rocktexture
Rock texture is the overall appearance and arrangement of mineral grains or crystals within a rock. It includes grain size, shape, boundaries between grains, sorting, and any fabric or layering. Texture reflects the rock’s formation history and is distinct from mineral composition, which defines rock type. Texture can be assessed on hand specimens or in thin sections viewed under a microscope.
Igneous textures record cooling and crystallization. Aphanitic textures have crystals too small to see with the
Sedimentary textures arise from grain size, shape, and how grains are bonded. Clastic textures show transported
Metamorphic textures develop under pressure and temperature during metamorphism. Foliated textures display planar mineral alignment, producing
Texture analysis aids in identifying rock types and inferring formation conditions and history, and is studied