METAMORPHIC ROCKS TEXTURE
SLATY
Finely crystalline rock in which minerals, such as mica, are aligned paralle to one another, which means that the rock splints readlily along the mica cleavage planes (e.g. slate).
SCHISTOSE
Minerals such as mica, chlorite and hornblende are aligned in easily visible parallel bands and, because of their platy alignment, the rock splits easily (e.g. schist).
GNEISSOSE
Characterised by a coarse foliation with individual bands several centimetres across -- indeed, the foliation may wrap aound larger crystals, as in Augen gneiss -- and all the minerals are coarsely granular and readily identifiable (e.g. gneiss).
GRANOBLASTIC
Mainly large mineral grains that have crystallised at the same time, and therefore, penetrate each other, the grains reaming large enough to be identifiesd easily. (e.g. grauwacke or greywacke).
HORNFELS
Compact, finely grained rock that shatters into sharply fragments (e.g. hornfels).
BANDED
Components occur in well-defined bands (e.g. gneiss).
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