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5. basalt
10. pegmatite
glassy texture
1. obsidian
Obsidian is volcanic glass without gas bubbles. It is
usually black or dark brown in color
and breaks with a conchoidal (shell-like) fracture. Be careful
not to cut yourself on the sharp
edges. A variety of obsidian with white to light gray
crystallized patches surrounded by black
glass is known as snowflake obsidian.
2.
pumice
andesite
basalt
diorite
gabbro
Sedimentary Rocks
1.
2.
3.
4.
conglo brecc sands siltst
merate ia
tone one
6.
7.
8.
5. shale limes dolom gyps
tone ite
um
12.
10.
11.
9. salt
amb
chert coal
er
Sedimentary rocks fall into three major categories:
clastic sedimentary rocks chemical sedimentary rocks
biological sedimentary rocks
Refer to Sedimentary Rock Photos for more visual examples
of each of these
sedimentary rock types.
breccia
sandstone
siltstone
shale
dolomite
gypsum
Gypsum is the name of both the mineral and rock,
salt
Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock that is composed of large (over two-millimeter diameter) angular fragments.
Coal is an organic sedimentary rock that forms mainly from plant debris. The plant debris usually accumulates in a
swamp environment. Coal is combustible and is often mined for use as a fuel. The specimen shown above is about
two inches (five centimeters) across.
Chert is a microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline sedimentary rock material composed of silicon dioxide (SiO 2). It
occurs as nodules and concretionary masses, and less frequently as a layered deposit. It breaks with a conchoidal
fracture, often producing very sharp edges. Early people took advantage of how chert breaks and used it to fashion
cutting tools and weapons. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Conglomerate is a clastic sedimentary rock that contains large (greater than two millimeters in diameter) rounded
particles. The space between the pebbles is generally filled with smaller particles and/or a chemical cement that
binds the rock together. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Flint is a hard, tough, chemical or biochemical sedimentary rock that breaks with a conchoidal fracture. It is a form
of microcrystalline quartz that is typically called chert by geologists. It often forms as nodules in sedimentary
rocks such as chalk and marine limestones.
Dolomite (also known as "dolostone" and "dolomite rock") is a chemical sedimentary rock that is very similar
to limestone. It is thought to form when limestone or lime mud is modified by magnesium-rich ground water. The
specimen shown above is about four inches (ten centimeters) across.
Limestone is a rock that is composed primarily of calcium carbonate. It can form organically from the accumulation
of shell, coral, algal, and fecal debris. It can also form chemically from the precipitation of calcium carbonate from
lake or ocean water. Limestone is used in many ways. Some of the most common are: production of
cement, crushed stone, and acid neutralization. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters)
across.
Iron Ore is a chemical sedimentary rock that forms when iron and oxygen (and sometimes other substances)
combine in solution and deposit as a sediment. Hematite (shown above) is the most common sedimentary iron ore
mineral. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Rock Salt is a chemical sedimentary rock that forms from the evaporation of ocean or saline lake waters. It is also
known by the mineral name "halite." It is rarely found at Earth's surface, except in areas of very arid climate. It is
often mined for use in the chemical industry or for use as a winter highway treatment. Some halite is processed for
use as a seasoning for food. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Oil Shale is a rock that contains significant amounts of organic material in the form of kerogen. Up to 1/3 of the
rock can be solid organic material. Liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons can be extracted from the oil shale, but the
rock must be heated and/or treated with solvents. This is usually much less efficient than drilling rocks that will
yield oil or gasdirectly into a well. The processes used for hydrocarbon extraction also produce emissions and waste
products that cause significant environmental concerns.
Shale is a clastic sedimentary rock that is made up of clay-size (less than 1/256 millimeter in diameter) weathering
debris. It typically breaks into thin flat pieces. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters)
across.
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock made up mainly of sand-size (1/16 to 2 millimeter diameter) weathering
debris. Environments where large amounts of sand can accumulate include beaches, deserts, flood plains, and deltas.
The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
The best way to learn about rocks is to have a collection of specimens to examine while you study. Seeing and
handling the rocks will help you understand their composition and texture much better than reading about them on a
website or in a book. The Geology.com store offers inexpensive rock collections that can be mailed anywhere in
the United States or U.S. Territories. Mineral collections and instructive booksare also available.
Siltstone is a clastic sedimentary rock that forms from silt-size (between 1/256 and 1/16 millimeter diameter)
weathering debris. Specimens in the photo are about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Metamorphic Rocks
Amphibolite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms through recrystallization under conditions of high
viscosity and directed pressure. It is composed primarily of hornblende(amphibole) and plagioclase, usually with
very little quartz. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Hornfels is a fine-grained nonfoliated metamorphic rock with no specific composition. It is produced by contact
metamorphism. Hornfels is a rock that was "baked" while near a heat source such as a magma chamber, sill, or dike.
The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Gneiss is a foliated metamorphic rock that has a banded appearance and is made up of granular mineral grains. It
typically contains abundant quartz or feldspar minerals. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five
centimeters) across.
Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that is produced from the metamorphism of limestone or dolostone. It
is composed primarily of calcium carbonate. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters)
across.
Phyllite is a foliated metamorphic rock that is made up mainly of very fine-grained mica. The surface of phyllite is
typically lustrous and sometimes wrinkled. It is intermediate in grade between slate and schist. The specimen shown
above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous rock that breaks with a conchoidal fracture. It forms from
sediments deposited in marine environments where organisms such as diatoms (single-celled algae that secrete a
hard shell composed of silicon dioxide) are abundant in the water. The specimen shown above is about three inches
across.
Lapis Lazuli, the famous blue gem material, is actually a metamorphic rock. Most people are surprised to learn that,
so we added it to this photo collection as a surprise. Blue rocks are rare, and we bet that it captured your eye. The
round objects in the photo are lapis lazuli beads about 9/16 inch (14 millimeters) in diameter. Image iStockPhoto /
RobertKacpura.
Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that is produced by the metamorphism of sandstone. It is composed
primarily of quartz. The specimen above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.
Slate is a foliated metamorphic rock that is formed through the metamorphism of shale. It is a low-grade
metamorphic rock that splits into thin pieces. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters)
across.
Schist is a metamorphic rock with well-developed foliation. It often contains significant amounts of mica which
allow the rock to split into thin pieces. It is a rock of intermediate metamorphic grade between phyllite and gneiss.
The specimen shown above is a "chlorite schist" because it contains a significant amount of chlorite. It is about two
inches (five centimeters) across.
The best way to learn about rocks is to have a collection of specimens to examine while you study. Seeing and
handling the rocks will help you understand their composition and texture much better than reading about them on a
website or in a book. The Geology.com store offers inexpensive rock collections that can be mailed anywhere in
the United States or U.S. Territories. Mineral collections and instructive booksare also available.
Soapstone is a metamorphic rock that consists primarily oftalc with varying amounts of other minerals such as
micas,chlorite, amphiboles, pyroxenes, and carbonates. It is a soft, dense, heat-resistant rock that has a high specific
heat capacity. These properties make it useful for a wide variety of architectural, practical, and artistic uses.