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Characteristics
Nonfoliated rocks are extremely hard and dense and often contain random color swirls and mineral composition because of the way they are formed. These rocks can be identified by their textures, which depend on the composition of the original or parent rock. A nonfoliated rock's composition is dependent on the manner in which the parent rock was changed.
Their Formation
Nonfoliated rocks are often formed when the original rock, which can be of the igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic kind, is transformed. This transformation can be caused by a combination of heat and pressure, which comes from the rock residing deep within the earth, "friction and distortion" from the movement of the earth's tectonic plates, or the introduction of magma and high heat to the parent rock. This changes the composition of the rock once it reforms or recrystallizes. During recrystallization, the atoms and minerals in the rock move to form a foliated or nonfoliated rock.
What Makes Them Nonfoliated
When the pressure that is applied to the reforming rock is the same all over, the new rock will be nonfoliated. Nonfoliated rock will also form if the growth patterns of the mineral crystals are indistinct. Because of this, the banding will be random and not parallel.
Their Texture
Nonfoliated rocks do not look as if they contain layers. Instead, they might have strands that run up and down the length of the rock. This texture is created during recrystallization when small crystals combine with one another to form larger ones. The texture may also be created by the addition or subtraction of certain chemicals. This creates a rock with random lines and crystals and a more jagged surface.