CHAPTER 4

IGNEOUS ROCKS

 Magma: The parent material of igneous

rock

Lava

Extrusive volcanic

Intrusive plutonic
Nature of magma

Melt

Volatiles
From magma to crystalline rock

Crystallization

IGNEOUS TEXTURES

Factors affecting crystal size

Rate at which magma cools
Amount of silica present
Amount of dissolved gases (volatiles) in the magma
Types of igneous textures
Aphanitic (fine-grained) texture
Vesicular
Phaneritic (coarse-grained) texture
Porphyritic
Phenocrysts
Groundmass
Glassy
Pyroclastic (fragmental)
Pegmatitic

ORIGIN OF MAGMA
Generating magma from solid rock

Role of heat
Role of pressure
Role of volatiles

ORIGIN OF MAGMA
Generating magma from solid rock

Role of heat
Role of pressure
Role of volatiles

ORIGIN OF MAGMA
Generating magma from solid rock

Role of heat
Role of pressure
Role of volatiles

MORE VOLATILES = LOWER

MELTING TEMPERATURES

ADDING A SECOND MINERAL LOWERS

MELTING POINT OF FIRST MINERAL

HOW MAGMAS EVOLVE

BOWENS REACTION SERIES
and the composition of igneous rocks

Discontinuous reaction series

Continuous reaction series
Magmatic differentiation (crystal settling)
Assimilation and magma mixing

BOWENS REACTION SERIES

IGNEOUS ROCK COMPOSITIONS

Silica content is an indicator of composition
Composition categories

Granitic felsic
Andesitic intermediate
Basaltic mafic
Peridotitic ultramafic

NAMING IGNEOUS ROCKS

Felsic (granitic) igneous rocks intrusive & extrusive

Granite
Ryolite
Obsidian
Pumice (vesicular)
Intermediate (andesitic) igneous rocks intrusive & extrusive
Diorite
Andesite
Mafic (basaltic) igneous rocks intrusive & extrusive
Gabbro
Basalt
Pyroclastic rocks airborne
Tuff
Welded tuff
Volcanic breccia

OBSIDIAN - Glassy (cooled too rapidly to form

crystals). Photomicrographs are magnified
about 27 times.

Pumice, a glassy rock containing

numerous vesicles

Vesicles are small holes left by escaping

gas bubbles.

Rhyolite, the aphanitic equivalent of

granite, is less abundant.

Aphanitic (fine-grained).

PEGMATITE

Volcanic rock - angular rock fragments

embedded in a light-colored matrix of ash.

Andesite porphyry - a common

volcanic rock.

Photomicrograph of a thin section of andesite

porphyry to illustrate texture. Notice that the few
large crystals (phenocrysts) are surrounded by
much smaller crystals (groundmass).

Because replacement was not complete, this feldspar

crystal has a calcium-rich interior surrounded by zones
that are progressively richer in sodium

Basalt is aphanitic and a very

common extrusive rock.

Outcrop of welded tuff (tan) interbedded with obsidian

(black) near Shoshone, California. Caption:Tuff is
composed mainly of ash-sized particles and may
contain larger fragments of pumice or other volcanic
rocks

Granite - one of the most common phaneritic

igneous rocks.

Diorite - phaneritic igneous rock

of intermediate composition.

Close up of diorite. The white crystals are

plagioclase feldspar, and the black crystals are
amphibole and biotite.

Gabbro, the phaneritic equivalent of

basalt, is less abundant.