What is GEOLOGY?

LITERATURE: a vast number of textbooks

Geo-: greek (gr.): gaia = the Earth

Graphy-: gr. graphus = to write
Logy-: gr. logos = to understand

UNDERSTAND THE EARTH

 FUNDAMENTAL
EARTH SCIENCE
• Geology
• Botany
• Zoology
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Astronomy
• Geography
• Hydrology
• Engineering (Petroleum)
 Why geology?
• Geology will make us understand the history of the
earth
• Geology explains processes beneath the Earth
surface
• Geology makes us understand the processes on the
surface of the Earth
• Geology reveals the interdependence of processes in
the water (hydrosphere), the air (atmosphere) and the
rocks (lithosphere) and the effects on the biosphere
• Geology answers to questions asking WHY
 How we can learn this?
• Geology combines/connects different ‘areas’ of the
Earth: molten rock rises in the interior of the Earth and
erupts to form volcanoes, transports diamonds to the
surface etc.
• Different fragments (continental blocks or plates) on
the surface of the Earth collide with each other and
provoke mountains, earthquakes and tsunamis or
massive ore deposits
• The differentiation of the Earth in different rocks
causes the abundance of elements either very abundant
(Silica (Si) in quartz, K in feldspar) or extremely rare
(diamonds, gold, platinum)
Diamonds
 An example:
Formation of diamond-bearing rocks
• Specific conditions to form diamonds (high pressure and temperature)
• Then: diamonds crystallise inside of a magma, like a raisin in a mass of
dough/deig) very deep in the Earth 120-200 km
• The magma has to move upwards helped by special temperature and pressure
conditions controlled by a specific geological situation
• The plastic mass (dough) moves through the Earth to reach the surface
relatively quickly (days)
• The magma reaches the surface of the Earth as lava during a volcanic eruption
• Diamonds are now part of a rock (kimberlite)
• It rains and this destroys (erodes) the volcanic rock to release rock fragments
and … diamonds
• The rock debris derives in a river system where the water differentiates the
rock fragments by weight
• Diamonds getting deposited in a specific part of the river
This is only possible beneath a thick and old continental block.
• Diamonds form and preserved in high-pressure environment, > 120 km in thick,
cool, and old (Archaean) continental lithosphere (here called cratons)
Example in South Africa
 Second example:
Formation of petroleum
• We need organic matter: a lot and quickly covered by sand (to bury): then we
have our source
• We need an area with a lot of sand available
• More sand and sand, to cover the organic matter, and heat it by pressure
(caused by weight of the overlying sand/rocks)
• This forms a rock containing organic matter (a dark rock and it might be later
coal and often smells) under specific temperature and pressure conditions
• Specific geological conditions provokes organic matter to flow, if the matter is
plastic or a fluid
• Elsewhere, on their way, the fluids will fill pores in a rock
• It is necessary to have a rock layer which stops the flow so that the oil can
accumulate: a seal, which is a rock without porosity and no permeability
• The temperature and pressure shall not be too high (we will see)
• The necessary change of rock types can be related to many geological
characteristics and only geologists can trace these fluids and understand their
formation and origin
• And find out where is more!
TO CLASSIFY ROCKS WE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING
PRINCIPLE
(AND NEVER FORGET):
• rock
• mineral
• element
• EXAMPLE:
– rock: granite
– mineral: quartz (SiO2)
– element: silica (SI) and oxygen (O)