I1

I2
I3
I4
I5
I6
I7
I8
I9
I10
I11
I12
I13

I13

S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7
S8
S9
S10
S11
S12


S13

M1
M2
M3
M4
M5
M6
M7
M8
M9
M10


GRAIN SIZE!
IGNEOUS ROCKS
Phenocryst larger crystal in finer ground mass
Grain Shape: anhedral (irregular no shape), subhedral (some crystal face shape),
euhedral (nice shape) Textures: phaneritic (visible crystals), porphyritic (various
crystals in matrix, 2 stages of cooling), pyroclastic (explosive fragmentation, rapid
cooling), vesicular (many pores) Grain Size: Aphanitic (fine grained), phaneritic
(coarse grained).
Plutonic Rocks (Intrusive, slow cooling, large grain size)
Volcanic Rocks (Extrusive, fast cooling, fine grain size)
I1 Granite - The sample is mainly orange coloured, competent plutonic igneous rock. The
sample is composed of four minerals. Orange potassiumfeldspar, orthoclase comprises 40%
of rock. Quartz appears as irregular grey-white crystals covering 30%. The remaining 30% is
comprised of plagioclase feldspar and a dark mafic mineral which appears to be hornblende.
The plutonic rock is coarse grained and well sorted. Grain sizes range between 1-4mmand
average around 3mm. The quartz grains are well rounded.
I2 Granodiorite - quartz (20%), plagioclase (50%), biotite (10%), hornblende (20%)
I3 Diorite - plagioclase (60%), pyroxene (25%), hornblende (10%), biotite (5%)
I4 Gabbro - plagioclase (45%), pyroxene (50% black/dull), hornblende (5% black/shiny)
forms under ground cools slowly
I5 Aplite - very fewbiotite/hornblende crystals, potassiumfeldspar, quartz phenocrysts
I6 Dolerite - Plagioclase, hornblende, pyroxene
I7 Trachyte - Quartz phenocrysts, with dark mafic minerals, groundmass too fine to tell
assume potassiumfeldspar
I8 Rhyolite - The sample is a light creamy colour, competent volcanic igneous rock. The
sample is comprised of four minerals. Light orange potassiumfeldspar, orthoclase comprises
70% of the rock. Quartz appears as square grey-white crystals covering close to 25%. The
remaining 5% is considered to be comprised of dark mafic minerals and a very small amount
of plagioclase feldspar. The volcanic rock has a porphyritic texture with quartz phenocrysts
averaging around 2mmand an aphanitic groundmass.
I9 Fluidal Rhyolite - Slightly more liquid then normal rhyolite (defined by lines across rock)
quartz phenocrysts (5%)
I10 Rhyolitic Tuff - soft, quartz phenocrysts (dark and soft)
I11 Andesite Porphyritic, plagioclase & hornblende phenocrysts (black and white),
groundmass grey pyroxene
I12 Basalt - pyroxene, plagioclaise, olivine forms above ground, cools quickly
I13 Vesicular Basalt - pyroclastic, pyroxene, olivine
I14 Pumice solidified frothy lava typically created when super-heated, highly pressurized
rock is violently ejected froma volcano
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
General: low temperature deposited on surface of crust
Mature sediments: composed of stable clasts (quartz, chert fragment, iron oxides, clay
minerals) Well rounded clasts tending to be well sorted
Immature Sediments: unstable clasts (feldspars, ferromagnesian silicates, rock
fragments) Angular clasts ranging well sorted and well bedded to unsorted, poor
bedded.
Poorly sorted = high energy transport Well sorted = low energy transport
Angular = short transport time Rounded = long transport time = more mature
Bedding fissile (falls apart easy), graded (fine grains top coarse bottom), cross
bedded
Clastic individual clasts range in sizes, if clasts are uniform in size = well sorted,
different sized clasts = poorly sorted Minerals (quartz, feldspars, clays i.e. kaolinite; less
abundant includes magnetite, haematite, limonite)
Inorganic Chemical Minerals: carbonates (calcite, dolomite), silica (microcrystalline
quartz, opal), salts (halite, gypsum) Texture: crystalline but very small grains that are
difficult to see Breakage smooth sub-conchoidal fracture (Use mineral classification)
Biogenic Materials: organic Texture: range from very fine to coarse grains

S1 Breccia - The sample is dark grey coloured, coarse clastic sedimentary rock. The sample
is composed of angular, randomly orientated clasts of other sedimentary rocks in a fine
matrix. The texture is poorly sorted with grain sizes ranging fromapproximately 1mmup to
30mm. The sample is composed of around 30% large clasts 8-30mmin size, 20% medium
size clasts ranging from2-8mmare white in colour and the remaining 50% are very fine
grained clasts up to 1mmin size. The coarse grained nature of the sample suggests that it
was formed through a high energy transport medium, while the angular shape of the clasts
suggest that the transport time was only short.
S2 Conglomerate - Coarse clastic, Rounded rock fragments, Poorly sorted, Grain sizes 1-
10mm, harder then sandstone and shales that surround it
S3 Sandstone - clastic, fine grained, Quartz is the most abundant mineral that forms
sandstone. Calciumcarbonate, silica, or iron has been added to the water that is in contact
with the sand grains. These minerals growcrystals in the spaces around the sand grains. The
sample is a light creamy colour, friable clastic sedimentary rock. The sample is composed
one distinctive mineral. Small rounded quartz grains compose over 90% of the sample. The
remaining 10% is composed of other small rounded rock fragments. The texture is well
sorted with very fine grains less than 2mm. The sample can be classed as mature as the
clasts are well rounded. This also indicates a long transport time through a lowenergy
medium. These properties indicate the sample is part of the sandstone type of clastic
sedimentary rock.
S4 Argillaceous Sandstone clay makes up fine matrix and acts as cement, poorly sorted as
clay fine grained but mixed with sand sized pieces of quartz and feldspars

S5 Greywacke dominated by sand-sized grains of quartz, feldspar and rock fragments,
significant chlorite alteration, at least 10% volume of fine grained matrix, immature
sandstone (as intermediate grains)
S6 Mudstone clay minerals such as kaolinite and microcrystalline quartz
S7 Pebbly Mudstone (diamictite)
S8 Shale clay minerals such as kaolinite and microcrystalline quartz
S9 Limestone can have diverse texture (possible clastic texture), reacts with acid
S10 Chert fracture conchoidally, high hardness
S11 Coal this sample is a black organic sedimentary rock with a lowspecific gravity and
even texture. The sample is comprised entirely of carbon with organic origins. Its surface has
a shiny/glassy lustre with some dull patches showing lower concentration of carbon. The
even texture and carbon base shows that this is coal.
S12 Laterite (Limonite)
S13 Silcrete (Billy)
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
Regional: large scale (plate margins) formed by deformation, heat and pressure; well
developed foliation, meta. grade determines how deep (increase in temp/pressure =
increase in grade) will not be above a sed. rock
Contact: local/small scale driven by heat around an ign. body, produces fine granular
texture
Porphyroblasts: meta. crystals larger then surrounding
Lineations: parallel arrangement of rod-like minerals on foliation surfaces
Foliation: produces a planar struct. ->Distinct layers (Bedding).

M1 Slate Protolith (shale, mudstone) Texture (Foliated; very fine grain; splits cleanly on flat,
parallel (slaty) cleavage) Minerals (Clay minerals) Conditions (Lowheat; directed pressure)
This specimen is a dark grey slaty metamorphic rock which is fine grained and
equigranular. It is fine grained and demonstrates perfect cleavage on one plane, easily
splitting into slabs/slates, demonstrating regional metamorphic origins (pressure a large
part of formation). It is well foliated but has only a lowmetamorphic grade. It is comprised
mainly of clay, with small amounts of quartz.
M2 Phyllite Protolith (shale, clay) Texture (Foliated; fine grain; silky sheen; thinly layered)
Minerals (Microscopic micas) Conditions (regional, Low-moderate heat; directed pressure)
M3 Mica Schist Protolith (shale) Texture (Foliated; coarse grain; layered, flaky, or platy
texture; visible flat grains of mica or other platelike minerals) Minerals (Micas, hornblende,
possibly minor quartz and feldspar. The micas muscovite and biotite are
most obvious and the reason for the well developed schistosity) Conditions (Moderate heat;
shearing pressure accompanying regional (tectonic) deformation) The sample is a creamy
green coloured, competent regional metamorphic rock. The sample is composed of three
minerals. Dark coloured muscovite comprises 60%of the rock while biotite comprises
around 25%. Quartz appears as irregular grey-white crystals covering approximately 5%.
The remaining 10% is comprised of other minerals in a very fine matrix. The regional rock is
strongly foliated with mediumsized grains that are well sorted. Grain sizes range from
approximately 1 to 4mmand are angular shaped. The sample also exhibits lineration.
M4 Gneiss Protolith (granite) Texture (Foliated; dense; usually medium-coarse grain; light
and dark minerals in bands or lenses; commonly distorted, gneissosity) Minerals (Feldspars,
quartz, micas, amphiboles) Conditions (High heat and pressure, often accompanying
regional (tectonic) deformation)
M5 Hornfels Protolith (mudstone) Texture (Non-foliated; very fine grain) Minerals
(depends on protolith) Conditions (Contact, High heat, moderate pressure; typically forms
halo in country rock around igneous intrusions)
M6 Marble Protolith (limestone, dolomite) Texture (Non-foliated, coarse grain) Minerals
(Calcite, reacts with acid) Conditions (Moderate heat and pressure, can be regional or
contact as calcite is not an elongate or planar mineral so cannot easily define a foliation) The
sample is a white grey colour, competent, contact metamorphic rock. The sample is
composed of light coloured calcite comprising around 90% of the sample. The remaining
10% is white-grey quartz. The lack of a foliated texture suggests that this is a contact
metamorphic rock. The sample is made up of mediumsized grains that are well sorted. Grain
sizes range from1 to 2 mmand are rounded.
M7 Quartzite Protolith (quartz) Texture (Non-foliated; coarse grain) Minerals (Quartz)
Conditions (Mod heat n pressure)
M8 Amphibolite Protolith (basalt, dolerite) Texture (foliated and lineated not as well
developed as mica schist; based on the mineral assemblage and not dependant on texture
means that it need not be lineated or foliated although most will showthese features to
some extent) Minerals (feldspars, amphiboles) Conditions (Moderate-high heat and
pressure)
M9 Skarn Protolith (fluid limestone) Texture (well foliated) Minerals (pyroxene, magnetite,
haematite) Conditions (formed between metamorphic/ sedimentary layers, granite
intrusion) This specimen is a non-foliated metamorphic rock with black, clear and pink
patches of colour. It has large, well developed crystals which are fairly coarse and some
samples demonstrate a banded structure. It is a contact metamorphic rock, formed in high
temperature but lowpressure. Comprised of potassiumfeldspar, olivite, calcite plus minor
amounts of various other minerals. It is calcite rich and has a general hardness 2.5-5.5.
M10 Greenstone Protolith (basalt, gabbro) Texture (schistosity, fine grained) Minerals
(chlorite, green amphibole) Conditions (lowtemperature, moderate pressure)














ERTH1501 2011 Exam Question 2b - Brief
geological history
1. Deposition of 7, then 5, 6, 8
2. Folding and regional metamorphism
3. Reverse faulting
4. Emplacement of pluton/9 ( contact
metamorphism)
5. Emplacement/formation of veins/11
6. Emplacement of dyke/10
7. Uplift and erosion to form an angular
unconformity
8. Deposition of 4, then 3, then 2
9. Tilting to NW
10. Erosion to form an angular unconformity
11. Deposition/eruption of 1
12. Erosion to current land surface

ERTH1501 2010 Exam Question 2b - Brief geological history
1. Deposition/emplacement of protolith/8
2. Folding and regional metamorphism of 8
3. Uplift and erosion to form an unconformity (or nonconformity)
4. Deposition in turn of 9, A, 6, 10 and adjacent unit (B)
5. Folding rock package 9 to B
6. Intrusion of dyke/5
7. Intrusion of pluton/3 (and contact metamorphism of 4 etc)
8. Emplacement/formation of vein/7 (or at some subsequent time)
9. Normal faulting and fracture fill/vein formation (or at some subsequent
time)
10. Uplift and erosion to form an angular unconformity
11. Deposition/eruption of 2 then 1
12. Tilting to W
13. Erosion to form present land surface

Unconformities:
Disconformity: beds above and below erosion are parallel (Age gap)
Angular unconformity: beds above & below the unconformity at angle to
each other. Older strata were tilted or folded, eroded and younger strata
deposited horizontally on top.
Nonconformity: younger beds on plutoic/meta rocks. Stratiform rocks lying
on non-stratiform rocks.

What rocks are found near:
-Right next to an igneous intrusion: Contact metamorphism will occur! (The
protolith might be on the page elsewhere on the map.)
-Dyke: Aplite (felsic) or Dolerite (mafic)
-Igneous Intrusion: Intrusive igneous rock. Could possibly be - Granite,
Granodiorite, Diorite or Gabbro.
-Regional Metamorphism: Results in normal bedding. Could possibly be -
Mica Schist, Slate, Phylite or Gneiss.
-Sedimentary: anything deposited horizontal. Could possibly be -
Conglomerate, Breccia, Sandstone, Shale, Chert, Limestone or Mudstone.
-Scarp: Appears to look like a sun on a geological map. Could possibly be -
Basalt, Andesite or Rhydite.
-Minerals in a vein: Quartz and/or Calcite.

Mapping Information:
-Always include a scale, the fold line indicating the anticline/syncline, axis
labels, legends and dip calculations
- Plutons (Granite intrusions) are always drawn at 60
O
-Dykes unless specified in the question is always draw at 90
O



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1