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MetamorphicrockWikipedia

Metamorphicrock
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Metamorphicrocksarisefromthetransformationofexistingrocktypes,
inaprocesscalledmetamorphism,whichmeans"changeinform".[1]The
originalrock(protolith)issubjectedtoheat(temperaturesgreaterthan150
to200C)andpressure(1500bars),[2]causingprofoundphysicaland/or
chemicalchange.Theprotolithmaybeasedimentaryrock,anigneous
rockoranotheroldermetamorphicrock.
MetamorphicrocksmakeupalargepartoftheEarth'scrustandare
classifiedbytextureandbychemicalandmineralassemblage
(metamorphicfacies).Theymaybeformedsimplybybeingdeepbeneath
Quartzite,aformofmetamorphic
theEarth'ssurface,subjectedtohightemperaturesandthegreatpressureof
rock,fromtheMuseumof
therocklayersaboveit.Theycanformfromtectonicprocessessuchas
GeologyatUniversityofTartu
continentalcollisions,whichcausehorizontalpressure,frictionand
collection.
distortion.Theyarealsoformedwhenrockisheatedupbytheintrusionof
hotmoltenrockcalledmagmafromtheEarth'sinterior.Thestudyof
metamorphicrocks(nowexposedattheEarth'ssurfacefollowingerosionanduplift)providesinformation
aboutthetemperaturesandpressuresthatoccuratgreatdepthswithintheEarth'scrust.Someexamplesof
metamorphicrocksaregneiss,slate,marble,schist,andquartzite.

Contents
1 Metamorphicminerals
2 Foliation
3 Typesofmetamorphism
3.1 Contactmetamorphism
3.2 Regionalmetamorphism
4 Metamorphicrocktextures
5 Seealso
6 References
7 Externallinks

Metamorphicminerals
Metamorphicmineralsarethosethatformonlyatthehightemperaturesandpressuresassociatedwiththe
processofmetamorphism.Theseminerals,knownasindexminerals,includesillimanite,kyanite,staurolite,
andalusite,andsomegarnet.
Otherminerals,suchasolivines,pyroxenes,amphiboles,micas,feldspars,andquartz,maybefoundin
metamorphicrocks,butarenotnecessarilytheresultoftheprocessofmetamorphism.Thesemineralsformed
duringthecrystallizationofigneousrocks.Theyarestableathightemperaturesandpressuresandmayremain
chemicallyunchangedduringthemetamorphicprocess.However,allmineralsarestableonlywithincertain
limits,andthepresenceofsomemineralsinmetamorphicrocksindicatestheapproximatetemperaturesand
pressuresatwhichtheyformed.
Thechangeintheparticlesizeoftherockduringtheprocessofmetamorphismiscalledrecrystallization.For
instance,thesmallcalcitecrystalsinthesedimentaryrocklimestoneandchalkchangeintolargercrystalsinthe
metamorphicrockmarble,orinmetamorphosedsandstone,recrystallizationoftheoriginalquartzsandgrains
resultsinverycompactquartzite,alsoknownasmetaquartzite,inwhichtheoftenlargerquartzcrystalsare
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interlocked.Bothhightemperaturesandpressurescontributetorecrystallization.Hightemperaturesallowthe
atomsandionsinsolidcrystalstomigrate,thusreorganizingthecrystals,whilehighpressurescausesolution
ofthecrystalswithintherockattheirpointofcontact.

Foliation
Thelayeringwithinmetamorphicrocksiscalledfoliation(derived
fromtheLatinwordfolia,meaning"leaves"),anditoccurswhena
rockisbeingshortenedalongoneaxisduringrecrystallization.This
causestheplatyorelongatedcrystalsofminerals,suchasmicaand
chlorite,tobecomerotatedsuchthattheirlongaxesare
perpendiculartotheorientationofshortening.Thisresultsina
banded,orfoliatedrock,withthebandsshowingthecolorsofthe
mineralsthatformedthem.
Texturesareseparatedintofoliatedandnonfoliatedcategories.
Foliatedrockisaproductofdifferentialstressthatdeformsthe
rockinoneplane,sometimescreatingaplaneofcleavage.For
example,slateisafoliatedmetamorphicrock,originatingfrom
shale.Nonfoliatedrockdoesnothaveplanarpatternsofstrain.

Foldedfoliationinametamorphicrock
fromnearGeirangerfjord,Norway

Rocksthatweresubjectedtouniformpressurefromallsides,orthosethatlackmineralswithdistinctive
growthhabits,willnotbefoliated.Wherearockhasbeensubjecttodifferentialstress,thetypeoffoliationthat
developsdependsonthemetamorphicgrade.Forinstance,startingwithamudstone,thefollowingsequence
developswithincreasingtemperature:slateisaveryfinegrained,foliatedmetamorphicrock,characteristicof
verylowgrademetamorphism,whilephylliteisfinegrainedandfoundinareasoflowgrademetamorphism,
schistismediumtocoarsegrainedandfoundinareasofmediumgrademetamorphism,andgneisscoarseto
verycoarsegrained,foundinareasofhighgrademetamorphism.[3]Marbleisgenerallynotfoliated,which
allowsitsuseasamaterialforsculptureandarchitecture.
Anotherimportantmechanismofmetamorphismisthatofchemicalreactionsthatoccurbetweenminerals
withoutthemmelting.Intheprocessatomsareexchangedbetweentheminerals,andthusnewmineralsare
formed.Manycomplexhightemperaturereactionsmaytakeplace,andeachmineralassemblageproduced
providesuswithaclueastothetemperaturesandpressuresatthetimeofmetamorphism.
Metasomatismisthedrasticchangeinthebulkchemicalcompositionofarockthatoftenoccursduringthe
processesofmetamorphism.Itisduetotheintroductionofchemicalsfromothersurroundingrocks.Watermay
transportthesechemicalsrapidlyovergreatdistances.Becauseoftheroleplayedbywater,metamorphicrocks
generallycontainmanyelementsabsentfromtheoriginalrock,andlacksomethatoriginallywerepresent.
Still,theintroductionofnewchemicalsisnotnecessaryforrecrystallizationtooccur.

Typesofmetamorphism
Contactmetamorphism
Contactmetamorphismisthenamegiventothechangesthattakeplacewhenmagmaisinjectedintothe
surroundingsolidrock(countryrock).Thechangesthatoccuraregreatestwhereverthemagmacomesinto
contactwiththerockbecausethetemperaturesarehighestatthisboundaryanddecreasewithdistancefromit.
Aroundtheigneousrockthatformsfromthecoolingmagmaisametamorphosedzonecalledacontact
metamorphismaureole.Aureolesmayshowalldegreesofmetamorphismfromthecontactareato
unmetamorphosed(unchanged)countryrocksomedistanceaway.Theformationofimportantoremineralsmay
occurbytheprocessofmetasomatismatornearthecontactzone.

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Whenarockiscontactalteredbyanigneousintrusionitveryfrequently
becomesmoreindurated,andmorecoarselycrystalline.Manyaltered
rocksofthistypewereformerlycalledhornstones,andtheterm
hornfelsisoftenusedbygeologiststosignifythosefinegrained,
compact,nonfoliatedproductsofcontactmetamorphism.Ashalemay
becomeadarkargillaceoushornfels,fulloftinyplatesofbrownish
biotiteamarlorimpurelimestonemaychangetoagrey,yellowor
greenishlimesilicatehornfelsorsiliceousmarble,toughandsplintery,
withabundantaugite,garnet,wollastoniteandothermineralsinwhich
calciteisanimportantcomponent.Adiabaseorandesitemaybecomea
diabasehornfelsorandesitehornfelswithdevelopmentofnew
hornblendeandbiotiteandapartialrecrystallizationoftheoriginal
feldspar.Chertorflintmaybecomeafinelycrystallinequartzrock
sandstoneslosetheirclasticstructureandareconvertedintoamosaicof
smallclosefittinggrainsofquartzinametamorphicrockcalled
quartzite.

Acontactmetamorphicrockmadeof
interlayeredcalciteandserpentine
fromthePrecambrianofCanada.
Oncethoughttobeafossilcalled
Eozoncanadense.Scaleinmm.

Iftherockwasoriginallybandedorfoliated(as,forexample,a
laminatedsandstoneorafoliatedcalcschist)thischaractermaynotbe
obliterated,andabandedhornfelsistheproductfossilsevenmayhave
theirshapespreserved,thoughentirelyrecrystallized,andinmany
contactalteredlavasthevesiclesarestillvisible,thoughtheircontents
haveusuallyenteredintonewcombinationstoformmineralsthatwere
notoriginallypresent.Theminutestructures,however,disappear,often
completely,ifthethermalalterationisveryprofound.Thussmallgrains
ofquartzinashalearelostorblendwiththesurroundingparticlesofclay,andthefinegroundmassoflavasis
entirelyreconstructed.
Byrecrystallizationinthismannerpeculiarrocksofverydistincttypesareoftenproduced.Thusshalesmay
passintocordieriterocks,ormayshowlargecrystalsofandalusite(andchiastolite),staurolite,garnet,kyanite
andsillimanite,allderivedfromthealuminouscontentoftheoriginalshale.Aconsiderableamountofmica
(bothmuscoviteandbiotite)isoftensimultaneouslyformed,andtheresultingproducthasacloseresemblance
tomanykindsofschist.Limestones,ifpure,areoftenturnedintocoarselycrystallinemarblesbutiftherewas
anadmixtureofclayorsandintheoriginalrocksuchmineralsasgarnet,epidote,idocrase,wollastonite,will
bepresent.Sandstoneswhengreatlyheatedmaychangeintocoarsequartzitescomposedoflargecleargrainsof
quartz.Thesemoreintensestagesofalterationarenotsocommonlyseeninigneousrocks,becausetheir
minerals,beingformedathightemperatures,arenotsoeasilytransformedorrecrystallized.
Inafewcasesrocksarefusedandinthedarkglassyproductminutecrystalsofspinel,sillimaniteandcordierite
mayseparateout.Shalesareoccasionallythusalteredbybasaltdikes,andfeldspathicsandstonesmaybe
completelyvitrified.Similarchangesmaybeinducedinshalesbytheburningofcoalseamsorevenbyan
ordinaryfurnace.
Thereisalsoatendencyformetasomatismbetweentheigneousmagmaandsedimentarycountryrock,
wherebythechemicalsineachareexchangedorintroducedintotheother.Granitesmayabsorbfragmentsof
shaleorpiecesofbasalt.Inthatcase,hybridrockscalledskarnarise,whichdon'thavethecharacteristicsof
normaligneousorsedimentaryrocks.Sometimesaninvadinggranitemagmapermeatestherocksaround,
fillingtheirjointsandplanesofbedding,etc.,withthreadsofquartzandfeldspar.Thisisveryexceptionalbut
instancesofitareknownanditmaytakeplaceonalargescale.[4]

Regionalmetamorphism
Regionalmetamorphism,alsoknownasdynamicmetamorphism,isthenamegiventochangesingreat
massesofrockoverawidearea.Rockscanbemetamorphosedsimplybybeingatgreatdepthsbelowthe
Earth'ssurface,subjectedtohightemperaturesandthegreatpressurecausedbytheimmenseweightoftherock
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layersabove.Muchofthelowercontinentalcrustismetamorphic,
exceptforrecentigneousintrusions.Horizontaltectonicmovements
suchasthecollisionofcontinentscreateorogenicbelts,andcausehigh
temperatures,pressuresanddeformationintherocksalongthesebelts.
Ifthemetamorphosedrocksarelaterupliftedandexposedbyerosion,
theymayoccurinlongbeltsorotherlargeareasatthesurface.The
processofmetamorphismmayhavedestroyedtheoriginalfeaturesthat
couldhaverevealedtherock'sprevioushistory.Recrystallizationofthe
rockwilldestroythetexturesandfossilspresentinsedimentaryrocks.
Metasomatismwillchangetheoriginalcomposition.

MississippianmarbleinBig
CottonwoodCanyon,Wasatch
Mountains,Utah.

Regionalmetamorphismtendstomaketherockmoreinduratedandat
thesametimetogiveitafoliated,shistoseorgneissictexture,
consistingofaplanararrangementoftheminerals,sothatplaty
orprismaticmineralslikemicaandhornblendehavetheir
longestaxesarrangedparalleltooneanother.Forthatreason
manyoftheserockssplitreadilyinonedirectionalongmica
bearingzones(schists).Ingneisses,mineralsalsotendtobe
segregatedintobandsthusthereareseamsofquartzandof
micainamicaschist,verythin,butconsistingessentiallyof
onemineral.Alongtheminerallayerscomposedofsoftor
Dynamicmetamorphism
fissilemineralstherockswillsplitmostreadily,andthefreshly
splitspecimenswillappeartobefacedorcoatedwiththis
mineralforexample,apieceofmicaschistlookedatfacewisemightbesupposedtoconsistentirelyofshining
scalesofmica.Ontheedgeofthespecimens,however,thewhitefoliaofgranularquartzwillbevisible.In
gneissesthesealternatingfoliaaresometimesthickerandlessregularthaninschists,butmostimportantlyless
micaceoustheymaybelenticular,dyingoutrapidly.Gneissesalso,asarule,containmorefeldsparthanschists
do,andaretougherandlessfissile.Contortionorcrumblingofthefoliationisbynomeansuncommon
splittingfacesareunduloseorpuckered.Schistosityandgneissicbanding(thetwomaintypesoffoliation)are
formedbydirectedpressureatelevatedtemperature,andtointerstitialmovement,orinternalflowarrangingthe
mineralparticleswhiletheyarecrystallizinginthatdirectedpressurefield.
Rocksthatwereoriginallysedimentaryandrocksthatwereundoubtedlyigneousmaybemetamorphosedinto
schistsandgneisses.Iforiginallyofsimilarcompositiontheymaybeverydifficulttodistinguishfromone
anotherifthemetamorphismhasbeengreat.Aquartzporphyry,forexample,andafinefeldspathicsandstone,
maybothbemetamorphosedintoagreyorpinkmicaschist.[4]

Metamorphicrocktextures
Thefivebasicmetamorphictextureswithtypicalrocktypesareslaty(includesslateandphyllitethefoliation
iscalled"slatycleavage"),schistose(includesschistthefoliationiscalled"schistosity"),gneissose(gneissthe
foliationiscalled"gneissosity"),granoblastic(includesgranulite,somemarblesandquartzite),andhornfelsic
(includeshornfelsandskarn).

Seealso
Blueschist
Listofrocktypes
Listofrocktextures
Metavolcanicrock
Neomorphism

References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamorphic_rock

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