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Metamorphic rocks can be derived from any other kind of non-metamorphic rock and thus there is a wide variety of protoliths. Identifying a protolith is a major aim of metamorphic geology . Protoliths are non-metamorphic rocks and have no protoliths themselves.
Augen gneiss, from the German: Augen, meaning "eyes", is a gneiss resulting from metamorphism of granite, which contains characteristic elliptic or lenticular shear-bound grains (porphyroclasts), normally feldspar, surrounded by finer grained material. The finer grained material deforms around the more resistant feldspar grains to produce this ...
In some of the Blue Ridge Mountains occurrences, an epidotized augen gneiss is present exhibiting foliation structures. The dominant green epidote in unakite rocks is the metasomatic alteration product of plagioclase feldspar, while the orthoclase and quartz crystals remain unaffected.
Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock in a process called metamorphism. The original rock ( protolith ) is subjected to temperatures greater than 150 to 200 °C (300 to 400 °F) and, often, elevated pressure of 100 megapascals (1,000 bar ) or more, causing profound physical or chemical changes.
The change in the grain size and orientation in the rock during the process of metamorphism is called recrystallization. For instance, the small calcite crystals in the sedimentary rocks limestone and chalk change into larger crystals in the metamorphic rock marble . [ 13 ]
Gneiss, a foliated metamorphic rock. Quartzite, a non-foliated metamorphic rock. Foliation in geology refers to repetitive layering in metamorphic rocks. [1] Each layer can be as thin as a sheet of paper, or over a meter in thickness. [1] The word comes from the Latin folium, meaning "leaf", and refers to the sheet-like planar structure. [1]
Quartzite can have a grainy, glassy, sandpaper-like surface. Quartzite is a hard, non-foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone. [1] [2] Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts.
Geological map of the Hebridean Terrane showing distribution of rocks of the Lewisian complex Undeformed Scourie dyke cutting Lewisian Gneiss, about 1.6 km west of Scourie Scourie dykes (now foliated amphibolites) cutting grey gneiss of the Scourie complex, both deformed during the Laxfordian tectonic event and cut by later (unfoliated) granite veins - road cutting on the A838 just north of ...