Rock Picture Gallery
IGNEOUS ROCK PICTURES (About Igneous Rocks)
Aa—A rugged form of basalt lava.
Andesite—The typical intermediate arc lava.
Basalt—A bubbly, crystally chunk of this igneous rock from Kilauea.
Diorite—A plutonic igneous rock between granite and gabbro.
Felsite—The volcanic version of granite.
Gabbro—The crystallized, plutonic version of basalt.
Granite—The rock that makes up the bulk of the continents.
Granodiorite—Almost diorite, except that this rock has quartz.
Gypsum Rock—A crusty chunk from a Nevada roadside.
Lapilli Tuff—A volcanic rock formed of little ash balls.
Obsidian—Hand specimen of this useful volcanic glass.
Pahoehoe—Smooth-skinned flows of basalt lava.
Pegmatite—The igneous rocks with the biggest crystals.
Perlite—A lightweight volcanic rock of great usefulness.
Porphyry—An igneous rock with large mineral grains in a fine matrix.
Pumice—A rock made from volcanic eruption products.
Pyroxenite—An uncommon ultramafic rock from the deep sea crust.
Rhyolite—The lava type with the highest silica content.
Scoria—A frothy volcanic product much like pumice.
Syenite—A plutonic, alkalic "granite-without-quartz."
Tuff—A rock made from volcanic ash.
Special Galleries: Pillow Lavas, Extrusive Igneous Rocks, Granites
SEDIMENTARY ROCK PICTURES (About Sedimentary Rocks)
Agate—A semiprecious chert of infinite variety.
Alabaster—A polished slab of this beautiful stone.
Arkose—A raw sandstone made from eroded granite.
Asphalt—Natural, from a natural oil seep.
Banded Iron Formation—Dazzling, extremely ancient "tiger iron."
Breccia—Rock made from broken rocks, breccia has many forms.
Chert—A common siliceous rock type with much variety.
Coal—The original fossil fuel.
Conglomerate—Rocks made with extra-big grains.
Coquina—A limestone made from shell fragments.
Dolomite—An altered near-twin of limestone.
Graywacke—An impure sandstone also called wacke.
Limestone—The greatest carbon-bearing rock.
Peat—Brown, vegetative precursor to coal.
Sandstone—Where sand goes to and comes from.
Shale—Rock made from mud and clay.
Siltstone—Made from sediment finer than sand.
Travertine—A form of limestone created in springs.
Special Picture Galleries: Sedimentary Rocks, Limestones, Coquina
METAMORPHIC ROCK PICTURES (About Metamorphic Rocks)
Amphibolite—High-grade rock, typically a hornblende schist.
Blueschist—Rock made by high-grade metamorphism in subduction zones.
Eclogite—The most extreme metamorphic rock you can find.
Gneiss—Banded, tough, it forms the lower crust.
Greenschist—Rock made by low-grade metamorphism of various rock types.
Greenstone—A dark green rock made by metamorphism of basalt.
Marble—The metamorphic version of limestone.
Migmatite—A swirly rock produced by extreme metamorphism.
Phyllite—Shiny, colorful rock made by metamorphism of slate.
Quartzite—Rugged rock made by metamorphism of sandstone.
Schist—Striped rock made by metamorphism of mudstones.
Serpentinite—Green, scaly metamorphosed ocean crust.
Slate—Platy rock made by early metamorphism of shale.
Special Picture Galleries: Metamorphic Rocks, Serpentinites, Slate, Phyllite
OTHER ROCKS
Chondrite Meteorite—The commonest type of space stone.
Fulgurite—Lightning striking sand makes this curious object.
Geodes—These rock-shop lumps have hollow, glittering interiors.
Iron Meteorite—Pieces of the cores of ancient asteroids.
Nakhlite (Mars Meteorite)—A Martian meteorite that fell of 1911.
Shergottite (Mars Meteorite)—A meteorite from the Martian mantle.
Tektite—A meteorite made from Earth's crust by large impacts.
Thunder Egg—Solid, agate-filled lumps found in certain volcanic lands.
Special Picture Galleries: Geodes, Meteorites, Fulgurites, Artificial Rocks
Other picture galleries:
Fossil Pictures
Glaciers and Ice Pictures
Landform Pictures
Mineral Pictures
Geologic Features and Processes Pictures
Geology and Society Pictures
Free Geologic Wallpaper Pictures
