Download - Field Lab Assignment
Field Lab - Part One
By Ashley Nelson
• The majority of my rocks came from New Melones Lake, Ca.• This is southwest of Angels Camp in the Sierra Nevada foothills.• The New Melones Lake contains more than 700 historic and
prehistoric sites• This area was part of the gold rush in California. • Included are prehistoric habitation sites, bedrock mortars,
petroglyphs, lithic quarries, mortuary caves, historic mines, rail and wagon roads, homesteads, mills, and town sites.
Where did these rocks come from?
Shale• Sedimentary
• Somewhat brittle• Gray in color• Looks like it is mixed with clay or other mineral• Layers look like they were pressed together.
Granite
• Igneous• Found in the foothills of Clovis• Large crystals• Coarse grained texture• Very hard and durable
Quartzite• Metamorphic• Created when heat and pressure are applied to
sandstone• Looks like it was melted and pressed together• Some parts very smooth• Some parts very rough• Small crystals make the rock sparkle
Basalt• Igneous• Grey• Has another mineral mixed with it• Some parts are shiny• Small grains inside• No texture or layering
Sandstone• Sedimentary• Reddish brown color• Dull finish• Grains are uniform• No layering• Looks like the grains were cemented together
Field Lab – Part Two
By Ashley Nelson
This Fault was found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
Weathering Processes
This picture shows chemical weathering because of the oxidation that caused the rust.
The flat part of the table top mountains near Millerton Lake, CA shows weathering caused by erosion.
Mass Wasting and Erosion
This picture shows ripple marks caused by wind erosion.
This is an example of mass wasting in Millerton Lake, CA.
Sedimentary Environments
Marine (Millerton Lake, CA)
Continental (Mojave Desert, CA)
Transitional (Near Millerton Lake, CA)
Practical Uses for Geology
The Friant Dam in Friant, CA (Millerton Lake)