Definition
Rocks derived from other pre-existing rocks that, in the course of geological processes, have undergone mineralogical, chemical, and structural changes in the solid state, in response to the changes in physical and chemical conditions existing at depth.
Formation of Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphism is a process in which pre-existing rocks are transformed into other rocks by increases in temperature and pressure causing changes in the mineral association, texture, and structure. Note that these changes take place in the solid state.
The composition of the rock resulting from a metamorphic process depends essentially on the original composition, the conditions of temperature and pressure, and the presence and activity of fluids. The metamorphic processes range from recrystallization, which involves the increase in size and/or the change in the external form of the original minerals, to metamorphic reactions that result in the development of new minerals in stable equilibrium...
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References
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Del Lama, E.A., de Frascá, M.H.B.O. (2018). Metamorphic Rocks. In: Bobrowsky, P.T., Marker, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Engineering Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73568-9_198
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