CHAPTER 5:

Igneous Rock
Rock of Ages granite quarry, Barre, Vermont

What
important
natural
resources are
found in
igneous rock?
 Stawamus Chief, Squamish BC

Mafic dyke
(~5 m across)
Massive granite

Steven Earle
 Igneous Rock
Igneous rock is formed when molten, or partially molten, rock
solidifies.
 Igneous Rocks (two types)

Extrusive
Lava and Pyroclastic Debris Basalt is
Extruded at surface or at very Extrusive

shallow levels and cooled quickly

Intrusive
Magma crystallized slowly within
the crust. Granite is
No exposure to the cool Intrusive
atmosphere.
Plutonic intrusive igneous rock
cooled slowly at great depth within
crust or mantle.

What is the key textural difference between these two rocks?

 Why Study Igneous Rocks?

All rocks on Earth have evolved from the first igneous rocks
through Igneous Evolution
Provide information about the composition of the mantle
Absolute age can be obtained through Radiometric Dating
Features are characteristic of a specific tectonic environment
Host important mineral deposits (metal ores)
Numerous other critical economic uses
Millions of people are endangered by volcanoes
 Decompression melting

Convection brings hot rock

to shallower depths
Rifting lowers pressure
Lower pressure causes a
lower melting point
Igneous rock is formed
through a process of
crystallization and magma
differentiation

Why does a lower pressure lower the melting point?

 Partial Melting

Partial Melting
Silica-rich compounds melt before
other compounds.

Magma Differentiation
Four types:
Magma mixing
Crystal settling
Wall-rock assimilation
Magma migration
 Bowens Reaction Series

Describes the order and process of magma crystallization

Bowens Reaction
Series Animation
 How Are Igneous Rocks Named?
Texture
Texture depends on crystal size
Phaneritic:
Slow cooling (or in the presence of water), larger crystals
Coarse texture
Intrusive or Plutonic
Aphanitic:
Rapid cooling , smaller crystals
Finer texture
Extrusive or Volcanic
Other textures are Glassy, Pyroclastic, Vesicular, and Porphyritic
Composition
Minerals at the TOP of Bowens
Dark in color
Mafic to Ultramafic
Iron and Magnesium are dark.
Minerals at the BOTTOM of Bowens
Light in color
Felsic
Sodium plagioclase, potassium plagioclase, and quartz are light
Intermediate composition between these
 How is Texture Estimated?

Texture is estimated using

visual grain size
(depends on crystallization
history)

What has to happen for a porphyritic texture to form in an igneous rock?

 How is Composition Estimated?
Composition is estimated using visual color
Can be misleading
 Mafic vs. Felsic
Mafic minerals crystallize early and felsic minerals crystallize
late in magma
Minerals at the TOP of Bowens Reaction Series:
Dark in color
Mafic to ultramafic
Iron- and magnesium-rich and relatively heavy

Minerals at the BOTTOM of Bowens Reaction Series:

Light in color
Intermediate to Felsic
Iron- and magnesium-poor and relatively light in weight
 Bowens Reaction Series

What does olivine react with to produce pyroxene?

What is the significance of the word reaction in the Bowen Reaction

Series?
 Igneous Rock Naming
Igneous rocks are named on the basis of their texture and
composition
 Igneous Rock Naming
(continued)
The igneous rock diagram shows the range of mineral proportions
of the various types of igneous rocks

What are the approximate mineral proportions (in %) of

the rocks indicated by the two dashed lines?
 Classification System for Igneous Rocks

The classification system for igneous rocks is based on the

following:

Intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks with the same chemical

composition contain the same minerals
Silica content decreases as iron and magnesium content
increases
Potassium and sodium content decreases as silica content
decreases
 Seven Common Types of Igneous Rock

Felsic Composition

1) Granite
intrusive

2) Rhyolite
extrusive
 Seven Common Types of Igneous Rock

Intermediate
Composition

3) Diorite
intrusive

4) Andesite
extrusive
 Seven Common Types of Igneous Rock

Mafic Composition

5) Gabbro
intrusive

6) Basalt
extrusive
Seven Common Types of Igneous Rock

Ultramafic Composition

7) Peridotite
intrusive
 Igneous Evolution
All rocks on Earth have evolved from the first igneous rocks
All Igneous Rocks Result from Magma Differentiation
 Tectonic Processes
Igneous rock evolves as a product of tectonic processes and is a
major component of Earths crust

What is the mechanism that leads to partial melting above a subduction zone?
Identify the magma source for each type of volcano. How is the magma
source responsible for the rock composition?
 Basalt Formation (Spreading Centers)

High heat flow creates Hydrothermal (hot water) Vents (black smokers)
Oceanic crust consists of layers of igneous rock
Gabbro crystallizes at the base
Sheeted dikes of basalt extend above the gabbro
Pillow basalt, glassy fragments and metallic sulfide deposits (at black smokers)
form at the sea floor
 Basalt Formation (Hot Spots)
Intraplate sites of active Plutonism
and Volcanism
Large Igneous Provinces of Flood
Basalts form above mantle hot
spots
Plumes of anomalously hot
mantle rock underly active hot
spots. Mantle plumes, which are
solid rock, not magma, rise slowly
through the mantle (but faster
than the rate of mantle
convection) due to their positive
buoyancy with respect to the
surrounding rock.
Basalt is also present at many
subduction-related volcanoes, but
typically only in minor amounts.
Modern sea-floor pillow basalt

40 mya pillow basalt on

Vancouver Island
Steven Earle
 Igneous Intrusions
Igneous intrusions occur in a variety of sizes and shapes.
 Subduction Zones and Spreading Centre
Subduction zones and spreading centers are areas in which
magma is formed as a result of partial melting, plutonism, and
volcanism.

What igneous environment is not represented in this image?

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