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Lecture 4_Igneous Rocks

The document discusses the formation and classification of igneous rocks, detailing the rock cycle, types of igneous textures, and the composition of magma. It explains how cooling rates affect crystal size and outlines the processes that lead to variations in rock composition. Key concepts include the distinction between extrusive and intrusive rocks, as well as the significance of silicate minerals in their formation.

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vivekbinwal2004
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2 views

Lecture 4_Igneous Rocks

The document discusses the formation and classification of igneous rocks, detailing the rock cycle, types of igneous textures, and the composition of magma. It explains how cooling rates affect crystal size and outlines the processes that lead to variations in rock composition. Key concepts include the distinction between extrusive and intrusive rocks, as well as the significance of silicate minerals in their formation.

Uploaded by

vivekbinwal2004
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Evolution of Earth and life

ECS 1213

Lecture – 4
Igneous rocks
Questions
Why does the rock melt?

If they are forming by melting of rocks, why do we expect to find different compositions?

Can we identify ancient plate boundaries?

Photo credit
What is rock cycle?
• Three different types of rocks are closely related in their formation.

Pressure
Igneous Metamorphic
rock Temperature rocks

Melting
Sedimentary Magma
rocks Melting

Crystallization

1. Form igneous rocks


2. Rocks that you get from igneous rocks (formation of metamorphic and igneous rocks)

3. Relationship between metamorphic and sedimentary rocks


Magma: The parent material
Magma = Molten rock that comes from the Earth’s interior.
Lava = Magma that reaches the surface.

1. Extrusive/Volcanic igneous rocks:


When molten rocks solidify above the ground.

2. Intrusive/Plutonic igneous rocks:


When molten rocks solidify below the ground.

1. Extrusive rocks: Cascade Range


2. Intrusive rocks: Stone Mountain
Magma to Rock: Composition and Texture

Volatile H2O, CO2, SO2

Magma Melt Composed of mainly silicon, oxygen

Solid Composed of mainly silicate minerals

- As magma cools down, solids crystallizes.


- It settles down from the magma.
-The remaining magma changes the composition.

Texture of igneous rocks:


Three factors decide how an igneous rock going to look like (texture):
1. The rate at which magma cools
2. The amount of silica
3. Amount of dissolved gas
Rate of cooling & crystallization
If it cools rapidly, the crystals could not grow for very long time --- small crystals.
If it cools very slowly, the crystals grow over a long period --- large crystals.

Slow cooling Rapid cooling

Magma Magma After 3hours


After 5 hours After 5 hours
After 20 hours After 7 hours
Solid
After 30 hours
Solid

• What would be the crystal size of an extrusive igneous rock?


• What about intrusive ones?
When rocks only have unordered ions, it is referred to as glass.
Types of igneous texture
1. Aphanitic (fine-grained) texture: Crystals too small to see.
2. Phaneritic (Coarse-grained) texture: Crystals large enough to see.
3. Porphyritic (mixed) texture: Both large and small crystals.
4. Glassy texture: No crystal structure.
5. Pyroclastic (fragmented) texture: Consolidation of rocks fragments.
6. Pegmatitic texture: Unusually large crystals because of the volatile content.

2.
Phaneritic

3.
1. Aphanitic Porphyritic

4. Glassy

5. 6.
Pyroclastic Pegmatititic
Igneous composition
- Mainly composed of silicate minerals.
- Other ions include Al, Ca, Na, K, Mg, Fe

- As magma cools elements combine to form two major groups of silicates --

1. Dark silicates – high in Mg, Fe; low in silica


2. Light silicates – high in silica; also has Na, K, Ca

Mafic igneous rocks:


- Composed of dark colored minerals
- Heavy in Mg, Fe (hence the name)
- Basaltic composition

Felsic igneous rocks:


- Composed of light colored minerals
- Heavy in feldspar, silica (hence the
name)
- Granitic composition
Classification of igneous rocks
Two main components:
1. Composition: Tells you something about the parent magma
2. Texture: Tells you something about the cooling history
Composition
Texture
Classification of igneous rocks
What determines the composition?
- Magma does not freeze at one particular temperature, rather over a range.
-With progressive cooling different minerals form at different temperatures.
- As a result the composition of the melt is continually changing.
- Bowen’s reaction series explains the formation sequence of different minerals.
How do you get various composition?
-Igneous rocks greatly vary in their composition. Magma mixing
- Parent magma has a fairly homogeneous composition. (Younger magma
body intrudes older
Main mechanisms responsible behind formation of one)
different rocks from same magma: Old magma

1. Magmatic differentiation due to crystal settling.


2. Assimilation New magma
3. Magma mixing

Assimilation Host rock


(Host rocks
incorporated into
magma)
Magma
Younger
magma

Crystallization &
settling
A composite picture

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