regional metamorphism by contrast takes place over large areas and is high-grade metamorphism. Regional metamorphism is associated with mountain building.

Metamorphic Rock Classification Metamorphic rock is classified by texture and composition. The texture can be foliated or nonfoliated. Foliated metamorphic rocks appeared banded or layered. Foliated rocks can be ordered in terms of increasing metamorphism. In the chart below notice how each of the first three rocks become the parent rock for the next. In each of these it takes more heat and pressure to to move to the next level of metamorphism.

Foliated Foliated metamorphic rocks appeared banded or layered. Foliated rocks can be ordered in terms of increasing metamorphism. In the chart in the slide (after next slide) notice how each of the first three rocks become the parent rock for the next. In each of these it takes more heat and pressure to move to the next level of metamorphism.

Non-foliated Non-foliated metamorphic rock usually contains one mineral. It is uniform in texture.

Classification of metamorphic rocks

Name of rocks
Slate

Parent rocks
Shale, mudstone, siltstone Slate Phyllite Shist, granite, volcanic rocks limestone quartz sandstone

Texture

Grain size
Very fine

Notes
smooth dull surfaces Glossy sheen micaceous minerals mineral banding fused quartz grains fused quartz grains

Phyllite Schist Gneiss

Foliated

Fine medium to course medium to course medium to course

Marble Quartzite

Non-foliated

medium to course

Anthracite

bituminous

fine

black, shiny,

Examples of metamorphic rocks

quartzite is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock derived from sandstone. It has uniformed texture non-foliated and very hard rock.

Marble is a metamorphic rock that comes from metamorphosed limestone or dolomite. Limestone is mostly calcite or calcium carbonate, CaCO3. Dolomite CaMg(CO3)2 is related to limestone but is rich in magnesium. Marble has a uniform texture (non-foliated).
Slate is a fine grained metamorphic rocks. Shale is the parent rock. It is made up of clay minerals. Shale can metamorphose into slate, phyllite, schist or gneiss depending on the degree of heat and pressure. Slate is foliated and easily splits into thin, flat, parallel planes.

Schist is a course grained metamorphic rock. Shale is the parent rock. It is made up of clay minerals. Shale can metamorphose into slate, phyllite, schist or gneiss depending on the degree of heat and pressure. Schist is foliated or layered in appearance. Quartz, micas, and amphiboles are primary minerals in schist. Phyllite is a fined grained metamorphic rock. Shale is the parent rocks. It is made of clay minerals. Shale can metamorphose into slate, phyllite, schist or gneiss depending on the degree of heat and pressure. Phyllite has a greater degree of metamorphism than slate but less than schist. It is foliated or layered in appearance. Gneiss is a medium to course grained metamorphic rock. Shale is the common parent rocks. Igneous rocks especially granite can also make the parent rock for gneiss. This a foliated dense rock that has light and dark coloured banding.

Minerals is naturally occurring solid materials, having a fixed chemical formula and has an orderly crystalline structures, and mostly are inorganic chemicals.
There

are 4,000 known minerals on earths. Each one is a unique substances with its own chemical formula. Most of these are very rare.
There

are only 9 groups of minerals that are common. They are called rock forming minerals.

The 9 group of rock forming minerals that are common: Native elements Sulfides Oxides Nitrates Phosphates Sulfates Halides Silicates Carbonates

S
I L I C A T E Muscovite. Muscovite is a member of the mica mineral group. It is more important as a rock-forming mineral than as a collectible specimen. Biotite. Biotite is a member of the mica branch of the silicate mineral group. It is common as a rock-forming mineral and is present in all three rock types: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. Amazonite. Amazonite is a beautiful green variety of microcline feldspar. Its chemical formula is KAlSi3O8 , potassium aluminium silicate Mica group. Mica group is the name given to a group of silicate minerals that have silicon and oxygen as their two major components.

T H E S U L F A T E S

Barites. is a sulfate mineral with a chemical formula of BaSO4, sometimes called heavy spar. Its chemical name is barium sulfate. It is the primary source of the element barium.

Celestite. Celestite is made up of strontium sulfate. The chemical formula is SrSO4. Its name comes from Latin, caelestis meaning celestial.

T H E C A R B O N A T E S

Rhodochrosite. It is a manganese carbonate mineral. Its chemical composition is MnCO3. In its purest form it is a transparent rose red, but this is fairly rare. It can also be formed in stalactites. This form can be sliced revealing circular layers of rose and pink to milky white. These lighter colors are formed when the manganese is replaced by calcium, manganese or zinc. The depth of color from red to pink depends on the amount of substitution. Azurite. It is a copper carbonate mineral. The chemical formula is Cu3[OH CO3]2and results from the oxidation of copper sulfides.

Malachite. It is a copper carbonate mineral with a chemical formula of Cu2[(OH)2 CO3]. It is a vibrant green color often banded with light and dark greens.

T H E

H A L I D E

Flourite. Fluorite is a halide mineral that is soft and usually colourless but can be blue, purple, green, brown, or yellow. Some times several colours are present in the same crystal creating a striking affect.

T H E S U L F I D E

Galena. It has been mined for lead and silver since the time of the Romans. It is a form of lead sulfide. The chemical formula is PbS. It is the most important source of lead and is abundant and widespread in occurrence. Stibnite. It is a sulfide mineral found in low temperature hydrothermal veins and hot springs deposits. It is prized by collectors for the long slender bladed crystals. These can occur in clumps with many orthorhombic crystals radiating in all directions. It is very soft only a 2 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Pyrite. sometimes called iron pyrite is a compound of iron and sulfur, iron sulfide FeS2. Depending upon the conditions under which it forms pyrite can form crystals of different shapes.

T H E
O X I D E

Magnetite. It is sometimes called lodestone. It is strongly magnetic. It was used by the ancient Chinese to make the first magnetic compasses. The chemical formula is Fe3O4.

T H E
Q U A R T Z F A M I L Y

Quartz. It is one of the most common of all minerals that make up the continental crust. It is found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. It is associated with many valuable ore deposits as well.
Amethyst. It is a variety of quartz and owes its purple colour to the presence of iron. It is composed of silicone dioxide SiO2. Agate. It is the name given to a group of silicates that are made up primarily of chalcedony. Chalcedony is a member of the quartz family of minerals. Like quartz chalcedony is silicone dioxide with a chemical formula of SiO2. Tiger eye. It is a form of quartz with some special characteristics. Like all quartz it is made up primarily of silicone dioxide, SiO2. Within this matrix are asbestos fibers usually occurring in layers. It is the asbestos that makes Tiger eye a chatoyant gemstone.

T H E E L E M E N T S Bismuth crystal. Bismuth in its elemental form is a rare occurrence in nature, even more so for bismuth crystals. Lab grown crystals are popular because of their intricate shapes and dazzling colours.