Common Minerals and RocksCrosby, William O. (William Otis)
Science
Common Minerals and Rocks
Crosby, William O. (William Otis)
Geology -- Study and teaching
(2) _Crystalline texture._—The constituent particles are chiefly, at
least, distinctly crystalline, as shown either by external form, or
cleavage, or both. Examples: granite, diabase, gneiss, etc. Specimens
45, 1, 41.
(3) _Compact texture._—The constituent particles are indistinguishable
by the naked eye, but become visible under the microscope, appearing as
separate crystalline grains or as irregular fragments. In other words,
if, in the case of either the granular or crystalline textures, we
conceive the particles to become microscopically small, then we have the
compact texture. Examples: clay, slate, many limestones, basalt, etc.
Specimens 34, 35, 39.
(4) _Vitreous texture._—The texture of glass, in which the constituent
particles are absolutely invisible even with the highest powers of the
microscope, and may be nothing more than the _molecules_ of the
substance, which thus, so far as our powers of observation are
concerned, presents a perfectly continuous surface. Examples: obsidian,
glassy quartz, and some kinds of coal. Specimens 47, 15.
These four textures, which, it will be observed, are determined by the
forms and sizes of the constituent particles, may be called the
_primary_ textures, because every rock _must_ possess one of them. We
cannot conceive of a rock which is neither fragmental, crystalline,
compact, nor vitreous. But in addition to one of the primary textures, a
rock may or may not have one or more of what may be called _secondary_
textures. These are determined by the way in which the particles are
united, the mode or pattern of the arrangement, etc. Following are
definitions of the principal secondary textures:—
(1) _Laminated texture._—This exists where the particles are arranged in
thin, parallel layers, which may be marked simply by planes of division,
or the alternate layers may be composed of particles differing in
composition, form, size, or color, etc. Among the laminated textures we
thus distinguish: (_a_) the _banded_ texture, where the layers are
contrasted in color, texture, or composition, but cohere, so that there
is no cleavage or easy splitting parallel with the stratification; and
(_b_) the _schistose_ or _shaly_ texture, where such fissility or
stratification-cleavage exists. If a fragmental, compact, or vitreous
rock is fissile, we use the term _shaly_; but a fissile, crystalline
rock is described as _schistose_. The banded texture may occur with the
fragmental,—banded sandstones, etc.; with the crystalline,—many
gneisses, etc. (specimen 41); with the compact,—many slates, limestones,
felsites, etc. (specimens 34, 42); with the vitreous,—banded obsidian,
furnace slags, and some coal. The schistose texture may occur with the
crystalline,—mica schist, etc. (specimen 43); and the shaly texture with
the compact and fragmental, but rarely with the vitreous.
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