ROCK CYCLE,

SOIL DEPOSIT
AND GRAIN-
SIZE
Dr. Ir. HJ. Achmad Fauzi b Abd. Wahab
 The Rock Cycle
• James Hutton (1727–1797),
the eminent 18th century gentleman
farmer and founder of modern
geosciences, authored the concept of the
rock cycle, which depicts the inter-
relationships between igneous,
sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
The Rock Cycle
• A rock is a naturally formed, consolidated material
usually composed of grains of one or more minerals
• The rock cycle shows how one type of rocky material
gets transformed into another
– Representation of how rocks are formed, broken
down, and processed in response to changing
conditions
– Processes may involve interactions of geosphere with
hydrosphere, atmosphere and/or biosphere
– Arrows indicate possible process paths within the
cycle
The Rock Cycle and Plate
Tectonics

Convergent plate
 The Rock Cycle and Plate
Tectonics
• Magma is created by melting of rock above a
subduction zone
• Less dense magma rises and cools to form igneous
rock
• Igneous rock exposed at surface gets weathered
into sediment
• Sediments transported to low areas, buried and
hardened into sedimentary rock
• Sedimentary rock heated and squeezed at depth to
form metamorphic rock
• Metamorphic rock may heat up and melt at depth
 (1) Igneous Rocks
• Magma is molten rock
• Igneous rocks form when magma
cools and solidifies
– Intrusive igneous rocks form when
magma solidifies underground Granite

• Granite is a common example

– Extrusive igneous rocks form when
magma solidifies at the Earth’s
surface (lava)
• Basalt is a common example
Basalt
Igneous Rocks
• Texture refers to the size, shape and
arrangement of grains or other constituents
within a rock
• Texture of igneous rocks is primarily
controlled by cooling rate
• Extrusive igneous rocks cool quickly at or Fine-grained I.R
near Earth’s surface and are typically fine-
grained (most crystals <1 mm)
• Intrusive igneous rocks cool slowly deep
beneath Earth’s surface and are typically
coarse-grained (most crystals >1 mm)
Coarse-grained I.R
 Special Igneous Rocks
• A pegmatite is an extremely coarse-grained
igneous rock (most crystals >5 cm) formed
when magma cools very slowly at depth
• A glassy texture contains no crystals at all,
and is formed by extremely rapid cooling
• A porphyritic texture includes two distinct Pegmatitic I.R
crystal sizes, with the larger having formed
first during slow cooling underground and
the small forming during more rapid cooling
at the Earth’s surface

Porphyritic I.R
 Igneous Rocks Identification
• Igneous rock names are based on texture (grain size) and
mineralogy composition
• Textural classification
– Plutonic rocks (gabbro-diorite-granite) are coarse-grained and cooled
slowly at depth
– Volcanic rocks (basalt-andesite-rhyolite) are typically fine-grained and
cooled rapidly at the Earth’s surface
• Compositional classification
– Mafic rocks (gabbro-basalt) contain abundant dark-colored
ferromagnesian minerals
– Intermediate rocks (diorite-andesite) contain roughly equal amounts of
dark- and light-colored minerals
– Felsic rocks (granite-rhyolite) contain abundant light-colored minerals
Igneous Rocks Identification

I.R.
names are
based on
texture
(grain size)
&
Mineralogic
composition
 Six common Igneous Rocks
1000 C Solidifying Temperature 500 C

Increasing Grain Size

Volcanic Silica Minerals Present Plutonic

(in order of abundance)
Content Rocks
Rocks

Lighter Color
Basalt low pyroxene, olivine, Gabbro
feldspar, & amphibole
Rock types and tectonic
setting
(2) Sedimentary Rocks
are formed by
pressure, heat,
and “drying out”.
Sediments do not
necessarily have
to be under
tremendous
pressure to
become
sedimentary rock
(as seen in the
lab).
Sedimentary Rocks (cont)
• The Earths Crust is made up of solid
bedrock. (Bedrock is solid rock that is
connected continuously down into the
Earth’s crust, rather than existing as
separate pieces or masses surrounded by
loose materials
• Sedimentary Rock are by far the
most common rock type in the
upper crust
Sedimentary Rocks (cont)
• Rocks are broken down by weathering
• Sediment is transported by wind, water,
or glaciers to a new site, where it is
deposited in layers. Over time, the
sediments are buried and pressed
together, or compacted.
Eventually, the sediment is cemented
together to form new rocks, know as
sedimentary rock.
This process takes millions of years
• Sedimentary Rock usually
layered, that results from
the consolidation or
lithification of sediment, for
example a clastic rock like
sandstone or a chemical
rock like rock salt, or an
organic rock like coal (U8).
• Sedimentary Rock are either
Marine (deposited in the
ocean) or nonmarine
(deposited on the
continents). If marine
sedimentary rock are
present, the area must have
been below sea level.
Sedimentary Rocks (cont)

• Physical and
Chemical
processes work
together to
convert exposed
bedrock

• Siliciclastic and
Chemical
Sedimentary Rocks (cont)

• Clastic – fragments of rocks & minerals that have

been physically transported & deposited & then
converted into rock
• Chemical – Direct precipitation of minerals from a
solution. Only chemical sedimentary rocks are
affected by chemical (vinegar/acid), all others are
not affected, unless the acid is strong enough.
• Organic- Remains of plants and animals that have
been converted into rock
 Clastic Sedimentary Rocks
• Clastic Sedimentary Rock: a
sedimentary rock made up of
mostly of fragments derived
from pre-existing rocks and
transported mechanically to
their places of deposition.
• Clastic Sedimentary Rock are
made up mostly of fragments,
called clasts that are eroded
from other rocks.
• Clay or Mud (Smallest 1/16 mm
or smaller
• Sand (1/16 to 2 mm)
• Gravel (pebbles to boulders,
Chemical Sedimentary Rocks
• Rocks consist of
materials that have
precipitated from the
ocean water or lake
water (Utah or Death
Valley). Remember-
Only chemical
sedimentary rocks are
affected by chemicals
• Precipitation: the
process of forming
solid mineral
constituents from a
solution by
 Chemical Sedi. Rocks (cont)
• a sedimentary rock
consisting mainly of
the remains of
organisms (U10).
• Consists of the
mineral calcite, a
calcium carbonate
mineral with the
formula CaCO3
• Organic Sedimentary
Rock forms when
plants in swamps with
rich vegetation die
and are buried by the
remains of later
plants
(3) Metamorphic Rocks
is rocks that have been exposed to
great heat and pressure.

A. Dynamic Metamorphism(Regional
Metamorphism):
large areas of rock are under great
heat and pressure.
Ex: mountain building.
B. ,,,,,,,
B. How heat and pressure cause
rocks
to change:
 Pressure squeezes grains closer
together, creating a denser and
less porous rock.

 Heat and chemicals may

rearrange
particles (atoms). Minerals are
reformed or new ones are formed.
Ex: Quartzite was once
sandstone;
C. Characteristics of Metamorphic
Rocks
 Foliation – grains are in parallel
layers. Ex: slate. Gneiss is the
coarsest
foliation of all metamorphic rocks.
 Banding – bands of light colored
minerals alternate with bands of dark
colored minerals.
D.Thermal Metamorphism (contact
metamorphism) – Igneous
intrusions
bake overlying rock .
The changes are less drastic than
regional metamorphism and foliation
is not produced.
GRANITE

Banding
GNEISS