GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF

STRUCTURE
&
TEXTURE OF METAMORPHIC ROCKS

PRESENTED BY :- MADHU
COURSE :- M.SC GEOLOGY
 GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF STRUCTURE
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
& OF STRUCTURE
&
TEXTURE OF METAMORPHIC ROCKS
TEXTURE OF METAMORPHIC ROCKS
Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of a pre – existing rock
type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means “change in
form” . The protolith is subjected to heat (greater than 150 degrees Celsius) and
extreme pressure causing profound physical or chemical change . The protolith
may sedimentary rock , igneous rock or another older metamorphic rock.

TEXTURE OR FABRIC :-
Small scale features that are penetrative (occurs in virtually all of the rock body at the
microscopic level).
STRUCTURE :-
Larger scale features; found in hand sample , outcrop , or regional scale

MICROSTRUCTURE :-
advocated term (instead of texture) for microscope scale features.
 TEXTURE :-
IS A TERM THAT DESCRIBE THE SIZE , SHAPE ,AND ORIENTATION OF THE GRAINS
NSTITUTING A ROCK , AS WELL AS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE GRAINS.

1-Crystal Size:
<0.1 mm very fine grained
0.1-1 mm fine-grained
1-5 mm medium-grained
5-10 mm coarse-grained

FOLIATED
FOLIATED
NON
 ON THE
 ON THE BASIS
BASIS OF
OF PRESENCE
PRESENCE OR
OR ABSENCE
ABSENCE OF
OF FOLIATION
FOLIATION ,, TEXTURE
TEXTURE OF
OF
METAMORPHICROCKS
METAMORPHIC ROCKSCAN
CANBE
BEEITHER
EITHER: :

• Foliated Metamorphic Rocks :- E.G., SLATE , PHYLLITE , SCHIST , GNEISS

• Non – Foliated Metamorphic Rocks :- E.G., QUARTZITE , MARBLES , HORNFELS

STRUCTURES OF METAMORPHIC ROCKS (MACROTEXTU

•Slaty Cleavage :-
A pervasive, parallel foliation (layering ) of defined fine grained platy minerals(chlorite) in a
direction perpendicular to the direction of maximum stress. produces the rocks slate and
phyllite.
• Schistose :-
A schist has a lepidoblast foliation if this foliation is by oriented micas , and a nemoblastic
foliation is defined by the orientation of prismatic minerals as amphiboles and pyroxenes.
• Gneissis :-
A complex banded texture made of schistose layers or bands alternating with bands commonly
characterized by a granoblastic texture .
•Granoblastic :-
Granular , interlocking equidmentional grains of subequal size , no preferred orientation or
cleavage.
•Hornfelsic :-
Fine – grained , granular interlocking grains , possibly of variable shapes and sizes . No
preferred orientation.
•
Cataclastic Structure :-

Produced under stress and in absence of high temperature , whereby rocks are
subjected to sharing of fragmentation.
 Types of metamorphic texture and mineral
mineral relation
Metamorphic texture can be grouped into three main groups:-

A ) Relict textures (palimpsest textures) :- are textures inherited from the original rock
type , and which have survived metamorphism.

B) Typomorphic textures :- textures characteristic of metamorphism.

C) Superimposed textures :- textures characteristic of a post metamorphic event , e.g.

alteration , weathering , ……etc .Other smaller groups as “reaction textures”,
“polydeformational textures’’ , etc . may also be typomorphic or replacement , but are
grouped separately because they have some genetic connotation.
A) Relict textures
There are several types of relict textures. Relict textures in metamorphic rocks are
indicated by applying the prefix “blasto” to the original textural name. Relict textures are
best preserved in low grade rocks . Examples of such textures include:
. blasto -- porphyritic
. blasto – ophitic
. blasto – intergranular
. blasto – amygdaloidal.
. blasto – pisolitic
. blasto – oolitic
B) Typomorphic textures
TEXTURE OF CONTACT METAMORPHISM
. TYPICALLY SHALLOW PLUTON AUREOLOES (LOW-P)

. CRYSTALLISATION/RECRYSTALLISATION IS NEAR-STATIC
MONOMINERALIC WITH LOW Δ SURFACE ENERGY  granoblastic  polygonal
Larger Δ S.E. DECUSSATE
. ISOROPIC textures (hornfels , granofels )
. Relict textures are common .
 Texture of regional metamorphism
– DYNAMOTHERMAL ( crystallization under dynamic conditions )
– OROGENY – long – term , mountain building
. May comprise several tectonic events
– May have several Deformational phases
– May have an accompanying metamorphic cycles with one or more reaction events
– TECTONIC – A deformed rock with a texture that records the deformation
– FABRIC - The complete spatial and geometric configuration of textural
elements
. Foliation – Planar textural element
. Lineation - Linear textural element
. Lattice preferred orientation (LPO)
. Dimensional preferred orientation (DPO)
 C – Replacement textures (Superimposed in part)

1) Mesh texture :- Develops in serpentinites , where the needle shaped serpentine minerals occur
in aggregates interwoven like a mesh .

2) Hour – glass texture :- Also in serpentinites , where the serpentine minerals replace the
granular olivine crystals giving rise to hour – glass like appearances.

3) Bastite texture :- a third texture that occurs in serpentinites , where opx crystals were completely
replaced by aggregates of serpentine minerals retaining the prismatic shape o
the original opx .

4) Pseudomorphic replacement texture :-

a) Single-crystal
b) Multi-crystal
c) Multi-phase , multi-crystal
Thank You