Texture-
The texture of a rock is the size, shape, and arrangement of the grains (for sedimentary rocks) or crystals (for igneous and metamorphic rocks).
It is basically divided into 4 parts:
1. Crystallinity (Degree of Crystallization)
2. Granularity (Actual Size Of Grain)
3. Shapes Of Crystals
4. Mutual Arrangement Of Grain
1. Crystallinity- Ratio between Crystallised and Non Crystallised materials.
a) Holocrystalline- Rock composed entirely of crystal.
b) Hemicrystalline- Rock composed of crystal and glass.
c) Holohyalline- Rock composed entirely of glass.
2. Granularity- Actual size of grain.
a) Phaneritic/Phanerocrystalline- When we can identify the crystals by naked eye, formed during plutonic environment.
Coarse Grained- >5 mm
Medium Grained- 1 to 5 mm
Fine Grained- <1 mm
b) Aphanetic- When we can't identify crystals by naked eye.
Microcrystalline- Rocks that contains small crystals, visible only through microscope.
Cryptocrystalline- When crystals are too small to be distinguished,even under the microscope.
3. Crystal Shape-
Euhedral- Crystal boundary is perfect grown.
Subhedral- Crystal boundary is partially develop.
Anhedral- Crystal have no boundary.
Tabular- Crystal grain grow in 2 opposite direction and 3rd dimension remain undeveloped.
Prismatic- Crystal outline is developed in one direction compare to other direction.
Equidimension- Crystals are equally developed in all directions.
4. Mutual Arrangement Of Grain-
a) Non-Directive- Grain do not show parallel orientation or arrangement of grain.
(1) Equi-granular- Minerals are even grained in hand specimen.
Panidiomorphic- Majority of crystals are euhedral.
Hypidiomorphic- Majority of crystals are subhedral.
Allotriomorphic- Majority of crystals are anhedral.
(2) Inequigranular- When grain size are not equal.
Porphyritic- Large crystals are enclosed by small ones.
Large crystals are called Phenocryst and small are called groundmass or matrix.
Poikilitic- Small crystals are enclosed by large ones.
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