METAMORPHIC ROCKS

WHAT IS A METAMORPHIC ROCK?

• Meta – change; morph - form• Any rock that has changed …• Structure• Mineral alignment• Mineral chemistry

WHAT ARE TYPES OF METAMORPHISM?

• Contact metamorphism• Small, local areas

• Regional metamorphism• Large areas

HOW DO METAMORPHIC ROCKS FORM?

• Heat • From the mantle

• Pressure• From the rock layers above

• Fluids• Water can create liquid minerals• Can change a rocks chemistry

• Strain• Due to the force of stress• Fault zones, for example

HOW ARE METAMORPHIC ROCKS CLASSIFIED?

• Foliated• AKA banded, layered• Gneiss, slate, schist

• Nonfoliated• AKA nonbanded,

nonlayered • Marble, quartzite