Pictures of Rocks - Brown International Academy …Pictures of Igneous Rocks Photos of Common Intrusive and Extrusive Igneous Rock Types Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG Andesite

Pictures of Igneous Rocks

Photos of Common Intrusive and Extrusive Igneous Rock Types

Article by: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., RPG

Andesite is a fine-grained, extrusive igneous rock composed mainly of plagioclase with other minerals such as hornblende, pyroxene, and biotite. The specimen shown is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

What are Igneous Rocks? Igneous rocks are formed from the solidification of molten rock material. There are two basic types.

Intrusive igneous rocks crystallize below Earth's surface, and the slow cooling that occurs there allows large crystals to form. Examples of intrusive igneous rocks are diorite, gabbro, granite, pegmatite, and peridotite.

Extrusive igneous rocks erupt onto the surface, where they cool quickly to form small crystals. Some cool so quickly that they form an amorphous glass. These rocks include andesite, basalt, dacite, obsidian, pumice, rhyolite, scoria, and tuff.

Pictures and brief descriptions of some common igneous rock types are shown on this page.

Dacite is a fine-grained, extrusive igneous rock that is usually light in color. It has a composition that is intermediate between rhyolite and andesite. The specimen shown is about four inches (ten centimeters) across.

Basalt is a fine-grained, dark-colored extrusive igneous rock composed mainly of plagioclase and pyroxene. The specimen shown is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Diorite is a coarse-grained, intrusive igneous rock that contains a mixture of feldspar, pyroxene, hornblende, and sometimes quartz. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Granite is a coarse-grained, light-colored, intrusive igneous rock that contains mainly quartz, feldspar, and mica minerals. The specimen above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Gabbro is a coarse-grained, dark-colored, intrusive igneous rock that contains feldspar, pyroxene, and sometimes olivine. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Pegmatite is a light-colored, extremely coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock. It forms near the margins of a magma chamber during the final phases of magma chamber crystallization. It often contains rare minerals that are not found in other parts of the magma chamber. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Obsidian is a dark-colored volcanic glass that forms from the very rapid cooling of molten rock material. It cools so rapidly that crystals do not form. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Pumice is a light-colored vesicular igneous rock. It forms through very rapid solidification of a melt. The vesicular texture is a result of gas trapped in the melt at the time of solidification. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Peridotite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock that is composed almost entirely of olivine. It may contain small amounts of amphibole, feldspar, quartz, or pyroxene. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Fire Opal is sometimes found filling cavities in rhyolite. Long after the rhyolite has cooled, silica-rich ground water moves through the rock, sometimes depositing gems like opal, red beryl, topaz, jasper, or agate in the cavities of the rock. This is one of many excellent geological photographs generously shared through a Creative Commons License by Didier Descouens.

Rhyolite is a light-colored, fine-grained, extrusive igneous rock that typically contains quartz and feldspar minerals. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Welded Tuff is a rock that is composed of materials that were ejected from a volcano, fell to Earth, and then lithified into a rock. It is usually composed mainly of volcanic ashand sometimes contains larger size particles such as cinders. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Pictures of Sedimentary Rocks

Photos of Common Clastic, Chemical, and Organic Sedimentary Rock Types.

Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock that is composed of large (over two-millimeter diameter) angular fragments. The spaces between the large fragments can be filled with a matrix of smaller particles or a mineral cement which binds the rock together. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

What Are Sedimentary Rocks? Sedimentary rocks are formed by the accumulation of sediments. There are three basic types of sedimentary rocks.

Clastic sedimentary rocks such as breccia, conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, and shale are formed from mechanical weathering debris.

Chemical sedimentary rocks, such as rock salt, iron ore, chert, flint, some dolomites, and some limestones, form when dissolved materials precipitate from solution.

Organic sedimentary rocks such as coal, some dolomites, and some limestones, form from the accumulation of plant or animal debris.

Photos and brief descriptions of some common sedimentary rock types are shown on this page.

Coal is an organic sedimentary rock that forms mainly from plant debris. The plant debris usually accumulates in a swamp environment. Coal is combustible and is often mined for use as a fuel. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Chert is a microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline sedimentary rock material composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2). It occurs as nodules and concretionary masses, and less frequently as a layered deposit. It breaks with a conchoidal fracture, often producing very sharp edges. Early people took advantage of how chert breaks and used it to fashion cutting tools and weapons. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Conglomerate is a clastic sedimentary rock that contains large (greater than two millimeters in diameter) rounded particles. The space between the pebbles is generally filled with smaller particles and/or a chemical cement that binds the rock together. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Flint is a hard, tough, chemical or biochemical sedimentary rock that breaks with a conchoidal fracture. It is a form of microcrystalline quartz that is typically called “chert” by geologists. It often forms as nodules in sedimentary rocks such as chalk and marine limestones.

Dolomite (also known as "dolostone" and "dolomite rock") is a chemical sedimentary rock that is very similar to limestone. It is thought to form when limestone or lime mud is modified by magnesium-rich ground water. The specimen shown above is about four inches (ten centimeters) across.

Limestone is a rock that is composed primarily of calcium carbonate. It can form organically from the accumulation of shell, coral, algal, and fecal debris. It can also form chemically from the precipitation of calcium carbonate from lake or ocean water. Limestone is used in many ways. Some of the most common are: production of cement, crushed stone, and acid neutralization. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Iron Ore is a chemical sedimentary rock that forms when iron and oxygen (and sometimes other substances) combine in solution and deposit as a sediment. Hematite(shown above) is the most common sedimentary iron ore mineral. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Rock Salt is a chemical sedimentary rock that forms from the evaporation of ocean or saline lake waters. It is also known by the mineral name "halite." It is rarely found at Earth's surface, except in areas of very arid climate. It is often mined for use in the chemical industry or for use as a winter

highway treatment. Some halite is processed for use as a seasoning for food. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Oil Shale is a rock that contains significant amounts of organic material in the form of kerogen. Up to 1/3 of the rock can be solid organic material. Liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons can be extracted from the oil shale, but the rock must be heated and/or treated with solvents. This is usually much less efficient than drilling rocks that will yield oil or gas directly into a well. The processes used for hydrocarbon extraction also produce emissions and waste products that cause significant environmental concerns.

Shale is a clastic sedimentary rock that is made up of clay-size (less than 1/256 millimeter in diameter) weathering debris. It typically breaks into thin flat pieces. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock made up mainly of sand-size (1/16 to 2 millimeter diameter) weathering debris. Environments where large amounts of sand can accumulate include beaches, deserts, flood plains, and deltas. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Siltstone is a clastic sedimentary rock that forms from silt-size (between 1/256 and 1/16 millimeter diameter) weathering debris. Specimens in the photo are about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Pictures of Metamorphic Rocks Photos of Common Foliated and Non-Foliated Metamorphic Rock Types

Amphibolite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms through recrystallization under conditions of high viscosity and directed pressure. It is composed primarily of hornblende (amphibole) and plagioclase, usually with very little quartz. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

What are Metamorphic Rocks? Metamorphic rocks have been modified by heat, pressure, and chemical processes, usually while buried deep below Earth's surface. Exposure to these extreme conditions has altered the mineralogy, texture, and chemical composition of the rocks.

There are two basic types of metamorphic rocks.Foliated metamorphic rocks such as gneiss, phyllite, schist, and slate have a layered or banded appearance that is produced by exposure to heat and directed pressure.

Non-foliated metamorphic rocks such as hornfels, marble, quartzite, and novaculite do not have a layered or banded appearance. Pictures and brief descriptions of some common types of metamorphic rocks are shown on this page.

Hornfels is a fine-grained nonfoliated metamorphic rock with no specific composition. It is produced by contact metamorphism. Hornfels is a rock that was "baked" while near a heat source such as a magma chamber, sill, or dike. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Gneiss is a foliated metamorphic rock that has a banded appearance and is made up of granular mineral grains. It typically contains abundant quartz or feldspar minerals. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that is produced from the metamorphism of limestone or dolostone. It is composed primarily of calcium carbonate. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Phyllite is a foliated metamorphic rock that is made up mainly of very fine-grained mica. The surface of phyllite is typically lustrous and sometimes wrinkled. It is intermediate in grade between slate and schist. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous rock that breaks with a conchoidal fracture. It forms from sediments deposited in marine environments where organisms such as diatoms (single-celled algae that secrete a hard shell composed of silicon dioxide) are abundant in the water. The specimen shown above is about three inches across.

Lapis Lazuli, the famous blue gem material, is actually a metamorphic rock. Most people are surprised to learn that, so we added it to this photo collection as a surprise. Blue rocks are rare, and we bet that it captured your eye. The round objects in the photo are lapis lazuli beads about 9/16 inch (14 millimeters) in diameter. Image copyright iStockPhoto / RobertKacpura.

Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that is produced by the metamorphism of sandstone. It is composed primarily of quartz. The specimen above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Slate is a foliated metamorphic rock that is formed through the metamorphism of shale. It is a low-grade metamorphic rock that splits into thin pieces. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Schist is a metamorphic rock with well-developed foliation. It often contains significant amounts of mica which allow the rock to split into thin pieces. It is a rock of intermediate metamorphic grade between phyllite and gneiss. The specimen shown above is a "chlorite schist" because it contains a significant amount of chlorite. It is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Soapstone is a metamorphic rock that consists primarily of talc with varying amounts of other minerals such as micas, chlorite, amphiboles, pyroxenes, and carbonates. It is a soft, dense, heat-resistant rock that has a high specific heat capacity. These properties make it useful for a wide variety of architectural, practical, and artistic uses.