Comece tendo uma idia da classe bsica da rocha, magmtica, sedimentar ou metamrfica.

Depois observe a textura da rocha, o tamanho dos gros e seu padro geral faa um teste bsico de sua resistncia, e identifique que minerais que a compe da forma que puder. Com aquela informao, voc pode consultar a tabela para saber a classe apropriada da rocha. Maiores detalhes esto abaixo da tabela. Identificao de rochas gneas. Tamanho Cor Usual Outro Do Gro Fino Fino Fino Fino ou Misto Fino ou Misto Fino ou Misto Misto Escura Clara Escura Clara Mdia Escura Qualquer Aparncia vtrea Muitas bolhas pequenas Muitas bolhas grandes Contm Quartzo Composio Lava vitrificada Espuma de lava a Lava Viscosa Espuma de lava a lava flida Lava de muita silica Tipo de Rocha Obsidiana Pumice Scoria Felsite Andesite Basalt Porphyry

Entre felsito e basalto Lava de slica mdia No contm Quartzo Lava de pouca slica Gros grandes emu ma matriz de gros finos Grandes gros de feldspato, quartzo, pyroxenio e olivina

Grado Grudo grado grado grado grado grado grado Muito grado

Clara Clara Clara a Mdia Mdia a Escura Mdia a Escura Escura Escura Verde Qualquer

Feldspato e quartzo com Ampla gama de cores pouca mica, amfibolo e e tamanhos de gro pyroxenia Como granite, mas sem quartzo

Grnito

Feldspato com pouca mica, Syenite amphibolo ou pyroxenio

Pouca ou ausncia de Plagioclase e quartzo com Tonalite feldspato alcalino Minerais escuros Pouca ou ausncia de Plagioclase de pouco quartzo clcio Sem quartzo; pode ter Plagioclase de alto-clacio olivina e minerais escuros Densa; Sempre possui olivina Densa Densa Usualmente em corpos intrusivos pequenos Diorite Gabbro

Olivina com amfibolo e ou Peridotite pyroxenio Maior parte pirexenio com Pyroxenite olivine e amfibolo pelo menos 90% olivina Tipicamente grantica Dunite Pegmatite

Identification of Sedimentary Rocks Dureza hard hard hard or soft hard or soft hard or soft hard hard soft soft soft soft soft Tamanho do Composio gro Grado clean quartz Grado Misto Misto Misto Fino Fino Fino Fino Fino grado or Fino Grado quartz and feldspar Misto sediment with rock grains and clay Misto rocks and sediment Misto rocks and sediment very Fino sand; no clay chalcedony clay minerals carbon calcite dolomite fossil shells halite gypsum outro white to brown usually very grado gray or Escura and "dirty" Tipo de rocha Sandstone Arkose Wacke/ Graywacke

round rocks in Finor Conglomerate sediment matrix sharp pieces in Finor Breccia sediment matrix feels gritty on teeth no fizzing with acid splits in layers black; burns with tarry smoke fizzes with acid no fizzing with acid unless powdered mostly pieces salt taste white, tan or pink Siltstone Chert Shale Coal Limestone Dolomite rock Coquina Rock Salt Rock Gypsum

very soft Grado very soft Grado

Identification of Metamorphic Rocks Foliao foliated foliated foliated foliated foliated foliated foliated foliated Tamanho do Cor usual gro Fino Fino Fino grado grado grado grado grado Fino or grado Clara Escura Escura Misto Escura and Clara Misto Escura and Clara Misto Misto Escura greenish Escura Outro very soft; greasy feel soft; "tink" when struck shiny; crinkly foliation Tipo de rocha Soapstone Slate Phyllite

crushed and stretched fabric; Mylonite deformed large crystals wrinkled foliation; often has large crystals banded distorted "melted" layers mostly hornblende soft; shiny, mottled surface Schist Gneiss Migmatite Amphibolite Serpentinite

nonfoliated Fino nonfoliated

dull and opaque colors, found Hornfels near intrusions

nonfoliated grado nonfoliated grado nonfoliated grado

red and green Clara Clara

dense; garnet and pyroxene soft; calcite or dolomite by the acid test quartz (no fizzing with acid)

Eclogite Marble Quartzite

These three tables will help you identify almost any rock type you're likely to find. Read How to Look at a Rock for help with your observations. First, decide whether your rock is igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic. This is not that hard!

Igneous rocks are tough, frozen melts with little texture or layering; mostly black, white and/or gray minerals; may look like granite or like lava (about igneous rocks) Sedimentary rocks are hardened sediment with sandy or clayey layers (strata); mostly brown to gray; may have fossils and water or wind marks (about sedimentary rocks) Metamorphic rocks are tough, with straight or curved layers (foliation) of Clara and Escura minerals; various colors; often glittery with mica (about metamorphic rocks)

Next, check the rock's grain size and hardness.

Grain Size: "Grado" grains are visible to the naked eye, and the minerals can usually be identified using a magnifier; "Fino" grains are smaller and usually cannot be identified with a magnifier. (using a magnifier, identifying minerals) Hardness: Hardness (as measured with the Mohs scale) actually refers to minerals rather than rocks, so a rock may be crumbly yet consist of hard minerals. But in simple terms, "hard" rock scratches glass and steel, usually signifying the minerals quartz or feldspar (Mohs hardness 6-7 and up); "soft" rock does not scratch a steel knife but scratches fingernails (Mohs 3-5.5); "very soft" rock does not scratch fingernails (Mohs 1-2). Igneous rocks are always hard. Metamorphic rocks are generally hard.

Now start in the left column of the appropriate table and work your way across. Follow the links to pictures and more information. If you don't find a match, try another table.