A Simple Classification of Volcanic Rocks E. A. K. MIDDLEMOST* Summary There is a considerable volume of information on the abundance, distribu- tion and chemical composition of volcanic rocks. In this paper an attempt is made to use these data to construct a simple chemical classification of the volcanic rocks. Silica content is used to divide the rocks into seven major classes; and the major classes are then subdivided using soda, potash, alumina and lime. Introduction At the present time there is a reawakening of interest in the problem of the classification of igneous rocks (STRECr~ISEN, 1965, 1967; IRVINE and BARAaAR, 1971). Much of this interest has been generated by attempts to use electronic computers to store and manip- ulate large volumes of petrological data (CHAYES, 1969b; HUBAUX, 1969; HARRISON and SABINE, 1970). It has also been shown that it is not possible to devise a single comprehensive classification of igneous rocks that can be used in both the fields of petrography and petro- genesis (MIDDLEMOST, 1971). Petrographic classifications are essentially concerned with producing a systematic framework that provides compartments into which rocks can be placed (i.e. JOHANNSEN, 1931). The needs of petrogenesis are different, as this branch of petrology is constantly searching for ways in which to adapt our vocabulary of rock names so that the language we use is able to change in response to new discoveries, or new ways of interpreting old discoveries. * Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia. I -- 383 There is a large store of information on the abundance, composi- tion and distribution of igneous rocks. If one examines these data one discovers that the volcanic rocks form an essentially coherent group of rocks and that their classification poses some unique problems. The main problem is that one is unable to determine the modal composition of the many volcanic rocks that are wholly, or partly, composed of glass or cryptocrystalline materials. It would thus seem that any meaningful classification of volcanic rocks should be based on a chemical, or quasi-chemical (CROSS et al., 1902; NIGGLI, 1936), system of clasification, or a combination of both these systems of classifications (IRVINE and BARAGAR, 1971). The main disadvantages of these systems of classification is that (1) they generally require considerable preliminary calculation, and (2) they often use theoretical, and in part arbitrary, normative minerals. If one investigates the abundance of volcanic rocks (DALY, 1933, p. 36; WEnEPOHL, 1969, p. 246) one discovers that there are only three common volcanic rocks. These rocks arc basalt, andesite and rhyolite. One also finds that there is a considerable amount of chemical infor- mation on these three rock types (WALKER and POLDERVAART, 1949; NOCKOLDS, 1954; AIIRENS. 1964; MANSON, I967 ; MACDONALD, 1968; MELSON et al., 1968; CHAVES, 1969a). If however, one examines the abundance, composition and distribution of the many less abundant volcanic rock types one soon realizes that form a ,~ ...disorderly rabble of narnes ,, (SH.~D, 1950, p. 207). § 1. Seven Classes of Volcanic Rocks In the past a large number of different criteria have been used in the chemical and/or quasi-chemical classification of igneous rocks. The two criteria that seem to have been used the most are: (1) silica content (LoEWINCSON-LESSIN~, 1890, p. 329; RrCHARDSON and SN~ESBV, 1922; MmENS, 1964), and (2) the ,, degree of alkalinity >~ (PEACOCK, 1931; RITTMANN, 1962; MACDONALD, 1968, p. 514; WRIGH'r, 1969). If one investigates the silica content of the three most common volcanic rocks one finds that the average basalt contains 49.2 % silica with a standard deviation of 3.2 % (M~\NSON, !967, p. 236); the average" andesite contains 58.2 % silica with a standard deviation of 4.1% (CHAYES, 1969a, p. 3); and the average rhyolite contains 73.0 % silica -- 384 -- Na=O + K2 0 o 5 lO 1510 REMARKS ! NON SILICATE CLASS 20 20 MEIMECNITIC CLASS 30 38 40 Si02 Accumulaa~l ANEPIC CLASS ® 6 4-5 _ . Trachybasaff [ AIKalIC L__ e High alumina _ Subalkalic Basall" le ~,., basaff more Basaff I-ban f6 % 50AI~ 03 " ---]BASALTIC CLASS 535 Ic¢landiF¢ Andzsil'z mon~ or" or I "°/'/e~ I-han 16.5 AI2 03 AndcsiF¢ 60 62 DACITIC CLASS i 70 ?0 RHYOLITIC CLASS Nigh fim¢ rhyolite .o, mor¢ I'h~n I L, CaO ...... , ,~ , , , , , -- 385 -- with a standard deviation of 3.3 % (AHREr~S, 1964, p. 275). It would thus seem that the percentage of silica that can be used to distinguish between basalts and andesites lies betwenn 52.4 % (49.2 + 3.2) and 54.1% (58.2- 4.1); and for the purposes of this study the limiting silica value will be taken as 53.5 %. From the data available on the abundance of silica in rhyolites and andesites it would seem that there is a hiatus between these two common rock types. However, in those suites of rocks that contain both andesites and rhyolites there usually are rocks that contain between 62 % and 69 % silica; and these rocks are generally called dacites. CHAYES (1969b, p. 177-179) has made a study of the abundance of silica in andesites and dacites, and he has shown that approximately 62 % silica is the most suitable limiting figure to divide the andesites from the dacites. If one compares the silica frequency distribution diagrams for dacites (CHAYZS, 1969b, p. ~79) and rhyolites (AimExs, 1964, p. 276), one finds that whilst these diagrams overlap, one is able to separate the two groups by selecting 70 % silica as the limiting figure. If one studies MANSON'S (1967, pp. 226-227) mean values for the different basaltic rock groups one finds that all, but one, of these groups contains 45.8 %, or more, silica. The exception to this rule is ( FtG. 1 - Alkali: silica diagram that illustrates the classilication proposed in this paper. Average Carbonatite (Ht~tNrtctt, 1966, p. 2221 2= Meimechite (kimberlitc) (CorrE,xs, 1969, p. 4431 3= Average Katungite (HOLMES, 1950, p. 7841 4 = Average Olivh~e Melilitite (NocKoLDS, 1954, p. 1029) 5 = Average Nephelinite (Ibid., p. 1028) 6 --. Average ljolite (Ibid., p. 1028) 7 = Average (Karroo) Picrite (WaI.KER and PoLuErvaar'r, 1949, p. 648) 8 = Avelage Alkalic Ankaramite (MAc0oY,xlJ), 1968, p. 5021 9 - Average Trachybasalt (BaKEr et al., 1964, p. 531) 10 -- Average Leucitite (NocKOI_DS, 1954, p. 1031) 11 = At~erage Hawaiite (Macl]oN,~.I~, 1968, p. 502) t2 = Average Olivine AIkalic Basah (MA'~SON, ]967, p. 226) 13 - Average Tholeiitic Basalt /rom Hawaii (MacI~OX.~d.D, 1968, p. 502) 14 = Average High-ahtmina Basalt (Kuxo, 1960, p. 141) 15 - Average Tristanite (BaKEr et al., 1964, p. 5311 16 = Average Phonolite (Nc~cKOLOS, 1954, p. 1024) 17 = Average Benmoreite (M:~cu~NALO, 1968, p. 502) 18 = Average Icelandite (JAKES and WHFrG 1971, p. 226) 19 = Average Andesite (CH,xws, 1969a, p. 3) 20= Average Trachyte (Mact~i)NCxt.u, 1968, p. 502) 21= Calc-alkalitte Daeite (JAKt:S and WHFrI~, 1971, p. 226) 22 = Average Calc-alkaline Rhyolite (NoCKOLDS, 1954, p. 1012) 23= Average Alkali Rhyolite (Ibid., p. I012). -- 386 -- Ieucite basalt and it has a mean silica content of 41.7 %. MANSON (1967, pp. 246-247) claims that whilst the major element chemistry of all the other groups of basaltic rocks is gradational in character, the Ieucite basalts form a chemicalIy discrete group. The most significant differences between the leucite basalts and the main body of basaltic rocks is that the former contain significantly less alumina and more magnesia than the latter. The leucite basalts share this chemical characteristic with the other volcanic rocks (i.e. picrite, olivine leu- citite and ankaramite) that have mean silica contents in the range 40 % -45 %; and because of this the leucite basalts will be considered to be a part of the low-silica (anepic) group of rocks, and not of the basaltic group of rocks. The average basalt (MANSON, 1967, p. 236) contains 49.2 % silica and it has a standard deviation of 3.2 %. If one considers the more detailed data on the chemistry of the different groups of basaltic rocks that make up this mean value (MANSON, 1967, pp. 226-227) one discov- ers that the silica content of the alkalic basalts, and more particularly the nepheline basalts (mean SiO2 -- 45.8 %, standard deviation 2.2 %), grades into the silica range of the picrites (mean SiO2 = 43.5 %: WALKER and POLDERVAART, 1949, p. 648), olivine leucitites (mean SiO2~43.5%: NOCKOLDS, 1954, p. 1031) and ankaramites (mean SiO2 = 43.6: MACDONALD, 1968, p. 502). After taking into account the range in silica values found in the rocks designated picrites, olivine leucitites and ankaramites it was decided to use 45 % silica as the limiting figure to divide the basaltic group from the picrite-olivine leucitite-ankaramite group of rocks. It is pleasing to record that this limiting figure of 45 % silica coincides with the generally accepted boundary between the socalled basic and ultrabasic rocks (HOLMES, 1929; WYLLLE, 1967, p. 1). If one studies the chemical composition of the volcanic rocks that contain less than 45 % silica one finds that the rocks that contain less than 20 % silica, such as the carbonatites (D-'AWSON, 1962a; HEINRICH, 1966, p. 222) and lacoites (or magnetite lavas: PARK, 1961; HAGGERTY, 1969), are all derived from essentially non-silicate melts; thus these rocks can be regarded as , non-silicate volcanic rocks ,,. The only relatively common volcanic rocks that contain less than 45 % silica are the picrites (WALKER and POLDERVAART, 1949, p. 648; DREVER and JOHNSTON, 1967, p. 57), ankaramites (MACDONALD, 1968, p. 502) and nephelinites (NoCKOLDS, 1954, p. 1028). As these rocks normally contain more than 38 % silica, it is proposed to call the rocks that -- 387 -- contain between 38 % and 45 % silica the, anepic ,, group of volcanic rocks.