CHAPTER 2: Earth Materials

 Elements are substances that cannot be changed into other substances by normal chemical methods
Elements are formed by atoms
Elements have chemical properties that characterize them.

Atoms - Neutrons (n)- Protons (p)- Electrons (e)
1) Atom:   the minimum unit an element can be divided into that still retains its chemical properties
    parts of the atom
                                                                          protons (p)                       Atomic #:  C=6
                                     nucleous             +         neutrons
    # p = # e                                                         __________________
                                                                          Z = Atomic Mass #                           C14

neutral                          electrons (negative)
atom

Atoms of a given element have a constant # of protons
 
 

2) Atoms of the same element have = number of protons
 Isotopes  same element = number of protons and different number of neutrons
                 C Isotopes = 6 protons
E.g.      6C12         6C13             6C14
              6n                 7n                 8n

3) Ions: charged                     cation (Atom - e-)  lost e-!
                                               anion  (Atom + e-) gained + e-!
 

                       covalent   share e-
 Bonding:       ionic   oppositely charged ions attracted
                       metallic e-   move freely around aggregate of ions
                       van der Waals: weakest

 4) Periodic Table of the elements: elements in the same group -> similar chemical properties given by their atomic structure

5) Chemical compound:   combination of 2 or more elements
                                          defined properties & proportions
                                                        different from those of indiv. element.

Minerals  General
               Definition   natural
                                    inorganic
                                    solid
                                    element or compound
                                    definite composition
                                    regular internal crystal structure       macroscopic scale
                                                                                             microscopic scale
Amorphous

Identification   chemical composition
                          arrangement of its crystal structure

Physical properties: crystal form & habit (related to crystal structure)
                            hardness                  luster                               fracture
                            cleavage                  specific gravity
                            streak                       magnetism
                            color                        acid test

  Hardness   Mohs Scale from 1 to 10
1. Talc, 10 diamond

Mineral Groups (on the basis of their anions)
                             clays (expansive), micas
Silicates               Quartz
most common       feldspar (most abundant): orthoclase, plagioclase.
minerals               Ferromagnesian: biotite, olivine, hornblende

                             Halides:  halite, fluorite
                             Carbonates:  dolomite, calcite
Non                      Sulfates:  gypsum
Silicates               Sulfides:  pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena
                             Oxides:  hematite, magnetite
                             Native elements: Ag Cu, Au (C= diamond), S

  Silicates' structures are based in the silicate tetrahedron unit:  one Si atom surrounded by 4 oxygen atoms

Rocks
Rock               solid
def.                 cohesive or poorly consolidated
                       aggregate: 1 or more minerals
                                        naturally occurring inorg. or  organic matter

    physical properties   suitability to our purposes
    imprint of its latest history

Classes based upon their origin:  Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic

                                 no poral space
 Igneous Rocks:      little or no water
                                structurally strong Igneous Rocks

 magma: molten silicate mat. + crystals + H2O + gas

                       high T

 solidification (cooling) + crystallization of magma =>  Igneous Rocks

Factors controlling grain size: TIME
                                                 space
                                                 abundance of nutrients

  Plutonic Rock:   slow cooling of magma                    Large
Igneous                  at depth                                           crystals
Rocks                                                                            granite
                              Pegmatite ( grainsize > 1 inch)

  Volcanic Rocks:   quick "freezing" of magma             small
                                at the surface                                  crystals
                                                                                          +
                                    lava                                               glass
  Examples:  obsidian, basalt
 
 

Sedimentary Rocks: surface processes - Low temp
Sediments           loose accumulations ( of min. & rocks)
                           transported by             wind                                                           e.g.
                                                              water                                                          sand,
                                                              ice                                                               mud,
                                                              gravity                                                        chem. sed.
                                                             deposited

Sedimentary rock: solid cohesive mass formed after compaction and cementation (LITHIFICATION) of sediments
 

Clastic sedimentary rocks
Formation                         mechanical                           weathering
 of                                     processes                               erosion
Sed. Rock.                                                                      transport
                                                                                        accumulation
                                               (burial)                            compaction
                                       (percolating H2O)                   cementation
 

Classification = grainsize
 clay = less than 1/256 mm, SHALE                                  MUDSTONES
 silt = 1/256 to 1/16 mm, SILTSTONE
 sand = 1/16 to 2 mm, SANDSTONE
 gravel = more than 2 mm, CONGLOMERATE
 
 
 

Poral space depends on rounding and sorting
 
 

                 Not structurally strong, unless cemented
Accumulation occurs if Gravity > transportation force
 

Bedding or Layering:   cyclic transport - deposition
   They are good identifiers of sedimentary origin
 
 
 
 
 

Chemical sedimentary rocks
  Precipitation from solutions
  limestones
              seawater                  freshwater
             mineral = calcite = CO3Ca

  Evaporitic deposits
         rock salt (evaporation)
         mineral = Halite = Cl Na

  Organogenic: Skeletons - Shells
                                               organic debris
              Coquina =                            +
                                           inorganic precipitates

  Coal = plant debris
 
 

Metamorphic rocks
1) Formed under the influence of heat &/or pressure &/or fluids
2) Metamorphism:  the process
               recrystallization
               neomineralization
P             deformation - stretch
                                      compression                          in solid
                                      folding                                   (plastic) state

3) Sources of P & T: P  burial
                                       tectonic differential = directed stress

                                 T   thermal gradient
                                       intrusion of magma

 Contrast between Regional & Contact metamorphism
Local source of To   magma proximity = Contact Metamorphism.

 Large scale source of P & To   mountain building = Regional Metamorphism.

Directed stress    foliation (platy minerals)
   Foliated texture = minerals arranged in parallel fashion
   slate - phyllite - micaschist - gneiss

Gneiss as a textural term:  Alternating bands of dark and light minerals
 

Metamorphic grade
 Temperature attained during metamorphism, as indicated by the new minerals which grow in the rock.
SED.R.                                    MET. ROCK
shale            =>     slate        =>     phyllite     =>   micaschist          =>             gneiss
clay                   muscovite           muscovite            biotite                                garnet
minerals            chlorite                                          garnet                                 biotite
                                                                                                                           feldspar
=========================================================>
Arrow indicates increasing metamorphic grade
(chemical composition remains constant)

Non foliated rocks and their protoliths (rock sources)
Parent rock        Met. rock
sandstone =======> quartzite
limestone ========> marble
granite ==========> orthogneiss
basalt ===========> amphibolite
 
 

Important Concept: THE ROCK CYCLE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

ROCKS AND MINERALS - REVIEW TOPICS
1. Know the definitions of all the terms mentioned in the "Terms to  remember"  section of  your  text.  They  are defined throughout the chapter and ordered alphabetically in the text Glossary
2. Physical properties of minerals.
3. Classification of minerals in groups. Examples of at least one mineral of each group.
4. Know how to classify igneous rocks. Concepts involving all new vocabulary.
5.  Know  texture, minerals  and type of magma for  GRANITE and BASALT. Remember that the oceanic crust is basaltic in composition and the continental crust is granitic in bulk composition.
6.   Bowen Reaction series: continuous and discontinuous. (If not covered in class, we may see it later, with volcanism)
7.  Classification of sedimentary rocks: Clastic and Chemical Sed. Rocks. Composition. Examples.
8. Agents and changes  related to metamorphism. Classification of Metamorphic   rocks.   Factors   prevailing    in   Regional Metamorphism and Contact Metamorphism.
9. The concept of metamorphic grade.
10.  Terms:  foliation,  schistosity,  slate,  phyllite,  schist, gneiss.
11.  Common  metamorphic equivalents  to  sedimentary or  igneous rocks.
12.  The Rock cycle:  processes to go from one rock type to the other.