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These discards from the roofing material used (by one of Edmonton’s
more prosperous citizens) in preference to shakes or asphalt
shingles could be cleaved more finely [green arrows]. Alignment of
the platy grains makes the material impermeable, and the fact it
splits into thin sheets makes the weight manageable. Note the low
sheen on the cleavage planes, which pass between grains.
Slate – Original Identity Preserved
In this low grade metamorphic rock, the original identity of the parent
rock can be seen. We see graded beds [purple arrows] with light,
coarse grains at the base grading to dark, fine grains at the top. As
well, we notice that the foliation and cleavage, parallel to the broad
faces of the sample, are unrelated to the original bedding, whose
planes are parallel to the light blue arrows.
Phyllite.
This is also a
low grade
metamorphic
rock, but is of
a higher grade
than slate.
Cleavage
planes are
highlighted by
yellow stars.
With higher metamorphic grade comes increased crystal size. The faces
of the larger grains are more reflective than smaller grains, and so the
cleavage planes of the rock have a greater sheen than they do in slate.
Even irregular fracture surfaces have a sheen [blue star].
Phyllite.
As with slate,
cleavage is a
bulk property
of the rock and
passes
between
grains, unlike
mineral
cleavage which
passes through
crystals.
This phyllite has less regular cleavage planes and a higher sheen due
to the coarser grains. The intermediate stress has influenced the
growth of these crystals such that they form ridges and swales aligned
parallel to the green arrows and perpendicular to this stress.
Schist.
This texture
also appears
first at low
grades, but
higher than
both slate and
phyllite. The
significance of
the stars is
explained on
the next slide.
This schist has a reasonably coarse grain size, wherein individual grains
of biotite in particular are readily distinguished with the unaided eye.
This low grade schist is friable, that is, can easily be crumbled with
normal finger pressure. This is not generally seen in slate or phyllite.
Schistosity and Weathering - 1
Again, the iron content of biotite causes the weathered surface [blue
stars] to turn brown, as distinct from the dark fresh surface [yellow
stars]. This sample is of higher grade than the previous one, as
indicated by the coarser crystal size. The coarser grains result in a
loss of well developed cleavage planes; the rock splits very
irregularly, but still parallel to the foliation [green arrows].
Schist.
At a higher
grade, in this
case medium
grade, new
minerals such
as garnet
[yellow arrows]
may appear,
within a matrix
of muscovite in
this case.
The garnet crystals have a strong force of crystallization, and will
usually be larger in size than surrounding micas. Such larger crystals
are called porphyroblasts, and generally their appearance marks the
onset of medium grade metamorphism, still within schists.
Schist.
Generally at a
higher grade
than for
garnet,
staurolite [blue
arrows] may
appear as
porphyroblasts.