GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL4 June 2004
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
Geology Department, Greenhead College, Huddersfield.
Marble on Crete
Your name …………………………………………………………….
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Date
LEARNING TARGETS
margin
notes
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GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL4 June 2004
When you have completed this study guide, you will:
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Have revised your work on metamorphism from GL1
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Know about contact, regional and dynamic metamorphism
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Be able to draw phase diagrams to show the alumino-silicate
polymorphs and their P/T stability fields
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Be able to recognise foliation textures in slates, phyllites, schists,
gneisses and mylonites
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Understand Barrovian index mineral zones for regionally
metamorphosed rocks
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Know about contact metasomatism and skarn minerals.
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GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL4 June 2004
Resources
Here is a choice of resources to use. You do not need to look at them all but clearly the more
you read the better your knowledge of case studies will be. Tick the box once you have used
the resource.
If you read a photocopied extract then highlight it to help you reread it for revision. If you make
notes from a video tape make sure that the notes are headed with the name of the tape so that
you know the source of your information. Case studies are very useful for essay questions so
you should keep a separate list of the examples that you have researched.
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MMR1
MMR2
MMR3
MMR4
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MMR5
MMR6
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MMR7
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MMR8
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MMR9
MMR10
MMR 11
MMR 12
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Websites
www.brookes.ac.uk/geology/8301/metamor.html
www.geolab.unc.edu/Petunia/lgMetAtlas/meta-micro/metamicro.html
www.science.ubc.ca/~geol202/meta/metamorphic.htm
www.wsu.edu:8000/~meinert/aboutskarn.html
www.soes.soton.ac.uk/resources/collection/minerals/meta-1/
www.earth.leeds.ac.uk/assynt/index.htm
Understanding Geology David Webster p 80-85
Geoscience Edwards and King p 124-134
Geological Science by Andrew McLeish p 139-145
Questions based on Section 7.2 How do conditions change within the
crust? From MMR 2 p126
Map, section and slides of the Skiddaw granite metamorphic aureole, Lake
District
Library Kennett, P and Ross, C.A. Aspects of Geology Metamorphic Rocks
Contains excellent examples and diagrams at A2 standard.
CD Rom Visualising Geology in 3D Metamorphism. Use as extension or
summary exercise
Hand out on rock textures and mineral growth from Kennett, P and Ross,
C.A. Aspects of Geology Metamorphic rocks
Table on textures of metamorphic rocks
Library Con Gillen Metamorphic Geology
Library Roger Mason Petrology of the Metamorphic Rocks
Sheet of information on contact metasomatism and the development of skarn
minerals
There are many other websites you could search.
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GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
margin notes
Module exam GL4 June 2004
TASK 1 CHECK OUT WHAT YOU KNOW ALREADY
Revise your GL1 notes on metamorphism from last year. There will be a
detailed test shortly.
TASK 2 WHAT IS METAMORPHISM?
Define the term metamorphism. Here is a definition we have used in the
past.
Changes in temperature and/or pressure lead to the growth, in the
solid state, of new minerals and textures with different stability fields.
How does it compare with the textbook descriptions? Write your own
description of metamorphism, so that you can be sure that you understand
the process.
TASK 3 CHANGING CONDITIONS WITHIN THE CRUST
Using MMR 4 find out how temperature and pressure changes in oceanic
and continental crust.
TASK 4 CONTACT METAMORPHIC ROCKS
Write a report on the metamorphic aureole of the Skiddaw granite, using
MMR 5.
TASK 5 ALUMINO-SILICATE POLYMORPHS
Read Section 7.6 of MMR 2 p 130.
Draw Figure 7.6 p 131 and then explain it in your own words. After class
and group discussion decide how the three main types of metamorphism
relate to the P/T stability fields and add each name to your graph.
Write a conclusion below your graph to explain which of the Al 2SiO5
polymorphs you expect to find associated with the three types of
metamorphism
TASK 6
REGIONAL METAMORPHISM – FOLIATION TEXTURES
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GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL4 June 2004
Regional metamorphism is characterised by the development of foliation
texture.
Use MMR 2 p 130 to define foliation.
Carry out a practical using slate, phyllite, several types of schist and
gneiss. You will need to look at slides of gneisses and migmatites which
have large scale foliation textures.
For each rock explain the processes which occurred under different P/T
conditions to account for the foliation. Look at MMR 2 p 131 Figure 7.5 to
help.
MMR 6 and MMR 7 are excellent sources of detailed information on
regional metamorphism. Use them for research.
Use MMR 8 from Kennett and Ross Metamorphism to help explain some
ideas relating textures and mineral growth.
Use this box for notes
margin notes
TASK 7 THIN SECTIONS OF METAMORPHIC TEXTURES
Use diagrams of thin sections of schists, gneiss, hornfels, marble and
metaquartzite to become familiar with these metamorphic textures:Porphyroblastic, banded segregation, granoblastic.
Two other textures – saccharoidal and maculose – are more easily seen
in hand specimen and you will become familiar with them in practicals.
TASK 8 ROCK TEXTURES AND PROCESSES
Using MMR 9 complete the table linking process to metamorphic texture
and rock type and explain how each texture develops. Use the words from
this list:Processes
Textures
solid state recrystallisation porphyroblastic
ductile flow
granoblastic
shear deformation
saccharoidal
metamorphic fluids
maculose
ion migration
banded segregation
TASK 9
Rocks
gneiss
schist
hornfels
marble
metaquartzite
spotted rock
INDEX MINERALS AND NORTH WEST SCOTLAND
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GEOLOGY STUDY GUIDE
Module exam GL4 June 2004
George Barrow pioneered the understanding of metamorphic minerals a
century ago. Read Case Study MMR 2 p 124-125 and explain the BIG
IDEAS that Barrow established. You can make bullet point notes to
highlight the main concepts of Barrovian index minerals.
TASK 10 DYNAMIC METAMORPHISM
Specimens, sketches, cross-sections and slides of rocks which result from
dynamic metamorphism will allow you to build a picture of the rocks formed
by fault movements of reverse and thrust faults and shear zones.
Read MMR 2 p 131-132
Here is the important vocabulary for this topic:Fault breccia fault gouge recrystallisation mylonite
cataclasis
TASK 11 CONTACT METASOMATISM
Read and highlight MMR 12. Look at the Ledmore marble in the red tray
as an example of the skarn minerals that can be produced by contact
metasomatism. Research other resources, including MMR2 and MMR3,
to find out more about skarn minerals.
TASK 12 BGS MAPS
Look at BGS maps from Wales and Scotland to see how metamorphic
rocks are shown.
TASK 13 GLOSSARY
Draw a spider diagram of all the new words and phrases that make up this
study guide to help you to learn them. Link similar words and phrases
together.
TASK 14
ESSAY QUESTION PACK
Complete the Metamorphic Rocks EQP
Deadline……………………………………
Use this box for notes
ESTA GEOTREX The Geology Teachers Resource Exchange
Contributor: Alison Quarterman Establishment: Greenhead College Date:May 05
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