Rock Cycle Figure

The Rock Cycle

ROCKS ARE CONTINUALLY BEING RECYCLED on and inside the Earth through erosion, deposition, burial, and mountain building. Together, they form the rock-cycle - a process that takes hundreds of millions of years.

Geologists divide rocks into three main groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.

Igneous rocks form when molten magma cools and solidifies, either within or on the surface of the Earth. Typical examples include granite and basalt.

Sedimentary rocks form when older rocks are eroded and deposited either on land or in the sea. Limestone and sandstone are common sedimentary rocks.

Metamorphic rocks are older igneous or sedimentary rocks that have been changed into new rocks by heat and pressure deep inside the Earth. Marble and slate are well known metamorphic rocks.

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granite
limestone
slate

Granite

Slate

Limestone

The Rock Cycle - The diagram shows how rocks are recycled on and in the Earth

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Photographs: Ben Barden www.benbarden.co.uk; Aggregate Industries www.aggregateindustries.com
Geologist: Eric Johnson BSc, PhD, FGS, CGeol. Formerly British Geological Survey
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