Recrystallisation
General impact of recrystallisation on the internal structure of the mineral:
Recrystallisation can destroys the internal structure of a mineral (e.g., growth zoning, exsolution) and other textures (graphic texture);
Phase separation: the minor phase (microinculsion) tend to coarsen and to be removed from the major phase – the minor phase can form grains along the margin of the major phase (e.g., gold and pyrite, ilmenite oxy-exsolutions and magnetite).
Annealing
Origin: rock maintained at a high temperature for a prolonged period (e.g., temperature anomaly related to a cooling magma intrusion or to a metamorphic event). Grain sizes tend to homogenize as small grains are consumed by other grains.
Texture: equigranular, with triple junctions (angle of 120 degrees if the mineral phases are of the same nature) that correspond to a minimization of the interstitial tension.
Granoblastic texture – homogenization of grain size (equigranular rock). This is a way to tend toward textural equilibrium.
Type of granoblastic texture: polygonal (with well developed triple junctions), interlobate, amoeboid, decussate, nodular (e.g., cordierite).
Decomposition
A mineral decomposes because it is not longer stable in the current physical-chemical conditions. These textures can also correspond to a reaction between two minerals that are no longer in equilibrium (e.g., metamorphic context).
Perthite (see the exsolution page)
Buldging recrystallisation – dynamic recrystallisation (see the deformation page)
Myrmekitic texture – vermicular intergrowth of quartz and plagioclase (has been attributed to hydrothermal replacement, or exsolution, or deformation, etc.).
Symplectite – fine-grained vermicular intergrowth (breakdown of minerals, or reaction between minerals under changing P-T conditions).
Mesh texture – olivine partially turned into serpentine (forms a serpentine mesh structure, with olivine core and serpentine background, as well as serpentine veins and magnetite veins).
Corona texture – new mineral developing at the contact between two older phases that are no longer stable in new P-T conditions (e.g., metamorphic reaction between magnetite and feldspar).
Recrystallisation in metamorphic context (no deformation)
Decussate (or diablastic) texture: randomly oriented mineral.
Phase change in the solid state: see the well studied lollingite and arsenopyrite + pyrrhotite example, and the consequence for the distribution of gold grains (see work of Tomkins).