Lab 2c- Evidence of recrystallisation in naturally deformed rocks.

VIEPS/Mainz Microstructure Course  
| TOC | Lecture 1 2 3 4 a b  5 a b | Lab 1 a b c 2 a b c 3 a b 4 a b 5 a b | Glossary Table 1 2 3 4 5 Index |

Serrated Grain Boundary Formation.

Pictured below is a natural example of a serrated quartz grain boundary. Serrated grain boundaries can form by the local migration of the boundary in opposite directions. The same microstructure could also form by the migration of the boundary in one direction only, but at different velocities.

Fig 05

In this lab we shall re-examine the quartzite from the first lab in terms of its place in a sequence of progressive deformation. ie the deformation geometry and metamorphic conditions are stable, but the microstructure evolves as different processes dominate.


7/1A or M1 [5 or 3] This is the same sample we saw in the first lab. This time look at it in terms of the sequence that follows.


7/1B or M2 [5 or 6] Same rock, more strain. The ratio of new recrystallised (small) grains to old grains has changed, and many large grains are no longer in contact with each other, at least in 2D.


7/1C or M3 [3 or 4] Same rock, even more strain. The average grain size in this sample is now much smaller than M1 or M2. .


7/1D or M4 [5 or 9] Same rock, more strain than a grain can stand. Is the grain size now uniform in this rock, if not why might it not be.


73-1307 Cooma Quartzite [9] In this quartzite the microstructure is markedly different from the previous suite of rocks, and this is in part due to the higher temperature during deformation.