Metamorphic Rocks

By: Waqas Javaid

Table of
Contents:

Types of Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphic Textures
Foliated Metamorphic Rocks
Non-Foliated Metamorphic Rocks

Type of Metamorphic Rocks:

On the basis of texture, metamorphic rocks are classified into two
main categories:

Metamorph
ic Rocks

Foliated Metamorphic Rocks

Non- Foliated Metamorphic

Rocks

Foliate
d

Non
Foliate
d

Metamorphic Textures

Foliation:
when platy, lamellar or flaky minerals (e.g.. sheet silicate
minerals the micas: biotite and muscovite, chlorite, talc, and
serpentine), occurring in rock orient themselves parallel to
one another (i.e. perpendicular to the direction of
Platy Minerals
maximum pressure or stress).

Needle-like
Minerals

Foliation:
Non-Foliated

Foliated

Slaty Cleavage:

usually formed during the early

stage of Low-grade Metamorphism
due to lithostatic stress.

New sheet-structure minerals tends

to be parallel to the bedding planes
during metamorphism.

however, further deep burial along

the
continental
margin;
compressional forces will cause
deformation (folding).

hence, the sheet minerals as well as

foliation will no longer be parallel to
the bedding planes, such type of
foliation in fine grained rocks is
called slaty cleavage.

Schistosity:

usually formed during

intermediate and high grade

metamorphism
Grain size increases and can be

seen by naked eye; grains tends

to enlarge with increasing grade
of metamorphism; the coarse
grained sheet-structure
minerals show preferred
orientation
grain size is the main difference

between the slaty structure and

schistose structure.

Gneissosity:
usually associated with high-grade

regional metamorphism (where differential

stress prevails I.e. tectonic forces)
distinct bands of light and dark color in

the rocks- known as gneissic banding.

Dark color layer is due to ferromagnesian

minerals like biotite, amphibole.

Light color layer is due to silicic minerals

like quartz and feldspar.

Light color layer is thicker as compared to

dark color layer.

Granoblastic texture:
Characteristics:
Grains visible with naked eye.
Equigranular
Equidimensional
Non Foliated
Formed due to thermal

metamorphism.
Typically found in marble,

quartz and non foliated

metamorphic rocks

Porphyroblastic:
Large mineral crystal in
metamorphic rocks
Embedded in fine ground mass
Porphyroblasts are commonly
euhedral crystals
Most common porphyroblasts
in pelitic metamorphic rocks
are:
Garnets and Staurollites

Foliated Metamorphic Rocks

General Properties:

Slate:
Physical Properties:
Mostly greyish color
Fine grain rock
Low grade metamorphism
Tendency to break into thin

plates
Slaty cleavage is present
Formed by regional (orogenic)

metamorphism

Chemical Properties
Rich in colorless mica
Protolith is fine grained sedimentary

rocks
Protolith can also be pyroclastic tuff

or basic igneous rocks

Incase of basic igneous protolith,

large crystalls of mica, andalusite,

cardierite are present as
porphyroblast.

Slate:

Phyllite:
Properties:
Fine grained rock
Crystals coarser than slate
Formed from slate when P/T rises
Breaks into sheets (thinner than

slate)
Lustrous, silk sheen on fracture

surfaces
Low grade regional

metamorphism

Schist:
Physical Properties
Medium to coarse grained
Well crystallized strongly

schistose
Schistosity is the diagnostic

fabric
Breaks into lenticles
Medium grade regional

metamorphism

Chemical Properties:
Protolith is fine grained

sedimantery rocks or basic

igneous rocks
Abundance of mica associated

with quartz and garnet

On basis of different minerals

present it is divided into:

Green Schist
Blue Schist

Schist:

Schist:
Green Schist:

Blue Schist:

Low grade regional metamorphism

Form under high pressure and low

Genreraly green color

Due to presence of green color minerals
Like chlorite, epidote, actinolite, albite,

quartz etc.
These minerals indicate that protolith

was fine grained basic igneous rocks i.e.

basalt
Can also form from pelitic sedimantry

rocks i.e silicious dolostone, marl etc

temperature
Blue in color
Mainly because presence of blue color

minerals i.e. glaucophene. lawsonite

quartz, crossite, zoisite are also found
Protolith is basic igneous rocks,

mainly basalt
Form in orogenic and subduction

envronment

Schist:
Green Schist:

Blue Schist:

Gneiss:
Physical Properties:

Chemical Properties:

Coarse grained rock

High grade regional metamorphism
Shows gneissosity
Light and dark banding
light minerals are always

equidimensional, they form

granoblastic fabric.
Dark minerals are mostly flaky, they

show preferred orientation

Divided into two types on basis

of composition of protolith
Orthogneiss: derived from

igneous rocks. Mainly granite

with Qtz, feldspar, mica, biotite.
Paragneiss: derived form clastic

sedimentary rocks i.e.

greywackes, sandstone etc.

Gneiss:

Non-Foliated Metamorphic
Rocks

Marble:
Properties:
Any metamoprhic rock rich in
carbonates.
Protolith: limestone, dolostone

etc
Formed due to confining

pressure.
No layering or foliation
Interlocking grains of Co3
Texture is mosaic: a type of

granoblastic texture.

Quartzite:
Properties:
Any metamorphic rock with

greater than 80% quartz

Have mosaic granoblastic

texture
Can not split easily: very hard
Equidimensional interlocking

grains of quartz and feldspar.

Hornfels:
Physical properties:
Metamorhpic rocks with no

prefered orientation.
Mostly asociated with contact

metamorphism

Chemical properties:
In the basis of composition
hornfels are of these types:
Biotite hornfels
Quartz-Albite fels

Equigranular fabric

Plagioclase fels

equidimensional granoblastic

Calc-silicate fels

texture.

Hornfels:

Phyllonite:
Properties:
Macroscopically resembles phyllite
Fine grained
Formed due to mechanical degradation:

severe deformation (mylonization)

Reconstruction of minerals (different

orientation)
Posses mica and crushed minerals
Product of cataclastic metamorphism of

graywacke, granite or gneiss.

Eclogite:
Physical properties:

Chemical properties:

Form at very high pressure up

Protolith is basalt

to 30kbar
Unusually dense rock
comparatively low

temperature.
Found at subduction zones
Depth greater than 35km

Absence of plagioclase
Two most essential minerals

are:::
Omphacite green variety of

clinopyroxenes
Garnet almandine

Eclogite:

Buchite:
Properties:
Vitreous: composed mostly of

glass
High temp, low pressure rock
Due to pyrometamorphism
High temp minerals: Tridymite,

cardierite, sanidine, serpentine.

Protolith is quartz felspathatic

or pelitic rocks.

The End.

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