Zen Kenneth A.
Panaligan
STEM 11-38
IGNEOUS ROCKS HISTORY OF FORMATION
Granite It is an igneous rock which
formed when hot magma
or liquid rock was pushed
up from deep within the
Earth and forced into the
overlying rock in a process
known as intrusion. It then
cooled and hardened and
later became exposed as
the rock we see today.
Gabbro It forms when molten
magma is trapped
beneath the Earth's
surface and slowly cools
into a holocrystalline
mass.
Basalt Formed from the rapid
cooling of basaltic lava
exposed at or very near
the surface of a planet or
moon.
COMMON ENVIRONMENT
OF FORMATION
Granites tend to form in
Subduction zones or deep
underground, where water-
rich crust gets assimilated
into the Asthenosphere and
undergoes partial melting.
Much of the Earth's oceanic
crust is made of gabbro,
formed at mid-ocean ridges.
Gabbro is also found as
plutons associated with
continental volcanism.
It most commonly forms as
an extrusive rock, such as a
lava flow, but can also form
in small intrusive bodies,
such as an igneous dike or a
thin sill.
COMMON COMMON USE OF THE ROCK
TEXTURE
Granular and Granites are often used in
phaneqritic in construction activities because of its
texture. strength and presence in great
quantities.
Course grained, Gabbro can be polished to a brilliant
granitic texture, black luster. Brightly polished gabbro
crystals is used to make cemetery markers,
intergrown; kitchen counter tops, floor tiles,
may have lath facing stone, and other dimension
like crystals of stone products. It is a highly desirable
feldspar aligned rock that stands up to weathering
parallel to and wear.
layering.
Fine grained Basalt is used for a wide variety of
texture. purposes. It is most commonly
crushed for use as an aggregate in
construction projects. Crushed basalt
is used for road base, concrete
aggregate, asphalt pavement
aggregate, railroad ballast, filter
stone in drain fields, and may other
purposes.
Zen Kenneth A. Panaligan
STEM 11-38

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS HISTORY OF FORMATION COMMON ENVIRONMENT COMMON COMMON USE OF THE ROCK
OF FORMATION TEXTURE
Amber Molecular polymerization, Forms in resin-bearing trees Smooth and Amber is used in jewelry. It has also
resulting from high fell and were carried by fine grained in been used as a healing agent in folk
pressures and rivers to coastal regions. texture. medicine.
temperatures produced by
overlying sediment,
transforms the resin first
into copal. Sustained heat
and pressure drives off
terpenes and results in the
formation of amber.
Flint The exact mode of Forms in seas and mostly in Rough in Flints use as a bracelet and gemstone
formation of flint is not cliffs. texture. as well
yet clear but it is thought
that it occurs as a result of
chemical changes in
compressed sedimentary
rock formations, during
the process of diagenesis.

Limestone It is usually an organic It most commonly forms in Most Most limestone is made into crushed
sedimentary rock that clear, warm, shallow marine limestones have stone and used as a construction
forms from the waters. a granular material. It is used as a crushed stone
accumulation of shell, texture, but for road base and railroad ballast. It is
coral, algal, and fecal limestone can used as an aggregate in concrete. It is
debris. It can also be a also be massive, fired in a kiln with crushed shale to
chemical sedimentary rock crystalline or make cement.
formed by the clastic.
precipitation of calcium
carbonate from lake or
ocean water.
Zen Kenneth A. Panaligan
STEM 11-38

METAMORPHIC ROCKS HISTORY OF FORMATION COMMON ENVIRONMENT COMMON COMMON USE OF THE ROCK
OF FORMATION TEXTURE
Marble Formed when limestone Marble is mostly found Granular in building stone; dimension stone for
is exposed to high underground near texture. building facings, paving etc; cut into
temperatures and limestone. It can also be blocks and cut for monuments,
pressures. Marble forms found as part of floating headstones, whiting material in
under such conditions islands, particularly those toothpaste, paint and paper.
because the calcite which feature gem trees.
forming the limestone
recrystallizes forming a
denser rock consisting of
roughly equigranular
calcite crystals.
Slate Created by the alteration The tectonic environment Fine grained Most of the slate mined throughout
of shale or mudstone by for producing slate is usually texture. the world is used to produce roofing
low-grade regional a former sedimentary basin slates. Slate performs well in this
metamorphism. that becomes involved in a application because it can be cut into
convergent plate boundary. thin sheets, absorbs minimal
Shales and mudstones in moisture, and stands up well in
that basin are compressed contact with freezing water. A
by horizontal forces with disadvantage is the cost of the slate
minor heating. and its installation in comparison
with other roofing materials.
Soapstone Soapstone most often Occurs in the zones where Non-foliated to Countertops in kitchens and
forms at convergent plate tectonic plates are weakly-foliated; laboratories, sinks, cooking pots,
boundaries where broad subducted, changing rocks Fine-grained. cooking slabs, boiling stones, bowls
areas of Earths crust are by heat and pressure, with and plates, cemetery markers,
subjected to heat and influx of fluids, but without electrical panels, ornamental carvings
directed pressure. melting. and sculptures, fireplace liners and
hearths.
Zen Kenneth A. Panaligan
STEM 11-38