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Petrology () is the branch of that studies rocks, their mineralogy, composition, texture, structure and the conditions under which they form.

(2025). 9780471251774, Wiley.
Petrology has three subdivisions: igneous, , and .
(2025). 9780716737438, Freeman.
Igneous and metamorphic petrology are commonly taught together because both make heavy use of , chemical methods, and phase diagrams. Sedimentary petrology is commonly taught together with because it deals with the processes that form . Modern sedimentary petrology is making increasing use of chemistry.


Background
was once approximately synonymous with , but in current usage, lithology focuses on macroscopic hand-sample or outcrop-scale description of rocks while petrography is the speciality that deals with microscopic details.

In the petroleum industry, lithology, or more specifically , is the graphic representation of geological formations being drilled through and drawn on a log called a mud log. As the cuttings are circulated out of the , they are sampled, examined (typically under a 10× microscope) and tested chemically when needed.


Methodology
Petrology utilizes the fields of , petrography, optical mineralogy, and chemical analysis to describe the composition and texture of rocks. Petrologists also include the principles of and through the study of geochemical trends and cycles and the use of data and experiments in order to better understand the origins of rocks.


Branches
There are three branches of petrology, corresponding to the three types of rocks: , , and , and another dealing with experimental techniques:

  • Igneous petrology focuses on the composition and texture of (rocks such as or which have crystallized from molten rock or ). Igneous rocks include and .
    (2025). 9780321592576, Prentice Hall.
  • Sedimentary petrology focuses on the composition and texture of (rocks such as , , or which consist of pieces or particles derived from other rocks or biological or chemical deposits, and are usually bound together in a matrix of finer material).
  • Metamorphic petrology focuses on the composition and texture of (rocks such as , , , or ) which have undergone chemical, mineralogical or textural changes due to the effects of pressure, temperature, or both). The original rock, prior to change (called the protolith), may be of any sort.
  • Experimental petrology employs high-pressure, high-temperature apparatus to investigate the geochemistry and phase relations of natural or synthetic materials at elevated pressures and temperatures. Experiments are particularly useful for investigating rocks of the lower crust and upper mantle that rarely survive the journey to the surface in pristine condition. They are also one of the prime sources of information about completely inaccessible rocks, such as those in the Earth's and in the mantles of the other terrestrial planets and the . The work of experimental petrologists has laid a foundation on which modern understanding of igneous and metamorphic processes has been built.


See also


Citations

Sources
  • Best, Myron G. (2002), (Blackwell Publishing) .
  • Blatt, Harvey; Tracy, Robert J.; Owens, Brent (2005), (W. H. Freeman) .
  • Dietrich, Richard Vincent; Skinner, Brian J. (2009), Gems, Granites, and Gravels: knowing and using rocks and minerals (Cambridge University Press)
  • Fei, Yingwei; Bertka, Constance M.; Mysen, Bjorn O. (eds.) (1999), Mantle Petrology: field observations and high-pressure experimentation (Houston TX: Geochemical Society) .
  • Philpotts, Anthony; Ague, Jay (2009), Principles of Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology (Cambridge University Press)
  • Robb, L. (2005). Introduction to Ore-Forming Processes (Blackwell Science)
  • (2025). 9781108659550


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