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Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphic rocks are sedimentary or igneous rocks that have been transformed by pressure, heat, or the intrusion of fluids. The heat may come from nearby magma or hot water intruding via hot springs. It can also come from subduction, when tectonic forces draw rocks deep beneath the Earth’s surface.

Migmatite

Migmatite is a type of rock that exhibits both solid-state and partial melting characteristics. It is commonly found in high-temperature metamorphic environments and is...

Greenschist

Greenschist is a metamorphic rock that forms under low-grade metamorphic conditions. It is named for its green color, which is primarily due to the...

Blueschist

Blueschist is a type of metamorphic rock that forms under high-pressure, low-temperature conditions typically associated with subduction zones in tectonic plate boundaries. It is...

Eclogite

Eclogite is a type of metamorphic rock with distinct mineral composition and texture, typically formed under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions deep within the Earth's...

Granulite

Granulites are a type of high-grade metamorphic rock that forms under conditions of high temperature and pressure. They are characterized by the presence of...

Unakite

Unakite is a type of metamorphic rock that is primarily composed of pink orthoclase feldspar, green epidote, and clear to bluish-gray quartz. It is...

Nuummite

Nuummite is a rare and unique metamorphic rock that is prized for its distinctive iridescent play of colors. It is primarily composed of two...

Pinolith

Pinolith is a unique and visually striking metamorphic rock that is primarily composed of two distinct minerals: white magnesite and black graphite. It is...

Soapstone

Soapstone is a type of talc-schist metamorphic rock. Also other naming’s are steatite or soaprock. The composed primarily of talc, with varying amount of...
Garnetite (garnet skarn)

Skarn

Skarn is coarse-grained metamorphic rocks that forms by a metasomatism. Also called tactites. Skarn tend to be rich in calcium-magnesium-iron-manganese-aluminium silicate minerals that also...
French Slate, Paleoproterozoic; Snowy Range Road roadcut, Medicine Bow Mountains, Wyoming, USA

Phyllite

Phyllite is a foliated metamorphic rock that has been low pressure and heat. Phyllite formation from slate that is further metamorphosed so that very fine grained mica mineral achives. It composed of mainly flake-shaped mica minerals. This mica minerals is strong parallel alignment, so easly to split into sheets or slabs. Also alignment of mica grains gives a reflective sheen on phyllite. Generally Phyllite is gray, black or greenish color and frequently weathers out of a tan or brown.

Marble

A granular metamorphic rock, marble is derived from limestone or dolomite. It consists of a mass of interlocking grains of calcite or the mineral dolomite. Marbles form when limestone buried deep in the older layers of Earth’s crust is subjected to heat and pressure from thick layers of overlying sediments.