The rock cycle is far more than a cyclic illustration of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic transformations—it’s a chronicle of planetary evolution. Every grain of quartz, every folded shale, and every high-grade gneiss carries a timestamp of tectonic violence, thermal upheaval, and chemical reconfiguration. Far from a simple loop, this diagram reveals the relentless, multi-billion-year dance between Earth’s crust, mantle, and surface environments.

Beyond the loop: a dynamic record of planetary changeImperial, metric, and time scales: reading the layersClues in composition: chemistry as historical evidenceThe myth of closure: a false loopWhy this matters: learning from deep time

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