Alteration

Description

Changes of the mineralogical composition of a rock brought about by physical, chemical or biological means, including actions of hydrothermal solutions and weathering processes. Differs from metamorphism in being milder, more localized and not restricted to high temperatures.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Verwittterung (Deut.); altération (Fr.); alteração (Port.)

Resources and Citations

• Submitted information: Jose Delgado Rodrigues, LNEC, 2009.