GEOL 1011: Introduction to Geoscience 1

Assignment 1: Introduction, Minerals, Igneous

Rocks, and Volcanism (10%)
This assignment is worth 10% of your total course mark. There are 100 points available
overall. Complete all parts of this assignment by responding to each question in the space
provided.
Please type your answers directly into this document, and submit the assignment to your
Open Learning Faculty Member for grading when you are finished. Do not remove the
questions, or the number of points for each question, from the document.
This assignment includes a field exercise for which you are expected to collect and
describe an intrusive igneous rock. You have the option of mailing a piece of the rock to
your Open Learning Faculty Member or sending a high-quality photograph. If you
choose the mail option, please also print out the assignment and mail everything together.
Please remember to reference concepts that you get from outside sources. Concepts from
the textbook and course units do not need to be referenced, but images, tables, or copied
fragments of text longer than a few words from any source need to have in-text citations
and references. Refer to the “TRU Citation Guides” for citing references in your
assignments. If you’re not sure about what you need to reference, please see Student
Academic Integrity and refer specifically to the plagiarism section (VI, 4).

Part A: Short-Answer Questions (20 points in total)

Answer the following questions as
succinctly as you can. None of your answers
should be more than a couple of sentences
(100 words or less). Please type your
answers into the grey boxes.
1. On the diagram to the right, draw the
boundaries between the crust and the
mantle, and the mantle and the core
in their (approximate) correct
proportions, and label the crust
mantle and core. (2 points) (You
could use the “Insert > Shapes”
tool of Word to do this, or else draw
it by hand and take a photo and then
insert it into your document.)
2. What is the lithosphere, and what
role or importance does it play in
plate tectonics? (2 points)

The crust and the outermost hard mantle make up the lithosphere. the lithosphere,
which is accountable of all twenty tectonic plate movements.

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2 Assignment 1: Introduction, Minerals, Igneous Rocks, and Volcanism

3. Primates have existed for about 55 million years. What does that time period
represent as a percentage of geological time? (1 point)
55 million years is approximately 0.01% of the total geological time scale.
4. Name the mineral group for the following minerals: dolomite, serpentine,
corundum, and sylvite. (2 points)
1Dolomite > carbonate
2- Serpentine > silicate
3- Corundum > oxide
4- Sylvite > halide

5. What is the net charge on the silica tetrahedra part of the mineral pyroxene?
(2 points)
Three oxygen (-2 charge) to one silicon (+4 charge) = -2 charge.

6. Explain the difference between cleavage and fracture in minerals. (2 points)

Cleavage when a mineral is hit with a hammer, it will cleave, breaking precisely on
an interior plane.
- A fracture is an unclean break in the mineral caused by breaks at a random spot.

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GEOL 1011: Introduction to Geoscience 3

7. When a rock is subjected to partial melting, what is the likely compositional

difference between the original rock and the magma produced? Explain why this
is the case. (3 points)
Compared to the rock that is melting, the magma always contains a larger
percentage of silicon and a lower amount of iron and magnesium. This occurs as a
result of the surrounding rock's more silica-rich sections melting more readily,
which raises the magma's silica content and increases its viscosity.
8. What is the name for an extrusive igneous rock with 60% plagioclase, 25%
amphibole, and 15% pyroxene? What is the name for its intrusive equivalent? (2
points)
1- Intermediate rock 2- Diorite
9. Magma composition has implications for its viscosity. What implications do
differences in viscosity have for volcanic eruption styles? (2 points)
A volcano becomes more explosive when its magma becomes more
viscous because less gas is emitted and greater pressure builds up inside.
10. Explain how we can use GPS or tiltmeter information to determine the potential
for a volcano to erupt. (2 points)
They both assist in determining the direction of a volcano's expansion or
contraction: 1. Tiltmeter: a three-dimensional level that detects and sense
tiny changes in the ground's tilt at a particular spot. 2. GPS: Since it
indicates the actual movement of the ground, it is more accurate than a
tiltmeter.

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4 Assignment 1: Introduction, Minerals, Igneous Rocks, and Volcanism

Part B: Exercises (50 points in total)

B1: Making halite crystals (10 points)
Place about one-half teaspoon (~2.5 cm3) of any kind of table salt into a small bowl. Add
about 2 teaspoons (~10 mL) of boiling water and swirl it around for a few minutes until
all or almost all of the salt has dissolved. (Please be careful not to splash yourself with the
hot water.) Place the bowl in a safe place (windowsill, bookshelf), and check back every
24 hours to see what has happened. Each time, describe the crystals in terms of size range
(in mm), shapes, colour, and any other details that you think are important.
When all of the water has evaporated, take a photograph or make a sketch of the results
and include that with your assignment. If you take a photo, it might look a little like the
one below, although this is Himalayan rock salt that also has some iron-oxide minerals.
These crystals are up to about 2 mm across.

Figure A1-1. Himalayan rock salt. © Steven Earle. Used with permission.
First 24 hours: The salt crystals are mushy, whitish, irregularly shaped, and small
in size.
Second 24 hours: As the water evaporates, the salt crystals are getting bigger. They
are starting to look like squares.

B2: Collect and describe a sample of intrusive igneous rock (30 points)
This exercise involves fieldwork to collect a rock sample and some follow-up research at
home. You may think it will not be possible for you to complete this exercise where you

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live, but rest assured, you can find good examples of intrusive igneous rocks almost
anywhere, except at the bottom of the ocean. If you’re stuck, please ask your Open
Learning Faculty Member for some help.
Collect a sample of igneous intrusive rock from an outcrop, stream bed, beach, or other
suitable location. Your rock should have visible and identifiable crystals, including feldspar,
and probably quartz, amphibole, or mica. Granite and diorite are good examples. The rock
shown in the centre of the image below is an example of granite.

Figure A1-2. Granite. © Steven Earle. Used with permission.

Describe the sample site.
Describe where you found the sample (e.g., name of river, beach, road, nearest town, etc.)
and briefly describe the sample location. Was the sample collected from a stream bed,
beach, forest trail, gravel pit, or someone’s driveway? Was it a loose pebble or boulder
lying on the ground, or was it part of the solid rock of an outcrop? Include a sketch or
photograph(s) of the sample site with a measure of scale such as a notebook, hammer, or
person; and where the sample site is located. It’s very important to show some context in
your photo (like the left-hand photo below) or sketch, so your Open Learning Faculty
Member can understand the setting. Also, don’t forget to mark on your context photo or
sketch where you actually found the sample. (5 points)
The sample was collected from the riverside of Windsor in Ontario, Canada.
This area features a freshwater environment. The riverbank comprises a
pebble beach with loose rocks and minimal sand. The specific rock found
was loosely situated and shows prior fracturing on one side. It measures
approximately 7 cm by 5 cm.

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Figure A1-3. Example sample site. © Steven Earle. Used with permission.
To mark the next few questions, your Open Learning Faculty Member is going to need to
see what the rock looks like. You have two options. One would be to take two good, clear
photographs and insert those into your assignment. You can choose this option if you
know how to take good photos. Remember that strong light (preferably direct sunlight)
will give you the best results. Please break your rock1 so that one of your photos shows a
fresh (unweathered) surface. Include something (such as a coin) in the photos to show the
scale.
The other option is to send part of your sample (about 2 × 2 × 1 cm) by mail to your
Open Learning Faculty Member. If you have doubts about your ability to take a good
photo, it’s best to send the sample. You will likely lose marks if your Open Learning
Faculty Member is unable to evaluate your answers due to an unclear photo. Keep a piece
of the sample for yourself, so you can understand the comments from your Open
Learning Faculty Member.
Describe the sample texture and composition.
Describe the overall appearance (colour, texture), range of crystal sizes (in mm), general
shapes of the crystals, and any other structures. You may find that the crystals of one of
the minerals are generally larger or differently shaped than the others, and if so, make a
note of that. Test its strength and hardness by scratching with a knife. (The Mohs
hardness scale doesn’t apply to rocks—only to minerals—but you can describe rocks as
being soft, hard, very hard, etc.) (6 points)
 The rock collected from the riverside of Windsor, Ontario, Canada exhibits
a distinctive appearance with a primarily white coloration, accented by
scattered dark dots resembling crystals. Its texture is granular and fine-
grained overall, with a few coarser grains interspersed throughout. This
rock is likely composed of limestone, a common sedimentary rock in the
Windsor area formed from ancient marine sediments.

1
You’ll need a heavy hammer to break a rock like granite. Please wear eye
protection.

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8 Assignment 1: Introduction, Minerals, Igneous Rocks, and Volcanism

 The size of the crystals in the rock varies, but the majority have fine grains
and are less than 1 mm in diameter. The darker specks have an uneven form
and are slightly bigger, measuring about 2-3 mm, much like crystals.
 • The strength and hardness of the rock show a moderate level of resistance.
Using a knife to scrape it demonstrates that although it is difficult to
scratch, it can crack or chip under heavy pressure. This hardness is
characteristic of limestone, which is well-known for its resilience to
weathering and erosion. As a result, limestone is a common element in
Windsor's riverbank geological composition.
Overall, the granular texture and white tint with dark dots on the rock are
typical of the limestone found near rivers in Windsor, Ontario. It displays
characteristics common to sedimentary rocks, such as a range of crystal
sizes and a moderate degree of hardness, and offers information on the
region's geological history and composition.
Identify the minerals in the sample and estimate of their percentage
proportions.
This task may seem almost impossible at first, but if you work at it systematically, it
won’t be that difficult. Using Figure 3.4.2 of your textbook as a guide, estimate the
proportion of dark minerals. If the dark minerals are flaky, they are likely biotite; if they
are more prismatic (long and thin), they are likely amphibole. (Both could be present.)
Feldspar tends to be dull white, whereas quartz is typically glassy. Try estimating the
quartz content next (using Figure 3.4.2 again). In most cases, everything else should be
feldspar. If some of the feldspar is pink, it’s likely to be potassium feldspar, and the rest
is likely plagioclase, but you don’t have to try to distinguish the two. The percentage
proportions must add up to 100. (10 points)
 Dark Minerals (likely biotite or amphibole): 10%
 Quartz: 30%
 Feldspar (including both potassium feldspar and plagioclase): 60%
Provide a rock name for your sample.
In other words, what type of rock is it? (3 points)
 The overall appearance suggests it is a granitic rock.

Briefly outline the geological history of your rock.

Briefly describe how you think your rock originally formed, and in what geological
setting. If it wasn’t part of an outcrop, it could have come from hundreds of kilometres
away. Describe how you think it got to where you collected it. (6 points)
The rock, which has been identified as granite, most likely originated from a process
involving the solidification of lava deep under the Earth's crust. As an intrusive
igneous rock, granite is created when magma crystallizes beneath the surface of the

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Earth. Long periods of time are needed for this process to take place, allowing minerals
like quartz, biotite or amphibole, feldspar (both potassium and plagioclase), and
feldspar to crystallize and interlock into the apparent phaneritic texture.

Granite forms under high temperatures and pressures deep within the crust. It begins as
molten magma that rises from the mantle and intrudes into existing rocks. As the
magma cools slowly underground, minerals crystallize and grow, forming the
characteristic interlocking texture of granite. The presence of quartz, feldspar, and dark
minerals in the sample aligns with the mineral composition typical of granite.

The granite sample may have been revealed by weathering and erosion, which
progressively lifted it from its original deep-seated location. Tectonic movements,
erosion, and uplift are some of the geological processes that have likely moved the
rock closer to the Earth's surface throughout time. From its initial source area hundreds
of kilometers away from its original formation site, it may have been carried by rivers
or glaciers to the collection location. It was eventually deposited by natural processes
in the Windsor, Ontario, Canada, riverbank area where it was discovered.

B3: Understanding the Mt. Polley area geological map (10 points)
You have been provided with a copy of the geological map of the area around Mt. Polley in
central British Columbia (Geoscience Map 2007-1: Regional Geology of the Mount Polley
Area, central British Columbia. Copyright © Province of British Columbia. All rights
reserved. Reproduced with permission of the Province of British Columbia). (Mt. Polley is
about 75 km SE of Quesnel and 60 km NE of Williams Lake.) The following questions are
based on information in the map legend and on the map itself. You don’t need to look
elsewhere for the answers to these questions, but it will help if you’ve read the assigned parts
of the text, and you may need to look up some of the terms you encounter.
Many of the answers to these questions can be found in the map legend. It’s important to be
aware that the legend is divided into two parts, with intrusive igneous rocks in the top part
and layered (sedimentary, volcanic, and metamorphic) rocks in the bottom part. Within each
part the units are arranged by age, with the youngest at the top.
A short video is available to help you understand how to work with the Mt. Polley Map.
You can access the video here, or via Moodle.
1. What is the unit code and rock-type name for an Early Jurassic intrusive igneous
rock in this area, and what does that name tell you about its mineral composition?
(2 points)
EJ mz. it is a Hornblende quartz porphytic monzonite
2. On the scale of mafic-intermediate-felsic, how does the rock in question 1
compare with the Lower Triassic unit LT MPd? (2 points)
LT MPd is the biotite-pyroxene diorite which is an intermediate rock. The EJ mz is a
felsic rock.
3. Volcanic rocks are listed in the legend along with the sedimentary rocks under
“Layered Rocks.” Provide the rock-type names and unit codes (e.g., “LT MPd”)
for two different volcanic units—one from the Pleistocene, Eocene, or Miocene,
and one from the late Triassic. (3 points)

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10 Assignment 1: Introduction, Minerals, Igneous Rocks, and Volcanism

1. E Kcv – undivided calcalkine volcanic rocks such as basalt.

2. LT Nu – undivided mafic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks such as slate.
4. The rock unit EJt is described as a “latite tuff.” What does that name tell you
about its texture and geological origins? Describe where this rock is located on
the map. (3 points)
Volcanic ash forms the light-colored, porous rock known as tuff. On the map, it is
highlighted in yellow. It goes southwesterly just north and between Bootjack Lakes,
slightly north of Polley Lake. roughly 58 100 meters by 590 000 meters.

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Part C: Longer Questions (30 points in total)

Please answer the following questions. Write as much as you think is necessary to answer
each question, but don’t forget that someone has to read what you write, so be as concise
and clear as possible. You do not need to reference the textbook or the material in the
course units, but if you use any outside sources, provide in-text citations. Use any
referencing style that you are comfortable with.
1. Most magmas that form the igneous rocks that we see at surface originate from
partial melting of mantle rock, and then move up into the crust, sometimes
remaining within a magma chamber in the crust until entirely cooled. Magma can
change quite significantly while present in a crustal magma chamber. Describe
some of the processes that can occur within a magma chamber that lead to those
changes, and explain how the resulting magma might differ from the original
mantle melt. (15 points)
The silicarich minerals, including feldspar and quartz, are favored by the partial
melting of the surrounding rock around the magma chamber. This increases the silica
content of the magma and makes it more felsic. Because of this, felsic magmas
typically contain a higher proportion of trapped gasses within the magma and a higher
viscosity due to the high silica content.
2. Two common types of volcanoes are shield volcanoes and composite volcanoes.
Compare these two types by focussing on plate tectonic setting, shape and size,
compositions of magma, and variations in eruption style and frequency. Give an
example of each type of volcano. You can use the following table if you wish. (15
points)
Feature Shield volcanoes Composite volcanoes
Plate tectonic mantle plumes or They appear at subduction zones
setting spreading ridges.
Shape and size large and not steep, up medium sized and of
to 10% grade moderate steepness, 10 to 30%
grade
Magma mafic composition varies
composition from felsic to mafic
Typical They are effusive, although Their eruption styles vary from
eruption styles cinder cones are common on the explosive to effusive
sides of these volcanoes
Typical The frequency of eruption Composite volcanoes are active
eruption ranges from a decade to a
over long period of time and
frequency century
erupt periodically (from tens to
hundreds of thousands of years)

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Examples Mount Everest Himalayas

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