Chapter 5. Metamorphic Rocks
1 Exercises on Metamorphic Rocks
Adapted by Lyndsay R. Hauber & Joyce M. McBeth (2018) University of Saskatchewan from Deline B, Harris R & Tefend K. (2015) “Laboratory Manual for Introductory Geology”. First Edition. Chapter 11 “Metamorphic Rocks” by Karen Tefend, CC BY-SA 4.0. View source. Last edited: 8 Jan 2020
Note: much of the overview material for this chapter is replicated in this exercise section for your reference as you complete the lab. You will NOT have access to your lab book or notes for the rock and mineral exam!
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Your TAs will check that you have completed the questions at the end of the lab. Please hold on to your lab notes to help you prepare for the rock and mineral quiz and your lab final exam.
5.3 METAMORPHIC ROCK NAMES
5.3.1 Foliated Metamorphic Rocks
Differential pressures can cause a metamorphic pattern known as foliation to develop in metamorphosed rocks. There are a few types of foliations that are commonly seen in metamorphic rocks, each foliation type is dependent on the minerals that define the foliation. Gneissic banding (e.g. Figure 5.3) is defined as alternating dark and light mineral bands throughout the rock; the metamorphic rock with this type of foliation is called gneiss (pronounced “nice”). The typical minerals seen in the dark coloured bands are biotite and/or amphiboles, whereas the light-coloured bands are typically quartz or light-coloured feldspars. The protoliths for gneiss can be any rock that contains more than one mineral, such as shale with its clay minerals and clay-sized quartz and feldspar, or an igneous rock with both dark-coloured ferromagnesian minerals and light-coloured non-ferromagnesian minerals (see Chapter 3 for review). In order for gneissic foliation to develop, temperatures and pressures need to be quite high; for this reason, gneiss rocks represent a high grade of metamorphism.
Another type of foliation is defined by the presence of flat or platy minerals, such as muscovite or biotite micas. Metamorphic rocks with a foliation pattern defined by the layering of platy minerals are called schist; the rock name is commonly modified to indicate what mica is present. For example, Figure 5.4 is a photo of a muscovite schist, with garnet present, so the correct name for this rock is a garnet muscovite schist. By convention, when naming a metamorphic rock the mineral in the lowest quantity is mentioned first. The muscovite micas define a very wavy foliation in the rock; this textural pattern of wavy micas is called a schistose foliation (e.g. Figure 5.4B). Shale is usually the protolith for schist; during metamorphism, the very tiny clay minerals in shale recrystallize into micas that are large enough to see unaided. Temperatures and pressures necessary for schistose foliation are not as high as those for gneiss;