hornfels facies

rocks

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Related Topics:: metamorphic facies

See all related content

hornfels facies, a major division of metamorphic rocks (rocks that form by contact metamorphism in the inner parts of the contact zone around igneous intrusions). All of the rocks called hornfels—a hard, fine-grained, flinty rock—are created when heat and fluids from the igneous intrusion alter the surrounding rock, changing its original mineralogy to one that is stable under high temperatures. Temperatures as high as 700°–800° C (1,300°–1,470° F) may be reached, depending upon the pressure at the depth of the intrusion. The minerals of the hornfels facies depend largely upon the composition of the parent rock.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.