Petrography of

metamorphic rocks 1
Petrografi Teknik Geologi UGM
(TKG2211)
Nugroho Imam Setiawan, Ph.D
Optical Geology Laboratory
Dept. of Geological Engineering
Gadjah Mada University
@2014

Syllabus
Thin section observation metamorphic
textures
Crystal in metamorphic rocks
Microstructures and Deformation
Mechanisms
Principal textures of metamorphic rocks
Metamorphic petrography in Indonesia

Text book
Microtextures of igneous and metamorphic rocks,
Bard. J.P., 1987
Atlas of metamorphic rocks and their textures,
Yardley et al., 1990.
Igneous and metamorphic petrology 2nd Ed., Best,
2003.
Principles of igneous and metamorphic petrology,
Winter, 2010.
Petrography, An introduction to the study of rocks
in thin sections 2nd Ed., Williams et al., 1982.

How do we study petrography and

microstructures
Observation
Microscopy optical thin section analysis
SEM: Scanning Electron Microscope observes surfaces only
TEM: Transmission Electron Microscope observes thin foil
samples
Cathodoluminescence (CL) displays trace chemical variations

Quantitative analysis

Crystallographic Preferred Orientations (CPO)

Grain Shape Foliations (GSF)
Grain Size Distributions
AVA (mapping crystallographic orientations across a thin
section)
Stable isotope studies

Metamorphic texture
1. Produced by metamorphic reaction
(disequilibrium).
Symplectite, corona, reaction rim, zonation

2. Produced by deformation during

metamorphism.
Pressure shadow, foliation, helical

Theory of crystal growth origin

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Temperature and pressure condition

Chemical heterogeneities
Presence of interstitial fluids (H2O, CO2, etc)
Porosity of the medium
Chemical composition of the solid state
Relative orientations of boundary surfaces
between newly formed minerals.
7. Time

Crystal form
Idiomorphic (euhedral):
minerals exhibit simple
geometric forms regulated by
the symmetries of their
cristaline lattice.
Hypidiomorphic (subhedral)
Xenomorphic (anhedral):
crystal do not display any well
defined external form (they
can have flat, rounded, lobed,
lenticular, etc)

The Crystalloblastic Series

Most Euhedral
Titanite, rutile, pyrite, spinel
Garnet, sillimanite, staurolite,
tourmaline
Epidote, magnetite, ilmenite
Andalusite, pyroxene, amphibole
Differences in development of crystal form among some
metamorphic minerals. From Best (1982). Igneous and
Metamorphic Petrology. W. H. Freeman. San Francisco.

Mica, chlorite, dolomite, kyanite

Calcite, vesuvianite, scapolite
Feldspar, quartz, cordierite

Least Euhedral

Interaction growth mechanism

1. Free growth: where crystals develop in a liquid or solid
matrix which does not noticeably interfere with their
growth.
2. Disturbed growth: where the form of the minerals is
regulated by that of neighboring crystals that ere formed
at the same time (i.e. syngenetic)
3. Corrosion: where minerals exist as unstable or metastable
relict not yet entirely eliminated by the processes leading
to their disappearance.
4. Low-temperature mechanical ruptures: tectonic origin,
able to fragment the minerals or displace their borders
(brittle fracture).
5. High-temperature mechanical deformations: causing
lattice distortions and migration of punctual an linear
dislocation defects (ductile deformation).

Blastesis
P-T conditions are favorable for
metamorphic mineral to grow,
nucleation can start.
The number of nuclei and their
survival rate determines whether
many small or a few large
porphyroblasts form.
The number depends on:
The availability of favorable
nucleation sites.
The driving force for the
metamorphic reaction.
Transport rate of elements that
form new mineral and elements
that have to be removed to make
space available.

Inclusion Trails
[1]

[2]

[3]

1. If reaction C and E are both fast enough, no inclusions

are incorporated.
2. If E slow out and reaction C fast enough, inclusions of
E are incorporated of the minerals.
3. If reaction C and E are to slow, crystal A and B might
be incorporated in inclusions.

Order of crystallization
Pre-existing (previous) phases: minerals which
were formed before the event.
Contemporaneous (simultaneous) phases:
those that occur at the time of the event.
Later (postgenetic) phases: minerals which
later than the event

Order of crystallization

Namely as mineral [1] and mineral [2].

A.

[1] is older than mineral [2]. [1] is

either partly or completely included
in [2]. [1] form close to equilibrium
developed in the early stages of [2].
B. [1] is distributed random in [2]
without any observable connection
between the individual crystals [1].
[1] can be very old.
C. [1] is distributed in [2] maintaining
crystallographic and optical
continuity. [1] can be very old or
relict minerals pseudomorphic.
D. [1] surrounds [2], which two
crystals are of the similar age. The
orientation of thin section can make
confusing of interpretation.

Order of crystallization
Grt equilibrium
with Qz and
develops pressure
shadow as
secondary
minerals.

Isograde reaction
A(OH) + B
C + D + H2O
CE
The newly formed
minerals may partially
(or totally) surround the
reacting materials
which the get the
appearance of corroded
parent phases.
[continuous reaction]

Reaction of microtexture
A. False rim: exsolution reaction of solid solution
(unmixing of some phase B within a phase A may lead
to the formation of an typical rim
B. Kelephytic
textures: formed
by un-mixing of
surrounding
minerals (preexisting minerals
at higher
temperature or
pressure. It may
formed a
symplectite.
[kelephytic]
[symplectite]

Reaction of microtexture
C. Complex coronitic textures:
reaction rim found around
minerals by an alternation of
mineralogically different
layers that prevent any
contact between the mineral
and matrix. The textures are
definitely characteristic of a
return equilibrium in earlier
associations.

Ol Pl H2O Opx Cpx Spl Grt Hbl

Figure 23.54. Portion of a multiple coronite developed as concentric rims due to reaction at what was initially the contact between an
olivine megacryst and surrounding plagioclase in anorthosites of the upper Jotun Nappe, W. Norway. From Griffen (1971) J. Petrol.,
12, 219-243.

Reaction of microtexture
D. Atoll garnet

[honey comb]

[trabecular]

[chain]

Figure 23.27. Proposed mechanisms for the development of foliations. After Passchier
and Trouw (1996) Microtectonics. Springer-Verlag.

Diagram showing that structural and fabric

elements are generally consistent in style and
orientation at all scales. From Best (1982).
Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology. W. H.
Freeman. San Francisco.

Pre-kinematic crystals
a. Bent crystal with
undulose
extinction
b. Foliation
wrapped around
a porphyroblast
c. Pressure shadow
or fringe
d. Kink bands or
folds
e. Microboudinage
f. Deformation
twins
Figure 23.34. Typical textures of prekinematic crystals. From Spry (1969)
Metamorphic Textures. Pergamon.
Oxford.

Post-kinematic crystals
a. Helicitic folds b. Randomly oriented crystals c. Polygonal arcs
d. Chiastolite e. Late, inclusion-free rim on a poikiloblast (?)
f. Random aggregate pseudomorph

Figure 23.35.
Typical textures
of postkinematic
crystals. From
Spry (1969)
Metamorphic
Textures.
Pergamon.
Oxford.

Helecitic syn-kinematic

Figure 23.37. Si characteristics of clearly pre-, syn-, and post-kinematic crystals as proposed by Zwart (1962). a. Progressively
flattened Si from core to rim. b. Progressively more intense folding of Si from core to rim. c. Spiraled Si due to rotation of the matrix
or the porphyroblast during growth. After Zwart (1962) Geol. Rundschau, 52, 38-65.

Analysis of Deformed Rocks

Deformational events: D1 D2 D3
Metamorphic events: M1 M2 M3
Foliations: So S1 S2 S3
Lineations: Lo L1 L2 L3
Plot on a metamorphism-deformation-time
plot showing the crystallization of each
mineral

Tectonites: Rocks that are

pervaded by foliation and/or
lineation- flowed in solid state

S: Schistosity (foliation) only due to

flattening- no lineation
L: Lineation only, due to
unidirectional stretching/
constriction
LS: Foliation and Lineation,
related to noncoaxial strainshearing

Analysis of Deformed Rocks

Figure 23.42. (left)

Asymmetric
crenulation
cleavage (S2)
developed over S1
cleavage. S2 is
folded, as can be
seen in the dark
sub-vertical S2
bands. Field width
~ 2 mm. Right:
sequential analysis
of the development
of the textures.
From Passchier and
Trouw (1996)
Microtectonics.
Springer-Verlag.

Figure 23.46. Textures in a hypothetical andalusite porphyryoblast-mica

schist. After Bard (1986) Microtextures of Igneous and Metamorphic

Rocks. Reidel. Dordrecht.

Figure 23.47. Graphical analysis of the relationships between deformation

(D), metamorphism (M), mineral growth, and textures in the rock illustrated
in Figure 23.46. Winter (2010) An Introduction to Igneous and Metamorphic
Petrology. Prentice Hall.

Figure 23.48a. Interpreted sequential development of a polymetamorphic rock.

From Spry (1969) Metamorphic Textures. Pergamon. Oxford.

Shear Zone

Crustal Level Mechanism

In general, from upper
to lower crust:
Brittle
Brittle-ductile
transition
Ductile

Brittle: displacement
variation
discontinuous
Ductile: displacement
variaton continuous.

A.

Principal textures of the

metamorphic rocks
Granoblastic texture

1. Isogranular
2. Polygonal, mozaic (numerous triple junction)
3. Heterogranular
B. Mineral constituents habits
4. Lepidoblastic: sheet mineral
5. Nematoblastic: needle-like or elongated prismatic
minerals.
6. Porphyroblastic: numerous poikiloblasts with
helicitic inclusions. Poikiloblast: large crystal
contain numerous, irregularly scattered inclusions
but still preserve their idiomorphic shape.
7. (1), (2), or (3) + (4): grano-lepidoblastic
8. (1), (2), or (3) + (5): grano-nematoblastic
9. (1), (2), or (3) + (6): grano-porphyroblastic
10. Sheaf texture
11. Rosette texture
C. Spherical or spheroidal minerals
12. Nodular texture
13. Vermicular texture: symplectite or lobed minerals
14. Reaction corona
15. Augen texture

Porphyroclast vs Porphyroblast
Porphyroclasts: large grains
that remained large while
their surrounding matrix
became fine grained. Ex:
Feldspar augen in a
recrystallized fine-grained
quartz + feldspar matrix are
common and typical
examples.
Porphyroblasts: new-grown
metamorphic minerals that
grow over pre-existing
minerals.

Figure 23.9. Typical textures of

contact metamorphism. From
Spry (1969) Metamorphic Textures.
Pergamon. Oxford.

Classification of tectonite textures

A. Rock without foliation
1. Cataclastic texture: max 30% of clasts inferior in
size to 0.2 mm.
2. Protoclastic texture: igneous rocks displaying
broken, deformed or granular minerals included
within the last crystals to have crystallized in
magma
B. Foliated rock (mylonite)
3. Protomylonitic texture: 50-95% clasts included in
a finely grained matrix (mortar or small
recrystallized crystals; ribbon quartz is found
frequently)
4. Augen mylonitic: 10-50% lens-shaped mono or
polycrystalline porphyroclasts larger than 0.2
mm.
5. Ultramylonitic texture: 0-10% porphyroclasts
smaller than 0.2 mm included in and molded by a
finely grained, foliated or banded granoblastic
matrix.
6. Blastomylonitic texture: 5-30% more or less
recrytallized porphyroclasts moulded by a
granoblastic matrix of recrytallized synkinematic
and/or new minerals.

Thank you