Rocks, Minerals

10 and Metals
NCF Competencies Covered:
Expected Learning Outcomes C-4.3, C-6.1, and C-6.2

Knowledge to be gained : • Rocks • Kind of rocks • Minerals • Fossil fuels

Skill to be developed : • Differentiating between different types of rocks.
A tude to be inculcated : • We should use natural resources judiciously.

ROCKS
Rocks are found everywhere on Earth.
They are present in the mountains, under
the soil, underground and on the sea floor.
Most rocks are combinations of one or
more minerals. A mineral is a natural non-
living substance. Some rocks, such as
limestone, contain remains of dead
animals and plants. There are different
ways by which rocks are formed.
Rocks are made up of different minerals
KINDS OF ROCKS
Depending on the nature of their formation, rocks are of three types: igneous, sedimentary
and metamorphic.

1. Igneous Rocks
Igneous rocks are among the oldest types of rocks
found on Earth. Igneous rocks are formed by the
solidification of molten rock material called
magma, which develops underground and emerges
through volcanoes. As it cools, magma solidifies
into rock. These rocks may have a fine or coarse
texture.
Igneous rocks contain minerals like mica, feldspar
and quartz. They also contain silica, iron and
magnesium.
Magma comes out through volcanoes
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 Types of igneous rocks
The type of igneous rock formed depends on:
Ÿ the type of minerals the magma contains, and
Ÿ the rate at which the magma cools down.
Based on these qualities, igneous rocks are of different
types. Let's study some of them:
Granite
(a) Granite: When magma cools below the surface of the
Earth, it forms granite. Granite contains feldspar,
quartz and mica. It is hard and has coarse grains. It is
used in buildings and to make statues.
(b) Basalt: When lava cools just above the surface of the
Earth, it forms dense layers of dark rocks. These are
called basalt. Basalt is used in construction and for Basalt
making statues.
(c) Pumice: It is formed when lava cools down quickly,
trapping lots of gases inside it. It has many holes and
pockets, resembling a sponge in structure. It is very
light weight and is used as a scrubbing stone while
bathing. Also, dentists use it to polish teeth. Pumice

2. Sedimentary Rocks
Sedimentary rocks are formed from the
deposits of sediments. Sediments are small
particles of a substance. Streams and glaciers
flow from mountains to plains and form rivers.
These rivers flow down to the seas. All these
rivers carry bits of rocks, pebbles, sand, mud,
dead animals, plants and soil with them. These
materials settle down at the bottom of rivers,
Sedimentary Rocks lakes and seas in the form of layers.
Over millions of years, these layers get compressed by the weight of upper layers to form
sedimentary rocks. Different minerals help to cement these layers together.
Types of sedimentary rocks
Some of the important types of sedimentary rocks are described below:
(a) Limestone: It is a fine-grained soft and biogenic rock. It largely consists of the mineral
called calcite, which were once part of animal bones and shells. Chalk is a kind of
limestone. Limestone can be grey or white in colour. It is used to make cement, glass,
bricks as well as to separate pure metals from ores.
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 Scientists can find out about ancient animals and plants by studying sedimentary rocks,
because the traces of ancient life, called fossils are found on them.
(b) Sandstone: Sandstone is sand grains cemented together into a rock. It mostly
contains grains of quartz. It can be pink, red, brown or yellow as it takes its colour
from the cementing material. If it contains iron as the cementing mineral, it is
reddish in colour. Sandstone is often used as a building stone; For example, the Red
Fort in Delhi is built with sandstone.
(c) Conglomerate: Conglomerate is made up of rounded pebbles cemented together. The
pebbles are rounded by moving water. Over a long period of time, the pebbles are
cemented together by minerals. Conglomerate can be found in grey or orange colour.
They have rough and uneven texture.
(d) Shale: Shale is made up of clay that has become rock, mainly due to pressure. It consists
of parallel layers that readily split into flat pieces. It is used to make tiles.
(e) Dolomite: It is similar to limestone but it contains magnesium as well.

Limestone Fossil Sandstone

Conglomerate Shale Dolomite

3. Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rock means rock that has changed. Most metamorphic rocks were once
either igneous or sedimentary. Powerful forces like heat and pressure bring about changes
in rocks. In some rocks, the minerals are broken into smaller ones. In others, the minerals
are stretched into flat particles, while in some, the cementing materials are replaced.
Types of metamorphic rocks
Some of the different types of metamorphic rocks are:
(a) Marble: Marble is formed when limestone changes under heat and pressure. It is widely
used in buildings and for making statues. It is because polished marble has a shiny look.
It is white in colour but sometimes it can also have streaks of brown, black, green or grey.
These are due to mineral impurities in the rock.
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 (b) Slate: Slate is formed when shale undergoes metamorphosis. It is fully grained and
readily splits into thin layers. It is used to make blackboards, slates and roofs.
(c) Gneiss: It is formed from granite. Its texture is coarse and has parallel bands due to
mineral impurities. It is light and found in different colours, including grey, pink, black
or red.
(d) Quartzite: It is formed by metamorphic changes in sandstone. Although it is very hard
and unsuitable for using as a building stone due to its hardness, it can be used for
making statues.

Marble Slate Gneiss Quartzite

CHECK YOURSELF
Tick (3) the correct option:
1. The lava solidifies to form ___________________ rocks.
(a) igneous (b) sedimentary (c) metamorphic
2. The Red Fort of Delhi is made up of:
(a) limestone (b) sandstone (c) conglomerate
3. Which of the following is a metamorphic rock?
(a) Granite (b) Marble (c) Shale

MINERALS
Minerals are underground natural resources. These are naturally occurring solid substances
found inside the Earth and are used as resources. Most minerals are obtained through
mining or from quarries and are found in the form of ores. Ores are natural solid materials
that contain minerals. These minerals can be extracted from the ores. Some minerals such
as iron and gold are metals, while others like quartz and calcite are non-metallic.

Metallic Minerals
Ores Metals
The metallic minerals from which metals can be
extracted are called ores. Iron can be extracted from Haema te Iron
iron ores such as haematite. Most of the iron ore is Bauxite Aluminium
used for manufacturing steel. Aluminium is Pyrite Copper
extracted from bauxite, and copper is extracted
from pyrite. Given alongside are a few examples: Calamine Zinc

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Metals are used to make utensils, tools, machines,
vehicles, coins, etc. Wires made from copper or
aluminium are used to supply electricity. Precious
metals like platinum, gold and silver are used for
making jewellery. Precious metals like gold and silver are
used to make jewellery
Non-metallic Minerals
Precious stones such as diamonds, emeralds, rubies, topaz and sapphires are also obtained
from the ground. They are used to make jewellery.
All the minerals that form rocks are natural, non-living things. However, coal and petroleum
are minerals formed from living things. They are obtained from deep inside the Earth's
surface. Coal and petroleum are called fossil fuels.

Sapphire Topaz Ruby

FOSSIL FUELS Fossils are the remains

Do
Coal, petroleum and natural gas are fossil fuels.
Plants and animals that got buried millions of years You ? and traces of ancient
plants and animals that
have been preserved or
ago under the layers of soil and rocks have changed Know
found in sedimentary
into fossil fuels. These changes occur because of the rocks.
heat and pressure found deep inside the earth. Fossils tell us about the vast
number of species that existed
Coal millions of years ago. They also tell
us about the
Coal is formed from the remains of dead plants. When development
the dead plants decay, they form a thick, lumpy brown of various
material called peat. Over time, tonnes of water, mud species during
and sand press the peat and compress it under the the course of
me.
ground. The weight and pressure turn peat into coal.
Coal is obtained from mines and is used as an energy source in households, factories and
thermal power plants. We also get many chemicals from coal that are used in making
different articles like plastics, nylon, drugs and fertilisers, etc.
Coal is formed from the remains of dead plants and is used heavily in thermal power plants

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 Petroleum and Natural Gas
Petroleum is formed from organisms that lived in
water and got buried under the layers of sediments
millions of years ago. The heat and weight of the
rocks pressing on the piles of dead, rotting plants
and animals turn them into liquid oil.
Fuels like petrol, diesel, kerosene and natural gas
are obtained from petroleum. These fuels are used
on a large scale to run vehicles and machines as
We buy petrol from petrol-pumps well as for cooking.
Many kinds of plastics are also made from petroleum. Because of its significance in our life,
petroleum is often referred to as black gold.

Petroleum is used to make many useful products

NEW WORDS
Mineral : a solid inorganic substance of natural occurrence
Fossil fuel : fuels made from organisms burried long ago
Petroleum : a hydrocarbon oil found under rocks that produces fuels like petrol, paraffin, diesel, etc.

SUMMARY
v Rocks are found everywhere on the Earth.
v Granite contains feldspar, quartz and mica.
v Limestone is a fine grained, soft and biogenic rock.
v Marble is widely used in buildings and making of statues.
v Some minerals such as iron and gold are metals.
v Coal and petroleum are called fossil fuels.
v Petroleum is also known as black gold.

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 Exercise
A. Listed below are some rocks. Write I for Igneous, S for Sedimentary and M for
Metamorphic rocks:
1. Slate Pumice Conglomerate Granite
2. Quartzite Gneiss Sandstone Basalt
3. Marble Dolomite Limestone Shale
B. Do the following:
1. Give two examples of igneous rocks.
(i) ______________ (ii) ______________
2. Give two uses of petrol.
(i) ______________ (ii) ______________
3. Name two rocks used for making statues.
(i) ______________ (ii) ______________
4. Give two examples of precious stones.
(i) ______________ (ii) ______________
5. Name two rocks used for making buildings.
(i) ______________ (ii) ______________
C. Write one word for each of the following:
1. A hard igneous rock that is used to make buildings. _____________
2. A sedimentary rock made from grains of sand. _____________
3. Granite metamorphosises to form into this rock. _____________
4. Limestone metamorphosises to form this rock. _____________
5. A sedimentary rock formed from shells and bones of animals. _____________
6. Molten rock found inside the Earth. _____________
D. Answer the following questions:
1. How are metamorphic rocks formed?
2. What is an ore?
3. What are fossils?
4. What is magma?

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 E. Select the best alternative for each of the following:
1. Which of the following is the oldest form of rock?
(i) Sedimentary rock (ii) Igneous rock
(iii) Metamorphic rock (iv) None of these
2. Chalk is a kind of ________________.
(i) sandstone (ii) shale
(iii) limestone (iv) conglomerate
3. When limestone changes under heat and pressure then which type of rock is
formed?
(i) Gneiss (ii) Sandstone
(iii) Marble (iv) Basalt
4. By metamorphosis of the remains of plants under the earth, this mineral is
formed?
(i) Slate (ii) Coal
(iii) Granite (iv) Marble
F. Fill in the blanks:
1. Minerals are mostly found in the form of ________________.
2. Metals occur in rocks in the form of their ________________.
3. Rocks contain ________________.
4. Coal is formed from the ________________ matter.
5. Petroleum is formed from the remains of _____________ and _____________.
G. True or False:
1. Granite contains feldspar, quartz and mica. _________
2. Basalt is a sedimentary rock. _________
3. Conglomerate has a rough texture. _________
4. Precious stones are found in rocks. _________
5. Fossils are the remains of ancient rocks. _________
H. Answer the following questions in your own words:
1. What are rocks? How many kinds of rocks are there?
2. How are sedimentary rocks formed? Name three types of sedimentary rocks.
3. Name the important minerals found in rocks.
4. What are metamorphic rocks? Give two examples.
5. How is coal formed? How is it useful to us?
6. What are fossils? Mention their importance to us.
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 Activity Time
A. Collect information about the coal mines and petroleum wells in India. List down
the uses of fuels in your house. Talk to other students in your class and make a tally
chart of your findings with the help of your teacher.
B. Form a group of three to four students and collect different types of rocks. Try to
identify them. Put them in a box and label them.
C. Discuss in class How rocks and minerals are connected with our daily life?
D. Find out which fuels are most popular and why? NCF C-6.1

NCF C-6.2
Let Us Visit
You must have seen many petrol pumps
along highways or other important roads.
You must have visited many petrol pumps
with your parents to refill your family car or
two-wheeler.
Next time, when you visit a petrol pump, find
out the following information:
Ÿ Types of fuels available on the petrol
pump.
Ÿ How do they get fuels from a refinery?
Ÿ Where do they store the fuels?
Also, find the prices of petrol and diesel on that day. Next time, when you visit the petrol
pump, find out prices again and compare them. What do you find? Prices have increased or
do they remain the same or have they decreased?

Be a Young
Researcher
Look around your house and find out all the things made of rocks, minerals and metals.
Make a list and write the original material used to make them.
A few examples are marble flooring, tiles, mirrors, jewellery, scrubbing stone, knife,
utensils, etc.

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 Subject Link : Social Science
Match
Matchthe
themonuments
monumentswith
withthe
thebuilding
building materials.

Column A Column B

1. Taj Mahal (Agra) a. Granite

2. Humanyun's Tomb (Delhi) b. Quartzite stone

Brihadeshwara Temple
3. c. White marble
(Tamil Nadu)

4. Jantar Mantar (Delhi) d. Red sandstone

5. Khooni Darwaja (Delhi) e. Shale (sedimentary rock)

FOOTNOTE
The objective of this lesson is to make the children aware about the process of formation of rocks and the uses of
different types of rocks.
Bring a candle and a matchbox to the class. Use molten and subsequently cooled wax to demonstrate how lava forms
igneous rocks.
Bring samples of different types of rock to the class. Some rocks such as granite, marble, coal, etc. are easily available.
Let the students carefully observe and feel the different types of rocks. Also show them rock types from their immediate
environment–the rocks used in the school building, the benches in the school, if they are made of rock, etc.

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