How to Identify Indian Rocks

India has many unique rocks including slates and tillite. They have rocks that have formed through glaciers as well as from volcanic eruptions. Through the heat and cold there were a number of rocks that managed to find its way to the surface and on the grounds of India. Here are some rocks that can be identified as Indian rocks.

Instructions

    • 1

      Look in the southwestern region of India. There are gneiss and schists, which are the oldest rock in India and can be found in the Bellary District. Gneiss has a smooth to rough texture and it is a metamorphic rock. It is recrystallized and foliated (has layers). It has several colors including blue, gray, brown, white, and a tint of orange. Schists are also metamorphic rock that are filled with minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, and quartz. The rock has several colors including blue, brown, gray. These rocks were derived from clay and mud.

    • 2

      Discover the plateaus in India. The most well known area with plateaus is the Deccan Trap, which is located in the southern part of India. The Deccan Trap is also known as the Peninsula Plateau and the Great Peninsula Plateau. It is believed that several volcanic eruptions caused the plateau to develop. In this plateau, you will find basalt and plenty of it. Basalt is gray a back volcanic rock. Almost all of India's oceanic crust is made up of basalt and when the volcanic eruptions occurred it brought the rock to the shores.

    • 3

      Search in the western region of India for sandstone and dolomites. These rocks are particularly in the Punjab and Spiti areas of India which is near the borderline of Pakistan. Dolomite is gray, white and pink with a crystal-like appearance. Sandstone is composed of rock grains and sand-size minerals that are pinkish brown.

    • 4

      Look for evidence of tillite rock in northern India. These rocks range in size. They consist of masses of unweathered large and angular detached rocks that were deposited from glaciers. Centuries ago when glaciers found their way through northern region of India they left behind the tillite rock. This unusual rock has pebbles of granite and basalt that molded together to form tillite. It has pink spots in dark brown and black mixture.

    • 5

      Walk through the Himalayan desert in India which is located in the far north region of the country. You will find slates that are made up of red quartzite and dolomite limestone. The slate is derived from sedimentary and shale rock which are composed of clay and ashes from volcano eruptions. Quartzite was originally sandstone but through heating and pressure it changed format and color. The texture is smooth and the color is white and grey. The limestone contains silica and chert which is dark orange and brown. Slates vary in color but can be used in landscaping and decoration.