IGNEOUS ROCKS (Chapter 3)

Magma, Lava and the Formation of Igneous Rocks

Magma is: completely or partially molten material,

Contains: a) melt = mobile ions

mostly Si, O determines the viscosity (resistance of fluid to flow)
also Al, K, Ca, Na, Mg

b) gasses (volatiles) H20, CO2 SO2

Lava is: molten rock that is extruded to the earth’s surface

Igneous Rocks are: rocks that formed by the crystallization of magmas or lavas
Intrusive (plutonic)
Extrusive (volcanic)

Then two most important igneous rocks:

GRANITE BASALT
Intrusive Extrusive
Light Dark
SiO2 Fe
Al Mg
K Ca
Continental Oceanic

Origins of Magma
Two main sources of magma:

a) divergent plate boundaries (mid-ocean spreading centers, rift valleys)

- basaltic composition (like upper mantle)

b) convergent boundaries (subduction zones)

Ocean-Continent Boundary
- complex composition (re-melting of continental crust)

Ocean-Ocean Boundary (Island Arc)

- basaltic compositions

Will discuss magmatic processes later.

 Crystallization
Reverses the process of melting
Chemical bonds form as melt cools down
Silica tetrahedral form first, then
Ions are added to form high-temperature minerals, then
Lower temperature mninerals form
Last minerals my envelope the earlier (hi-temp) ones

Factors:
Chemical composition of melt, especially Si content,
also volatiles and pressure
Igneous environment (plutonic, volcanic)

Note that magma chemistry and environment of formation are often related,

And that igneous rocks are mainly classified on their texture (crystal size) and
their mineralogy (chemical composition)
 Igneous Textures

Texture of igneous rocks refers to the sizes of the crystals they are made of.

Major difference is between rocks with large crystals and those with small crystals.

Plutonic (Intrusive) Textures

Phaneritic (coarse-grained) granite best example; also gabbro, diorite

Pegmatitic - extremely large crystals (rare)

House-sized feldspars
Often associated with precious minerals and rare metals such as
gold

Volcanic (Extrusive) Textures

Glassy (obsidian) - lava cools very fast (quenching)

Ions stop moving before many crystals can form
Most common for granitic melts, rare for basaltic ones

Aphanitic (very fine grained)

Rapid cooling of lava - rhyolite good example

may be vesicular (holes left from expanding gasses)

pumice, scoria

Porphyritic ( bimodal crystal sizes)

Groundmass - fine-grained matrix - cooled last and fast)

Phenocrysts - large crystals enveloped by the groundmass

Usually formed prior to eruption/ rapid cooling
Usually higher temperature minerals, but not always
 Chemistry of Igneous Rocks
Chemistry of melt is correlated with the origin of the magma- refer to the convergent
versus divergent plat boundaries mentioned earlier.

Key chemical parameters:

SiO2 content
Light versus heavy ions

End members of the compositional spectrum:

FELSIC MAFIC

SiO2
Fe
K Mg
Na Ca

Lo temp minerals Hi temp minerals

Light color Dark color
Continental Oceanic

Granite/rhyolite Basalt/Gabbro
Quartz Ca-spar
K- spar Olivine
Mica pyroxenes (enstatite)
 Important Plutonic (Intrusive) Rocks

Felsic (granitic) Rocks

Granite - “pink or gray tombstones”

Quartz
K feldspars (microcline- pink, orthoclase- gray)
Accessories
Mica, amphibole

Phaneritic to pegmatitic texture

Only on continents
Associated with regional scale mountain building (batholiths)

Extrusive chemical equivalent = rhyolite

Andesitic (intermediate) Rocks

Diorite “the black and white rock”

Na- and Ca- feldspars

Amphiboles
Biotite mica

Extrusive chemical equivalent = andesite

Mafic (Basaltic) Rocks

Gabbro - “black rock with big crystals”

Ca- feldspars
Pyroxenes

Extrusive chemical equivalent = basalt

 Magmatic Processes

Bowen’s Series

Magmatic Differentiation
Settling and Layering of Magmas

Partial Melting
Enrichment in ions of low-temp minerals (Si, O, Al, K)

Assimilation and Mixing

Incorporation of country rock
Merger of magma chambers
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF IGNEOUS ROCKS

Metals Chromium
Hydrothermal deposits Copper, Mercury
Pegmatites Gold, Platinum, Silver
Placers Lead, Zinc, Titanium