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Encyclopedia > List of rocks

This page is intended as a list of all rock types. This balancing rock, Steamboat Rock stands in Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs, CO The rocky side of a mountain creek near OrosÃ, Costa Rica. ...

Contents

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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A

A sample of andesite (dark groundmass) with amygdaloidal vesicules filled with zeolite. Diameter of view is 8 cm.

Image File history File links Amygdaloidal_andesite. ... Image File history File links Amygdaloidal_andesite. ... In mineralogy, shape and size give rise to descriptive terms applied to the typical appearance, or habit of crystals. ... Zeolite The micro-porous molecular structure of a zeolite, ZSM-5 Zeolites (Greek, zein, to boil; lithos, a stone) are minerals that have a micro-porous structure. ... Amphibolite Amphibolite (IPA: , ) is the name given to a rock consisting mainly of hornblende amphibole, the use of the term being restricted, however, to metamorphic rocks. ... A sample of andesite (dark groundmass) with amygdaloidal vesicules filled with zeolite. ... Anorthosite is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock characterized by a predominance of plagioclase feldspar (90-100%), and a minimal mafic component (0-10%). Pyroxene, ilmenite, magnetite, and olivine are the mafic minerals most commonly present. ... Aplite is a fine to very fine-grained sugary-textured rock of granite composition. ... An argillite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock composed predominately of indurated clay particles. ... Arkose is a kind of sandstone combining of quartz and with large amounts of feldspar. ...

B

Banded iron formation

2. ... Basalt Basalt (IPA: ) is a common gray to black extrusive volcanic rock. ... Basanite is an igneous, volcanic (extrusive) rock, of felsic composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. ... Blueschist is a rock that forms by the metamorphism of sodium-rich basic rocks at high pressures and low temperatures, approximately corresponding to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers and 200 to 400 degrees Celsius (cool by metamorphic standards). ... Boninite is a high magnesium mafic extrusive rock formed in back-arc environments, typically in seafloor spreading centres but also in terrestrial back-arc spreading centres. ... Breccia, derived from the Latin word for broken, is a sedimentary rock composed of angular fragments in a matrix that may be of a similar or a different material. ... Brockram is a type of rock found in northern England. ...

C

Bituminous coal seam in West Virginia

Coal seam in West Virginia Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL, Pollinator 04:34, Dec 24, 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Coal seam in West Virginia Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL, Pollinator 04:34, Dec 24, 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area Ranked 41st - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 kmÂ²) - Width 130 miles (210 km) - Length 240 miles (385 km) - % water 0. ... Carbonatites are intrusive igneous rock structures with more than 50% carbonate content, many of which contain distinctive abundances of apatite, magnetite, barite, and fluorite, that may contain economic or anomalous concentrations of rare earth elements, phosphorus, niobium, uranium, thorium, copper, iron, titanium, barium, fluorine, zirconium, and other rare or incompatible... Cataclasite is a metamorphic rock that is formed by mechanical shear stress during faulting [1]. It is either incohesive or cohesive with poor schistosity. ... The Needles,situated on the Isle Of Wight, are part of the extensive Southern England Chalk Formation. ... Charnockite is a series of foliated metamorphosed igneous rocks of wide distribution and great importance in India, Ceylon, Madagascar and Africa. ... Chert Chert (IPA: ) is a fine-grained silica-rich cryptocrystalline sedimentary rock that may contain small fossils. ... Claystone (IPA: ) is a geological term used to describe a sedimentary rock that is composed primarily of clay-sized particles (less than 1/256 millimetre in diameter). ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... A conglomerate with iron oxide cementing material Conglomerate, Submarine Landslide located at Point Reyes, Marin County California. ... Categories: Stub ...

D

Dolomite crystals from Touissite, Morocco

Gray, red, black, altered white/tan, flow-banded pumice dacite poop Dacite (IPA: ) is a high-silica igneous, volcanic rock. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Dolerite. ... Diatomaceous earth (also known as diatomite, DE or kieselguhr) is a naturally occurring, light-colored, solid material that is easily crumbled into a fine dust. ... Diamictites (IPA: ) are non-sorted conglomerates with a wide range of clasts with up to 25% gravel sized (greater than 2 mm). ... Categories: Mineral stubs | Igneous rocks ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Diabase. ... Dolomite crystals from Touissite, Morocco Dolomite is the name of both a carbonate rock and a mineral consisting of calcium magnesium carbonate (formula: CaMg(CO3)2) found in crystals. ... Dunite is an igneous, plutonic rock, of ultramafic composition, with coarse grained or phaneritic texture. ... Photograph of dolomite specimen from Touissite, Morocco taken by Dlloyd. ... Photograph of dolomite specimen from Touissite, Morocco taken by Dlloyd. ...

E

Eclogite is a coarse-grained, mafic-to-ultramafic grouping of metamorphic rocks of special interest on account of the variety of minerals they contain and their microscopic structures and geological relationships. ... Epidiorite is a family of rocks consisting of metamorphosed forms of gabbro or diabase in which the original clinopyroxene (most often augite) has been replaced by the fibrous amphibole uralite. ... Epidosite is a highly altered epidote and quartz bearing rock. ... Essexite (IPA: ), also called nepheline monzogabbro (IPA: ) is a dark gray or black holocrystalline plutonic igneous rock. ... A sample of evaporite material Evaporites (IPA: ) are water-soluble, mineral sediments that result from the evaporation of bodies of surficial water. ...

F

Flint

Foidolite

Fubarite

Banded gneiss with a dike of granite orthogneiss

This article is about the sedimentary rock. ... Foidolite is a rare coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock with a feldspathoid mineral content greater than 60%. Crystals of alkali feldspar, plagioclase, biotite, amphibole, pyroxene and/or olivine may be present within the rock. ... Fubarite is an informal name and in-joke in geology for any rock that has been severely brecciated and metamorphosed to a point that it is difficult or impossible to determine its origin [1] [2] [3] [4]. The name is a word play with the acronym FUBAR for fucked up... Banded Skagit gneiss From: http://www2. ... Banded Skagit gneiss From: http://www2. ... A dike in geology refers to a tabular intrusive igneous body. ...

G

Gabbro specimen. ... Gneiss Gneiss (IPA: ) is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from preexisting formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks. ... Close-up of granite from Yosemite National Park, valley of the Merced River Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ... A sample of granodiorite rock Granodiorite (IPA: ) is an intrusive igneous rock similar to granite, but contains more plagioclase than potassium feldspar. ... Granophyre (from granite and porphyry) is an igneous rock similar to granite in which irregular crystals of intergrown quartz and feldspar are embedded in a groundmass of these minerals. ... Modern petrology defnes a granulite sensuo stricto as a coarse grained, high-grade metamorphic rock composed primarily of pyroxene, plagioclase feldspar and accessory garnet, oxide and amphibole. ... Greywacke (German grauwacke, signifying a grey, earthy rock) is a variety of sandstone generally characterized by its hardness, dark color, and poorly-sorted, angular grains of quartz, feldspar, and small rock fragments set in a compact, clay-fine matrix. ... Greenschist is a general field petrologic term applied to metamorphically altered mafic volcanic rock. ... Greenstone is a name given to several different types of mineral. ... Gritstone is a sedimentary rock composed of coarse sand grains and is a coarser version of sandstone. ... It has been suggested that Selenite be merged into this article or section. ...

H

Harzburgite (variety of peridotite).

Hornblendite

Hornfels

Peridotite xenolith from San Carlos, southwestern United States. ... Hornblendite is a plutonic rock consisting mainly of the amphibole hornblende. ... Hornfels (German, meaning hornstone) is the group designation for a series of contact metamorphic rocks that have been baked and indurated by the heat of intrusive granitic masses and have been rendered massive, hard, splintery, and in some cases exceedingly tough and durable. ...

I

Ignimbrite

Ijolite

Limey shale overlaid by limestone. Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee

Ignimbrite is a volcanic pyroclastic rock, often of dacitic or rhyolitic composition. ... Ijolite (derived from the first syllable of the Finnish words Ji-waru, Jijoki, &c. ... Limey shale overlaid by limestone, Cumberland Plateau, TN Image taken by me, released under GFDL Pollinator 05:38, 21 Mar 2004 (UTC) ( ) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Shale Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. ... The Cumberland Plateau includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia in the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Area Ranked 36th - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 kmÂ²) - Width 120 miles (195 km) - Length 440 miles (710 km) - % water 2. ...

J

Jadeitite

Jasperoid

Jaspillite

Jadeitite is a rare metamorphic rock found in blueschist grade metamorphic terrains. ... Jasperoid is a rare, peculiar type of metasomatic alteration and occurs in two main forms; sulfidic jasperoids and hematitic jasperoids. ... Jaspillite, or jaspilite, is a chemical rock formed similar to chert, but is generally quite iron rich. ...

K

Kimberlite

Komatiite

Hewn kimberlite core sample from the James Bay Lowlands region of Northern Ontario, Canada. ... Komatiites are ultramafic mantle-derived volcanic rocks. ...

L

Lherzolite (variety of peridotite).

Limestone

Marble

Luxullianite

Lamproite is a peralkaline volcanic rock. ... Lamprophyres (Greek Lampros, bright, and the terminal part of the word porphyry, meaning rocks containing bright porphyritic crystals) are a group of rocks containing phenocrysts, usually of biotite and hornblende (with bright cleavage surfaces), often also of olivine and augite, but not of feldspar. ... Larvikite is probably a type of syenite, notable for the presence of handsome, thumbnail-sized crystals of feldspar, which are multiply-twinned on the micro-scale and shot through with small inclusions, giving its characteristic silver blue sheen (Schiller effect) on polished surfaces. ... Latite is an igneous, volcanic (extrusive) rock, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. ... Coal Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by mining. ... Litchfieldite -(nephelin syenite gneiss) from CanaÃ£ Massif, Brazil Litchfieldite is a rare metamorphosed igneous rock. ... Peridotite xenolith from San Carlos, southwestern United States. ... -1... Marble Source: US Government File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Marble Source: US Government File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Luxullianite (also Luxulyanite, Luxulianite) is a rare type of granite, notable for the presence of clusters of radially arranged acicular tourmaline crystals enclosed by phenocrysts of orthoclase and quartz in a matrix of quartz, tourmaline, alkali feldspar, brown mica, and cassiterite. ...

M

Venus de Milo, front. ... Marls are calcium carbonate or lime rich muds or mudstones which contain variable amounts of clays and calcite or aragonite. ... Ptygmatic folding in migmatite Migmatite on the coast of Saaremaa. ... Monzogranites (MGr) are biotite granites that are considered to be the final fractionation product of magma. ... Figure 1. ... Mudstone is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. ... Mylonite is a fine-grained, compact rock without cleavage or crystals. ...

N

Nephelene syenite is a holocrystalline plutonic rock that consists largely of nepheline and alkali feldspar. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... Norite is a mafic intrusive igneous rock composed largely of the calcium rich plagioclase labradorite and hypersthene with olivine. ... Novaculite is a form of chert or flint found in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and Oklahoma and in the Marathon Uplift of Texas. ...

O

Phyllite

Obsidian

Oolite

Phyllite Source: US Government File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Phyllite Source: US Government File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Obsidian from Lake County, Oregon Counterclockwise from top: obsidian, pumice and rhyolite (light color) Obsidian is a rock which is a type of naturally occurring glass, produced by volcanoes (igneous origin) when a felsic lava cools rapidly and freezes without sufficient time for crystal growth (see glass transition temperature). ... Oolitic phosphate rock from Permian Phosphoria formation, Montana. ...

P

Quartzite

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Peridotite xenolith from San Carlos, southwestern United States. ... Phonolite is an igneous, volcanic (extrusive) rock, of felsic composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. ... Phyllite Phyllite is a type of foliated metamorphic rock primarily composed of quartz, sericite mica, and chlorite; the rock represents a gradiation in the degree of metamorphism between slate and mica schist. ... Picrite is an intrusive and extrusive igneous rock. ... Image File history File links Cuarcita, roca metamÃ³rfica. ... Image File history File links Cuarcita, roca metamÃ³rfica. ... Porphyry is a very hard igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. ... Pseudotachylite is a fault rock that has the appearance of the basaltic glass, tachylyte. ... // Specimen of highly porous pumice from Teide volcano on Tenerife, Canary Islands. ... Pyroclastic rocks or pyroclastics (derived from the Greek Ï€á¿¦Ï, meaning fire, and ÎºÎ»Î±ÏƒÏ„ÏŒÏ‚, meaning broken) are debris thrown from volcanoes during an eruption. ... Pyroxenite is a rock consisting essentially of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diallage, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite. ...

Q

Quartzite

Quartz diorite

Quartz monzonite

Quartzite Quartzite (from German Quarzit[1]) is a hard, metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. ... Quartz diorite is an igneous, plutonic (intrusive) rock, of felsic composition, with phaneritic texture. ... Quartz monzonite is a felsic igneous rock that has an approximately equal proportion of orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars. ...

R

Manhattan Schist, from Southeastern New York

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1701x1845, 997 KB) Manhattan schist Manhattan Schist from Southeastern New York state, USA. Photo taken by myself on 3-13-05. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1701x1845, 997 KB) Manhattan schist Manhattan Schist from Southeastern New York state, USA. Photo taken by myself on 3-13-05. ... Rapakivi granite is a hornblende-biotite granite containing large rounded crystals of orthoclase mantled with oligoclase. ... BOOOOOOOOYAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! ... Rhyolite This page is about a volcanic rock. ... Rhomb porphyry from the Oslo rift area in Norway Rhomb porphyry is a volcanic rock with gray-white large porphyritic rhomb shaped phenocrysts enbedded in a very fine grained red-brown matrix. ...

S

Slate

Red sandstone interior of Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, worn smooth due to erosion by flash flooding over millions of years Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. ... Schist The schists form a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. ... Scoria Scoria is the vesicular ejecta of mafic to intermediate magmas such as basalt and andesite. ... A sample of serpentinite rock, partially made up of chrysotile Serpentinite is a rock comprised of one or more serpentine minerals. ... Shale Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. ... Siltstone Siltstone is a geological term for a sedimentary rock whose composition is intermediate in grain size between the coarser sandstone and the finer mudstone. ... Skarn is a fine grained metamorphic rock that is usually variably colored green or red, occasionally grey, black, brown or white. ... Slate Source: US Government File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Slate Source: US Government File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Slate Slate Macro Slate roof Slate is a fine-grained, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low grade regional metamorphism. ... The lid of a pyrophyllite box. ... Syenite leucocratic variety of nepheline syenite from Sweden (sÃ¤rnaite). ...

T

Turbidite (Gorgoglione Flysch), Miocene, South Italy

Trondhjemite

Tuff

Turbidite

Tachylyte is a vitreous form of basaltic obsidian (volcanic glass). ... Taconite is an iron-bearing, high-silica, flint-like rock. ... Tephrite is an igneous, volcanic (extrusive) rock, of felsic composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. ... Theralite (from Greek to pursue) is, in petrology, a group of plutonic holocrystalline rocks consisting of nepheline, basic plagioclase, augite and olivine, and so called because of its rare occurrence. ... Tonalite is an igneous, plutonic (intrusive) rock, of felsic composition, with phaneritic texture. ... A sample of trachyte Trachyte is an igneous, volcanic rock with an aphanitic to porphyritic texture. ... Troctolite is a rare ultramafic intrusive rock type. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Trondhjemite is a leucocratic (light-colored) intrusive igneous rock. ... Welded tuff at Golden Gate in Yellowstone National Park Tuff (from the Italian tufo) is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. ... USGS image Turbidite geological formations have their origins in turbidity current deposits, deposits from a form of underwater avalanche that are responsible for distributing vast amounts of clastic sediment into the deep ocean. ...

U

V

Variolite

Variolites (Latin varius, speckled, variegated) are a group of dark green basic igneous rocks that, especially on weathered surfaces, exhibit pale colored spots, or spherules, that give them a pockmarked appearance. ...

W

Wackestone

Websterite

Wehrlite

Pyroxenite is a rock consisting essentially of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite and diallage, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite. ... Peridotite xenolith from San Carlos, southwestern United States. ...

X

Y

Z

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