Metamorphized Carbonates

Marble

A metamorphic rock predominantly composed of carbonate minerals, usually calcite and/or dolomite.

Calc-silicate rock

A type of rock where carbonate is subordinate and is primarily made of Ca-Mg-Fe-Al silicate minerals.

Metasomatism

A process involving the chemical alteration of a rock by hydrothermal and other fluids.

Protolith

The original rock from which a metamorphic rock forms, typically limestone or dolostone in the case of marbles.

Decarbonation

The process of breaking down carbonates, releasing carbon dioxide.

Devolatilization

Reactions that result in the loss of volatiles, such as water or carbon dioxide, from a rock during metamorphism.

Le Châtelier’s principle

A principle stating that if an external change is applied to a system at equilibrium, the system adjusts to counteract that change.

Coarse mineral assemblage

A collection of minerals found in metamorphosed siliceous dolomites, important for identifying metamorphic conditions.

T-X Diagram

A diagram that shows the relationships between temperature (T) and the composition of fluids (X), often used in metamorphism studies.

Skarn

A metamorphic rock that forms at the contact area around igneous intrusions when carbonates are infiltrated by water, featuring calc-silicate minerals.

Fluids in Metamorphism

Waters or gases that infiltrate rocks, altering the chemical equilibrium and facilitating metamorphic reactions.

Dolomite

A carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate, often involved in metamorphic reactions.

Minimal fluid to rock ratio

The calculated minimum ratio of the volume of fluid to the volume of rock during fluid infiltration processes.

Phase diagram

A graphical representation of the physical states of a substance under varying conditions of temperature and pressure.

Mixed Volatile Reactions

Metamorphic reactions that involve multiple volatile components, typically H2O and CO2.

H2O fugacity (ƒH2O)

The chemical potential of water in a system, affecting the reactions and states of the minerals present.

Internally Buffered Fluids

Fluids in a geological setting that maintain a consistent composition due to equilibrium reactions.

Muscovite

A phyllosilicate mineral used in various metamorphic reactions, known for its layered structure.

Wollastonite

A calc-silicate mineral formed through reactions involving calcite and quartz, often found in skarns.

P-T diagram

A plot representing the relationship between pressure (P) and temperature (T), used to study metamorphic processes.