A QAPF diagram is a double

ternary Ternary (from Latin ''ternarius'') or trinary is an adjective meaning "composed of three items". It can refer to: Mathematics and logic * Ternary numeral system, a base-3 counting system ** Balanced ternary, a positional numeral system, useful ...

diagram A diagram is a symbolic representation of information using visualization techniques. Diagrams have been used since prehistoric times on walls of caves, but became more prevalent during the Enlightenment. Sometimes, the technique uses a three- ...

which is used to classify

igneous rock Igneous rock (derived from the Latin word ''ignis'' meaning fire), or magmatic rock, is one of the three main The three types of rocks, rock types, the others being Sedimentary rock, sedimentary and metamorphic rock, metamorphic. Igneous rock ...

s based on mineralogic composition. The

acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...

QAPF stands for "

Quartz Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica (silicon dioxide). The atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall chemical form ...

, Alkali feldspar,

Plagioclase Plagioclase is a series of tectosilicate (framework silicate) minerals within the feldspar group. Rather than referring to a particular mineral with a specific chemical composition, plagioclase is a continuous solid solution series, more pro ...

Feldspathoid The feldspathoids are a group of tectosilicate minerals which resemble feldspars but have a different structure and much lower silica content. They occur in rare and unusual types of igneous rocks, and are usually not found in rocks containing prim ...

(Foid)". These are the

mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2 ...

groups used for classification in QAPF diagram. Q, A, P and F percentages are normalized (recalculated so that their sum is 100%).

Origin

QAPF diagrams were created by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS): ''Subcommission on the Systematics of Igneous Rocks'' fostered by

Albert Streckeisen Albert Streckeisen (8 November 1901 – 29 September 1998) was a Swiss petrographer and petrologist, the son of Basel forensic scientist Adolf Streckeisen. Biography He studied geology, mineralogy and petrology in Basel, Zürich and Berne. He su ...

(whence their alternative name: Streckeisen diagrams). Geologists worldwide accept the diagrams as a classification of igneous, especially plutonic rocks.

Usage

QAPF diagrams are mostly used to classify

plutonic rocks Intrusive rock is formed when magma penetrates existing rock, crystallizes, and solidifies underground to form '' intrusions'', such as batholiths, dikes, sills, laccoliths, and volcanic necks.Intrusive RocksIntrusive rocks accessdate: March ...

(

phaneritic A phanerite is an igneous rock whose microstructure is made up of crystals large enough to be distinguished with the unaided human eye. In contrast, the crystals in an aphanitic rock are too fine-grained to be identifiable. Phaneritic texture fo ...

rocks), but are also used to classify

volcanic rock Volcanic rock (often shortened to volcanics in scientific contexts) is a rock formed from lava erupted from a volcano. In other words, it differs from other igneous rock by being of volcanic origin. Like all rock types, the concept of volcanic ...

s if modal mineralogical compositions have been determined. QAPF diagrams are not used to classify

pyroclastic rock Pyroclastic rocks (derived from the el, πῦρ, links=no, meaning fire; and , meaning broken) are clastic rocks composed of rock fragments produced and ejected by explosive volcanic eruptions. The individual rock fragments are known as pyroc ...

s or volcanic rocks if modal mineralogical composition is not determined, instead the

TAS classification The TAS classification can be used to assign names to many common types of volcanic rocks based upon the relationships between the combined alkali content and the silica content. These chemical parameters are useful, because the relative proportio ...

(Total-Alkali-Silica) is used. TAS is also used if volcanic rock contains volcanic glass (such as

obsidian Obsidian () is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extrusive rock, extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock. Obsidian is produced from felsic lava, rich in the lighter elements s ...

). QAPF diagrams are also not used if

mafic A mafic mineral or rock is a silicate mineral or igneous rock rich in magnesium and iron. Most mafic minerals are dark in color, and common rock-forming mafic minerals include olivine, pyroxene, amphibole, and biotite. Common mafic rocks incl ...

s make up more than 90% of the rock composition (for example: peridotites and

pyroxenite Pyroxenite is an ultramafic igneous rock consisting essentially of minerals of the pyroxene group, such as augite, diopside, hypersthene, bronzite or enstatite. Pyroxenites are classified into clinopyroxenites, orthopyroxenites, and the we ...

s). An exact name can be given only if the mineralogical composition is known, which cannot be determined in the field.

Reading QAPF diagram

The QAPF diagram utilizes four minerals, or mineral groups, to classify igneous rocks. These minerals are

quartz Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica (silicon dioxide). The atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall chemical form ...

(Q), Alkali feldspars (A), plagioclase feldspars (P), and feldspathoids (F). F and Q cannot form in plutonic rocks simultaneously due to the difference in their respective silica contents. Other minerals may occur in samples, but they are not utilized by this classification method. The QAPF diagram is composed of two ternary plots (QAP and FAP) joined along one side. To use this classification method, the concentration (the mode) of these minerals must be determined and normalized to 100%. For example: a plutonic rock that contains no alkali feldspar and no feldspathoids, but contains many

pyroxenes The pyroxenes (commonly abbreviated to ''Px'') are a group of important rock-forming inosilicate minerals found in many igneous and metamorphic rocks. Pyroxenes have the general formula , where X represents calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), iron (Fe II) ...

(unlabeled in QAPF diagram), plagioclase-feldspar, and few quartz grains is probably gabbro (located at the right edge of the diagram, near P). This diagram makes no distinction between rock types of the same chemical composition in QAPF, but different chemical compositions with respect to other minerals (such as

gabbro Gabbro () is a phaneritic (coarse-grained), mafic intrusive igneous rock formed from the slow cooling of magnesium-rich and iron-rich magma into a holocrystalline mass deep beneath the Earth's surface. Slow-cooling, coarse-grained gabbro is ch ...

diorite Diorite ( ) is an intrusive igneous rock formed by the slow cooling underground of magma (molten rock) that has a moderate content of silica and a relatively low content of alkali metals. It is intermediate in composition between low-sili ...

, and

anorthosite Anorthosite () is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock characterized by its composition: mostly plagioclase feldspar (90–100%), with a minimal mafic component (0–10%). Pyroxene, ilmenite, magnetite, and olivine are the mafic minerals most ...

). The QAPF diagram is not used for all plutonic rocks; ultramafic plutonic rocks are the most important group that have separate classification diagrams.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Qapf Diagram Igneous petrology Igneous rocks Petrology concepts

Origin

Usage

Reading QAPF diagram

References

Further reading

External links