What is the protolith of shale?

A protolith (from Ancient Greek πρωτο- (prōto-), first and λίθος líthos, stone) is the original, unmetamorphosed rock from which a given metamorphic rock is formed . For example, the protolith of a slate is a shale or mudstone. The source of the sediment of a sedimentary rock is termed its provenance.

Is gneiss found in Michigan?

There were once volcanoes in Michigan Basalt rocks in western Upper Peninsula. The western Upper Peninsula had large mountains at one time. Granites, gneiss and schist in western Upper Peninsula….

Does gneiss have recrystallization?

Metamorphism is essentially an isochemical process, i.e. the bulk chemical composition of a rock body is more or less unchanged from the protolith, or original rock. But the minerals may be largely recrystallized into a new mineral assemblage. Slate, schist, and gneiss are three common foliated metamorphic rocks.

What are the 3 main types of metamorphic rocks?

The three types of metamorphism are Contact, Regional, and Dynamic metamorphism. Contact Metamorphism occurs when magma comes in contact with an already existing body of rock.

What happens when shale is metamorphosed?

Shales that are subject to heat and pressure of metamorphism alter into a hard, fissile, metamorphic rock known as slate. With continued increase in metamorphic grade the sequence is phyllite, then schist and finally gneiss.

Can granite turn into shale?

SCHIST to GRANITE, SCHIST to SHALE and SCHIST to SCHIST Schist can become shale in the much the same way that granite can become shale. It can be exhumed (brought toward the surface through erosion and uplift) and eventually exposed at the Earth’s surface.

Are there diamonds in Michigan?

Diamonds in Michigan? That’s what’s been said since the late 1800’s. Jack Van Alstine, geologist at the Michigan State Department of Natural Resources at Marquette, said diamonds have been found in northern Michigan and Wisconsin within the last 100+ years.

What rock has the highest grade of metamorphism?

Gneiss
Gneiss, the highest grade metamorphic rock, contains bands of easily visible quartz, feldspar, and/or mica.

Is quartzite a parent rock?

Quartzite is a metamorphic rock, formed when its parent rock, sandstone, is buried then heated and/or compressed. Those rocks can be metamorphic, sedimentary, or igneous (igneous rocks are formed when magma, or molten rock, cools, either inside the earth or on the surface).

How is a schist different from a gneiss rock?

Schist is a metamorphic rock usually formed originally from shale. It is a step above gneiss in the metamorphic process, meaning schist has been subjected to less intense heat and pressure. After metamorphism, the schist is very foliated (the minerals of the rock are arranged in layers).

Where does a schist rich in quartz come from?

Schists rich in quartz originate from sandstones. Hematite-schists are known as schistose ironstones. Other schists of igneous origin include foliated serpentines (based on masses rich in olivine, a magnesium iron silicate), quartz-porphyries (mainly feldspar) and felsic tuffs (formed from volcanic ash). iv

What is the foliation of a gneiss stone?

This pattern is called foliation and it’s a result of the rock being squeezed and heated. Gneiss is like ribbon candy – it’s been folded and swirled while hot, and then left to harden. The stone captures the expressiveness and movement that come from its dynamic origins.

Where do slate, phyllite, and gneiss rocks come from?

Beginning with a shale parent, Barrovian metamorphism produces a sequence of metamorphic rocks that goes through slate, and then through phyllite, schist, and gneiss. It can be hard to imagine at first that all these very different looking rocks can come from the same sedimentary parent, but we know that they do.