TOPIC : IDENTIFICATION OF METAMORPHIC (LAB 1D)

1.0 OBJECTIVE
To recognize, identified and observed distinguishing features of metamorphic
rock specimen in the laboratory.
2.0 LEARNING OUTCOMES
a)

Students should able to recognize types of metamorphic rock formation in

Malaysia and Worldwide.

b) Students should able to evaluate the physical properties of metamorphic
rocks for civil engineering application.
c) Students should able to understand metamorphic rock forming on the earth.
3.0 THEORY
(a) Criteria for distinguishing sedimentary rock
In describing any rock, one should proceed from the general to the particular,
nothing firstly its colour, behaviour on weathering and any other striking features
and then deciding whether it is metamorphic or other types of rock. The
outstanding characteristics of the metamorphic rocks is given below, but must be
emphasized that one characteristic by itself proof positive that the rock belongs
to a certain class.
Rock Type

Characteristic
Parallel

orientation

of

mineral crystals.
Metamorph
ic

Interlocking crystal.
Secondary

cleavage

independent bedding.
Foliation,

schistosity

slaty texture.

and

(b) Description
Physical

Colour

characteristics

Decide whether the rock is best described as uniform fine

grained, medium fine grained or coarse grained.
Structure and
Grain

The coarser grained granular rocks results from high-grade

metamorphism in which great pressure from many
directions, not from one direction only, has been the
dominant factor.

4.0 EQUIMENT AND MATERIALS

a) Metamorphic rock from reference set
b) Metamorphic classification chart
5.0 PROCEDURE
The samples that refer to metamorphic classification chart was familiarize and
observed and the result was tabulated in table 1.2.3

6.0 RESULT AND ANALYSIS

(a) Rock name
(b) Structure
(c) Grain
(d) Mineral composition
(e) Parent Rock
(f) Metamorphism type
(e) Sketch / Others

7.0 QUESTION AND DISCUSSION

1. Define a foliation.
Foliation is any penetrative planar fabric present in rocks. Foliation is
common to rocks affected by regional metamorphic compression typical of orogenic
belts. Rocks exhibiting foliation include the typical sequence formed by the
prograde metamorphism of mudrocks; slate, phyllite, schist and gneiss. The slatey
cleavage typical of slate is due to the preferred orientation of microscopic
phyllosilicate crystals. In gneiss the foliation is more typically represented by
compositional banding due to segregation of mineral phases.
Foliated rock is also known as S-tectonite in sheared rock masses.
2. Distinguish between slaty cleavage, phyllitic, schistosity and gneissic texture.
i.

Slaty Cleavage - This texture is caused by the parallel orientation of

microscopic grains. The name for the rock with this texture is slate, and
the rock is characterized by a tendency to separate along parallel planes.
This feature is a property known as slaty cleavage.

ii.
iii.

Phyllitic Texture - This texture is formed by the parallel arrangement of

platy minerals, usually micas that are barely macroscopic. The parallelism
is often silky, or crenulated. The predominance of micaceous minerals
imparts a sheen to the hand specimens. A rock with a phyllitic texture is
called a phyllite.

iv.

Schistose Texture - This is a foliated texture resulting from the suhparallel

to parallel orientation of platy minerals such as chlorite or micas. Other
common minerals present are quartz and amphiholes. A schistose texture
lies between the parallel platy appearance of phyllite and the distinct
banding of gneissic texture. The average grain size of the minerals is
generally smaller than in a gneiss. A rock with schistose texture is called a
schist.

v.

Gneissic Texture - This is a coarsely foliated texture in which the minerals

have been segregated into discontinuous hands, each of which is
dominated by one or two minerals. These bands range in thickness from 1
mm to several centimeters. The individual mineral grains are macroscopic
and impart a striped appearance to a hand specimen. Light-colored bands
commonly contain quartz and feldspar. and the dark hands are commonly
composed of hornblende and hiotite. Accessory minerals are common and
are useful in applying specific names to these rocks. A rock with a gneissic
texture is called a gneiss.

8.0 CONCLUSION
Metamorphic rocks form from heat and pressure. Some of the minerals that
make up those rocks also change properties as heat and pressure is applied.
Polymorphs of minerals at different phases result and thus some minerals are only
found in metamorphic rocks. From our observation of the metamorphic rock, it can
be divided into two types of foliation. There are foliated and non-foliated
metamorphic rocks. None foliated metamorphic rock posses similar engineering
properties to igneous rocks. In an unaltered and unfractured condition, they can be
considered to be strong materials, with few limitations for foundations, tunnels and
dams.
In a way similar to the igneous and sedimentary rocks, the behavior of
metamorphic rock mass depends upon the degree and orientation of fractures the
weathering characteristics. There properties must be curtained prior to construction
of each individual engineering project. In construction industry, the significance of
metamorphic rock such as some schists has graphite and some are use as
building stones. Besides that, gneiss is due to physical and chemical similarity
between many gneisses and plutonic igneous rocks some are used as building
stones and other structural purposes.