Course:
ES 201: Basic Petrology
Instructor:
Dr. V. Vishal
What is a Rock?
A rock is a group of minerals
bound together
An aggregate of minerals
What is Petrology
Petra ⇒ Greek for “rock”
Logos ⇒ Greek for “disclosure or
explanation”
Petrology - The branch of geology
dealing with the origin, occurrence,
structure, and history of rocks
Types of Rock
Rocks are classified by their
process of formation.
What are the three types of rock?
Three Types of Rock
Igneous
a rock that solidifies from molten or partially
molten rock material (ie magma).
Sedimentary
formed by the deposition, burial, compaction,
and cementation of sediments (pieces of other
rocks)
a rock that results from consolidation of loose
sediment or chemicals precipitating from
solution at or near the earth’s surface; or
organic rock consisting of the secretions or
remains of plants and animals.
Metamorphic
Formed by heat and pressure on other rocks
Rock Cycle
Magma
Lava
Weathering and Erosion
Subsidence vs. Exhumation
Sediments
Rock Cycle
Magma is molten material that forms
deep beneath the Earth’s surface.
Lava is magma that reaches the
surface.
Weathering is a process in which rocks
are broken down by water, air, and
living things.
Sediment is weathered pieces of Earth
elements.
Rock Cycle
The cycle implies:
Any type of rock can become any
other type of rock depending on
what it has been exposed to.
Allrocks are continually changing
from one type to another
throughout geologic time.
PETROGRAPHY
The description and systematic classification of rocks, aided
by the microscopic examination of thin sections.
PETROLOGY
The study of the origin, occurrence, structure and history of
rocks, much broader process/study than petrography.
PETROGENESIS
A branch of petrology dealing with the origin and formation of
rocks. Involves a combination of mineralogical, chemical
and field data.
Petrologic, petrographic, and petrogenetic studies can be
applied to igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary rocks.
Introduction to Igneous Rocks
An igneous rock is any crystalline or glassy rock
that forms from cooling of a magma.
A magma consists mostly of liquid rock matter,
but may contain crystals of various minerals, and
may contain a gas phase that may be dissolved
in the liquid or may be present as a separate gas
phase.
Magma can cool to form an igneous rock either on
the surface of the Earth - in which case it
produces a volcanic or extrusive igneous
rock, or beneath the surface of the Earth, - in
which case it produces a plutonic or intrusive
igneous rock.
General characteristics of
magma
Igneous rocks form as molten rock
cools and solidifies
General characteristics of magma:
Parent material of igneous rocks
Forms from partial melting of rocks
Magma at surface is called lava
Rocks formed from lava = extrusive, or
volcanic rocks
Rocks formed from magma at depth =
intrusive, or plutonic rocks
General characteristics of
magma
The nature of magma
Consists of three components:
Liquid portion = melt
Solids, if any, are silicate minerals
Volatiles = dissolved gases in the melt,
including water vapor (H2O), carbon
dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2)
General characteristics of
magma
Crystallization of magma
Cooling of magma results in the
systematic arrangement of ions
into orderly patterns
The silicate minerals resulting from
crystallization form in a predictable
order
Texture - size and arrangement of
mineral grains
Types of Magma
Types of magma are determined by chemical
composition of the magma. Three general
types are recognized:
Basaltic magma -- SiO2 45-55 wt%, high in
Fe, Mg, Ca, low in K, Na
Andesitic magma -- SiO2 55-65 wt%,
intermediate. in Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, K
Rhyolitic magma -- SiO2 65-75%, low in Fe,
Mg, Ca, high in K, Na
Based on Magma type, Rocks may be
Dark (or ferromagnesian) silicates
Olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, and biotite
mica
MAFIC
Light (or nonferromagnesian) silicates
Quartz, muscovite mica, and feldspars
FELSIC
Temperature of Magmas
Temperature of magmas is difficult to
measure, but laboratory measurement
and limited field observation indicate that
the eruption temperature of various
magmas is as follows:
Basaltic magma - 1000 to 1200oC
Andesitic magma - 800 to 1000oC
Rhyolitic magma - 650 to 800oC.
Viscosity of Magmas
Viscosity is the resistance to flow (opposite of
fluidity). Viscosity depends on primarily on the
composition of the magma, and temperature.
Higher SiO2 (silica) content magmas have higher
viscosity than lower SiO2 content magmas
(viscosity increases with increasing
SiO2 concentration in the magma).
Lower temperature magmas have higher viscosity
than higher temperature magmas (viscosity
decreases with increasing temperature of the
magma).
Gases in Magmas
Gas gives magmas their explosive character,
because volume of gas expands as pressure is
reduced. The composition of the gases in
magma are:
Mostly H2O (water vapor) with some CO2 (carbon
dioxide)
Minor amounts of Sulfur, Chlorine, and Fluorine
gases
The amount of gas in a magma is also related to
the chemical composition of the magma.
Rhyolitic magmas usually have higher
dissolved gas contents than basaltic magmas.
Igneous textures
Texture is used to describe the
overall appearance of a rock based
on the size, shape, and
arrangement of interlocking
minerals
Factors affecting crystal size
Rate of cooling
Slow rate = fewer but larger crystals
Fast rate = many small crystals
Very fast rate forms glass
% of silica (SiO2) present
Dissolved gases
Based on crystal size
Aphanitic (fine-grained) texture
Rapid rate of cooling
Microscopic crystals
May contain vesicles (holes from gas
bubbles)
Phaneritic (coarse-grained) texture
Slow cooling
Large, visible crystals
Aphanitic texture
Phaneritic texture
Types of igneous textures
Porphyritic texture
Minerals form at different temperatures
Large crystals (phenocrysts) are
embedded in a matrix of smaller
crystals (groundmass)
Glassy texture
Very rapid cooling of lava
Resulting rock is called obsidian
Types of igneous textures
Pyroclastic texture
Fragmental appearance produced by
violent volcanic eruptions
Often appear more similar to
sedimentary rocks
Pegmatitic texture
Exceptionally coarse grained
Form in late stages of crystallization of
granitic magmas
Porphyritic texture
Glassy texture
