Identifying Rocks

ROCK IDENTIFICATION KEYS

Mineral Identification Links that we used to identify minerals: https://fitz6.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/properties-of-minerals/

• The Rock Key Table of Contents and Information– http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/rockkey/#TOCThe Rock Key: A Dichotomous Key- http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/rockkey/#Key

1. ROCK ID– Follow the arrows and answer YES or NO- http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es0610/es0610page02.cfm
2. Rock Identification Tables: look at the descriptions and characteristics. Scroll down the page to find igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. http://geology.about.com/od/rocks/a/Rock-Tables.htm
3. GeoMan’s Rock Identification–http://jersey.uoregon.edu/~mstrick/MinRockID/RockID/RockIDChart.html

ROCK IMAGES AND INFORMATION

1. Rock Gallery ID– http://geologyonline.museum.state.il.us/geogallery/browse.php?table=rocks
2. Rock Pictures– scroll down for some clear examples- http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/geology/core332/geofield.htm
3. Gallery of Common Rocks– http://www.rocksandminerals4u.com/igneous_metamorphic_sedimentary_rock.html

IGNEOUS ROCK CLASSIFICATION

1. Igneous Rock Classification, click on rocks to see more details for each rock. http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/IgnRx/IgnRx.html
2. Igneous Rock Textures– http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es0603/es0603page02.cfm
3. Alphabetical List of Igneous Rocks– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/IgnRx/IgAlphabetical.html
4. Igneous Rock Identification– http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/geol101/labs/igneous/
5. Igneous Rock Color Texture Key–http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/IgnRx/igkey.html
6. Color ID Key– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/IgnRx/keyc-t.html

SEDIMENTARY ROCK CLASSIFICATION

1. Alphabetical List of Sedimentary Rocks– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/SedRx/Sedalphab.html
2. Sedimentary Rock Identification– http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/geol101/labs/sediment/index.htm
3. The Trouble with Identifying Sedimentary Rocks- http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/SedRx/troublewith.html
4. Basic Sedimentary Identification Key- http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/SedRx/basickey.html
   • Hints on Using the Key- http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/SedRx/basickeynotes.html
5. Clastic Rock ID– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/SedRx/clastkey.html
6. Chemical/Biological ID– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/SedRx/chembiokey.html

METAMORPHIC ROCK CLASSIFICATION

1. Alphabetical List of Metamorphic Rocks– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/MetaRx/Metaalphab.html
2. Simple Metamorphic Classification– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/MetaRx/metasimple.html
3. Key to Common Metamorphic Rocks– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/MetaRx/metkeyvrysp.html
4. Basic Key to Metamorphic Rocks– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/MetaRx/metakeycom.html
5. Foliated Metamorphic Key– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/MetaRx/keyfolia.html
6. Non-foliated (Granular) Metamorphic Key– http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/fichter/MetaRx/grankey.html
7. Metamorphic Rock Identification– http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/Geol101/labs/metamorf/index.htm