Lunar igneous rocks and the nature of the lunar interior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hays, J. F.; Walker, D.

1974-01-01

Lunar igneous rocks are interpreted, which can give useful information about mineral assemblages and mineral chemistry as a function of depth in the lunar interior. Terra rocks, though intensely brecciated, reveal, in their chemistry, evidence for a magmatic history. Partial melting of feldspathic lunar crustal material occurred in the interval 4.6 to 3.9 gy. Melting of ilmenite-bearing cumulates at depths near 100 km produced parent magmas for Apollo 11 and 17 titaniferous mare basalts in the interval 3.8 to 3.6 gy. Melting of ilmenite-free olivine pyroxenites at depths greater than 200 km produced low-titanium mare basalts in the interval 3.4 to 3.1 gy. No younger igneous rocks have yet been recognized among the lunar samples and present-day melting seems to be limited to depths greater than 1000 km.

Lunar igneous rocks and the nature of the lunar interior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hays, J. F.; Walker, D.

1977-01-01

Lunar igneous rocks, properly interpreted, can give useful information about mineral assemblages and mineral chemistry as a function of depth in the lunar interior. Though intensely brecciated, terra rocks reveal, in their chemistry, evidence for a magmatic history. Partial melting of feldspathic lunar crustal material occurred in the interval 4.6 to 3.9 Gy. Melting of ilmenite-bearing cumulates at depths near 100 km produced parent magmas for Apollo 11 and 17 titaniferous mare basalts in the interval 3.8 to 3.6 Gy. Melting of ilmenite-free olivine pyroxenites (also cumulates?) at depths greater than 200 km produced low-titanium mare basalts in the interval 3.4 to 3.1 Gy. No younger igneous rocks have yet been recognized among the lunar samples and present-day melting seems to be limited to depths greater than 1000 km.

Classification of igneous rocks analyzed by ChemCam at Gale crater, Mars

DOE PAGES

Cousin, Agnes; Sautter, Violaine; Payré, Valérie; ...

2017-02-09

Several recent studies have revealed that Mars is not a simple basalt-covered planet, but has a more complex geological history. In Gale crater on Mars, the Curiosity rover discovered 59 igneous rocks. This article focuses on their textures (acquired from the cameras such as MAHLI and MastCam) and their geochemical compositions that have been obtained using the ChemCam instrument. Light-toned crystals have been observed in most of the rocks. They correspond to feldspars ranging from andesines/oligoclases to anorthoclases and sanidines in the leucocratic vesiculated rocks. Darker crystals observed in all igneous rocks (except the leucocratic vesiculated ones) were analyzed bymore » LIBS and mainly identified as Fe-rich pigeonites and Fe-augites. Iron oxides have been observed in all groups whereas F-bearing minerals have been detected only in few of them. From their textural analysis and their whole-rock compositions, all these 59 igneous rocks have been classified in five different groups; from primitive rocks i.e. dark aphanitic basalts/basanites, trachybasalts, tephrites and fine/coarse-grained gabbros/norites to more evolved materials i.e. porphyritic trachyandesites, leucocratic trachytes and quartz-diorites. The basalts and gabbros are found all along the traverse of the rover, whereas the felsic rocks are located before the Kimberley formation, i.e. close to the Peace Vallis alluvial fan deposits. This suggests that these alkali rocks have been transported by fluvial activity and could come from the Northern rim of the crater, and may correspond to deeper strata buried under basaltic regolith (Sautter et al., 2015). Some of the basaltic igneous rocks are surprisingly enriched in iron, presenting low Mg# similar to the nakhlite parental melt that cannot be produced by direct melting of the Dreibus and Wanke (1986) martian primitive mantle. The basaltic rocks at Gale are thus different from Gusev basalts. They could originate from different mantle reservoirs

Classification of igneous rocks analyzed by ChemCam at Gale crater, Mars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cousin, Agnes; Sautter, Violaine; Payré, Valérie

Several recent studies have revealed that Mars is not a simple basalt-covered planet, but has a more complex geological history. In Gale crater on Mars, the Curiosity rover discovered 59 igneous rocks. This article focuses on their textures (acquired from the cameras such as MAHLI and MastCam) and their geochemical compositions that have been obtained using the ChemCam instrument. Light-toned crystals have been observed in most of the rocks. They correspond to feldspars ranging from andesines/oligoclases to anorthoclases and sanidines in the leucocratic vesiculated rocks. Darker crystals observed in all igneous rocks (except the leucocratic vesiculated ones) were analyzed bymore » LIBS and mainly identified as Fe-rich pigeonites and Fe-augites. Iron oxides have been observed in all groups whereas F-bearing minerals have been detected only in few of them. From their textural analysis and their whole-rock compositions, all these 59 igneous rocks have been classified in five different groups; from primitive rocks i.e. dark aphanitic basalts/basanites, trachybasalts, tephrites and fine/coarse-grained gabbros/norites to more evolved materials i.e. porphyritic trachyandesites, leucocratic trachytes and quartz-diorites. The basalts and gabbros are found all along the traverse of the rover, whereas the felsic rocks are located before the Kimberley formation, i.e. close to the Peace Vallis alluvial fan deposits. This suggests that these alkali rocks have been transported by fluvial activity and could come from the Northern rim of the crater, and may correspond to deeper strata buried under basaltic regolith (Sautter et al., 2015). Some of the basaltic igneous rocks are surprisingly enriched in iron, presenting low Mg# similar to the nakhlite parental melt that cannot be produced by direct melting of the Dreibus and Wanke (1986) martian primitive mantle. The basaltic rocks at Gale are thus different from Gusev basalts. They could originate from different mantle reservoirs

The Significance of Atypical High-Silica Igneous Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frazer, Ryan Edward

The origins of high-silica igneous rocks are debated, as they may be products of high-degree fractional crystallization or low-degree partial melting. They may play a role in the generation of intermediate igneous rocks and are responsible for large, ash-rich volcanic eruptions. High-silica granites and rhyolites in the Sierra Nevada, California, and the Colorado Mineral Belt (CMB) are investigated using isotope geochemistry to better understand how they bear on these questions. Zircon U-Pb geochronology identifies two intrusive suites comprising large volumes of high-silica granites emplaced in the mid-Cretaceous Sierra Nevada batholith: the 106-98 Ma Shaver Intrusive Suite (SIS) in the central part of the batholith, and the 103-100 Ma Kearsarge intrusive suite (KIS) on the Sierra Crest and Owens Valley. High-silica granites in both suites have relatively high concentrations of middle rare earth and high field strength elements. Data for these and other discrete high-silica plutons in the batholith suggest they were derived from titanite-free sources in the deep crust, unlike similarly felsic parts of zoned intrusive suites. Despite similar trace element signatures, SIS and KIS high-silica granites have divergent isotopic compositions. High-silica granites of the SIS have supracrustal O in zircon, crustal Sr and Nd whole rock isotopic compositions, and negative Ce anomalies suggesting the SIS granites may have been derived from oceanic sedimentary sources. In contrast, KIS granites have mantle-like isotopic compositions. The location and geochemistry of the KIS suggests it may have resulted from backarc magmatism in the mid-Cretaceous Sierra. Volcanic and plutonic rocks in the central CMB were emplaced during the Laramide orogeny and subsequent Oligocene-Eocene volcanic flare-up. Strontium and Nd data suggest the 63-39 Ma Twin Lakes pluton and igneous rocks as young as 24 Ma were derived from a persistent mafic lower crust or enriched lithospheric mantle source

Magnetostriction and palæomagnetism of igneous rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, John W.; Buddington, A.F.; Balsley, James R.

1959-01-01

IN a recent communication, Stott and Stacey1 report on a “crucial experiment” from which they conclude: “This excellent agreement between the dip and the directions of artificial thermoremanent magnetization of the stressed and unstressed rocks indicates that large systematic errors due to magnetostriction are most improbable in igneous rocks of types normally used for palæomagnetic work”. This experiment was intended to test the proposals2 and measurements3 bearing on the role of magnetostriction in rock magnetism. We present here our reasons for believing that the experiment was not crucial and that the conclusion is not justified.

Evaluating the Relationships Between NTNU/SINTEF Drillability Indices with Index Properties and Petrographic Data of Hard Igneous Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aligholi, Saeed; Lashkaripour, Gholam Reza; Ghafoori, Mohammad; Azali, Sadegh Tarigh

2017-11-01

Thorough and realistic performance predictions are among the main requisites for estimating excavation costs and time of the tunneling projects. Also, NTNU/SINTEF rock drillability indices, including the Drilling Rate Index™ (DRI), Bit Wear Index™ (BWI), and Cutter Life Index™ (CLI), are among the most effective indices for determining rock drillability. In this study, brittleness value (S20), Sievers' J-Value (SJ), abrasion value (AV), and Abrasion Value Cutter Steel (AVS) tests are conducted to determine these indices for a wide range of Iranian hard igneous rocks. In addition, relationships between such drillability parameters with petrographic features and index properties of the tested rocks are investigated. The results from multiple regression analysis revealed that the multiple regression models prepared using petrographic features provide a better estimation of drillability compared to those prepared using index properties. Also, it was found that the semiautomatic petrography and multiple regression analyses provide a suitable complement to determine drillability properties of igneous rocks. Based on the results of this study, AV has higher correlations with studied mineralogical indices than AVS. The results imply that, in general, rock surface hardness of hard igneous rocks is very high, and the acidic igneous rocks have a lower strength and density and higher S20 than those of basic rocks. Moreover, DRI is higher, while BWI is lower in acidic igneous rocks, suggesting that drill and blast tunneling is more convenient in these rocks than basic rocks.

Strength/Brittleness Classification of Igneous Intact Rocks Based on Basic Physical and Dynamic Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aligholi, Saeed; Lashkaripour, Gholam Reza; Ghafoori, Mohammad

2017-01-01

This paper sheds further light on the fundamental relationships between simple methods, rock strength, and brittleness of igneous rocks. In particular, the relationship between mechanical (point load strength index I s(50) and brittleness value S 20), basic physical (dry density and porosity), and dynamic properties (P-wave velocity and Schmidt rebound values) for a wide range of Iranian igneous rocks is investigated. First, 30 statistical models (including simple and multiple linear regression analyses) were built to identify the relationships between mechanical properties and simple methods. The results imply that rocks with different Schmidt hardness (SH) rebound values have different physicomechanical properties or relations. Second, using these results, it was proved that dry density, P-wave velocity, and SH rebound value provide a fine complement to mechanical properties classification of rock materials. Further, a detailed investigation was conducted on the relationships between mechanical and simple tests, which are established with limited ranges of P-wave velocity and dry density. The results show that strength values decrease with the SH rebound value. In addition, there is a systematic trend between dry density, P-wave velocity, rebound hardness, and brittleness value of the studied rocks, and rocks with medium hardness have a higher brittleness value. Finally, a strength classification chart and a brittleness classification table are presented, providing reliable and low-cost methods for the classification of igneous rocks.

Classification Scheme for Diverse Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks Encountered by MSL in Gale Crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, M. E.; Mangold, N.; Fisk, M.; Forni, O.; McLennan, S.; Ming, D. W.; Sumner, D.; Sautter, V.; Williams, A. J.; Gellert, R.

2015-01-01

The Curiosity Rover landed in a lithologically and geochemically diverse region of Mars. We present a recommended rock classification framework based on terrestrial schemes, and adapted for the imaging and analytical capabilities of MSL as well as for rock types distinctive to Mars (e.g., high Fe sediments). After interpreting rock origin from textures, i.e., sedimentary (clastic, bedded), igneous (porphyritic, glassy), or unknown, the overall classification procedure (Fig 1) involves: (1) the characterization of rock type according to grain size and texture; (2) the assignment of geochemical modifiers according to Figs 3 and 4; and if applicable, in depth study of (3) mineralogy and (4) geologic/stratigraphic context. Sedimentary rock types are assigned by measuring grains in the best available resolution image (Table 1) and classifying according to the coarsest resolvable grains as conglomerate/breccia, (coarse, medium, or fine) sandstone, silt-stone, or mudstone. If grains are not resolvable in MAHLI images, grains in the rock are assumed to be silt sized or smaller than surface dust particles. Rocks with low color contrast contrast between grains (e.g., Dismal Lakes, sol 304) are classified according to minimum size of apparent grains from surface roughness or shadows outlining apparent grains. Igneous rocks are described as intrusive or extrusive depending on crystal size and fabric. Igneous textures may be described as granular, porphyritic, phaneritic, aphyric, or glassy depending on crystal size. Further descriptors may include terms such as vesicular or cumulate textures.

Evolution of the martian mantle as recorded by igneous rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balta, J. B.; McSween, H. Y.

2013-12-01

Martian igneous rocks provide our best window into the current state of the martian mantle and its evolution after accretion and differentiation. Currently, those rocks have been examined in situ by rovers, characterized in general from orbiting spacecraft, and analyzed in terrestrial laboratories when found as meteorites. However, these data have the potential to bias our understanding of martian magmatism, as most of the available meteorites and rover-analyzed rocks come from the Amazonian (<2 Ga) and Hesperian (~3.65 Ga) periods respectively, while igneous rocks from the Noachian (>3.8 Ga) have only been examined by orbiters and as the unique meteorite ALH 84001. After initial differentiation, the main planetary-scale changes in the structure of Mars which impact igneous compositions are cooling of the planet and thickening of the crust with time. As the shergottite meteorites give ages <500 Ma1, they might be expected to represent thick-crust, recent volcanism. Using spacecraft measurements of volcanic compositions and whole rock compositions of meteorites, we demonstrate that the shergottite meteorites do not match the composition of the igneous rocks composing the young volcanoes on Mars, particularly in their silica content, and no crystallization or crustal contamination trend reproduces the volcanoes from a shergottite-like parent magma. However, we show that the shergottite magmas do resemble older martian rocks in composition and mineralogy. The Noachian-aged meteorite ALH 84001 has similar radiogenic-element signatures to the shergottites and may derive from a similar mantle source despite the age difference2. Thus, shergottite-like magmas may represent melting of mantle sources that were much more abundant early in martian history. We propose that the shergottites represent the melting products of an originally-hydrous martian mantle, containing at least several hundred ppm H2O. Dissolved water can increase the silica content of magmas and thus

Winter Ice and Snow as Models of Igneous Rock Formation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romey, William D.

1983-01-01

Examines some features of ice and snow that offer teachers and researchers help in understanding many aspects of igneous processes and configurations. Careful observation of such processes as melting, decay, evolution, and snow accumulation provide important clues to understanding processes by which many kinds of rocks form. (Author/JN)

Multidimensional classification of magma types for altered igneous rocks and application to their tectonomagmatic discrimination and igneous provenance of siliciclastic sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Surendra P.; Rivera-Gómez, M. Abdelaly; Díaz-González, Lorena; Pandarinath, Kailasa; Amezcua-Valdez, Alejandra; Rosales-Rivera, Mauricio; Verma, Sanjeet K.; Quiroz-Ruiz, Alfredo; Armstrong-Altrin, John S.

2017-05-01

A new multidimensional scheme consistent with the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is proposed for the classification of igneous rocks in terms of four magma types: ultrabasic, basic, intermediate, and acid. Our procedure is based on an extensive database of major element composition of a total of 33,868 relatively fresh rock samples having a multinormal distribution (initial database with 37,215 samples). Multinormally distributed database in terms of log-ratios of samples was ascertained by a new computer program DOMuDaF, in which the discordancy test was applied at the 99.9% confidence level. Isometric log-ratio (ilr) transformation was used to provide overall percent correct classification of 88.7%, 75.8%, 88.0%, and 80.9% for ultrabasic, basic, intermediate, and acid rocks, respectively. Given the known mathematical and uncertainty propagation properties, this transformation could be adopted for routine applications. The incorrect classification was mainly for the "neighbour" magma types, e.g., basic for ultrabasic and vice versa. Some of these misclassifications do not have any effect on multidimensional tectonic discrimination. For an efficient application of this multidimensional scheme, a new computer program MagClaMSys_ilr (MagClaMSys-Magma Classification Major-element based System) was written, which is available for on-line processing on http://tlaloc.ier.unam.mx/index.html. This classification scheme was tested from newly compiled data for relatively fresh Neogene igneous rocks and was found to be consistent with the conventional IUGS procedure. The new scheme was successfully applied to inter-laboratory data for three geochemical reference materials (basalts JB-1 and JB-1a, and andesite JA-3) from Japan and showed that the inferred magma types are consistent with the rock name (basic for basalts JB-1 and JB-1a and intermediate for andesite JA-3). The scheme was also successfully applied to five case studies of older Archaean to

Log-ratio transformed major element based multidimensional classification for altered High-Mg igneous rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Surendra P.; Rivera-Gómez, M. Abdelaly; Díaz-González, Lorena; Quiroz-Ruiz, Alfredo

2016-12-01

A new multidimensional classification scheme consistent with the chemical classification of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is proposed for the nomenclature of High-Mg altered rocks. Our procedure is based on an extensive database of major element (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3t, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, and P2O5) compositions of a total of 33,868 (920 High-Mg and 32,948 "Common") relatively fresh igneous rock samples. The database consisting of these multinormally distributed samples in terms of their isometric log-ratios was used to propose a set of 11 discriminant functions and 6 diagrams to facilitate High-Mg rock classification. The multinormality required by linear discriminant and canonical analysis was ascertained by a new computer program DOMuDaF. One multidimensional function can distinguish the High-Mg and Common igneous rocks with high percent success values of about 86.4% and 98.9%, respectively. Similarly, from 10 discriminant functions the High-Mg rocks can also be classified as one of the four rock types (komatiite, meimechite, picrite, and boninite), with high success values of about 88%-100%. Satisfactory functioning of this new classification scheme was confirmed by seven independent tests. Five further case studies involving application to highly altered rocks illustrate the usefulness of our proposal. A computer program HMgClaMSys was written to efficiently apply the proposed classification scheme, which will be available for online processing of igneous rock compositional data. Monte Carlo simulation modeling and mass-balance computations confirmed the robustness of our classification with respect to analytical errors and postemplacement compositional changes.

Geochemical Database for Igneous Rocks of the Ancestral Cascades Arc - Southern Segment, California and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

du Bray, Edward A.; John, David A.; Putirka, Keith; Cousens, Brian L.

2009-01-01

Volcanic rocks that form the southern segment of the Cascades magmatic arc are an important manifestation of Cenozoic subduction and associated magmatism in western North America. Until recently, these rocks had been little studied and no systematic compilation of existing composition data had been assembled. This report is a compilation of all available chemical data for igneous rocks that constitute the southern segment of the ancestral Cascades magmatic arc and complement a previously completed companion compilation that pertains to rocks that constitute the northern segment of the arc. Data for more than 2,000 samples from a diversity of sources were identified and incorporated in the database. The association between these igneous rocks and spatially and temporally associated mineral deposits is well established and suggests a probable genetic relationship. The ultimate goal of the related research is an evaluation of the time-space-compositional evolution of magmatism associated with the southern Cascades arc segment and identification of genetic associations between magmatism and mineral deposits in this region.

Geochemical and modal data for igneous rocks associated with epithermal mineral deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

du Bray, Edward A.

2014-01-01

The purposes of this report are to (1) present available geochemical and modal data for igneous rocks associated with epithermal mineral deposits and (2) to make those data widely and readily available for subsequent, more in-depth consideration and interpretation. Epithermal precious and base-metal deposits are commonly associated with subduction-related calc-alkaline to alkaline arc magmatism as well as back-arc continental rift magmatism. These deposits form in association with compositionally diverse extrusive and intrusive igneous rocks. Temperature and depth regimes prevailing during deposit formation are highly variable. The deposits form from hydrothermal fluids that range from acidic to near-neutral pH, and they occur in a variety of structural settings. The disparate temperature, pressure, fluid chemistry, and structural controls have resulted in deposits with wide ranging characteristics. Economic geologists have employed these characteristics to develop classification schemes for epithermal deposits and to constrain the important genetic processes responsible for their formation.

Lead isotope systematics of some igneous rocks from the Egyptian Shield

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillespie, J. G.; Dixon, T. H.

1983-01-01

Lead isotope data on whole-rock samples and two feldspar separates for a variety of Pan-African (late Precambrian) igneous rocks for the Egyptian Shield are presented. It is pointed out that the eastern desert of Egypt is a Late Precambrian shield characterized by the widespread occurrence of granitic plutons. The lead isotope ratios may be used to delineate boundaries between Late Precambrian oceanic and continental environments in northeastern Africa. The samples belong to three groups. These groups are related to a younger plutonic sequence of granites and adamellites, a plutonic group consisting of older tonalites to granodiorites, and the Dokhan volcanic suite.

Rock property measurements and analysis of selected igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks from worldwide localities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Gordon R.

1983-01-01

Dry bulk density and grain density measurements were made on 182 samples of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks from various world-wide localities. Total porosity values and both water-accessible and helium-accessible porosities were calculated from the density data. Magnetic susceptibility measurements were made on the solid samples and permeability and streaming potentials were concurrently measured on most samples. Dry bulk densities obtained using two methods of volume determination, namely direct measurement and Archlmedes principle, were nearly equivalent for most samples. Grain densities obtained on powdered samples were typically greater than grain densities obtained on solid samples, but differences were usually small. Sedimentary rocks had the highest percentage of occluded porosity per rock volume whereas metamorphic rocks had the highest percentage of occluded porosity per total porosity. There was no apparent direct relationship between permeability and streaming potential for most samples, although there were indications of such a relationship in the rock group consisting of granites, aplites, and syenites. Most rock types or groups of similar rock types of low permeability had, when averaged, comparable levels of streaming potential per unit of permeability. Three calcite samples had negative streaming potentials.

A physical basis for remote rock mapping of igneous rocks using spectral variations in thermal infrared emittance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walter, L. S.; Labovitz, M. L.

1980-01-01

Results of a theoretical investigation of the relation between spectral features in the 8-12 micrometer region and rock type are presented. Data on compositions of a suite of rocks and measurements of their spectral intensities in 8.2-10.9 and 9.4-12.1 micrometer bands published by Vincent (1973) were subjected to various quantitative procedures. There was no consistent direct relationship between rock group names and the relative spectral intensities. However, there is such a relationship between the Thornton-Tuttle (1960) Differentiation Index and the relative spectral intensities. This relationship is explicable on the basis of the change in average Si-O bond length which is a function of the degree of polymerization of the SiO4 tetrahedra of the silicate minerals in the igneous rocks.

Distinct Igneous APXS Rock Compositions on Mars from Pathfinder, MER and MSL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gellert, Ralf; Arvidson, Raymond; Clark, Benton, III; Ming, Douglas W.; Morris, Richard V.; Squyres, Steven W.; Yen, Albert S.

2015-01-01

The alpha particle x-ray spectrometer (APXS) on all four Mars Rovers returned geochemical data from about 1000 rocks and soils along the combined traverses of over 50 kilometers. Here we discuss rocks likely of igneous origin, which might represent source materials for the soils and sediments identified along the traverses. Adirondack-type basalts, abundant in the plains of Gusev Crater, are primitive, olivine bearing basalts. They resemble in composition the basaltic soils encountered at all landing sites, except the ubiquitous elevated S, Cl and Zn in soils. They have been postulated to represent closely the average Martian crust composition. The recently identified new Martian meteorite Black Beauty has similar overall geochemical composition, very distinct from the earlier established SNC meteorites. The rim of the Noachian crater Endeavour, predating the sulfate-bearing Burns formation at Meridiani Planum, also resembles closely the composition of Adirondack basalts. At Gale Crater, the MSL Curiosity rover identified a felsic rock type exemplified by the mugearitic float rock JakeM, which is widespread along the traverse at Gale. While a surprise at that time, possibly related more evolved, alkaline rocks had been previously identified on Mars. Spirit encountered the Wishstone rocks in the Columbia Hills with approx. 6% Na2O+K2O, 15 % Al2O3 and low 12% FeO. Pathfinder rocks with elevated K and Na and >50% SiO2 were postulated to be andesitic. Recently Opportunity encountered the rock JeanBaptisteCharbonneau with >15% Al2O3, >50% SiO2 and approx. 10% FeO. A common characteristic all these rocks is the very low abundance of Cr, Ni and Zn, and an Fe/Mn ratio of about 50, indicating an unaltered Fe mineralogy. Beside these likely igneous rock types, which occurred always in several rocks, a few unique rocks were encountered, e.g. Bounce Rock, a pyroxene-bearing ejecta rock fragment resembling the Shergottite EETA 79001B meteorite. The APXS data can be used to

Precious metals associated with Late Cretaceous-early Tertiary igneous rocks of southwestern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bundtzen, Thomas K.; Miller, Marti L.; Goldfarb, Richard J.; Miller, Lance D.

1997-01-01

Placer gold and precious metal-bearing lode deposits of southwestern Alaska lie within a region 550 by 350 km, herein referred to as the Kuskokwim mineral belt. This mineral belt has yielded 100,240 kg (3.22 Moz) of gold, 12, 813 kg (412,000 oz) of silver, 1,377,412 kg (39,960 flasks) of mercury, and modest amounts of antimony and tungsten derived primarily from the late Cretaceous-early Tertiary igneous complexes of four major types: (1) alkali-calcic, comagmatic volcanic-plutonic complexes and isolated plutons, (2) calc-alkaline, meta-aluminous reduced plutons, (3) peraluminous alaskite or granite-porphyry sills and dike swarms, and (4) andesite-rhyolite subaerial volcanic rocks.About 80 percent of the 77 to 52 Ma intrusive and volcanic rocks intrude or overlie the middle to Upper Cretaceous Kuskokwim Group sedimentary and volcanic rocks, as well as the Paleozoic-Mesozoic rocks of the Nixon Fork, Innoko, Goodnews, and Ruby preaccretionary terranes.The major precious metal-bearing deposit types related to Late Cretaceous-early Tertiary igneous complexes of the Kuskokwim mineral belt are subdivided as follows: (1) plutonic-hosted copper-gold polymetallic stockwork, skarn, and vein deposits, (2) peraluminous granite-porphory-hosted gold polymetallic deposits, (3) plutonic-related, boron-enriched silver-tin polymetallic breccia pipes and replacement deposits, (4) gold and silver mineralization in epithermal systems, and (5) gold polymetallic heavy mineral placer deposits. Ten deposits genetically related to Late Cretaceous-early Tertiary intrusions contain minimum, inferred reserves amounting to 162,572 kg (5.23 Moz) of gold, 201,015 kg (6.46 Moz) silver, 12,160 metric tons (t) of tin, and 28,088 t of copper.The lodes occur in veins, stockworks, breccia pipes, and replacement deposits that formed in epithermal to mesothermal temperature-pressure conditions. Fluid inclusion, isotopic age, mineral assemblage, alteration assemblage, and structural data indicate that

Isotopic ages for alkaline igneous rocks, including a 26 Ma ignimbrite, from the Peshawar plain of northern Pakistan and their tectonic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Irshad; Khan, Shuhab; Lapen, Thomas; Burke, Kevin; Jehan, Noor

2013-01-01

New isotopic ages on zircons from rocks of the Peshawar Plain Alkaline Igneous Province (PPAIP) reveal for the first time the occurrence of ignimbritic Cenozoic (Oligocene) volcanism in the Himalaya at 26.7 ± 0.8 Ma. Other new ages confirm that PPAIP rift-related igneous activity was Permian and lasted from ˜290 Ma to ˜250 Ma. Although PPAIP rocks are petrologically and geochemically typical of rifts and have been suggested to be linked to rifting on the Pangea continental margin at the initiation of the Neotethys Ocean, there are no documented rift-related structures mapped in Permian rocks of the Peshawar Plain. We suggest that Permian rift-related structures have been dismembered and/or reactivated during shortening associated with India-Asia collision. Shortening in the area between the Main Mantle Thrust (MMT) and the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) may be indicative of the subsurface northern extension of the Salt Range evaporites. Late Cenozoic sedimentary rocks of the Peshawar Plain deposited during and after Himalayan thrusting occupy a piggy-back basin on top of the thrust belt. Those sedimentary rocks have buried surviving evidence of Permian rift-related structures. Igneous rocks of the PPAIP have been both metamorphosed and deformed during the Himalayan collision and Cenozoic igneous activity, apart from the newly recognized Gohati volcanism, has involved only the intrusion of small cross-cutting granitic bodies concentrated in areas such as Malakand that are close to the MMT. Measurements on Chingalai Gneiss zircons have confirmed the occurrence of 816 ± 70 Ma aged rocks in the Precambrian basement of the Peshawar Plain that are comparable in age to rocks in the Malani igneous province of the Rajasthan platform ˜1000 km to the south.

Radioactive occurrences in veins and igneous and metamorphic rocks of New Mexico with annotated bibliography. [Over 600 citations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McLemore, V. T.

1982-01-01

From an extensive literature search and field examination of 96 nonsandstone radioactive occurrences, the author compiled an annotated bibliography of over 600 citations and a list of 327 radioactive occurrences in veins and igneous and metamorphic rocks of New Mexico. The citations are indexed by individual radioactive occurrence, geographic area, county, fluorspar deposits and occurrences, geochemical analyses, and geologic maps. In addition, the geology, mineralization, and uranium and thorium potential of 41 geographic areas in New Mexico containing known radioactive occurrences in veins and igneous and metamorphic rocks or that contain host rocks considered favorable for uranium or thorium mineralizationmore » are summarized. A list of aerial-radiometric, magnetic, hydrogeochemical, and stream-sediment survey reports is included.« less

Thermal conductivity anisotropy of metasedimentary and igneous rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Michael G.; Chapman, David S.; van Wagoner, Thomas M.; Armstrong, Phillip A.

2007-05-01

Thermal conductivity anisotropy was determined for three sets of metasedimentary and igneous rocks from central Utah, USA. Most conductivity measurements were made in transient mode with a half-space, line source instrument oriented in two orthogonal directions on a flat face cut perpendicular to bedding. One orientation of the probe yields thermal conductivity parallel to bedding (kpar) directly, the other orientation of the probe measures a product of conductivities parallel and perpendicular to bedding from which the perpendicular conductivity (kperp) is calculated. Some direct measurements of kpar and kperp were made on oriented cylindrical discs using a conventional divided bar device in steady state mode. Anisotropy is defined as kpar/kperp. Precambrian argillites from Big Cottonwood Canyon have anisotropy values from 0.8 to 2.1 with corresponding conductivity perpendicular to bedding of 2.0 to 6.2 W m-1 K-1. Anisotropy values for Price Canyon sedimentary samples are less than 1.2 with a mean of 1.04 although thermal conductivity perpendicular to bedding for the samples varied from 1.3 to 5.0 W m-1 K-1. The granitic rocks were found to be essentially isotropic with thermal conductivity perpendicular to bedding having a range of 2.2 to 3.2 W m-1 K-1 and a mean of 2.68 W m-1 K-1. The results confirm the observation by Deming [1994] that anisotropy is negligible for rocks having kperp greater than 4.0 W m-1 K-1 and generally increases for low conductivity metamorphic and clay-rich rocks. There is little evidence, however, for his suggestion that thermal conductivity anisotropy of all rocks increases systematically to about 2.5 for low thermal conductivity rocks.

Compilation of new and previously published geochemical and modal data for Mesoproterozoic igneous rocks of the St. Francois Mountains, southeast Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

du Bray, Edward A.; Day, Warren C.; Meighan, Corey J.

2018-04-16

The purpose of this report is to present recently acquired as well as previously published geochemical and modal petrographic data for igneous rocks in the St. Francois Mountains, southeast Missouri, as part of an ongoing effort to understand the regional geology and ore deposits of the Mesoproterozoic basement rocks of southeast Missouri, USA. The report includes geochemical data that is (1) newly acquired by the U.S. Geological Survey and (2) compiled from numerous sources published during the last fifty-five years. These data are required for ongoing petrogenetic investigations of these rocks. Voluminous Mesoproterozoic igneous rocks in the St. Francois Mountains of southeast Missouri constitute the basement buried beneath Paleozoic sedimentary rock that is over 600 meters thick in places. The Mesoproterozoic rocks of southeast Missouri represent a significant component of approximately 1.4 billion-year-old (Ga) igneous rocks that crop out extensively in North America along the southeast margin of Laurentia and subsequent researchers suggested that iron oxide-copper deposits in the St. Francois Mountains are genetically associated with ca. 1.4 Ga magmatism in this region. The geochemical and modal data sets described herein were compiled to support investigations concerning the tectonic setting and petrologic processes responsible for the associated magmatism.

On the weathering of Martian igneous rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dreibus, G.; Waenke, H.

1992-01-01

Besides the young crystallization age, one of the first arguments for the martian origin of shergottite, nakhlite, and chassignite (SNC) meteorites came from the chemical similarity of the meteorite Shergotty and the martian soil as measured by Viking XRF analyses. In the meantime, the discovery of trapped rare gas and nitrogen components with element and isotope ratios closely matching the highly characteristic ratios of the Mars atmosphere in the shock glasses of shergottite EETA79001 was further striking evidence that the SNC's are martian surface rocks. The martian soil composition as derived from the Viking mission, with its extremely high S and Cl concentrations, was interpreted as weathering products of mafic igneous rocks. The low SiO2 content and the low abundance of K and other trace elements in the martian soils point to a mafic crust with a considerably smaller degree of fractionation compared to the terrestrial crust. However, the chemical evolution of the martian regolith and soil in respect to surface reaction with the planetary atmosphere or hydrosphere is poorly understood. A critical point in this respect is that the geochemical evidence as derived from the SNC meteorites suggests that Mars is a very dry planet that should have lost almost all its initially large water inventory during its accretion.

Origin of heavy Fe isotope compositions in high-silica igneous rocks: A rhyolite perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, De-Hong; Wang, Xiao-Lei; Yang, Tao; Chen, Xin; Li, Jun-Yong; Li, Weiqiang

2017-12-01

The origin of heavy Fe isotope compositions in high-silica (>70 wt% SiO2) igneous rocks remains a highly controversial topic. Considering that fluid exsolution in eruptive rocks is more straight-forward to constrain than in plutonic rocks, this study addresses the problem of Fe isotope fractionation in high-silica igneous rocks by measuring Fe isotope compositions of representative rhyolitic samples from the Neoproterozoic volcanic-sedimentary basins in southern China and the Triassic Tu Le Basin in northern Vietnam. The samples show remarkably varied δ56FeIRMM014 values ranging from 0.05 ± 0.05‰ to 0.55 ± 0.05‰, which is among the highest values reported from felsic rocks. The extensional tectonic setting and short melt residence time in magma chambers for the studied rhyolites rule out Soret diffusion and thermal migration processes as causes of the high δ56Fe values. Effects of volcanic degassing and fluid exsolution on bulk rock δ56Fe values for the rhyolites are also assessed using bulk rock geochemical indicators and Rayleigh fractionation models, and these processes are found to be insufficient to produce resolvable changes in Fe isotope compositions of the residual melt. The most probable mechanism accounting for heavy Fe isotope compositions in the high-silica rhyolites is narrowed down to fractional crystallization processes in the magma before rhyolite eruption. Removal of isotopically light Fe-bearing minerals (i.e. ulvöspinel-rich titanomagnetite, ilmenite and biotite) is proposed as the main cause of Fe isotope variation in silicic melts during magmatic evolution. This study implies that crystal fractionation is the dominant mechanism that controls Fe isotope fractionation in eruptive rocks and Fe isotopes could be used to study magmatic differentiation of high-silica magmas.

Charge Generation and Propagation in Igneous Rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freund, Friedemann

2000-01-01

Resistivity changes, ground potentials, electromagnetic (EM) and luminous signals prior to or during earthquakes have been reported, in addition to ground uplift and tilt, and to changes in the seismic wave propagation parameters. However, no physical model exists that ties these diverse phenomena together. Through time-resolved impacts experiments it has been observed that, when igneous rocks (gabbro, diorite, granite) are impacted at low velocities (approx. 100 m/sec), highly mobile electronic charge carriers are generated, spreading from a small volume near the impact point, causing electric potentials, EM and light emission. The rock becomes momentarily conductive. When impacted at higher velocities (approx. 1.5 km/sec), the propagation of the P and S waves is registered through the transient piezoelectric response of quartz. At the same time, the rock volume is filled with mobile charge carriers, and a positive surface potential is registered. During the next 1-2 msec the surface potential oscillates, due to electron injection from ground. These observations are consistent with positive holes, e.g. defect electrons in the O(2-) sublattice, that can travel via the O 2p-dominated valence band of the silicate minerals at the speed of a phonon-mediated charge transfer. Before activation, the positive hole charge carriers lay dormant in form of positive hole pairs, PHP, electrically inactive, chemically equivalent to peroxy links in the structures of constituent minerals. PHPs are introduced by way of hydroxyl (O3Si-OH) incorporated into nominally anhydrous minerals when they crystallize in water-laden environments. Given that sound waves of even relatively low intensity appear to cause PHPs dissociation, thus generating mobile positive holes, it is proposed that microfracturing during rock deformation cause PHP dissociation. Depending on where and how much the rock volume is stressed, the positive holes are expected to form fluctuating charge clouds in the

Stress-Activated Electronic Charge Carriers in Igneous Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, C. T.; Jones, H. H.; Freund, F. T.

2006-12-01

Igneous rocks, when subjected to deviatory stress, turn into a battery. We report on gabbro (Shanxi, China) and anorthosite (Larvik, Norway). We use tiles, 30 x 30 x 0.9 cm3, and a pair of steel pistons, 4.4 cm diameter to subject a small off-center volume of ~10 cm3 to 10 MPa, about 5% failure strength. Instantly upon loading, two types of electronic charge carriers are activated in the stressed rock volume and a current begins to flow. One current leg is carried by holes, which flow from the stressed through the unstressed rock to the edges of the tile. The other current leg is carried by electrons, which flow from the stressed rock into the steel pistons and through the external wire to the edge, where they meet the holes. We have measured the impedance of the gabbro and anorthosite over the frequency range from <1 Hz to 10 MHz. We measured the impedence across the 10 cm3 volume between the two pistons and a similar volume outside the pistons in the path of the holes flowing to the edges of the tile: (1) before loading, (2) during loading. We obtain thus information about both types of charge carriers, electrons and holes. Both are associated with oxygen anions that changed their valence from 2- to 1- (peroxy). An O- among O2- represents a defect electron in the O2- sublattice, known as positive hole or p-hole for short. In unstressed rocks the O- exist in an electrically inactive form as O- pairs, chemically equivalent to peroxy links, O3X-OO-XO3 with X = Si4+, Al3+ etc. Stresses cause the peroxy links to break, allowing electrons from neighboring O2- to jump in and p-holes to jump out. The p-holes can spread through unstressed rocks using energy levels at the upper edge of the valence band.

In Situ Dating Experiments of Igneous Rocks Using the KArLE Instrument: A Case Study for Approximately 380 Ma Basaltic Rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cho, Yuichiro; Cohen, Barbara A.

2018-01-01

We report new K-Ar isochron data for two approximately 380 Ma basaltic rocks, using an updated version of the Potassium-Argon Laser Experiment (KArLE). These basalts have K contents comparable to lunar KREEP basalts or igneous lithologies found by Mars rovers, whereas previous proof-of-concept studies focused primarily on more K-rich rocks. We continue to measure these analogue samples to show the advancing capability of in situ K-Ar geochronology. KArLE is applicable to other bodies including the Moon or asteroids.

Integrating isotopic fingerprinting with petrology: how do igneous rocks evolve?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, J. P.

2002-12-01

In the title of his seminal work, N.L. Bowen recognized the fundamental importance of magmatic evolution in producing the spectrum of igneous rocks. Indeed it is difficult to imagine a hot highly reactive fluid passing through c. 100 km of a chemically distinct medium (lithosphere) without evolving through cooling, crystallization and interaction with the wall rocks. The fact that magmas evolve - almost invariably through open system processes - has been largely marginalized in the past 30 years by the desire to use them as probes of mantle source regions. This perspective has been driven principally by advances offered by isotope geochemistry, through which components and sources can be effectively fingerprinted. Two fundamental observations urge caution in ignoring differentiation effects; 1) the scarcity of truly primary magmas according to geochemical criteria (recognized long ago by petrologists), and 2) the common occurrence of petrographic criteria attesting to open system evolution. Recent advances in multicollector mass spectrometry permit integration of the powerful diagnostic tools of isotope geochemistry with petrographic observations through accurate and precise analysis of small samples. Laser ablation and microdrilling enable sampling within and between mineral phases. The results of our microsampling investigations give widespread support for open system evolution of magmas, and provide insights into the mechanisms and timescales over which this occurs. For example; 1) core-rim decreases in 87Sr/86Sr in zoned plagioclase crystals from 1982 lavas of El Chichon volcano, Mexico, argue that the zoning and isotopic changes are in response to magma recharge mixing with an originally contaminated resident magma; 2) Single grain and intra-grain isotopic analyses of mineral phases from Ngauruhoe andesites (New Zealand) are highly variable, arguing that bulk rock data reflect mechanical aggregations of components which have evolved in discrete domains of the

PHASS99: A software program for retrieving and decoding the radiometric ages of igneous rocks from the international database IGBADAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Mishwat, Ali T.

2016-05-01

PHASS99 is a FORTRAN program designed to retrieve and decode radiometric and other physical age information of igneous rocks contained in the international database IGBADAT (Igneous Base Data File). In the database, ages are stored in a proprietary format using mnemonic representations. The program can handle up to 99 ages in an igneous rock specimen and caters to forty radiometric age systems. The radiometric age alphanumeric strings assigned to each specimen description in the database consist of four components: the numeric age and its exponential modifier, a four-character mnemonic method identification, a two-character mnemonic name of analysed material, and the reference number in the rock group bibliography vector. For each specimen, the program searches for radiometric age strings, extracts them, parses them, decodes the different age components, and converts them to high-level English equivalents. IGBADAT and similarly-structured files are used for input. The output includes three files: a flat raw ASCII text file containing retrieved radiometric age information, a generic spreadsheet-compatible file for data import to spreadsheets, and an error file. PHASS99 builds on the old program TSTPHA (Test Physical Age) decoder program and expands greatly its capabilities. PHASS99 is simple, user friendly, fast, efficient, and does not require users to have knowledge of programing.

Grains of Nonferrous and Noble Metals in Iron-Manganese Formations and Igneous Rocks of Submarine Elevations of the Sea of Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolesnik, O. N.; Astakhova, N. V.

2018-01-01

Iron-manganese formations and igneous rocks of submarine elevations in the Sea of Japan contain overlapping mineral phases (grains) with quite identical morphology, localization, and chemical composition. Most of the grains conform to oxides, intermetallic compounds, native elements, sulfides, and sulfates in terms of the set of nonferrous, noble, and certain other metals (Cu, Zn, Sn, Pb, Ni, Mo, Ag, Pd, and Pt). The main conclusion that postvolcanic hydrothermal fluids are the key sources of metals is based upon a comparison of the data of electron microprobe analysis of iron-manganese formations and igneous rocks dredged at the same submarine elevations in the Sea of Japan.

The nakhlite meteorites: Augite-rich igneous rocks from Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Treiman, Allan H.

2005-01-01

The seven nakhlite meteorites are augite-rich igneous rocks that formed in flows or shallow intrusions of basaltic magma on Mars. They consist of euhedral to subhedral crystals of augite and olivine (to 1 cm long) in fine-grained mesostases. The augite crystals have homogeneous cores of Mg' = 63% and rims that are normally zoned to iron enrichment. The core-rim zoning is cut by iron-enriched zones along fractures and is replaced locally by ferroan low-Ca pyroxene. The core compositions of the olivines vary inversely with the steepness of their rim zoning - sharp rim zoning goes with the most magnesian cores (Mg' = 42%), homogeneous olivines are the most ferroan. The olivine and augite crystals contain multiphase inclusions representing trapped magma. Among the olivine and augite crystals is mesostasis, composed principally of plagioclase and/or glass, with euhedra of titanomagnetite and many minor minerals. Olivine and mesostasis glass are partially replaced by veinlets and patches of iddingsite, a mixture of smectite clays, iron oxy-hydroxides and carbonate minerals. In the mesostasis are rare patches of a salt alteration assemblage: halite, siderite, and anhydrite/ gypsum. The nakhlites are little shocked, but have been affected chemically and biologically by their residence on Earth. Differences among the chemical compositions of the nakhlites can be ascribed mostly to different proportions of augite, olivine, and mesostasis. Compared to common basalts, they are rich in Ca, strongly depleted in Al, and enriched in magmaphile (incompatible) elements, including the LREE. Nakhlites contain little pre-terrestrial organic matter. Oxygen isotope ratios are not terrestrial, and are different in anhydrous silicates and in iddingsite. The alteration assemblages all have heavy oxygen and heavy carbon, while D/H values are extreme and scattered. Igneous sulfur had a solar-system isotopic ratio, but in most minerals was altered to higher and lower values. High precision

Archaean tectonic systems: A view from igneous rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moyen, Jean-François; Laurent, Oscar

2018-03-01

This work examines the global distribution of Archaean and modern igneous rock's compositions, without relying on preconceptions about the link between rock compositions and tectonic sites (in contrast with "geotectonic" diagrams). Rather, Archaean and modern geochemical patterns are interpreted and compared in terms of source and melting conditions. Mafic rocks on the modern Earth show a clear chemical separation between arc and non-arc rocks. This points to the first order difference between wet (arc) and dry (mid-ocean ridges and hotspots) mantle melting. Dry melts are further separated in depleted (MORB) and enriched (OIB) sources. This three-fold pattern is a clear image of the ridge/subduction/plume system that dominates modern tectonics. In contrast, Archaean mafic and ultramafic rocks are clustered in an intermediate position, between the three main modern types. This suggests that the Archaean mantle had lesser amounts of clearly depleted or enriched portions; that true subductions were rare; and that the distinction between oceanic plateaus and ridges may have been less significant. Modern granitic rocks dominantly belong to two groups: arc-related granitoids, petrologically connected to arc basalts; and collision granitoids, related to felsic sources. In contrast, the Archaean record is dominated by the TTG suite that derives from an alkali-rich mafic source (i.e. altered basalt). The geochemical diversity of the TTG suite points to a great range of melting depths, from ca. 5 to > 20 kbar. This reveals the absence of large sedimentary accumulations, again the paucity of modern-like arc situations, and the importance played by reworking of an earlier basaltic shell, in a range of settings (including some proto-subduction mechanisms). Nonetheless, granitoids in each individual region show a progressive transition towards more modern-looking associations of arc-like and peraluminous granites. Collectively, the geochemical evidence suggests an Archaean Earth

U-Pb zircon geochronology and evolution of some Adirondack meta-igneous rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclelland, J. M.

1988-01-01

An update was presented of the recent U-Pb isotope geochronology and models for evolution of some of the meta-igneous rocks of the Adirondacks, New York. Uranium-lead zircon data from charnockites and mangerites and on baddeleyite from anorthosite suggest that the emplacement of these rocks into a stable crust took place in the range 1160 to 1130 Ma. Granulite facies metamorphism was approximately 1050 Ma as indicated by metamorphic zircon and sphene ages of the anorthosite and by development of magmatitic alaskitic gneiss. The concentric isotherms that are observed in this area are due to later doming. However, an older contact metamorphic aureole associated with anorthosite intrusion is observed where wollastonite develops in metacarbonates. Zenoliths found in the anorthosite indicate a metamorphic event prior to anorthosite emplacement. The most probable mechanism for anorthosite genesis is thought to be ponding of gabbroic magmas at the Moho. The emplacement of the anorogenic anorthosite-mangerite-charnockite suite was apparently bracketed by compressional orogenies.

Geology and porphyry copper-type alteration-mineralization of igneous rocks at the Christmas Mine, Gila County, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Koski, Randolph A.

1979-01-01

The Christmas copper deposit, located in southern Gila County, Arizona, is part of the major porphyry copper province of southwestern North America. Although Christmas is known for skarn deposits in Paleozoic carbonate rocks, ore-grade porphyry-type copper mineralization also occurs in a composite granodioritic intrusive complex and adjacent mafic volcanic country rocks. This study considers the nature, distribution, and genesis of alteration-mineralization in the igneous rock environment at Christmas. At the southeast end of the Dripping Spring Mountains, the Pennsylvanian Naco Limestone is unconformably overlain by the Cretaceous Williamson Canyon Volcanics, a westward-thinning sequence of basaltic volcanic breccia and lava flows, and subordinate clastic sedimentary rocks. Paleozoic and Mesozoic strata are intruded by Laramide-age dikes, sills, and small stocks of hornblende andesite porphyry and hornblende rhyodacite porphyry, and the mineralized Christmas intrusive complex. Rocks of the elongate Christmas stock, intruded along an east-northeast-trending fracture zone, are grouped into early, veined quartz diorite (Dark Phase), biotite granodiorite porphyry (Light Phase), and granodiorite; and late, unveined dacite porphyry and granodiorite porphyry. Biotite rhyodacite porphyry dikes extending east and west from the vicinity of the stock are probably coeval with biotite granodiorite porphyry. Accumulated normal displacement of approximately 1 km along the northwest-trending Christmas-Joker fault system has juxtaposed contrasting levels (lower, intrusive-carbonate rock environment and upper, intrusive-volcanic rock environment) within the porphyry copper system. K-Ar age determinations and whole-rock chemical analyses of the major intrusive rock types indicate that Laramide calc-alkaline magmatism and ore deposition at Christmas evolved over an extended period from within the Late Cretaceous (~75-80 m.y. ago) to early Paleocene (~63-61 m.y. ago). The sequence of

Magnetic anomalies along the contact between sedimentary and igneous rocks:

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kletetschka, G.; Speer, A. J.; Wasilewski, P. J.

2002-05-01

Intrusion of the Liberty Hill granite (South Carolina) into the surrounding shale causes a distinct aureole along the metamorphic contact. The aureole is divided by five isograds, which are the result of a sequence of continuous reactions. One consequence of the continuous reactions is production of contrasting proportion of magnetite and exsolved titanohematite. The continuous change in the relative amounts of these two minerals, controls the magnetic properties of the hornfelses. This causes magnetic anomaly changes associated with the aureole with inflexions occurring at the isograds. The maximum intensity of the magnetic anomaly coincides with the maximum abundance of titanohematite. The anomaly sharply drops when stable remanence of titanohematite is replaced by unstable remanence of magnetite. Magnetic properties of the aureole, which is the contact between igneous and sedimentary rocks, demonstrate an example of magnetic remanence acquisition in petrological environment that is likely to occur on planet Mars.

Major and trace elements in igneous rocks from Apollo 15.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmke, P. A.; Blanchard, D. P.; Haskin, L. A.; Telander, K.; Weiss, C.; Jacobs, J. W.

1973-01-01

The concentrations of major and trace elements have been determined in igneous rocks from Apollo 15. All materials analyzed have typical depletions of Eu except for minerals separated from sample 15085. Four samples have concentrations of trace elements that are similar to those of KREEP. The samples of mare basalt from Apollo 15 have higher concentrations of FeO, MgO, Mn, and Cr and lower concentrations of CaO, Na2O, K2O, and rare-earth elements (REE) as compared to the samples of mare basalt from Apollos 11, 12, and 14. The samples can be divided into two groups on the basis of their normative compositions. One group is quartz normative and has low concentrations of FeO while the other is olivine normative and has high concentrations of FeO. The trace element data indicate that the samples of olivine normative basalt could be from different portions of a single lava flow.

Ages, geochemistry and tectonic implications of the Cambrian igneous rocks in the northern Great Xing'an Range, NE China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Zhiqiang; Liu, Yongjiang; Li, Yanrong; Li, Weimin; Wen, Quanbo; Liu, Binqiang; Zhou, Jianping; Zhao, Yingli

2017-08-01

The Xinlin-Xiguitu suture zone, located in the Great Xing'an Range, NE China, in the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), represents the boundary between the Erguna and Xing'an micro-continental blocks. The exact location of the Xinlin-Xiguitu suture zone has been debated, especially, the location of the northern extension of the suture zone. In this study, based on a detailed field, geochemical, geochronological and Sr-Nd-Hf isotope study, we focus our work on the Cambrian igneous rocks in the Erguna-Xing'an block. The Xinglong granitoids, mainly include ∼520 Ma diorite, ∼470 Ma monzogranite and ∼480 Ma pyroxene diorite. The granitoids show medium to high-K calc-alkaline series characteristics with post-collision granite affinity. The circa 500 Ma granitoids have low εHf (t) values (-16.6 to +2.2) and ancient two-stage model (TDM2) ages between 1317 Ma and 2528 Ma. These results indicate the primary magmas of the Xinglong granitoids were probably derived from the partial melting of a dominantly Paleo-Mesoproterozoic ;old; crustal source with possible different degrees of addition of juvenile materials, and formed in a post-collision tectonic setting after the amalgamation of the Erguna and Xing'an blocks. Compared with the Xinglong granitoids, the Duobaoshan igneous rocks are consisted of the approximately coeval rhyolitic tuffs (491 ± 5 Ma) and ultramafic intrusions (497 ± 5 Ma) within the Duobaoshan Formation. They are generally enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and depleted in high field strength elements (HFSEs; e.g., Nb, Ta, and Ti), consistent with the geochemistry of igneous rocks from island arcs or active continental margins. The ultramafic rocks have high positive εHf (t) values (+1.3 to +15) and εNd (t) (+1.86 to +2.28), and relatively young two-stage model (TDM2) ages and low initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.70628-0.70853), indicating the partial melting of a depleted mantle source from a subducted slab in

Pristine Igneous Rocks and the Early Differentiation of Planetary Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warren, Paul H.

1998-01-01

Our studies are highly interdisciplinary, but are focused on the processes and products of early planetary and asteroidal differentiation, especially the genesis of the ancient lunar crust. Most of the accessible lunar crust consists of materials hybridized by impact-mixing. Rare pristine (unmixed) samples reflect the original genetic diversity of the early crust. We studied the relative importance of internally generated melt (including the putative magma ocean) versus large impact melts in early lunar magmatism, through both sample analysis and physical modeling. Other topics under investigation included: lunar and SNC (martian?) meteorites; igneous meteorites in general; impact breccias, especially metal-rich Apollo samples and polymict eucrites; effects of regolith/megaregolith insulation on thermal evolution and geochronology; and planetary bulk compositions and origins. We investigated the theoretical petrology of impact melts, especially those formed in large masses, such as the unejected parts of the melts of the largest lunar and terrestrial impact basins. We developed constraints on several key effects that variations in melting/displacement ratio (a strong function of both crater size and planetary g) have on impact melt petrology. Modeling results indicate that the impact melt-derived rock in the sampled, megaregolith part of the Moon is probably material that was ejected from deeper average levels than the non-impact-melted material (fragmental breccias and unbrecciated pristine rocks). In the largest lunar impacts, most of the impact melt is of mantle origin and avoids ejection from the crater, while most of the crust, and virtually all of the impact-melted crust, in the area of the crater is ejected. We investigated numerous extraordinary meteorites and Apollo rocks, emphasizing pristine rocks, siderophile and volatile trace elements, and the identification of primary partial melts, as opposed to partial cumulates. Apollo 15 sample 15434,28 is an

Evolution of KREEP - Further petrologic evidence. [igneous rocks from Apollo 15 site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crawford, M. L.; Hollister, L. S.

1977-01-01

It is hypothesized that KREEP samples from the Apollo 15 site are igneous. To support the hypothesis, comparisons are made with other crystalline KREEP samples, especially 14310. It is noted that the low siderophile element content and lack of high pressure phenocrysts in the Apollo 15 KREEP may be indications of a slower rise of KREEP melt to the surface, when contrasted with sample 14310. Gravitational separation of Fe-Ni metal is proposed as a mechanism to account for the depletion of siderophile elements relative to the Si-rich component. It is further suggested that KREEP may be the parent of Apollo 12 and 15 basalts, as well as of granitic rocks, due to the liquid immiscibility occurring during the KREEP melt crystallization, and the subsequent independent evolution of the components.

Acid neutralizing capacity and leachate results for igneous rocks, with associated carbon contents of derived soils, Animas River AML site, Silverton, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yager, Douglas B.; Stanton, Mark R.; Choate, LaDonna M.; Burchell,

2009-01-01

Mine planning efforts have historically overlooked the possible acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) that local igneous rocks can provide to help neutralize acidmine drainage. As a result, limestone has been traditionally hauled to mine sites for use in neutralizing acid drainage. Local igneous rocks, when used as part of mine life-cycle planning and acid mitigation strategy, may reduce the need to transport limestone to mine sites because these rocks can contain acid neutralizing minerals. Igneous hydrothermal events often introduce moderately altered mineral assemblages peripheral to more intensely altered rocks that host metal-bearing veins and ore bodies. These less altered rocks can contain ANC minerals (calcite-chlorite-epidote) and are referred to as a propylitic assemblage. In addition, the carbon contents of soils in areas of new mining or those areas undergoing restoration have been historically unknown. Soil organic carbon is an important constituent to characterize as a soil recovery benchmark that can be referred to during mine cycle planning and restoration.
This study addresses the mineralogy, ANC, and leachate chemistry of propylitic volcanic rocks that host polymetallic mineralization in the Animas River watershed near the historical Silverton, Colorado, mining area. Acid titration tests on volcanic rocks containing calcite (2 – 20 wt %) and chlorite (6 – 25 wt %), have ANC ranging from 4 – 146 kg/ton CaCO₃ equivalence. Results from a 6-month duration, kinetic reaction vessel test containing layered pyritic mine waste and underlying ANC volcanic rock (saturated with deionized water) indicate that acid generating mine waste (pH 2.4) has not overwhelmed the ANC of propylitic volcanic rocks (pH 5.8). Sequential leachate laboratory experiments evaluated the concentration of metals liberated during leaching. Leachate concentrations of Cu-Zn-As-Pb for ANC volcanic rock are one-to-three orders of magnitude lower when compared to leached

Lead isotope compositions of Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary igneous rocks and sulfide minerals in Arizona: Implications for the sources of plutons and metals in porphyry copper deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bouse, R.M.; Ruiz, J.; Titley, S.R.; Tosdal, R.M.; Wooden, J.L.

1999-01-01

Porphyry copper deposits in Arizona are genetically associated with Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary igneous complexes that consist of older intermediate volcanic rocks and younger intermediate to felsic intrusions. The igneous complexes and their associated porphyry copper deposits were emplaced into an Early Proterozoic basement characterized by different rocks, geologic histories, and isotopic compositions. Lead isotope compositions of the Proterozoic basement rocks define, from northwest to southeast, the Mojave, central Arizona, and southeastern Arizona provinces. Porphyry copper deposits are present in each Pb isotope province. Lead isotope compositions of Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary plutons, together with those of sulfide minerals in porphyry copper deposits and of Proterozoic country rocks, place important constraints on genesis of the magmatic suites and the porphyry copper deposits themselves. The range of age-corrected Pb isotope compositions of plutons in 12 Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary igneous complexes is 206Pb/204Pb = 17.34 to 22.66, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.43 to 15.96, and 208Pb/204Pb = 37.19 to 40.33. These Pb isotope compositions and calculated model Th/U are similar to those of the Proterozoic rocks in which the plutons were emplaced, thereby indicating that Pb in the younger rocks and ore deposits was inherited from the basement rocks and their sources. No Pb isotope differences distinguish Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary igneous complexes that contain large economic porphyry copper deposits from less rich or smaller deposits that have not been considered economic for mining. Lead isotope compositions of Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary plutons and sulfide minerals from 30 metallic mineral districts, furthermore, require that the southeastern Arizona Pb province be divided into two subprovinces. The northern subprovince has generally lower 206Pb/204Pb and higher model Th/U, and the southern subprovince has higher 206Pb/204Pb and

Geochemistry of primary-carbonate bearing K-rich igneous rocks in the Awulale Mountains, western Tianshan: Implications for carbon-recycling in subduction zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Wu-Bin; Niu, He-Cai; Shan, Qiang; Chen, Hua-Yong; Hollings, Pete; Li, Ning-Bo; Yan, Shuang; Zartman, Robert E.

2014-10-01

Arc magmatism plays an important role in the recycling of subducted carbon and returning it to the surface. However, the transfer mechanisms of carbon are poorly understood. In this study, the contribution of subducted carbonate-rich sediments to the genesis of the carbonate-bearing K-rich igneous rocks from western Tianshan was investigated. Four key triggers are involved, including sediments subduction, slab decarbonation, partial melting and magma segregation. The globular carbonate ocelli show C-O isotope signatures intermediate between oceanic sediments and mantle, suggesting that the carbon of the primary carbonate ocelli was derived from recycled subducted sediments in the mantle. Decarbonation of the subducted slab is regarded as the primary agent to carbonize the mantle wedge. Geochemical features indicate that the carbonate ocelli are primary, and that the parental K- and carbon-rich mafic alkaline magma was derived from partial melting of carbonated mantle wedge veined with phlogopite. Major and trace element compositions indicate that globular carbonate ocelli hosted in the Bugula K-rich igneous rocks are calcio-carbonate and formed primarily by segregation of the differentiated CO2-rich alkaline magma after crystallization fractionation. The K-rich alkaline magma, which formed from partial melting of metasomatized (i.e., phlogopite bearing) mantle wedge in the sub-arc region, is a favorable agent to transport subducted carbon back to the Earth's surface during carbon recycling in subduction zones, because of the high CO2 solubility in alkaline mafic magma. We therefore propose a model for the petrogenesis of the carbonate-bearing K-rich igneous rocks in western Tianshan, which are significant for revealing the mechanism of carbon recycling in subduction zones.

Mind Over Magma: The Story of Igneous Petrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snyder, Don

2004-01-01

In the centuries that enquiring minds have studied and theorized about igneous rocks, much progress has been made, both in accumulating observations and in developing theories. Yet, writing a history of this progress is a daunting undertaking. The volume of the literature is vast and in multiple languages; the various lines of inquiry are diverse and complex; and the nomenclature is sometimes abstruse. On top of these challenges, many of its principal issues have yet to find a definitive consensus. With the exception of a few topical studies, historians of science have virtually avoided the subject. In Mind Over Magma: The Story of Igneous Petrology, Davis Young has taken on the challenge of writing a comprehensive survey of the study of igneous rocks, and the result has been a remarkable book of meticulous scholarship. Igneous petrology is a vast subject, and it is not obvious how best to organize its history. Young takes a topical approach, generally grouping together various studies by either the problem being investigated or the method of attack. These topics span the earliest times to the present, with an emphasis on recurring themes, such as the causes of magmatic diversity and the origins of the granitic rocks. The range of topics includes most of the subjects central to the field over its history. As much as is practical, topics are discussed in chronological order, and along the way, the reader is treated to biographical sketches of many of the key contributors. This organization proves effective in dealing with the multitude of concepts.

Deciphering igneous and metamorphic events in high-grade rocks of the Wilmington complex, Delaware: Morphology, cathodoluminescence and backscattered electron zoning, and SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology of zircon and monazite

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aleinikoff, J.N.; Schenck, W.S.; Plank, M.O.; Srogi, L.A.; Fanning, C.M.; Kamo, S.L.; Bosbyshell, H.

2006-01-01

High-grade rocks of the Wilmington Complex, northern Delaware and adjacent Maryland and Pennsylvania, contain morphologically complex zircons that formed through both igneous and metamorphic processes during the development of an island-arc complex and suturing of the arc to Laurentia. The arc complex has been divided into several members, the protoliths of which include both intrusive and extrusive rocks. Metasedimentary rocks are interlayered with the complex and are believed to be the infrastructure upon which the arc was built. In the Wilmingto n Complex rocks, both igneous and metamorphic zircons occur as elongate and equant forms. Chemical zoning, shown by cathodoluminescence (CL), includes both concentric, oscillatory patterns, indicative of igneous origin, and patchwork and sector patterns, suggestive of metamorphic growth. Metamorphic monazites are chemically homogeneous, or show oscillatory or spotted chemical zoning in backscattered electron images. U-Pb geochronology by sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) was used to date complexly zoned zircon and monazite. All but one member of the Wilmington Complex crystallized in the Ordovician between ca. 475 and 485 Ma; these rocks were intruded by a suite of gabbro-to-granite plutonic rocks at 434 ?? Ma. Detrital zircons in metavolcanic and metasedimentary units were derived predominantly from 0.9 to 1.4 Ga (Grenvillian) basement, presumably of Laurentian origin. Amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphism of the Wilmington Complex, recorded by ages of metamorphic zircon (428 ?? 4 and 432 ?? 6 Ma) and monazite (429 ?? 2 and 426 ?? 3 Ma), occurred contemporaneously with emplacement of the younger plutonic rocks. On the basis of varying CL zoning patterns and external morphologies, metamorphic zircons formed by different processes (presumably controlled by rock chemistry) at slightly different times and temperatures during prograde metamorphism. In addition, at least three other thermal episodes are

Intraplate 'typical' and Ca-rich igneous rocks associated with carbonatites in Baluchistan, Middle East

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanko, Alexander

2010-05-01

Islamic republic of Iran We present some interesting materials on a poorly studied Neogene-(Quaternary) igneous rocks of Baluchistan and Sistan province, east Iran. They were received by a group led by a regional specialists E. Romanko, A. Hushmanzadeh and M.A.A. Nogol Sadat. Some important features on the rock studied are as follows: mainly K-Na subalkaline rock affinity (also alkaline one too) with a middle K), not very High-Ti, not high, deep 87Sr/86Sr (ISr) = 0.7039 +/- 2 (trachyandesite) and 0.7049 +/- 3 (trachybasalt, both data by GIN RAS, Russia) alongside the 0.7049 on a vulcanite (Camp & Griffis, 1982), LREE-enrichment with a high LREE/HREE (La - more than 32 ppm), and a characteristical Eu/Eu* more than 1.1; up to high - 1/3 of CaO and up to a high - 0.45% of Sr in basic trachyandesites (meaning the real carbonatites ca 200 km to the east, Hanneshin, Afghanistan), complex correlation of some characteristical elements; then-High-Ti (rhutile, Ti-hornblende) and High-Ca phases (clinocoizite, also, Ca- rich ceolie - vayrakite is proposed), replacement of primary minerals due to a fairly strong rock-fluid interaction. North-East tectonic-magmatic +/- metallogenic (economic regional Cu-Au +/- Pb, Zn, poor Ag, PGE, As, Hg, Bi etc. - e.x., Anarak deposits (E.Romanko, 1984) ) zonation, related to the famous subduction of Arabian plate, exists, e.x. (calc-alkaline /1/ - intraplate /2/ ): 1: Eocene shoshonites - Paleocene-Oligocene calc-alkaline intrusives - Miocene-Recent calc-alkaline volcanic (-plutonic) rocks and 2: Paleogene? (Lut block)-Neogene subalkaline rocks - Quaternary Afghanistan carbonatites etc. Alpine compression on the moderate subductional depths up to 200 km (Trubitsin et al., 2004) in the Central Iran, at least, partly compensated, as proposed, by contemporaneous/ younger Pg?-N-Q extensional intraplate magmatism of the East Iran/ Afghanistan and nearby area.

Teaching Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology Through Guided Inquiry Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMillan, N. J.

2003-12-01

Undergraduate Petrology at New Mexico State University (GEOL 399) has been taught using three, 5-6 week long projects in place of lectures, lab, and exams for the last six years. Reasons for changing from the traditional format include: 1) to move the focus from identification and memorization to petrologic thinking; 2) the need for undergraduate students to apply basic chemical, structural, and field concepts to igneous and metamorphic rocks; 3) student boredom in the traditional mode by the topic that has captivated my professional life, in spite of my best efforts to offer thrilling lectures, problems, and labs. The course has three guided inquiry projects: volcanic, plutonic, and pelitic dynamothermal. Two of the rock suites are investigated during field trips. Each project provides hand samples and thin sections; the igneous projects also include whole-rock major and trace element data. Students write a scientific paper that classifies and describes the rocks, describes the data (mineralogical and geochemical), and uses data to interpret parameters such as tectonic setting, igneous processes, relationship to phase diagrams, geologic history, metamorphic grade, metamorphic facies, and polymetamorphic history. Students use the text as a major resource for self-learning; mini-lectures on pertinent topics are presented when needed by the majority of students. Project scores include evaluation of small parts of the paper due each Friday and participation in peer review as well as the final report. I have found that petrology is much more fun, although more difficult, to teach using this method. It is challenging to be totally prepared for class because students are working at different speeds on different levels on different aspects of the project. Students enjoy the course, especially the opportunity to engage in scientific investigation and debate. A significant flaw in this course is that students see fewer rocks and have less experience in rock classification

Rock- and Paleomagnetic Properties and Modeling of a Deep Crustal Volcanic System, the Reinfjord Ultramafic Complex, Seiland Igneous Province, Northern Norway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ter Maat, G. W.; Pastore, Z.; Michels, A.; Church, N. S.; McEnroe, S. A.; Larsen, R. B.

2017-12-01

The Reinfjord Ultramafic Complex is part of the 5000 km2 Seiland Igneous Province (SIP) in Northern Norway. The SIP is argued to be the deep-seated conduit system of a Large Igneous Province and was emplaced at 25-35 km depth in less than 10 Ma (570-560 Ma). The Reinfjord Ultramafic Complex was emplaced during three major successive events at 22-28km depth at pressures of 6-8kb, with associated temperatures 1450-1500°C (Roberts, 2006). The rocks are divided into three formations: the central series (CS) consisting of mainly dunites, upper layered series (ULS) consisting of dunites and wehrlites, a lower layered series (LLS) containing most pyroxene-rich rocks and a marginal zone (MZ) which formed where the ultramafic melts intruded the gabbro-norite and metasedimentary gneisses. Deep exposures such as the Reinfjord Ultramafic Complex are rare, therefore this study gives a unique insight in the rock magnetic properties of a deep ultramafic system. Localised serpentinised zones provide an opportunity to observe the effect of this alteration process on the magnetic properties of deep-seated rocks. Here, we present the results from the rock magnetic properties, a paleomagnetic study and combined potential-fields modeling. The study of the rock magnetic properties provides insight in primary processes associated with the intrusion, and later serpentinization. The paleomagnetic data yields two distinct directions. One direction corresponds to a Laurentia pole at ≈ 532 Ma while the other, though younger, is not yet fully understood. Rock magnetic properties were measured on > 700 specimens and used to constrain the modelling of gravity, high-resolution helicopter, and ground magnetic data. The intrusion is modelled as a cylindrically shaped complex with a dunite core surrounded by wehrlite and gabbro. The ultramafic part of the complex dips to the NE and its maximum vertical extent is modelled to 1400m. Furthermore, modelling allows estimation of relative volumes of

Magnetic anisotropy of Cenozoic igneous rocks from the Vardar zone (Kopaonik area, Serbia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesić, Vesna; Márton, Emő; Cvetkov, Vesna; Tomić, Dragana

2013-06-01

The Vardar zone is the suture between colliding Adriatic and Eurasian plates, comprising profoundly different tectonostratigraphic units which came into contact during Early Palaeogene. The zone was subsequently intruded by igneous rocks, concentrated at certain places, like the Kopaonik area, where plutonic and extrusive igneous rocks are in abundance. The largest I-type plutons (Kopaonik, Drenje and Željin) form the central part of an N-S running anticline, with an undulating and northward sinking axis. The anticline is conceived as having been formed during compression (D3 phase of deformation of post-Cretaceous age), prior to the intrusion of I-type granitoids or alternatively, the updoming of the regionally metamorphosed rocks was caused by the intrusion of the plutons. The granitoids, forming the core of the anticline and the satellite bodies intruded during Oligocene (at the depth of 10 km), but were exhumed during a mid-Miocene extensional D4 phase of deformation, simultaneously with the intrusion of S-type granite which crops out NW of the anticline. Dacitoandesites, mostly situated west of the anticline, are considered as of Oligocene age, but older than the plutonic rocks. The Miocene granite has visible foliation, the I-type granodiorites and the dacitoandesites occasionally exhibit visibly oriented mineral fabric. In such cases, the fast and inexpensive magnetic susceptibility measurements can provide information about the degree and type of the orientation of the fabric. Our aim was to find out if the loosely dated D3 and the well-dated D4 deformations left imprint in the magnetic fabrics of the above-mentioned rocks by studying the magnetic susceptibility anisotropy of nearly 300 independently oriented samples from 25 localities. We found that the granodiorites often have high or extremely high degree of magnetic anisotropy, suggesting that it was acquired under the influence of stress in the last stage of solidification. In the main body of the

Talking Rocks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Dale; Corley, Brenda

1987-01-01

Discusses some of the ways that rocks can be used to enhance children's creativity and their interest in science. Suggests the creation of a dramatic production involving rocks. Includes basic information on sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. (TW)

A revised chemo-chrono-stratigraphic 4-D model for the extrusive rocks of the Paraná Igneous Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Licht, Otavio Augusto Boni

2018-04-01

The statistical analysis of a lithogeochemical database from whole Paraná Igneous Province (PIP), containing 5974 outcrop and drillhole samples, stresses natural gaps separating SiO2, Zr, TiO2 and P2O5 in high and low values. Their combination delimits 16 chemical types, which have been adopted to classify a sub-set of extrusive rocks with < 2% LOI, comprising 3296 samples. The SiO2 × Zr diagram, where only extrusive rock samples were plotted, shows two major trends connecting low silica (LSi) with high silica (HSi) types. The set formed by Type 4 (LSi-LZr-HTi-HP) + Type 3 (LSi-LZr-HTi-LP) + Type 2 (LSi-LZr-LTi-HP) outcrop samples constitutes a continuous strip that contours the North-Central portion of the Paraná Igneous Province - PIP, subdividing the Type 1 (LSi-LZr-LTi-LP) into Type 1 (Southern) and Type 1 (Central-Northern). The rocks of Type 9 (HSi-LZr-LTi-LP) are mainly exposed in the Central-Southern region and the Zr contents divide them into Type 9 (Central-Southern) < 303 ppm Zr and Type 9 (South-East) ≥ 303 ppm Zr. Both Type 13 (HSi-HZr-LTi-LP) and Type 14 (HSi-HZr-LTi-HP) are exposed on the eastern rim of the PIP. Types are characterized and correlated by typical major and minor elemental associations as well as specific geographical locations throughout the province, composing a robust 3-D model. The combination of maps, cross-sections and 40Ar/39Ar and U/Pb ages found in the literature resulted in a 4-D model (spatial and temporal) for the province. Thus, it is proposed to subdivide the PIP into Southern Sub-province and Central-Northern Sub-province, each one with its own evolution, based on the chemo- and chrono-stratigraphy of its volcanic sequence.

Paleozoic and Paleoproterozoic Zircon in Igneous Xenoliths Assimilated at Redoubt Volcano, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bacon, C. R.; Vazquez, J. A.; Wooden, J. L.

2010-12-01

Historically active Redoubt Volcano is a basalt-to-dacite cone constructed upon the Jurassic-early Tertiary Alaska-Aleutian Range batholith. New SHRIMP-RG U-Pb age and trace-element concentration results for zircons from gabbroic xenoliths and crystal-rich andesitic mush from a late Pleistocene pyroclastic deposit indicate that ~310 Ma and ~1865 Ma igneous rocks underlie Redoubt at depth. Two gabbros have sharply terminated prismatic zircons that yield ages of ~310 Ma. Zircons from a crystal mush sample are overwhelmingly ~1865 Ma and appear rounded due to incomplete dissolution. Binary plots of element concentrations or ratios show clustering of data for ~310-Ma grains and markedly coherent trends for ~1865-Ma grains; e.g., ~310-Ma grains have higher Eu/Eu* than most of the ~1865-Ma grains, the majority of which form a narrow band of decreasing Eu/Eu* with increasing Hf content which suggests that ~1865-Ma zircons come from igneous source rocks. It is very unlikely that detrital zircons from a metasedimentary rock would have this level of homogeneity in age and composition. One gabbro contains abundant ~1865 Ma igneous zircons, ~300-310 Ma fluid-precipitated zircons characterized by very low U and Th concentrations and Th/U ratios, and uncommon ~100 Ma zircons. We propose that (1) ~310 Ma gabbro xenoliths from Redoubt Volcano belong to the same family of plutons dated by Aleinikoff et al. (USGS Circular 1016, 1988) and Gardner et al. (Geology, 1988) located ≥500 km to the northeast in basement rocks of the Wrangellia and Alexander terranes and (2) ~1865 Ma zircons are inherited from igneous rock, potentially from a continental fragment that possibly correlates with the Fort Simpson terrane or Great Bear magmatic zone of the Wopmay Orogen of northwestern Laurentia. Possibly, elements of these Paleoproterozoic terranes intersected the Paleozoic North American continental margin where they may have formed a component of the basement to the Wrangellia

Subduction history of the Paleo-Pacific plate beneath the Eurasian continent: Evidence from Mesozoic igneous rocks and accretionary complex in NE Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, W.

2015-12-01

Mesozoic magmatisms in NE China can be subdivided into seven stages, i.e., Late Triassic, Early Jurassic, Middle Jurassic, Late Jurassic, early Early Cretaceous, late Early Cretaceous, and Late Cretaceous. Late Triassic magmatisms consist of calc-alkaline igneous rocks in the Erguna Massif, and bimodal igneous rocks in eastern margin of Eurasian continent. The former reveals southward subduction of the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate, the latter reveals an extensional environment (Xu et al., 2013). Early Jurassic magmatisms are composed of calc-alkaline igneous rocks in the eastern margin of the Eurasian continent and the Erguna Massif, revealing westward subduction of the Paleo-pacific plate and southward subduction of the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate (Tang et al., 2015), respectively. Middle Jurassic magmatism only occur in the Great Xing'an Range and the northern margin of the NCC, and consists of adakitic rocks that formed in crustal thickening, reflecting the closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk ocean (Li et al., 2015). Late Jurassic and early Early Cretaceous magmatisms only occur to the west of the Songliao Basin, and consist of trackyandesite and A-type of rhyolites, revealing an extensional environment related to delamination of thickened crust. The late Early Cretaceous magmatisms are widespread in NE China, and consist of calc-alkaline volcanics in eastern margin and bimodal volcanics in intracontinent, revealing westward subduction of the Paleo-pacific plate. Late Cretaceous magmatisms mainly occur to the east of the Songliao Basin, and consist of calc-alkaline volcanics in eastern margin and alkaline basalts in intracontinent (Xu et al., 2013), revealing westward subduction of the Paleo-pacific plate. The Heilongjiang complex with Early Jurassic deformation, together with Jurassic Khabarovsk complex in Russia Far East and Mino-Tamba complex in Japan, reveal Early Jurassic accretionary history. Additionally, the Raohe complex with the age of ca. 169 Ma was

Martian Igneous Geochemistry: The Nature of the Martian Mantle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Elkins-Tanton, L. T.; Peng, Z. X.; Herrin, J. S.

2012-01-01

Mafic igneous rocks probe the interiors of their parent objects, reflecting the compositions and mineralogies of their source regions, and the magmatic processes that engendered them. Incompatible trace element contents of mafic igneous rocks are widely used to constrain the petrologic evolution of planets. We focus on incompatible element ratios of martian meteorites to constrain the petrologic evolution of Mars in the context of magma ocean/cumulate overturn models [1]. Most martian meteorites contain some cumulus grains, but regardless, their incompatible element ratios are close to those of their parent magmas. Martian meteorites form two main petrologic/ age groupings; a 1.3 Ga group composed of clinopyroxenites (nakhlites) and dunites (chassignites), and a <1 Ga group composed of basalts and lherzolites (shergottites).

Detrital zircon and igneous protolith ages of high-grade metamorphic rocks in the Highland and Wanni Complexes, Sri Lanka: Their geochronological correlation with southern India and East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitano, Ippei; Osanai, Yasuhito; Nakano, Nobuhiko; Adachi, Tatsuro; Fitzsimons, Ian C. W.

2018-05-01

The high-grade metamorphic rocks of Sri Lanka place valuable constraints on the assembly of central parts of the Gondwana supercontinent. They are subdivided into the Wanni Complex (WC), Highland Complex (HC) and Vijayan Complex (VC), but their correlation with neighbouring Gondwana terranes is hindered by a poor understanding of the contact between the HC and WC. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U-Pb dating of remnant zircon cores from 45 high-grade metamorphic rocks in Sri Lanka reveals two domains with different age characteristics that correlate with the HC and WC and which help constrain the location of the boundary between them. The HC is dominated by detrital zircon ages of ca. 3500-1500 Ma from garnet-biotite gneiss, garnet-cordierite-biotite gneiss, some samples of garnet-orthopyroxene-biotite gneiss and siliceous gneiss (interpreted as paragneisses) and igneous protolith ages of ca. 2000-1800 Ma from garnet-hornblende-biotite gneiss, other samples of garnet-orthopyroxene-biotite gneiss, garnet-two-pyroxene granulite, two-pyroxene granulite and charnockite (interpreted as orthogneisses). In contrast, the WC is dominated by detrital zircon ages of ca. 1100-700 Ma from paragneisses and igneous protolith ages of ca. 1100-800 Ma from orthogneisses. This clearly suggests the HC and WC have different origins, but some of our results and previous data indicate their spatial distribution does not correspond exactly to the unit boundary proposed in earlier studies using Nd model ages. Detrital zircon and igneous protolith ages in the HC suggest that sedimentary protoliths were eroded from local 2000-1800 Ma igneous rocks and an older Paleoproterozoic to Archean craton. In contrast, the WC sedimentary protoliths were mainly eroded from local late Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic igneous rocks with very minor components from an older 2500-1500 Ma craton, and in the case of the WC precursor sediments there was possibly

Extensional tectonics during the igneous emplacement of the mafic-ultramafic rocks of the Barberton greenstone belt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dewit, M. J.

1986-01-01

The simatic rocks (Onverwacht Group) of the Barberton greenstone belt are part of the Jamestown ophiolite complex. This ophiolite, together with its thick sedimentary cover occupies a complex thrust belt. Field studies have identified two types of early faults which are entirely confined to the simatic rocks and are deformed by the later thrusts and associated folds. The first type of fault (F1a) is regional and always occurs in the simatic rocks along and parallel to the lower contacts of the ophiolite-related cherts (Middle Marker and equivalent layers). These fault zones have previously been referred to both as flaser-banded gneisses and as weathering horizons. In general the zones range between 1-30m in thickness. Displacements along these zones are difficult to estimate, but may be in the order of 1-100 km. The structures indicate that the faults formed close to horizontal, during extensional shear and were therefore low angle normal faults. F1a zones overlap in age with the formation of the ophiolite complex. The second type of faults (F1b) are vertical brittle-ductile shear zones, which crosscut the complex at variable angles and cannot always be traced from plutonic to overlying extrusive (pillowed) simatic rocks. F1b zones are also apparently of penecontemporaneous origin with the intrusive-extrusive igneous processs. F1b zones may either represent transform fault-type activity or represent root zones (steepened extensions) of F1a zones. Both fault types indicate extensive deformation in the rocks of the greenstone belt prior to compressional overthrust tectonics.

Prospecting for Diverse Igneous Rock Types on Mars: Pixl on "black Beauty" Nwa 7533

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Flannery, D.; Allwood, A.; Thompson, D. R.; Hodyss, R. P.; Clark, B. C.; Elam, W. T.; Hurowitz, J.

2015-12-01

In order to understand the evolution of the Martian crust and mantle, we need to acquire and analyze samples of igneous rocks other than the basaltic and ultramafic lithologies represented by the majority of Martian meteorites. Recent results from the Curiosity Rover demonstrate that diverse rock types exist in some Martian sedimentary environments in the form of conglomerate components or float, some of which shed light on the nature of early Martian crust (e.g., Sautter et al., 2015). We are developing investigation strategies for the in-situ instruments that will be flown on the Mars 2020 rover. These instruments will be used to inform the sampling campaigns required for future sample return missions. To achieve this, we applied PIXL (Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry), an instrument for the Mars 2020 rover mission, to the meteorite NWA 7533. This meteorite is a pairing of NWA 7034, known informally as "Black Beauty", a new type of Martian meteorite that is broadly similar to the average composition of the Martian crust. This type of meteorite is essentially a 'conglomerate', with many diverse rock types, including mafic, feldspathic, and exotic rock fragments such as feldspar-ilmenite-phosphate clasts, as observed using higher-spatial resolution and higher sensitivity laboratory instruments (e.g., Agee et al., 2013; Humayun et al., 2014; Santos et al., 2015). Using PIXL, we analyzed a mm-scale cut and polished surface and applied algorithms developed by the PIXL team to semi-autonomously define and group regions containing similar lithological components (Thompson et al., 2015). PIXL data rapidly reveal distinctive zircon-bearing lithologies and feldspar-ilmenite-phosphate clasts similar to the detailed petrographic and mineralogical observations. Results suggest that PIXL readily identifies lithologies with minerals and elements (e.g., Rb and Sr) that are important for geochronology studies.

Collecting Rocks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Rachel M.

One of a series of general interest publications on science topics, the booklet provides those interested in rock collecting with a nontechnical introduction to the subject. Following a section examining the nature and formation of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, the booklet gives suggestions for starting a rock collection and using…

Pre-Elsonian mafic magmatism in the Nain Igneous Complex, Labrador: the bridges layered intrusion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ashwal, L.D.; Wiebe, R.A.; Wooden, J.L.; Whitehouse, M.J.; Snyder, Diane

1992-01-01

Decades of work on the pristine, unmetamorphosed, and well exposed anorthositic, mafic and granitic rocks of the Nain igneous complex, Labrador, have led to the conclusion that all plutonic rocks in that area were emplaced in a short time intercal at about 1300 ?? 10 Ma). We report here new isotopic data for mafic intrusive rocks that appear to have crystallized several hundred Ma earlier than the bulk of the plutonic activity in the Nain complex. The Bridges layered intrusion (BLI) is a small (15-20 km2) lens of layered mafic rocks about 1.5 km thick, surrounded and intruded by anorthositic, leuconoritic and leucotroctolitic plutons in the middle of the coastal section of the Nain igneous complex. BLI shows very well developed magmatic structures, including channel scours, slump structures, and ubiquitous modally graded layering. Most rocks, however, show granular textures indicative of recrystallization, presumably caused by emplacement of younger anorthositic rocks. BLI contains cumulate rocks with slightly more primitive mineral compositions (An60-83, Fo66-71) than those of other mafic intrusions in the Nain igneous complex, including Kiglapait. SmNd isotopic data for 7 BLI whole-rocks ranging in composition between olivine melagabbro and olivine leucogabbro yield an age of 1667 ?? 75 Ma, which we interpret as the time of primary crystallization. The internal isotopic systematics of the BLI have been reset, probably by intrusion of adjacent anorthositic plutons. A SmNd mineral isochron (plag, whole-rock, mafics) for a BLI olivine melagabbro gives an age of 1283 ?? 22 Ma, equivalent within error of a mineral array (plag, whole-rock, opx, cpx) for an adjacent, igneous-textured, leuconorite vein (1266 ?? 152 Ma). The initial Nd ratio for BLI corresponds to ??{lunate}Nd = -3.18 ?? 0.44. Other whole-rock samples, however, some with vein-like alteration (Chlorite, serpentine, amphiboles), show ??{lunate}Nd values as low as -9.1, suggesting variable contamination by

Thermobarometric studies on the Levack Gneisses: Footwall rocks to the Sudbury Igneous Complex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, R. S.; Peredery, W.; Sweeny, J. M.

1992-01-01

Granulite and amphibolite facies gneisses and migmatites of the Levack Gneiss Complex occupy a zone up to 8 km wide around the northern part of the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC). Orthopyroxene- and garnet-bearing tonalitic and semipelitic assemblages of granulite facies grade occur within 3 km of the SIC together with lenses of mafic and pyroxenitic rock compositions normally represented by an amphibole +/- cpx-rich assemblage; amphibolite facies assemblages dominate elsewhere in this terrain. These 2.711-Ga gneisses were introduced by (1) the Cartier Granite Batholith during late Archaean to early Proterozoic time and (2) the SIC, at 1.85 Ga, which produced a contact aureole 1-1.5 km wide in which pyroxene hornfelses are common within 200-300 m of the contact. A suite of 12 samples including both the opx-gt and amphibole-rich rock compositions have been studied. Garnets in the semipelitic gneisses are variably replaced by a plg-bio assemblage. Thermobarometric calculations using a variety of barometers and thermometers reported in the literature suggest that the granulite facies assemblages formed at depths in the 21-28 km range (6-8 kbar). Textures and mineral chemistry in the garnet-bearing semipelitic rocks indicate that this terrain underwent a second metamorphic event during uplift to depth in the 5-11 km range (2-3 kbar) and at temperatures as low as 500-550 C. This latter event is distinct from thermal recrystallization caused by the emplacement of the SIC; it probably represents metamorphism attributable to intrusion of the Cartier Granite Batholith. These data allow two interpretations for the crustal uplift of the Levack Gneisses: (1) The gneisses were tectonically uplifted prior to the Sudbury Event (due to intrusion of the Cartier Batholith); or (2) the gneisses were raised to epizonal levels as a result of meteorite impact at 1.85 Ga.

Influence of crystallised igneous intrusions on fault nucleation and reactivation during continental extension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magee, Craig; McDermott, Kenneth G.; Stevenson, Carl T. E.; Jackson, Christopher A.-L.

2014-05-01

Continental rifting is commonly accommodated by the nucleation of normal faults, slip on pre-existing fault surfaces and/or magmatic intrusion. Because crystallised igneous intrusions are pervasive in many rift basins and are commonly more competent (i.e. higher shear strengths and Young's moduli) than the host rock, it is theoretically plausible that they locally intersect and modify the mechanical properties of pre-existing normal faults. We illustrate the influence that crystallised igneous intrusions may have on fault reactivation using a conceptual model and observations from field and subsurface datasets. Our results show that igneous rocks may initially resist failure, and promote the preferential reactivation of favourably-oriented, pre-existing faults that are not spatially-associated with solidified intrusions. Fault segments situated along strike from laterally restricted fault-intrusion intersections may similarly be reactivated. This spatial and temporal control on strain distribution may generate: (1) supra-intrusion folds in the hanging wall; (2) new dip-slip faults adjacent to the igneous body; or (3) sub-vertical, oblique-slip faults oriented parallel to the extension direction. Importantly, stress accumulation within igneous intrusions may eventually initiate failure and further localise strain. The results of our study have important implications for the structural of sedimentary basins and the subsurface migration of hydrocarbons and mineral-bearing fluids.

Mineralogical, geochemical and isotopic characteristics of alkaline mafic igneous rocks from Punta delle Pietre Nere (Gargano, Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzeo, F. C.; Arienzo, I.; Aulinas, M.; Casalini, M.; Di Renzo, V.; D'Antonio, M.

2018-05-01

The Punta delle Pietre Nere (Gargano, Southern Italy) igneous body is constituted by gabbroic and syenitic rocks with lamprophyric affinity of different age (58 and 62 Ma, respectively). The chemical composition of the minerals clearly indicates that there is no genetic relationship between the two lithotypes, in agreement with their significant age difference. The chemical (trace elements) and Sr-Nd-Pb-isotopic composition of these rocks highlights an "anorogenic" geochemical affinity derived from mixed DMM-HIMU-EM mantle reservoirs, similarly to other Paleogene-Oligocene magmatic provinces in the Circum-Mediterranean Area. In past literature, these features were interpreted as evidences for enriched asthenospheric mantle plume upwelling from deep regions beneath the Western Europe. Here we suggest that the HIMU-like composition of Punta delle Pietre Nere rocks is related to a lithospheric mantle source bearing amphibole-rich veins, resulting from crystallization of melts within the amphibole stability field in presence of H2O, as shown by several experimental works. Our results suggests partial melting at 70-90 km depth, which corresponds to the spinel-garnet transition (2.5-3.5 GPa) close to the amphibole stability limit ( 90-110 km and 2.5-3.5 GPa).

Possible petrogenetic associations among igneous components in North Massif soils: Evidence in 2-4 mm soil particles from 76503

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jolliff, Bradley L.; Bishop, Kaylynn M.; Haskin, Larry A.

1992-01-01

Studies of Apollo 17 highland igneous rocks and clasts in breccias from the North and South Massifs have described magnesian troctolite, norite, anorthositic gabbro, dunite, spinel cataclasites, and granulitic lithologies that may have noritic anothosite or anorthositic norite/gabbro as igneous precursors, and have speculated on possible petrogenetic relationships among these rock types. Mineral compositions and relative proportions of plagioclase and plagioclase-olivine particles in samples 76503 indicate that the precursor lithology of those particles were troctolitic anorthosite, not troctolite. Mineral and chemical compositions of more pyroxene-rich, magnesian breccias and granulites in 76503 indicate that their precursor lithology was anorthositic norite/gabbro. The combination of mineral compositions and whole-rock trace-element compositional trends supports a genetic relationship among these two groups as would result from differentiation of a single pluton. Although highland igneous lithologies in Apollo 17 materials have been described previously, the proportions of different igneous lithologies present in the massifs, their frequency of association, and how they are related are not well known. We consider the proportions of, and associations among, the igneous lithologies found in a North Massif soil, which may represent those of the North Massif or a major part of it.

Igneous history of the aubrite parent asteroid - Evidence from the Norton County enstatite achondrite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okada, Akihiko; Keil, Klaus; Taylor, G. Jeffrey; Newsom, Horton

1988-01-01

Numerous specimens of the Norton County enstatite achondrite (aubrite) were studied by optical microscopy, electron microprobe, and neutron-activation analysis. Norton County is found to be a fragmental impact breccia, consisting of a clastic matrix made mostly of crushed enstatite, into which are embedded a variety of mineral and lithic clasts of both igneous and impact melt origin. The Norton County precursor materials were igneous rocks, mostly plutonic orthopyroxenites, not grains formed by condensation from the solar nebula. The Mg-silicate-rich aubrite parent body experienced extensive melting and igneous differentiation, causing formation of diverse lithologies including dunites, plutonic orthopyroxenites, plutonic pyroxenites, and plagioclase-silica rocks. The presence of impact melt breccias (the microporphyritic clasts and the diopside-plagioclase-silica clast) of still different compositions further attests to the lithologic diversity of the aubrite parent body.

Petrogenesis of Igneous-Textured Clasts in Martian Meteorite Northwest Africa 7034

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santos, A. R.; Agee, C. B.; Humayun, M.; McCubbin, F. M.; Shearer, C. K.

2016-01-01

The martian meteorite Northwest Africa 7034 (and pairings) is a breccia that samples a variety of materials from the martian crust. Several previous studies have identified multiple types of igneous-textured clasts within the breccia [1-3], and these clasts have the potential to provide insight into the igneous evolution of Mars. One challenge presented by studying these small rock fragments is the lack of field context for this breccia (i.e., where on Mars it formed), so we do not know how many sources these small rock fragments are derived from or the exact formation his-tory of these sources (i.e., are the sources mantle de-rived melt or melts contaminated by a meteorite impactor on Mars). Our goal in this study is to examine specific igneous-textured clast groups to determine if they are petrogenetically related (i.e., from the same igneous source) and determine more information about their formation history, then use them to derive new insights about the igneous history of Mars. We will focus on the basalt clasts, FTP clasts (named due to their high concentration of iron, titanium, and phosphorous), and mineral fragments described by [1] (Fig. 1). We will examine these materials for evidence of impactor contamination (as proposed for some materials by [2]) or mantle melt derivation. We will also test the petrogenetic models proposed in [1], which are igneous processes that could have occurred regardless of where the melt parental to the clasts was formed. These models include 1) derivation of the FTP clasts from a basalt clast melt through silicate liquid immiscibility (SLI), 2) derivation of the FTP clasts from a basalt clast melt through fractional crystallization, and 3) a lack of petrogenetic relationship between these clast groups. The relationship between the clast groups and the mineral fragments will also be explored.

Distribution of chemical elements in calc-alkaline igneous rocks, soils, sediments and tailings deposits in northern central Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oyarzún, Jorge; Oyarzun, Roberto; Lillo, Javier; Higueras, Pablo; Maturana, Hugo; Oyarzún, Ricardo

2016-08-01

This study follows the paths of 32 chemical elements in the arid to semi-arid realm of the western Andes, between 27° and 33° S, a region hosting important ore deposits and mining operations. The study encompasses igneous rocks, soils, river and stream sediments, and tailings deposits. The chemical elements have been grouped according to the Goldschmidt classification, and their concentrations in each compartment are confronted with their expected contents for different rock types based on geochemical affinities and the geologic and metallogenic setting. Also, the element behavior during rock weathering and fluvial transport is here interpreted in terms of the ionic potentials and solubility products. The results highlight the similarity between the chemical composition of the andesites and that of the average Continental Crust, except for the higher V and Mn contents of the former, and their depletion in Mg, Ni, and Cr. The geochemical behavior of the elements in the different compartments (rocks, soils, sediments and tailings) is highly consistent with the mobility expected from their ionic potentials, their sulfates and carbonates solubility products, and their affinities for Fe and Mn hydroxides. From an environmental perspective, the low solubility of Cu, Zn, and Pb due to climatic, chemical, and mineralogical factors reduces the pollution risks related to their high to extremely high contents in source materials (e.g., rocks, altered zones, tailings). Besides, the complex oxyanions of arsenic get bound by colloidal particles of Fe-hydroxides and oxyhydroxides (e.g., goethite), thus becoming incorporated to the fine sediment fraction in the stream sediments.

Teaching the Rock Cycle with Ease.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bereki, Debra

2000-01-01

Describes a hands-on lesson for teaching high school students the concept of the rock cycle using sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Students use a rock cycle diagram to identify pairs of rocks. From the rock cycle, students explain on paper how their first rock became the second rock and vice versa. (PVD)

On the original igneous source of Martian fines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baird, A. K.; Clark, B. C.

1981-01-01

The composition of the silicate portion of Martian regolith fines indicates derivation of the fines from mafic to ultramafic rocks, probably rich in pyroxene. Rock types similar in chemical and mineralogical composition include terrestrial Archean basalts and certain achondrite meteorites. If these igneous rocks weathered nearly isochemically, the nontronitic clays proposed earlier as an analog to Martian fines could be formed. Flood basalts of pyroxenitic lavas may be widespread and characteristic of early volcanism on Mars, analogous to maria flood basalts on the moon and early Precambrian basaltic komatiites on earth. Compositional differences between lunar, terrestrial, and Martian flood basalts may be related to differences in planetary sizes and mantle compositions of the respective planetary objects.

Formation of Hadean granites by melting of igneous crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnham, A. D.; Berry, A. J.

2017-06-01

The oldest known samples of Earth, with ages of up to 4.4 Gyr, are detrital zircon grains in meta-sedimentary rocks of the Jack Hills in Australia. These zircons offer insights into the magmas from which they crystallized, and, by implication, igneous activity and tectonics in the first 500 million years of Earth’s history, the Hadean eon. However, the compositions of these magmas and the relative contributions of igneous and sedimentary components to their sources have not yet been resolved. Here we compare the trace element concentrations of the Jack Hills zircons to those of zircons from the locality where igneous (I-) and sedimentary (S-) type granites were first distinguished. We show that the Hadean zircons crystallized predominantly from I-type magmas formed by melting of a reduced, garnet-bearing igneous crust. Further, we propose that both the phosphorus content of zircon and the ratio of phosphorus to rare earth elements can be used to distinguish between detrital zircon grains from I- and S-type sources. These elemental discriminants provide a new geochemical tool to assess the relative contributions of primeval magmatism and melting of recycled sediments to the continents over geological time.

Rates and processes of crystal growth in the system anorthite-albite. [magmatic liquids in igneous rock formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirkpatrick, R. J.; Klein, L.; Uhlmann, D. R.; Hays, J. F.

1979-01-01

The growth rates and interface morphologies of crystals of synthetic compositions in the anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8)-albite (NaAlSi3O8) plagioclase feldspar system are measured in an investigation of the crystallization of igneous rocks. Mixed plagioclase glasses with compositions of 75% and 50% anorthite were observed using the microscope heating technique as they crystallized at temperatures near the liquidus, and 75%, 50% and 20% anorthite crystals were treated by resistance heating and observed at greater degrees of undercooling. Growth rates were found to be independent of time and to decrease with increasing albite content, ranging from 0.5 to 2 x 10 to the -5th cm/min. The crystal morphologies for all compositions are faceted near the liquidus and become progressively skeletal, dendritic and fibrillar with increasing undercooling.

Feeder systems of acidic lava flows from the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province in southern Brazil and their implications for eruption style

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Lima, Evandro Fernandes; Waichel, Breno Leitão; Rossetti, Lucas De Magalhães May; Sommer, Carlos Augusto; Simões, Matheus Silva

2018-01-01

In the Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil, the volcanic sequence of the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province consists of pahoehoe and rubbly pahoehoe lava flows with basaltic and basaltic andesitic composition respectively, overlaid by acidic volcanic rocks. The acidic volcanic rocks of the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province exhibit textures and structures that can be related to effusive and/or explosive eruptions generating predominantly rheoignimbrites. The huge lava volume related to the emplacement of large igneous provinces implicates on efficient feeder systems that are more commonly observed in continental environments. In the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province, feeders of basaltic rocks are exposed in several dyke swarms (Ponta Grossa NW trending, Florianópolis/Skeleton Coast (NW Namibia) N-S trending, Serra do Mar NE trending and Henties Bay/Outjo NE trending). In contrast, the only feeder system proposed to the acidic rocks of the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province is the Messum complex in Namibia (Milner et al. 1995). In the study area, the opening of three quarries for the extraction of dimension stones has exposed impressive structures/textures that show the effusive emplacement and the ductile to fragile-ductile magma transition along the acidic feeder dykes. Besides that, magma mixing/mingling processes between two acidic magmas are observed along the dykes. Here we describe new occurrences of acidic feeder dykes, correlate the dykes with acidic flows and discuss their importance to understand the emplacement of the Palmas type acid units in southern Brazil.

Rock-degrading endophytic bacteria in cacti

Treesearch

M. Esther Puente; Ching Y. Li; Yoav Bashan

2009-01-01

A plant-bacterium association of the cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) and endophytic bacteria promotes establishment of seedlings and growth on igneous rocks without soil. These bacteria weather several rock types and minerals, unbind significant amounts of useful minerals for plants from the rocks, fix in vitro N2. produce...

A chemical model for lunar non-mare rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbard, N. J.; Rhodes, J. M.

1977-01-01

Nearly all rocks returned from the moon are readily divided into three broad categories on the basis of their chemical compositions: (1) mare basalts, (2) non-mare rocks of basaltic composition (KREEP, VHA), and (3) anorthositic rocks. Only mare basalts may unambiguously be considered to have original igneous textures and are widely understood to have an igneous origin. Nearly all other lunar rocks have lost their original textures during metamorphic and impact processes. For these rocks one must work primarily with chemical data in order to recognize and define rock groups and their possible modes of origin. Non-mare rocks of basaltic composition have chemical compositions consistent with an origin by partial melting of the lunar interior. The simplest origin for rocks of anorthositic chemical composition is the crystallization and removal of ferromagnesian minerals. It is proposed that the rock groups of anorthositic and non-mare basaltic chemical composition could have been generated from a single series of original, but not necessarily primitive, lunar materials.

Geochronology and geochemistry of late Paleozoic-early Mesozoic igneous rocks of the Erguna Massif, NE China: Implications for the early evolution of the Mongol-Okhotsk tectonic regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yu; Xu, Wen-Liang; Wang, Feng; Tang, Jie; Zhao, Shuo; Guo, Peng

2017-08-01

We undertook geochemical and geochronological studies on late Paleozoic-early Mesozoic igneous rocks from the Erguna Massif with the aim of constraining the early evolution of the Mongol-Okhotsk tectonic regime. Zircon crystals from nine representative samples are euhedral-subhedral, display oscillatory growth zoning, and have Th/U values of 0.14-6.48, indicating a magmatic origin. U-Pb dating of zircon using SIMS and LA-ICP-MS indicates that these igneous rocks formed during the Late Devonian (∼365 Ma), late Carboniferous (∼303 Ma), late Permian (∼256 Ma), and Early-Middle Triassic (246-238 Ma). The Late Devonian rhyolites, together with coeval A-type granites, formed in an extensional environment related to the northwestwards subduction of the Heihe-Nenjiang oceanic plate. Their positive εHf(t) values (+8.4 to +14.4) and Hf two-stage model ages (TDM2 = 444-827 Ma) indicate they were derived from a newly accreted continental crustal source. The late Carboniferous granodiorites are geochemically similar to adakites, and their εHf(t) values (+10.4 to +12.3) and Hf two-stage model ages (TDM2 = 500-607 Ma) suggest they were sourced from thickened juvenile lower crustal material, this thickening may be related to the amalgamation of the Erguna-Xing'an and Songnen-Zhangguangcai Range massifs. Rocks of the late Permian to Middle Triassic suite comprise high-K calc-alkaline monzonites, quartz monzonites, granodiorites, and monzogranites. These rocks are relatively enriched in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements, and depleted in heavy rare earth elements and high field strength elements. They were emplaced, together with coeval porphyry-type ore deposits, along an active continental margin where the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate was subducting beneath the Erguna Massif.

Riftogenic magmatism of western part of the Early Mesozoic Mongolian-Transbaikalian igneous province: Results of geochronological studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yarmolyuk, V. V.; Kozlovsky, A. M.; Salnikova, E. B.; Travin, A. V.; Kudryashova, E. A.

2017-08-01

Geochronological studies of rocks from a bimodal high-alkali volcanic-plutonic complex collected in the area of Kharkhorin zone of the Early Mesozoic Mongolian-Transbaikalian igneous province (MTIP) are made. The age of alkali granites from Olziit sum is 211 ± 1 Ma (U-Pb ID-TIMS on zircon) to 209 ± 2 and 217 ± 4 Ma (40Ar/39Ar on alkali amphibole); the age of alkali granite-porphyries from the area of Sant sum is 206 ± 1 Ma (U-Pb ID-TIMS on zircon). These rock series formed syncronously to the analogous magmatism episode in the Northern Gobi and Western Transbaikalian rift zones of the MTIP. The similarity of the age and composition of igneous associations of the MTIP suggests a common mechanism of its formation related to the effect of a mantle plume on the continental lithosphere at the base of the entire igneous zone having a zonal structure.

Pore Distribution Characteristics of the Igneous Reservoirs in the Eastern Sag of the Liaohe Depression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zongli, Liu; Zhuwen, Wang; Dapeng, Zhou; Shuqin, Zhao; Min, Xiang

2017-05-01

In the Es3 formation (third section of the Shahejie) of the Eastern sag section of the Liaohe Depression, basalt and trachyte are predominant in the igneous rock. The reservoir consists of complex reservoir space types. Based on the porosity bins of nuclear magnetic logging and the porosity distribution of electric imaging logging, the pores' sizes and distribution, as well as the mutual connectivity of the reservoir, were analyzed. Also, the characteristics of the different reservoirs were summarized. In regards to the oil reservoirs, large pores (PS>10) were found to account for the majority of the reservoir spaces, and the pore distribution was concentrated and well connected. However, for the poor oil reservoirs, the large and small pores were found to alternate, and the pore distribution was scattered and poorly connected. Within the dry layers, the smaller pores (PS<10) were predominant. The pore distributions were found to be influenced by lithology, facies, and tectonism. The reservoirs of the pyroclastic flow of the explosive facies had good connectivity, and the interlayer heterogeneity was relatively weak. This reservoir's pore distributions were found to be mainly dominated by the larger pores (PS10-PS13), which displayed a concentrated distribution mainly in one porosity bin. Therefore, it was taken as a favorable facie belt in the eastern sag of the Liaohe Depression. The examination of the pore distribution characteristics of the igneous rock was the key to the evaluation of the properties and effectiveness of the igneous reservoirs in this study, which potentially has great significance to the future exploration and development of igneous rock.

Thermal Conductivity Anisotropy of Metasedimentary and Igneous Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, M. G.; Chapman, D. S.; van Wagoner, T. M.; Armstrong, P. A.

2005-12-01

Thermal conductivity anisotropy was determined for two sets of rocks: a series of sandstones, mudstones, and limey shales of Cretaceous age from Price Canyon, Utah, and metasedimentary argillites and quartzites of Precambrian age from the Big Cottonwood Formation in north central Utah. Additional anisotropy measurements were made on granitic rocks from two Tertiary plutons in Little Cottonwood Canyon, north central Utah. Most conductivity measurements were made in transient mode with a half-space, line-source instrument oriented in two orthogonal directions on a flat face cut perpendicular to bedding. One orientation of the probe yields thermal conductivity parallel to bedding (kmax) directly, the other orientation of the probe measures a product of conductivities parallel and perpendicular to bedding from which the perpendicular conductivity (kperp) is calculated. Some direct measurements of kmax and kperp were made on oriented cylindrical discs using a conventional divided bar device in steady-state mode. Anisotropy is defined as kmax/kperp. The Precambrian argillites from Big Cottonwood Canyon have anisotropy values from 0.8 to 2.1 with corresponding conductivity perpendicular to bedding of 2.0 to 6.2 W m-1 K-1. Anisotropy values for the Price Canyon samples are less than 1.2 with a mean of 1.04 although thermal conductivity perpendicular to bedding for the samples varied from 1.3 to 5.0 W m-1 K-1. The granitic rocks were found to be essentially isotropic with thermal conductivity perpendicular to bedding having a range of 2.2 to 3.2 W m-1 K-1 and a mean of 2.68 W m-1 K-1. The results confirm the observation by Deming (1994) that anisotropy is negligible for rocks having kperp greater than 4.0 W m-1 K-1 and generally increases for low conductivity metamorphic and clay-rich rocks. There is little evidence, however, for his suggestion that thermal conductivity anisotropy of all rocks increases systematically to about 2.5 for low thermal conductivity rocks.

Igneous petrogenesis and tectonic setting of granitic rocks from the eastern Blue Ridge, Alabama Appalachians

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Drummond, M.S.; Allison, D.T.; Tull, J.F.

1994-03-01

A span of 150 my of orogenic activity is recorded within the granitic rocks of the eastern Blue Ridge of Alabama (EBR). Four discrete episodes of plutonism can be differentiated, each event exhibiting distinct field relations and geochemical signatures. (1) Penobscotian stage: this initial stage of plutonic activity is represented by the Elkahatchee Quartz Diorite (EQD), a premetamorphic (495 Ma) batholith and the largest intrusive complex (880 km[sup 2]) exposed in the Blue Ridge. Calc-alkaline I-type tonalite-granodiorite are the principal lithologies, with subordinate cumulate hbl-bt diorite, metadacite, granite and trondhjemite. The parental tonalitic magmas are interpreted to have been derivedmore » from a subducted MORB source under eclogite to get amphibolite conditions. (2) Taconic stage: the Kowaliga augen gneiss (KAG) and the Zana granite gneiss (ZG) are 460 Ma granitic bodies that reside in the SE extremity and structurally highest portion of the EBR. Both of these bodies are pre-metamorphic with strongly elongate sill- and pod-like shapes concordant with S[sub 1] foliation. Granite and granodiorite comprise the bulk of the KAG. (3) Acadian stage: Rockford Granite (RG), Bluff springs Granite (BSG, 366 Ma), and Almond Trondhjemite represent a suite of pre- to syn-metamorphic granitic intrusions. (4) late-Acadian stage: The Blakes Ferry pluton (BFP) is a post-kinematic pluton displaying spectacular by schlieren igneous flow structures, but no metamorphic fabric. The pluton's age can be bracketed between a 366 Ma age on the BSG and a 324 Ma K-Ar muscovite age on the BFP. BFP's petrogenesis has involved partial melting a MORB source followed by assimilation of metasedimentary host rock.« less

Mineral texture based seismic properties of meta-sedimentary and meta-igneous rocks in the orogenic wedge of the Central Scandinavian Caledonides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almqvist, B. S. G.; Czaplinska, D.; Piazolo, S.

2015-12-01

Progress in seismic methods offers the possibility to visualize in ever greater detail the structure and composition of middle to lower continental crust. Ideally, the seismic parameters, including compressional (Vp) and shear (Vs) wave velocities, anisotropy and Vp/Vs-ratio, allow the inference of detailed and quantitative information on the deformation conditions, chemical composition, temperature and the amount and geometry of fluids and melts in the crust. However, such inferences regarding the crust should be calibrated with known mineral and rock physical properties. Seismic properties calculated from the crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) and laboratory measurements on representative core material allow us to quantify the interpretations from seismic data. The challenge of such calibrations lies in the non-unique interpretation of seismic data. A large catalogue of physical rock properties is therefore useful, with as many constraining geophysical parameters as possible (including anisotropy and Vp/Vs ratio). We present new CPO data and modelled seismic properties for amphibolite and greenschist grade rocks representing the orogenic wedge in the Central Scandinavian Caledonides. Samples were collected from outcrops in the field and from a 2.5 km long drill core, which penetrated an amphibolite-grade allochthonous unit composed of meta-sedimentary and meta-igneous rocks, as well as mica and chlorite-rich mylonites. The textural data was acquired using large area electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) maps, and the chemical composition of minerals obtained by energy dispersive x-ray (EDS). Based on the texture data, we compare and evaluate some of the existing methods to calculate texture-based seismic properties of rocks. The suite of samples consists of weakly anisotropic rocks such as felsic gneiss and calc-silicates, and more anisotropic amphibolite, metagabbro, mica-schist. The newly acquired dataset provides a range of seismic properties that

Lunar highland rock types: Their implications for impact-induced fractionation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phinney, W. C.; Warner, J. L.; Simonds, C. H.

1977-01-01

Lunar rocks may be classified into three major groups: (1) coarse-grained igneous rocks, (2) fine-grained igneous rocks, and (3) breccias. Group 1 is interpreted as primitive lunar crustal rocks that display various degrees of crushing and/or annealing. Group 2 is interpreted as volcanic rocks. Group 3 is interpreted as resulting from impacts on the lunar surface and is subdivided on the basis of matrix textures into fragmental breccias, crystalline breccias that have been annealed, and crystalline breccias with igneous matrices. A synthesis of the data concerning lunar highlands polymict breccias compels the prediction that the breccias should have homogeneous matrices from rock to rock within regions of the highlands of limited size where impact mixing has been efficient and extensive. But the returned breccias, even from one landing site, display a wide range in composition. This incompatibility between prediction and observation is a paradox that may be resolved by a process that acts after impact mixing to cause a differentiation of the breccia compositions. Partial melting of the local average crustal composition (as modeled by the average soil composition for each site) and separation of melt and residue in ejecta and/or fall-back blankets are compatible with the reviewed data and may resolve the paradox.

A chemical model for lunar non-mare rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbard, N. J.; Rhodes, J. M.

1974-01-01

Nearly all rocks returned from the moon are readily divided into three broad categories on the basis of their chemical compositions: (1) mare basalts, (2) non-mare rocks of basaltic composition (KREEP, VHA), and (3) anorthositic rocks. Only mare basalts may unambiguously be considered to have original igneous textures and are widely understood to have an igneous origin. Nearly all other lunar rocks have lost their original textures during metamorphic and impact processes. It is shown that for these rocks one must work primarily with chemical data in order to recognize and define rock groups and their possible modes of origin. Non-mare rocks of basaltic composition have chemical compositions consistent with an origin by partial melting of the lunar interior. The simplest origin for rocks of anorthositic chemical composition is the crystallization and removal of ferromagnesian minerals. It is proposed that the rock groups of anorthositic and non-mare basaltic chemical composition could have been generated from a single series of original but not necessarily primitive lunar materials.

Reactive transport modeling of ferroan dolomitization by seawater interaction with mafic igneous dikes and carbonate host rock at the Latemar platform, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blomme, Katreine; Fowler, Sarah Jane; Bachaud, Pierre

2017-04-01

The Middle Triassic Latemar carbonate platform, northern Italy, has featured prominently in the longstanding debate regarding dolomite petrogenesis [1-4]. Recent studies agree that ferroan and non-ferroan dolomite replaced calcite in limestone during reactive fluid flow at <0.1 GPa and 40-80°C. Regional igneous activity drove heating that provided kinetically favorable conditions for the replacement reaction. However, the origin of the dolomitizing fluid is unclear. Seawater may have been an important component, but its Fe concentrations are insufficient to account for ferroan dolomite. New field, petrographic, XRD, and geochemical data document a spatial, temporal, and geochemical link between ferroan replacement dolomite and altered mafic igneous dikes that densely intrude the platform. A critical observation is that ferroan dolomite abundances increase towards the dikes. We hypothesize that seawater interacted with mafic minerals in the dikes, leading to Fe enrichment in the fluid that subsequently participated in dolomitization. This requires that dolomite formation was preceded by dike alteration reactions that liberated Fe and did not consume Mg. Another requirement is that ferroan and non-ferroan dolomite (instead of other Fe- and Mg-bearing minerals) formed during fluid circulation within limestone host rock. We present reactive transport numerical simulations (Coores-Arxim, [5]) that predict equilibrium mineral assemblages and the evolution of fluid dolomitizing potential from dike crystallization, through dike alteration by seawater, to replacement dolomitization in carbonate host rock. The simulations are constrained by observations. A major advantage of the simulations is that stable mineral assemblages are identified based on a forward modeling approach. In addition, the dominant igneous minerals (plagioclase, clinopyroxene olivine and their alteration products) are solid solutions. Most reactive transport simulations of carbonate petrogenesis do not

Recrystallized Impact Glasses of the Onaping Formation and the Sudbury Igneous Complex, Sudbury Structure, Ontario, Canada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dressler, B. O.; Weiser, T.; Brockmeyer, P.

1996-01-01

The origin of the Sudbury Structure and of the associated heterolithic breccias of the Onaping Formation and the Sudbury Igneous Complex have been controversial. While an impact origin of the structure has gained wide acceptance over the last 15 years, the origin of the recrystallized Onaping Formation glasses and of the igneous complex is still being debated. Recently the interpretation of the breccias of the Onaping Formation as suevitic fall-back impact breccias has been challenged. The igneous complex is interpreted either as a differentiated impact melt sheet or as a combination of an upper impact melt represented by the granophyre, and a lower, impact-triggered magmatic body consisting of the norite-sublayer formations. The Onaping Formation contains glasses as fluidal and nonfluidal fragments of various shapes and sizes. They are recrystallized, and our research indicates that they are petrographically heterogeneous and span a wide range of chemical compositions. These characteristics are not known from glasses of volcanic deposits. This suggests an origin by shock vitrification, an interpretation consistent with their association with numerous and varied country rock clasts that exhibit microscopic shock metamorphic features. The recrystallized glass fragments represent individual solid-state and liquid-state vitrified rocks or relatively small melt pods. The basal member lies beneath the Gray and Black members of the Onaping Formation and, where not metamorphic, has an igneous matrix. Igneous-textured melt bodies occur in the upper two members and above the Basal Member. A comparison of the chemical compositions of recrystallized glasses and of the matrices of the Basal Member and the melt bodies with the components and the bulk composition of the igneous complex is inconclusive as to the origin of the igneous complex. Basal Member matrix and Melt Bodies, on average, are chemically similar to the granophyre of the Sudbury Igneous Complex, suggesting that

Igpet software for modeling igneous processes: examples of application using the open educational version

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Michael J.; Gazel, Esteban

2017-04-01

We provide here an open version of Igpet software, called t-Igpet to emphasize its application for teaching and research in forward modeling of igneous geochemistry. There are three programs, a norm utility, a petrologic mixing program using least squares and Igpet, a graphics program that includes many forms of numerical modeling. Igpet is a multifaceted tool that provides the following basic capabilities: igneous rock identification using the IUGS (International Union of Geological Sciences) classification and several supplementary diagrams; tectonic discrimination diagrams; pseudo-quaternary projections; least squares fitting of lines, polynomials and hyperbolae; magma mixing using two endmembers, histograms, x-y plots, ternary plots and spider-diagrams. The advanced capabilities of Igpet are multi-element mixing and magma evolution modeling. Mixing models are particularly useful for understanding the isotopic variations in rock suites that evolved by mixing different sources. The important melting models include, batch melting, fractional melting and aggregated fractional melting. Crystallization models include equilibrium and fractional crystallization and AFC (assimilation and fractional crystallization). Theses, reports and proposals concerning igneous petrology are improved by numerical modeling. For reviewed publications some elements of modeling are practically a requirement. Our intention in providing this software is to facilitate improved communication and lower entry barriers to research, especially for students.

Experiments and Spectral Studies of Martian Volcanic Rocks: Implications for the Origin of Pathfinder Rocks and Soils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rutherford, Malcolm J.; Mustard, Jack; Weitz, Catherine

2002-01-01

The composition and spectral properties of the Mars Pathfinder rocks and soils together with the identification of basaltic and andesitic Mars terrains based on Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) data raised interesting questions regarding the nature and origin of Mars surface rocks. We have investigated the following questions: (1) are the Pathfinder rocks igneous and is it possible these rocks could have formed by known igneous processes, such as equilibrium or fractional crystallization, operating within SNC magmas known to exist on Mars? If it is possible, what P (depth) and PH2O conditions are required? (2) whether TES-based interpretations of plagioclase-rich basalt and andesitic terrains in the south and north regions of Mars respectively are unique. Are the surface compositions of these regions plagioclase-rich, possibly indicating the presence of old AI-rich crust of Mars, or are the spectra being affected by something like surface weathering processes that might determine the spectral pyroxene to plagioclase ratio?

Eocene-Miocene igneous activity in Provence (SE France): 40Ar/39Ar data, geochemical-petrological constraints and geodynamic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lustrino, Michele; Fedele, Lorenzo; Agostini, Samuele; Di Vincenzo, Gianfranco; Morra, Vincenzo

2017-09-01

Provence (SE France) was affected by two main phases of sporadic igneous activity during the Cenozoic. New 40Ar/39Ar laser step-heating data constrain the beginning of the oldest phase to late Eocene (40.82 ± 0.73 Ma), with activity present until early Miocene ( 20 Ma). The products are mainly andesites, microdiorites, dacites and basaltic andesites mostly emplaced in the Agay-Estérel area. Major- and trace-element constraints, together with Srsbnd Ndsbnd Pb isotopic ratios suggest derivation from a sub-continental lithosphere mantle source variably modified by subduction-related metasomatic processes. The compositions of these rocks overlap those of nearly coeval (emplaced 38-15 Ma) late Eocene-middle Miocene magmatism of Sardinia. The genesis of dacitic rocks cannot be accounted for by simple fractional crystallization alone, and may require interaction of evolved melts with lower crustal lithologies. The youngest phase of igneous activity comprises basaltic volcanic rocks with mildly sodic alkaline affinity emplaced in the Toulon area 10 Myr after the end of the previous subduction-related phase. These rocks show geochemical and isotopic characteristics akin to magmas emplaced in intraplate tectonic settings, indicating a sub-lithospheric HiMu + EM-II mantle source for the magmas, melting approximately in the spinel/garnet-lherzolite transition zone. New 40Ar/39Ar laser step-heating ages place the beginning of the volcanic activity in the late Miocene-Pliocene (5.57 ± 0.09 Ma). The emplacement of "anorogenic" igneous rocks a few Myr after rocks of orogenic character is a common feature in the Cenozoic districts of the Central-Western Mediterranean area. The origin of such "anorogenic" rocks can be explained with the activation of different mantle sources not directly modified by subduction-related metasomatic processes, possibly located in the sub-lithospheric mantle, and thus unrelated to the shallower lithospheric mantle source of the "orogenic" magmatism.

Rethinking how Undergraduate ``Hard Rock'' Petrology is Taught

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, M. R.

2010-12-01

A course in "hard rock" petrology forms a core component of undergraduate training in the geosciences. In most cases, the subjects of igneous and metamorphic petrology are combined in a single course and the course is traditionally structured so that the two subjects are covered in series. This approach enables students to focus on each subject separately, with knowledge of igneous rocks helping students to understand metamorphic rock protoliths. Student assessment shows, however, that this approach tends to compartmentalize learning and the two main subjects might just as well be taught in separate courses. In practical applications such as fieldwork, students must be able to access their understanding of igneous and metamorphic rocks virtually simultaneously. To better integrate student learning, I developed a spiral learning approach to teaching petrology (e.g., Bruner, 1990; Dyar et al., 2004) so that commonalities could be revisited several times over the course of a semester and, in so doing, students' grasp of the fundamental insights provided by igneous and metamorphic rocks could be scaffolded into greater understanding. The course initially focuses on the dynamics of the environments in which igneous and metamorphic rocks form: heat flow, fluid flow, and plate tectonics. Several subsequent weeks explore topics relevant to identifying and understanding igneous and metamorphic rocks in the field: crystal nucleation and growth, the roles of pressure and heat, and field classification. Laboratory exercises parallel this structure, also emphasizing observations that are valuable in the field: the relationship between minerals and rocks, textural observations, and general rock classification. The final portion of the course explores “hard rocks” in more detail with a greater emphasis on the interplay between chemistry and mineralogy. A variety of learner-centered activities in the course help students bridge the gap between novice and expert and include

Experimental petrology and origin of Fra Mauro rocks and soil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, D.; Longhi, J.; Hays, J. F.

1972-01-01

Melting experiments over the pressure range 0 to 20 kilobars were conducted on Apollo 14 igneous rocks 14310 and 14072 and on comprehensive fines 14259. The mineralogy and textures of rocks 14310 and 14072 are presumed to be the result of near-surface crystallization. The chemical compositions of the samples show special relationships to multiply-saturated liquids in the system: anorthite-forsterite-fayalite-silica at low pressure. Partial melting of a lunar crust consisting largely of plagioclase, low calcium pyroxene, and olivine, followed by crystal fractionation at the lunar surface is proposed as a mechanism for the production of the igneous rocks and soil glasses sampled by Apollo 14.

Ages of igneous and hydrothermal events in the Round Mountain and Manhattan gold districts, Nye County, Nevada.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shawe, D.R.; Marvin, R.F.; Andriessen, P.A.M.; Mehnert, H.H.; Merritt, V.M.

1986-01-01

Isotopic age determinations of rocks and minerals separated from them are applied to refining and correlating the geological history of igneous and mineralizing events in a part of the Basin and Range province. -G.J.N.

UThPb age of Apollo 12 rock 12013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tatsumoto, M.

1970-01-01

A UThPb isotopic study of three chips from lunar rock 12013 indicates that parental material of the intrusion breccia formed quite early in the moon's history, possibly 3.9 to 4.3 by ago. The UThPb characteristics of the rock are distinctly different from those of other Apollo 12 igneous rocks and suggest a different origin. ?? 1970.

Density and magnetic suseptibility values for rocks in the Talkeetna Mountains and adjacent region, south-central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sanger, Elizabeth A.; Glen, Jonathan M.G.

2003-01-01

This report presents a compilation and statistical analysis of 306 density and 706 magnetic susceptibility measurements of rocks from south-central Alaska that were collected by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (ADGGS) scientists between the summers of 1999 and 2002. This work is a product of the USGS Talkeetna Mountains Transect Project and was supported by USGS projects in the Talkeetna Mountains and Iron Creek region, and by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) projects in the Delta River Mining District that aim to characterize the subsurface structures of the region. These data were collected to constrain potential field models (i.e., gravity and magnetic) that are combined with other geophysical methods to identify and model major faults, terrane boundaries, and potential mineral resources of the study area. Because gravity and magnetic field anomalies reflect variations in the density and magnetic susceptibility of the underlying lithology, these rock properties are essential components of potential field modeling. In general, the average grain density of rocks in the study region increases from sedimentary, felsic, and intermediate igneous rocks, to mafic igneous and metamorphic rocks. Magnetic susceptibility measurements performed on rock outcrops and hand samples from the study area also reveal lower magnetic susceptibilities for sedimentary and felsic intrusive rocks, moderate susceptibility values for metamorphic, felsic extrusive, and intermediate igneous rocks, and higher susceptibility values for mafic igneous rocks. The density and magnetic properties of rocks in the study area are generally consistent with general trends expected for certain rock types.

Evidence from Ocean Drilling Program Leg 149 mafic igneous rocks for oceanic crust in the Iberia Abyssal Plain ocean-continent transition zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifert, Karl E.; Chang, Cheng-Wen; Brunotte, Dale A.

1997-04-01

Leg 149 of the Ocean Drilling Program explored the ocean-continent transition (OCT) on the Iberia Abyssal Plain and its role in the opening of the Atlantic Ocean approximately 130 Ma. Mafic igneous rocks recovered from Holes 899B and 900A have Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB) trace element and isotopic characteristics indicating that a spreading center was active during the opening of the Iberia Abyssal Plain OCT. The Hole 899B weathered basalt and diabase clasts have transitional to enriched MORB rare earth element characteristics, and the Hole 900A metamorphosed gabbros have MORB initial epsilon Nd values between +6 and +11. During the opening event the Iberia Abyssal Plain OCT is envisioned to have resembled the central and northern parts of the present Red Sea with localized spreading centers and magma chambers producing localized patches of MORB mafic rocks. The lack of a normal ocean floor magnetic anomaly pattern in the Iberia Abyssal Plain means that a continuous spreading center similar to that observed in the present southern Red Sea was not formed before spreading ceased in the Iberia Abyssal Plain OCT and jumped to the present Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Zapping Rocks on Mars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiens, Roger

Better understanding Mars means better understanding its geology. That’s why, sitting atop NASA’s Curiosity rover, is ChemCam, an instrument built by Los Alamos National Laboratory that shoots lasers at Martian rocks and analyzes the data. After nearly 1,500 rock zaps, ChemCam has uncovered some surprising facts about the Red Planet, including the discovery of igneous rocks. Soon, a new Los Alamos-built instrument—the SuperCam—will ride aboard the Mars 2020 rover and bring with it enhanced capabilities to unlock new secrets about the planet.

Igneous stratigraphy and rock-types from a deep transect of the gabbroic lower crust of the Atlantis Bank core complex (SW Indian Ridge): preliminary results from IODP Expedition 360

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanfilippo, A.; France, L.; Ghosh, B.; Liu, C. Z.; Morishita, T.; Natland, J. H.; Dick, H. J.; MacLeod, C. J.; Expedition 360 Scientists, I.

2016-12-01

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 360 represents the first leg of a multi-phase drilling programme ('SloMo' project) aimed at investigating the nature of the lower crust and Moho at slow spreading ridges. As an initial phase of the SloMo project, IODP Exp. 360 intended to recover a representative transect of the lower oceanic crust formed at Atlantis Bank, an oceanic core complex on the SW Indian Ridge. During this expedition, 89 cores of gabbroic rocks were recovered at Hole U1473A, drilled to 789.7 m below seafloor. This hole was subsequently deepened to 809.4 mbsf during transit Expedition 362T, which recovered additional 7 cores. The gabbroic section recovered at Hole U1473A consists of several types of gabbro, diabase, and felsic veins. The main lithology is dominated by olivine gabbro (76.5% in abundance), followed by gabbro containing 1-2% oxide (9.5%), gabbro with >2% oxide (7.4%), gabbro sensu stricto (5.1%), felsic veins (1.5%) and diabase (<0.5%). The different lithologies appear randomly distributed throughout the section, although oxide abundance seems to decrease slightly downhole, except for the lowermost intervals where oxide gabbros are more abundant. Based on changes in rock types, grain size, texture, and the occurrence of felsic material, we identified eight lithologic units, which locally define separate geochemical trends. Each unit is characterized by meter-scale heterogeneity which classically characterizes gabbros formed at slow spreading ridges. Reaction textures in olivine gabbros, crosscutting relationships between oxide gabbros and host rocks, the presence of intrusive to sutured contacts, igneous layering and the widespread occurrence of felsic veins and segregations indicate that the evolution of this section was controlled by complicated interactions of magmatic processes, e.g., fractional crystallization, melt-rock reaction, late-stage melt migration, which were active in a crystal mush formed by multiple

Flexure and faulting of sedimentary host rocks during growth of igneous domes, Henry Mountains, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jackson, M.D.; Pollard, D.D.

1990-01-01

A sequence of sedimentary rocks about 4 km thick was bent, stretched and uplifted during the growth of three igneous domes in the southern Henry Mountains. Mount Holmes, Mount Ellsworth and Mount Hillers are all about 12 km in diameter, but the amplitudes of their domes are about 1.2, 1.85 and 3.0 km, respectively. These mountains record successive stages in the inflation of near-surface diorite intrusions that are probably laccolithic in origin. The host rocks deformed along networks of outcrop-scale faults, or deformation bands, marked by crushed grains, consolidation of the porous sandstone and small displacements of sedimentary beds. Zones of deformation bands oriented parallel to the beds and formation contacts subdivided the overburden into thin mechanical layers that slipped over one another during doming. Measurements of outcrop-scale fault populations at the three mountains reveal a network of faults that strikes at high angles to sedimentary beds which themselves strike tangentially about the domes. These faults have normal and reverse components of slip that accommodated bending and stretching strains within the strata. An early stage of this deformation is displayed at Mount Holmes, where states of stress computed from three fault samples correlate with the theoretical distribution of stresses resulting from bending of thin, circular, elastic plates. Field observations and analysis of frictional driving stresses acting on horizontal planes above an opening-mode dislocation, as well as the paleostress analysis of faulting, indicate that bedding-plane slip and layer flexure were important components of the early deformation. As the amplitude of doming increased, radial and circumferential stretching of the strata and rotation of the older faults in the steepening limbs of the domes increased the complexity of the fault patterns. Steeply-dipping, map-scale faults with dip-slip displacements indicate a late-stage jostling of major blocks over the central

Hydrothermal reequilibration of igneous magnetite in altered granitic plutons and its implications for magnetite classification schemes: Insights from the Handan-Xingtai iron district, North China Craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Guang; Li, Jian-Wei; Hofstra, Albert H.; Koenig, Alan E.; Lowers, Heather A.; Adams, David

2017-09-01

Magnetite is a common mineral in igneous rocks and has been used as an important petrogenetic indicator as its compositions and textures reflect changing physiochemical parameters such as temperature, oxygen fugacity and melt compositions. In upper crustal settings, igneous rocks are often altered by hydrothermal fluids such that the original textures and compositions of igneous magnetite may be partly or completely obliterated, posing interpretive problems in petrological and geochemical studies. In this paper, we present textural and compositional data of magnetite from variably albitized granitoid rocks in the Handan-Xingtai district, North China Craton to characterize the hydrothermal reequilibration of igneous magnetite. Four types of magnetite have been identified in the samples studied: pristine igneous magnetite (type 1), reequilibrated porous magnetite (type 2), reequilibrated nonporous magnetite (type 3), and hydrothermal magnetite (type 4). Pristine igneous magnetite contains abundant well-developed ilmenite exsolution lamellae that are largely replaced by titanite during subsequent hydrothermal alteration. The titanite has a larger molar volume than its precursor ilmenite and thus causes micro-fractures in the host magnetite grains, facilitating dissolution and reprecipitation of magnetite. During sodic alteration, the igneous magnetite is extensively replaced by type 2 and type 3 magnetite via fluid-induced dissolution and reprecipitation. Porous type 2 magnetite is the initial replacement product of igneous magnetite and is subsequently replaced by the nonoporous type 3 variety as its surface area is reduced and compositional equilibrium with the altering fluid is achieved. Hydrothermal type 4 magnetite is generally euhedral and lacks exsolution lamellae and porosity, and is interpreted to precipitate directly from the ore-forming fluids. Hydrothermal reequilibration of igneous magnetite has led to progressive chemical purification, during which trace

Petrographic and petrological study of lunar rock materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winzer, S. R.

1977-01-01

Impact melts and breccias from the Apollo 15 and 16 landing sites were examined optically and by electron microscope/microprobe. Major and trace element abundances were determined for selected samples. Apollo 16 breccias contained impact melts, metamorphic and primary igneous rocks. Metamorphic rocks may be the equivalents of the impact melts. Apollo 15 breccias studied were fragment-laden melts derived from gabbro and more basalt target rocks.

Zapping Rocks on Mars

ScienceCinema

Wiens, Roger

2018-01-16

Better understanding Mars means better understanding its geology. That’s why, sitting atop NASA’s Curiosity rover, is ChemCam, an instrument built by Los Alamos National Laboratory that shoots lasers at Martian rocks and analyzes the data. After nearly 1,500 rock zaps, ChemCam has uncovered some surprising facts about the Red Planet, including the discovery of igneous rocks. Soon, a new Los Alamos-built instrument—the SuperCam—will ride aboard the Mars 2020 rover and bring with it enhanced capabilities to unlock new secrets about the planet.

Characterization of Arctic Highly Magnetic Domains - the Geophysical Expression of Inferred Large Igneous Province(s)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saltus, R. W.; Oakey, G.; Miller, E. L.; Jackson, R.

2012-12-01

the broader Arctic region, the term High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP) refers to (now) scattered parts of a major plume-type basaltic eruption, many of which also show as magnetic highs on the current data compilation. Rocks that contribute to this province have been mapped in Arctic Canada, Greenland, Svalbard, Franz Josef Land and the DeLong Islands. Most HALIP volcanic rocks do not have reliable reported radiometric ages but seem to indicate two pulses of magmatism of around 130-120 Ma and 90-80 Ma. There are many fundamental open questions regarding the evolution of the Arctic, particularly for the opening and development of the Amerasian side. The mafic igneous rocks and their roots that make up large igneous provinces are a good target for regional magnetic interpretation. Our goal is to use a data-driven approach to characterize the geometries and volumes these features as the expression of major mafic (basaltic) elements to aid in tectonic reconstruction and understanding.

Petrological, geochemical, and stable isotope constraints on the genesis of the Miocene igneous rocks of Chetaibi and Cap de Fer (NE Algeria)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laouar, R.; Boyce, A. J.; Arafa, M.; Ouabadi, A.; Fallick, A. E.

2005-06-01

Miocene igneous rocks (diorites, andesites, dacites, rhyolites and microgranites) of Chetaibi and Cap de Fer massif, NE Algeria, are high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic rocks. Fresh diorites have δ 34S and δ 18O values ranging between -2.5‰ and +5.9‰, +6.5‰ and +6.7‰ respectively, indicating a mantle origin. The relatively low δ 34S values (-5.4‰ to -12.2‰) and high δ 18O (+8.3‰ to +9.0‰) of altered diorites indicate the input of a crustal component to the initial magma. The microgranites' I-type signature is indicated by the geochemical data and the δ 34S and δ 18O values of -1.2‰ and -3.6‰, and +7.8‰ to +10.4‰ respectively. The andesites show a large variation of δ 34S, between -33.2‰ and +25.7‰. Massive andesites with δ 34S between +6.8‰ and +7.6‰ preserve a 34S-enriched mantle signature. The δ 34S of the lava flows between +25.7‰ and +25.8‰ are attributed to open system magma degassing, whereas the low δ 34S of two andesitic dyke samples (-13.7‰ and -33.2‰) strongly suggest a crustal sulphur input. High δ 18O (+9.2‰ to +15.7‰) of andesites indicate post-magmatic alteration (mainly silicification); the flyschs with δ 18O between of +13.3‰ and +21.7‰ are most likely the contaminant. Quartz veins within the andesites gave a δ 18O value of +23.0‰ while silica-filling vesicles yielded a value of +13.8‰. Initial Sr-isotope data are rather high for all the rocks (diorites: 0.707-0.708, andesites: 0.707-0.710, and microgranites and rhyolites: 0.717-0.719), and because geochemical and stable isotope data do not indicate a substantial amount of crustal assimilation, an extensive enrichment of the mantle source by subducted sediments is called for. A metasomatized-mantle source, characterized by high radiogenic Sr and relatively high δ 18O, has also been indicated for the genesis of similar Tertiary igneous rocks in the Western Mediterranean basin, e.g. the Volcanic Province of southeasten Spain [Benito, R

Graph cuts and neural networks for segmentation and porosity quantification in Synchrotron Radiation X-ray μCT of an igneous rock sample.

PubMed

Meneses, Anderson Alvarenga de Moura; Palheta, Dayara Bastos; Pinheiro, Christiano Jorge Gomes; Barroso, Regina Cely Rodrigues

2018-03-01

X-ray Synchrotron Radiation Micro-Computed Tomography (SR-µCT) allows a better visualization in three dimensions with a higher spatial resolution, contributing for the discovery of aspects that could not be observable through conventional radiography. The automatic segmentation of SR-µCT scans is highly valuable due to its innumerous applications in geological sciences, especially for morphology, typology, and characterization of rocks. For a great number of µCT scan slices, a manual process of segmentation would be impractical, either for the time expended and for the accuracy of results. Aiming the automatic segmentation of SR-µCT geological sample images, we applied and compared Energy Minimization via Graph Cuts (GC) algorithms and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), as well as the well-known K-means and Fuzzy C-Means algorithms. The Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC), Sensitivity and Precision were the metrics used for comparison. Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests were applied and the best methods were the GC algorithms and ANNs (with Levenberg-Marquardt and Bayesian Regularization). For those algorithms, an approximate Dice Similarity Coefficient of 95% was achieved. Our results confirm the possibility of usage of those algorithms for segmentation and posterior quantification of porosity of an igneous rock sample SR-µCT scan. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution and tectonic setting of the Malani - Nagarparkar Igneous Suite: A Neoproterozoic Silicic-dominated Large Igneous Province in NW India-SE Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Wall, Helga; Pandit, Manoj K.; Donhauser, Ines; Schöbel, Stefan; Wang, Wei; Sharma, Kamal K.

2018-07-01

The Neoproterozoic Malani Igneous Suite (MIS) in NW India, along with analogous magmatic rocks from the adjoining Nagarparkar region in SE Pakistan can be collectively classified as a Silicic-dominated Large Igneous Province (SLIP). This magmatic event includes bimodal (predominantly felsic) volcanism, granite emplacement and felsic and mafic dyke intrusions. Felsic rocks have typical A-type affinity as indicated by high abundance of silica, alkali, high field strength and large ion lithophile element concentrations and low CaO and MgO contents. Their Nb negative anomalies and Zr-saturation parameters indicate significant crustal input and high temperature melting. Mafic volcanics and dykes show geochemical homogeneity and derivation from a depleted continental mantle source without any significant crustal contamination (low U and Th contents and no visible Nb anomaly). The region extending from the Mount Abu batholith in the east to Jaswantpura in the west (2700 km2), representing a transition from the metamorphic Sirohi terrane to the undeformed MIS, was evaluated through an integrated structural (including satellite image analysis), geochemical and geochronological study. During the initial stage (prior to 760 Ma) the granitic basement (Erinpura granites) and overlying Sirohi metasediments behaved in a brittle manner that led to development of linear fractures and NNE trending rift structures, and bimodal volcanic activity. Emplacement of voluminous granitic bodies in response to progressive extension of the crust is inferred during the more evolved second stage (younger than 760 Ma). Mirpur Granite, a representative of this younger granitic suite (Jalor type pink granite) has yielded 753 ± 9 Ma zircon, U-Pb, crystallization age. Granitic plutons mark regions of crustal extension, as seen in parallel alignment of plutonic bodies (Jaswantpura granitic belt) and parallel mafic dyke swarms (340°) transecting the granites. Structural analysis further identified an

Alteration assemblages in the Miller Range and Elephant Moraine regions of Antarctica: Comparisons between terrestrial igneous rocks and Martian meteorites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hallis, L. J.

2013-02-01

The weathering products present in igneous terrestrial Antarctic samples were analyzed, and compared with those found in the four Miller Range nakhlite Martian meteorites. The aim of these comparisons was to determine which of the alteration phases in the Miller Range nakhlites are produced by terrestrial weathering, and what effect rock composition has on these phases. Antarctic terrestrial samples MIL 05031 and EET 96400, along with the Miller Range nakhlites MIL 03346 and 090032, were found to contain secondary alteration assemblages at their externally exposed surfaces. Despite the difference in primary mineralogy, the assemblages of these rocks consist mostly of sulfates (jarosite in MIL 05031, jarosite and gypsum in EET 96400) and iddingsite-like Fe-clay. As neither of the terrestrial samples contains sulfur-bearing primary minerals, and these minerals are rare in the Miller Range nakhlites, it appears that SO42-, possibly along with some of the Na+, K+, and Ca+ in these phases, was sourced from wind-blown sea spray and biogenic emissions from the southern ocean. Cl enrichment in the terrestrially derived "iddingsite" of MIL 05031 and MIL 03346, and the presence of halite at the exterior edge of MIL 090032, can also be explained by this process. However, jarosite within and around the olivine-bound melt inclusions of MIL 090136 is present in the interior of the meteorite and, therefore, is probably the product of preterrestrial weathering on Mars.

Kilbuck terrane: Oldest known rocks in Alaska

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Box, S.E.; Moll-Stalcup, E.J.; Wooden, J.L.

1990-12-01

The Kilbuck terrane in southwestern Alaska is a narrow, thin crustal sliver or flake of amphibolite facies orthogneiss. The igneous protolith of this gneiss was a suite of subduction-related plutonic rocks. U-Pb data on zircons from trondhjemitic and granitic samples yield upper-intercept (igneous) ages of 2,070 {plus minus}16 and 2,040 {plus minus}74 Ma, respectively. Nd isotope data from these rocks suggest that a diorite-tonalite-trondhjemite suite ({epsilon}{sub Nd}(T) = +2.1 to +2.7; T is time of crystallization) evolved from partial melts of depleted mantle with no discernible contamination by older crust, whereas a coeval granitic pluton ({epsilon}{sub Nd}(T) = {minus}5.7) containsmore » a significant component derived from Archean crust. Orthogneisses with similar age and Nd isotope characteristics are found in the Idono complex 250 km to the north. Early Proterozoic rocks are unknown elsewhere in Alaska. However, Phanerozoic plutons cutting several continental terranes in Alaska (southern Brooks Range and Ruby, Seward, and Yukon-Tanana terranes) have Nd isotope compositions indicative of Early Proterozoic (or older) crustal components that could be correlative with rocks of the Kilbuck terrane. Rocks with similar igneous ages in cratonal North America are rare, and those few that are known have Nd isotope compositions distinct from those of the Kilbuck terrane. Conversely, provinces with Nd model ages of 2.0-2.1 Ga are characterized by extensive 1.8 Ga or younger plutonism, which is unknown in the Kilbuck terrane. At present the case for a North American parentage of the Kilbuck terrane is not compelling. The possibility that the Kilbuck terrane was displaced from provinces of similar age in other cratons (e.g., Australian, Baltic, Guiana, and west African shields), or from the poorly dated Siberian craton, cannot be excluded.« less

Chemical and mineralogical heterogeneities of weathered igneous profiles: implications for landslide investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duzgoren-Aydin, N. S.; Aydin, A.

2006-05-01

Landslides in tropical and sub-tropical regions are generally associated with weathered rock profiles which often possess chemical and mineralogical heterogeneities at material- and mineral-scales. Such heterogeneities reach a climax by the occurrences of oxyhydroxide- and clay-rich zones. Weakness and low permeability of these zones makes them ideal for the development of slip zones along which landslides take place. This paper describes the nature and distribution of chemical and mineralogical heterogeneities within weathered profiles developed from felsic igneous rocks in Hong Kong. It sets out the use of integrated geochemical and mineralogical studies to improve understanding of the development of critical heterogeneities and hence to predict their types and presence in a given weathered profile.

Charge Generation and Propagation in Igneous Rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freund, Friedemann

2002-01-01

Various electrical phenomena have been reported prior to or concurrent with earthquakes such as resistivity changes, ground potentials, electromagnetic (EM), and luminous signals. Doubts have been raised as to whether some of these phenomena are real and indeed precursory. One of the reasons for uncertainty is that, despite decades of intense work, there is still no physically coherent model. Using low- to medium-velocity impacts to measure electrical signals with microsecond time resolution, it has now been observed that when dry gabbro and diorite cores are impacted at relatively low velocities, approximately 100 m/s, highly mobile charge carriers are generated in a small volume near the impact point. They spread through the rocks, causing electric potentials exceeding +400 mV, EM, and light emission. As the charge cloud spreads, the rock becomes momentarily conductive. When a dry granite block is impacted at higher velocity, approximately 1.5 km/s, the propagation of the P and S waves is registered through the transient piezoelectric response of quartz. After the sound waves have passed, the surface of the granite block becomes positively charged, suggesting the same charge carriers as observed during the low-velocity impact experiments, expanding from within the bulk. During the next 2-3 ms the surface potential oscillates, indicating pulses of electrons injected from ground and contact electrodes. The observations are consistent with positive holes, e.g., defect electrons in the O(2-) sublattice, traveling via the O 2p-dominated valence band of the silicate minerals. Before activation, the positive holes lay dormant in the form of electrically inactive positive hole pairs (PHP), chemically equivalent to peroxy links, O3X/OO\\XO3, with X=Si(4+), Al(3+), etc. PHPs are introduced into the minerals by way of hydroxyl,O3X-OH, which all nominally anhydrous minerals incorporate when crystallizing in H2O-laden environments. The fact that positive holes can be

Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-02-08

The Bushveld Igneous Complex BIC is a large layered igneous intrusion within the earth crust, exposed at the edge of the Transvaal Basin in South Africa. Numerous mines, tailings piles, and leach ponds are shown in blue.

Cooperative investigation of precision and accuracy: In chemical analysis of silicate rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schlecht, W.G.

1951-01-01

This is the preliminary report of the first extensive program ever organized to study the analysis of igneous rocks, a study sponsored by the United States Geological Survey, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. Large samples of two typical igneous rocks, a granite and a diabase, were carefully prepared and divided. Small samples (about 70 grams) of each were sent to 25 rock-analysis laboratories throughout the world; analyses of one or both samples were reported by 34 analysts in these laboratories. The results, which showed rather large discrepancies, are presented in histograms. The great discordance in results reflects the present unsatisfactory state of rock analysis. It is hoped that the ultimate establishment of standard samples and procedures will contribute to the improvement of quality of analyses. The two rock samples have also been thoroughly studied spectrographically and petrographically. Detailed reports of all the studies will be published.

Silicon Isotope Fractionation During Acid Water-Igneous Rock Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Boorn, S. H.; van Bergen, M. J.; Vroon, P. Z.

2007-12-01

Silica enrichment by metasomatic/hydrothermal alteration is a widespread phenomenon in crustal environments where acid fluids interact with silicate rocks. High-sulfidation epithermal ore deposits and acid-leached residues at hot-spring settings are among the best known examples. Acid alteration acting on basalts has also been invoked to explain the relatively high silica contents of the surface of Mars. We have analyzed basaltic-andesitic lavas from the Kawah Ijen volcanic complex (East Java, Indonesia) that were altered by interaction with highly acid (pH~1) sulfate-chloride water of its crater lake and seepage stream. Quantitative removal of major elements during this interaction has led to relative increase in SiO2 contents. Our silicon isotope data, obtained by HR-MC-ICPMS and reported relative to the NIST RM8546 (=NBS28) standard, show a systematic increase in &δ&&30Si from -0.2‰ (±0.3, 2sd) for unaltered andesites and basalts to +1.5‰ (±0.3, 2sd) for the most altered/silicified rocks. These results demonstrate that silicification induced by pervasive acid alteration is accompanied by significant Si isotope fractionation, so that alterered products become isotopically heavier than the precursor rocks. Despite the observed enrichment in SiO2, the rocks have experienced an overall net loss of silicon upon alteration, if Nb is considered as perfectly immobile. The observed &δ&&30Si values of the alteration products appeared to correlate well with the inferred amounts of silicon loss. These findings would suggest that &28Si is preferentially leached during water-rock interaction, implying that dissolved silica in the ambient lake and stream water is isotopically light. However, layered opaline lake sediments, that are believed to represent precipitates from the silica-saturated water show a conspicuous &30Si-enrichment (+1.2 ± 0.2‰). Because anorganic precipitation is known to discriminate against the heavy isotope (e.g. Basile- Doelsch et al., 2006

Apollo 16 rocks - Petrology and classification.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilshire, H. G.; Stuart-Alexander, D. E.; Jackson, E. D.

1973-01-01

The Apollo 16 rocks are classified in three broad intergradational groups: (1) crystalline rocks, subdivided into igneous rocks and metaclastic rocks, (2) glass, and (3) breccias, which are subdivided into five groups on the basis of clast and matrix colors. Most of the rocks were derived by impact brecciation of an anorthosite-norite suite but may represent ejecta from more than one major basin. First-cycle breccias are believed to have consisted of clasts of crushed anorthosite-norite in a fine-grained partly fused matrix with a chemical composition similar to that of the clasts. Most of the other recognized breccia types could have been produced by rebrecciation of first-cycle breccias.

Kilbuck terrane: oldest known rocks in Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Box, S.E.; Moll-Stalcup, E. J.; Wooden, J.L.; Bradshaw, J.Y.

1990-01-01

The Kilbuck terrane in southwestern Alaska is a narrow, thin crustal sliver or flake of amphibolite facies orthogneiss. The igneous protolith of this gneiss was a suite of subduction-related plutonic rocks. U-Pb data on zircons from trondhjemitic and granitic samples yield upper-intercept (igneous) ages of 2070 ?? 16 and 2040 ?? 74 Ma, respectively. Nd isotope data from these rocks suggest that a diorite-tonalite-trondhjemite suite (??Nd[T] = +2.1 to +2.7; T is time of crystallization) evolved from partial melts of depleted mantle with no discernible contamination by older crust, whereas a coeval granitic pluton (??Nd[T] = -5.7) contains a significant component derived from Archean crust. Orthogneisses with similar age and Nd isotope characteristics are found in the Idono complex 250 km to the north. Early Proterozoic rocks are unknown elsewhere in Alaska. The possibility that the Kilbuck terrane was displaced from provinces of similar age in other cratons (e.g., Australian, Baltic, Guiana, and west African shields), or from the poorly dated Siberian craton, cannot be excluded. -from Authors

Multifractal model of magnetic susceptibility distributions in some igneous rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gettings, Mark E.

2012-01-01

Measurements of in-situ magnetic susceptibility were compiled from mainly Precambrian crystalline basement rocks beneath the Colorado Plateau and ranges in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The susceptibility meter used measures about 30 cm3 of rock and measures variations in the modal distribution of magnetic minerals that form a minor component volumetrically in these coarsely crystalline granitic to granodioritic rocks. Recent measurements include 50–150 measurements on each outcrop, and show that the distribution of magnetic susceptibilities is highly variable, multimodal and strongly non-Gaussian. Although the distribution of magnetic susceptibility is well known to be multifractal, the small number of data points at an outcrop precludes calculation of the multifractal spectrum by conventional methods. Instead, a brute force approach was adopted using multiplicative cascade models to fit the outcrop scale variability of magnetic minerals. Model segment proportion and length parameters resulted in 26 676 models to span parameter space. Distributions at each outcrop were normalized to unity magnetic susceptibility and added to compare all data for a rock body accounting for variations in petrology and alteration. Once the best-fitting model was found, the equation relating the segment proportion and length parameters was solved numerically to yield the multifractal spectrum estimate. For the best fits, the relative density (the proportion divided by the segment length) of one segment tends to be dominant and the other two densities are smaller and nearly equal. No other consistent relationships between the best fit parameters were identified. The multifractal spectrum estimates appear to distinguish between metamorphic gneiss sites and sites on plutons, even if the plutons have been metamorphosed. In particular, rocks that have undergone multiple tectonic events tend to have a larger range of scaling exponents.

Procedures for Identifying Rocks with Similar Features.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, William E.

1984-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide college level physical geography and geology teachers with practical and simple techniques to help students classify and understand igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Essential equipment is also discussed, and recommended readings are listed. (RM)

Spectral emission measurement of igneous rocks using a spectroradiometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunton, W. D.

1970-01-01

Spectroradiometer is used for either close or remote identification of rocks not heated to high temperatures. Instrument yields reproducible data spectra with excellent signal-to-noise ratios and readily identifiable spectral details, including differences in subclasses.

Geology is the Key to Explain Igneous Activity in the Mediterranean Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lustrino, M.

2014-12-01

Igneous activity in tectonically complex areas can be interpreted in many different ways, producing completely different petrogenetic models. Processes such as oceanic and continental subduction, lithospheric delamination, changes in subduction polarity, slab break-off and mantle plumes have all been advocated as causes for changes in plate boundaries and magma production, including rate and temporal distribution, in the circum-Mediterranean area. This region thus provides a natural laboratory to investigate a range of geodynamic and magmatic processes. Although many petrologic and tectonic models have been proposed, a number of highly controversial questions still remain. No consensus has yet been reached about the capacity of plate-tectonic processes to explain the origin and style of the magmatism. Similarly, there is still not consensus on the ability of geochemical and petrological arguments to reveal the geodynamic evolution of the area. The wide range of chemical and mineralogical magma compositions produced within and around the Mediterranean, from carbonatites to strongly silica-undersaturated silico-carbonatites and melilitites to strongly silica-oversaturated rhyolites, complicate models and usually require a large number of unconstrained assumptions. Can the calcalkaline-sodic alkaline transition be related to any common petrogenetic point? Is igneous activity plate-tectonic- (top-down) or deep-mantle-controlled (bottom-up)? Do the rare carbonatites and carbonate-rich igneous rocks derive from the deep mantle or a normal, CO2-bearing upper mantle? Do ultrapotassic compositions require continental subduction? Understanding chemically complex magmas emplaced in tectonically complex areas require open minds, and avoiding dogma and assumptions. Studying the geology and shallow dynamics, not speculating about the deep lower mantle, is the key to understanding the igneous activity.

Archean high δ18O Mg-diorite: crustal-derived melt hybridized with enriched mafic accumulated rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dan; Guo, Jing-Hui

2016-04-01

The genesis of Mg-diorite or sanukitoids has significances to understand the crustal growth and tectonic style in Archean. The chemical compositions of minerals and rocks, whole-rock Sm-Nd isotope, zircon SIMS U-Pb ages and Hf-O isotopes of Zhulagou (ZLG) Mg-diorite and their mafic enclaves (Yinshan Block, North China Craton) were studied to place constraints on their sources and genesis, and therefore provide information about dynamic processes. The ~2520 Ma ZLG diorites have intermediate SiO2 (59.4-65.5 wt.%), high Mg# (49-52), Cr (90.4-438 ppm), Ni (15.0-95.9 ppm), Sr (436-882 ppm) and Ba (237-1206 ppm) contents with fractionated rare earth elements (REE, LaN/YbN = 9.1-40.5) and depleted high field-strength element (HFSE, e.g. Nb, Ta and Ti). These geochemical signatures are similar to those Archean high-Mg diorites and sanukitoids. However, they are sodic with low K2O/Na2O (0.14-0.49) ratios, exhibiting an affinity with Archean trondhjemite-tonalite-granodiorite (TTG). Abundant coeval amphibole-bearing mafic enclaves (~2525 Ma) are enclosed within the ZLG diorites. They display low SiO2 (46.5-50.3 wt.%) contents but high concentrations of MgO (9.0-14.5 wt.%), Cr (647-1946 ppm) and Ni (197-280 ppm). They are enriched in K2O (0.64-3.43 wt.%) and large ion lithophile element (LILE), depleted in Nb, Ta and Ti. Combined with their concave REE patterns and prominent negative Eu anomaly, we suggest that they are cumulates of the melt which probably derived from subduction-related Archean metasomatized mantle source. Mineral trace element modelling results, similar ɛNd(t) (+0.6 to +2.3) and δ18O(Zrc) values (~8.6-9.0 ‰) of the diorites and mafic enclaves, strongly reflect that they had experienced intense interaction and hybridization. Evolved whole-rock Nd isotopes (TDM = 2.80-2.70 Ga), variable zircon ɛHf (t) (-1.6 to +6.0) and high δ18O (~9.0 ‰) values of the diorites indicate that they most likely originated from melting of an older continental crust (≥ 2

From Rocks to Cement. What We Make. Science and Technology Education in Philippine Society.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philippines Univ., Quezon City. Science Education Center.

This module deals with the materials used in making concrete hollow blocks. Topics discussed include: (1) igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks; (2) weathering (the process of breaking down rocks) and its effects on rocks; (3) cement; (4) stages in the manufacturing of Portland cement; and (5) the transformation of cement into concrete…

Hawai'i and Gale Crater: A Mars Analogue Study of Igneous, Sedimentary, Weathering, and Alteration Trends in Geochemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berger, J. A.; Flemming, R. L.; Schmidt, M. E.; Gellert, R.; Morris, R. V.; Ming, D. W.

2017-01-01

Sedimentary rocks in Gale Crater on Mars indicate a varied provenance with a range of alteration and weathering [1, 2]. Geochemical trends identified in basaltic and alkalic sedimentary rocks by the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) on the Mars rover Curiosity represent a complex interplay of igneous, sedimentary, weathering, and alteration processes. Assessing the relative importance of these processes is challenging with unknown compositions for parent sediment sources and with the constraints provided by Curiosity's instruments. We therefore look to Mars analogues on Earth where higher-resolution analyses and geologic context can constrain interpretations of Gale Crater geochemical observations. We selected Maunakea (AKA Mauna Kea) and Kohala volcanoes, Hawai'i, for an analogue study because they are capped by post-shield transitional basalts and alkalic lavas (hawaiites, mugearites) with compositions similar to Gale Crater [1, 3]. Our aim was to characterize Hawaiian geochemical trends associated with igneous processes, sediment transport, weathering, and alteration. Here, we present initial results and discuss implications for selected trends observed by APXS in Gale Crater.

118-115 Ma magmatism in the Tethyan Himalaya igneous province: Constraints on Early Cretaceous rifting of the northern margin of Greater India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Sheng-Sheng; Fan, Wei-Ming; Shi, Ren-Deng; Liu, Xiao-Han; Zhou, Xue-Jun

2018-06-01

Understanding the dynamics of Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) is critical to deciphering processes associated with rupturing continental lithosphere. Microcontinental calving, the rifting of microcontinents from mature continental rifted margins, is particularly poorly understood. Here we present new insights into these processes from geochronological and geochemical analyses of igneous rocks from the Tethyan Himalaya. Early Cretaceous mafic dikes are widely exposed in the eastern and western Tethyan Himalaya, but no such rocks have been reported from the central Tethyan Himalaya. Here we present an analysis of petrological, geochronological, geochemical, and Sr-Nd-Hf-Os isotopic data for bimodal magmatic rocks from the center-east Tethyan Himalaya. Zircon U-Pb dating yields six weighted-mean concordant 206Pb/238U ages of 118 ± 1.2 to 115 ± 1.3 Ma. Mafic rocks display MORB-like compositions with flat to depleted LREE trends, and positive εNd(t) (+2.76 to +5.39) and εHf(t) (+8.0 to +11.9) values. The negative Nb anomalies and relatively high 187Os/188Os ratios (0.15-0.19) of these rocks are related to variable degrees (up to 10%) of crustal contamination. Geochemical characteristics indicate that mafic rocks were generated by variable degrees (2-20%) of partial melting of spinel lherzolites in shallow depleted mantle. Felsic rocks are enriched in Th and LREE, with negative Nb anomalies and decoupling of Nd (εNd(t) = -13.39 to -12.78) and Hf (εHf(t) = -4.8 to -2.0), suggesting that they were derived mainly from garnet-bearing lower continental crust. The geochemical characteristics of the bimodal magmatic associations are comparable to those of associations that form in a continental rift setting. Results indicate that Early Cretaceous magmatism occurred across the whole Tethyan Himalaya, named here as the "Tethyan Himalaya igneous province". Separation of the Tethyan Himalaya from the Indian craton may have occurred during ongoing Early Cretaceous extension

Northeast Atlantic Igneous Province volcanic margin development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mjelde, R.; Breivik, A. J.; Faleide, J. I.

2009-04-01

Early Eocene continental breakup in the NE Atlantic Volcanic Province (NAIP) was associated with voluminous extrusive and intrusive magmatism, and initial seafloor spreading produced anomalously thick oceanic crust. Recent publications based on crustal-scale wide-angle seismic data show that there is a positive correlation between igneous crustal thickness (H) and average P-wave velocity (Vp) on all investigated margins in the NAIP. Vp can be used as a proxy for crustal composition, which can be related to the mode of mantle melting. A positive H-Vp correlation indicates that excessive mantle melting the first few million years after breakup was driven by an initial increased temperature that cools off as seafloor spreading develops, consistent with a mantle plume model. Variations in mantle composition can explain excess magmatism, but will generate a negative H-Vp correlation. Active mantle convection may increase the flux of mantle rocks through the melting zone above the rate of passive corner flow, which can also produce excessive magmatism. This would produce little H-Vp correlation, and place the curve lower than the passive flow melting curve in the diagram. We have compiled earlier published results with our own analyses of published and unpublished data from different groups to look for systematic variations in the mantle melting mode along the NAIP margins. Earlier studies (Holbrook et al., 2002, White et al, 2008) on the southeast Greenland conjugate system, indicate that the thick igneous crust of the southern NAIP (SE Greenland ? Hatton Bank) was dominated by increased mantle temperature only, while magmatism closer to the southern side of and including the Greenland-Iceland-Færøy Ridge (GIFR) was created by combined temperature increase and active mantle convection. Recent publications (Breivik et al., 2008, White et al, 2008) north of the GIFR for the Norway Basin segment, indicate temperature dominated magmatism between the Jan Mayen Fracture

Breakup magmatism style on the North Atlantic Igneous Province: insight from Mid-Norwegian volcanic margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansour Abdelmalak, Mohamed; Faleide, Jan Inge; Planke, Sverre; Theissen-Krah, Sonja; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Breivik, Asbjørn Johan; Gernigon, Laurent; Myklebust, Reidun

2014-05-01

The distribution of breakup-related igneous rocks on rifted margins provide important constraints on the magmatic processes during continental extension and lithosphere separation which lead to a better understanding of the melt supply from the upper mantle and the relationship between tectonic setting and volcanism. The results can lead to a better understanding of the processes forming volcanic margins and thermal evolution of associated prospective basins. We present a revised mapping of the breakup-related igneous rocks in the NE Atlantic area, which are mainly based on the Mid-Norwegian (case example) margin. We divided the breakup related igneous rocks into (1) extrusive complexes, (2) shallow intrusive complexes (sills/dykes) and (3) deep intrusive complexes (Lower Crustal Body: LCB). The extrusive complex has been mapped using the seismic volcanostratigraphic method. Several distinct volcanic seismic facies units have been identified. The top basalt reflection is easily identified because of the high impedance contrast between the sedimentary and volcanic rocks resulting in a major reflector. The basal sequence boundary is frequently difficult to identify but it lies usually over the intruded sedimentary basin. Then the base is usually picked above the shallow sill intrusions identified on seismic profile. The mapping of the top and the base of the basaltic sequences allows us to determine the basalt thickness and estimate the volume of the magma production on the Mid- Norwegian margin. The thicker part of the basalt corresponds to the seaward dipping reflector (SDR). The magma feeder system, mainly formed by dyke and sill intrusions, represents the shallow intrusive complex. Deeper interconnected high-velocity sills are also mappable in the margin. Interconnected sill complexes can define continuous magma network >10 km in vertical ascent. The large-scale sill complexes, in addition to dyke swarm intrusions, represent a mode of vertical long-range magma

Evolution of the Mazatzal province and the timing of the Mazatzal orogeny: Insights from U-Pb geochronology and geochemistry of igneous and metasedimentary rocks in southern New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amato, J.M.; Boullion, A.O.; Serna, A.M.; Sanders, A.E.; Farmer, G.L.; Gehrels, G.E.; Wooden, J.L.

2008-01-01

New U-Pb zircon ages, geochemistry, and Nd isotopic data are presented from three localities in the Paleoproterozoic Mazatzal province of southern New Mexico, United States. These data help in understanding the source regions and tectonic setting of magmatism from 1680 to 1620 Ma, the timing of the Mazatzal orogeny, the nature of postorogenic maginatism, Proterozoic plate tectonics, and provide a link between Mazatzal subblocks in Arizona and northern New Mexico. The data indicate a period from 1680 to 1650 Ma in which juvenile felsic granitoids were formed, and a later event between 1646 and 1633 Ma, when these rocks were deformed together with sedimentary rocks. No evidence of pre-1680 Ma rocks or inherited zircons was observed. The igneous rocks have ENd(t) from -1.2 to +4.3 with most between +2 and +4, suggesting a mantle source or derivation from similar-aged crust. Nd isotope and trace element concentrations are consistent with models for typical are magmatism. Detrital zircon ages from metasedimentary rocks indicate that sedimentation occurred until at least 1646 Ma. Both local and Yavapai province sources contributed to the detritus. All of the samples older than ca. 1650 Ma are deformed, whereas undeformed porphyroblasts were found in the contact aureole of a previously dated 1633 Ma gabbro. Regionally, the Mlazatzal orogeny occurred mainly between 1654 and 1643 Ma, during final accretion of a series of island arcs and intervening basins that may have amalgamated offshore. Rhyolite magmatism in the southern Mazatzal province was coeval with gabbro intrusions at 1633 Ma and this bimodal magmatism may have been related to extensional processes following arc accretion. ?? 2007 Geological Society of America.

Types of rocks exposed at the Viking landing sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guinness, E.; Arvidson, R.; Dale-Bannister, M.

1985-01-01

Spectral estimates derived from Viking Lander multispectral images have been used to investigate the types of rocks exposed at both landing sites, and to infer whether the rocks are primary igneous rocks or weathering products. These analyses should aid interpretations of spectra to be returned from the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer on the upcoming Mars Observer Mission. A series of gray surfaces on the Landers were used to check the accuracy of the camera preflight calibrations. Results indicate that the pre-flight calibrations for the three color channels are probably correct for all cameras but camera 2 on Lander 1.more » The calibration for the infrared channels appears to have changed, although the cause is not known. For this paper, only the color channels were used to derive data for rocks. Rocks at both sites exhibit a variety of reflectance values. For example, reflectance estimates for two rocks in the blue (0.4-0.5 microns), green (0.5-0.6 microns), and red (0.6-0.75 microns) channels are 0.16, 0.23, and 0.33 and 0.12, 0.19, 0.37 at a phase angle of 20 degrees. These values have been compared with laboratory reflectance spectra of analog materials and telescopic spectra of Mars, both convolved to the Lander bandpasses. Lander values for some rocks are similar to earth based observations of martian dark regions and with certain mafic igneous rocks thinly coated with amorphous ferric-oxide rich weathering products. These results are consistent with previous interpretations.« less

Iron Isotopic Fractionation in Igneous Systems: Looking for Anharmonicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dauphas, N.; Roskosz, M.; Hu, M. Y.; Neuville, D. R.; Alp, E. E.; Hu, J.; Heard, A.; Zhao, J.

2017-12-01

Igneous rocks display variations in their Fe isotopic compositions that can be used to trace partial melting, magma differentiation, the origin of mineral zoning, and metasomatic processes. While tremendous progress has been made in our understanding of how iron isotopes can be fractionated at equilibrium or during diffusion, significant work remains to be done to establish equilibrium fractionation factors between phases relevant to igneous petrology. A virtue of iron isotope systematics is that iron possesses a Mössbauer isotope, 57Fe, and one can use the method of NRIXS to measure the force constant of iron bonds, from which beta-factors can be calculated. These measurements are done at a few synchrotron beamlines around the world, such as sector 3ID of the APS (Argonne). Tremendous insights have already been gained by applying this technique to Earth science materials. It was shown for instance that significant equilibrium fractionation exists between Fe2+ and Fe3+ at magmatic temperature, that the iron isotopic fractionation resulting from core formation must be small, and that iron isotopic fractionation is influenced by the polymerization of the melt. Combining NRIXS and ab initio studies, there are approximately 130 geologically-relevant solids and aqueous species for which beta-factors have been reported. A potential limitation of applying published NRIXS data to igneous petrology is that all the force constants have been measured at room temperature and the beta-factors are extrapolated to magmatic temperatures assuming that the systems are harmonic, which has never been demonstrated. One way to test this critical assumption is to measure the apparent force constant of iron bonds at various temperatures, so that the interatomic potential of iron bonds can be probed. A further virtue of NRIXS is that the data also allows us to derive the mean square displacement. If significant anharmonicity is present, it should be manifested as a decrease in the

Oxidative mobilization of cerium and uranium and enhanced release of "immobile" high field strength elements from igneous rocks in the presence of the biogenic siderophore desferrioxamine B

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraemer, Dennis; Kopf, Sebastian; Bau, Michael

2015-09-01

Polyvalent trace elements such as the high field strength elements (HFSE) are commonly considered rather immobile during low-temperature water-rock interaction. Hence, they have become diagnostic tools that are widely applied in geochemical studies. We present results of batch leaching experiments focused on the mobilization of certain HFSE (Y, Zr, Hf, Th, U and rare earth elements) from mafic, intermediate and felsic igneous rocks in the presence and absence, respectively, of the siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFOB). Our data show that DFOB strongly enhances the mobility of these trace elements during low-temperature water-rock interaction. The presence of DFOB produces two distinct features in the Rare Earths and Yttrium (REY) patterns of leaching solutions, regardless of the mineralogical and chemical composition or the texture of the rock type studied. Bulk rock-normalized REY patterns of leaching solutions with DFOB show (i) a very distinct positive Ce anomaly and (ii) depletion of La and other light REY relative to the middle REY, with a concave downward pattern between La and Sm. These features are not observed in experiments with hydrochloric acid, acetic acid or deionized water. In DFOB-bearing leaching solutions Ce and U are decoupled from and selectively enriched relative to light REY and Th, respectively, due to oxidation to Ce(IV) and U(VI). Oxidation of Ce3+ and U4+ is promoted by the significantly higher stability of the Ce(IV) and U(VI) DFOB complexes as compared to the Ce(III) and U(IV) DFOB complexes. This is similar to the relationship between the Ce(IV)- and Ce(III)-pentacarbonate complexes that cause positive Ce anomalies in alkaline lakes. However, while formation of Ce(IV) carbonate complexes is confined to alkaline environments, Ce(IV) DFOB complexes may produce positive Ce anomalies even in mildly acidic and near-neutral natural waters. Siderophore-promoted dissolution processes also significantly enhance mobility of other 'immobile' HFSE

Pristine Igneous Rocks and the Early Differentiation of Planetary Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warren, Paul H.

2005-01-01

Our studies are highly interdisciplinary, but are focused on the processes and products of early planetary and asteroidal differentiation, especially the genesis of the ancient lunar crust. The compositional diversity that we explore is the residue of process diversity, which has strong relevance for comparative planetology. Most of the accessible lunar crust consists of materials hybridized by impact-mixing. Our lunar research concentrates on the rare pristine (unmixed) samples that reflect the original genetic diversity of the early crust. Among HED basalts (eucrites and clasts in howardites), we distinguish as pristine the small minority that escaped the pervasive thermal metamorphism of the parent asteroid's crust. We have found a correlation between metamorphically pristine HED basalts and the similarly small minority of compositionally evolved "Stannern trend" samples, which are enriched in incompatible elements and titanium compared to main group eucrites, and yet have relatively high mg ratios. Other topics under investigation included: lunar and SNC (martian?) meteorites; igneous meteorites in general; impact breccias, especially metal-rich Apollo samples and polymict eucrites; siderophile compositions of the lunar and martian mantles; and planetary bulk compositions and origins.

Post-middle Miocene accretion of Franciscan rocks, northwestern California.

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLaughlin, R.J.; Kling, S.A.; Poore, R.Z.; McDougall, K.; Beutner, E.C.

1982-01-01

Deformed sedimentary rocks assigned to the Franciscan assemblage in the King Range S of Cape Mendocino, N California, are dominantly deep-water argillite and sandstone occurring as thick- to thin-bedded, locally channelized marine turbidities of arkosic to andesitic volcaniclastic composition. The King Range appears to be a displaced terrane of oceanic basement overlain by Palaeogene(?) and Neogene sedimentary and igneous rocks of continental and oceanic derivation.-Authors

The Central-Western Mediterranean: Anomalous igneous activity in an anomalous collisional tectonic setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lustrino, Michele; Duggen, Svend; Rosenberg, Claudio L.

2011-01-01

The central-western Mediterranean area is a key region for understanding the complex interaction between igneous activity and tectonics. In this review, the specific geochemical character of several 'subduction-related' Cenozoic igneous provinces are described with a view to identifying the processes responsible for the modifications of their sources. Different petrogenetic models are reviewed in the light of competing geological and geodynamic scenarios proposed in the literature. Plutonic rocks occur almost exclusively in the Eocene-Oligocene Periadriatic Province of the Alps while relatively minor plutonic bodies (mostly Miocene in age) crop out in N Morocco, S Spain and N Algeria. Igneous activity is otherwise confined to lava flows and dykes accompanied by relatively greater volumes of pyroclastic (often ignimbritic) products. Overall, the igneous activity spanned a wide temporal range, from middle Eocene (such as the Periadriatic Province) to the present (as in the Neapolitan of southern Italy). The magmatic products are mostly SiO 2-oversaturated, showing calcalkaline to high-K calcalcaline affinity, except in some areas (as in peninsular Italy) where potassic to ultrapotassic compositions prevail. The ultrapotassic magmas (which include leucitites to leucite-phonolites) are dominantly SiO 2-undersaturated, although rare, SiO 2-saturated (i.e., leucite-free lamproites) appear over much of this region, examples being in the Betics (southeast Spain), the northwest Alps, northeast Corsica (France), Tuscany (northwest Italy), southeast Tyrrhenian Sea (Cornacya Seamount) and possibly in the Tell region (northeast Algeria). Excepted for the Alpine case, subduction-related igneous activity is strictly linked to the formation of the Mediterranean Sea. This Sea, at least in its central and western sectors, is made up of several young (< 30 Ma) V-shaped back-arc basins plus several dispersed continental fragments, originally in crustal continuity with the European

Post-igneous redistribution of components in eucrites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phinney, W. C.; Lindstrom, D. J.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Martinez, R. R.

1993-01-01

In our analyses, we utilize a microdrilling technique that removes 40 to 100 micron diameter cores from mineral grains in thin sections analyzed by microprobe. The cores are then analyzed by INAA using the technique of Lindstrom. Three eucrites were selected for application of this analytical technique: monomict breccias Pasamonte and Stannern and unbrecciated EET90020. Pasamonte is among the most unequilibrated of the eucrites on the basis of zoning in pyroxenes and is considered to be an igneous rock not significantly affected by metamorphism. Stannern has igneous texture but its pyroxenes indicate some re-equilibration, although little, if any, recrystallization. EET90020 has a granulite texture and has been substantially recrystallized. Our sample of Pasamonte contains several clasts of different grain sizes ranging from glass to fine grained with diabasic texture containing lathy plagioclase, unexsolved pigeonite, and mesostasis. Cores were taken of the glass and from minerals and mesostases in six lithic clasts which normally allowed sampling of more than one phase per clast. Our sample of Stannern is also a breccia but with little difference in grain size between clasts and matrix. The plagioclase and pigeonite are blocky, twinned, and exsolved and coexist with a bit of mesostasis. Cores were taken of plagioclase and pigeonite with no attempt to distinguish separate clasts. EET90020 is a granular mixture of twinned plagioclase and pigeonite having rather uniform size and many triple junctions. Several cores were taken of both phases. Both clear and cloudy grains of plagioclase and pyroxene were sampled in all three eucrites.

Rocks Are Boring--Aren't They?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lievesley, Tara

2014-01-01

The new English Curriculum requiring not only the study of sedimentary and igneous rocks but also understanding of fossil formation, is a great opportunity to make this one of the most exciting units any science teacher can present. When an animal or plant dies, it "disappears" completely as it is degraded by a range of organisms. It may…

Shoshonites and Associated Calc-Alkaline Rocks from the Eastern Sayan, Central Asian Orogenic Belt: Geochemistry and Tectonic Setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernikovskaya, A. E.; Romanov, M. I.; Kadilnikov, P. I.; Matushkin, N. Y.; Romanova, I.

2017-12-01

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is one of the largest accretionary orogens in the world, which formation started in the Neoproterozoic giving rise to numerous assemblages of island arcs, ophiolites, continental fragments and sedimentary basins. The Eastern Sayan, located at the southwestern margin of the Siberian craton, is the key area in understanding the initiation of orogenic processes in the CAOB. Widely distributed mafic igneous rocks (dolerites, gabbro etc.) in the Eastern Sayan were previously considered as part of the Nersa igneous complex of the Neoproterozoic age, whereas tectonic setting of these rocks remained highly debatable. New geochemical and mineralogical data from igneous mafic rocks within the Eastern Sayan show presence of rocks with shoshonitic and high- and low-K calc-alkaline affinities and allowed us to refine the tectonic context of their formation in the southwestern margin of the Siberian craton.All studied intrusive and volcanic rocks in the Eastern Sayan showing OIB-like geochemical signatures. The high-K rocks contain orthoclase, olivine, diopside, augite, anorthite, various amphiboles, including edenite, cataphorite, Mg-cataphorite, anthophyllite-gedrite, Mg-Fe hornblende, biotites of the siderophyllite-eastonite-annite series, as well as zircon, baddeleyite, apatite, magnetite, ilmenite and Cr-spinel. The high-K rock type is characterised by high K2O contents (up to 9.2 wt. %), K2O/Na2O ratios over 90, lowered TiO2 and MgO and moderate FeO contents and negative P and Sr anomalies. In contrast, low-K rocks, characterised by moderate and increased TiO2 and MgO contents, contain augite, pigeonite, olivine, andesine and accessory minerals, such as rutile, titanite, ilmenite and apatite. Both rock types vary considerably in Nb and Ta concentrations, from OIB-like to E-MORB. Such geochemical signatures of calc-alkaline and shoshonitic igneous rocks are indicative of an active continental margin setting. Presence of the active

Subducted slab-plume interaction traced by magnesium isotopes in the northern margin of the Tarim Large Igneous Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Zhiguo; Zhang, Zhaochong; Xie, Qiuhong; Hou, Tong; Ke, Shan

2018-05-01

Incorporation of subducted slabs may account for the geochemical and isotopic variations of large igneous provinces (LIPs). However, the mechanism and process by which subducted slabs are involved into magmas is still highly debated. Here, we report a set of high resolution Mg isotopes for a suite of alkaline and Fe-rich rocks (including basalts, mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions, diabase dykes and mantle xenoliths in the kimberlitic rocks) from Tarim Large Igneous Province (TLIP). We observed that δ26 Mg values of basalts range from -0.29 to - 0.45 ‰, -0.31 to - 0.42 ‰ for mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions, -0.28 to - 0.31 ‰ for diabase dykes and -0.29 to - 0.44 ‰ for pyroxenite xenoliths from the kimberlitic rocks, typically lighter than the normal mantle source (- 0.25 ‰ ± 0.04, 2 SD). After carefully precluding other possibilities, we propose that the light Mg isotopic compositions and high FeO contents should be ascribed to the involvement of recycled sedimentary carbonate rocks and pyroxenite/eclogite. Moreover, from basalts, through layered intrusions to diabase dykes, (87Sr/86Sr)i values and δ18OV-SMOW declined, whereas ε (Nd) t and δ26 Mg values increased with progressive partial melting of mantle, indicating that components of carbonate rock and pyroxenite/eclogite in the mantle sources were waning over time. In combination with the previous reported Mg isotopes for carbonatite, nephelinite and kimberlitic rocks in TLIP, two distinct mantle domains are recognized for this province: 1) a lithospheric mantle source for basalts and mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions which were modified by calcite/dolomite and eclogite-derived high-Si melts, as evidenced by enriched Sr-Nd-O and light Mg isotopic compositions; 2) a plume source for carbonatite, nephelinite and kimberlitic rocks which were related to magnesite or periclase/perovskite involvement as reflected by depleted Sr-Nd-O and extremely light Mg isotopes. Ultimately, our study suggests

Lithium, boron and chlorine as tracers for metasomatism in high-pressure metamorphic rocks: a case study from Syros (Greece)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marschall, Horst R.; Altherr, Rainer; Gméling, Katalin; Kasztovszky, Zsolt

2009-03-01

High-pressure metamorphic (HPM) rocks (derived from igneous protoliths) and their metasomatised rinds from the island of Syros (Greece) were analysed for their B and Cl whole-rock abundances and their H2O content by prompt-gamma neutron-activation analysis (PGNAA) and for their Li and Be whole-rock abundances by ICP-OES. In the HPM rocks, B /Be and Cl /Be ratios correlate with H2O contents and appear to be controlled by extraction of B and Cl during dehydration and prograde metamorphism. In contrast, samples of the metasomatised rinds show no such correlation. B /Be ratios in the rinds are solely governed by the presence or absence of tourmaline, and Cl /Be ratios vary significantly, possibly related to fluid inclusions. Li/Be ratios do not correlate with H2O contents in the HPM rocks, which may in part be explained by a conservative behaviour of Li during dehydration. However, Li abundances exceed the vast majority of published values for Li abundances in fresh, altered, or differentiated oceanic igneous rocks and presumably result from metasomatic enrichment of Li. High Li concentrations and highly elevated Li/Be ratios in most metasomatised samples demonstrate an enrichment of Li in the Syros HP mélange during fluid infiltration. This study suggests that B and Cl abundances of HPM meta-igneous rocks can be used to trace prograde dehydration, while Li concentrations seem to be more sensitive for retrograde metasomatic processes in such lithologies.

Isotopic data for Late Cretaceous intrusions and associated altered and mineralized rocks in the Big Belt Mountains, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

du Bray, Edward A.; Unruh, Daniel M.; Hofstra, Albert H.

2017-03-07

The quartz monzodiorite of Mount Edith and the concentrically zoned intrusive suite of Boulder Baldy constitute the principal Late Cretaceous igneous intrusions hosted by Mesoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Newland Formation in the Big Belt Mountains, Montana. These calc-alkaline plutonic masses are manifestations of subduction-related magmatism that prevailed along the western edge of North America during the Cretaceous. Radiogenic isotope data for neodymium, strontium, and lead indicate that the petrogenesis of the associated magmas involved a combination of (1) sources that were compositionally heterogeneous at the scale of the geographically restricted intrusive rocks in the Big Belt Mountains and (2) variable contamination by crustal assimilants also having diverse isotopic compositions. Altered and mineralized rocks temporally, spatially, and genetically related to these intrusions manifest at least two isotopically distinct mineralizing events, both of which involve major inputs from spatially associated Late Cretaceous igneous rocks. Alteration and mineralization of rock associated with the intrusive suite of Boulder Baldy requires a component characterized by significantly more radiogenic strontium than that characteristic of the associated igneous rocks. However, the source of such a component was not identified in the Big Belt Mountains. Similarly, altered and mineralized rocks associated with the quartz monzodiorite of Mount Edith include a component characterized by significantly more radiogenic strontium and lead, particularly as defined by 207Pb/204Pb values. The source of this component appears to be fluids that equilibrated with proximal Newland Formation rocks. Oxygen isotope data for rocks of the intrusive suite of Boulder Baldy are similar to those of subduction-related magmatism that include mantle-derived components; oxygen isotope data for altered and mineralized equivalents are slightly lighter.

Portrait of a giant deep-seated magmatic conduit system: The Seiland Igneous Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, Rune B.; Grant, Thomas; Sørensen, Bjørn E.; Tegner, Christian; McEnroe, Suzanne; Pastore, Zeudia; Fichler, Christine; Nikolaisen, Even; Grannes, Kim R.; Church, Nathan; ter Maat, Geertje W.; Michels, Alexander

2018-01-01

The Seiland Igneous Province (SIP), Northern Norway, contains > 5000 km2 of mafic and ultramafic intrusions with minor alkaline, carbonatite and felsic rocks that were intruded into the lower continental crust at a depth of 25 to as much as 35 km. The SIP can be geochemically and temporally correlated to numerous dyke swarms throughout Scandinavia at 560-610 Ma, and is linked to magmatic provinces in W-Greenland and NE-America that are collectively known as the Central Iapetus Magmatic Province (CIMP). Revised mapping show that the SIP exposes 85-90% layered tholeiitic- alkaline- and syeno-gabbros, 8-10% peridotitic complexes, 2-5% carbonatite, syenite and diorite that formed within a narrow (< 10 Ma) time frame in the Ediacaran (560-570 Ma). Large peridotite complexes were emplaced into the still hot and unconsolidated gabbro (no dating available) and are regarded as the main-conduit systems. Gravimetric data implies an average thickness of igneous rocks of 4-5 km and also features six deep lithospheric roots of ultramafic rocks extending min 9 km into the crust. Together, the root structures represent the main volcanic conduits conveying thousands of km3 of mafic-ultramafic melts from the asthenosphere to the lithosphere. The ultramafic complexes were predominantly emplaced into the layered gabbros at four major igneous centres, respectively, Nordre Brumandsfjord, Melkvann, Kvalfjord and Reinfjord. All complexes are situated in a right-way-up position and are steep sided forming large plugs. A marginal hybrid zone forms at the contact with country-rock and transitions gradually from olivine-mela-gabbro over pyroxenites that grades in to an olivine-clinopyroxenite zone, which is followed by a wehrlite zone and, finally, the centre of the complexes comprises pure dunite. From pyroxenite to dunite, olivine changes from Fo72 to Fo85 and clinopyroxene from Di80 to Di92 i.e. the complexes observe a reverse fractional crystallisation sequence with time. Parental melt

Abraded Target on Rock 'Champagne' in Gusev Crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this microscopic image of a target called 'Bubbles' on a rock called 'Champagne' after using its rock abrasion tool to grind a hole through the rock's outer surface. The circular area where the rock's interior is exposed is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) across. This rock is different from rocks out on the plains of Gusev Crater but is similar to other rocks in this area of the 'Columbia Hills' in that it rich in phosphorus. Plagioclase, a mineral commonly found in igneous rocks, is also present in these rocks, according to analysis with Spirit's miniature thermal emission spectrometer. By using the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to collect data for multiple martian days, or sols, scientists are also beginning to get measurements of trace elements in the rocks. Spirit took the images that are combined into this mosaic on sol 358 (Jan. 3, 2005).

Thallium isotope variations in an ore-bearing continental igneous setting: Collahuasi Formation, northern Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, R. G. A.; Rehkämper, M.; Ihlenfeld, C.; Oates, C. J.; Coggon, R.

2010-08-01

Thallium is a highly incompatible element and a large fraction of the bulk silicate Earth Tl budget is, therefore, expected to reside in the continental crust. Nonetheless, the Tl isotope systematics of continental rocks are essentially unexplored at present. Here, we present new Tl isotope composition and concentration data for a suite of 36 intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks from the vicinity of porphyry Cu deposits in the Collahuasi Formation of the Central Andes in northern Chile. The igneous lithologies of the rocks are variably affected by the hydrothermal alteration that accompanied the formation of the Cu deposits. The samples display Tl concentrations that vary by more than an order of magnitude, from 0.1 to 3.2 μg/g, whilst ɛ 205Tl ranges between -5.1 and +0.1 (ɛ 205Tl is the deviation of the 205Tl/ 203Tl isotope ratio of a sample from a standard in parts per 10 4). These variations are primarily thought to be a consequence of hydrothermal alteration processes, including metasomatic transport of Tl, and formation/breakdown of Tl-bearing minerals, which are associated with small but significant Tl isotope effects. The Tl abundances show excellent correlations with both K and Rb concentrations but no co-variation with Cu. This demonstrates that Tl displays only limited chalcophile affinity in the continental crust of the Collahuasi Formation, but behaves as a lithophile element with a distribution that is primarily governed by partitioning of Tl + into K +-bearing phases. Collahuasi samples with propylitic alteration features, which are derived from the marginal parts of the hydrothermal systems, have, on average, slightly lighter Tl isotope compositions than rocks from the more central sericitic and argillic alteration zones. This small but statistically significant difference most likely reflects preferential retention of isotopically heavy Tl in alteration phases, such as white micas and clays, which formed during sericitic and argillic alteration.

XRF Core Scanning of Igneous Rocks: a Case Study of IODP Expeditions 367/368 Lava Flows, South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höfig, T. W.; LeVay, B.; Stock, J. M.; Sun, Z.; Klaus, A.; Jian, Z.; Larsen, H. C.; Alvarez Zarikian, C. A.

2017-12-01

For three decades, X-ray fluorescence core scanning (XRF-CS) has been widely applied to split sediment cores to obtain continuous data sets of element intensities, serving as chemical proxies for paleoceanography and paleoclimate studies. In contrast, there is no record published on igneous rock cores. This study utilizes a remarkably consistent recovery of lava flows from the South China Sea (SCS), intersected during International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expeditions 367/368, to gain preliminary insights into the chemical inventory of a volcanic suite. At IODP Site U1500, a drilled interval of 150 m, starting at 1379.1 meters below seafloor, yielded 115 m of intercalated fine-grained massive, sheet, and pillow lava flows of basaltic modal composition, consisting of aphyric to highly plagioclase-phyric rocks. The pillow lavas feature numerous well-preserved chilled and glassy margins. The whole succession of lavas is overall slightly to moderately altered and notably fresh in parts. The present XRF data, obtained from a third-generation energy dispersive Avaatech® core scanner at a step size of 2 cm, suggest the existence of two chemically distinct lava suites. The bottom six lava flows (in total 40 m thick) show low intensities of both Cr and Ti (e.g., Ti: 7000-8500 counts), while the upper 11 flows reflect higher concentrations of Cr and Ti (e.g., Ti: 8200-9500 counts). A massive flow, which marks the chemical transition, represents the top of the low-Cr and -Ti lava suite. The compositional change from low-Cr-Ti to high-Cr-Ti lavas reflects a clear temporal magmatic evolution of this submarine SCS volcanism, which is characterized by generally constant Fe/Mn ratios. Thus, this trend may be explained by a change to less fractionated and/or less contaminated lavas over time. On a smaller scale, the XRF-CS also enabled mapping of the compositional variations of crosscutting veins with depth as well as the transition from glassy margins to the micro- to

Brushed Target on Rock 'Champagne' in Gusev Crater

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this microscopic image of a target called 'Bubbles' on a rock called 'Champagne' after using its rock abrasion tool to brush away a coating of dust. The circular brushed area is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) across. This rock is different from rocks out on the plains of Gusev Crater but is similar to other rocks in this area of the 'Columbia Hills' in that it has higher levels of phosphorus. Plagioclase, a mineral commonly found in igneous rocks, is also present in these rocks, according to analysis with the minature thermal emission spectrometer. By using the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to collect data over multiple martian days, or sols, scientists are also beginning to get measurements of trace elements in these rocks. Spirit took the images that are combined into this mosaic on sol 354 (Dec. 30, 2004).

Origin and evolution of a submarine large igneous province: the Kerguelen Plateau and Broken Ridge, southern Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frey, F. A.; Coffin, M. F.; Wallace, P. J.; Weis, D.; Zhao, X.; Wise, S. W.; Wähnert, V.; Teagle, D. A. H.; Saccocia, P. J.; Reusch, D. N.; Pringle, M. S.; Nicolaysen, K. E.; Neal, C. R.; Müller, R. D.; Moore, C. L.; Mahoney, J. J.; Keszthelyi, L.; Inokuchi, H.; Duncan, R. A.; Delius, H.; Damuth, J. E.; Damasceno, D.; Coxall, H. K.; Borre, M. K.; Boehm, F.; Barling, J.; Arndt, N. T.; Antretter, M.

2000-02-01

Oceanic plateaus form by mantle processes distinct from those forming oceanic crust at divergent plate boundaries. Eleven drillsites into igneous basement of Kerguelen Plateau and Broken Ridge, including seven from the recent Ocean Drilling Program Leg 183 (1998-99) and four from Legs 119 and 120 (1987-88), show that the dominant rocks are basalts with geochemical characteristics distinct from those of mid-ocean ridge basalts. Moreover, the physical characteristics of the lava flows and the presence of wood fragments, charcoal, pollen, spores and seeds in the shallow water sediments overlying the igneous basement show that the growth rate of the plateau was sufficient to form subaerial landmasses. Most of the southern Kerguelen Plateau formed at ˜110 Ma, but the uppermost submarine lavas in the northern Kerguelen Plateau erupted during Cenozoic time. These results are consistent with derivation of the plateau by partial melting of the Kerguelen plume. Leg 183 provided two new major observations about the final growth stages of the Kerguelen Plateau. 1: At several locations, volcanism ended with explosive eruptions of volatile-rich, felsic magmas; although the total volume of felsic volcanic rocks is poorly constrained, the explosive nature of the eruptions may have resulted in globally significant effects on climate and atmospheric chemistry during the late-stage, subaerial growth of the Kerguelen Plateau. 2: At one drillsite, clasts of garnet-biotite gneiss, a continental rock, occur in a fluvial conglomerate intercalated within basaltic flows. Previously, geochemical and geophysical evidence has been used to infer continental lithospheric components within this large igneous province. A continental geochemical signature in an oceanic setting may represent deeply recycled crust incorporated into the Kerguelen plume or continental fragments dispersed during initial formation of the Indian Ocean during breakup of Gondwana. The clasts of garnet-biotite gneiss are

Microbial populations and activities in the rhizoplane of rock-weathering desert plants. II. Growth promotion of cactus seedlings.

PubMed

Puente, M E; Li, C Y; Bashan, Y

2004-09-01

Four bacterial species isolated from the rhizoplane of cacti growing in bare lava rocks were assessed for growth promotion of giant cardon cactus seedlings (Pachycereus pringlei). These bacteria fixed N(2), dissolved P, weathered extrusive igneous rock, marble, and limestone, and significantly mobilized useful minerals, such as P, K, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn in rock minerals. Cardon cactus seeds inoculated with these bacteria were able to sprout and grow normally without added nutrients for at least 12 months in pulverized extrusive igneous rock (ancient lava flows) mixed with perlite. Cacti that were not inoculated grew less vigorously and some died. The amount of useful minerals (P, K, Fe, Mg) for plant growth extracted from the pulverized lava, measured after cultivation of inoculated plants, was significant. This study shows that rhizoplane bacteria isolated from rock-growing cacti promote growth of a cactus species, and can help supply essential minerals for a prolonged period of time.

Characteristics of hydrothermal alteration mineralogy and geochemistry of igneous rocks from the epithermal Co-O mine and district, Eastern Mindanao (Philippines)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonntag, Iris; Hagemann, Steffen

2010-05-01

Detailed petrographic as well as hyperspectral analyses using PIMA (Portable Infrared Mineral Analyser) and geochemical (major, trace and rare earth elements) studies were conducted on samples of the epithermal, low sulfidation Co-O mine (47,869 ounces gold produced in 2009 with an average grade of 13.3 g/t gold) and district in Eastern Mindanao (Philippines). The aims of the study were to unravel the petrogenetic origin of the various volcanic (host rocks) and intrusive rocks (potential fluid driver) as well as their relationship and influence on the hydrothermal alteration zoning and fluid chemistry. The auriferous veins at the Co-O mine were formed during two hydrothermal stages associated with the district wide D1 and D2 deformation events. Gold in stage 1 quartz veins is in equilibrium with galena and sphalerite, whereas in stage 2 it is associated with pyrite. Auriferous quartz veins of stage 1 reflect temperatures below 250° C or strong variations in pH and fO2 at higher temperatures, due to potential involvement of acidic gas or meteoric water. Cathodoluminescense studies revealed strong zonation of quartz associated with Au, presumably related to changes in the Al content, which is influenced by the pH. Plumose textures indicate times of rapid deposition, whereas saccharoidal quartz grains are related to potential calcite replacement. The geology of the Co-O mine and district is dominated by Miocene volcanic rocks (basic to intermediate flows and pyroclastics units), which are partly covered by Pliocene volcanic rocks and late Oligocene to Miocene limestones. The Miocene units are intruded by diorite (presumably Miocene in age). The epithermal mineralization event may be related to diorite intrusions. The geochemistry of all igneous rocks in the district is defined by a sub-alkaline affinity and is low to medium K in composition. Most units are related to a Miocene subduction zone with westward subduction, whereas the younger Pliocene rocks are related to

Lead-alpha age determinations of granitic rocks from Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matzko, John J.; Jaffe, H.W.; Waring, C.L.

1957-01-01

Lead-alpha activity age determinations were made on zircon from seven granitic rocks of central and southeastern Alaska. The results of the age determinations indicate two periods of igneous intrusion, one about 95 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period, and another about 53 million years ago, during the early part of the Tertiary. The individual ages determined on zircon from 2 rocks from southeastern Alaska and 1 from east-central Alaska gave results of 90, 100, and 96 million years; those determined on 4 rocks from central Alaska gave results of 47, 56, 58, and 51 million years.

The Late Paleozoic magmatic evolution of the Aqishan-Yamansu belt, Eastern Tianshan: Constraints from geochronology, geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopes of igneous rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Liandang; Chen, Huayong; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Weifeng; Yang, Juntao; Yan, Xuelu

2018-03-01

The Aqishan-Yamansu belt in the Eastern Tianshan (Xinjiang, NW China) is an important mineralization belt. The belt mainly comprises Carboniferous volcanic, volcaniclastic and clastic rocks, and hosts many intermediate-felsic intrusions and Fe (-Cu) deposits. The biotite diorite, felsic brecciated tuff, granodiorite and syenite from the western Aqishan-Yamansu belt are newly zircon U-Pb dated to be 316.7 ± 1.4 Ma, 315.6 ± 2.6 Ma, 305.8 ± 1.9 Ma and 252.5 ± 1.4 Ma, respectively. The mafic rocks (mafic brecciated tuff and diabase porphyry) are tholeiitic to calc-alkaline series, LILE-rich (e.g., Rb, Ba and Pb), HFSE-depleted (e.g., Nb and Ta), and have high Mg#(44-60), Nb/Ta (15.0-20.0), Ba/La (>30) and Ba/Nb (>57) values/ratios, and low Th/Yb ratios (<1), probably originating from mantle wedge metasomatized by slab-derived fluids. The intermediate-felsic igneous rocks are LILE-rich, HFSE-depleted, with high Sr and Y contents showing typical of normal arc magma affinity. Moreover, the depleted εHf(t) (>2.10) and positive εNd(t) (>5.7), combined with variable Nb/Ta ratios (9.52-21.4), Y/Nb ratios (1.47-39.7) and Pb isotopes (206Pb/204Pb = 16.225-17.640, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.454-15.520, 208Pb/204Pb = 37.097-38.025) suggest that these rocks were magma mixing products between juvenile crustal-derived magmas and minor mantle-derived magmas. Combined published works with our new ages, geochemical and isotopic data, we propose that the Aqishan-Yamansu belt was an Early Carboniferous fore-arc basin during the southward subduction of the Kangguer oceanic slab beneath the Yili-Central Tianshan block. With the continuing southward subduction, the Aqishan-Yamansu fore-arc basin initiated to close, which generated the mafic and intensive intermediate-felsic magmatism associated with regional Fe (-Cu) mineralization.

Pristine nonmare rocks and the nature of the lunar crust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warren, P. H.; Wasson, J. T.

1977-01-01

It is shown that the interdisciplinary study of the nonmare lunar rocks based on trace element, major element, and isotopic data plus petrographic evidence can succeed in amassing a large suite of demonstrably pristine rocks, and that the relative numbers of these rocks are not in accord with statistics amassed on soil fragments and glasses. The term 'pristine' is taken to mean rocks with primary compositions (albeit not necessarily textures) produced by lunar endogenous igneous processes. Melt rocks and crystalline matrix breccias produced by impact processes are excluded. A petrographic synonym for pristine would be 'unremelted, monomict'. It is found that anorthositic norites and noritic anorthosites were rare as primary nonmare rocks. Mechanical mixing appears to have been the dominant petrogenetic process on the highlands.

Reconnaissance studies of potential petroleum source rocks in the Middle Jurassic Tuxedni Group near Red Glacier, eastern slope of Iliamna Volcano

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanley, Richard G.; Herriott, Trystan M.; LePain, David L.; Helmold, Kenneth P.; Peterson, C. Shaun

2013-01-01

Previous geological and organic geochemical studies have concluded that organic-rich marine shale in the Middle Jurassic Tuxedni Group is the principal source rock of oil and associated gas in Cook Inlet (Magoon and Anders, 1992; Magoon, 1994; Lillis and Stanley, 2011; LePain and others, 2012; LePain and others, submitted). During May 2009 helicopter-assisted field studies, 19 samples of dark-colored, fine-grained rocks were collected from exposures of the Red Glacier Formation of the Tuxedni Group near Red Glacier, about 70 km west of Ninilchik on the eastern flank of Iliamna Volcano (figs. 1 and 3). The rock samples were submitted to a commercial laboratory for analysis by Rock-Eval pyrolysis and to the U.S. Geological Survey organic geochemical laboratory in Denver, Colorado, for analysis of vitrinite reflectance. The results show that values of vitrinite reflectance (percent Ro) in our samples average about 2 percent, much higher than the oil window range of 0.6–1.3 percent (Johnsson and others, 1993). The high vitrinite reflectance values indicate that the rock samples experienced significant heating and furthermore suggest that these rocks may have generated oil and gas in the past but no longer have any hydrocarbon source potential. The high thermal maturity of the rock samples may have resulted from (1) the thermaleffects of igneous activity (including intrusion by igneous rocks), (2) deep burial beneath Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary strata that were subsequently removed by uplift and erosion, or (3) the combined effects of igneous activity and burial.

Aquifer characteristics near cuestas and their relation to rock tensile strength

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morin, Roger H.; Schulz, William; LoCoco, James

2010-01-01

Along the northeast coast of North America, extensional tectonic processes have generated lithologic and topographic features that are common to several rift basins. A cap of igneous rock overlies sedimentary rock to form a cuesta with both rock types exposed along a steep ridge flank. Field studies investigating the near‐surface hydrogeologic properties of the caprocks at several of these sites have reported a narrow range of results; some fractured rocks form modest aquifers whereas others do not. To examine this behavior in terms of geomechanical responses to gravitational stresses imposed near ridges, a finite‐element model is presented that incorporates the geometry of a ridge‐valley configuration and its major structural elements. Model simulations reflect the effects of a lack of buttressing along free faces and a contrast in Poisson's ratios between the superposed igneous and sedimentary rocks. Three‐dimensional Mohr's circles are constructed from principal stress magnitudes and directions to evaluate the response of individual fracture planes to this stress state. Results depict a predominantly tensional stress environment where numerous pre‐existing fractures may be favorably aligned for opening and enhanced caprock permeability. However, the lack of conclusive field evidence to support this hypothesis suggests that the in situ tensile strength of the fractured rock mass is substantial enough to resist failure by shear or dilation, and that critically‐stressed fracture planes do not convey large volumes of groundwater in ridge‐valley settings.

The role of igneous sills in shaping the Martian uplands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilhelms, D. E.; Baldwin, R. J.

1989-01-01

Relations among geologic units and landforms suggest that igneous sills lie beneath much of the intercrater and intracrater terrain of the Martian uplands. The igneous rocks crop out along the upland-lowland front and in crater floors and other depressions that are low enough to intersect the sill's intrusion horizons. It is suggested that heat from the cooling sills melted some of the ice contained in overlying fragmental deposits, creating valley networks by subsurface flow of the meltwater. Terrains with undulatory, smooth surfaces and softened traces of valleys were created by more direct contact with the sills. Widespread subsidence following emplacement of the sills deformed both them and the nonvolcanic deposits that overlie them, accounting for the many structures that continue from ridged plains into the hilly uplands. Crater counts show that the deposit that became valleyed, softened, and ridged probably began to form (and to acquire interstitial ice) during or shortly after the Middle Noachian Epoch, and continued to form as late as the Early Hesperian Epoch. The upper layers of this deposit, many of the visible valleys, and the ridged plains and postulated sills all have similar Early Hesperian ages. Continued formation of valleys is indicated by their incision of fresh-appearing crater ejecta. The dependence of valley formation on internal processes implies that Mars did not necessarily have a dense early atmosphere or warm climate.

Significance of elevated K/Rb ratios in lower crustal rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frost, B. Ronald; Frost, Carol D.

1988-01-01

The granulite uncertainty principle, which states that it is difficult or impossible to determine with certainty the maximum geopressure and geotemperature that a granulite has experienced, is addressed. Also, geochemical fingerprinting cannot always be used reliably in the nebulous region that is transitional between metamorphic and igneous environments. Ion exchange thermometers are typically useful to approximately 800 C in slowly cooled plutonic rocks unless one uses a reintegration technique on unmixed minerals, or unless a metastable mineral assemblage can be observed. It is argued that in most granulites, fossil temperatures are typically obliterated by reequilibration and/or deformation during slow cooling. Granulite metamorphism may be further complicated by the common association with igneous activity. The previously-used geochemical indicators such as high K/Rb ratios and LIL depletion may not be strictly the result of granulite facies metamorphic depletion, but also may result from igneous processes, which depend on bulk and mineral compositions and on the mineralogy of the protolith. Detailed geologic mapping will be the ultimate arbitrator of whether a given geochemical signature is the result of igneous or metamorphic processes.

Rocks and geology in the San Francisco Bay region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoffer, Philip W.

2002-01-01

The landscape of the San Francisco Bay region is host to a greater variety of rocks than most other regions in the United States. This introductory guide provides illustrated descriptions of 46 common and important varieties of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock found in the region. Rock types are described in context of their identification qualities, how they form, and where they occur in the region. The guide also provides discussion about of regional geology, plate tectonics, the rock cycle, the significance of the selected rock types in relation to both earth history and the impact of mineral resources on the development in the region. Maps and text also provide information where rocks, fossils, and geologic features can be visited on public lands or in association with public displays in regional museums, park visitor centers, and other public facilities.

Magnetic susceptibilities measured on rocks of the upper Cook Inlet, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alstatt, A.A.; Saltus, R.W.; Bruhn, R.L.; Haeussler, Peter J.

2002-01-01

We have measured magnetic susceptibility in the field on most of the geologic rock formations exposed in the upper Cook Inlet near Anchorage and Kenai, Alaska. Measured susceptibilities range from less than our detection limit of 0.01 x 10-3 (SI) to greater than 100 x 10-3 (SI). As expected, mafic igneous rocks have the highest susceptibilities and some sedimentary rocks the lowest. Rocks of the Tertiary Sterling Formation yielded some moderate to high susceptibility values. Although we do not have detailed information on the magnetic mineralogy of the rocks measured here, the higher susceptibilities are sufficient to explain the magnitudes of some short-wavelength aeromagnetic anomalies observed on recent surveys of the upper Cook Inlet.

Igneous phenocrystic origin of K-feldspar megacrysts in granitic rocks from the Sierra Nevada batholith

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, J.G.; Sisson, T.W.

2008-01-01

Study of four K-feldspar megacrystic granitic plutons and related dikes in the Sierra Nevada composite batholith indicates that the megacrysts are phenocrysts that grew in contact with granitic melt. Growth to megacrystic sizes was due to repeated replenishment of the magma bodies by fresh granitic melt that maintained temperatures above the solidus for extended time periods and that provided components necessary for K-feldspar growth. These intrusions cooled 89-83 Ma, are the youngest in the range, and represent the culminating magmatic phase of the Sierra Nevada batholith. They are the granodiorite of Topaz Lake, the Cathedral Peak Granodiorite, the Mono Creek Granite, the Whitney Granodiorite, the Johnson Granite Porphyry, and the Golden Bear Dike. Megacrysts in these igneous bodies attain 4-10 cm in length. All have sawtooth oscillatory zoning marked by varying concentration of BaO ranging generally from 3.5 to 0.5 wt%. Some of the more pronounced zones begin with resorption and channeling of the underlying zone. Layers of mineral inclusions, principally plagioclase, but also biotite, quartz, hornblende, titanite, and accessory minerals, are parallel to the BaO-delineated zones, are sorted by size along the boundaries, and have their long axes preferentially aligned parallel to the boundaries. These features indicate that the K-feldspar megacrysts grew while surrounded by melt, allowing the inclusion minerals to periodically attach themselves to the faces of the growing crystals. The temperature of growth of titanite included within the K-feldspar megacrysts is estimated by use of a Zr-in-titanite geothermometer. Megacryst-hosted titanite grains all yield temperatures typical of felsic magmas, mainly 735-760 ??C. Titanite grains in the granodiorite hosts marginal to the megacrysts range to lower growth temperatures, in some instances into the subsolidus. The limited range and igneous values of growth temperatures for megacryst-hosted titanite grains support the

Microbial populations and activities in the rhizoplane of rock-weathering desert plants. II. growth promotion of cactus seedlings.

Treesearch

M.E. Puente; C.Y. Li; Y. Bashan

2004-01-01

Four bacterial species isolated from the rhizoplane of cacti growing in bare lava rocks were assessed for growth promotion of giant cardon cactus seedlings (Pachycereus pringlei). These bacteria fixed N2, dissolved P, weathered extrusive igneous rock, marble, and limestone, and significantly mobilized useful minerals, such as...

On the Basic Principles of Igneous Petrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsh, B. D.

2014-12-01

How and why Differentiation occurs has dominated Igneous Petrology since its beginning (~1880) even though many of the problems associated with it have been thoroughly solved. Rediscovery of the proverbial wheel with new techniques impedes progress. As soon as thin section petrography was combined with rock and mineral chemistry, rock diversity, compositional suites, and petrographic provinces all became obvious. The masterful 1902 CIPW norm in a real sense solved the chemical mystery of differentiation: rocks are related by the addition and subtraction of minerals in the anciently appreciated process of fractional crystallization. Yet few believed this, even after phase equilibria arrived. Assimilation, gas transfer, magma mixing, Soret diffusion, immiscibility, and other processes had strong adherents, even though by 1897 Becker conclusively showed the ineffectiveness of molecular diffusion in large-scale processes. The enormity of heat to molecular diffusion (today's Lewis no.) should have been convincing; but few paid attention. Bowen did, and he refined and restated the result; few still paid attention. And in spite of his truly masterful command of experiment and field relations in promoting fractional crystallization, Fenner and others fought him with odd arguments. The beauty of phase equilibria eventually dominated at the expense of knowing the physical side of differentiation. Bowen himself saw and struggled with the connection between physical and chemical processes. Progress has come from new concepts in heat transfer, kinetics, and slurry dynamics. The key approach is understanding the dynamic competition between spatial rates of solidification and all other processes. The lesson is clear: Scholarship and combined field, laboratory and technical expertise are critical to understanding magmatic processes. Magma is a limitlessly enchanting and challenging material wherein physical processes buttressed by chemistry govern.

The Classification Ability with Naked Eyes According to the Understanding Level about Rocks of Pre-service Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seong, Cho Kyu; Ho, Chung Duk; Pyo, Hong Deok; Kyeong Jin, Park

2016-04-01

This study aimed to investigate the classification ability with naked eyes according to the understanding level about rocks of pre-service science teachers. We developed a questionnaire concerning misconception about minerals and rocks. The participant were 132 pre-service science teachers. Data were analyzed using Rasch model. Participants were divided into a master group and a novice group according to their understanding level. Seventeen rocks samples (6 igneous, 5 sedimentary, and 6 metamorphic rocks) were presented to pre-service science teachers to examine their classification ability, and they classified the rocks according to the criteria we provided. The study revealed three major findings. First, the pre-service science teachers mainly classified rocks according to textures, color, and grain size. Second, while they relatively easily classified igneous rocks, participants were confused when distinguishing sedimentary and metamorphic rocks from one another by using the same classification criteria. On the other hand, the understanding level of rocks has shown a statistically significant correlation with the classification ability in terms of the formation mechanism of rocks, whereas there was no statically significant relationship found with determination of correct name of rocks. However, this study found that there was a statistically significant relationship between the classification ability with regard the formation mechanism of rocks and the determination of correct name of rocks Keywords : Pre-service science teacher, Understanding level, Rock classification ability, Formation mechanism, Criterion of classification

Extra-terrestrial igneous granites and related rocks: A review of their occurrence and petrogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonin, Bernard

2012-11-01

The telluric planets and the asteroid belt display the same internal structure with a metallic inner core and a silicate outer shell. Experimental data and petrological evidence in silicate systems show that granite can be produced by extreme igneous differentiation through various types of igneous processes. On Moon, 4.4-3.9 Ga granite clasts display dry mineral assemblages. They correspond to at least 8 discrete intrusive events. Large K/Ca enrichment and low REE abundances in granite relative to KREEP are consistent with silicate liquid immiscibility, a process observed in melt inclusions within olivine of lunar basalts and in lunar meteorites. Steep-sided domes identified by remote sensing can represent intrusive or extrusive felsic formations. On Mars, black-and-white rhythmic layers observed on the Tharsis rise along the flanks of the peripheral scarps of the Tharsis Montes giant volcanoes suggest the possible eruption of felsic pyroclastites. Though no true granites were found so far in the Martian SNC meteorites, felsic glasses and mesostases were identified and a component close to terrestrial continental (granitic) crust is inferred from trace element and isotope systematics. Venus has suffered extensive volcanic resurfacing, whereas folded and faulted areas resemble terrestrial continents. Near large shield volcanoes, with dominant basaltic compositions, steep-sided domes have been interpreted as non-degassed silicic extrusions. The hypothesis of a granitic component is "tantalising". Extra-terrestrial granite is frequently found as clasts and mesostases in asteroidal meteorites. Porphyritic textures, with alkali feldspar crystals up to several centimetres in size, were observed in silicate enclaves within iron meteorites. In the chondrite clan, polymict breccias can contain granitic clasts, whose provenance is debated. One clast from the Adzhi-Bogdo meteorite yields a 4.53 ± 0.03 Ga Pb-Pb age, making it the oldest known granite in the solar system. The

Stratigraphy of Slick Rock district and vicinity, San Miguel and Dolores Counties, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shawe, Daniel R.; Simmons, George C.; Archbold, Norbert L.

1968-01-01

The Slick Rock district covers about 570 square miles in western San Miguel and Dolores Counties, in southwestern Colorado. It is at the south edge of the salt-anticline region of southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah and of the Uravan mineral belt.Deposition of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in the district and vicinity was principally controlled by development of the Paradox Basin, and of Mesozoic rocks by development of a depositional basin farther west. The Paleozoic rocks generally are thickest at the northeast side of the Paradox Basin in a northwest- trending trough which seems to be a wide graben in Precambrian igneous and metamorphic basement rocks; Mesozoic rocks generally thicken westward and southwestward from the district.Sedimentary rocks rest on a Precambrian basement consisting of a variety of rocks, including granite and amphibolite. The surface of the Precambrian rocks is irregular and generally more than 2,000 feet below sea level and 7,000-11,000 feet below the ground surface. In the northern part of the district the Precambrian surface plunges abruptly northeastward into the trough occupying the northeast side of the Paradox Basin, and in the southern part it sags in a narrow northeasterly oriented trough. Deepening of both troughs, or crustal deformation in their vicinity, influenced sedimentation during much of late Paleozoic and Mesozoic time.The maximum total thickness of sedimentary rocks underlying the district is 13,000 feet, and prior to extensive erosion in the late Tertiary and the Quaternary it may have been as much as about 18,000 feet. The lower 5,000 feet or more of the sequence of sedimentary rocks consists of arenaceous strata of early Paleozoic age overlain by dominantly marine carbonate rocks and evaporite beds interbedded with lesser amounts of clastic sediments of late Paleozoic age. Overlying these rocks is about 4,500 feet of terrestrial clastic sediments, dominantly sandstone with lesser amounts of shale, mudstone

Thermobarometry of mafic igneous rocks based on clinopyroxene-liquid equilibria, 0 30 kbar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putirka, K.; Johnson, Marie; Kinzler, Rosamond; Longhi, John; Walker, David

1996-02-01

Models for estimating the pressure and temperature of igneous rocks from co-existing clino-pyroxene and liquid compositions are calibrated from existing data and from new data obtained from experiments performed on several mafic bulk compositions (from 8 30 kbar and 1100 1475° C). The resulting geothermobarometers involve thermodynamic expressions that relate temperature and pressure to equilibrium constants. Specifically, the jadeite (Jd; NaAlSi2O6) diopside/hedenbergite (DiHd; Ca(Mg, Fe) Si2O6) exchange equilibrium between clinopyroxene and liquid is temperature sensitive. When compositional corrections are made to the calibrated equilibrium constant the resulting geothermometer is (i) 104 T=6.73-0.26* ln [Jdpx*Caliq*FmliqDiHdpx*Naliq*Alliq] -0.86* ln [MgliqMgliq+Feliq]+0.52*ln [Caliq] an expression which estimates temperature to ±27 K. Compared to (i), the equilibrium constant for jadeite formation is more sensitive to pressure resulting in a thermobarometer (ii) P=-54.3+299* T104+36.4* T104 ln [Jdpx[Siliq]2*Naliq*Alliq] +367*[Naliq*Alliq] which estimates pressure to ± 1.4 kbar. Pressure is in kbar, T is in Kelvin. Quantities such as Naliq represent the cation fraction of the given oxide (NaO0.5) in the liquid and Fm=MgO+FeO. The mole fractions of Jd and diopside+hedenbergite (DiHd) components are calculated from a normative scheme which assigns the lesser of Na or octahedral Al to form Jd; any excess AlVI forms Calcium Tschermak’s component (CaTs; CaAlAlSiO6); Ca remaining after forming CaTs and CaTiAl2O6 is taken as DiHd. Experimental data not included in the regressions were used to test models (i) and (ii). Error on predictions of T using model (i) is ±40 K. A pressure-dependent form of (i) reduces this error to ±30 K. Using model (ii) to predict pressures, the error on mean values of 10 isobaric data sets (0 25 kbar, 118 data) is ±0.3 kbar. Calculating thermodynamic properties from regression coefficients in (ii) gives VJd f of 23.4 ±1.3 cm3/mol

Workshop on Pristine Highlands Rocks and the early History of the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Longhi, J. (Editor); Ryder, G. (Editor)

1983-01-01

Oxide composition of the Moon, evidence for an initially totally molten Moon, geophysical contraints on lunar composition, random sampling of a layered intrusion, lunar highland rocks, early evolution of the Moon, mineralogy and petrology of the pristine rocks, relationship of the pristine nonmore rocks to the highlands soils and breccias, ferroan anorthositic norite, early lunar igneous history, compositional variation in ferroan anosthosites, a lunar magma ocean, deposits of lunar pristine rocks, lunar and planetary compositions and early fractionation in the solar nebula, Moon composition models, petrogenesis in a Moon with a chondritic refractory lithophile pattern, a terrestrial analog of lunar ilmenite bearing camulates, and the lunar magma ocean are summarized.

Complex igneous processes and the formation of the primitive lunar crustal rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Longhi, J.; Boudreau, A. E.

1979-01-01

Crystallization of a magma ocean with initial chondritic Ca/Al and REE ratios such as proposed by Taylor and Bence (TB, 1975), is capable of producing the suite of primitive crustal rocks if the magma ocean underwent locally extensive assimilation and mixing in its upper layers as preliminary steps in formation of an anorthositic crust. Lunar anorthosites were the earliest permanent crustal rocks to form the result of multiple cycles of suspension and assimilation of plagioclase in liquids fractionating olivine and pyroxene. There may be two series of Mg-rich cumulate rocks: one which developed as a result of the equilibration of anorthositic crust with the magma ocean; the other which formed in the later stages of the magma ocean during an epoch of magma mixing and ilmenite crystallization. This second series may be related to KREEP genesis. It is noted that crystallization of the magma ocean had two components: a low pressure component which produced a highly fractionated and heterogeneous crust growing downward and a high pressure component which filled in the ocean from the bottom up, mostly with olivine and low-Ca pyroxene.

Geometry and controls on the development of igneous sill-related forced folds: 2D seismic reflection case study from offshore Southern Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Christopher; Schofield, Nick; Magee, Craig; Golenkov, Bogdan

2017-04-01

observation that the sills intruded a shallowly-buried succession, the discrepancy between fold amplitude and sill thickness may reflect loss of host rock volume by fluidisation and pore fluid expulsion from poorly-lithified, water-rich beds. This study indicates that host rock composition, emplacement depth and deformation mechanisms are important controls on the style of deformation that occurs during intrusive igneous activity, and that forced fold amplitude may not always reflect the thickness of an underlying igneous intrusion. In addition, the results of this study suggest that physical and numerical models need to model more complex host rock stratigraphies and rheologies if they wish to capture the full range of deformation mechanisms that occur during magma emplacement in the Earth's shallow subsurface.

Hydrogen in rocks: an energy source for deep microbial communities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freund, Friedemann; Dickinson, J. Thomas; Cash, Michele

2002-01-01

To survive in deep subsurface environments, lithotrophic microbial communities require a sustainable energy source such as hydrogen. Though H2 can be produced when water reacts with fresh mineral surfaces and oxidizes ferrous iron, this reaction is unreliable since it depends upon the exposure of fresh rock surfaces via the episodic opening of cracks and fissures. A more reliable and potentially more voluminous H2 source exists in nominally anhydrous minerals of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Our experimental results indicate that H2 molecules can be derived from small amounts of H2O dissolved in minerals in the form of hydroxyl, OH- or O3Si-OH, whenever such minerals crystallized in an H2O-laden environment. Two types of experiments were conducted. Single crystal fracture experiments indicated that hydroxyl pairs undergo an in situ redox conversion to H2 molecules plus peroxy links, O3Si/OO\\SiO3. While the peroxy links become part of the mineral structure, the H2 molecules diffused out of the freshly fractured mineral surfaces. If such a mechanism occurred in natural settings, the entire rock column would become a volume source of H2. Crushing experiments to facilitate the outdiffusion of H2 were conducted with common crustal igneous rocks such as granite, andesite, and labradorite. At least 70 nmol of H2/g diffused out of coarsely crushed andesite, equivalent at standard pressure and temperature to 5,000 cm3 of H2/m3 of rock. In the water-saturated, biologically relevant upper portion of the rock column, the diffusion of H2 out of the minerals will be buffered by H2 saturation of the intergranular water film.

Intraterrestrial life in igneous ocean crust: advances, technologies, and the future (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, K. J.; Wheat, C. G.

2010-12-01

The “next frontier” of scientific investigation in the deep sub-seafloor microbial biosphere lies in a realm that has been a completely unexplored until just the past decade: the igneous oceanic crust. Problems that have hampered exploration of the “hard rock” marine deep biosphere have revolved around sample access (hard rock drilling is technologically complex), contamination (a major hurdle), momentum (why take on this challenge when the relatively “easier” marine muds also have been a frontier) and suspicion that microbes in more readily accessed using (simpler) non-drilling technologies - like vents - are truly are endemic of subsurface clades/activities. Since the late 1990’s, however, technologies and resultant studies on microbes in the igneous ocean crust deep biosphere have risen sharply, and offer a new and distinct view on this biome. Moreover, microbiologists are now taking leading roles in technological developments that are critically required to address this biosphere - interfacing and collaborating closely with engineers, genomic biologists, geologists, seismologists, and geochemists to accomplish logistically complex and long-term studies that bring observatory research to this deep realm. The future of this field for the least decade is rich - opportunities abound for microbiologists to play new roles in how we study microbiology in the deep subsurface in an oceanographic and Earth system science perspective.

Igneous rocks of the East Pacific Rise

USGS Publications Warehouse

Engel, A.E.J.; Engel, C.G.

1964-01-01

The apical parts of large volcanoes along the East Pacific Rise (islands and seamounts) are encrusted with rocks of the alkali volcanic suite (alkali basalt, andesine- and oligoclase-andesite, and trachyte). In contrast, the more submerged parts of the Rise are largely composed of a tholeiitic basalt which has low concentrations of K, P, U, Th, Pb, and Ti. This tholeiitic basalt is either the predominant or the only magma generated in the earth's mantle under oceanic ridges and rises. It is at least 1000-fold more abundant than the alkali suite, which is probably derived from tholeiitic basalt by magmatic differentiation in and immediately below the larger volcanoes. Distinction of oceanic tholeiites from almost all continental tholeiites is possible on the simple basis of total potassium content, with the discontinuity at 0.3 to 0.5 percent K2O by weight. Oceanic tholeiites also are readily distinguished from some 19 out of 20 basalts of oceanic islands and seamount cappings by having less than 0.3 percent K2O by weight and more than 48 percent SiO2. Deep drilling into oceanic volcanoes should, however, core basalts transitional between the oceanic tholeiites and the presumed derivative alkali basalts.The composition of the oceanic tholeiites suggests that the mantle under the East Pacific Rise contains less than 0.10 percent potassium oxide by weight; 0.1 part per million of uranium and 0.4 part of thorium; a potassium:rubidium ratio of about 1200 and a potassium: uranium ratio of about 104.

Geologic map of upper Eocene to Holocene volcanic and related rocks in the Cascade Range, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, James G.

1993-01-01

For geothermal reasons, the maps emphasize Quaternary volcanic rocks. Large igneous-related geothermal systems that have high temperatures are associated with Quaternary volcanic fields, and geothermal potential declines rapidly as age increases (Smith and Shaw, 1975). Most high-grade recoverable geothermal energy is likely to be associated with silicic volcanism less than 1 Ma. Lower grade (= lower temperature) geothermal resources may be associated with somewhat older rocks; however, volcanic rocks older than about 2 Ma are unlikely geothermal targets (Smith and Shaw, 1975).

Petrographic and geochemical data for Cenozoic volcanic rocks of the Bodie Hills, California and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

du Bray, Edward A.; John, David A.; Box, Stephen E.; Vikre, Peter G.; Fleck, Robert J.; Cousens, Brian L.

2013-04-23

Petrographic and geochemical data for Cenozoic volcanic rocks of the Bodie Hills, California and Nevada // // This report presents petrographic and geochemical data for samples collected during investigations of Tertiary volcanism in the Bodie Hills of California and Nevada. Igneous rocks in the area are principally 15–6 Ma subduction-related volcanic rocks of the Bodie Hills volcanic field but also include 3.9–0.1 Ma rocks of the bimodal, post-subduction Aurora volcanic field. Limited petrographic results for local basement rocks, including Mesozoic granitoid rocks and their metamorphic host rocks, are also included in the compilation. The petrographic data include visual estimates of phenocryst abundances as well as other diagnostic petrographic criteria. The geochemical data include whole-rock major oxide and trace element data, as well as limited whole-rock isotopic data.

40Ar/39Ar geochronology of hypabyssal igneous rocks in the Maranon Basin of Peru - A record of thermal history, structure, and alteration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prueher, L.M.; Erlich, R.; Snee, L.W.

2005-01-01

Hypabyssal andesites and dacites from the Balsapuerto Dome in the Mara?on Basin of Peru record the thermal, tectonic, and alteration history of the area. The Mara?on Basin is one of 19 sub-Andean foreland basins. The hypabyssal rocks in the Balsapuerto Dome are one of four known occurrences of subvolcanic rocks along the deformation front in Peru. This dome is a potential petroleum structural trap. Petroleum seeps near the dome indicate that a source for the petroleum is present, but the extent and amount of petroleum development is unknown. The Balsapuerto hypabyssal rocks are plagioclase-, hornblende-, pyroxene-phyric andesites to dacites. Some parts of the dome are pervasively altered to a hydrothermal assemblage of quartz-sericite-pyrite. 40Ar/39Ar geochronology shows that thermal activity related to emplacement of these subvolcanic rocks took place between 12-10 Ma, subsequent to the major periods of Andean folding and faulting, previously assumed to have occurred about 9 Ma. Eleven argon mineral age-spectrum analyses were completed. Argon apparent ages on amphibole range from 12.7 to 11.6 Ma, and the age spectra are simple, which indicates that the ages are very close to emplacement ages. Potassium feldspar yields an argon age spectrum ranging in age from 12.5 to 11.4 Ma, reflecting the period during which the potassium feldspar closed to argon diffusion between the temperature range of 350?C to about 150?C; thus the potassium feldspar age spectrum reflects a cooling profile throughout this temperature range. This age range is consistent with ages of emplacement for the entire igneous complex indicating that an increased thermal state existed in the area for at least 1.0 m.y. Combined with the coexisting hornblende age, this rock cooled from ~580?C to ~150?C in ~1.2 m.y. resulting in an average cooling rate of 358?C /m.y. White mica, or sericite, formed as a later alteration phase associated with quartz- sericite- pyrite and propylitic alteration in some

Mantle sources and origin of the Middle Paleoproterozoic Jatulian Large Igneous Province of the Fennoscandian shield: evidence from isotope geochemical data on the Kuetsjarvi volcanics, Kola Craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogina, Maria; Zlobin, Valeriy; Chistyakov, Alexeii; Evgenii, Sharkov

2014-05-01

Paleoproterozoic is one of the most important stages in the Earth's evolution as marking a cardinal change in a style of tectonomagmatic processes at 2.2-2.0 Ga, which corresponds to the formation of the Jatulian Large Igneous Province at the Fennoscandian Shield. The fragment of this province is represented by the volcanics of the Kuetsjarvi Group in the Kola Craton. These rocks differ in the extremely wide rock diversity and prominent role of alkaline rocks, the extremely rare rocks in the Precambrian. The rocks of the group are subdivided into the alkaline and tholeiitic basaltic series. The tholeiites are highly fractionated (mg# 38) high-Ti rocks enriched in HFSE. The alkaline series show wider mg# variations (32-52), which is inconsistent with a single fractionation sequence of these series. All rocks have high HFSE, at extremely wide LILE variations. Tholeiites show moderate LREE fractionation pattern at practically flat HREE: La/YbN = 3.6-4.5; La/SmN = 2.2-2.4, Gd/YbN = 1.5-1.7 and slight Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* = 0.80-0.85). The alkaline rocks display much more fractionated LREE and fractionated HREE (La/YbN = 43.9-5.8; La/SmN = 2.2-2.4, Gd/YbN = 2.04-3.92) patterns at Eu anomaly varying from 0.53 to 1. The spidergrams of both series reveal negative Nb and Sr anomalies at sign-variable Ti anomaly. The alkaline rocks are enriched relative to tholeiites in U, Th, and Nb. Examination of behavior of incompatible trace elements offers an opportunity to compare the conditions of generation of parental mantle magmas of the studied series. In particular, the tholeiitic basalts have higher Zr/Nb ratios than the alkaline rocks, which in combination with their lower La/Yb ratios indicates their formation under the higher melting degree of mantle source as compared to the alkaline rocks. Simultaneous increase in Ce/Y ratio in the alkaline rocks may indicate their formation at greater depths. Tholeiitic basalts have lower Nb/U ratio, which testifies some crustal

Mapping Phyllic and Argillic-Altered Rocks in Southeastern Afghanistan using Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mars, John L.; Rowan, Lawrence C.

2007-01-01

Introduction: ASTER data and logical operators were successfully used to map phyllic and argillic-altered rocks in the southeastern part of Afghanistan. Hyperion data were used to correct ASTER band 5 and ASTER data were georegistered to orthorectified Landsat TM data. Logical operator algorithms produced argillic and phyllic byte ASTER images that were converted to vector data and overlain on ASTER and Landsat TM images. Alteration and fault patterns indicated that two areas, the Argandab igneous complex, and the Katawaz basin may contain potential polymetallic vein and porphyry copper deposits. ASTER alteration mapping in the Chagai Hills indicates less extensive phyllic and argillic-altered rocks than mapped in the Argandab igneous complex and the Katawaz basin and patterns of alteration are inconclusive to predict potential deposit types.

CUMULATE ROCKS ASSOCIATED WITH CARBONATE ASSIMILATION, HORTAVÆR COMPLEX, NORTH-CENTRAL NORWAY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, C. G.; Prestvik, T.; Li, Y.

2009-12-01

The Hortavær igneous complex intruded high-grade metamorphic rocks of the Caledonian Helgeland Nappe Complex at ca. 466 Ma. The complex is an unusual mafic-silicic layered intrusion (MASLI) because the principal felsic rock type is syenite and because the syenite formed in situ rather than by deep-seated partial melting of crustal rocks. Magma differentiation in the complex was by assimilation, primarily of calc-silicate rocks and melts with contributions from marble and semi-pelites, plus fractional crystallization. The effect of assimilation of calcite-rich rocks was to enhance stability of fassaitic clinopyroxene at the expense of olivine, which resulted in alkali-rich residual melts and lowering of silica activity. This combination of MASLI-style emplacement and carbonate assimilation produced three types of cumulate rocks: (1) Syenitic cumulates formed by liquid-crystal separation. As sheets of mafic magma were loaded on crystal-rich syenitic magma, residual liquid was expelled, penetrating the overlying mafic sheets in flame structures, and leaving a cumulate syenite. (2) Reaction cumulates. Carbonate assimilation, illustrated by a simple assimilation reaction: olivine + calcite + melt = clinopyroxene + CO2 resulted in cpx-rich cumulates such as clinopyroxenite, gabbro, and mela-monzodiorite, many of which contain igneous calcite. (3) Magmatic skarns. Calc-silicate host rocks underwent partial melting during assimilation, yielding a Ca-rich melt as the principal assimilated material and permitting extensive reaction with surrounding magma to form Kspar + cpx + garnet-rich ‘cumulate’ rocks. Cumulate types (2) and (3) do not reflect traditional views of cumulate rocks but instead result from a series of melt-present discontinuous (peritectic) reactions and partial melting of calc-silicate xenoliths. In the Hortavær complex, such cumulates are evident because of the distinctive peritectic cumulate assemblages. It is unclear whether assimilation of �

An outline of tectonic, igneous, and metamorphic events in the Goshute-Toano Range between Silver Zone Pass and White Horse Pass, Elko County, Nevada; a history of superposed contractional and extensional deformation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ketner, Keith Brindley; Day, Warren C.; Elrick, Maya; Vaag, Myra K.; Zimmerman, Robert A.; Snee, Lawrence W.; Saltus, Richard W.; Repetski, John E.; Wardlaw, Bruce R.; Taylor, Michael E.; Harris, Anita G.

1998-01-01

Seven kinds of fault-bounded tracts are described. One of the tracts provides a good example of Mesozoic contractional folding and faulting; six exemplify various aspects of Miocene extensional faulting. Massive landslide deposits resulting from Tertiary faulting are described. Mesozoic intrusive rocks and extensive exposures of Miocene volcanic rocks are described and dated. The age ranges of stratigraphic units were based on numerous conodont collections, and ages of igneous rocks were determined by argon/argon and fission-track methods. The geologic complexity of the Goshute-Toano Range provides opportunities for many additional productive structural studies.

The mineralogy of global magnetic anomalies. [rock magnetic signatures and MAGSAT geological, and gravity correlations in West Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haggerty, S. E. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

Problems with the Curie balance, which severely hindered the acquisition of data, were rectified. Chemical analytical activities are proceeding satisfactorily. The magnetization characteristics of metamorphic suites were analyzed and susceptibility data for a wide range of metamorphic and igneous rocks. These rock magnetic signatures are discussed as well as the relationships between geology, gravity and MAGSAT anomalies of West Africa.

Magmatic Enclaves in Granitic Rocks: Paragons or Parasites?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clemens, John; Stevens, Gary; Elburg, Marlina

2017-04-01

Granitic rocks form the fundamental building blocks of Earth's continents and provide us with a wide range of resources, so their formation is worth trying to understand. Fine-grained, igneous-textured microgranular enclaves of tonalitic to monzogranitic composition (ME) are common in granitic rocks and their origins have been hotly debated, with some workers suggesting that ME are not igneous. These ME have been studied intensively enough that we are now certain that they are of igneous origin - globules of mingled and quenched magma. Although a mantle connection is evident in many cases, their ultimate origin (including where in the lithosphere they originate) is still debated. This contribution explores the systematics of chemical variation in ME and their host granites, with the aim of uncovering any systematics in their behaviour and modelling the processes that have led to the variations that we measure, comparing host-rock series to their respective ME series. As always, the hope is that the study of ME may lead to improved understanding and modelling of the processes that are responsible for the formation of the host granitic magmas. Using variations between the molecular quantities Ti and M (Fe+Mn+Mg), we demonstrate that the petrogenetic processes that operated within a diverse group of S- and I-type granitic host magmas and their ME suites are dissimilar. Variations within the granitic series result from a variety of what might be called 'orderly' processes, resulting in linear or curvilinear trends in chemical variation diagrams. In contrast, processes that affected the ME series commonly resulted in scattered, chaotic variations. Even in cases in which an ME series displays more orderly variation, it can be shown that the hypothesis of simple mixing between a parent enclave magma and its host granitic magma, to produce the overall variations, cannot be supported. ME magmas had vastly smaller volumes compared with their host granitic magmas. Thus, they

Geostatistical Interplay Between Geophysical and Geochemical Data: Mapping Litho-Structural Assemblages of Mesozoic Igneous Activities in the Parnaíba Basin (NE Brazil)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Castro, David L.; Oliveira, Diógenes C.; Hollanda, Maria Helena B. M.

2018-07-01

Two widespread magmatic events are recorded in the Parnaíba basin (NE Brazil) during the Jurassic/Cretaceous opening of the Central and South Atlantic Oceans. The Early Jurassic ( 200 Ma) lava flows of the Mosquito Formation occur essentially in the western and southern basin segments, representing one of the largest expressions of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province in the South American Plate. In contrast, sill complexes and dike swarms of the Early Cretaceous (129-124 Ma) Sardinha Formation occur in the eastern part of the basin and are chrono-correlated to the large Paraná-Etendeka igneous province and to the Rio Ceará-Mirim Dike Swarm. We gathered geophysical, well logging, outcrop analogs and geochemical data to recognize geometrical shapes and areal distribution patterns of igneous-related constructions. Seismic and well data reveal hundreds of km wide multilayered sill complexes and dikes, which are widespread across vast regions of the basin without evident structural control from either the Precambrian basement grain or the basin internal architecture. Anomaly enhancement techniques and self-organizing maps (SOM) procedure were applied on airborne magnetic data, unraveling near-surface magmatic features in four distinct magnetic domains. Using SOM analysis, the basaltic rocks were divided into six groups based on magnetic susceptibility and major elements composition. These results suggest common origin for both magmatic episodes, probably a combination of effects of edge-driven convection and large-scale mantle warming under the westward moving West Gondwana during the Central and South Atlantic opening, which caused a shifted emplacement to the east of the igneous rocks in the Parnaíba basin.

Geostatistical Interplay Between Geophysical and Geochemical Data: Mapping Litho-Structural Assemblages of Mesozoic Igneous Activities in the Parnaíba Basin (NE Brazil)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Castro, David L.; Oliveira, Diógenes C.; Hollanda, Maria Helena B. M.

2018-02-01

Two widespread magmatic events are recorded in the Parnaíba basin (NE Brazil) during the Jurassic/Cretaceous opening of the Central and South Atlantic Oceans. The Early Jurassic ( 200 Ma) lava flows of the Mosquito Formation occur essentially in the western and southern basin segments, representing one of the largest expressions of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province in the South American Plate. In contrast, sill complexes and dike swarms of the Early Cretaceous (129-124 Ma) Sardinha Formation occur in the eastern part of the basin and are chrono-correlated to the large Paraná-Etendeka igneous province and to the Rio Ceará-Mirim Dike Swarm. We gathered geophysical, well logging, outcrop analogs and geochemical data to recognize geometrical shapes and areal distribution patterns of igneous-related constructions. Seismic and well data reveal hundreds of km wide multilayered sill complexes and dikes, which are widespread across vast regions of the basin without evident structural control from either the Precambrian basement grain or the basin internal architecture. Anomaly enhancement techniques and self-organizing maps (SOM) procedure were applied on airborne magnetic data, unraveling near-surface magmatic features in four distinct magnetic domains. Using SOM analysis, the basaltic rocks were divided into six groups based on magnetic susceptibility and major elements composition. These results suggest common origin for both magmatic episodes, probably a combination of effects of edge-driven convection and large-scale mantle warming under the westward moving West Gondwana during the Central and South Atlantic opening, which caused a shifted emplacement to the east of the igneous rocks in the Parnaíba basin.

Determination of major elements by wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and trace elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in igneous rocks from the same fused sample (110 mg)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amosova, Alena A.; Panteeva, Svetlana V.; Chubarov, Victor M.; Finkelshtein, Alexandr L.

2016-08-01

The fusion technique is proposed for simultaneous determination of 35 elements from the same sample. Only 110 mg of rock sample was used to obtain fused glasses for quantitative determination of 10 major elements by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis, 16 rare earth elements and some other trace elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis. Fusion was performed with 1.1 g of lithium metaborate and LiBr solution as the releasing agent in platinum crucible in electric furnace at 1100 °C. The certified reference materials of ultramafic, mafic, intermediate and felsic igneous rocks have been applied to obtain the calibration curves for rock-forming oxides (Na2O, MgO, Al2O3, SiO2, P2O5, K2O, CaO, TiO2, MnO, Fe2O3) and some trace elements (Ba, Sr, Zr) determination by X-ray fluorescence analysis. The repeatability does not exceed the allowable standard deviation for a wide range of concentrations. In the most cases the relative standard deviation was less than 5%. Obtained glasses were utilized for the further determination of rare earth (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) and some other (Ba, Sr, Zr, Rb, Cs, Y, Nb, Hf, Ta, Th and U) trace elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis with the same certified reference materials employed. The results could mostly be accepted as satisfactory. The proposed procedure essentially reduces the expenses in comparison with separate sample preparation for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence analysis.

Frequency-Based Precursory Acoustic Emission Failure Sequences In Sedimentary And Igneous Rocks Under Uniaxial Compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colin, C.; Anderson, R. C.; Chasek, M. D.; Peters, G. H.; Carey, E. M.

2016-12-01

Identifiable precursors to rock failure have been a long pursued and infrequently encountered phenomena in rock mechanics and acoustic emission studies. Since acoustic emissions in compressed rocks were found to follow the Gutenberg-Richter law, failure-prediction strategies based on temporal changes in b-value have been recurrent. In this study, we extend on the results of Ohnaka and Mogi [Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 87, No. B5, p. 3873-3884, (1982)], where the bulk frequency characteristics of rocks under incremental uniaxial compression were observed in relation to changes in b-value before and after failure. Based on the proposition that the number of low-frequency acoustic emissions is proportional to the number of high-amplitude acoustic emissions in compressed rocks, Ohnaka and Mogi (1982) demonstrated that b-value changes in granite and andesite cores under incremental uniaxial compression could be expressed in terms of the percent abundance of low-frequency events. In this study, we attempt to demonstrate that the results of Ohnaka and Mogi (1982) hold true for different rock types (basalt, sandstone, and limestone) and different sample geometries (rectangular prisms). In order to do so, the design of the compression tests was kept similar to that of Ohnaka and Mogi (1982). Two high frequency piezoelectric transducers of 1 MHz and a 500 kHz coupled to the sides of the samples detected higher and lower frequency acoustic emission signals. However, rather than gathering parametric data from an analog signal using a counter as per Ohnaka and Mogi (1982), we used an oscilloscope as an analog to digital converter interfacing with LabVIEW 2015 to record the complete waveforms. The digitally stored waveforms were then processed, detecting acoustic emission events using a statistical method, and filtered using a 2nd order Butterworth filter. In addition to calculating the percent abundance of low-frequency events over time, the peak frequency of the

Generation of syntectonic calc-alkaline, magnesian granites through remelting of pre-tectonic igneous sources - U-Pb zircon ages and Sr, Nd and Pb isotope data from the Donkerhoek granite (southern Damara orogen, Namibia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwark, L.; Jung, S.; Hauff, F.; Garbe-Schönberg, D.; Berndt, J.

2018-06-01

The 541 ± 4 Ma-old magnesian, weakly peraluminous, calc-alkalic Donkerhoek Onanis granite is part of the ca. 6000 km2 large Donkerhoek batholith in the Southern Zone of the Damara orogen of Namibia. Linear major and trace element variations and decreasing MgO, FeO, Al2O3, CaO, K2O, Na2O, Ba and Sr concentrations with increasing SiO2 indicate that this part of the batholith represent a coherent mass and underwent fractional crystallization processes. The Donkerhoek Onanis granites are isotopically evolved (initial εNd: -4.7 to -12.3, initial 87Sr/86Sr: 0.7099-0.7157) with moderately radiogenic Pb isotope ratios (206Pb/204Pb: 17.26-18.22; 207Pb/204Pb: 15.59-15.67; 208Pb/204Pb: 37.60-38.06). Beside heterogeneities imparted by the sources, an evaluation of LREE fractionation and Nd isotope data suggests that AFC processes also modified some samples. Based on the chemical and isotope data, the Donkerhoek Onanis granites cannot be derived by partial melting of Al- and Fe-rich metasedimentary rocks of the Kuiseb formation in which they intruded. Instead, melting of meta-igneous crustal sources with Proterozoic crustal residence ages is more likely. Three igneous to meta-igneous rock suites from the area (Matchless amphibolites, Proterozoic mafic to felsic gneisses from the southern Kalahari craton basement, syn-tectonic Salem granodiorites to granites) are potential sources. An evaluation of chemical and isotope data suggests that remelting of early syn-orogenic Salem-type granites is the most likely process which would also explain the existence of ca. 563 ± 4 Ma-old zircon in the Donkerhoek Onanis granites. Comparison of the Donkerhoek Onanis granites with experimentally derived melt compositions from an intermediate igneous parent indicates temperatures between 800 and 850 °C. It is suggested that the Pan-African igneous activity in this part of the Damara Belt was a moderate-temperature intra-crustal event. Although there are some compositional similarities with

Lithologic mapping of silicate rocks using TIMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillespie, A. R.

1986-01-01

Common rock-forming minerals have thermal infrared spectral features that are measured in the laboratory to infer composition. An airborne Daedalus scanner (TIMS) that collects six channels of thermal infrared radiance data (8 to 12 microns), may be used to measure these same features for rock identification. Previously, false-color composite pictures made from channels 1, 3, and 5 and emittance spectra for small areas on these images were used to make lithologic maps. Central wavelength, standard deviation, and amplitude of normal curves regressed on the emittance spectra are related to compositional information for crystalline igneous silicate rocks. As expected, the central wavelength varies systematically with silica content and with modal quartz content. Standard deviation is less sensitive to compositional changes, but large values may result from mixed admixture of vegetation. Compression of the six TIMS channels to three image channels made from the regressed parameters may be effective in improving geologic mapping from TIMS data, and these synthetic images may form a basis for the remote assessment of rock composition.

Lithologic analysis from multispectral thermal infrared data of the alkalic rock complex at Iron Hill, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watson, K.; Rowan, L.C.; Bowers, T.L.; Anton-Pacheco, C.; Gumiel, P.; Miller, S.H.

1996-01-01

Airborne thermal-infrared multispectral scanner (TIMS) data of the Iron Hill carbonatite-alkalic igneous rock complex in south-central Colorado are analyzed using a new spectral emissivity ratio algorithm and confirmed by field examination using existing 1:24 000-scale geologic maps and petrographic studies. Color composite images show that the alkalic rocks could be clearly identified and that differences existed among alkalic rocks in several parts of the complex. An unsupervised classification algorithm defines four alkalic rock classes within the complex: biotitic pyroxenite, uncompahgrite, augitic pyroxenite, and fenite + nepheline syenite. Felsic rock classes defined in the surrounding country rock are an extensive class consisting of tuff, granite, and felsite, a less extensive class of granite and felsite, and quartzite. The general composition of the classes can be determined from comparisons of the TIMS spectra with laboratory spectra. Carbonatite rocks are not classified, and we attribute that to the fact that dolomite, the predominant carbonate mineral in the complex, has a spectral feature that falls between TIMS channels 5 and 6. Mineralogical variability in the fenitized granite contributed to the nonuniform pattern of the fenite-nepheline syenite class. The biotitic pyroxenite, which resulted from alteration of the pyroxenite, is spatially associated and appears to be related to narrow carbonatite dikes and sills. Results from a linear unmixing algorithm suggest that the detected spatial extent of the two mixed felsic rock classes was sensitive to the amount of vegetation cover. These results illustrate that spectral thermal infrared data can be processed to yield compositional information that can be a cost-effective tool to target mineral exploration, particularly in igneous terranes.

The newly-discovered Late Cretaceous igneous rocks in the Nuocang district: Products of ancient crust melting trigged by Neo-Tethyan slab rollback in the western Gangdese

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jun-Sheng; Zheng, You-Ye; Gao, Shun-Bao; Zhang, Yong-Chao; Huang, Jian; Liu, Jun; Wu, Song; Xu, Jing; Huang, Liang-Liang

2018-05-01

The newly discovered polymetallic Nuocang Pb-Zn skarn deposit is located in the southern Lhasa subterrane, western Gangdese, Tibet. The orebodies occur primarily at the contact zone between the Angjie Formation and the Linzizong volcanic rocks of Dianzhong Formation (LDF) that are dominated by basaltic andesitic tuff and rhyolite. Zircon U-Pb dating for two granite porphyries yield ages of 72.4 ± 0.2 Ma and 73.4 ± 0.9 Ma, which are different from the ages ( 69-60 Ma) of the LDF in the eastern Gangdese. The basaltic andesite tuff at Nuocang exhibits enrichment of MgO, TiO2, LILE, and LREE, with a relative depletion of SiO2, K2O, HFSE, and HREE, low Sr/Y ratios (32.9-38.0), and weak negative Eu anomalies (mean 0.86). They have 87Sr/86Sr(i) from 0.70695 to 0.70807 and εNd(t) values between -4.3 and -5.9. These features are similar to the Linzizong volcanic rocks of Dianzhong Formation in the Linzhou basin, indicating that they were associated with partial melting of mantle wedge mixing with 25-35% ancient Lhasa terrane basement. The rhyolite and granite porphyry show high SiO2 and K2O, and low Sr/Y ratio (1.2-9.9), enrichment of LILE and LREE and strong depletion of the HFSEs. They have pronounced negative Eu anomalies (mean 0.46), and εHf (t) values of the granite porphyry zircons range from -22.0 to -6.0. All these features suggest that they are the product of anatexis of ancient crustal materials heated by mantle-derived magma, the latter derived from Neo-Tethyan slab dehydration mechanisms. Combined with the previous geochronological and geochemical data, we proposed that the Nuocang district of western Gangdese in the southern Lhasa subterrane contains an ancient block, and the igneous rocks here were triggered by the Neo-Tethyan slab rollback starting at 82 Ma. The western Gangdese contains more ancient continental crustal materials and Late Cretaceous-Eocene Linzizong volcanic rocks and coeval intrusions than in the eastern Gangdese. Thus the western

The High Arctic Large Igneous Province Mantle Plume caused uplift of Arctic Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galloway, Jennifer; Ernst, Richard; Hadlari, Thomas

2016-04-01

The Sverdrup Basin is an east-west-trending extensional sedimentary basin underlying the northern Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The tectonic history of the basin began with Carboniferous-Early Permian rifting followed by thermal subsidence with minor tectonism. Tectonic activity rejuvenated in the Hauterivian-Aptian by renewed rifting and extension. Strata were deformed by diapiric structures that developed during episodic flow of Carboniferous evaporites during the Mesozoic and the basin contains igneous components associated with the High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP). HALIP was a widespread event emplaced in multiple pulses spanning ca. 180 to 80 Ma, with igneous rocks on Svalbard, Franz Josef Island, New Siberian Islands, and also in the Sverdrup Basin on Ellef Ringnes, Axel Heiberg, and Ellesmere islands. Broadly contemporaneous igneous activity across this broad Arctic region along with a reconstructed giant radiating dyke swarm suggests that HALIP is a manifestation of large mantle plume activity probably centred near the Alpha Ridge. Significant surface uplift associated with the rise of a mantle plume is predicted to start ~10-20 my prior to the generation of flood basalt magmatism and to vary in shape and size subsequently throughout the LIP event (1,2,3) Initial uplift is due to dynamical support associated with the top of the ascending plume reaching a depth of about 1000 km, and with continued ascent the uplift topography broadens. Additional effects (erosion of the ductile lithosphere and thermal expansion caused by longer-term heating of the mechanical lithosphere) also affect the shape of the uplift. Topographic uplift can be between 1 to 4 km depending on various factors and may be followed by subsidence as the plume head decays or become permanent due to magmatic underplating. In the High Arctic, field and geochronological data from HALIP relevant to the timing of uplift, deformation, and volcanism are few. Here we present new evidence

Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic and REE studies of igneous components in the bulk matrix domain of Martian breccia Northwest Africa 7034

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyquist, Laurence E.; Shih, Chi-Yu; McCubbin, Francis M.; Santos, Alison R.; Shearer, Charles K.; Peng, Zhan X.; Burger, Paul V.; Agee, Carl B.

2016-03-01

The bulk matrix domain of the Martian breccia NWA 7034 was examined petrographically and isotopically to better understand the provenance and age of the source material that make up the breccia. Both 147Sm-143Nd and 146Sm-142Nd age results for mineral separates from the bulk matrix portion of breccia NWA 7034 suggest that various lithological components in the breccia probably formed contemporaneously ~4.44 Ga ago. This old age is in excellent agreement with the upper intersection ages (4.35-4.45 Ga) for U-Pb discordia and also concordia defined by zircon and baddeleyite grains in matrix and igneous-textured clasts. Consequently, we confirm an ancient age for the igneous components that make up the NWA 7034 breccia. Substantial disturbance in the Rb-Sr system was detected, and no age significance could be gleaned from our Rb-Sr data. The disturbance to the Rb-Sr system may be due to a thermal event recorded by bulk-rock K-Ar ages of 1.56 Ga and U-Pb ages of phosphates at about 1.35-1.5 Ga, which suggest partial resetting from an unknown thermal event(s), possibly accompanying breccia formation. The NWA 7034 bulk rock is LREE enriched and similar to KREEP-rich lunar rocks, which indicates that the earliest Martian crust was geochemically enriched. This enrichment supports the idea that the crust is one of the enriched geochemical reservoirs on Mars that have been detected in studies of other Martian meteorites.

Poisson's Ratio and Auxetic Properties of Natural Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Shaocheng; Li, Le; Motra, Hem Bahadur; Wuttke, Frank; Sun, Shengsi; Michibayashi, Katsuyoshi; Salisbury, Matthew H.

2018-02-01

Here we provide an appraisal of the Poisson's ratios (υ) for natural elements, common oxides, silicate minerals, and rocks with the purpose of searching for naturally auxetic materials. The Poisson's ratios of equivalently isotropic polycrystalline aggregates were calculated from dynamically measured elastic properties. Alpha-cristobalite is currently the only known naturally occurring mineral that has exclusively negative υ values at 20-1,500°C. Quartz and potentially berlinite (AlPO4) display auxetic behavior in the vicinity of their α-β structure transition. None of the crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks (e.g., amphibolite, gabbro, granite, peridotite, and schist) display auxetic behavior at pressures of >5 MPa and room temperature. Our experimental measurements showed that quartz-rich sedimentary rocks (i.e., sandstone and siltstone) are most likely to be the only rocks with negative Poisson's ratios at low confining pressures (≤200 MPa) because their main constituent mineral, α-quartz, already has extremely low Poisson's ratio (υ = 0.08) and they contain microcracks, micropores, and secondary minerals. This finding may provide a new explanation for formation of dome-and-basin structures in quartz-rich sedimentary rocks in response to a horizontal compressional stress in the upper crust.

Compositional variation in the chevkinite group: New data from igneous and metamorphic rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macdonald, R.; Belkin, H.E.; Wall, F.; Baginski, B.

2009-01-01

Electron microprobe analyses are presented of chevkinite-group minerals from Canada, USA, Guatemala, Norway, Scotland, Italy and India. The host rocks are metacarbonates, alkaline and subalkaline granitoids, quartz-bearing pegmatites, carbonatite and an inferred K-rich tuff. The analyses extend slightly the range of compositions in the chevkinite group, e.g. the most MgO-rich phases yet recorded, and we report two further examples where La is the dominant cation in the A site. Patchilyzoned crystals from Virginia and Guatemala contain both perrierite and chevkinite compositions. The new and published analyses are used to review compositional variation in minerals of the perrierite subgroup, which can form in a wide range of host rock compositions and over a substantial pressure-temperature range. The dominant substitutions in the various cation sites and a generalized substitution scheme are described. ?? 2009 The Mineralogical Society.

Compositional variation in the chevkinite group: new data from igneous and metamorphic rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belkin, Harvey E.; MacDonald, R.; Wall, F.; Baginski, B.

2009-01-01

Electron microprobe analyses are presented of chevkinite-group minerals from Canada, USA, Guatemala, Norway, Scotland, Italy and India. The host rocks are metacarbonates, alkaline and subalkaline granitoids, quartz-bearing pegmatites, carbonatite and an inferred K-rich tuff. The analyses extend slightly the range of compositions in the chevkinite group, e.g. the most MgO-rich phases yet recorded, and we report two further examples where La is the dominant cation in the A site. Patchily- zoned crystals from Virginia and Guatemala contain both perrierite and chevkinite compositions. The new and published analyses are used to review compositional variation in minerals of the perrierite subgroup, which can form in a wide range of host rock compositions and over a substantial pressure- temperature range. The dominant substitutions in the various cation sites and a generalized substitution scheme are described.

An 40Ar/39Ar geochronology on a mid-Eocene igneous event on the Barton and Weaver peninsulas: Implications for the dynamic setting of the Antarctic Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fei; Zheng, Xiang-Shen; Lee, Jong I. K.; Choe, Won Hie; Evans, Noreen; Zhu, Ri-Xiang

2009-12-01

The genesis of basaltic to andesitic lavas, mafic dikes, and granitoid plutons composing the subaerial cover on the Barton and Weaver peninsulas, Antarctica, is related to arc formation and subduction processes. Precise dating of these polar rocks using conventional 40Ar/39Ar techniques is compromised by the high degree of alteration (with loss on ignition as high as 8%). In order to minimize the alteration effects we have followed a sample preparation process that includes repeated acid leaching, acetone washing, and hand picking, followed by an overnight bake at 250°C. After this procedure, groundmass samples can yield accurate age plateaus consisting of 70%-100% of the total 39Ark released using high-resolution heating schedules. The different rock types studied on the Barton and Weaver peninsulas yielded almost coeval ages, suggesting a giant igneous event in the Weaver and Barton peninsulas at 44.5 Ma. A compilation of newly published ages indicate that this event took place throughout the whole South Shetland Islands, suggesting a dynamic incident occurred at this stage during the arc evolution history. We related this igneous event to a mantle delamination mechanism during Eocene times. The delamination process began at ˜52 Ma, and the resultant upwelling of asthenosphere baffled the subduction of Phoenix plate, causing an abrupt decrease in convergence rate. Then multiple magmatic sources were triggered, resulting in a culminating igneous activity during 50-40 Ma with a peak at ˜45 Ma along the archipelago. The delamination also caused the extension regime indicated by the dike swarm, plugs and sills all over the archipelago, and the uplift of Smith metamorphic complex and Livingston Island. Delamination process may have finished at some time during 40-30 Ma, leaving a weak igneous activity at that stage and thereafter. The convergence rate then recovered gradually, as indicated by the magnetic anomaly identifications. This model is supported by seismic

Alkaline igneous rocks of Magnet Cove, Arkansas: Mineralogy and geochemistry of syenites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flohr, M.J.K.; Ross, M.

1990-01-01

Syenites from the Magnet Cove alkaline igneous complex form a diverse mineralogical and geochemical suite. Compositional zoning in primary and late-stage minerals indicates complex, multi-stage crystallization and replacement histories. Residual magmatic fluids, rich in F, Cl, CO2 and H2O, reacted with primary minerals to form complex intergrowths of minerals such as rinkite, fluorite, V-bearing magnetite, F-bearing garnet and aegirine. Abundant sodalite and natrolite formed in pegmatitic segregations within nepheline syenite where Cl- and Na-rich fluids were trapped. During autometasomatism compatible elements such as Mn, Ti, V and Zr were redistributed on a local scale and concentrated in late-stage minerals. Early crystallization of apatite and perovskite controlled the compatible behavior of P and Ti, respectively. The formation of melanite garnet also affected the behaviour of Ti, as well as Zr, Hf and the heavy rare-earth elements. Pseudoleucite syenite and garnet-nepheline syenite differentiated along separate trends, but the two groups are related to the same parental magma by early fractionation of leucite, the presumed precursor of intergrowths of K-feldspar and nepheline. The Diamond Jo nepheline syenite group defines a different differentiation trend. Sphene-nepheline syenite, alkali syenite and several miscellaneous nepheline syenites do not consistently plot with the other syenite groups or each other on element and oxide variation diagrams, indicating that they were derived from still other parental syenite magmas. Mineral assemblages indicate that relatively high f{hook};O2, at or above the fayalite-magnetite-quartz buffer, prevailed throughout the crystallization history of the syenites. ?? 1990.

Late Proterozoic-Paleozoic evolution of the Arctic Alaska-Chukotka terrane based on U-Pb igneous and detrital zircon ages: Implications for Neoproterozoic paleogeographic reconstructions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amato, J.M.; Toro, J.; Miller, E.L.; Gehrels, G.E.; Farmer, G.L.; Gottlieb, E.S.; Till, A.B.

2009-01-01

The Seward Peninsula of northwestern Alaska is part of the Arctic Alaska-Chukotka terrane, a crustal fragment exotic to western Laurentia with an uncertain origin and pre-Mesozoic evolution. U-Pb zircon geochronology on deformed igneous rocks reveals a previously unknown intermediate-felsic volcanic event at 870 Ma, coeval with rift-related magmatism associated with early breakup of eastern Rodinia. Orthogneiss bodies on Seward Peninsula yielded numerous 680 Ma U-Pb ages. The Arctic Alaska-Chukotka terrane has pre-Neoproterozoic basement based on Mesoproterozoic Nd model ages from both 870 Ma and 680 Ma igneous rocks, and detrital zircon ages between 2.0 and 1.0 Ga in overlying cover rocks. Small-volume magmatism occurred in Devonian time, based on U-Pb dating of granitic rocks. U-Pb dating of detrital zircons in 12 samples of metamorphosed Paleozoic siliciclastic cover rocks to this basement indicates that the dominant zircon age populations in the 934 zircons analyzed are found in the range 700-540 Ma, with prominent peaks at 720-660 Ma, 620-590 Ma, 560-510 Ma, 485 Ma, and 440-400 Ma. Devonian- and Pennsylvanian-age peaks are present in the samples with the youngest detrital zircons. These data show that the Seward Peninsula is exotic to western Laurentia because of the abundance of Neoproterozoic detrital zircons, which are rare or absent in Lower Paleozoic Cordilleran continental shelf rocks. Maximum depositional ages inferred from the youngest detrital age peaks include latest Proterozoic-Early Cambrian, Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, and Pennsylvanian. These maximum depositional ages overlap with conodont ages reported from fossiliferous carbonate rocks on Seward Peninsula. The distinctive features of the Arctic Alaska-Chukotka terrane include Neoproterozoic felsic magmatic rocks intruding 2.0-1.1 Ga crust overlain by Paleozoic carbonate rocks and Paleozoic siliciclastic rocks with Neoproterozoic detrital zircons. The Neoproterozoic ages are

Martian soil stratigraphy and rock coatings observed in color-enhanced Viking Lander images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strickland, E. L., III

1979-01-01

Subtle color variations of martian surface materials were enhanced in eight Viking Lander (VL) color images. Well-defined soil units recognized at each site (six at VL-1 and four at VL-2), are identified on the basis of color, texture, morphology, and contact relations. The soil units at the Viking 2 site form a well-defined stratigraphic sequence, whereas the sequence at the Viking 1 site is only partially defined. The same relative soil colors occur at the two sites, suggesting that similar soil units are widespread on Mars. Several types of rock surface materials can be recognized at the two sites; dark, relatively 'blue' rock surfaces are probably minimally weathered igneous rock, whereas bright rock surfaces, with a green/(blue + red) ratio higher than that of any other surface material, are interpreted as a weathering product formed in situ on the rock. These rock surface types are common at both sites. Soil adhering to rocks is common at VL-2, but rare at VL-1. The mechanism that produces the weathering coating on rocks probably operates planet-wide.

Igneous fractionation and subsolidus equilibration of diogenite meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittlefehldt, David W.

1993-01-01

Diogenites are coarse-grained orthopyroxenite breccias of remarkably uniform major element composition. Most diogenites contain homogeneous pyroxene fragments up to 5 cm across of Wo2En74Fs24 composition. Common minor constituents are chromite, olivine, trolite and metal, while silica, plagioclase, merrillite and diopside are trace phases. Diogenites are generally believed to be cumulates from the eucrite parent body, although their relationship with eucrites remains obscure. It has been suggested that some diogenites are residues after partial melting. I have performed EMPA and INAA for major, minor and trace elements on most diogenites, concentrating on coarse-grained mineral and lithic clasts in order to elucidate their igneous formation and subsequent metamorphic history. Major element compositions of diogenites are decoupled from minor and trace element compositions; the latter record an igneous fractionation sequence that is not preserved in the former. Low equilibration temperatures indicate that major element diffusion continued long after crystallization. Diffusion coefficients for trivalent and tetravalent elements in pyroxene are lower than those of divalent elements. Therefore, major element compositions of diogenites may represent means of unknown portions of a cumulate homogenized by diffusion, while minor and trace elements still yield information on their igneous history. The scale of major element equilibration is unknown, but is likely to be on the order of a few cm. Therefore, the diogenite precursors may have consisted largely of cm-sized, igneously zoned orthopyroxene grains, which were subsequently annealed during slow cooling, obliterating major element zoning but preserving minor and trace incompatible element zoning.

Igneous Crystallization and Localized Deformation in the Shallow Mantle beneath Slow Spreading Ridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelemen, P.; Kikawa, E.; Miller, J.

2004-05-01

Building upon previous work, and incorporating new results from ODP Leg 209, we will provide a synthesis of melt migration mechanisms beneath oceanic spreading ridges, with an emphasis on the thick conductive boundary layer extending to about 20 km depth beneath slow-spreading ridges. In adiabatically upwelling mantle, ascending melt acts as a "solvent", creating additional melt by dissolving pyroxene in surrounding wall rocks, and thus forming high porosity dissolution channels. Mature dissolution channels lack pyroxene, and allow migration of pyroxene-undersaturated melt through the shallow mantle. In conductively cooled mantle, melts begin to crystallize due to cooling, and in addition reactions with surrounding peridotite consume melt. Where melt fluxes are large, this can create a permeability barrier that ultimately leads to an upstream increase in melt pressure and, in some cases, causes hydrofracture and magma ascent in dikes. Where melt fluxes are small, porous flow of crystallizing melt continues upward into the conductive boundary layer. This leads to formation of "impregnated peridotite", with igneous plag and pyroxene precipitated along olivine grain boundaries, and forms melts that are in equilibrium with lherzolite assemblages at relatively low pressures. Impregnated peridotites from ODP Leg 209 have "equilibrated" textures and contain olivine, 2 pyroxenes, plag and Cr-rich spinel. Mg#, Cr# and Ni are high, extending to residual peridotite values. Crystallization pressure can be estimated using local lava compositions. 87 MORB glasses from 14 to 16°N with Mg# from 60 to 73 [from PetDB] could be plagioclase lherzolite saturated at 5.4 kb (+ - 1.4 kb 2 sigma) and 1220 C (+ - 16°C 2 sigma) [using Kinzler & Grove, JGR 92]. Plag ranges from An 60 to 75. Subsolidus PT for the plag spinel lherzolite assemblage are not well constrained, but are about 3 kb and 700-800 C, consistent with the conductive geotherm inferred from igneous PT estimates. Thus

Electrical conductivity of rocks at high pressures and temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parkhomenko, E. I.; Bondarenko, A. T.

1986-01-01

The results of studies of the electrical conductivity in the most widely distributed types of igneous rocks, at temperatures of up to 1200 C, at atmospheric pressure, and also at temperatures of up to 700 C and at pressures of up to 20,000 kg/sq cm are described. The figures of electrical conductivity, of activaation energy and of the preexponential coefficient are presented and the dependence of these parameters on the petrochemical parameters of the rocks are reviewed. The possible electrical conductivities for the depository, granite and basalt layers of the Earth's crust and of the upper mantle are presented, as well as the electrical conductivity distribution to the depth of 200 to 240 km for different geological structures.

Geometric consequences of ductile fabric development from brittle shear faults in mafic melt sheets: Evidence from the Sudbury Igneous Complex, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenauer, Iris; Riller, Ulrich

2012-02-01

Compared to felsic igneous rocks the genetic relationship between brittle and ductile fabric development and its influence on the geometry of deformed mafic melt sheets has received little attention in structural analyses. We explore these relationships using the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC) as an example. The SIC is the relic of a layered impact melt sheet that was transformed into a fold basin, the Sudbury Basin, during Paleoproterozoic deformation at the southern margin of the Archean Superior Province. We studied brittle and ductile strain fabrics on the outcrop and map scales in the southern Sudbury Basin, notably in the Norite and Quartz Gabbro layers of the SIC. Here, deformation is heterogeneous and occurred under variable rheological conditions, evident by the development of brittle shear fractures, brittle-ductile shear zones and pervasive ductile strain. The mineral fabrics formed under low- to middle greenschist-facies metamorphism, whereby brittle deformation caused hydrolytic weakening and ductile fabric development. Principal strain axes inferred from all structural elements are collinear and point to a single deformation regime that led to thinning of SIC layers during progressive deformation. Ductile fabric development profoundly influenced the orientation of SIC material planes, such as lithological contacts and magmatic mineral fabrics. More specifically, these planar structural elements are steep where the SIC underwent large magnitudes of thinning, i.e., in the south limb of the Sudbury Basin. Here, the actual tilt component of material planes is likely smaller than its maximum total rotation (60°) inferred from inclined igneous layering in the Norite. Our field-based study shows that ductile fabric development from brittle faults can have a profound influence on the rotational components of primary material planes in deformed igneous melt sheets.

Chemical Sample Processing for Combined Selenium Isotope and Selenium-Tellurium Elemental Investigation of the Earth's Igneous Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yierpan, Aierken; König, Stephan; Labidi, Jabrane; Kurzawa, Timon; Babechuk, Michael G.; Schoenberg, Ronny

2018-02-01

The redox-sensitive, chalcophile, and volatile Se stable isotope system offers new perspectives to investigate the origin and evolution of terrestrial volatiles and the roles of magmatic and recycling processes in the development of the redox contrast between Earth's reservoirs. Selenium isotope systematics become more robust in a well-constrained petrogenetic context as can be inferred from Se-Te elemental signatures of sulfides and igneous rocks. In this study, we present a high-yield chemical sample processing method that allows the determination of Se-Te concentrations and Se isotope composition from the same sample digest of silicate rocks by hydride generation isotope dilution (ID) quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and double spike (DS) multicollector (MC)-ICP-MS, respectively. Our procedure yields ˜80% Se-Te recoveries with quantitative separation of relevant interfering elements such as Ge and HG-buffering metals. Replicate analyses of selected international reference materials yield uncertainties better than 0.11‰ (2 s.d.) on δ82/76Se and 3% (r.s.d.) on Se concentration for DS MC-ICP-MS determinations for as low as ˜10 ng sample Se. The precision of Se-Te concentration measurements by ID ICP-MS is better than 3% and 5% (r.s.d.) for total amounts of ˜0.5-1 ng Se and ˜0.2-0.5 ng Te, respectively. The basaltic reference materials have variable Se-Te contents, but their δ82/76Se values are rather uniform (on average 0.23 ± 0.14‰; 2 s.d.) and different from the chondritic value. This altogether provides the methodology and potential to extend the limited data set of coupled Se isotope and Se-Te elemental systematics of samples relevant to study the terrestrial igneous inventory.

Earthquake lights and the stress-activation of positive hole charge carriers in rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

St-Laurent, F.; Derr, J.S.; Freund, F.T.

2006-01-01

Earthquake-related luminous phenomena (also known as earthquake lights) may arise from (1) the stress-activation of positive hole (p-hole) charge carriers in igneous rocks and (2) the accumulation of high charge carrier concentrations at asperities in the crust where the stress rates increase very rapidly as an earthquake approaches. It is proposed that, when a critical charge carrier concentration is reached, the p-holes form a degenerated solid state plasma that can break out of the confined rock volume and propagate as a rapidly expanding charge cloud. Upon reaching the surface the charge cloud causes dielectric breakdown at the air-rock interface, i.e. corona discharges, accompanied by the emission of light and high frequency electromagnetic radiation. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origins of igneous microgranular enclaves in granites: the example of Central Victoria, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clemens, J. D.; Elburg, M. A.; Harris, C.

2017-10-01

To investigate their genesis and relations with their host rocks, we study igneous microgranular enclaves (IMEs) in the c. 370 Ma, post-orogenic, high-level, felsic plutons and volcanic rocks of Central Victoria, Australia. The IMEs are thermally quenched magma globules but are not autoliths, and they do not form mixing series with their host magmas. These IMEs generally represent hybrids between mantle-derived magmas and very high- T crust-derived melts, modified by fractionation, ingestion of host-derived crystals and, to a lesser extent, by chemical interactions with their hosts. Isotopic and elemental evidence suggests that their likely mafic progenitors formed by partial melting of subcontinental mantle, but that the IME suites from different felsic host bodies did not share a common initial composition. We infer that melts of heterogeneous mantle underwent high- T hybridisation with melts from a variety of crustal rocks, which led to a high degree of primary variability in the IME magmas. Our model for the formation of the Central Victorian IMEs is likely to be applicable to other occurrences, especially in suites of postorogenic granitic magmas emplaced in the shallow crust. However, there are many different origins for the mingled magma globules that we call IMEs, and different phenomena seem to occur in differing tectonic settings. The complexity of IME formation means that it is difficult to unravel the petrogenesis of these products of chaotic magma processes. Nevertheless, the survival of fine-grained, non-equilibrium mineralogy and texture in the IMEs suggests that their tenure in the host magmas must have been geologically brief.

Igneous Crystallization Beginning at 20 km Beneath the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 14 to 16 N

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelemen, P.

2003-12-01

ODP Leg 209 drilled 19 holes at 8 sites along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge from 14° 43 to 15° 44 N. All sites were previously surveyed by submersible, and were chosen to be < 200 m from peridotite or dunite exposed on the seafloor; outcrops of gabbroic rock were also near some sites. One primary goal of Leg 209 was to constrain melt migration and igneous petrogenesis in this region where residual peridotites are exposed on both sides of the Ridge axis. At Sites 1269 and 1273, we penetrated 112 m of basaltic rubble; recovery was poor (3.7 m) and holes unstable, so drilling was terminated. Lavas form nearly horizontal surfaces overlying cliffs exposing peridotite and gabbro. At 6 other sites, we drilled a mixture of residual peridotite and gabbroic rocks intrusive into peridotite. We penetrated 1075 meters at these 6 sites, and recovered 354 m of core. Drilling at Sites 1268, 1270, 1271 and 1272 recovered 25% gabbroic rocks and 75% residual mantle peridotite. Core from Site 1274 is mainly residual peridotite, with a few m-scale gabbroic intrusions. Core from Site 1275 is mainly gabbroic, but contains 24% poikilitic lherzolite interpreted as residual peridotite "impregnated" by plagioclase and pyroxene crystallized from melt migrating along olivine grain boundaries; these impregnated peridotites were later intruded by evolved gabbros. Impregnated peridotites are also common at Site 1271, and present at Sites 1268 and 1270. The overall proportion of gabbroic rocks versus residual peridotites from these 6 sites is similar to previous dredging and submersible sampling in the area. The proportion of gabbro is larger than in"amagmatic" regions on the ultra-slow spreading SWIR and Gakkel Ridges. Impregnated peridotites from Site 1275 have "equilibrated" textures and contain olivine, 2 pyroxenes, plag and Cr-rich spinel. Their whole rock Mg#, Cr# and Ni are high, extending to residual peridotite values. 87 MORB glasses from 14 to 16° N with Mg# from 60 to 73 [from PetDB] could

The Žermanice sill: new insights into the mineralogy, petrology, age, and origin of the teschenite association rocks in the Western Carpathians, Czech Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matýsek, Dalibor; Jirásek, Jakub; Skupien, Petr; Thomson, Stuart N.

2018-04-01

The Žermanice locality represents the best-exposed example of the meta-basaltoid/meta-gabbroic rock type of the teschenite association. It forms a subhorizontal volcanic body (sill) 27-30 m thick. The subvolcanic rock is inhomogeneous and slightly differentiated. The predominant rock type is a basaltoid (diabase-dolerite), medium-grained, speckled, mesocratic rock exhibiting an evident subophitic texture. Miarolitic cavities are abundant in some places. The major rock constituents are albite, microcline, chlorite, and pyroxene, as well as analcime and plagioclase in places. The accessory magmatic phases are biotite, ilmenite, fluorapatite, sulphides, Ti-rich magnetite, Nb-rich baddeleyite, and chevkinite-(Ce) or perrierite-(Ce). A large extent of alteration is evident from the presence of chloritization, albitization of plagioclases, and zeolitization (analcimization). Geochemical analyses reveal an affinity for metaluminous igneous rocks. The best fit is with the within-plate basalts or the within-plate volcanic zones. The classification of this rock is problematic because of the mixed intrusive and extrusive features; the choice is between meta-alkali basalt and metadolerite (meta-microgabbro). 207Pb common lead-corrected U-Pb apatite dating yields a weighted mean age of 120.4 ± 9.6 Ma, which corresponds to the middle Aptian. The igneous body is at most ca. 10 Ma younger than the surrounding late Hauterivian sediments and might have been emplaced into unconsolidated or partly consolidated sediments. According to our research, it is evident that at least some teschenite association rocks are in fact low-grade metamorphic rocks.

Quantifying the Complete Mineral Assemblages in Rocks of GUSEV Crater, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McSween, H. Y.; Ruff, S. W.; Morris, R. V.; Gellert, R.

2007-01-01

Determining the complete mineralogy of Mars rocks by remote sensing has remained a challenge, because of inherent limitations in the minerals that can be detected and uncertainties in spectral modeling. A subset of the igneous rocks of Gusev crater provide a unique opportunity to determine modal mineralogy, because of limited alteration and the analytical capabilities of the Athena instrument package. Here we estimate the absolute (wt. %) abundances of Fe-bearing minerals from Moessbauer spectra (previously reported only as "areas for component subspectra"), and compare these results to the normative mineralogy calculated from APXS elemental analyses. We also test our preferred mineralogy by comparison of Mini-TES spectra with synthetic thermal emission spectra.

Magmatic and Crustal Differentiation History of Granitic Rocks from Hf-O Isotopes in Zircon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kemp, , A. I. S.; Hawkesworth, , C. J.; Foster, , G. L.; Paterson, , B. A.; Woodhead, , J. D.; Hergt, , J. M.; Gray, , C. M.; Whitehouse, M. J.

2007-02-01

Granitic plutonism is the principal agent of crustal differentiation, but linking granite emplacement to crust formation requires knowledge of the magmatic evolution, which is notoriously difficult to reconstruct from bulk rock compositions. We unlocked the plutonic archive through hafnium (Hf) and oxygen (O) isotope analysis of zoned zircon crystals from the classic hornblende-bearing (I-type) granites of eastern Australia. This granite type forms by the reworking of sedimentary materials by mantle-like magmas instead of by remelting ancient metamorphosed igneous rocks as widely believed. I-type magmatism thus drives the coupled growth and differentiation of continental crust.

Correlating P-wave Velocity with the Physico-Mechanical Properties of Different Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khandelwal, Manoj

2013-04-01

In mining and civil engineering projects, physico-mechanical properties of the rock affect both the project design and the construction operation. Determination of various physico-mechanical properties of rocks is expensive and time consuming, and sometimes it is very difficult to get cores to perform direct tests to evaluate the rock mass. The purpose of this work is to investigate the relationships between the different physico-mechanical properties of the various rock types with the P-wave velocity. Measurement of P-wave velocity is relatively cheap, non-destructive and easy to carry out. In this study, representative rock mass samples of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks were collected from the different locations of India to obtain an empirical relation between P-wave velocity and uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength, punch shear, density, slake durability index, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, impact strength index and Schmidt hammer rebound number. A very strong correlation was found between the P-wave velocity and different physico-mechanical properties of various rock types with very high coefficients of determination. To check the sensitivity of the empirical equations, Students t test was also performed, which confirmed the validity of the proposed correlations.

Hydrogen Peroxide Formation and pH Changes at Rock-Water Interface during Stressing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, S.; Kulahci, I.; Cyr, G.; Tregloan-Reed, J.; Balk, M.; Rothschild, L. J.; Freund, F. T.

2008-12-01

Common igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks contain dormant defects, which become activated when stressed. They release electronic charge carriers, in particular defect electrons associated with O- states in a matrix of O2-. Known as 'positive holes' or pholes for short, the O- states can spread out of the stressed rock volume, travel along stress gradients over distances on the order of meters in the lab and probably over kilometers in the field. They carry a current, which can flow through meters of rock in the laboratory, probably tens of kilometers in the field. At rock-water interfaces the O- states turn into O radicals, which subtract H from H2O, forming OH- in the rock surface and PH radicals in the water. Two OH combine to H2O2. In the process the pH becomes more acidic. The discovery of H2O2 formation at rock-water interfaces as part of stress- activated currents on the tectonically active Earth may help us better understand the oxidation of the early Earth and the evolution of early Life.

Geochronology and geochemistry of early Paleozoic igneous rocks of the Lesser Xing'an Range, NE China: Implications for the tectonic evolution of the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhi-wei; Xu, Wen-liang; Pei, Fu-ping; Wang, Feng; Guo, Peng

2016-09-01

This paper presents new zircon U-Pb, Hf isotope, and whole-rock major and trace element data for early Paleozoic igneous rocks of the Lesser Xing'an Range, NE China, in order to constrain the early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Zircon U-Pb dating indicates that early Paleozoic magmatic events within the northern Songnen-Zhangguangcai Range Massif (SZM) can be subdivided into four stages: Middle Cambrian ( 505 Ma), Late Cambrian ( 490 Ma), Early-Middle Ordovician ( 470 Ma), and Late Ordovician (460-450 Ma). The Middle Cambrian monzogranites are K-rich, weakly to strongly peraluminous, and characterized by pronounced heavy rare earth element (HREE) depletions, high Sr/Y ratios, low Y concentrations, low primary zircon εHf(t) values (- 6.79 to - 1.09), and ancient two-stage model (TDM2) ages (1901-1534 Ma). These results indicate derivation from partial melting of thickened ancient crustal materials that formed during the amalgamation of the northern SZM and the northern Jiamusi Massif (JM). The Late Cambrian monzonite, quartz monzonite, and monzogranite units are chemically similar to A-type granites, and contain zircons with εHf(t) values of - 2.59 to + 1.78 and TDM2 ages of 1625-1348 Ma. We infer that these rocks formed from primary magmas generated by partial melting of Mesoproterozoic accreted lower crustal materials in a post-collisional extensional environment. The Early-Middle Ordovician quartz monzodiorite, quartz monzonite, monzogranite, and rhyolite units are calc-alkaline, relatively enriched in light REEs (LREEs) and large ion lithophile elements (LILEs; e.g., Rb, Th, and U), depleted in HREEs and high field strength elements (HFSEs; e.g., Nb, Ta, and Ti), and contain zircons with εHf(t) values of - 7.33 to + 4.98, indicative of formation in an active continental margin setting. The Late Ordovician alkali-feldspar granite and rhyolite units have A-type granite affinities that suggest they formed in an

Source and fractionation controls on subduction-related plutons and dike swarms in southern Patagonia (Torres del Paine area) and the low Nb/Ta of upper crustal igneous rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müntener, Othmar; Ewing, Tanya; Baumgartner, Lukas P.; Manzini, Mélina; Roux, Thibaud; Pellaud, Pierre; Allemann, Luc

2018-05-01

The subduction system in southern Patagonia provides direct evidence for the variability of the position of an active continental arc with respect to the subducting plate through time, but the consequences on the arc magmatic record are less well studied. Here we present a geochemical and geochronological study on small plutons and dykes from the upper crust of the southern Patagonian Andes at 51°S, which formed as a result of the subduction of the Nazca and Antarctic plates beneath the South American continent. In situ U-Pb geochronology on zircons and bulk rock geochemical data of plutonic and dyke rocks are used to constrain the magmatic evolution of the retro-arc over the last 30 Ma. We demonstrate that these combined U-Pb and geochemical data for magmatic rocks track the temporal and spatial migration of the active arc, and associated retro-arc magmatism. Our dataset indicates that the rear-arc area is characterized by small volumes of alkaline basaltic magmas at 29-30 Ma that are characterized by low La/Nb and Th/Nb ratios with negligible arc signatures. Subsequent progressive eastward migration of the active arc culminated with the emplacement of calc-alkaline plutons and dikes 17-16 Ma with elevated La/Nb and Th/Nb ratios and typical subduction signatures constraining the easternmost position of the southern Patagonian batholith at that time. Geochemical data on the post-16 Ma igneous rocks including the Torres del Paine laccolith indicate an evolution to transitional K-rich calc-alkaline magmatism at 12.5 ± 0.2 Ma. We show that trace element ratios such as Nb/Ta and Dy/Yb systematically decrease with increasing SiO2, for both the 17-16 Ma calc-alkaline and the 12-13 Ma K-rich transitional magmatism. In contrast, Th/Nb and La/Nb monitor the changes in the source composition of these magmas. We suggest that the transition from the common calc-alkaline to K-rich transitional magmatism involves a change in the source component, while the trace element ratios

Large Igneous Provinces, Their Giant Mafic Dyke Swarms, and Links to Metallogeny

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jowitt, S.; Ernst, R. E.

2017-12-01

The relationships between large igneous provinces (LIPs), their giant dyke swarms and differing metallogenic systems can be condensed into five distinct although partially overlapping classifications: (1) LIP magmas that directly generate mineral deposits such as orthomagmatic Ni-Cu-PGE sulfides. Many carbonatites (Nb, Ta REE deposits) and kimberlites (diamonds) are also often LIP related. On the other hand, LIP-related thermal pulses (from a mantle plume) can sometimes destroy diamond potential in the overlying lithosphere. A key locus for Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization is within a few hundred km of the plume center region and plume centers are best located using giant radiating dyke swarms. Dyke subswarms with chalcophile element depletions can also be tracked "upstream" toward the plume center to identify exploration targets. (2) LIP magmas that provide energy, fluids, and/or metals for ore types such as hydrothermal volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) and iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits. Heat loss from the margins of dykes and sills can also generate local enrichments in key metals (e.g. Co) within the surrounding sedimentary rocks. (3) LIP rocks (particularly sills and dykes) can act barriers to fluid flow and/or as reaction zones that control mineralizing events, act as structural traps within hydrocarbon systems, and form impermeable barriers that control water flow and hence aquifer formation (4) surficial effects, such as the formation of Ni-Co laterites and Al bauxites from tropical weathering of LIP mafic-ultramafic rocks (including volcanics fed by radiating dykes as well as the dykes themselves). This category also includes LIP-related anoxia events that generate hydrocarbon source rocks; and (5) indirect links between LIPs and ore deposits, where continental breakup-related LIP events define a `barcode' record (usually dominated by dyke swarms) that can be used to correlate and reconstruct Precambrian supercontinents. This fifth classification type

Large igneous provinces (LIPs) and carbonatites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernst, Richard E.; Bell, Keith

2010-03-01

There is increasing evidence that many carbonatites are linked both spatially and temporally with large igneous provinces (LIPs), i.e. high volume, short duration, intraplate-type, magmatic events consisting mainly of flood basalts and their plumbing systems (of dykes, sills and layered intrusions). Examples of LIP-carbonatite associations include: i. the 66 Ma Deccan flood basalt province associated with the Amba Dongar, Sarnu-Dandali (Barmer), and Mundwara carbonatites and associated alkali rocks, ii. the 130 Ma Paraná-Etendeka (e.g. Jacupiranga, Messum); iii. the 250 Ma Siberian LIP that includes a major alkaline province, Maimecha-Kotui with numerous carbonatites, iv. the ca. 370 Ma Kola Alkaline Province coeval with basaltic magmatism widespread in parts of the East European craton, and v. the 615-555 Ma CIMP (Central Iapetus Magmatic Province) of eastern Laurentia and western Baltica. In the Superior craton, Canada, a number of carbonatites are associated with the 1114-1085 Ma Keweenawan LIP and some are coeval with the pan-Superior 1880 Ma mafic-ultramafic magmatism. In addition, the Phalaborwa and Shiel carbonatites are associated with the 2055 Ma Bushveld event of the Kaapvaal craton. The frequency of this LIP-carbonatite association suggests that LIPs and carbonatites might be considered as different evolutionary ‘pathways’ in a single magmatic process/system. The isotopic mantle components FOZO, HIMU, EM1 but not DMM, along with primitive noble gas signatures in some carbonatites, suggest a sub-lithospheric mantle source for carbonatites, consistent with a plume/asthenospheric upwelling origin proposed for many LIPs.

Zircon U-Pb age of the Pescadero felsite: A late Cretaceous igneous event in the forearc, west-central California Coast Ranges

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ernst, W.G.; Martens, U.C.; McLaughlin, R.J.; Clark, J.C.; Moore, Diane E.

2011-01-01

Weathered felsite is associated with the late Campanian-Maastrichtian Pigeon Point Formation near Pescadero, California. Poorly exposed, its age and correlation are uncertain. Is it part of the Pigeon Point section west of the San Gregorio-Hosgri fault? Does it rest on Nacimiento block basement? Is it dextrally offset from the Oligocene Cambria Felsite, ~185 km to the southeast? Why is a calc-alkaline hypabyssal igneous rock intrusive into the outboard accretionary prism? To address these questions, we analyzed 43 oscillatory-zoned zircon crystals from three incipiently recrystallized pumpellyite ?? prehnite ?? laumontite-bearing Pescadero felsite samples by sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe-reverse geometry (SHRIMPRG) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) techniques. Thirty-three zircons gave late Mesozoic U-Pb ages, with single-grain values ranging from 81 to 167 Ma; ten have pre-Mesozoic, chiefl y Proterozoic ages. A group of the four youngest Pescadero zircons yielded an apparent maximum igneous age of ca. 86-90 Ma. Refl ecting broad age scatter and presence of partly digested sandstone inclusions, we interpret the rest of the zircons (perhaps all) as xenocrysts. Twenty-three zircons were separated and analyzed from two samples of the similar Cambria Felsite, yielding a unimodal 27 Ma U-Pb age. Clearly, the origin of the Upper Oligocene Cambria Felsite is different from that of the Upper Cretaceous Pescadero felsite; these rocks are not correlated, and do not constrain displacement along the San Gregorio-Hosgri fault. Peak ages differ slightly, but relative probability curves for Mesozoic and pre-Mesozoic Pescadero zircons compare well, for example, with abundant U-Pb age data for detrital zircons from Franciscan metaclastic strata ~100 km to the east in the Diablo Range- San Francisco Bay area, San Joaquin Great Valley Group turbidites, Upper Cretaceous Nacimiento block Franciscan strata, and Upper Cretaceous

Microbial populations and activities in the rhizoplane of rock-weathering desert plants. I. root colonization and weathering of igneous rocks.

Treesearch

M.E. Puente; Y. Bashan; C.Y. Li; V.K. Lebsky

2004-01-01

Dense layers of bacteria and fungi in the rhizoplane of three species of cactus (Pachycereus pringlei, Stenocereus thurberi, Opuntia cholla) and a wild fig tree (Ficus palmeri) growing in rocks devoid of soil were revealed by bright-field and fluorescence microscopy and field emission...

Insights into Igneous Geochemistry from Trace Element Partitioning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, J. H.; Hanson, B. Z.

2001-01-01

Partitioning of trivalent elements into olivine are used to explore basic issues relevant to igneous geochemistry, such as Henry's law. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Paleoproterozoic multistage metamorphic events in Jining metapelitic rocks from the Khondalite Belt in the North China Craton: Evidence from petrology, phase equilibria modelling and U-Pb geochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Jia; Liu, Fulai; Liu, Pinghua

2017-05-01

Metapelitic rocks of the Jining Complex (sillimanite-cordierite-garnet (Sil-Crd-Grt) gneisses, sillimanite-garnet (Sil-Grt) gneisses and quartzofeldspathic rocks) are exposed in the eastern segment of the Khondalite Belt (KB) in the North China Craton (NCC). The Sil-Crd-Grt gneisses have preserved polyphase mineral assemblages and microstructural evidence of anatexis, resulting from biotite dehydration melting. Petrological observations revealed that the Sil-Crd-Grt gneisses contain three metamorphic assemblages: a peak assemblage of garnet porphyroblast and matrix biotite + sillimanite + K-feldspar + plagioclase + quartz + ilmenite + magnetite, a post-peak near-isothermal decompressional assemblage of garnet + cordierite + biotite + sillimanite + K-feldspar + plagioclase + quartz + ilmenite + magnetite, and a decompressional cooling assemblage of garnet + biotite + cordierite + K-feldspar + plagioclase + quartz + ilmenite + magnetite. A clockwise P-T path was defined involving the inferred peak stage followed by post-peak near-isothermal decompression and decompressional cooling stages, with P-T conditions of 790-825 °C and 9-10 kbar, 810-890 °C and 6.0-6.5 kbar, and 780-810 °C and 4.0-5.5 kbar, respectively. Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U-Pb analyses of the Sil-Crd-Grt gneisses and Sil-Grt gneisses for the detrital and metamorphic zircons yielded a protolith age of ∼2.0 Ga and the late Paleoproterozoic metamorphic age of 1895-1885 Ma. The results reveal that the metapelitic rocks of the Jining Complex underwent continent-continent subduction or collision in the peak metamorphic stage, followed by a post-collisional exhumation event in the post-peak decompressional stage, and a subsequent decompressional cooling stage between the Yinshan and Ordos blocks to form the Paleoproterozoic KB.

Spectral characterization of volcanic rocks in the VIS-NIR for martian exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Angelis, Simone; Carli, Cristian; Manzari, Paola; De Sanctis, Maria Cristina; Capaccioni, Fabrizio

2016-10-01

Igneous effusive rocks cover much of the surface of Mars [1,2,3]. Initially only two types of lithologies were thought to constitute the Martian crust, i.e. a basaltic one and a more andesitic one [1,2], while more evolved lithologies were ruled out.Nevertheless a more complex situation is appearing in the last years. Recently several observations have highlighted the presence of evolved, acidic rocks. High-silica dacite units were identified in Syrtis Major caldera by thermal IR data [4]. Outcrops in Noachis Terra were interpreted as constituted of felsic (i.e. feldspar-rich) rocks essentially by the observation of a 1.3-µm spectral feature in CRISM data, attributed to Fe2+ in feldspars [5]. However different interpretations exist, invoking plagioclase-enriched basalts [6] rather than felsic products.The increasing of high-resolution and in-situ rover-based observations datasets and the changing of the initial paradigm justify a new systematic spectral study of igneous effusive rocks. In this work we focus on the spectral characterization of volcanic effusive rocks in the 0.35-2.5-µm range. We are carrying out measurements and spectral analyses on a wide ensemble of effusive samples, from mafic to sialic, with variable alkali contents, following the classification in the Total-Alkali-Silica diagram, and discussing the influence on spectral characteristics of different mineral assemblages and/or texture ([7], [8]). [1] Bandfield J.L., et al., Science, 287, 1626, 2000; [2] Christensen P.R., et al., J. Geophys. Res., 105, N.E4, 9609-9621, 2000; [3] Ehlmann B.L. & Edwards C.S., Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci., 42, 291-315, 2014; [4] Christensen P.R., et al., Nature, 436, 504-509, 2005; [5] Wray J.J., et al., 44th LPSC, abs. n.3065, 2013; [6] Rogers A.D. & Nekvasil H., Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 2619-2626, 2015; [7] Carli C. and Sgavetti M.,Icarus, 211, 1034-1048, 2011; [7] Carli C. et al., SGL, doi 10.1144/SP401.19, 2015.

New Data on the Composition of Cretaceous Volcanic Rocks of the Alazeya Plateau, Northeastern Yakutia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsukanov, N. V.; Skolotnev, S. G.

2018-02-01

This work presents new data on the composition of volcanics, developed within the Alazeya Plateau of the Kolyma-Indigirka fold area (Northeast Russia), which indicate essential differences in their composition and, accordingly, different geodynamic settings of the formation of rocks. The studied igneous rocks are subdivided into two groups. Volcanics of the first group of the Late Cretaceous age, which are represented by differentiated volcanic rock series (from andesitobasalts to dacites and rhyolites), were formed under island arc conditions in the continent-ocean transition zone. Volcanics of the second group are ascribed to the tholeiitic series and were formed under the other geodynamic setting, which is associated with the regime of extension and riftogenesis, manifested in the studied area probably at the later stage.

Mesosiderite clasts with the most extreme positive europium anomalies among solar system rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittlefehldt, David W.; Rubin, Alan E.; Davis, Andrew M.

1992-01-01

Pigeonite-plagioclase gabbros that occur as clasts in mesosiderites (brecciated stony-iron meteorites) show extreme fractionations of the rare-earth elements (REEs) with larger positive europium anomalies than any previously known for igneous rocks from the earth, moon, or meteorite parent bodies and greater depletions of light REEs relative to heavy REEs than known for comparable cumulate gabbros. The REE pattern for merrillite in one of these clasts is depleted in light REEs and has a large positive europium anomaly as a result of metamorphic equilibration with the silicates. The extreme REE ratios exhibited by the mesosiderite clasts demonstrate that multistage igneous processes must have occurred on some asteroids in the early solar system. Melting of the crust by large-scale impacts or electrical induction from an early T-Tauri-phase sun may be responsible for these processes.

Igneous activity and related ore deposits in the western and southern Tushar Mountains, Marysvale volcanic field, west-central Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steven, Thomas A.

1984-01-01

PART A: Igneous activity in the Marysvale volcanic field of western Utah can be separated into many episodes of extrusion, intrusion, and hydrothermal activity. The rocks of the western Tushar Mountains, near the western part of the volcanic field, include intermediate-composition, calc-alkalic volcanic rocks erupted from scattered volcanoes in Oligocene through earliest Miocene time and related monzonitic intrusions emplaced 24-23 m.y. ago. Beginning 22-21 m.y. ago and extending through much of the later Cenozoic, a bimodal basalt-rhyolite assemblage was erupted widely throughout the volcanic field. Only volcanic and intrusive rocks belonging to the rhyolitic end member of this bimodal assemblage are present in the western Tushar Mountains; most of these rocks either fill the Mount Belknap caldera (19 m.y. old) or are part of the rhyolite of Gillies Hill (9---8 m.y. old). Episodic hydrothermal activity altered and mineralized rocks at many places in the western Tushar Mountains during Miocene time. The earliest activity took place in and adjacent to monzonitic calcalkalic intrusions emplaced in the vicinity of Indian Creek and Cork Ridge. These rocks were widely propylitized, and gold-bearing quartz-pyrite-carbonate veins formed in local fractures. Hydrothermal activity associated with the Mount Belknap caldera mobilized and redeposited uranium contained in the caldera-fill rocks and formed primary concentrations of lithophile elements (including molybdenum and uranium) in the vicinity of intrusive bodies. Hydrothermal activity associated with the rhyolite of Gillies Hill altered and mineralized rocks at several places along the fault zone that marks the western margin of the Tushar Mountains; the zoned alunite and gold deposits at Sheep Rock, the gold deposit at the Sunday Mine, and an alunite deposit near Indian Creek were thus produced. Resetting of isotopic ages suggests that another center of hydrothermally altered rocks associated with a buried pluton about

The gabbros and associated hornblende rocks occurring in the neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, George Huntington

1886-01-01

Considerable attention has been devoted during late years to the metamorphism of igneous rocks, and it can now be regarded as placed beyond reasonable doubt that such rocks may be changed to more or less schistose masses, which often closely resemble crystallized sediments. This possibility has heretofore been largely ignored, owing doubtless to the extensive obliteration of those characteristics which are generally regarded as most typical of eruptive rocks. Schistose or banded structure, however, can now hardly be considered as necessarily an indication of sedimentary origin. The minerals which are most characteristic of the so-called crystalline schists have been repeatedly shown to be derived from the alteration of igneous as well as of aqueous formations. These minerals only represent the final and most stable combination of certain elements under certain conditions, and are quite independent of the earlier combinations in which these elements may have existed. A lava bed and a clay bank, if the two may be supposed to have originally had the same chemical composition, might, under the influence of the same metamorphic agencies, ultimately give rise to the same rock in spite of original differences in structure or mineralogical composition. Stratification may be obliterated by metamorphism, while foliation, or even a banded structure, may, by the same means, be secondarily induced. Neither structure nor mineral composition can be taken as an infallible guide in determining the origin or the age of rocks.The present paper is intended as a contribution to our knowledge of a particular phase of metamorphism in eruptive rocks, i. e., that one which is dependent on the secondary development of hornblende by the paramorphism or pseudomorphism of pyroxene. This is a change the frequency of which renders it of fundamental geological importance. It has already received considerable attention from many eminent geologists, but no locality heretofore studied seems to have

IS ISLAND PARK A HOT DRY ROCK SYSTEM?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoover, D.B.; Pierce, Herbert A.; Long, C.L.

1985-01-01

The Island Park-Yellowstone National Park region comprises a complex caldera system which has formed over the last 2 m. y. The caldera system has been estimated to contain 50% of the total thermal energy remaining in all young igneous systems in the United States. As the result of a reexamination of the data and recent electrical work in the area, the authors now postulate that much of the area where the first- and second-stage calderas developed is underlain by a solidified but still hot pluton. They postulate that the pluton represents a significant hot-dry-rock resource for the United States.

Distribution of manganese between coexisting biotite and hornblende in plutonic rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greenland, L.P.; Gottfried, D.; Tilling, R.I.

1968-01-01

The distribution of manganese between coexisting biotite and hornblende for 80 mineral pairs from igneous rocks of diverse provenance (including Southern California, Sierra Nevada, Boulder, and Boulder Creek batholiths and the Jemez Mountains volcanics) has been determined by neutron activation analysis. Data on the distribution ratio (Kd = Mnhornblende Mnbiotite) indicate that an equilibrium distribution of Mn is closely approached, though not completely attained, in most samples from plutonic environments. Comparison of Kd values of mineral pairs with bulk chemical composition of host rocks reveals no correlation. Because initial crystallization temperatures vary with rock composition, the lack of correlation of composition with Kd suggests that the equilibrium distribution of Mn between biotite and hornblende reflects exchange at subsolidus temperatures rather than initial crystallization temperatures. The highest Kd values are for volcanic rocks, in which rapid quenching prevents subsolidus redistribution of Mn. For sample pairs from the Southern California and Sierra Nevada batholiths there is a positive correlation of Kd with TiO2 content of biotite. Though the evidence is not compelling, Kd may also correlate with the rate of cooling and/or the presence or absence of sphene in the rock. ?? 1968.

A Review of Land and Stream Classifications in Support of Developing a National Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) Classification

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. This region is dominated by igneous and metamorphic rock , with some sedimentary units and a generally...faulted igneous and metamorphic rocks and folded sediments in the Appalachians and flat-lying sedimentary rocks in the Plateau and Catskills. Streams...mixture of igneous, metamorphic , and sedimentary rocks . High relief and coarse materials are typical. Riffle and pool development is largely

Potential Future Igneous Activity at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cline, M.; Perry, F. V.; Valentine, G. A.; Smistad, E.

2005-12-01

Location, timing, and volumes of post-Miocene volcanic activity, along with expert judgement, provide the basis for assessing the probability of future volcanism intersecting a proposed repository for nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Analog studies of eruptive centers in the region that may represent the style and extent of possible future igneous activity at Yucca Mountain have aided in defining the consequence scenarios for intrusion into and eruption through a proposed repository. Modeling of magmatic processes related to magma/proposed repository interactions has been used to assess the potential consequences of a future igneous event through a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. Results of work to date indicate future igneous activity in the Yucca Mountain region has a very low probability of intersecting the proposed repository. Probability of a future event intersecting a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain is approximately 1.7 X 10-8 per year. Since completion of the Probabilistic Volcanic Hazard Assessment (PVHA) in 1996, anomalies representing potential buried volcanic centers have been identified from aeromagnetic surveys. A re-assessment of the hazard is currently underway to evaluate the probability of intersection in light of new information and to estimate the probability of one or more volcanic conduits located in the proposed repository along a dike that intersects the proposed repository. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations for siting and licensing a proposed repository require that the consequences of a disruptive event (igneous event) with annual probability greater than 1 X 10-8 be evaluated. Two consequence scenarios are considered; 1) igneous intrusion-groundwater transport case and 2) volcanic eruptive case. These scenarios equate to a dike or dike swarm intersecting repository drifts containing waste packages, formation of a conduit leading to a volcanic eruption through the repository that carries the contents of

Chemical, multispectral, and textural constraints on the composition and origin of rocks at the Mars Pathfinder landing site

USGS Publications Warehouse

McSween, H.Y.; Murchie, S.L.; Crisp, J.A.; Bridges, N.T.; Anderson, R.C.; Bell, J.F.; Britt, D.T.; Brückner, J.; Dreibus, G.; Economou, T.; Ghosh, A.; Golombek, M.P.; Greenwood, J.P.; Johnson, J. R.; Moore, H.J.; Morris, R.V.; Parker, T.J.; Rieder, R.; Singer, R.; Wänke, H.

1999-01-01

Rocks at the Mars Pathfinder site are probably locally derived. Textures on rock surfaces may indicate volcanic, sedimentary, or impact-generated rocks, but aeolian abration and dust coatings prevent unambiguous interpretation. Multispectral imaging has resolved four spectral classes of rocks: gray and red, which occur on different surfaces of the same rocks; pink, which is probably soil crusts; and maroon, which occurs as large boulders, mostly in the far field. Rocks are assigned to two spectral trends based on the position of peak reflectance: the primary spectral trend contains gray, red, and pink rocks; maroon rocks constitute the secondary spectral trend. The spatial pattern of spectral variations observed is oriented along the prevailing wind direction. The primary spectral trend arises from thin ferric coatings of aeolian dust on darker rocks. The secondary spectral trend is apparently due to coating by a different mineral, probably maghemite or ferrihydrite. A chronology based on rock spectra suggests that rounded maroon boulders constitute the oldest petrologic unit (a flood deposit), succeeded by smaller cobbles possibly deposited by impact, and followed by aeolian erosion and deposition. Nearly linear chemical trends in alpha proton X-ray spectrometer rock compositions are interpreted as mixing lines between rock and adhering dust, a conclusion supported by a correlation between sulfur abundance and red/blue spectral ratio. Extrapolations of regression lines to zero sulfur give the composition of a presumed igneous rock. The chemistry and normative mineralogy of the sulfur-free rock resemble common terrestrial volcanic rocks, and its classification corresponds to andesite. Igneous rocks of this composition may occur with clastic sedimentary rocks or impact melts and breccias. However, the spectral mottling expected on conglomerates or breccias is not observed in any APXS-analyzed rocks. Interpretation of the rocks as andesites is complicated by absence

Organic protomolecule assembly in igneous minerals.

PubMed

Freund, F; Staple, A; Scoville, J

2001-02-27

CH stretching bands, nu(CH), in the infrared spectrum of single crystals of nominally high purity, of laboratory-grown MgO, and of natural upper mantle olivine, provide an "organic" signature that closely resembles the symmetrical and asymmetrical C--H stretching modes of aliphatic -CH(2) units. The nu(CH) bands indicate that H(2)O and CO(2), dissolved in the matrix of these minerals, converted to form H(2) and chemically reduced C, which in turn formed C--H entities, probably through segregation into defects such as dislocations. Heating causes the C--H bonds to pyrolyze and the nu(CH) bands to disappear, but annealing at 70 degrees C causes them to reappear within a few days or weeks. Modeling dislocations in MgO suggests that the segregation of C can lead to C(x) chains, x = 4, with the terminal C atoms anchored to the MgO matrix by bonding to two O(-). Allowing H(2) to react with such C(x) chains leads to [O(2)C(CH(2))(2)CO(2)] or similar precipitates. It is suggested that such C(x)--H(y)--O(z) entities represent protomolecules from which derive the short-chain carboxylic and dicarboxylic and the medium-chain fatty acids that have been solvent-extracted from crushed MgO and olivine single crystals, respectively. Thus, it appears that the hard, dense matrix of igneous minerals represents a medium in which protomolecular units can be assembled. During weathering of rocks, the protomolecular units turn into complex organic molecules. These processes may have provided stereochemically constrained organics to the early Earth that were crucial to the emergence of life.

Organic protomolecule assembly in igneous minerals

PubMed Central

Freund, Friedemann; Staple, Aaron; Scoville, John

2001-01-01

C—H stretching bands, νCH, in the infrared spectrum of single crystals of nominally high purity, of laboratory-grown MgO, and of natural upper mantle olivine, provide an “organic” signature that closely resembles the symmetrical and asymmetrical C—H stretching modes of aliphatic —CH2 units. The νCH bands indicate that H2O and CO2, dissolved in the matrix of these minerals, converted to form H2 and chemically reduced C, which in turn formed C—H entities, probably through segregation into defects such as dislocations. Heating causes the C—H bonds to pyrolyze and the νCH bands to disappear, but annealing at 70°C causes them to reappear within a few days or weeks. Modeling dislocations in MgO suggests that the segregation of C can lead to Cx chains, x = 4, with the terminal C atoms anchored to the MgO matrix by bonding to two O−. Allowing H2 to react with such Cx chains leads to [O2C(CH2)2CO2] or similar precipitates. It is suggested that such Cx—Hy—Oz entities represent protomolecules from which derive the short-chain carboxylic and dicarboxylic and the medium-chain fatty acids that have been solvent-extracted from crushed MgO and olivine single crystals, respectively. Thus, it appears that the hard, dense matrix of igneous minerals represents a medium in which protomolecular units can be assembled. During weathering of rocks, the protomolecular units turn into complex organic molecules. These processes may have provided stereochemically constrained organics to the early Earth that were crucial to the emergence of life. PMID:11226206

Origin of the South Atlantic igneous province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foulger, Gillian R.

2018-04-01

The South Atlantic Igneous Province comprises the Paraná Basalts, Rio Grande Rise, Tristan archipelago and surrounding guyot province, Walvis Ridge, Etendeka basalts and, in some models, the alkaline igneous lineament in the Lucapa corridor, Angola. Although these volcanics are often considered to have a single generic origin, complexities that suggest otherwise are observed. The Paraná Basalts erupted 5 Ma before sea-floor spreading started in the neighborhood, and far more voluminous volcanic margins were emplaced later. A continental microcontinent likely forms much of the Rio Grande Rise, and variable styles of volcanism built the Walvis Ridge and the Tristan da Cunha archipelago and guyot province. Such complexities, coupled with the northward-propagating mid-ocean ridge crossing a major transverse transtensional intracontinental structure, suggest that fragmentation of Pangaea was complex at this latitude and that the volcanism may have occurred in response to distributed extension. The alternative model, a deep mantle plume, is less able to account for many observations and no model variant can account for all the primary features that include eruption of the Paraná Basalts in a subsiding basin, continental breakup by rift propagation that originated far to the south, the absence of a time-progressive volcanic chain between the Paraná Basalts and the Rio Grande Rise, derivation of the lavas from different sources, and the lack of evidence for a plume conduit in seismic-tomography- and magnetotelluric images. The region shares many common features with the North Atlantic Igneous Province which also features persistent, widespread volcanism where a propagating mid-ocean ridge crossed a transverse structural discontinuity in the disintegrating supercontinent.

Apennine Front revisited - Diversity of Apollo 15 highland rock types

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindstrom, Marilyn M.; Marvin, Ursula B.; Vetter, Scott K.; Shervais, John W.

1988-01-01

The Apollo 15 landing site is geologically the most complex of the Apollo sites, situated at a mare-highland interface within the rings of two of the last major basin-forming impacts. Few of the Apollo 15 samples are ancient highland rocks derived from the early differentiation of the moon, or impact melts from major basin impacts. Most of the samples are regolith breccias containing abundant clasts of younger volcanic mare and KREEP basalts. The early geologic evolution of the region can be understood only by examining the small fragments of highland rocks found in regolith breccias and soils. Geochemical and petrologic studies of clasts and matrices of three impact melt breccias and four regolith breccias are presented. Twelve igneous and metamorphic rocks show extreme diversity and include a new type of ferroan norite. Twenty-five samples of highland impact melt are divided into groups based on composition. These impact melts form nearly a continuum over more than an order of magnitude in REE concentrations. This continuum may result from both major basin impacts and younger local events. Highland rocks from the Apennine Front include most of the highland rock types found at all of the other sites. An extreme diversity of highland rocks is a fundamental characteristic of the Apennine Front and is a natural result of its complex geologic evolution.

Mineralization of Bacteria in Terrestrial Basaltic Rocks: Comparison With Possible Biogenic Features in Martian Meteorite Allan Hills 84001

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas-Keprta, K. L.; McKay, D. S.; Wentworth, S. J.; Stevens, T. O.; Taunton, A. E.; Allen, C. C.; Gibson, E. K., Jr.; Romanek, C. S.

1998-01-01

The identification of biogenic features altered by diagenesis or mineralization is important in determining whether specific features in terrestrial rocks and in meteorites may have a biogenic origin. Unfortunately, few studies have addressed the formation of biogenic features in igneous rocks, which may be important to these phenomena, including the controversy over possible biogenic features in basaltic martian meteorite ALH84001. To explore the presence of biogenic features in igneous rocks, we examined microcosms growing in basaltic small-scale experimental growth chambers or microcosms. Microbial communities were harvested from aquifers of the Columbia River Basalt (CRB) group and grown in a microcosm containing unweathered basalt chips and groundwater (technique described in. These microcosms simulated natural growth conditions in the deep subsurface of the CRB, which should be a good terrestrial analog for any putative martian subsurface ecosystem that may have once included ALH84001. Here we present new size measurements and photomicrographs comparing the putative martian fossils to biogenic material in the CRB microcosms. The range of size and shapes of the biogenic features on the CRB microcosm chips overlaps with and is similar to those on ALH84001 chips. Although this present work does not provide evidence for the biogenicity of ALH84001 features, we believe that, based on criteria of size, shape, and general morphology, a biogenic interpretation for the ALH84001 features remains plausible.

Geochemistry of Rock Samples Collected from the Iron Hill Carbonatite Complex, Gunnison County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Gosen, Bradley S.

2008-01-01

A study conducted in 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey collected 57 surface rock samples from nine types of intrusive rock in the Iron Hill carbonatite complex. This intrusive complex, located in Gunnison County of southwestern Colorado, is known for its classic carbonatite-alkaline igneous geology and petrology. The Iron Hill complex is also noteworthy for its diverse mineral resources, including enrichments in titanium, rare earth elements, thorium, niobium (columbium), and vanadium. This study was performed to reexamine the chemistry and metallic content of the major rock units of the Iron Hill complex by using modern analytical techniques, while providing a broader suite of elements than the earlier published studies. The report contains the geochemical analyses of the samples in tabular and digital spreadsheet format, providing the analytical results for 55 major and trace elements.

The Nakhla Martian Meteorite is a Cumulate Igenous Rock. Comment on "Glass-Bearing Inclusions in Nakhla (SNC Meteorite) Augite: Heterogeneously Trapped Phases"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Treiman, A. H.

2003-01-01

All the properties of the Nakhla Martian meteorite suggest that it is a cumulate igneous rock, formed from a basaltic parental magma. Anomalous magmatic inclusions in Nakhla s augite grains can be explained by disequilibrium processes during crystal growth, and have little significance in the geological history of the meteorite.

Ionization and Corona Discharges from Stressed Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winnick, M. J.; Kulahci, I.; Cyr, G.; Tregloan-Reed, J.; Freund, F. T.

2008-12-01

Pre-earthquake signals have long been observed and documented, though they have not been adequately explained scientifically. These signals include air ionization, occasional flashes of light from the ground, radio frequency emissions, and effects on the ionosphere that occur hours or even days before large earthquakes. The theory that rocks function as p-type semiconductors when deviatoric stresses are applied offers a mechanism for this group of earthquake precursors. When an igneous or high-grade metamorphic rock is subjected to deviatoric stresses, peroxy bonds that exist in the rock's minerals as point defects dissociate, releasing positive hole charge carriers. The positive holes travel by phonon-assisted electron hopping from the stressed into and through the unstressed rock volume and build up a positive surface charge. At sufficiently large electric fields, especially along edges and sharp points of the rock, air molecules become field-ionized, loosing an electron to the rock surface and turning into airborne positive ions. This in turn can lead to corona discharges, which manifest themselves by flashes of light and radio frequency emissions. We applied concentrated stresses to one end of a block of gabbro, 30 x 15 x 10 cm3, inside a shielded Faraday cage and observed positive ion currents through an air gap about 25 cm from the place where the stresses were applied, punctuated by short bursts, accompanied by flashes of light and radio frequency emissions characteristic of a corona discharge. These observations may serve to explain a range of pre-earthquake signals, in particular changes in air conductivity, luminous phenomena, radio frequency noise, and ionospheric perturbations.

Multifractal magnetic susceptibility distribution models of hydrothermally altered rocks in the Needle Creek Igneous Center of the Absaroka Mountains, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gettings, M.E.

2005-01-01

Magnetic susceptibility was measured for 700 samples of drill core from thirteen drill holes in the porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit of the Stinkingwater mining district in the Absaroka Mountains, Wyoming. The magnetic susceptibility measurements, chemical analyses, and alteration class provided a database for study of magnetic susceptibility in these altered rocks. The distribution of the magnetic susceptibilities for all samples is multi-modal, with overlapping peaked distributions for samples in the propylitic and phyllic alteration class, a tail of higher susceptibilities for potassic alteration, and an approximately uniform distribution over a narrow range at the highest susceptibilities for unaltered rocks. Samples from all alteration and mineralization classes show susceptibilities across a wide range of values. Samples with secondary (supergene) alteration due to oxidation or enrichment show lower susceptibilities than primary (hypogene) alteration rock. Observed magnetic susceptibility variations and the monolithological character of the host rock suggest that the variations are due to varying degrees of alteration of blocks of rock between fractures that conducted hydrothermal fluids. Alteration of rock from the fractures inward progressively reduces the bulk magnetic susceptibility of the rock. The model introduced in this paper consists of a simulation of the fracture pattern and a simulation of the alteration of the rock between fractures. A multifractal model generated from multiplicative cascades with unequal ratios produces distributions statistically similar to the observed distributions. The reduction in susceptibility in the altered rocks was modelled as a diffusion process operating on the fracture distribution support. The average magnetic susceptibility was then computed for each block. For the purpose of comparing the model results with observation, the simulated magnetic susceptibilities were then averaged over the same interval as the

Lunar Cordierite-Spinel Troctolite: Igneous History, and Volatiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treiman, A. H.; Gross, J.

2012-03-01

Apollo sample 15295,101 contains a cordierite spinel troctolite (Marvin et al., 1989). The cordierite is volatile-free, at least by EMP — more precise analyses are in progress. The troctolite may be a partial melt of a spinel-rich igneous cumulate.

Geology and economic potential for chromite in the Zhob Valley ultramafic rock complex, Hindubagh, Quetta division, West Pakistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rossman, D.L.; Ahmad, Zaki; Rahman, Hamidur

1971-01-01

The ultramafic rocks making up the Zhob Valley igneous complex have yielded small amounts of metallurgical-grade chromite since the early part of the century. From 1968-1970 a cooperative study undertaken by the Geological Survey of Pakistan and the U. S. Geological Survey, under the auspices of the Government of Pakistan and the Agency for International Development, evaluated the chromite potential of the Zhob Valley area and provided data for effective exploration. The Jung Tor Ghar ultramafic rock mass, covering an area of about 45 square miles, is a thrust-fault block completely surrounded and underlain (?) by sedimentary rocks as young as Late Cretaceous in age. The igneous rocks were thrust from the northwest along an east-trending, north-dipping fault in Late Cretaceous or Paleocene time and were peneplaned, dissected, and deeply laterized by mid-Eocene time. The ultramafic rocks consist of interlayered harzburgite and dunite and a cross-cutting dunite here called transgressive dunite. Layered structure passes without discernible deviation from the interlayered harzburgite-dunite through the transgressive dunite. The lowest rocks in the mass, composed mainly of transgressive dunite, grade upward into the interlayered rock about 3,000 feet above the fault block base. The upper transgressive dunites tend to form interconnecting linear networks and probably a few pipe-like structures. The transgressive dunite is thought to have formed by action of water derived from the underlying sedimentary rocks; the water heated by the hot ultramafic rock (at the time of emplacement) altered the pyroxene to olivine and talc, and, with lowering temperature, to serpentine. Other interpretations are possible. Virtually all the chromite in the Jung Tor Ghar lies in or immediately above the masses of transgressive dunite. This fact provides a key to chromite exploration: The most favorable zone for prospecting lies in the vicinity of the upper contacts of the transgressive

The effect of secondary apatite on the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio determination in granitic rocks: a case study of the Tadamigawa pluton, northeastern Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakasugi, Y.; Ichino, K.; Tanioka, Y.; Wakaki, S.; Tsuboi, M.; Ishikawa, T.

2017-12-01

Apatite is a major accessory mineral in igneous rocks. Because Rb contents in apatite are very low, 87Sr/86Sr ratios of magmatic apatite are useful to estimate the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio (SrI) of igneous rocks. Secondary post-magmatic event such as hydrothermal alteration may also crystallize secondary apatite, which may inhibit the estimation of SrI of igneous rocks. In this study, we examine the effects of secondary apatite on the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio determination of granitic rocks by using acid leaching technique. Leached apatite samples were first separated from the whole rock powder as a heavy mineral fraction by heavy liquid technique, and the heavy mineral fraction was then leached by 3 M HNO3. The isotopic ratios of Sr and the concentrations of Rb and Sr were analyzed by TIMS and ICP-MS at Kochi Core Center, respectively. The Tadamigawa Older-stage granites, which locate in the Taishaku Mountains at the northeastern part of Japan, intrude into the Ashio Jurassic complex, and the ages of these rocks are late Cretaceous to Paleogene. The U-Pb ages of zircon and the K-Ar ages of biotite for these rocks are c. 100 Ma [1, 2]. Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron age of the pluton is 96.5 ± 1.3 Ma (SrI = 0.70534 ± 0.00003) and it is concordant with other radiometric ages. Rb-Sr mineral isochron ages range from 84.4 to 97.3 Ma and these ages are relatively younger than the Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron age. The difference among radiometric ages may reflect the difference of the closure temperature in each isotopic system. The Tadamigawa Older-stage granites have SrI for Rb-Sr mineral isochron range from 0.7053 to 0.7061 and are very similar to that (0.70534) for Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron. These may suggest that the Tadamigawa Older-stage granites are generated from same parental magma. However, 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the leached apatite samples were 0.70544-0.70856 and are relatively higher than SrI obtained from the Rb-Sr mineral isochrons (0.7053-0.7061). This result

Isotopic studies of mariposite-bearing rocks from the south- central Mother Lode, California.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kistler, R.W.; Dodge, F.C.W.; Silberman, M.L.

1983-01-01

Gold-bearing vein formation in the Mother Lode belt of the study area apparently occurred during the Early Cretaceous between 127 and 108 m.y. B.P. The hydrothermal fluids that carried the gold precipitated quartz and mariposite at approx 320oC, similar to the T of precipitation of gold-bearing quartz veins in the Allegheny district. The O- and H-isotopic composition calculated for the fluid indicate that it was similar to formation water or was metamorphic in origin. If the carbonate in the veins was in isotopic equilibrium with this same fluid, it apparently precipitated at a higher T of approx 400oC. The Sr in the carbonate is much less radiogenic than that in any known marine carbonate, but is similar in isotopic composition to that in metamorphosed mafic volcanic rocks of the general region. These mafic rocks could have been the source for the Sr in the hydrothermal veins. This observation supports the contention that the gold-mariposite-quartz-carbonate rocks were formed as an alteration product of serpentinite and other mafic igneous rocks.-A.P.

Progress report (1953) on the revision of Washington's Chemical analyses of igneous rocks (U.S.G.S. Prof. Paper 99), presented at the First International Symposium on Geochemistry, under the auspices of the International Union of Chemistry, in Zurich, August 11-13, 1953

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hooker, Marjorie

1954-01-01

In October of last year, vhen I was here in Zurich, it was my privilege to talk with Professor Niggli about the revision of Washington's "Chemical analysis of igneous rocks" which the United States Geological Survey is undertaking. It was then that he suggested the possibility of a progress report at this meeting in order that information about the revision would be available to those who are most interested. At the time that I talked with Professor Niggli the place or this meeting had not bean decided, but I think he hoped that it would be in Zurich,, Today, we must proceed without him, but I am sure that you must feel, as I do, that he is here sn spirit and that he expects us to continue the work as he would have, - with enthusiasm, with strength, and with happiness.

New igneous zircon Pb/Pb and metamorphic Rb/Sr ages in the Yaounde Group (Cameroon, Central Africa): implications for the Central African fold belt evolution close to the Congo Craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owona, Sébastien; Tichomirowa, Marion; Ratschbacher, Lothar; Ondoa, Joseph Mvondo; Youmen, Dieudonné; Pfänder, Jörg; Tchoua, Félix M.; Affaton, Pascal; Ekodeck, Georges Emmanuel

2012-10-01

Three meta-igneous bodies from the Yaounde Group have been analyzed for their petrography, geochemistry, and 207Pb/206Pb zircon ages. According to their geochemical patterns, they represent meta-diorites. The meta-plutonites yielded identical zircon ages with a mean of 624 ± 2 Ma interpreted as their intrusion age. This age is in agreement with previously published zircon ages of meta-diorites from the Yaounde Group. The meta-diorites derived mainly from crustal rocks with minor contribution from mantle material. The 87Rb/86Sr isochron ages of one meta-diorite sample and three meta-sedimentary host rocks are significantly younger than the obtained intrusion age. Therefore, they are not related to igneous processes. 87Rb/86Sr isochron ages differ from sample to sample (599 ± 3, 572 ± 4, 554 ± 5, 540 ± 5 Ma) yielding the oldest Neoproterozoic age (~600 Ma) for a paragneiss sample at a more northern location. The youngest Rb/Sr isochron age (~540 Ma) was obtained for a mica schist sample at a more southern location closer to the border of the Congo Craton. The 87Rb/86Sr whole rock-biotite ages are interpreted as cooling ages related to transpressional processes during exhumation. Therefore, several discrete metamorphic events related to the exhumation of the Yaounde Group were dated. It could be shown by Rb/Sr dating for the first time that these late tectonic processes occurred earlier at more distant northern locations of the Yaounde Group and lasted at least until early Cambrian (~540 Ma) more closely to the border of the Congo Craton.

Probablistic Analyses of Waste Package Quantities Impacted by Potential Igneous Disruption at Yucca Mountain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, M. G.; Iuzzolina, H.

2005-12-01

A probabilistic analysis was conducted to estimate ranges for the numbers of waste packages that could be damaged in a potential future igneous event through a repository at Yucca Mountain. The analysis includes disruption from an intrusive igneous event and from an extrusive volcanic event. This analysis supports the evaluation of the potential consequences of future igneous activity as part of the total system performance assessment for the license application for the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP). The first scenario, igneous intrusion, investigated the case where one or more igneous dikes intersect the repository. A swarm of dikes was characterized by distributions of length, width, azimuth, and number of dikes and the spacings between them. Through the use in part of a latin hypercube simulator and a modified video game engine, mathematical relationships were built between those parameters and the number of waste packages hit. Corresponding cumulative distribution function curves (CDFs) for the number of waste packages hit under several different scenarios were calculated. Variations in dike thickness ranges, as well as in repository magma bulkhead positions were examined through sensitivity studies. It was assumed that all waste packages in an emplacement drift would be impacted if that drift was intersected by a dike. Over 10,000 individual simulations were performed. Based on these calculations, out of a total of over 11,000 planned waste packages distributed over an area of approximately 5.5 km2 , the median number of waste packages impacted was roughly 1/10 of the total. Individual cases ranged from 0 waste packages to the entire inventory being impacted. The igneous intrusion analysis involved an explicit characterization of dike-drift intersections, built upon various distributions that reflect the uncertainties associated with the inputs. The second igneous scenario, volcanic eruption (eruptive conduits), considered the effects of conduits formed in

Lu-Hf total-rock age for the Amitsoq gneisses, West Greenland

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pettingill, H. S.; Patchett, P. J.

1981-01-01

Lu-Hf total-rock data for the Amitsoq gneisses of West Greenland yield an age of 3.55 + or - 0.22 billion years, based on the decay constant for Lu-176 of 1.96 x 10 to the -11th/year, and an initial Hf-176/Hf-177 ratio of 0.280482 + or - 33. The result is in good agreement with Rb-Sr total-rock and U-Pb zircon ages. In spite of severe metamorphism of the area at 2.9 billion years, zircons from two of the samples have remained on the total-rock line, and define points close to the initial Hf ratio. The initial Hf-176/Hf-177 lies close to a chondritic Hf isotopic evolution curve from 4.55 billion years to present. This is consistent with the igneous precursors to the Amitsoq gneisses having been derived from the mantle at or shortly before 3.6 billion years. Anomalous relationships between Hf concentration and the Lu-176/Hf-177 ratio may suggest that trace element abundances in the Amitsoq gneisses are partly controlled by processes related to metamorphism.

A modified time-temperature relationship for titanomagnetite and its application to igneous erratic boulders in Hachijo Island, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonosaki, T.; Nakamura, N.; Goto, K.; Sato, T.; Watanabe, M.

2016-12-01

On land along shore line in an island all over the world, there are many huge boulders which seem that they had been broken and transported by errastic events (such as extreme waves). The presence of boulders on land provides geological evidence that the region had been suffered by ancient tsunami or storm waves, establishing the evaluation of risk-management policies for future disasters. In volcanic island of Hachijo, Japan, there are huge (>5000 kg) andesitic boulder (20 m altitude high), and basaltic boulders (4 m altitude high) which seem that they had been broken from an outcrop and emplaced from it. Because radiocarbon dating can not be applied to volcanic rocks, a magnetic viscous dating might be powerful tool to determine the rotation history of rocks. Tyson Smith and Vrosub (1994) succeeded in revealing the age of landslide basaltic rocks by geological evidence, using Pullaiah's time-temperature monogram by Neel's relaxation theory of single domain (SD) particles of magnetite (Pullaiah et al. 1975). However, our application of this monogram to igneous boulders fails to determine the age due to a different magnetic mineralogy including titanomagnetite. Therefore, by introducing a modified monogram for single domain particles of titanomagnetite, we tried to reveal a possible reworked age of the boulders. However, our boulders still fail to identify the reworked age. In this presentation, we will present our current situation of the problem and a working hypothesis to solve it.

Chemical composition of igneous rocks expressed by means of diagrams, with reference to rock classification on a quantitative chemico-mineralogical basis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Iddings, J.P.

1903-01-01

The value of graphical methods for expressing relative quantities has been well established in all kinds of statistical exposition and discussion. Their use in conveying definite conceptions of relative quantities of chemical and mineral components of rocks is becoming more and more frequent, and the value of the results in some cases can not be overestimated. This is especially true when a series or group of rocks is being considered. The intricate variations in the amounts of numerous mineral components, or of chemical components, baffle most attempts to comprehend their interrelationships by simple contemplation or by study of the numbers in which they may be expressed. Many facts and relations are overlooked which arc readily observed when diagrams are used to represent numerical figures. Moreover, visual memory is sufficiently developed in most persons to enable them to carry in mind simple geometrical forms, where it does not permit them to recollect manifold assemblages of oft-repeated numbers. Mental impressions of simple diagrams are, therefore, more definite and lasting and enable the student to store up a much greater amount of quantitative data than he could otherwise acquire.

A Comparison of Microbial Communities from Deep Igneous Crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, A. R.; Flores, G. E.; Fisk, M. R.; Colwell, F. S.; Thurber, A. R.; Mason, O. U.; Popa, R.

2013-12-01

Recent investigations of life in Earth's crust have revealed common themes in organism function, taxonomy, and diversity. Capacities for hydrogen oxidation, carbon fixation, methanogenesis and methanotrophy, iron and sulfur metabolisms, and hydrocarbon degradation often predominate in deep life communities, and crustal mineralogy has been hypothesized as a driving force for determining deep life community assemblages. Recently, we found that minerals characteristic of the igneous crust harbored unique communities when incubated in the Juan de Fuca Ridge flank borehole IODP 1301A. Here we present attached mineral biofilm morphologies and a comparison of our mineral communities to those from a variety of locations, contamination states, and igneous crustal or mineralogical types. We found that differences in borehole mineral communities were reflected in biofilm morphologies. Olivine biofilms were thick, carbon-rich films with embedded cells of uniform size and shape and often contained secondary minerals. Encrusted cells, spherical and rod-shaped cells, and tubes were indicative of glass surfaces. We also found that the attached communities from incubated borehole minerals were taxonomically more similar to native, attached communities from marine and continental crust than to communities from the aquifer water that seeded it. Our findings further support the hypothesis that mineralogy selects for microbial communities that have distinct phylogenetic, morphological, and potentially functional, signatures. This has important implications for resolving ecosystem function and microbial distributions in igneous crust, the largest deep habitat on Earth.

Shape Memory Alloy Rock Splitters (SMARS) - A Non-Explosive Method for Fracturing Planetary Rocklike Materials and Minerals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benafan, Othmane; Noebe, Ronald D.; Halsmer, Timothy J.

2015-01-01

A static rock splitter device based on high-force, high-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMAs) was developed for space related applications requiring controlled geologic excavation in planetary bodies such as the Moon, Mars, and near-Earth asteroids. The device, hereafter referred to as the shape memory alloy rock splitter (SMARS), consisted of active (expanding) elements made of Ni50.3Ti29.7Hf20 (at.%) that generate extremely large forces in response to thermal input. The preshaping (training) of these elements was accomplished using isothermal, isobaric and cyclic training methods, which resulted in active components capable of generating stresses in excess of 1.5 GPa. The corresponding strains (or displacements) were also evaluated and were found to be 2 to 3 percent, essential to rock fracturing and/or splitting when placed in a borehole. SMARS performance was evaluated using a test bed consisting of a temperature controller, custom heaters and heater holders, and an enclosure for rock placement and breakage. The SMARS system was evaluated using various rock types including igneous rocks (e.g., basalt, quartz, granite) and sedimentary rocks (e.g., sandstone, limestone).

Petrographic and petrological studies of lunar rocks. [from the Apollo 15 mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winzer, S. R.

1978-01-01

Thin sections and polished electron probe mounts of Apollo 15 glasscoated breccias 15255, 15286, 15466, and 15505 were examined optically and analyzed by sem/microprobe. Sections from breccias 15465 and 15466 were examined in detail, and chemical and mineralogical analyses of several larger lithic clasts, green glass, and partly crystallized green glass spheres are presented. Area analyses of 33 clasts from the above breccias were also done using the SEM/EDS system. Mineralogical and bulk chemical analyses of clasts from the Apollo 15 glass-coated breccias reveal a diverse set of potential rock types, including plutonic and extrusive igneous rocks and impact melts. Examination of the chemistry of the clasts suggests that many of these clasts, like those found in 61175, are impact melts. Their variability suggests formation by several small local impacts rather than by a large basin-forming event.

Chemistry and texture of the rocks at Rocknest, Gale Crater: Evidence for sedimentary origin and diagenetic alteration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blaney, Diana L.; Wiens, R.C.; Maurice, S.; Clegg, S.M.; Anderson, Ryan; Kah, L.C.; Le Mouélic, S.; Ollila, A.; Bridges, N.; Tokar, R.; Berger, G.; Bridges, J.C.; Cousin, A.; Clark, B.; Dyar, M.D.; King, P.L.; Lanza, N.; Mangold, N.; Meslin, P.-Y.; Newsom, H.; Schroder, S.; Rowland, S.; Johnson, J.; Edgar, L.; Gasnault, O.; Forni, O.; Schmidt, M.; Goetz, W.; Stack, K.; Sumner, D.; Fisk, M.; Madsen, M.B.

2014-01-01

A suite of eight rocks analyzed by the Curiosity Rover while it was stopped at the Rocknest sand ripple shows the greatest chemical divergence of any potentially sedimentary rocks analyzed in the early part of the mission. Relative to average Martian soil and to the stratigraphically lower units encountered as part of the Yellowknife Bay formation, these rocks are significantly depleted in MgO, with a mean of 1.3 wt %, and high in Fe, averaging over 20 wt % FeOT, with values between 15 and 26 wt % FeOT. The variable iron and low magnesium and rock texture make it unlikely that these are igneous rocks. Rock surface textures range from rough to smooth, can be pitted or grooved, and show various degrees of wind erosion. Some rocks display poorly defined layering while others seem to show possible fractures. Narrow vertical voids are present in Rocknest 3, one of the rocks showing the strongest layering. Rocks in the vicinity of Rocknest may have undergone some diagenesis similar to other rocks in the Yellowknife Bay Formation as indicated by the presence of soluble calcium phases. The most reasonable scenario is that fine-grained sediments, potentially a mixture of feldspar-rich rocks from Bradbury Rise and normal Martian soil, were lithified together by an iron-rich cement.

Magnetic fabric constraints of the emplacement of igneous intrusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maes, Stephanie M.

Fabric analysis is critical to evaluating the history, kinematics, and dynamics of geological deformation. This is particularly true of igneous intrusions, where the development of fabric is used to constrain magmatic flow and emplacement mechanisms. Fabric analysis was applied to three mafic intrusions, with different tectonic and petrogenetic histories, to study emplacement and magma flow: the Insizwa sill (Mesozoic Karoo Large Igneous Province, South Africa), Sonju Lake intrusion (Proterozoic Midcontinent Rift, Minnesota, USA), and Palisades sill (Mesozoic rift basin, New Jersey, USA). Multiple fabric analysis techniques were used to define the fabric in each intrusive body. Using digital image analysis techniques on multiple thin sections, the three-dimensional shape-preferred orientation (SPO) of populations of mineral phases were calculated. Low-field anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) measurements were used as a proxy for the mineral fabric of the ferromagnetic phases (e.g., magnetite). In addition, a new technique---high-field AMS---was used to isolate the paramagnetic component of the fabric (e.g., silicate fabric). Each fabric analysis technique was then compared to observable field fabrics as a framework for interpretation. In the Insizwa sill, magnetic properties were used to corroborate vertical petrologic zonation and distinguish sub-units within lithologically defined units. Abrupt variation in magnetic properties provides evidence supporting the formation of the Insizwa sill by separate magma intrusions. Low-field AMS fabrics in the Sonju Lake intrusion exhibit consistent SW-plunging lineations and SW-dipping foliations. These fabric orientations provide evidence that the cumulate layers in the intrusion were deposited in a dynamic environment, and indicate magma flowed from southwest to northeast, parallel to the pre-existing rift structures. In the Palisades sill, the magnetite SPO and low-field AMS lineation have developed orthogonal to

The distribution of zirconium and hafnium in terrestrial rocks, meteorites and the moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehmann, W. D.; Chyi, L. L.; Garg, A. N.; Ali, M. Z.

1979-01-01

It is shown that Zr and Hf are not always fractionated in terrestrial igneous differentiation or regional metamorphism. Data do support a Zr-Hf fractionation in the differentiation of the alkali olivine magma at St. Helena Island. A strong Zr-Hf fractionation exists among lunar rocks and minerals. Ilmenite is an excellent concentrator of Zr and Hf and always exhibits high Zr/Hf ratios. Chondritic meteorites exhibit rather uniform Zr abundances and Zr/Hf ratios but a distinct Zr-Hf fractionation is observed among the eucrite and diogenite achondrites.

Palaeointensity determinations and rock magnetic properties on rocks from Izu-Bonin-Mariana fore-arc (IODP Exp. 352).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvallo, Claire; Camps, Pierre; Sager, Will; Poidras, Thierry

2017-04-01

IODP Expedition 352 cored igneous rocks from the Izu-Bonin-Mariana fore-arc crust: Sites U1440 and U1441 recovered Eocene basalts and related rocks whereas Sites U1439 and U1442 recovered Eocene boninites and related rocks. We selected samples from Holes U1439C, U1440B and U1440A for paleointensity measurements. Hysteresis measurements and high and low-temperature magnetization curves show that samples from Hole U1440B undergo magnetochemical changes when heated and are mostly composed of single-domain (SD) or pseudo-single-domain (PSD) titanomaghemite. In contrast, the same measurements show that most selected samples from Holes U1439C and U1442A are thermally stable and are composed of either SD or PSD titanomagnetite with very little titanium content, or SD ferromagnetic grains with a large paramagnetic contribution. Thellier-Thellier paleointensity experiments carried out on U1439C and U1442A samples give a good success rate of 25/60 and Virtual Dipole Moment values between 1.3 and 3.5 ×1022 Am2. Multispecimen paleointensity experiments carried out on 55 samples from Hole U1440B (divided into 4 groups) and 20 from Hole U1439C gave poor quality result, but they seem to indicate a VDM around 4-6 ×1022 Am2 in Hole U1440B fore-arc basalts. These results are in agreement with the low few VDM values previously measured on rocks from Eocene. However, they do not support an inverse relationship between intensity of the field and rate of reversal, since the rate of reversal in Eocene was rather low.

The Formation of Igneous CAIs and Chondrules by Impacts?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connolly, Harold C., Jr.; Love, Stanley G.

2001-01-01

Numerous challenges exist with forming the igneous spheres found within chondrites via collision events in the early solar nebula. We explore these challenges and discuss potential methods to overcome them. Collision models should be received cautiously. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Petrographic and geochemical characteristic of volcanic rocks from Tasik Kenyir and Kampung Awah, East Malaya block, Peninsular Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roselee, Muhammad Hatta; Umor, Mohd Rozi; Ghani, Azman Abdul; Badruldin, Muhamad Hafifi; Quek, Long Xiang

2018-04-01

Kampung Awah and Tasik Kenyir are geologically located in East Malaya Blocks. These block is also known as western margin of Indochina terrane. Apart from sedimentary formations, East Malaya Blocks is also dominated by plutonic and volcanic rocks of mafic to rhyolitic compositions. Petrography and geochemical data suggest that Kampung Awah and Tasik Kenyir are one of locations which consists of volcanic rocks of generally basaltic to basaltic andesite compositions. Volcanic rocks from both area consists of plagioclcase, clinopyroxene, orthpyroxene as main mineral constituents with minor occurrences of hornblende. Geochemical data also indicate that volcanic rocks from both area were formed during subduction of the Paleo-tethys oceanic underneath the East Malaya Block or Indochina terrane. Most of the samples are metaluminous which indicate the volcanics are derived from igneous origin. This paper will contribute new geochemical data of mafic volcanics from Kampung Awah and Tasik Kenyir with the support of petrographic and field evidence to deduce the magma evolution and the tectonic setting.

Elevation and igneous crater modification on Venus: Implications for magmatic volatile content

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wichman, R. W.

1993-01-01

Although most impact craters on Venus preserve nearly pristine crater rim and ejecta features, a small number of craters have been identified showing clear evidence of either igneous intrusion emplacement (floor-fracturing) beneath the crater floor or of volcanically embayed exterior ejecta deposits. Since the volcanically embayed craters consistently occur at higher elevations than the identified floor-fractured craters, this report proposes that igneous crater modification on Venus is elevation dependent. This report describes how regional variations in magmatic neutral buoyancy could produce such elevation dependent crater modification and considers the implications for typical magmatic volatile contents on Venus.

Geological and Petrological Characteristics of Oligocene Magmatic Rocks in The Biga Peninsula, NW Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erenoglu, Oya

2016-04-01

Oligocene magmatic activity in the Biga Peninsula (NW-Anatolia) produced widespread volcano-plutonic complexes. The study region, where in north of the Evciler village in the middle of Biga Peninsula includes these igneous assemblages. In this study, the petrographic and geochemical characteristics of igneous rocks in the region were investigated as well as the geological locations. The magmatic rocks are classified as 6 different units using their lithostratigraphical properties. The volcanism in the region starts with basaltic andesite lava including basalt dykes in the Lower Oligocene. In the Upper Oligocene, the evolved magma by crustal contamination produced commonly dacitic and andesitic lavas. The volcanism continued with andesitic lavas which had significant alterations in the region during this period. Evciler pluton including granite and granodiorite composition with shallow intrusive, was located with the related volcanism at the same time. The volcanic products, i.e. andesitic and trachydacitic lavas, was completed in the interval between Upper Oligocene and Lower Miocene. The post-collisional Oligocene sequence is associated with calc-alkaline composition and it has middle, high-K. Trace and rare earth elements (REE) diagrams show the enrichment in both large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare earth elements (LREE) with respect to the high field strength elements (HFSE), and a significant increment in heavy rare earth element consumption (HREE). The features of major, trace and rare earth elements of plutonic and volcanic rocks and the compositional variations of Oligocene volcanic group indicate increasing amounts of partial melting, crustal contamination and/or assimilation. The Oligocene post-collisional volcanism in Biga Peninsula points out the lithospheric mantle source enriched by subduction which controlled by slab break-off and lithospheric delamination. Acknowledgement. This study was supported by Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University

An Overview of Orbital Detections of Hydrated Silica and Silica-Rich Rocks on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, V. Z.; Milliken, R.

2016-12-01

Early predictions of high-silica phases on Mars have been confirmed by numerous orbital observations throughout the past 15 years and supported by recent rover and meteorite investigations. Orbital spectroscopy at visible-near-IR (CRISM/OMEGA) and thermal IR (TES/THEMIS) wavelengths has established the presence of aqueously formed hydrated silica across the planet as well as regional silica-rich rocks of igneous origin. TES data provided the first indications of widespread silica enrichment in the northern lowlands, which were debated to represent either andesite or altered basalt on the basis of spectral and geologic arguments. Since then, more localized occurrences of primary silicic lithologies have suggested that igneous processes on Mars may have been more diverse and complex than previously recognized. CRISM and OMEGA data also reveal numerous occurrences of hydrated silica on the Martian surface, likely reflecting primary chemical precipitates or secondary processes such as aqueous alteration or diagenesis. These detections have been associated with fluvial landforms, volcanic settings, uplifted central peak rocks, and mobile sediments, suggesting a variety of formation mechanisms. These silica phases and their colocation with other alteration products such as clays and sulfates reveal aqueous environments that may have been acidic, alkaline, or alternatingly both through space and time. Although there is an apparent prevalence of geochemically immature silica (e.g., glass or opal-A) indicating limited aqueous alteration, several instances of more mature silica (e.g., opal-CT or quartz) point to locales that may have experienced periods of prolonged water-rock interaction. This presentation will give an overview of the distribution and variety of these high-silica phases as seen from orbital datasets and discuss their implications for the magmatic and aqueous history of Mars.

Geology and geochemistry of three sedimentary-rock-hosted disseminated gold deposits in Guizhou Province, People's Republic of China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ashley, R.P.; Cunningham, C.G.; Bostick, N.H.; Dean, W.E.; Chou, I.-Ming

1991-01-01

Five sedimentary-rock-hosted disseminated gold deposits have been discovered since 1980 in southwestern Guizhou Province (PRC). Submicron-sized gold is disseminated in silty carbonate and carbonaceous shale host rocks of Permian and Triassic age. Arsenic, antimony, mercury, and thallium accompany the gold. Associated hydrothermal alteration resulted in decarbonatization of limestone, silicification, and argillization, and depletion of base metals, barium, and many other elements. Organic material occurs in most host rocks and ores. It was apparently devolatilized during a regional heating event that preceded hydrothermal activity, and thus was not mobilized during mineralization, and did not affect gold deposition. The geologic setting of the Guizhou deposits includes many features that are similar to those of sedimentary-rock-hosted deposits of the Great Basin, western United States. The heavy-element suite that accompanies gold is the same, but base metals are even scarcer in the Guizhou deposits than they are in U.S. deposits. The Guizhou deposits discovered to date are smaller than most U.S. deposits and have no known spatially associated igneous rocks. ?? 1991.

Acid-neutralizing potential of minerals in intrusive rocks of the Boulder batholith in northern Jefferson County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Desborough, George A.; Briggs, Paul H.; Mazza, Nilah; Driscoll, Rhonda

1998-01-01

Experimental studies show that fresh granitic rocks of the Boulder batholith in the Boulder River headwaters near Basin, Montana have significant acid-neutralizing potential and are capable of neutralizing acidic water derived from metal-mining related wastes or mine workings. Laboratory studies show that in addition to the acidneutralizing potential (ANP) of minor amounts of calcite in these rocks, biotite, tremolite, and feldspars will contribute significantly to long-term ANP. We produced 0.45 micrometer-filtered acidic (pH = 2.95) leachate for use in these ANP experiments by exposing metal-mining related wastes to deionized water in a waste:leachate ratio of 1:20. We then exposed these leachates to finely-ground and sized fractions of batholith rocks, and some of their mineral fractions for extended and repeated periods, for which results are reported here. The intent was to understand what reactions of metal-rich acidic water and fresh igneous rocks would produce. The reactions between the acidic leachates and the bulk rocks and mineral fractions are complex. Factors such as precipitation of phases like Fe-hydroxides and Alhydroxides and the balance between dissolved cations and anions that are sulfate dominated complicate analysis of the results. Research by others of acid neutralization by biotite and tremolite attributed a rise in pH to proton (H+) adsorption in sites vacated by K, Mg, and Ca. Destruction of the silicate framework and liberation of associated structural hydroxyl ions may contribute to ANP. Studies by others have indicated that the conversion of biotite to a vermiculite-type structure by removal of K at a pH of 4 consumes about six protons for every mole of biotite, but at a pH of 3 there is pronounced dissolution of the tetrahedral lattice. The ANP of fresh granitic rocks is much higher than anticipated. The three bulk Boulder igneous rock samples studied have minimum ANP equivalent to about 10-14 weight percent calcite. This ANP is in

Carbonate rocks of the Seward Peninsula, Alaska: Their correlation and paleogeographic significance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dumoulin, Julie A.; Harris, Alta; Repetski, John E.

2014-01-01

Paleozoic carbonate strata deposited in shallow platform to off-platform settings occur across the Seward Peninsula and range from unmetamorphosed Ordovician–Devonian(?) rocks of the York succession in the west to highly deformed and metamorphosed Cambrian–Devonian units of the Nome Complex in the east. Faunal and lithologic correlations indicate that early Paleozoic strata in the two areas formed as part of a single carbonate platform. The York succession makes up part of the York terrane and consists of Ordovician, lesser Silurian, and limited, possibly Devonian rocks. Shallow-water facies predominate, but subordinate graptolitic shale and calcareous turbidites accumulated in deeper water, intraplatform basin environments, chiefly during the Middle Ordovician. Lower Ordovician strata are mainly lime mudstone and peloid-intraclast grainstone deposited in a deepening upward regime; noncarbonate detritus is abundant in lower parts of the section. Upper Ordovician and Silurian rocks include carbonate mudstone, skeletal wackestone, and coral-stromatoporoid biostromes that are commonly dolomitic and accumulated in warm, shallow to very shallow settings with locally restricted circulation. The rest of the York terrane is mainly Ordovician and older, variously deformed and metamorphosed carbonate and siliciclastic rocks intruded by early Cambrian (and younger?) metagabbros. Older (Neoproterozoic–Cambrian) parts of these units are chiefly turbidites and may have been basement for the carbonate platform facies of the York succession; younger, shallow- and deep-water strata likely represent previously unrecognized parts of the York succession and its offshore equivalents. Intensely deformed and altered Mississippian carbonate strata crop out in a small area at the western edge of the terrane. Metacarbonate rocks form all or part of several units within the blueschist- and greenschist-facies Nome Complex. The Layered sequence includes mafic meta¬igneous rocks and

A Radioelement Analysis of the Northern Black Hills, South Dakota, U.S.A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Dylan Wade

The uranium, thorium, and potassium contents from 736 samples, within a 15-km radius of the Homestake Gold Mine and Sanford Underground Research Facility in the Northern Black Hills indicate the geoneutrino background may be higher than average for the continental crust. The radioactive element contents of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks were determined by gamma ray spectrometry. Many rocks show hydrothermal and metamorphic alteration within the last ten Ma of the Tertiary period. Young alkali rich igneous rocks, such as rhyolite, phonolite and other volcanic rocks, have lower than average Th:U ratios. The radioelement content of 215 igneous rocks were determined. The radioelement contents of 143 metamorphic rocks were determined. This study also shows that metamorphic rocks were found to have low variable U:Th content when compared to content in igneous rocks. Sedimentary rocks, in general, have low U, Th, and K content. The radioelement content of 236 sedimentary rocks were determined. Rocks present within the Homestake Gold Mine, are highly altered by hydrothermal and metamorphic activity, enriching U, and in some areas, Th content. The Homestake Gold Mine lies almost entirely within metamorphic rocks. Igneous rocks occur in the mine as veins and dikes. The dominant igneous rock present is rhyolite. Metamorphic rocks present inside the HGM, were divided by formation; Ellison Fm, Poorman Fm, Yates Unit [lower Poorman Fm], Homestake Fm, and Flagrock Fm. The finding of high radioelement content in the rocks suggests that the antineutrinos background at the HGM will need to be considered and calibrated for, in future experiments conducted at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. A geoneutrino luminosity of 1.26x105 (mg-1s -1) was calculated from the samples analyzed within the Homestake Gold Mine. A total geoneutrino luminosity of 4.44x105 (mg -1s=1) was calculated from the sum of all analyses conducted in the Northern Black Hills.

Paleomagnetism and alteration of lower Paleozoic rocks and Precambrian basement in the SHADS No. 4 drill core, Oklahoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, S. C.; Hamilton, M.; Hardwick, J.; Terrell, C.; Elmore, R. D.

2017-12-01

The chacterization of the lower Paleozoic sedimentary rock and the underlying Precambrian basement in northern Oklahoma is currently the subject of research to better understand induced seismicity in Oklahoma. We are investigating approximately 140 meters of igneous basement and over 300 meters of Ordovician Arbuckle Group carbonates and underlying sandstone in the Amoco SHADS No. 4 drill core from Rogers Co., Oklahoma, to better understand the nature, origin, and timing of fluid alteration and the relationship between fluid flow in the Arbuckle Group and the basement. Preliminary attempts to orient the core using the viscous remanent magnetization (VRM) method were unsuccessful, probably due to a steep drilling-induced component. The dolomitized Arbuckle Group contains a characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) with shallow inclinations (-5°) and variable declinations that, based on unblocking temperatures, is interpreted to reside in magnetite. This ChRM is interpreted as a chemical remanent magnetization (CRM) acquired in the Permian based on the shallow inclinations. The CRM could be related to hydrothermal fluids which migrated into the rocks in the late Paleozoic, as other studies in northern Oklahoma have reported. The Arbuckle Group dolomites are porous and extensively altered and consist of several generations of dolomite, including baroque dolomite. The basement rock is andesitic to trachytic ignimbrite that exhibits extensive alteration. There are many near-vertical fractures mineralized with epidote that are cross cut by calcite-filled fractures. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) measurements indicate an oblate fabric in the top of the basement and the overlying sandstones. At greater depths, the AMS is variable and may include both alteration and primary fabrics. Demagnetization of the basement rocks is in the initial stages. We are currently investigating if and how far the alteration in the Arbuckle Group extended into the basement

Mafic subvolcanic intrusions and their petrologic relation with the volcanism in the south hinge Torres Syncline, Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province, southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarmento, Carla Cecília Treib; Sommer, Carlos Augusto; Lima, Evandro Fernandes

2017-08-01

The hypabyssal intrusions investigated in this study are located in the east-central region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in the south hinge of the Torres Syncline. The intrusions comprise twenty-four dikes and ten sills, intruding in ponded pahoehoe, compound pahoehoe, rubbly and acidic lava flows of the south sub-Province of the Paraná Igneous Province and the sedimentary rocks of the Botucatu, Pirambóia, Santa Maria and Rio do Rasto Formations, on the edge of the Paraná Basin. The intrusive dikes in the flows have preferred NNW-SSE direction and the intrusive dikes in the sedimentary rocks have preferred NE-SW direction. Regarding the morphology, the dikes were separated into two different groups: symmetrical and asymmetrical. The small variation in facies is characterized by fine to aphanitic equigranular rocks. The rocks were divided into two types: Silica Supersaturated Tholeiite (SST) - dikes and sills consisting of plagioclase and clinopyroxene as essential minerals, with some olivine and felsic mesostasis, predominant intergranular texture and subordinate subophitic texture; and Silica Saturated Olivine Tholeiite (SSOT) - dikes consisting mainly of plagioclase, clinopyroxene and olivine, and predominant ophitic texture. The major and trace element geochemistry allows classifying these hypabyssal bodies as basalts (SSOT), basaltic andesites and trachyandesites (TSS) of tholeiitic affinity. The mineral chemistry data and the REE behavior, combined with the LILE and HFSE patterns, similar to the flows and low-Ti basic intrusions of southern Brazil and northwestern Namibia allow suggesting that these dikes and sills were part of a feeder system of the magmatism in the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province. The preferred direction of the intrusive dikes in the sedimentary rocks of the Paraná Basin coincides with tectonic-magmatic lineaments related to extensional processes and faulting systems that served as vents for dike swarms parallel to the Brazilian

Testing the Mojave-Sonora megashear hypothesis: Evidence from Paleoproterozoic igneous rocks and deformed Mesozoic strata in Sonora, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amato, J.M.; Lawton, T.F.; Mauel, D.J.; Leggett, W.J.; Gonzalez-Leon, C. M.; Farmer, G.L.; Wooden, J.L.

2009-01-01

U-Pb ages and Nd isotope values of Proterozoic rocks in Sonora, Mexico, indicate the presence of Caborca-type basement, predicted to lie only south of the Mojave-Sonora mega-shear, 40 km north of the postulated megashear. Granitoids have U-Pb zircon ages of 1763-1737 Ma and 1076 Ma, with ??Nd(t) values from +1.4 to -4.3, typical of the Caborca block. Lower Jurassic strata near the Proterozoic rocks contain large granitic clasts with U-Pb ages and ??Nd(t) values indistinguishable from those of Caborcan basement. Caborca-type basement was thus present at this location north of the megashear by 190 Ma, the depositional age of the Jurassic strata. The Proterozoic rocks are interpreted as parautochthonous, exhumed and juxtaposed against the Mesozoic section by a reverse fault that formed a footwall shortcut across a Jurassic normal fault. Geochronology, isotope geochemistry, and structural geology are therefore inconsistent with Late Jurassic megashear displacement and require either that no major transcurrent structure is present in Sonora or that strike-slip displacement occurred prior to Early Jurassic time. ?? 2009 The Geological Society of America.

The oldest rock of Ivory Coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kouamelan, Alain Nicaise; Djro, Sagbrou Chérubin; Allialy, Marc Ephrem; Paquette, Jean-Louis; Peucat, Jean-Jacques

2015-03-01

The tonalitic gneiss of Balmer (TGB), in the SASCA area of south-western Ivory Coast, previously dated at 3141 ± 2 Ma using the single zircon evaporation method, is regarded as a relic of Archean rock within the Paleoproterozoic (Birimian) formation of the West African Craton (WAC). We present new geochronological data for the TGB using the laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) method. We obtain a U-Pb age of 3207 ± 7 Ma for abundant zircons extracted from the tonalitic gneiss, and interpret this age as that of the magmatic protolith because of the igneous-type homogeneous zircon population. Certain magmatic zircon edges and some round zircons define an upper intercept age of 3155 ± 17 Ma which could represent overgrowths during gneissification. It appears that the TGB was not affected by the events posterior to its genesis, i.e. the Liberian (2.9-2.7 Ga) and Eburnean (2.4-2.0 Ga) events. Additionally, the TGB proves to be a juvenile Leonian rock, as indicated by the Nd model age of 3456 Ma, and could also constitute the protolith of the granulitic grey gneisses and charnockites of the Man area, which are 150-400 Ma younger.

Igneous and metamorphic petrology in the field: a problem-based, writing-intensive alternative to traditional classroom petrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeBari, S. M.

2011-12-01

The Geology Department at Western Washington University (~100 geology majors) offers field and classroom versions of its undergraduate petrology course. This is a one-quarter course (igneous and metamorphic petrology) with mineralogy as a prerequisite. The field version of the course is offered during the three weeks prior to fall quarter and the classroom version is offered in spring quarter. We take 15-20 students around the state of Washington, camping at different outcrop sites where students integrate observational skills, petrologic knowledge, and writing. Petrogenetic associations in various tectonic settings provide the theme of the course. We compare ophiolites vs. arc sequences (volcanic, plutonic, and metamorphic rocks), S- vs. I-type granitoids (plutonic rocks and associated metamorphic rocks), Barrovian vs. Buchan vs. subduction zone metamorphism of different protoliths, and flood-basalt vs. active-arc volcanism. Some basics are covered in the first day at WWU, followed by 17 days of field instruction. Lecture is integrated with outcrop study in the field. For example, students will listen to a lecture about magma differentiation processes as they examine cumulate rocks in the Mt. Stuart batholith, and a lecture about metamorphic facies as they study blueschist facies rocks in the San Juan Islands. Students study multiple outcrops around a site for 1-4 days. They then use their observations (sketches and written descriptions of mineral assemblages, rock types, rock textures, etc.) and analysis techniques (e.g. geochemical data plotting, metamorphic protolith analysis) to write papers in which the data are interpreted in terms of a larger tectonic problem. In advance of the writing process, students use group discussion techniques such as whiteboarding to share their observational evidence and explore interpretations. Student evaluations indicate that despite the intense pace of the course, they enjoy it more. Students also feel that they retain more

Granulite-facies rocks in the Whatley Mill gneiss, Pine Mountain basement massif, Eastern Alabama

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daniell, N.; Salpas, P.A.

1993-03-01

The Pine Mountain basement massif is a granulite terrane exposed in a tectonic window through the Inner Piedmont of western Georgia and eastern Alabama. Investigations of the westernmost extent of the massif, the Whatley Mill Gneiss, have revealed four distinct lithologies: (1) an augen gneiss, the type lithology; (2) mylonite that develops in the shear zones cutting the unit; (3) a phaneritic rock showing weak to no foliation; (4) enclaves of biotite gneiss within the weakly-foliated rock. Additionally, the weakly-foliated rock comprises two distinct phases which are in sharp contact along curved and undulating boundaries: phase 1 is a coarser-grainedmore » rock; phase 2 is a finer-grained rock of the same mineralogy as phase 1 except it contains rare hypersthene. This first recorded observation of hypersthene unequivocally confirms the granulite-facies origin of the unit. Major and trace element compositions of the phase 1 rock are identical to those of the augen gneiss. The phase 2 rock, has a distinct composition with higher SiO[sub 2] and lower incompatible trace elements than the phase 1 rock. The enclaves display a range in major elements but higher incompatible elements than the other lithologies. Geochemical and petrologic relationships leads one to interpret: (1) the weakly-foliated rock retains many of its primary igneous features including its two phases and enclaves; (2) the two phases of the weakly-foliated rock arose as a result of injection of one magma (phase 2) into a cooler, crystal mush solidifying from another magma (phase 1); (3) the enclaves represent either autoliths of xenoliths; (4) the augen gneiss arose by isochemical deformation of the phase 1 rock.« less

Luna 16 - Some Li, K, Rb, Sr, Ba, rare-earth, Zr, and Hf concentrations.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Philpotts, J. A.; Schnetzler, C. C.; Schuhmann, S.; Thomas , H. H.; Bottino, M. L.

1972-01-01

Concentrations of Li, K, Rb, Sr, Na, rare-earths, Zr and Hf have been determined for some Luna 16 core materials by mass-spectrometric isotope-dilution. Two regolith fines samples from different depths in the core, and four rock-chips, including both igneous rocks and breccias, have similar trace-element concentrations. The Luna 16 materials have general lunar trace-element characteristics but differ from other returned lunar samples in a manner that suggests the presence of excess feldspar. Unless the Luna 16 igneous rocks are fused soils, they appear to represent either partial plagioclase cumulates or the least differentiated igneous material yet returned from the moon. The similarity in trace-element concentrations of the igneous rocks and the fines would then suggest largely local derivation of the Luna 16 regolith.

The genesis of Mo-Cu deposits and mafic igneous rocks in the Senj area, Alborz magmatic belt, Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabatian, Ghasem; Li, Xian-Hua; Wan, Bo; Honarmand, Maryam

2017-11-01

The geochemical and isotopic investigations were provided on the Upper Eocene Senj mafic intrusion and Mo-Cu mineralization to better understand the tectono-magmatic evolution and metallogeny of the central part of the Alborz magmatic belt. The Senj mafic intrusion is composed of gabbro to monzodiorite and monzonite in lithology, and intruded as a sill into volcano-sedimentary rocks of the Eocene Karaj Formation. The Karaj Formation consists of volcano-sedimentary rocks, such as altered crystalline to shaly tuffs. The Senj intrusion (39.7 ± 0.4 Ma) shows LILE and LREE enrichment and negative anomaly of Nb, Ta and Ti, the geochemical signatures similar to those from subduction-related mafic magmas. The Hf-O zircon analyses yield ɛHf(t) values of + 4.1 to + 11.1 and δ18O values of + 4.8 to + 6.2‰. The zircon isotopic signatures together with shoshonitic affinity in the Senj mafic samples suggest partial melting of an enriched lithospheric mantle that had already been metasomatized by slab-derived melts and fluids. The Mo-Cu mineralization mainly occurs as veins and veinlets in the volcano-sedimentary rocks of the Karaj Formation and is dominated by molybdenite with minor amounts of chalcopyrite, bornite, pyrite and tetrahedrite-tennantite. The associated gangue minerals are tremolite, actinolite, quartz, calcite, chlorite and epidote. The Senj Mo-Cu deposit formed in volcano-sedimentary rocks following the emplacement of the Late Eocene Senj sill. The source of molybdenite in the Senj deposit is dominantly from crustal materials as it is revealed by Re contents in the molybdenite minerals (0.5 to 0.7 ppm). In fact, the molybdenite occurrence may be a remobilization process related to the emplacement of the Senj mafic magma.

Net Acid Production, Acid Neutralizing Capacity, and Associated Mineralogical and Geochemical Characteristics of Animas River Watershed Igneous Rocks Near Silverton, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yager, Douglas B.; Choate, LaDonna; Stanton, Mark R.

2008-01-01

This report presents results from laboratory and field studies involving the net acid production (NAP), acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), and magnetic mineralogy of 27 samples collected in altered volcanic terrain in the upper Animas River watershed near Silverton, Colo., during the summer of 2005. Sampling focused mainly on the volumetrically important, Tertiary-age volcanic and plutonic rocks that host base- and precious-metal mineralization in the study area. These rocks were analyzed to determine their potential for neutralization of acid-rock drainage. Rocks in the study area have been subjected to a regional propylitic alteration event, which introduced calcite, chlorite (clinochlore), and epidote that have varying amounts and rates of acid neutralizing capacity (ANC). Locally, hydrothermal alteration has consumed any ANC and introduced minerals, mainly pyrite, that have a high net acid production (NAP). Laboratory studies included hydrogen pyroxide (H2O2) acid digestion and subsequent sodium hydroxide (NaOH) titration to determine NAP, and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) acid titration experiments to determine ANC. In addition to these environmental rock-property determinations, mineralogical, chemical, and petrographic characteristics of each sample were determined through semiquantitative X-ray diffractometry (Rietveld method), optical mineralogy, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence, total carbon-carbonate, and inductively coupled plasma?mass spectrometric analysis. An ANC ranking was assigned to rock samples based on calculated ANC quantity in kilograms/ton (kg/t) calcium carbonate equivalent and ratios of ANC to NAP. Results show that talus near the southeast Silverton caldera margin, composed of andesite clasts of the Burns Member of the Silverton Volcanics, has the highest ANC (>100 kg/t calcium carbonate equivalent) with little to no NAP. The other units found to have moderate to high ANC include (a) andesite lavas and volcaniclastic rocks of the San Juan

A reconnaissance for uranium in carbonaceous rocks in southwestern Colorado and parts of New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baltz, Elmer H.

1955-01-01

Coal and carbonaceous shale of the Dakota formation of Cretaceous age were examined for radioactivity in the Colorado Plateau of southwestern Colorado and northwestern New l1exico during the summer of 1953. Older and younger sedimentary rocks and some igneous rocks also were examined, but in less detail, Weak radioactivity was detected at many places but no new deposits of apparent economic importance were discovered. The highest radioactivity of carbonaceous rocks was detected in black shale, siltstone, and sandstone of the Paradox member of the Hermosa formation of Pennsylvanian age. A sample collected from this member at the Bald Eagle prospect in Gypsum Valley, San Higuel County, Colo. contains 0.10. percent uranium. Carbonaceous rocks were investigated at several localities on the Las Vegas Plateau and the Canadian Escarpment in Harding and San Miguel Counties, northeastern New Mexico. Carbonaceous sandstone and siltstone in the middle sandstone member of the Chinle formation of Triassic age contain uranium at a prospect of the Hunt Oil Company southwest of Sabinoso in northeastern San Miguel County, N. Mex. A channel sample across 3.2 feet of mineralized rocks at this locality contains 0.22 percent uranium. Weak radioactivity was detected at two localities in carbonaceous shale of the Dakota and Purgatoire formations of Cretaceous age.

Petrology, geochemistry and zircon U-Pb geochronology of a layered igneous complex from Akarui Point in the Lützow-Holm Complex, East Antarctica: Implications for Antarctica-Sri Lanka correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazami, Sou; Tsunogae, Toshiaki; Santosh, M.; Tsutsumi, Yukiyasu; Takamura, Yusuke

2016-11-01

The Lützow-Holm Complex (LHC) of East Antarctica forms part of a complex subduction-collision orogen related to the amalgamation of the Neoproterozoic supercontinent Gondwana. Here we report new petrological, geochemical, and geochronological data from a metamorphosed and disrupted layered igneous complex from Akarui Point in the LHC which provide new insights into the evolution of the complex. The complex is composed of mafic orthogneiss (edenite/pargasite + plagioclase ± clinopyroxene ± orthopyroxene ± spinel ± sapphirine ± K-feldspar), meta-ultramafic rock (pargasite + olivine + spinel + orthopyroxene), and felsic orthogneiss (plagioclase + quartz + pargasite + biotite ± garnet). The rocks show obvious compositional layering reflecting the chemical variation possibly through magmatic differentiation. The metamorphic conditions of the rocks were estimated using hornblende-plagioclase geothermometry which yielded temperatures of 720-840 °C. The geochemical data of the orthogneisses indicate fractional crystallization possibly related to differentiation within a magma chamber. Most of the mafic-ultramafic samples show enrichment of LILE, negative Nb, Ta, P and Ti anomalies, and constant HFSE contents in primitive-mantle normalized trace element plots suggesting volcanic arc affinity probably related to subduction. The enrichment of LREE and flat HREE patterns in chondrite-normalized REE plot, with the Nb-Zr-Y, Y-La-Nb, and Th/Yb-Nb/Yb plots also suggest volcanic arc affinity. The felsic orthogneiss plotted on Nb/Zr-Zr diagram (low Nb/Zr ratio) and spider diagrams (enrichment of LILE, negative Nb, Ta, P and Ti anomalies) also show magmatic arc origin. The morphology, internal structure, and high Th/U ratio of zircon grains in felsic orthogneiss are consistent with magmatic origin for most of these grains. Zircon U-Pb analyses suggest Early Neoproterozoic (847.4 ± 8.0 Ma) magmatism and protolith formation. Some older grains (1026-882 Ma) are regarded as

Multiple Igneous Bodies for Nakhlites and Chassignites as Inferred from Olivine Cooling Rates using Calcium Zoning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mikouchi, T.; Takenouchi, A.; Zolensky, M. E.

2017-01-01

Nakhlites and chassignites are ultramafic cumulate rocks of clinopyroxene and olivine, respec-tively, considered to have been formed in a thick lava flow or shallow intrusion near the Martian surface [e.g., 1,2]. Although more than 100 Martian meteorites have been found so far, most of them are shergottites and only nine nakhlites and three chassignites are known (considering paired samples) [3]. In contrast to shergottites which show large variations in both mineralogy and ages, nakhlites and chassignites are suggested to have been petrogenetically related, crystallized at about the same time and been ejected by the same impact event because of their identical crystallization (approximately 1.3 Ga) and cosmic-ray exposure (10-11 My) ages [e.g., 1]. In this study we discuss the possibility of a common igneous body for all samples belonging to these two groups as suggested by previous studies [e.g., 4]. To do this we estimated cooling rates of olivine using Ca zoning profiles, especially by paying attention to the newest samples of each group (NWA 10720 nakhlite and NWA 8694 chassignite).

Apatite in carbonatitic rocks: Compositional variation, zoning, element partitioning and petrogenetic significance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakhmouradian, Anton R.; Reguir, Ekaterina P.; Zaitsev, Anatoly N.; Couëslan, Christopher; Xu, Cheng; Kynický, Jindřich; Mumin, A. Hamid; Yang, Panseok

2017-03-01

Apatite-group phosphates are nearly ubiquitous in carbonatites, but our understanding of these minerals is inadequate, particularly in the areas of element partitioning and petrogenetic interpretation of their compositional variation among spatially associated rocks and within individual crystals. In the present work, the mode of occurrence, and major- and trace-element chemistry of apatite (sensu lato) from calcite and dolomite carbonatites, their associated cumulate rocks (including phoscorites) and hydrothermal parageneses were studied using a set of 80 samples from 50 localities worldwide. The majority of this set represents material for which no analytical data are available in the literature. Electron-microprobe and laser-ablation mass-spectrometry data ( 600 and 400 analyses, respectively), accompanied by back-scattered-electron and cathodoluminescence images and Raman spectra, were used to identify the key compositional characteristics and zoning patterns of carbonatitic apatite. These data are placed in the context of phosphorus geochemistry in carbonatitic systems and carbonatite evolution, and compared to the models proposed by previous workers. The documented variations in apatite morphology and zoning represent a detailed record of a wide range of evolutionary processes, both magmatic and fluid-driven. The majority of igneous apatite from the examined rocks is Cl-poor fluorapatite or F-rich hydroxylapatite (≥ 0.3 apfu F) with 0.2-2.7 wt.% SrO, 0-4.5 wt.% LREE2O3, 0-0.8 wt.% Na2O, and low levels of other cations accommodated in the Ca site (up to 1000 ppm Mn, 2300 ppm Fe, 200 ppm Ba, 150 ppm Pb, 700 ppm Th and 150 ppm U), none of which show meaningful correlation with the host-rock type. Silicate, (SO4)2 - and (VO4)3 - anions, substituting for (PO4)3 -, tend to occur in greater abundance in crystals from calcite carbonatites (up to 4.2 wt.% SiO2, 1.5 wt.% SO3 and 660 ppm V). Although (CO3)2 - groups are very likely present in some samples, Raman micro

Hydrocarbon Source Rocks in the Deep River and Dan River Triassic Basins, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reid, Jeffrey C.; Milici, Robert C.

2008-01-01

(%Ro) indicate levels of thermal maturity suitable for generation of hydrocarbons. The genetic potential of the source rocks in these Triassic basins is moderate to high and many source rock sections have at least some potential for hydrocarbon generation. Some data for the Cumnock Formation indicate a considerably higher source rock potential than the basin average, with S1 + S2 data in the mid-20 mg HC/g sample range, and some hydrocarbons have been generated. This implies that the genetic potential for all of these strata may have been higher prior to the igneous activity. However, the intergranular porosity and permeability of the Triassic strata are low, which makes fractured reservoirs more attractive as drilling targets. In some places, gravity and magnetic surveys that are used to locate buried intrusive rock may identify local thermal sources that have facilitated gas generation. Alternatively, awareness of the distribution of large intrusive igneous bodies at depth may direct exploration into other areas, where thermal maturation is less than the limits of hydrocarbon destruction. Areas prospective for natural gas also contain large surficial clay resources and any gas discovered could be used as fuel for local industries that produce clay products (principally brick), as well as fuel for other local industries.

Igneous lithologies on asteroid (4) Vesta mapped using gamma-ray and neutron data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Andrew W.; Lawrence, David J.; Peplowski, Patrick N.; Viviano-Beck, Christina E.; Prettyman, Thomas H.; McCoy, Timothy J.; McSween, Harry Y.; Yamashita, Naoyuki

2017-04-01

We use data collected by the Dawn Gamma-Ray and Neutron Detector (GRaND) at Vesta to map compositions corresponding to nearly pure igneous lithologies in the howardite, eucrite, diogenite (HED) meteorite clan (samples likely from Vesta). At the ∼300-km spatial scale of GRaND measurements, basaltic eucrite occurs on only 3% of the surface, whereas cumulate eucrite and orthopyroxenitic diogenite are not detected. The basaltic eucrite region is generally coincident with an area of the surface with thick regolith, elevated H, and moderate crater density, and may represent the best compositional sample of primordial vestan crust. We observe an absence of pure orthopyroxenitic diogenite terrains in the Rheasilvia basin and its ejecta, an observation corroborated by VIR (0.1%), which suggests the south-polar crust was a polymict mixture of igneous lithologies (howardite) at the time of the Rheasilvia impact, or was a thick basaltic eucrite crust with heterogeneously distributed orthopyroxenitic diogenite plutons. The most dominant igneous composition detected (11% of the surface) corresponds to one of the least-abundant igneous lithologies in the HED meteorite collection, the Yamato Type B diogenites (plagioclase-bearing pyroxenites). The distribution of Type B diogenite is spatially correlated with post-Rheasilvia craters in the north-polar region that are in close proximity to the Rheasilvia basin antipode. This suggests that north-polar Type B plutonism may have been associated with the Rheasilvia impact event. We propose that this was either through 1) uplift of pre-existing plutons at the antipode through focusing of Rheasilvia impact stress, or 2) Rheasilvia impact antipodal crustal melting, creating magmas that underwent fractionation to produce Type B plutons.

Preliminary reconnaissance survey for thorium, uranium, and rare-earth oxides, Bear Lodge Mountains, Crook County, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilmarth, V.R.; Johnson, D.H.

1953-01-01

An area about 6 miles north of Sundance, in the Bear Lodge Mountains, in Crook County, Wyo., was examined during August 1950 for thorium, uranium, and rare-earth oxides and samples were collected. Uranium is known to occur in fluorite veins and iron-manganese veins and in the igneous rocks of Tertiary age that compose the core of the Bear Lodge Mountains. The uranium content of the samples ranges from 0.001 to 0.015 percent in those from the fluorite veins, from 0.005 to 0.018 percent in those from the iron-manganese veins, and from 0.001 to 0.017 percent in those from the igneous rocks. The radioactivity of the samples is more than that expected from the uranium content. Thorium accounts for most of this discrepancy. The thorium oxide content of samples ranges from 0.07 to 0.25 percent in those from the iron-manganese veins and from 0.07 to 0.39 percent in those from the sedimentary rocks, and from0.04 to 0.30 in those from the igneous rocks. Rare-earth oxides occur in iron-manganese veins and in zones of altered igneous rocks. The veins contain from 0.16 to 12.99 percent rare-earth oxides, and the igneous rocks, except for two localities, contain from 0.01 to 0.42 percent rare-earth oxides. Inclusions of metamorphosed sedimentary rocks in the intrusive rocks contain from 0.07 to 2.01 percent rare-earth oxides.

Petrography and geochemistry of precambrian rocks from GT-2 and EE-1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laughlin, A.W.; Eddy, A.

1977-08-01

During the drilling of GT-2 and EE-1, 27 cores totaling about 35 m were collected from the Precambrian section. Samples of each different lithology in each core were taken for petrographic and whole-rock major- and trace-element analyses. Whole-rock analyses are now completed on 37 samples. From these data four major Precambrian units were identified at the Fenton Hill site. Geophysical logs and cuttings were used to extrapolate between cores. The most abundant rock type is an extremely variable gneissic unit comprising about 75% of the rock penetrated. This rock is strongly foliated and may range compositionally from syenogranitic to tonaliticmore » over a few centimeters. The bulk of the unit falls within the monzogranite field. Interlayered with the gneiss is a ferrohastingsite-biotite schist which compositionally resembles a basaltic andesite. A fault contact between the schist and gneiss was observed in one core. Intrusive into this metamorphic complex are two igneous rocks. A leucocratic monzogranite occurs as at least two 15-m-thick dikes, and a biotite-granodiorite body was intercepted by 338 m of drill hole. Both rocks are unfoliated and equigranular. The biotite granodiorite is very homogeneous and is characterized by high modal contents of biotite and sphene and by high K/sub 2/O, TiO/sub 2/, and P/sub 2/O/sub 5/ contents. Although all of the cores examined show fractures, most of these are tightly sealed or healed. Calcite is the most abundant fracture filling mineral, but epidote, quartz, chlorite, clays or sulfides have also been observed. The degree of alteration of the essential minerals normally increases as these fractures are approached. The homogeneity of the biotite granodiorite at the bottom of GT-2 and the high degree of fracture filling ensure an ideal setting for the Hot Dry Rock Experiment.« less

Pb, Sr, and Nd isotopic compositions of a suite of Large Archean, igneous rocks, eastern Beartooth Mountains - Implications for crust-mantle evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wooden, J. L.; Mueller, P. A.

1988-01-01

Compositionally diverse Late Archean rocks (2.74-2.79 Ga old) from the eastern Beartooth Mountains (Montana and Wyoming) were studied and shown to have the same initial Pb, Sr, and Nd isotopic ratios. Lead and Sr initial ratios are higher and Nd initial values lower than predicted for rocks derived from model mantle sources and strongly indicate the involvement of an older crustal reservoir in the genesis of these rocks. A model involving subduction of continental detritus and contamination of the overlying mantle is suggested.

Discrimination of alkalinity in granitoid Rocks: A potential TIMS application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruff, Steven W.

1995-01-01

In mineral exploration, the ability to distinguish and map petrochemical variations of magmatic rocks can be a useful reconnaissance tool. Alkalinity is one such petrochemical parameter and is used in the characterization of granitoid rocks. In quartz normative plutonic rocks, alkalinity is related to the composition and abundance of feldspars. Together with quartz abundance, knowledge of feldspar modes allows the classification of these igneous rocks according to the Streckeisen diagram. Alternative classification schemes rely on whole rock geochemistry instead of mineral identifications. The relative ease of obtaining whole rock analyses means that geochemical classifications tend to be favored in exploration geology. But the technique of thermal infrared spectroscopy of rocks yields information on mineralogy and is one that can be applied remotely. The goal of the current work then is to establish whether data from TIMS can be used to distinguish the mineralogical variations that relate to alkalinity. An ideal opportunity to test this thesis arises from the work presented in a paper by Dewitt (1989). This paper contains the results of mapping and analysis of Proterozoic plutonic rocks in north-central Arizona. The map resulting from this work delineates plutons according to alkalinity in an effort to establish a trend or polarity in the regional magmatism. Also contained within this paper are brief descriptions of the mineralogy of half of the region's plutons. This combination of mineralogical and geochemical information was the rationale behind choosing this area as a site for TIMS over flights. A portion of the region centered on the northern Bradshaw Mountains was selected because it contains plutons of all three alkalinity classifications (alkali-calcic, calc-alkalic, and calic) present on DeWitt's map within a relatively small area. The site was flown in August of 1994 and the data received a few days before the writing of this manuscript. Most of this

Magnetic subdomains of the High Arctic Magnetic High - Speculations and implications for understanding of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province and related tectonics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saltus, R. W.; Oakey, G. N.

2015-12-01

The crustal magnetic anomaly pattern for the high Arctic is dominated by a 1.3 x 106 km2 roughly oval domain of magnetic high, the High Arctic Magnetic High (HAMH) that includes numerous linear and curvi-linear shorter wavelength magnetic highs and lows with no single overall trend. Previous workers (including us) have associated this magnetic domain with the intrusive and extrusive mafic rocks of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP). The HAMH shows the HALIP to be roughly the same size as other more well-known LIPs such as the Deccan Traps. The broad crustal magnetic character of LIPs is similar (and distinctive from non-LIP regions) worldwide. We identify 5 general subdomains and further distinguish 2 or 3 sections within each subdomain. We examine matched filter magnetic anomaly depth slices and the bathymetric and gravimetric expression of each sub-domain. Subdomains I and II associated respectively with the Mendeleev and Alpha Ridges have the deepest crustal roots. Subdomain III spans most of the central HAMH between I and II and has a distinctly less magnetic core. Subdomain IV on the Canadian margin side appears transitional to the relatively non-magnetic deep Canada Basin. Subdomain V is a zone of parallel magnetic highs at 90 degrees to the trend of the adjacent Lomonosov Ridge. Subdomains I and II may represent the deep cores of two smaller mantle plume heads that contributed to the overall HALIP. The presence of two plumes might serve to explain the two separate clusters of age dates (80 - 90 Ma and 120 - 130 Ma) found on igneous rocks surrounding and dredged from the HALIP region, and two stratigraphic sequence boundaries and extinction events associated with those time ranges. The boundaries between the magnetic subdomains might coincide with tectonic zones related to the post-LIP complex tectonic history of the Amerasian basin. A linear, through-going boundary that bisects the HAMH and runs perpendicular to the trend of the Lomonosov ridge

Pb, Sr, and Nd isotopic compositions of a suite of Late Archean, igneous rocks, eastern Beartooth Mountains: implications for crust-mantle evolution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wooden, J.L.; Mueller, P.A.

1988-01-01

A series of compositionally diverse, Late Archean rocks (2.74-2.79 Ga old) from the eastern Beartooth Mountains, Montana and Wyoming, U.S.A., have the same initial Pb, Sr, and Nd isotopic ratios. Lead and Sr initial ratios are higher and Nd initial ratios lower than would be expected for rocks derived from model mantle sources and strongly indicate the involvement of an older crustal reservoir in the genesis of these rocks. Crustal contamination during emplacement can be ruled out for a variety of reasons. Instead a model involving subduction of continental detritus and contamination of the overlying mantle as is often proposed for modern subduction environments is preferred. This contaminated mantle would have all the isotopic characteristics of mantle enriched by internal mantle metasomatism but would require no long-term growth or changes in parent to daughter element ratios. This contaminated mantle would make a good source for some of the Cenozoic mafic volcanics of the Columbia River, Snake River Plain, and Yellowstone volcanic fields that are proposed to come from ancient, enriched lithospheric mantle. The isotopic characteristics of the 2.70 Ga old Stillwater Complex are a perfect match for the proposed contaminated mantle which provides an alternative to crustal contamination during emplacement. The Pb isotopic characteristics of the Late Archean rocks of the eastern Beartooth Mountains are similar to those of other Late Archean rocks of the Wyoming Province and suggest that Early Archean, upper crustal rocks were common in this terrane. The isotopic signatures of Late Archean rocks in the Wyoming Province are distinctive from those of other Archean cratons in North America which are dominated by a MORB-like, Archean mantle source (Superior Province) and/or a long-term depleted crustal source (Greenland). ?? 1988.

Geochemistry of lunar crustal rocks from breccia 67016 and the composition of the moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, Marc D.; Taylor, Stuart R.

1992-01-01

The geochemistry of anorthositic clasts from an Apollo 16 breccia 67016 is studied in order to investigate the role of these rock types in lunar crustal evolution. The samples have aluminous, alkali-poor compositions and varied FeO and MgO contents. Three compositional groups are recognized. One group is poor in mafic constituents with low abundances of lithophile trace elements typical of lunar anorthosites, while the other two groups are more mafic and are distinguished from each other by FeO/MgO ratios greater than one in the case of ferroan noritic and less than one in the case of magnesian troctolitic. These mafic-enriched varieties have considerably higher lithophile element concentrations, at levels similar to that of the bulk lunar crust. The ferroan noritic clasts may represent a fundamental type of igneous rock in the lunar crust which has not been widely recognized.

Subsurface Structure of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa: An Application of Geophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallejo, G.; Galindo, B. L.; Carranza, V.; Gomez, C. D.; Ortiz, K.; Castro, J. G.; Falzone, C.; Guandique, J.; Emry, E.; Webb, S. J.; Nyblade, A.

2014-12-01

South Africa is host to the largest single known platinum group metal supply in the world. The Bushveld Igneous Complex, spanning 300x400 kilometers, hosts hundreds of years' worth of platinum, chromite, vanadium, and other ore. Its wealth of these metals is tied directly to the large layered igneous intrusion that formed roughly 2061 million years ago. The extraction of platinum is vital to the industrial world - as these metals are widely used in the automotive industry, dental restorations, computer technology, in addition to many other applications. In collaboration with the Africa Array geophysics field school and the Penn State Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP), we surveyed the Modikwa mine located along the border of the provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo in South Africa. The following techniques were applied to survey the area of interest: seismic refraction and reflection, gravity, magnetics, electrical resistivity, and electromagnetics. The data collected were used to determine the depth to bedrock and to identify potential mining hazards from dykes and faults in the bedrock. Several areas were studied and with the combination of the above-mentioned methods several possible hazards were identified. One broad, major dyke that was located in a prior aeromagnetic survey and several previously undetected, parallel, minor dykes were identified in the region. The overburden thickness was determined to be ̴4-5 meters in some regions, and as thin as several centimeters in others. This section of rock and soil lies above an area where platinum will likely be mined in the future. The removal of overburden can be accomplished by using power shovels or scrapers; while remaining material can be contained with the use of galvanized steel culverts. Additionally, a number of joints were located that may have allowed water to accumulate underground. The models created from the data permit us to estimate which hazards could be present in different parts of the

Diversity of Rock Compositions at Gale Crater Observed by ChemCam and APXS on Curiosity, and Comparison to Meteorite and Orbital Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiens, R. C.; Maurice, S.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Gellert, R.; Mangold, N.; Sautter, V.; Ollila, A.; Dyar, M. D.; Le Mouelic, S.; Ehlmann, B. L.; Clegg, S. M.; Lanza, N.; Cousin, A.; Forni, O.; Gasnault, O.; Lasue, J.; Blaney, D. L.; Newsom, H. E.; Herkenhoff, K. E.; Anderson, R. B.; D'Uston, L.; Bridges, N. T.; Fabre, C.; Meslin, P.; Johnson, J.; Vaniman, D.; Bridges, J.; Dromart, G.; Schmidt, M. E.; Team, M.

2013-12-01

Gale crater was selected as the Curiosity landing site because of the apparent sedimentary spectral signatures seen from orbit. Sedimentary materials on Mars have to this point showed very little expression of major element mobility, so compositions of precursor igneous minerals play a strong role in the compositions of sediments. In addition, pebbles and float rocks on Bradbury Rise (sols 0-50, > 324) appear to be mostly igneous in origin, and are assumed to have been carried down from the crater rim. Overall in the first year on Mars ChemCam obtained >75,000 LIBS spectra on > 2,000 observation points, supported by > 1,000 RMI images, and APXS obtained a significant number of observations. These show surprisingly variable compositions. The mean ChemCam compositions for Bradbury Rise dust-free rocks and pebbles (62 locations) give SiO2 = 56%, FeOT = 16% and show high alkalis consistent with Jake Matijevic (sol ~47) APXS Na2O ~6.6 wt%. ChemCam observations on the conglomerate Link (sol 27) gave Rb > 150 ppm and Sr > 1500 ppm. These compositions imply the presence of abundant alkali feldspars in the material infilling the lower parts of Gale crater. They are generally consistent with the more feldspar-rich SNC meteorites but show a radical departure from larger scale orbital observations, e.g., GRS, raising the question of how widespread these compositions are outside of Gale crater. Sedimentary materials at Yellowknife Bay encompassing the Sheepbed (sols 125-300) and Shaler (sols 121, 311-324) units, potentially including Point Lake (sols 301-310) and Rocknest (sols 57-97), appear to have incorporated varying amounts of igneous source materials. Seven rocks investigated at Rocknest show significant additions of Fe, with mean FeOT = 25% (154 locations), suggesting that FeO was a cementing agent. ChemCam observations at Shaler show varying amounts of alkali feldspar (i.e., related to Bradbury Rise), Fe-rich material (Rocknest-like), and potassium-rich material

Lu-Hf total-rock age for the Amîtsoq gneisses, West Greenland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pettingill, H.S.; Patchett, P.J.

1981-01-01

Lu-Hf total-rock data for the Amîtsoq gneisses of West Greenland yield an age of 3.55±0.22Gy(2σ), based on the decay constant λ176Lu=1.96×10−11y−1, and an initial176Hf/177Hf ratio of 0.280482±33. The result is in good agreement with Rb-Sr total-rock and U-Pb zircon ages. In spite of severe metamorphism of the area at 2.9 Gy, zircons from two of the samples have remained on the total-rock line, and define points close to the initial Hf ratio. The initial176Hf/177Hf lies close to a chondritic Hf isotopic evolution curve from 4.55 Gy to present. This is consistent with the igneous precursors to the Amîtsoq gneisses having been derived from the mantle at or shortly before 3.6 Gy. Anomalous relationships between Hf concentration and the176Lu/177Hf ratio may suggest that trace element abundances in the Amîtsoq gneisses are partly controlled by processes related to metamorphism.

Evolution of the Earth and Origin of Life: The Role of Gas/Fluid Interactions with Rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freund, Friedemann

2001-01-01

The work under the Cooperative Agreement will be centered on questions of the evolution of Life on the early Earth and possibly on Mars. It is still hotly debated whether the essential organic molecules were delivered to the early Earth from space (by comets, meteorites or interplanetary dust particles) or were generated in situ on Earth. Prior work that has shown that the matrix of igneous minerals is a medium in which progenitors of organic molecules assemble from H2O, C02 and N2 incorporated as minority "impurities" in minerals of igneous rocks during crystallization from H2O/CO2/N2-laden magmas. The underlying processes involve a redox. conversion whereby C, H, and N become chemically reduced, while 0 becomes oxidized to the peroxy state. During Year 02 the work will be divided into three tasks. Task 1: After carboxylic (fatty) acids and N-bearing compounds have been identified, other extractable organic molecules including lipids, oily substances and amino acids will be studied. Dedicated lipid analysis will be combined with gas chromatographic-mass spectroscopic (GCMS) analysis of organic compounds extracted from minerals and rocks. Task 2: Using infrared (IR) spectroscopy, C-H entities that are indicators for the organic progenitors in mineral matrices will be studied. A preliminary heating experiment with MgO single crystals has shown that the C-H entities can be pyrolyzed, causing the IR bands to disappear, but at room temperature the IR bands reappear in a matter of days to weeks. This work will be expanded, both by studying synthetic MgO crystals and olivine crystals from the Earth's upper mantle. The C-H bands will be compared to the published "organic" IR feature of dust in the interstellar medium (ISM) and interplanetary dust particles (IDP). Task 3: A paradox marks the evolution of early Life: Oxygen is highly toxic to primitive life, yet early organisms "learned" to detoxify reactive oxygen species, to utilize oxygen, and even produce it. Why would

Experimental petrology and origin of rocks from the Descartes Highlands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, D.; Longhi, J.; Grove, T. L.; Stolper, E.; Hays, J. F.

1973-01-01

Petrographic studies of Apollo 16 samples indicate that rocks 62295 and 68415 are crystallization products of highly aluminous melts. 60025 is a shocked, crushed and partially annealed plagioclase cumulate. 60315 is a recrystallized noritic breccia of disputed origin. 60335 is a feldspathic basalt filled with xenoliths and xenocrysts of anorthosite, breccia, and anorthite. The Fe/(Fe+Mg) of plagioclase appears to be a relative crystallization index. Low pressure melting experiments with controlled Po2 indicate that the igneous samples crystallized at oxygen fugacities well below the Fe/FeO buffer. Crystallization experiments at various pressures suggest that the 62295 and 68415 compositions were produced by partial or complete melting of lunar crustal materials, and not by partial melting of the deep lunar interior.

MULTIPLE EPISODES OF IGNEOUS ACTIVITY, MINERALIZATION, AND ALTERATION IN THE WESTERN TUSHAR MOUNTAINS, UTAH.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cunningham, Charles G.; Steven, Thomas A.; Campbell, David L.; Naeser, Charles W.; Pitkin, James A.; Duval, Joseph S.

1984-01-01

The report outlines the complex history of igneous activity and associated alteration and mineralization in the western Tushar Mountains, Utah and pointss out implciations for minerals exploration. The area has been subjected to recurrent episodes of igneous intrusion, hydrothermal alteration, and mineralization, and the mineral-resource potential of the different mineralized areas is directly related to local geologic history. The mineral commodities to be expected vary from one hydrothermal system to another, and from one depth to another within any given system. Uranium and molybdenum seem likely to have the greatest economic potential, although significant concentrations of gold may also exist.

Geochemical distinctions between igneous carbonate, calcite cements, and limestone xenoliths (Polino carbonatite, Italy): spatially resolved LAICPMS analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosatelli, G.; Wall, F.; Stoppa, F.; Brilli, M.

2010-11-01

Petrography-controlled laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LAICPMS) analyses of carbonate in fresh shallow level sub-volcanic Polino monticellite calcio-carbonatite tuffisite have been performed to assess the geochemical differences between fresh igneous, epigenetic carbonates and sedimentary accidental fragments. Igneous calcite has consistently high LREE/HREE ratios (La/Yb N , 15-130) due to high LREE (ΣLREE, 425-1,269 ppm). Secondary calcite cements are characterized by progressively lower and more variable trace element contents, with lower LREE/HREE ratios. A distinguishing geochemical feature is progressively increasing negative Ce anomalies observed through coarse secondary calcite that can be related to the surface environment processes. The limestone accidental fragments in the tuffisite have trace element contents almost two orders of magnitude lower than igneous carbonate and low LREE (ΣLREE < 9.5 ppm) with low LREE/HREE fractionation (La/Yb N ratios < 18). The stable isotope composition of different carbonate types is consistent with their formation in different environments. The tuffisitization processes during diatreme formation under high CO2-OH fugacity conditions may account for the differences noted in the igneous carbonates.

Three-dimensional distribution of igneous rocks near the Pebble porphyry Cu-Au-Mo deposit in southwestern Alaska: constraints from regional-scale aeromagnetic data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Eric D.; Zhou, Wei; Li, Yaoguo; Hitzman, Murray W.; Monecke, Thomas; Lang, James R.; Kelley, Karen D.

2014-01-01

Aeromagnetic data helped us to understand the 3D distribution of plutonic rocks near the Pebble porphyry copper deposit in southwestern Alaska, USA. Magnetic susceptibility measurements showed that rocks in the Pebble district are more magnetic than rocks of comparable compositions in the Pike Creek–Stuyahok Hills volcano-plutonic complex. The reduced-to-pole transformation of the aeromagnetic data demonstrated that the older rocks in the Pebble district produce strong magnetic anomaly highs. The tilt derivative transformation highlighted northeast-trending lineaments attributed to Tertiary volcanic rocks. Multiscale edge detection delineated near-surface magnetic sources that are mostly outward dipping and coalesce at depth in the Pebble district. The total horizontal gradient of the 10-km upward-continued magnetic data showed an oval, deep magnetic contact along which porphyry deposits occur. Forward and inverse magnetic modeling showed that the magnetic rocks in the Pebble district extend to depths greater than 9 km. Magnetic inversion was constrained by a near-surface, 3D geologic model that is attributed with measured magnetic susceptibilities from various rock types in the region. The inversion results indicated that several near-surface magnetic sources with moderate susceptibilities converge with depth into magnetic bodies with higher susceptibilities. This deep magnetic source appeared to rise toward the surface in several areas. An isosurface value of 0.02 SI was used to depict the magnetic contact between outcropping granodiorite and nonmagnetic sedimentary host rocks. The contact was shown to be outward dipping. At depths around 5 km, nearly the entire model exceeded the isosurface value indicating the limits of nonmagnetic host material. The inversion results showed the presence of a relatively deep, northeast-trending magnetic low that parallels lineaments mapped by the tilt derivative. This deep low represents a strand of the Lake Clark fault.

Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility of silicic rocks from quarries in the vicinity of São Marcos, Rio Grande do Sul, South Brazil: Implications for emplacement mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cañón-Tapia, Edgardo; Raposo, M. Irene B.

2018-04-01

The Paraná-Etendeka Large Igneous Province includes acid volcanic rocks that can be found throughout its extension. Several aspects concerning those rocks remain controversial, including their mechanism of emplacement and location of their eruptive sources. Opening of several quarries of dimension stone near the city of Sao Marcos, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, offers a unique opportunity to study in detail the acid products. Here, we present the results of a study of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) completed in some rocks that had been interpreted as the roots of volcanic conduits. Our results, and reexamination of the textural features of the rocks, lead to a reinterpretation that suggests that these rocks were emplaced subaerially, and involved assimilation and remelting of clastic components of previous products. Due to the inferred conditions of emplacement, it is unlikely that the eruptive vents are located far from the area of study, therefore ruling out the long-travelled nature of these products.

Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotopic systematics of the Pea Ridge Fe-P deposit and related rocks, southeast Missouri

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marikos, M.A.; Barton, M.D.

1993-03-01

Pea ridge is a discordant Middle Proterozoic Fe-P deposit hosted in rhyolite tuffs and flows of the 1.4--1.5 Ga St. Francois terrane. Host rocks and the deposit are cut by basalt and aplite/pegmatite dikes. The deposit overlies a blind pluton which is partially surrounded by a trachytic ring complex. In the deposit, which is mined for Fe, early Qtz+Amph+Mag+Ap rock is cut by Mag+Ap+Qtz rock. Subsequently, portions of the deposit and host rocks were brecciated, oxidized and silicified to produce a complex suite of rocks enriched in Hem+Qtz+Ksp+Mu. Late breccia pipes/dikes cut the complex and were mineralized with Bar+Ksp+Flu+Chl+Cc+REE-phosphates. Sm/Ndmore » and Rb/Sr isotopic systematics have been studied to: (1) constrain source(s) of igneous rocks and deposit components, (2) refine ages of magmatism, mineralization, and later hydrothermal activity, (3) begin regional comparison of isotopic systematics in SE Missouri Fe deposits, and (4) complement ongoing Missouri DGLS/USGS studies. Fourteen combined Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr analyses were done on materials including two host rhyolites, two nearby trachytes, two gneiss samples representing plausible basement, two intramineral dikes, and six samples of mineralization.« less

Database Dictionary for Ethiopian National Ground-Water Database (ENGDA) Data Fields

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

Coarse Sand Fine Sand Fine-Grained Sandstone Fractured Igneous and Metamorphic Rock Gravel Karst Limestone, Dolomite Medium Sand Medium-Grained...Coarse Sand; Fine Sand; Fine-Grained Sandstone; Fractured Igneous and Metamorphic Rock; Gravel; Karst Limestone/ Dolomite ; Medium Sand; Medium...aquifer lithology (rock type; Babcock and other, 2004). - 20 - Data Type: List, 1-character code C Consolidated porous sedimentary I Fractured

In situ location and U-Pb dating of small zircon grains in igneous rocks using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-quadrupole mass spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sack, Patrick J.; Berry, Ron F.; Meffre, Sebastien; Falloon, Trevor J.; Gemmell, J. Bruce; Friedman, Richard M.

2011-05-01

A new U-Pb zircon dating protocol for small (10-50 μm) zircons has been developed using an automated searching method to locate zircon grains in a polished rock mount. The scanning electron microscope-energy-dispersive X ray spectrum-based automated searching method can routinely find in situ zircon grains larger than 5 μm across. A selection of these grains was ablated using a 10 μm laser spot and analyzed in an inductively coupled plasma-quadrupole mass spectrometer (ICP-QMS). The technique has lower precision (˜6% uncertainty at 95% confidence on individual spot analyses) than typical laser ablation ICP-MS (˜2%), secondary ion mass spectrometry (<1%), and isotope dilution-thermal ionization mass spectrometry (˜0.4%) methods. However, it is accurate and has been used successfully on fine-grained lithologies, including mafic rocks from island arcs, ocean basins, and ophiolites, which have traditionally been considered devoid of dateable zircons. This technique is particularly well suited for medium- to fine-grained mafic volcanic rocks where zircon separation is challenging and can also be used to date rocks where only small amounts of sample are available (clasts, xenoliths, dredge rocks). The most significant problem with dating small in situ zircon grains is Pb loss. In our study, many of the small zircons analyzed have high U contents, and the isotopic compositions of these grains are consistent with Pb loss resulting from internal α radiation damage. This problem is not significant in very young rocks and can be minimized in older rocks by avoiding high-U zircon grains.

Orbicules and Comb Layers: Igneous Layering in Shallow Plutons as a Result of Mineral Growth in Subvolcanic Conduits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarthy, A. J.; Müntener, O.

2017-12-01

Different processes have been proposed to explain the variety of igneous layering in plutonic rocks. Vertical layering in particular has been described as resulting from various processes such as Ostwald ripening, oscillatory crystallization or reactive mush infiltration in cooling plutons. Comb layers and orbicules are formed by the growth of elongated, feather-like minerals growing ±perpendicular to the layering and nucleating either on dyke walls (comb layers) or on xenoliths (orbicules) at the contact between homogenous plutons. Through a detailed study of the mineralogy, bulk chemistry and the size-frequency distribution of representative comb layers and orbicules of the 110Ma Fisher Lake Pluton (Sierra Nevada, USA), we show that comb layers and orbicules show no evidence of forming through a self-organizing, oscillatory crystallization process, but represent crystallization fronts resulting from in-situ crystallization and extraction of evolved melt fractions during decompression-driven crystallization of superheated melts in subvolcanic conduits. The microstructures are dominated by the formation of a plagioclase-dominated cres-cumulate at the mm- to m-scale. We propose that the crystal content of the melt and the dynamics of the magmatic system control the mechanisms responsible for vertical igneous layering in shallow reservoirs. Moreover, the mineralogical and compositional variation of orbicules rims and comb layers can be ascribed to variations in pressure, temperature and cooling rates within the subvolcanic conduit, with estimated growth timescales of mm- to m-thick orbicules and comb layers ranging from weeks to years. Moreover, though plagioclase-glomerocrysts found in erupted volcanic products are generally interpreted as remobilized crystal-mush, we propose that some glomerocrysts might represent "failed" orbicules forming within vertical conduits upon eruption. Such glomerocrysts, as well as orbicules found in erupted volcanic products, might

‘Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs)’: Definition, recommended terminology, and a hierarchical classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheth, Hetu C.

2007-12-01

This article is an appeal for the adoption of a correct and appropriate terminology with respect to the so-called Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs). The term LIP has been widely applied to large basaltic provinces such as the Deccan Traps, and the term Silicic Large Igneous Province (SLIP) to volcanic provinces of dominantly felsic composition, such as the Whitsunday Province. However, neither term (LIP, SLIP) has been applied to the large granitic batholiths of the world (e.g., Andes) to which both terms are perfectly applicable. LIP has also not been applied to broad areas of contemporaneous basalt magmatism (e.g., Indochina, Mongolia) and sizeable layered mafic intrusions (e.g., Bushveld) which in many significant respects may also be considered to represent 'Large Igneous Provinces'. Here, I suggest that the term LIP is used in its broadest sense and that it should designate igneous provinces with outcrop areas ≥ 50,000 km 2. I propose a simple hierarchical classification of LIPs that is independent of composition, tectonic setting, or emplacement mechanism. I suggest that provinces such as the Deccan and Whitsunday provinces should be called Large Volcanic Provinces (LVPs), whereas large intrusive provinces (mafic-ultramafic intrusions, dyke/sill swarms, granitic batholiths) should be called Large Plutonic Provinces (LPPs). LVPs and LPPs thus together cover all LIPs, which can be felsic, mafic, or ultramafic, of sub-alkalic or alkalic affinity, and emplaced in continental or oceanic settings. LVPs are subdivided here into four groups: (i) the dominantly/wholly mafic Large Basaltic Provinces (LBPs) (e.g., Deccan, Ontong Java); (ii) the dominantly felsic Large Rhyolitic Provinces (LRPs) (e.g., Whitsunday, Sierra Madre Occidental); (iii) the dominantly andesitic Large Andesitic Provinces (LAPs) (e.g., Andes, Indonesia, Cascades), and (iv) the bimodal Large Basaltic-Rhyolitic Provinces (LBRPs) (e.g., Snake River-High Lava Plains). The intrusive equivalents of LRPs

Tilting, burial, and uplift of the Guadalupe Igneous Complex, Sierra Nevada, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haeussler, Peter J.; Paterson, Scott R.

1993-01-01

It is often incorrectly assumed that plutons have a relatively uneventful structural history after emplacement. The 151 Ma Guadalupe Igneous Complex (GIC) in the Foothills Terrane, California, was involved in three post-emplacement events: (1) ∼30° of southwestside-up tilting during ductile regional faulting and contraction, (2) burial of the pluton from ∼4 to 12 km during crustal thickening of the wall rocks, and (3) uplift with only minor tilting in the Late Cretaceous. Tilting of the pluton is indicated by (1) southwest to northeast gradational changes from layered gabbros and diorites to granites and granophyres; (2) northeastward dips of layering in gabbro, internal contacts, and bedding of overlying coeval(?) volcanic rocks; (3) northeastward decrease in wall-rock metamorphic grade; and (4) paleomagnetic data from 14 localities across the pluton. We argue that tilting occurred between 146-135 Ma during southwest-northeast-directed regional contraction. This contraction is indicated by widespread folds and cleavages and by reverse motion on the Bear Mountains fault zone (BMFZ), a large northeast-dipping shear zone that bounds the GIC on its southwest side. Burial of the GIC, which overlapped in time but outlasted tilting, is suggested by (1) post-emplacement contractional faulting, folding, and cleavage development; (2) analyses of strains associated with widespread cleavage that indicate vertical thickening of ∼100% and (3) microstructural and mineral assemblage data that indicate shallow emplacement of the GIC, in contrast to mineral assemblage and limited geobarometric data from adjacent 120-110 Ma plutons that indicate moderate emplacement levels. Late Cretaceous uplift is indicated by 95-75 Ma sedimentary rocks that unconformably overlie the 120-110 Ma plutons.This geologic history is interesting for several reasons. First, although the GIC participated in extensive post-emplacement deformation, it lacks internal structural evidence of these events

Basement rocks of Halmahera, eastern Indonesia: Implications for the early history of the Philippine Sea

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall, R.G.N.; Ballantyne, P.

1990-06-01

The oldest rocks known on Halmahera, eastern Indonesia, are petrologically and chemically similar to supra-subduction ophiolites and include boninitic volcanics resembling those dredged from the Marianas forearc. The age of the ophiolitic rocks is unknown; in east Halmahera they are overlain by Late Cretaceous and Eocene volcanics and associated sediments. Similar volcanics form the basement of western Halmahera. Plutonic rocks intruding the ophiolite and associated metamorphic rocks also yield Late Cretaceous to Eocene radiometric ages. The petrology and chemistry of the igneous rocks indicate an island arc origin. These rocks are locally overlain by shallow-water Eocene limestones and all aremore » overlain unconformably by Neogene sediments. The Halmahera basement rocks have many structural, petrological, and stratigraphic similarities to submarine plateaus of the southern and northern Philippine Sea and basement terranes of the eastern Philippines. The authors suggest that these similarities indicate the existence of an extensive region of Late Cretaceous and Eocene volcanism built upon probable Mesozoic ophiolitic basement. The resultant thickened crust was later fragmented by spreading in the West Philippine Sea Central Basin and backarc spreading in the Eastern Philippine Sea. It is difficult to reconcile the present distribution of these crustal fragments with a linear arc, but equally difficult to propose a simple alternative. A proto-Philippine archipelago, with short-lived arcs separated by small oceanic basins, may be the closest modern analog. The development of younger subduction zones has been influenced by the distribution of thickened crustal fragments as they have re-amalgamated since the Miocene.« less

Paleogeographic implications of an erosional remnant of Paleogene rocks southwest of the Sur-Nacimiento Fault Zone, southern Coast Ranges, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vedder, J.G.; McLean, H.; Stanley, R.G.; Wiley, T.J.

1991-01-01

A small tract of heretofore-unrecognized Paleogene rocks lies about 30 km northeast of Santa Maria and 1 km southwest of the Sur-Nacimiento fault zone near upper Pine Creek. This poorly exposed assemblage of rocks is less than 50 m thick, lies unconformably on regionally distributed Upper Cretaceous submarine-fan deposits, and consists of three units: fossiliferous lower Eocene mudstone, Oligocene(?) conglomerate, and basaltic andesite that has a radiometric age of 26.6 ?? 0.5 Ma. Both the sedimentary and igneous constituents in the Paleogene sequence are unlike those of known sequences on either side of the Sur-Nacimiento fault zone. The Paleogene sedimentary rocks near upper Pine Creek presumably are remnants of formerly widespread early Eocene bathyal deposits and locally distributed Oligocene(?) fluvial deposits southwest of the fault zone. The 26.6 Ma basaltic andesite, however, may not have extended much beyond its present outcrops. An episode of Oligocene(?) displacement is required by the contrast in thicknesses, depositional patterns, and paleobathymetry of the juxtaposed rock sequences. -from Authors

Cogenetic Rock Fragments from a Lunar Soil: Evidence of a Ferroan Noritic-Anorthosite Pluton on the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jolliff, B. L.; Haskin, L. A.

1995-01-01

The impact that produced North Ray Crater, Apollo 16 landing site, exhumed rocks that include relatively mafic members of the lunar ferroan anorthositic suite. Bulk and mineral compositions indicate that a majority of 2-4 mm lithic fragments from sample 67513, including impact breccias and monomict igneous rocks, are related to a common noritic-anorthosite precursor. Compositions and geochemical trends of these lithic fragments and of related samples collected along the rim of North Ray Crater suggest that these rocks derived from a single igneous body. This body developed as an orthocumulate from a mixture of cumulus plagioclase and mafic intercumulus melt, after the plagioclase had separated from any cogenetic mafic minerals and had become concentrated into a crystal mush (approximately 70 wt% plagioclase, 30 wt% intercumulus melt). We present a model for the crystallization of the igneous system wherein "system" is defined as cumulus plagioclase and intercumulus melt. The initial accumulation of plagioclase is analogous to the formation of thick anorthosites of the terrestrial Stillwater Complex; however, a second stage of formation is indicated, involving migration of the cumulus-plagioclase-intercumulus-melt system to a higher crustal level, analogous to the emplacement of terrestrial massif anorthosites. Compositional variations of the lithic fragments from sample 67513 are consistent with dominantly equilibrium crystallization of intercumulus melt. The highly calcic nature of orthocumulus pyroxene and plagioclase suggests some reaction between the intercumulus melt and cumulus plagioclase, perhaps facilitated by some recrystallization of cumulus plagioclase. Bulk compositions and mineral assemblages of individual rock fragments also require that most of the mafic minerals fortned in close contact with cumulus plagioclase, not as separate layers. The distribution of compositions (and by inference, modes) has a narrow peak at anorthosite and a broader, larger

Alteration of immature sedimentary rocks on Earth and Mars. Recording Aqueous and Surface-atmosphere Processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cannon, Kenneth M.; Mustard, John F.; Salvatore, Mark R.

The rock alteration and rind formation in analog environments like Antarctica may provide clues to rock alteration and therefore paleoclimates on Mars. Clastic sedimentary rocks derived from basaltic sources have been studied in situ by martian rovers and are likely abundant on the surface of Mars. Moreover, how such rock types undergo alteration when exposed to different environmental conditions is poorly understood compared with alteration of intact basaltic flows. Here we characterize alteration in the chemically immature Carapace Sandstone from Antarctica, a terrestrial analog for martian sedimentary rocks. We employ a variety of measurements similar to those used on previousmore » and current Mars missions. Laboratory techniques included bulk chemistry, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), hyperspectral imaging and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Through these methods we find that primary basaltic material in the Carapace Sandstone is pervasively altered to hydrated clay minerals and palagonite as a result of water–rock interaction. A thick orange rind is forming in current Antarctic conditions, superimposing this previous aqueous alteration signature. The rind exhibits a higher reflectance at visible-near infrared wavelengths than the rock interior, with an enhanced ferric absorption edge likely due to an increase in Fe 3+ of existing phases or the formation of minor iron (oxy)hydroxides. This alteration sequence in the Carapace Sandstone results from decreased water–rock interaction over time, and weathering in a cold, dry environment, mimicking a similar transition early in martian history. This transition may be recorded in sedimentary rocks on Mars through a similar superimposition mechanism, capturing past climate changes at the hand sample scale. These results also suggest that basalt-derived sediments could have sourced significant volumes of hydrated minerals on early Mars due to their greater permeability compared with intact igneous rocks.« less

NACSN, note 67--Application for revision of Articles 36 and 37, Lithodemic units of the North American stratigraphic code

USGS Publications Warehouse

Easton, Robert M.; Edwards, Lucy E.; Orndorff, Randall C.; Duguet, Manuel; Ferrusquia-Villafranca, Ismael

2015-01-01

Currently the North American Stratigraphic Code, (NACSN 2005, Article 37) sets restrictions on the use of the term “complex” for lithodemic units. With exceptions for “volcanic complex” and “structural complex,” a complex must consist of more than one genetic class of rock (i.e., sedimentary, igneous or metamorphic). Thus, the use of the term “complex” to describe masses of intrusive rocks is not allowed. Asimilar restriction is also included in a recent British Geological Survey proposal for using lithodemic units to classify igneous rocks (Gillespie et al. 2008).Currently the North American Stratigraphic Code, (NACSN 2005, Article 37) sets restrictions on the use of the term “complex” for lithodemic units. With exceptions for “volcanic complex” and “structural complex,” a complex must consist of more than one genetic class of rock (i.e., sedimentary, igneous or metamorphic). Thus, the use of the term “complex” to describe masses of intrusive rocks is not allowed. Asimilar restriction is also included in a recent British Geological Survey proposal for using lithodemic units to classify igneous rocks (Gillespie et al. 2008).

The Nature and Origin of the ~1.88 Ga Circum-Superior Large Igneous Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minifie, M.; Kerr, A. C.; Ernst, R. E.

2009-12-01

The Circum-Superior Large Igneous Province (LIP) is composed of a discontinuous belt of magmatic rocks, predominantly mafic-ultramafic in composition, circumscribing the cratonic margins of the Superior Province in the Canadian Shield for >3000 km. In addition to the cratonic margin magmatism, magmatic rocks of the same age are found in the interior of the craton in the form of mafic-ultramafic dykes and also carbonatite complexes along the Kapuskasing Structural Zone. Recent U-Pb geochronological studies have shown a tight age grouping for these magmatic rocks between 1885 and 1864 Ma. Previous studies have treated the various segments of the Circum-Superior LIP individually and models on the origin of the magmatism include seafloor spreading, back-arc basin rifting, foredeep basin flexure, volcanic arc activity, transtension in pull-apart basins, and mantle plume activity. This study is the first to create a cohesive geochemical and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf-Os isotopic database for the whole of the Circum-Superior LIP and to assess its petrogenesis as a single entity. The geochemical and isotopic evidence strongly favour a mantle plume origin for the Circum-Superior LIP magmatism. A common trace element signature, very much like that of the Ontong Java oceanic plateau, is persistent throughout most of this LIP. Most samples possess Zr/Y and Nb/Y ratios almost identical to Ontong Java and other oceanic plateau lavas. Utilisation of the PRIMELT2 software of Herzberg & Asimow (2008) shows that the parental magmas of the Circum-Superior LIP were derived from ~30-35% pooled fractional melting of a source composition similar to that of primitive mantle with 1% continental crust extracted from it at mantle potential temperatures ranging from 1515 to 1610° C. Basalts from islands in Hudson Bay possess slightly enriched trace element profiles with small positive Nb anomalies and highlight a degree of heterogeneity within the plume source. The Circum-Superior LIP magmatic rocks

Quantitative Relationships Linking Rock Strength to Channel Morphology: A Case Study in Central Arizona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larimer, J. E.; Yanites, B.

2016-12-01

River morphology is a consequence of the erosive forces acting on the channel boundary and the resisting forces that limit erosion. For bedrock rivers, the erosive forces are generated by the stresses exerted by impacting sediment and flowing water, while the resisting forces are controlled by the internal strength regime of the local rock. We investigate the susceptibility of different rock types to different erosional processes (i.e. abrasion and plucking) and how changes in channel morphology reflect rock strength properties across lithologic boundaries. The bedrock rivers in the Prescott National Forest, AZ flow over a number of rock types with variable strength including sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic lithologies providing a natural experiment to quantify the influence of rock strength on channel morphology. We collected bedrock samples and channel surveys from 12 different rock types. Rock-strength and rock-mass properties include compressive strength, tensile strength, fatigue strength, decimeter scale P-wave velocity (varies by 8-fold), Schmidt rebound value, fracture spacing, fracture aperture, and slake durability (as a proxy for weathering susceptibility. Morphological measurements include channel width, channel steepness (varies by 10-fold), and grain size distribution. To distinguish between the major mechanisms of erosion we measure bedrock surface roughness factor at the centimeter scale. Preliminary results show that channel steepness (ksn) increases with P-wave velocity while normalized channel width (kwn) decreases with P-wave velocity. We use these data to quantify scaling relationships of channel geometry with rock strength properties. We consider the results in the context of the driving mechanistic process to develop new quantitative understandings of how rock strength properties influence the efficiency of erosion processes and how rock strength is reflected in river morphology. By comparing the results among different rock types in a

Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Eastern Mountains and Piedmont Region (Version 2.0)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

are the Blue Ridge Province and the Piedmont Plateau, composed mainly of highly eroded Precambrian metamorphic rocks . The Piedmont Plateau extends...older igneous and metamorphic rocks (Atwood 1940; Hunt 1974; USGS 2004). Caverns and karst features are found in marble formations in the Piedmont...colluvium derived from sandstone, shale, limestone, and metamorphic and igneous rocks . Other parent materials include deposits of wind-blown loess

Did the Kiruna iron ores form as a result of a metasomatic or igneous process? New U-Pb and Nd data for the iron oxide apatite ores and their host rocks in the Norrbotten region of northern Sweden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westhues, A.; Hanchar, J. M.; Whitehouse, M. J.; Fisher, C. M.

2012-12-01

-Pb dating of zircon from both host rock and ore samples confirms a previously documented event around 1880 - 1900 Ma in the Norrbotten region. However, U-Pb in monazite from an ore sample suggests a further event at ca. 1650 Ma, a period of known activity in Fennoscandia. Further investigation and more U-Pb data are needed to confirm those dates and how the iron mineralization is related to those two events. The combination of U-Th-Pb ages, tracer isotopes and trace element abundances at mineral scale (e.g., Lu-Hf in zircon, and Sm-Nd in monazite, apatite, titanite), along with the O isotopic composition of zircon, will be used to decipher whether the Kiruna iron ore deposits are of metasomatic or igneous origin. Overall, the study also intends to develop a predictive model for exploration of similar iron oxide apatite deposits worldwide.

Rock-magnetism and ore microscopy of the magnetite-apatite ore deposit from Cerro de Mercado, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alva-Valdivia, L. M.; Goguitchaichvili, A.; Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J.; Caballero-Miranda, C.; Vivallo, W.

2001-03-01

Rock-magnetic and microscopic studies of the iron ores and associated igneous rocks in the Cerro de Mercado, Mexico, were carried out to determine the magnetic mineralogy and origin of natural remanent magnetization (NRM), related to the thermo-chemical processes due to hydrothermalism. Chemical remanent magnetization (CRM) seems to be present in most of investigated ore and wall rock samples, replacing completely or partially an original thermoremanent magnetization (TRM). Magnetite (or Ti-poor titanomagnetite) and hematite are commonly found in the ores. Although hematite may carry a stable CRM, no secondary components are detected above 580°, which probably attests that oxidation occurred soon enough after the extrusion and cooling of the ore-bearing magma. NRM polarities for most of the studied units are reverse. There is some scatter in the cleaned remanence directions of the ores, which may result from physical movement of the ores during faulting or mining, or from perturbation of the ambient field during remanence acquisition by inhomogeneous internal fields within these strongly magnetic ore deposits. The microscopy study under reflected light shows that the magnetic carriers are mainly titanomagnetite, with significant amounts of ilmenite-hematite minerals, and goethite-limonite resulting from alteration processes. Magmatic titanomagnetites, which are found in igneous rocks, show trellis, sandwich, and composite textures, which are compatible with high temperature (deuteric) oxy-exsolution processes. Hydrothermal alteration in ore deposits is mainly indicated by martitization in oxide minerals. Grain sizes range from a few microns to >100 mm, and possible magnetic state from single to multidomain, in agreement with hysteresis measurements. Thermal spectra, continuous susceptibility measurements, and IRM (isothermal remanent magnetization) acquisition suggest a predominance of spinels as magnetic carriers, most probably titanomagnetites with low

Organic geochemistry, lithology, and paleontology of Tertiary and Mesozoic rocks from wells on the Alaska Peninsula

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLean, Hugh James

1977-01-01

Core chips and drill cuttings from eight of the nine wells drilled along the Bering Sea lowlands of the Alaska Peninsula were subjected to lithologic and paleontologic analyses. Results suggest that at least locally, sedimentary rocks of Tertiary age contain oil and gas source and reservoir rocks capable of generating and accumulating liquid and gas hydrocarbons. Paleogene strata rich in organic carbon are immature. However, strata in offshore basins to the north and south may have been subjected to a more productive thermal environment. Total organic carbon content of fine grained Neogene strata appears to be significantly lower than in Paleogene rocks, possibly reflecting nonmarine or brackish water environments of deposition. Neogene sandstone beds locally yield high values of porosity and permeability to depths of about 8,000 feet (2,439 m). Below this depth, reservoir potential rapidly declines. The General Petroleum, Great Basins No. 1 well drilled along the shore of Bristol Bay reached granitic rocks. Other wells drilled closer to the axis of the present volcanic arc indicate that both Tertiary and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks have been intruded by dikes and sills of andesite and basalt. Although the Alaska Peninsula has been the locus of igneous activity throughout much of Mesozoic and Tertiary time, thermal maturity indicators such as vitrinite reflectance and coal rank suggest, that on a regional scale, sedimentary rocks have not been subjected to abnormally high geothermal gradients.

Preliminary analysis of thermal-infrared multispectral scanner data of the Iron Hill, Colorado carbonatite-alkalic rock complex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowan, Lawrence C.; Watson, Kenneth; Miller, Susanne H.

1992-01-01

The Iron Hill carbonatite-alkalic igneous rock complex is in the Powderhorn mining district, approximately 40 km south-southwest of Gunnison, Colorado. The complex, which occupies about 30 sq km, was emplaced in metasedimentay and metavolcanic rocks during the later Precambrian or early Cambrian. The main rock types in the complex, from oldest to youngest, are fenite, pyroxenite, uncompahgrite, ijolite, nepheline syenite, and dolomitic carbonatite. The carbonatite is limonitic and forms an elliptially shaped 4 sq km stock. Calcitic and dolomitic carbonatite dikes are also numerous throughout the complex and in the pre-existing rocks. Pyroxenite is the most widespread rock type within the complex, but pyroxene is extensively altered to biotite, phlogopite, and vermiculite. Fenite, which formed through Na, K-metasomatism of the country rocks, typically contains more feldspar and less quartz than the equivalent unaltered country rocks. The other alkalic rock types are less widespread and less well exposed. Parts of the complex are covered by Oligocene ash-flow tuff and alluvial, colluvial, and glacial deposits. Sagebrush and grass cover is moderately dense to very dense at low to intermediate elevations; coniferous tree cover is dense at high elevations and on some north-facing slopes at lower elevations. A new algorithm was used to compute spectral emissivity ratios, independent of any emissivity assumptions. This algorithm has the advantage that any of the possible emissivity ratios can be computed and, thus, a large variety of composite ratio images can be constructed, which permits examination of various geologic hypotheses based on the spectral properties of the surface materials.

Igneous Sheet Intrusions as a Record of Paleostress States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephens, T. L.; Walker, R. J.; Healy, D.; Bubeck, A.; England, R. W.; McCaffrey, K. J. W.

2017-12-01

The architecture of igneous sheet intrusion networks provides useful constraints on paleostress during emplacement. Several models for sill emplacement have used the close spatial relationships between sills and dikes in layered (sedimentary) host rocks to propose that dike-sill transitions are driven by layering. Such models require a stress rotation - from horizontal extension for dikes, to horizontal compression for sills - which is assumed to reflect a near-hydrostatic stress state, facilitating the dilation and intrusion of pre-existing structures (e.g. faults, joints, and bedding). Here, we present case examples of sills for which layering is not the main control on emplacement: Isle of Mull (UK), Faroe Islands (European Atlantic margin) and the San Rafael Subvolcanic Field (Utah, USA). In each case, dikes cut, or are cut by, sills; indicating that dikes were not the feeders to sills in the same section. The sills consist of linked, flat and shallowly-dipping segments that always show near-vertical opening directions. Sills cut bedding and formation contacts with consistent low-angle dips, and cut or abut against vertical faults, fractures, and tectonic foliations. From this, we infer that magma pressure during emplacement did not exceed the horizontal stress. To constrain the stress state during emplacement we present a novel approach that combines analysis of local and overall sill geometry data with mechanical models for slip tendency, dilation tendency, and fracture susceptibility. We also present a new depth-independent mechanical model, which estimates paleostress ratio and driving fluid pressure ratio using the opening angles of dilated fluid-filled fractures. Our results show that the studied sills record previously unrecognised local fluctuations in the far-field stress state, during magmatic supply. Sills, therefore, present an important tool for determining paleostress in areas where few brittle deformation structures (e.g. faults), other than

Ring complexes and related rocks in Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vail, J. R.

Over 625 igneous complexes throughout Africa and Arabia have been selected and classified on the basis of petrographic association and chronology into six broad age groups forming 29 provinces. The groups range from Mid-Proterozoic to Tertiary and include gabbro, granite, syenite, foid syenite and carbonatite plutonic rocks, the majority in the form of ring-dykes, cone-sheets, plugs, circular intrusions, and their associated extrusive phases. Pan-African late or post-orogenic complexes (720-490 Ma) are common in the Arabian-Nubian and Tuareg shields of north Africa originating from subduction zone derived magmatism. Anorogenic complexes in Egypt, NE and central Sudan, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Zaïre-Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola span 550 to 50 Ma and are dominantly alkali granites and foid syenites. Many groups occur as en-echelon bands within linear arrays, and show migrating centres of intrusion in variable directions. In W. Africa there was a progressive shift of emplacement southwards during early Ordovician to Mid-Cretaceous times. Distribution patterns suggest thatdeep seated features, such as shear zones associated with lithospheric plate movements,controlled melting, and the resultant location of the complexes. Economic mineralization is not widespread in the rocks of the African ring complexes and is mainly restricted to small deposits of Sn, W, F, U and Nb.

Early and Late Alkali Igneous Pulses and a High-3He Plume Origin for the Deccan Flood Basalts.

PubMed

Basu, A R; Renne, P R; Dasgupta, D K; Teichmann, F; Poreda, R J

1993-08-13

Several alkalic igneous complexes of nephelinite-carbonatite affinities occur in extensional zones around a region of high heat flow and positive gravity anomaly within the continental flood basalt (CFB) province of Deccan, India. Biotites from two of the complexes yield (40)Ar/(39)Ar dates of 68.53 +/- 0.16 and 68.57 +/- 0.08 million years. Biotite from a third complex, which intrudes the flood basalts, yields an (40)Ar/(39)Ar date of 64.96 +/- 0.1 1 million years. The complexes thus represent early and late magmatism with respect to the main pulse of CFB volcanism 65 million years ago. Rocks from the older complexes show a (3)He/(4)He ratio of 14.0 times the air ratio, an initial (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratio of 0.70483, and other geochemical characteristics similar to ocean island basalts; the later alkalic pulse shows isotopic evidence of crustal contamination. The data document 3.5 million years of incubation of a primitive, high-(3)He mantle plume before the rapid eruption of the Deccan CFB.

S-type rhyolites from the Tolmie Igneous Complex, Australia: deep crust origins and shallow crustal evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clemens, J. D.; Birch, W. D.

2010-05-01

The Late Devonian Tolmie Igneous Complex, in Central Victoria, Australia, is composed mainly of Ba-rich (up to 3000 ppm) S-type rhyolite ignimbrites with SiO2 varying from 69 to 79 wt% and low Mg#s (1 to 43). Two main ignimbrite flows fill the Wabonga Caldera, the Ryans Creek and the overlying Toombullup Ignimbrites, totalling 750 to 1000 km3 in volume. The tectonic environment is late post-tectonic continental extension, with rifting and normal faulting. However, the volcanism was unimodal, without associated mafic lavas or pyroclastic rocks. Devonian red-beds underlie the Complex, Carboniferous, red-bed basins overlie the volcanic rocks, and some mafic lavas are present in the overlying red-bed sequences. The presence of almandine-rich garnet phenocrysts with rutile, in the Ryans Creek, implies minimum pressures of magma generation of 0.9 - 1.0 GPa. The Toombullup Ignimbrite contains two generations of garnet phenocrysts and three of orthopyroxene. Grt+Opx assemblages in the Toombullup imply early magmatic temperatures near 1000 ° C. The early phenocryst assemblage of Grt+Opx+Pl+Qtz constrains early magmatic crystallisation to around 0.4 GPa. Later Grt+Opx+Crd+Pl+Bt+Qtz assemblages suggest crystallisation at around 0.3 GPa and 750 to 800 ° C. The presence of ferroan Opx+Fa as late microphenocrysts suggest continued crystallisation at around 0.15 GPa and 800 ° C. Thus the magmas may were generated by high-T contact anatectic partial melting of Ba-enriched quartzofeldspathic metasediments near the base of the continental crust, during extension and mantle upwelling. There is then a record of partial crystallisation during ascent to shallow crustal pressures, where the felsic magmas evolved and interacted prior to eruption. Geochemical variations in the Complex suggest that there are at least 3 separate magma groups. Mafic-felsic magma mixing and restite unmixing can be ruled out as processes responsible for the variation. The chemistry of the magmas is

SEM-MLA-based Investigation of the Composition of Mafic Volcaniclastic Deposits from the Paraná Large Igneous Province, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höfig, D. F.; Höfig, T. W.; Licht, O. A. B.; Haser, S.; Valore, L.

2017-12-01

Mafic volcaniclastic deposits (MVDs) have been widely reported in Large Igneous Provinces around the world, except for the Paraná Province (review by Ross et al., 2005: J Volcanol Geotherm Res, 145, pp. 281-314). Recent geochemical classification for this unit highlights, however, the occurrence of such deposits, connected to basic lava flows, mostly those High Ti - High P ones (Licht.: J Volcanol Geotherm Res, in press). In southern Brazil, MVDs intercalated with lava flows have been reported at 680 sites, showing conspicuous poorly sorted polymictic breccia at the base, grading to tuff breccias and red silicified tuffs at the top. Newly sampled rocks of Paraná mafic volcanoclastic deposits unravel important information about the composition utilizing Scanning Electron Microscopy-based Mineral Liberation Analysis. Overall, they show similar mineralogy presenting obsidian (25-40%), different phases of iron oxide (5-20%), quartz (10-25%), plagioclase (5-25%), celadonite (5-25%), and chlorite (5-10%). The breccias reveal a greater content of celadonite due to the presence of altered hypohyaline and hypocrystalline basaltic shards, whereas the tuffs are more enriched in glass. Different generations of plagioclase are attributed to various basalt shards and clasts as well vitroclasts found in the matrix. It is proposed that the MVDs were generated by explosive events due the interaction between the ascending mafic magma and deep aquifer systems and its siliciclastic matrix represents the country rock, i.e., the underneath Paleozoic sedimentary sequence of Paraná Basin.

Geochemistry of oceanic igneous rocks - Ridges, islands, and arcs - With emphasis on manganese, scandium, and vanadium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doe, B.R.

1997-01-01

A database on a number of elements in oceanic volcanic rocks is presented, including the principal major-element oxides - SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3(T), MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, and P2O5 (where T refers to total iron) - and the trace elements - Ba, Ce, Cr, Cu, Ni, Sc, Sr, V, Pb (mainly by isotope dilution), Yb, Zn, and Zr. Interpretations are given for transition metals, with emphasis on Mn, Sc, and V, in order to determine the concentration of the elements in primitive melts and assess their trends in magmatic differentiation. Transition metals are not enriched in plagioclase, so all are incompatible with pure plagioclase removal - that is, they become enriched in the melt. Both Cr and Ni are known to be highly compatible with olivine separation - i.e., they are depleted in the melt early in differentiation. Also, Sc is compatible with clinopyroxene (Cpx) removal from the melt and is depleted by separation of Cpx. Copper does not fit well in any of the principal silicates, but Cu, like Ni, is greatly enriched in sulfides that may remain in the source or separate from the magma. Decreasing Ni abundances and increasing Cu contents during differentiation are a sign of olivine separation. In the analysis presented herein, V - in the absence of Cpx separation - is found to behave remarkably like the moderately incompatible element Zn, and these two elements add to the list of element pairs of similar incompatibility whose ratios are insensitive to differentiation and to submarine weathering as well. Both are enhanced in titanomagnetite, so both would he compatible during titanomagnetite separation. When Cpx separates, however, V becomes compatible like Sc, but Zn remains incompatible. Thus, decreasing V (and Sc) contents and increasing Zn contents during differentiation are a sign of Cpx separation. Manganese often behaves much like Zn and therefore is moderately incompatible, but Mn is less compatible than Zn and V in titanomagnetite. Thus, decreasing Zn and V with

Geochemical constraints on the petrogenesis of the pyroclastic rocks in Abakaliki basin (Lower Benue Rift), Southeastern Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chukwu, Anthony; Obiora, Smart C.

2018-05-01

The pyroclastic rocks in the Cretaceous Abakaliki basin occur mostly as oval-shaped bodies, consisting of lithic/lava and vitric fragments. They are commonly characterized by parallel and cross laminations, as well contain xenoliths of shale, mudstone and siltstones from the older Asu River Group of Albian age. The rocks are basic to ultrabasic in composition, comprising altered alkali basalts, altered tuffs, minor lapillistones and agglomerates. The mineral compositions are characterized mainly by laths of calcic plagioclase, pyroxene (altered), altered olivines and opaques. Calcite, zeolite and quartz represent the secondary mineral constituents. Geochemically, two groups of volcaniclastic rocks, are distinguished: alkaline and tholeiitic rocks, both represented by fresh and altered rock samples. The older alkali basalts occur within the core of the Abakaliki anticlinorium while the younger tholeiites occur towards the periphery. Though most of the rocks are moderate to highly altered [Loss on ignition (LOI, 3.43-22.07 wt. %)], the use of immobile trace element such as Nb, Zr, Y, Hf, Ti, Ta and REEs reflect asthenospheric mantle source compositions. The rocks are enriched in incompatible elements and REEs (∑REE = 87.98-281.0 ppm for alkaline and 69.45-287.99 ppm for tholeiites). The ratios of La/Ybn are higher in the alkaline rocks ranging from 7.69 to 31.55 compared to the tholeiitic rocks which range from 4.4 to 16.89 and indicating the presence of garnet-bearing lherzolite in the source mantle. The spidergrams and REEs patterns along with Zr/Nb, Ba/Nb, Rb/Nb ratios suggest that the rocks were generated by a mantle plume from partial melting of mixed enriched mantle sources (HIMU, EMI and EMII) similar to the rocks of the south Atlantic Ocean such as St. Helena (alkaline rocks) and Ascension rocks (tholeiitic rocks). The rocks were formed in a within-plate setting of the intra-continental rift type similar to other igneous rocks in the Benue Rift and are not

The genesis of early Carboniferous adakitic rocks at the southern margin of the Alxa Block, North China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Shuo; Ling, Ming-Xing; Liu, Yu-Long; Zhang, Hong; Sun, Weidong

2017-05-01

Adakite is a highly debated petrologic term that was originally proposed to describe igneous rocks formed by slab melting. Subsequent studies reported other ways to generate adakitic signatures such as the melting of mafic lower continental crust and fractional crystallization of basaltic magma. We studied adakitic rocks from the Taohuala Mountain at the southern margin of the Alxa Block, North China. These rocks are characterized by high Sr concentrations (300-450 ppm), high Sr/Y (20-75 ppm) and (La/Yb)N (25-67 ppm) ratios, and low Y (< 18 ppm) and Yb (< 1.9 ppm) concentrations, which are typical of adakite. The distribution of these data on a Sr/Y versus (La/Yb)N discrimination diagram, combined with their high (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios (0.7113-0.7131) and low εNd(t) (- 15.8 to - 16.8) and εHf(t) (- 18 to - 10) values of zircon, indicates that the adakitic rocks formed by partial melting of thickened continental crust. U-Pb dating of zircons using LA-ICP-MS yields an early Carboniferous age of 330 ± 5 Ma. The ages and spatial distribution of magmatic rocks indicate that the Paleo-Asian oceanic crust subducted towards the Alxa Block in the late Paleozoic. Subsequently, northward slab rollback occurred during the Carboniferous. Therefore, we propose that the adakitic rocks from the Taohuala Mountain formed by partial melting of previously thickened lower continental crust, induced by the upwelling of asthenospheric mantle during slab rollback.

Rocks, when Stressed, turn into a Battery that is Rechargeable

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, B. T.; Takeuchi, A. H.; Freund, F. T.

2006-12-01

Igneous rocks, when subjected to deviatory stresses, turn into a battery. We report on gabbro (Shanxi, China). We use steel pistons to load repeatedly ~10 cm3 in the center of 30 x 30 x 0.9 cm3 tiles, from 0 to 60 MPa, 1/3 failure strength, at 0.2 MPa/sec with 20-30 min at constant load. Instantly upon loading, a current begins to flow, increasing to 200-300 pA, equivalent to 30,000 to 50,000 A/km3. Under constant load the current continues to flow for at least 24 hrs with barely 10-20% reduction. During unloading the current stops but resumes during repetitive loading-unloading cycles for at least 22 times. One part of the current is carried by electrons. The electrons flow from the stressed rock into the steel pistons, through the external circuit to the edges of the tile. The other part is carried by holes. The holes flow inside the rock, from the stressed to the unstressed rock and to the edges of the tile. There they meet the electrons, thereby closing the circuit. Both types of charge carriers, electrons and holes, are associated with oxygen anions that changed their valence from 2- to 1- (peroxy). An O- among O2- represents a defect electron in the O2- sublattice, known as positive hole or p-hole for short. In unstressed rocks the O- exist in an electrically inactive form as O- pairs, chemically equivalent to peroxy links, O3X-OO-XO3 with X = Si4+, Al3+ etc. Deviatory stresses cause the peroxy links to break, allowing electrons from neighboring O2- to jump in and p-holes to jump out. The p-holes can spread into and through the unstressed rock using energy levels in the valence band. To observe sustained currents the battery circuit has to close.

Preliminary Geophysical Investigations of the Ship Rock Diatreme, Navajo Nation, New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruen, E. M.; McCarthy, L.; Namingha, G.; Bank, C.; Noblett, J.; Semken, S.

2003-12-01

Magnetic and gravity data were collected at the Ship Rock minette neck and dikes, part of the Navajo volcanic field in the central Colorado Plateau, to investigate their subsurface structure. The deep root system of Ship Rock, an exhumed Oligocene maar-diatreme complex, has not been resolved. The diatreme is largely composed of minette tuff-breccia with a large wallrock fraction, whereas the dikes are composed of hypabyssal minette. The country rock is the Upper Cretaceous Mancos Shale. Density and magnetic contrasts between the igneous rock and surrounding shale suggest that the buried structure of Ship Rock can be imaged. Preliminary geophysical investigations were carried out in order to test this hypothesis. We collected magnetic and gravitational data along four lines selected to transect the major south and northeast dikes and to partly encircle the diatreme. Modeling differently sized, oriented and shaped intrusions, we created theoretical Free Air anomaly curves to try to match the two clearest anomalies. Modeling necessitates (i) that the major north-south dike dips west and (ii) the presence of a high-density, deep body near the diatreme. The Free Air anomaly curves show that smaller dikes might not be detected from gravity data; however, they are necessary to determine the presence of large, dense bodies. Although not modeled, the magnetics curves show that smaller dikes can easily be detected. Our study results are promising, and we plan a more thorough investigation in the future which will produce a magnetic map to determine if further buried dikes exist in the vicinity, and measure gravity along additional profiles to better constrain the location of the dense body at depth.

Closed system oxygen isotope redistribution in igneous CAIs upon spinel dissolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aléon, Jérôme

2018-01-01

In several Calcium-Aluminum-rich Inclusions (CAIs) from the CV3 chondrites Allende and Efremovka, representative of the most common igneous CAI types (type A, type B and Fractionated with Unknown Nuclear isotopic anomalies, FUN), the relationship between 16O-excesses and TiO2 content in pyroxene indicates that the latter commonly begins to crystallize with a near-terrestrial 16O-poor composition and becomes 16O-enriched during crystallization, reaching a near-solar composition. Mass balance calculations were performed to investigate the contribution of spinel to this 16O-enrichment. It is found that a back-reaction of early-crystallized 16O-rich spinel with a silicate partial melt having undergone a 16O-depletion is consistent with the O isotopic evolution of CAI minerals during magmatic crystallization. Dissolution of spinel explains the O isotopic composition (16O-excess and extent of mass fractionation) of pyroxene as well as that of primary anorthite/dmisteinbergite and possibly that of the last melilite crystallizing immediately before pyroxene. It requires that igneous CAIs behaved as closed-systems relative to oxygen from nebular gas during a significant fraction of their cooling history, contrary to the common assumption that CAI partial melts constantly equilibrated with gas. The mineralogical control on O isotopes in igneous CAIs is thus simply explained by a single 16O-depletion during magmatic crystallization. This 16O-depletion occurred in an early stage of the thermal history, after the crystallization of spinel, i.e. in the temperature range for melilite crystallization/partial melting and did not require multiple, complex or late isotope exchange. More experimental work is however required to deduce the protoplanetary disk conditions associated with this 16O-depletion.

Geological setting, emplacement mechanism and igneous evolution of the Atchiza mafic-ultramafic layered suite in north-west Mozambique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibraimo, Daniel Luis; Larsen, Rune B.

2015-11-01

The Atchiza mafic and ultramafic-layered suite (hereafter, "Atchiza Suite) crops out in an area 330 km2 west of the Mozambican Tete province. In an early account of the geology of this intrusion, it was considered the continuation of the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe, an idea that was aborted after detailed studies. Nevertheless, the Ni concentrations in the Atchiza outcrop rocks are considerable. Our investigation used field evidence, hand specimens and petrography descriptions, mineral chemistry studies using electron microprobe analysis and tectonic analysis to arrive at a plausible mineralogical composition and understanding of the tectonic setting for the igneous evolution. The mineral composition from the Atchiza Suite indicates that these are cumulates. The magmatic segregation from the petrographic and mineral composition reasoning indicates that dunite-lherzolitic peridotite-olivine gabbro-gabbronorite-gabbro-pegmatitic gabbro is the rock formation sequence. Olivine and chromite were the first phases formed, followed by pyroxene and plagioclase. In addition, it is shown that these minerals are near-liquidus crystallization products of basaltic magma with olivine Fo: 87.06 in dunite, mean values of clinopyroxene are (Wo: 36.4, En: 48.0, Fs: 15.2), orthopyroxene (Wo: 2.95, En: 73.0, Fs: 24.2) and plagioclase An: 71.3, respectively. Opaque minerals comprise Fe-Ti oxides and (Fe, Cr) spinel up to 4.8 vol.%, but chromitite layers are not present. Most of the opaque minerals are interstitial to pyroxene. Sulphides are common in gabbros, with pyrrhotite, pentlandite, chalcopyrite, pyrite and covellite together comprising 0.4-2.0 vol.%. The whole rock Rare Earth Element (REE) concentrations are mainly a result of differentiation, but slight crustal contamination/assimilation contributed to the REE contents. In addition, they also show Eu enrichment, suggesting that plagioclase fractionation was important in the rock. The Atchiza Suite preserves a deep-seated plumbing

Review of potential host rocks for radioactive waste disposal in the southeast United States-Southern Piedmont subregion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1980-10-01

A literature study was conducted on the geology of the Southern Piedmont province in the states of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The purpose was to identify geologic areas potentially suitable for containment of a repository for the long-term isolation of solidified radioactive waste. The crystalline rocks of the Southern Piedmont province range in age from Precambrian to Paleozoic, and are predominantly slates, phyllites, argillites, schists, metavolcanics, gneisses, gabbros, and granites. These rock units were classified as either favorable, potentially favorable, or unfavorable as potential study areas based on an evaluation of the geologic, hydrologic, and geotechnicalmore » characteristics. No socio-economic factors were considered. Rocks subjected to multiple periods of deformation and metamorphism, or described as highly fractured, or of limited areal extent were generally ranked as unfavorable. Potentially favorable rocks are primarily the high-grade metamorphic gneisses and granites. Sixteen areas were classified as being favorable for additional study. These areas are primarily large igneous granite plutons as follows: the Petersburg granite in Virginia; the Rolesville-Castallia, Churchland, and Landis plutons in North Carolina; the Liberty Hill, Winnsboro, and Ogden plutons in South Carolina; and the Siloam, Elberton, and six unnamed granite plutons in Georgia.« less

The Impact of Continental Configuration on Global Response to Large Igneous Province Eruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stellmann, J.; West, A. J.; Ridgwell, A.; Becker, T. W.

2017-12-01

The impact of Large Igneous Province eruptions as recorded in the geologic record varies widely; some eruptions cause global warming, large scale ocean acidification and anoxia and mass extinctions while others cause some or none of these phenomena. There are several potential factors which may determine the global response to a Large Igneous Province eruption; here we consider continental configuration. The arrangement of continents controls the extent of shallow seas, ocean circulation and planetary albedo; all factors which impact global climate and its response to sudden changes in greenhouse gas concentrations. To assess the potential impact of continental configuration, a suite of simulated eruptions was carried out using the cGENIE Earth system model in two end-member continental configurations: the end-Permian supercontinent and the modern. Eruptions simulated are comparable to an individual pulse of a Large Igneous Province eruption with total CO2 emissions of 1,000 or 10,000 GtC erupted over 1,000 or 10,000 years, spanning eruptions rates of .1-10 GtC/yr. Global response is characterized by measuring the magnitude and duration of changes to atmospheric concentration of CO2, saturation state of calcite and ocean oxygen levels. Preliminary model results show that end-Permian continental configuration and conditions (radiative balance, ocean chemistry) lead to smaller magnitude and shorter duration changes in atmospheric pCO2 and ocean saturation state of calcite following the simulated eruption than the modern configuration.

Descriptions of mineral occurrences and interpretation of mineralized rock geochemical data in the Stikine geophysical survey area, Southeastern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, Cliff D.

2003-01-01

Detailed descriptions of some of the more significant mineral occurrences in the Stikine Airborne Geophysical Survey Project Area are presented based upon site-specific examinations by the U.S. Geological Survey in May of 1998. Reconnaissance geochemical data on unmineralized igneous and sedimentary host rocks, and mineralized rocks are also presented and are accompanied by a brief analysis of geochemical signatures typical of each occurrence. Consistent with the stated goal of the geophysical survey; to stimulate exploration for polymetallic massive sulfides similar to the Greens Creek deposit, the majority of the described occurrences are possible members of a belt of Late Triassic mineral deposits that are distributed along the eastern edge of the Alexander terrane in southeastern Alaska. Many of the described occurrences in the Duncan Canal-Zarembo Island area share similarities to the Greens Creek deposit. When considered as a whole, the geology, mineralogy, and geochemistry of these occurrences help to define a transitional portion of the Late Triassic mineral belt where changes in shallow to deeper water stratigraphy and arc-like to rift-related igneous rocks are accompanied by concomitant changes in the size, morphology, and metal endowments of the mineral occurrences. As a result, Late Triassic mineral occurrences in the area appear as: 1) small, discontinuous, structurally controlled stockwork veins in mafic volcanic rocks, 2) small, irregular replacements and stratabound horizons of diagenetic semi-massive sulfides in dolostones and calcareous shales, and as 3) larger, recognizably stratiform accumulations of baritic, semi-massive to massive sulfides at and near the contact between mafic volcanic rocks and overlying sedimentary rocks. Empirical exploration guidelines for Greens Creek-like polymetallic massive sulfide deposits in southeastern Alaska include: 1) a Late Triassic volcano-sedimentary host sequence exhibiting evidence of succession from

Chemical diagenesis, porosity reduction, and rock strength, IODP Site U1480: Influences on great earthquakes at shallow depths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Insun; Milliken, Kitty; Dugan, Brandon; Bourlange, Sylvain; Colson, Tobias; Frederik, Marina; Jeppson, Tamara; Kuranaga, Mebae; Nair, Nisha; Henstock, Timothy

2017-04-01

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 362 drilled two sites, U1480 and U1481, on the Indian oceanic plate ˜250 km west of the Sunda subduction zone to a maximum depth of 1500 meters below seafloor (mbsf). One of the primary objectives was to understand the mechanism of great earthquakes such as the 2004 Sumatra earthquake (Mw 9.0) which showed unexpectedly shallow megathrust slip by establishing the initial and evolving properties of the North Sumatran incoming sedimentary section. Core sampling and logging from the complete sedimentary section at U1480 indicates a distinct change in sedimentation rate from a slowly deposited pelagic system to a rapidly deposited submarine fan system at late Miocene. Following burial, sediments of the Nicobar Fan underwent compaction leading to porosity reduction from 66±9% near seafloor to ˜30% at the base of the sampled Nicobar Fan section (˜1250 mbsf), representing a normal consolidation behavior. Rock strength gradually increases with depth as the sediments are mechanically compacted. Below the fan (1250-1415 mbsf), the pelagic sediments are composed of tuffaceous, calcareous, and siliceous sediments/rocks and their porosity is dependent upon lithology more than upon depth. Tuffaceous materials exhibit high porosity ranging from ˜30-60%, even higher than that of overlying layers. However, porosity of most calcareous samples is lower than 20% at the same depth. The large variation in porosity depends on the degree of cementation, which in turn is controlled by grain assemblage composition and environmental conditions such as slow sedimentation rates and locally high temperatures related to igneous activity as documented by local igneous intrusives and extrusives. The minor cementation in tuffaceous sandy sediments has retained high porosity, but strengthened their skeleton so as to bear the overburden. The low porosity in calcareous rocks is considered to come from extensive cementation rather than

Provenance of Permian-Triassic Gondwana Sequence Units Accreted to the Banda Arc: Constraints from U/Pb and Hf Analysis of Zircons and Igneous Geochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, J. A.; Spencer, C. J.; Harris, R. A.; Hoiland, C.

2011-12-01

Analysis of zircons from Australian affinity Permo-Triassic units of the Timor region yield age distributions with large peaks at 230-400 Ma and 1750-1900 Ma (n=435). Similar zircon age peaks are also found in rocks from NE Australia and the eastern Cimmerian block. It is likely that these terranes, which are now widely separated, were once part of the northern edge of Gondwana near what is now the NW margin of Australia. The Cimmerian Block was removed from Gondwana during Early Permian rifting and initiation of the Neo-Tethys Ocean. Hf analysis of zircon from the Aileu Complex in Timor and Kisar shows bimodal (juvenial and evolved) magmatism in the Gondwana Sequence of NW Australia at ~300 Ma. The magmatic event produced basalt with rift valley and ocean floor geochemical affinities, and rhyolite. Similar rock types and isotopic signatures are also found in Permo-Triassic igneous units throughout the Cimmerian continental block. The part of the Cimmerian Block with zircon distributions most like the Gondwana Sequence of NW Australia is the terranes of northern Tibet and Malaysia. The large 1750-1900 Ma zircon peak is much more wide spread, and appears in terranes from Baoshan (SW China) to Borneo. The Permo-Triassic rocks of the Timor region fill syn-rift intracratonic basins that successfully rifted in the Jurassic to form the NW margin of Australia. This passive continental margin first entered the Sunda Trench in the Timor region at around 8 Ma causing the Permo-Triassic rocks to accrete to the edge of the Asian Plate and emerge as a series of mountainous islands in the young collision zone. Eventually, the Australian continental margin will collide with the southern edge of the Asian plate and these Gondwana terranes will rejoin. However, it may be difficult to reconstruct the various ventures of they made over the past 300 Ma.

Preliminary AMS Study in Cretaceous Igneous Rocks of Valle Chico Complex, Uruguay: Statistical Determination of Magnetic Susceptibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barcelona, H.; Mena, M.; Sanchez-Bettucci, L.

2009-05-01

The Valle Chico Complex, at southeast Uruguay, is related Paraná-Etendeka Province. The study involved basaltic lavas, quarz-syenites, and rhyolitic and trachytic dikes. Samples were taken from 18 sites and the AMS of 250 specimens was analyzed. The AMS is modeled by a second order tensor K and it graphical representation is a symmetric ellipsoid. The axes relations determine parameters which describe different properties like shape, lineation, and foliation, degree of anisotropy and bulk magnetic susceptibility. Under this perspective, one lava, dike, or igneous body can be considered a mosaic of magnetic susceptibility domains (MSD). The DSM is an area with specific degree of homogeneity in the distribution of parameters values and cinematic conditions. An average tensor would weigh only one MSD, but if the site is a mosaic, subsets of specimens with similar parameters can be created. Hypothesis tests can be used to establish parameter similarities. It would be suitable considered as a MSD the subsets with statistically significant differences in at least one of its means parameters, and therefore, be treated independently. Once defined the MSDs the tensor analysis continues. The basalt-andesitic lavas present MSD with an NNW magnetic foliation, dipping 10. The K1 are sub-horizontal, oriented E-W and reprsent the magmatic flow direction. The quartz-syenites show a variable magnetic fabric or prolate ellipsoids mayor axes dispose parallel to the flow direction (10 to the SSE). Deformed syenites show N300/11 magnetic foliation, consistent with the trend of fractures. The K1 is subvertical. The MSD defined in rhyolitic dikes have magnetic foliations consistent with the structural trend. The trachytic dikes show an important indetermination in the magnetic response. However, a 62/N90 magnetic lineation was defined. The MSDs obtained are consistent with the geological structures and contribute to the knowledge of the tectonic, magmatic and kinematic events.

Rock fracture processes in chemically reactive environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eichhubl, P.

2015-12-01

Rock fracture is traditionally viewed as a brittle process involving damage nucleation and growth in a zone ahead of a larger fracture, resulting in fracture propagation once a threshold loading stress is exceeded. It is now increasingly recognized that coupled chemical-mechanical processes influence fracture growth in wide range of subsurface conditions that include igneous, metamorphic, and geothermal systems, and diagenetically reactive sedimentary systems with possible applications to hydrocarbon extraction and CO2 sequestration. Fracture processes aided or driven by chemical change can affect the onset of fracture, fracture shape and branching characteristics, and fracture network geometry, thus influencing mechanical strength and flow properties of rock systems. We are investigating two fundamental modes of chemical-mechanical interactions associated with fracture growth: 1. Fracture propagation may be aided by chemical dissolution or hydration reactions at the fracture tip allowing fracture propagation under subcritical stress loading conditions. We are evaluating effects of environmental conditions on critical (fracture toughness KIc) and subcritical (subcritical index) fracture properties using double torsion fracture mechanics tests on shale and sandstone. Depending on rock composition, the presence of reactive aqueous fluids can increase or decrease KIc and/or subcritical index. 2. Fracture may be concurrent with distributed dissolution-precipitation reactions in the hostrock beyond the immediate vicinity of the fracture tip. Reconstructing the fracture opening history recorded in crack-seal fracture cement of deeply buried sandstone we find that fracture length growth and fracture opening can be decoupled, with a phase of initial length growth followed by a phase of dominant fracture opening. This suggests that mechanical crack-tip failure processes, possibly aided by chemical crack-tip weakening, and distributed

Magmatic Complexes of the Vetlovaya Marginal Sea Paleobasin (Kamchatka): Composition and Geodynamic Setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsukanov, N. V.; Saveliev, D. P.; Kovalenko, D. V.

2018-01-01

This study presents new geochemical and isotope data on igneous rocks of the Vetlovaya marginal sea paleobasin (part of the Late Mesozoic-Cenozoic margin of the northwestern Pacific). The results show that the rock complexes of this marginal sea basin comprise igneous rocks with geochemical compositions similar to those of normal oceanic tholeiites, enriched transitional tholeiites, and ocean island and back-arc basin basalts. Island-arc tholeiitic basalts are present only rarely. The specific geochemical signatures of these rocks are interpreted as being related to mantle heterogeneity and the geodynamic conditions in the basin.

An integrative geologic, geochronologic and geochemical study of Gorgona Island, Colombia: Implications for the formation of the Caribbean Large Igneous Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serrano, Lina; Ferrari, Luca; Martínez, Margarita López; Petrone, Chiara Maria; Jaramillo, Carlos

2011-09-01

The genesis of the Caribbean Large Igneous Province (CLIP) has been associated to the melting of the Galapagos plume head at ~ 90 Ma or to the interaction between the plume and the Caribbean slab window. Gorgona Island, offshore western Colombia, is an accreted fragment of the CLIP and its highly heterogeneous igneous suite, ranging from enriched basalts to depleted komatiites and picrites, was assumed to have formed at ~ 89 Ma from different part of the plume. Here we present new geologic, geochronologic and geochemical data of Gorgona with significant implications for the formation of the CLIP. A new set of 40Ar- 39Ar ages documents a magmatic activity spanning the whole Late Cretaceous (98.7 ± 7.7 to 64.4 ± 5 Ma) followed by a shallower, picritic pyroclastic eruption in the Paleocene. Trace element and isotope geochemistry confirm the existence of an enriched (EDMM: La/Sm N ≥ 1 and ɛNd i of 5.7 to 7.8) and a depleted (DMM: La/Sm N < 1 and ɛNd i of 9.5 to 11.3) mantle sources. A progressive increase in the degree of melting and melt extraction with time occurred in both groups. Petrologic modeling indicates that low but variable degrees of wet melting (< 5%) of an EDMM can produce the LREE-enriched rocks. Higher degree of melting (> 10%) of a mixed DMM + EDMM (40 to 60%) may reproduce the more depleted rocks with temperatures in the range of ambient mantle in absence of plumes. Our results contradict the notion that the CLIP formed by melting of a plume head at ~ 90 Ma. Multiple magmatic pulses over several tens of Ma in small areas like Gorgona, also recognized in other CLIP areas, suggest a long period of diffuse magmatism without a clear pattern of migration. The age span of this magmatism is broadly concurrent with the Caribbean slab window. During this time span the Farallon oceanic lithosphere (later becoming the Caribbean plate) advanced eastward ~ 1500 km, overriding the astenosphere feeding the proto-Caribbean spreading ridge. This hotter mantle

Primary Igneous Anhydrite: Progress Since the 1982 El Chichón Eruption (Mexico)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luhr, J. F.

2006-05-01

Anhydrite (CaSO4) was confirmed as a stable primary igneous mineral, capable of precipitating from a silicate melt, through petrographic observations of fresh trachyandesitic pumices erupted in the spring of 1982 from El Chichón, a little known, isolated tuff and lava-dome complex in eastern Mexico. The 1982 eruption was also notable for the associated release of an estimated 5-9 megatons of SO2 to the stratosphere and troposphere, as measured by the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer. Subsequent years saw confirmation of primary igneous anhydrite in laboratory phase-equilibrium experiments, and anhydrite was also observed in the products of several subsequent explosive eruptions, most importantly dacitic pumices from the massive 15 June 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, in the Philippines. That eruption involved ~5X the mass of magma and ~3X the mass of SO2 release compared to El Chichón's eruption. For both the Pinatubo and El Chichón eruptions, it has been concluded that the sulfur released to the atmosphere was too great in mass to have been dissolved in the erupted melt volume just prior to eruption. In both cases workers advocated the existence of a separate gas phase prior to eruption, where much of the subsequently released sulfur was present. Thus, primary igneous anhydrite has been linked with another important phenomenon: excess sulfur release during volcanic eruptions. This presentation will review other developments concerning primary igneous anhydrite since 1982. These include: (1) other examples of primary anhydrite from volcanic samples (Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia; Lascar, Chile; Sutter Buttes, USA; Eagle Mountain, USA; Shiveluch, Russia; (2) examples of primary anhydrite from plutonic samples (Julcani, Peru; Santa Rita, USA; Cajon Pass Scientific Drillhole, USA); (3) laboratory experiments that have expanded our understanding of the T-P-fO2 conditions of anhydrite stability, melt/vapor partition coefficients for sulfur as a function of these

Lithostratigraphy and volcanology of the Serra Geral Group, Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province in Southern Brazil: Towards a formal stratigraphical framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossetti, Lucas; Lima, Evandro F.; Waichel, Breno L.; Hole, Malcolm J.; Simões, Matheus S.; Scherer, Claiton M. S.

2018-04-01

The volcanic rocks of the Lower Cretaceous Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province, in Brazil, are grouped in the Serra Geral Group. The province can be chemically divided into low-TiO2, and high-TiO2. In southern Brazil, the low-TiO2 lava pile reaches a thickness of 1 km and is formed of heterogeneous lava packages here divided into four lava formations. Torres Formation (TF) is characterized by chemically more primitive basaltic (> 5 wt% MgO) compound pahoehoe flow fields; these lavas stratigraphically overly aeolian sandstones of Botucatu Formation and represent the onset of the volcanic activity. Vale do Sol Formation (VSF) groups vertically stacked sheet-like rubbly pahoehoe basaltic andesites (SiO2 > 51 wt%; MgO < 5 wt%). These lavas covered the former basalts in the Torres Syncline axis and pinch out towards southwest and represent the most voluminous mafic lava flows. Dacites and rhyolites of Palmas Formation (PF) overlay VSF flows in the central and eastern outcrop area and rest directly upon TF lavas in the west. The acidic units were emplaced as lava domes and widespread tabular lava flows. Esmeralda Formation (EF) is the upper stratigraphic unit and it is formed by a basaltic pahoehoe flow field emplaced during the waning phase of volcanic activity of the low-TiO2 lava sequence. Sedimentary interbeds are preserved throughout the whole lava pile and were deposited during quiescence periods of volcanic activity, and represent important stratigraphic markers (e.g. TF-VSF contact). The newly proposed stratigraphy provides promptly recognized stratigraphic units in a regional framework of fundamental importance for future correlations and provide vital information in the understanding of how the Paraná-Etendeka Igneous Province evolved through time.

Volatile transfer and recycling at convergent margins: Mass-balance and insights from high-P/T metamorphic rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bebout, Gray E.

The efficiency with which volatiles are deeply subducted is governed by devolatilization histories and the geometries and mechanisms of fluid transport deep in subduction zones. Metamorphism along the forearc slab-mantle interface may prevent the deep subduction of many volatile components (e.g., H2O, Cs, B, N, perhaps As, Sb, and U) and result in their transport in fluids toward shallower reservoirs. The release, by devolatilization, and transport of such components toward the seafloor or into the forearc mantle wedge, could in part explain the imbalances between the estimated amounts of subducted volatiles and the amounts returned to Earth's surface. The proportion of the initially subducted volatile component that is retained in rocks subducted to depths greater than those beneath magmatic arcs (>100 km) is largely unknown, complicating assessments of deep mantle volatile budgets. Isotopic and trace element data and volatile contents for the Catalina Schist, the Franciscan Complex, and eclogite-facies complexes in the Alps (and elsewhere) provide insight into the nature and magnitude of fluid production and transport deep in subduction zones and into the possible effects of metamorphism on the compositions of subducting rocks. Compatibilities of the compositions of the subduction-related rocks and fluids with the isotopic and trace element compositions of various mantle-derived materials (igneous rocks, xenoliths, serpentinite seamounts) indicate the potential to trace the recycling of rock and fluid reservoirs chemically and isotopically fractionated during subduction-zone metamorphism.

Formation of Intermediate Plutonic Rocks by Magma Mixing: the Shoshonite Suite of Timna, Southern Israel.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, S.; Katzir, Y.

2017-12-01

In magmatic series considered to form by crystal fractionation intermediate rocks are usually much less abundant than expected. Yet, intermediate plutonic rocks, predominantly monzodiorites, are very abundant in the Neoproterozoic Timna igneous complex, S. Israel. A previously unnoticed plutonic shoshonitic suite was recently defined and mapped in Timna (Litvinovsky et al., 2015). It mostly comprises intermediate rocks in a seemingly 'continuous' trend from monzodiorite through monzonite to quartz syenite. Macroscale textures including gradational boundaries of mafic and felsic rocks and MME suggest that magma mixing is central in forming intermediate rocks in Timna. Our petrographic, microtextural and mineral chemistry study delineates the mode of incipient mixing, ultimate mingling and crystal equilibration in hybrid melts. An EMP study of plagioclase from rocks across the suite provides a quantitative evaluation of textures indicative of magma mixing/mingling, including recurrent/patchy zoning, Ca spike, boxy/sponge cellular texture and anti-Rapakivi texture. Each texture has an affinity to a particular mixing region. A modal count of these textures leads to a kinetic mixing model involving multi temporal and spatial scales necessary to form the hybrid intermediate rocks. A `shell'-like model for varying degrees of mixing is developed with the more intensive mixing at the core and more abundant felsic and mafic end-members towards the outer layer. REE patterns in zircon shows that it originated from both mafic and felsic parent melts. Whole rock Fe vs Sr plot suggests a two-stage mixing between the monzogabbro and quartz-syenite producing first mesocratic syenite, and subsequent mixing with a fractionating monzogabbro resulting in monzonitic compositions. A fractionating monzogabbro intruded into a syenitic melt sequentially. While slowly cooling, the monzogabbro heated the immediate syenitic melt, lowering the viscosity and rheological obstruction to overturn

Igneous and Sedimentary Compositions from Four Landing Sites on Mars from the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gellert, R.; Arvidson, R. E.; Clark, B. C.; Ming, D. W.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Morris, R. W.; Squyres, S. W.; VanBommel, S.; Yen, A. S.

2016-01-01

The APXS - supported and promoted strongly by Heinrich Waenke - on all four Mars Rovers has returned compositional data from about 1000 rocks and soil targets along the combined traverses of over 60 kilometers. Providing precise and accurate bulk chemistry with typically 16 quantified elements, the APXS is a powerful and versatile tool that when combined with the ability to traverse to key rocks and soils has provided critical information needed to understand the geologic evolution of Mars. APXS data allow comparisons among landing sites, provide ground truth for orbiters and connections back to SNC meteorites. The soils and dust are basaltic in character and represent the average Mars composition similar to Adirondack basalts from Gusev crater but with unambiguous elevated and correlated S, Cl and Zn contents. At all four landing sites the APXS found several rocks with a felsic composition. The similarity is best assessed in a logarithmic ratio plot of rock normalized to the average soil composition (Fig.1). High alkaline, Al, and low Mg, Fe, low S, Cl and Ni, Zn as well as an Fe/Mn ratio of approximately 50 indicate a likely unaltered and igneous origin. Sediments, e.g. the Burns formation, with approximately 25 wt% SO3 at Meridiani Planum have been documented over 10s of kilometers (Fig. 2). This formation is compositionally homogeneous, but showing the removal of MgSO4 and a threefold increase in Cl downhill in 2 craters. The degraded rim of the Noachian crater Endeavour resembles average Mars crust, with local Ca, Mg and Fe sulfate alteration and elevated Mn, some felsic rocks, and high Al, Si and low Fe rocks, possibly indicating clays. Unusual soils at Gusev crater in the area surrounding Home Plate include some very rich in ferric sulfate salts (up to 35 wt% SO3) and some with 90% wt% SiO2, possibly indicating fumerolic activities. Rocks in the Columbia Hills show significant signs of alteration including elevated S, Cl and Br in the abraded interior. At

Utilization of advanced calibration techniques in stochastic rock fall analysis of quarry slopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preh, Alexander; Ahmadabadi, Morteza; Kolenprat, Bernd

2016-04-01

In order to study rock fall dynamics, a research project was conducted by the Vienna University of Technology and the Austrian Central Labour Inspectorate (Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection). A part of this project included 277 full-scale drop tests at three different quarries in Austria and recording key parameters of the rock fall trajectories. The tests involved a total of 277 boulders ranging from 0.18 to 1.8 m in diameter and from 0.009 to 8.1 Mg in mass. The geology of these sites included strong rock belonging to igneous, metamorphic and volcanic types. In this paper the results of the tests are used for calibration and validation a new stochastic computer model. It is demonstrated that the error of the model (i.e. the difference between observed and simulated results) has a lognormal distribution. Selecting two parameters, advanced calibration techniques including Markov Chain Monte Carlo Technique, Maximum Likelihood and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) are utilized to minimize the error. Validation of the model based on the cross validation technique reveals that in general, reasonable stochastic approximations of the rock fall trajectories are obtained in all dimensions, including runout, bounce heights and velocities. The approximations are compared to the measured data in terms of median, 95% and maximum values. The results of the comparisons indicate that approximate first-order predictions, using a single set of input parameters, are possible and can be used to aid practical hazard and risk assessment.

Rock-Bound Arsenic Influences Ground Water and Sediment Chemistry Throughout New England

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Gilpin R.; Ayotte, Joseph D.

2007-01-01

The information in this report was presented at the Northeastern Region Geological Society of America meeting held March 11-14, 2007, in Durham, New Hampshire. In the New England crystalline bedrock aquifer, concentrations of arsenic that exceed the drinking water standard of 10 ?g/L occur most frequently in ground water from wells sited in specific metamorphic and igneous rock units. Geochemical investigations indicate that these geologic units typically have moderately elevated whole-rock concentrations of arsenic compared to other rocks in the region. The distribution of ground water wells with As > 5 ?g/L has a strong spatial correlation with specific bedrock units where average whole-rock concentrations of arsenic exceed 1.1 mg/kg and where geologic and geochemical factors produce high pH ground water. Arsenic concentrations in stream sediments collected from small drainages reflect the regional distribution of this natural arsenic source and have a strong correlation with both rock chemistry and the distribution of bedrock units with elevated arsenic chemistry. The distribution of ground water wells with As > 5 ?g/L has a strong spatial correlation with the distribution of stream sediments where concentrations of arsenic exceed 6 mg/kg. Stream sediment chemistry also has a weak correlation with the distribution of agricultural lands where arsenical pesticides were used on apple, blueberry, and potato crops. Elevated arsenic concentrations in bedrock wells, however, do not correlate with agricultural areas where arsenical pesticides were used. These results indicate that both stream sediment chemistry and the solubility and mobility of arsenic in ground water in bedrock are influenced by host-rock arsenic concentrations. Stream sediment chemistry and the distribution of geologic units have been found to be useful parameters to predict the areas of greatest concern for elevated arsenic in ground water and to estimate the likely levels of human exposure to

Radon (222Rn) in ground water of fractured rocks: A diffusion/ion exchange model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, W.W.; Kraemer, T.F.; Shapiro, A.

2004-01-01

Ground waters from fractured igneous and high-grade sialic metamorphic rocks frequently have elevated activity of dissolved radon (222Rn). A chemically based model is proposed whereby radium (226Ra) from the decay of uranium (238U) diffuses through the primary porosity of the rock to the water-transmitting fracture where it is sorbed on weathering products. Sorption of 226Ra on the fracture surface maintains an activity gradient in the rock matrix, ensuring a continuous supply of 226Ra to fracture surfaces. As a result of the relatively long half-life of 226Ra (1601 years), significant activity can accumulate on fracture surfaces. The proximity of this sorbed 226Ra to the active ground water flow system allows its decay progeny 222Rn to enter directly into the water. Laboratory analyses of primary porosity and diffusion coefficients of the rock matrix, radon emanation, and ion exchange at fracture surfaces are consistent with the requirements of a diffusion/ion- exchange model. A dipole-brine injection/withdrawal experiment conducted between bedrock boreholes in the high-grade metamorphic and granite rocks at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States (42??56???N, 71??43???W) shows a large activity of 226Ra exchanged from fracture surfaces by a magnesium brine. The 226Ra activity removed by the exchange process is 34 times greater than that of 238U activity. These observations are consistent with the diffusion/ion-exchange model. Elutriate isotopic ratios of 223Ra/226Ra and 238U/226Ra are also consistent with the proposed chemically based diffusion/ion-exchange model.

Mineral Composition and Abundance of the Rocks and Soils at Gusev and Meridiani from the Mars Exploration Rover Mini-TES Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christensen, P. R.; Wyatt, M. B.; Glotch, T. D.; Rogers, A. D.; Anwar, S.; Arvidson, R. E.; Bandfield, J. L.; Blaney, D. L.; Budney, C.; Calvin, W. M.

2005-01-01

The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) has provided remote measurements of mineralogy, thermophysical properties, and atmospheric temperature profile and composition of the outcrops, rocks, spherules, and soils surrounding the Spirit and Opportunity Rovers. The mineralogy of volcanic rocks provides insights into the composition of the source regions and the nature of martian igneous processes. Carbonates, sulfates, evaporites, and oxides provide information on the role of water in the surface evolution. Oxides, such as crystalline hematite, provide insight into aqueous weathering processes, as would the occurrence of clay minerals and other weathering products. Diurnal temperature measurements can be used to determine particle size and search for the effects of sub-surface layering, which in turn provide clues to the origin of surficial materials through rock disintegration, aeolian transport, atmospheric fallout, or induration. In addition to studying the surface properties, Mini-TES spectra have also been used to determine the temperature profile in the lower boundary layer, providing evidence for convective activity, and have determined the seasonal trends in atmospheric temperature and dust and cloud opacity.

Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility of Silicic Rocks From Quarries in the Vicinity of São Marcos, Rio Grande Do Sul, South Brazil: Implications for Emplacement Mechanisms.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canon-Tapia, E.; Raposo, M. I. B.

2017-12-01

The Paraná-Etendeka Large Igneous Province includes felsic volcanic rocks whose mechanism of emplacement and location of their eruptive sources are controversial. Opening of several quarries of dimension stone near the city of Sao Marcos, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, offers a unique opportunity to study in detail some of those products. Here, we present the results of a study of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) completed in some rocks that had been interpreted as the roots of volcanic conduits. Our results, and reexamination of the textural features of the rocks, lead to a reinterpretation that suggests that these rocks were emplaced subaerially, and involved assimilation and remelting of clastic components of previous lavas. The extremely high eruption temperatures of the lavas promoted the development of peperite-like textures and mixing patterns similar to those observed in plutonic environments. Due to the inferred conditions of emplacement, it is unlikely that the eruptive vents are located far from the area of study, therefore ruling out the long-travelled nature of these products.

Geology of Precambrian rocks and isotope geochemistry of shear zones in the Big Narrows area, northern Front Range, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abbott, Jeffrey T.

1970-01-01

Rocks within the Big Narrows and Poudre Park quadrangles located in the northern Front Range of Colorado are Precambrian metasedimentary and metaigneous schists and gneisses and plutonic igneous rocks. These are locally mantled by extensive late Tertiary and Quaternary fluvial gravels. The southern boundary of the Log Cabin batholith lies within the area studied. A detailed chronology of polyphase deformation, metamorphism and plutonism has been established. Early isoclinal folding (F1) was followed by a major period of plastic deformation (F2), sillimanite-microcline grade regional metamorphism, migmatization and synkinematic Boulder Creek granodiorite plutonism (1.7 b.y.). Macroscopic doubly plunging antiformal and synformal structures were developed. P-T conditions at the peak of metamorphism were probably about 670?C and 4.5 Kb. Water pressures may locally have differed from load pressures. The 1.4 b.y. Silver Plume granite plutonism was post kinematic and on the basis of petrographic and field criteria can be divided into three facies. Emplacement was by forcible injection and assimilation. Microscopic and mesoscopic folds which postdate the formation of the characteristic mineral phases during the 1.7 b.y. metamorphism are correlated with the emplacement of the Silver Plume Log Cabin batholith. Extensive retrograde metamorphism was associated with this event. A major period of mylonitization postdates Silver Plume plutonism and produced large E-W and NE trending shear zones. A detailed study of the Rb/Sr isotope geochemistry of the layered mylonites demonstrated that the mylonitization and associated re- crystallization homogenized the Rb87/Sr 86 ratios. Whole-rock dating techniques applied to the layered mylonites indicate a probable age of 1.2 b.y. Petrographic studies suggest that the mylonitization-recrystallization process produced hornfels facies assemblages in the adjacent metasediments. Minor Laramide faulting, mineralization and igneous activity

A thermal emission spectral library of rock-forming minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christensen, Philip R.; Bandfield, Joshua L.; Hamilton, Victoria E.; Howard, Douglas A.; Lane, Melissa D.; Piatek, Jennifer L.; Ruff, Steven W.; Stefanov, William L.

2000-04-01

A library of thermal infrared spectra of silicate, carbonate, sulfate, phosphate, halide, and oxide minerals has been prepared for comparison to spectra obtained from planetary and Earth-orbiting spacecraft, airborne instruments, and laboratory measurements. The emphasis in developing this library has been to obtain pure samples of specific minerals. All samples were hand processed and analyzed for composition and purity. The majority are 710-1000 μm particle size fractions, chosen to minimize particle size effects. Spectral acquisition follows a method described previously, and emissivity is determined to within 2% in most cases. Each mineral spectrum is accompanied by descriptive information in database form including compositional information, sample quality, and a comments field to describe special circumstances and unique conditions. More than 150 samples were selected to include the common rock-forming minerals with an emphasis on igneous and sedimentary minerals. This library is available in digital form and will be expanded as new, well-characterized samples are acquired.

Exploration of the enhanced geothermal system (EGS) potential of crystalline rocks for district heating (Elbe Zone, Saxony, Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Förster, Andrea; Förster, Hans-Jürgen; Krentz, Ottomar

2018-01-01

This paper addresses aspects of a baseline geothermal exploration of the thermally quiescent Elbe Zone (hosting the cities of Meissen and Dresden) for a potential deployment of geothermal heat in municipal heating systems. Low-permeable to impermeable igneous and metamorphic rocks constitute the major rock types at depth, implying that an enhanced geothermal system needs to be developed by creating artificial flow paths for fluids to enhance the heat extraction from the subsurface. The study includes the development of geological models for two areas on the basis of which temperature models are generated at upper crustal scale. The models are parameterized with laboratory-measured rock thermal properties (thermal conductivity k, radiogenic heat production H). The uncertainties of modelled temperature caused by observed variations of k and H and inferred mantle heat flow are assessed. The study delineates highest temperatures within the intermediate (monzonite/syenite unit) and mafic rocks (diorite/monzodiorite unit) forming the deeper portions of the Meissen Massif and, specifically for the Dresden area, also within the low-metamorphic rocks (slates/phyllites/quartzites) of the Elbtalschiefergebirge. Boreholes 3-4 km deep need to be drilled to reach the envisioned economically favourable temperatures of 120 °C. The metamorphic and mafic rocks exhibit low concentrations of U and Th, thus being advantageous for a geothermal use. For the monzonite/syenite unit of high heat production ( 6 µW m-3) in the Meissen Massif, the mobilization of Th and U into the geothermal working fluid is assumed to be minor, although their various radioactive decay products will be omnipresent during geothermal use.

Whole Rock and Mineral Chemistry from the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chau, K. X.; Draper, G.; Sen, G.

2014-12-01

The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) was a large igneous province (LIP) emplaced approximately 200 million years ago during the rifting of Pangaea, shortly before the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. Although a comparatively small amount of the original province remains today, the locations of the existing outcrops on four continents (North America, South America, Africa, and Europe) show the extensive reach of igneous activity and indicate that the CAMP was likely one of the biggest LIPs known. Because of the geologic and global significance of this episode, a knowledge of the conditions that generated and emplaced such a large volume of magma would help better understand mantle and tectonic processes. In this study, we compare whole rock and mineral chemistry data from three of the North American outcrops: the Palisades Sill of the Newark Basin in eastern New York and New Jersey, the Centreville Sheet of the Culpeper Basin in northern Virginia, and the York Haven pluton of the Gettysburg Basin in southeastern Pennsylvania. The diabases are quartz-normative theoleiites; their chemistries are indicate high degrees of internal differentiation and thermal disequilbirum, consistent with magma bodies cooling as a closed or near-closed system. The trace element data shows that, although there is evidence to support a deep mantle source for CAMP melts, there is also a shallower component influencing the chemistries of the samples. We interpret this as the signal of an ancient subducted slab through which CAMP melts passed.

Did volcanic activity of the Emeishan large igneous province expand in Wuchiapingian times?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagherpour, Borhan; Bucher, Hugo; Yuan, Dong-Xun; Shen, Shu-zhong; Leu, Marc; Zhang, Chao

2017-04-01

Emplacement of the Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP) in the Capitanian (Middle Permian) is associated with several environmental changes (e.g. facies change, carbon cycle perturbation and temperature rise) across the Guadalupian-Lopingian (G-L) interval in South China. However, most of the reported changes are within the Capitanian stage or close to the G-L boundary. Here, we report an episode of drastic environmental changes from the Pingtang syncline (S. Guizhou) that is similar with the previously known ones but which is significantly younger. The studied section represents a protracted and stepwise facies change from a benthos rich, thick-bedded and light grey shallow water limestone (Unit A) to a 30 m-thick unit with thin-bedded dark (OM-rich) radiolarian-spiculitic facies (Unit B). The latter is overlain by an 8 m-thick unit of volcaniclastic sandstone and silts defining a succession of decimetric, cyclic and thinning upward layers (Unit C). The base of the overlying medium-bedded limestone unit (Unit D) contain radiolarian and sponge spicules whose abundance progressively decrease up section with a progressive replacement by abundant benthic faunas concomitant with the transition to thick bedded limestone. A total of five conodont index species (assigned to Clarkina) of early Wuchiapingian age were recognized from Unit A and Unit B. The observed facies transition from Unit A to Unit B indicates a drastic drowning event. Unit C represents a distal turbiditic succession and the overlying Unit D shows an upward shallowing trend back to the initial shallow marine condition. Compilation of sedimentary records across G-L in South China reveals that such drowning events tend to cluster within three discrete time intervals. The drowning events may or may not end with deposition of either volcanics or volcaniclastics. Two first clusters display drowning events overlain by ELIP volcanic rocks or volcaniclastics of ELIP origin and are of Capitanian age. Only the

Early Cretaceous high-Ti and low-Ti mafic magmatism in Southeastern Tibet: Insights into magmatic evolution of the Comei Large Igneous Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yaying; Zeng, Lingsen; Asimow, Paul D.; Gao, Li-E.; Ma, Chi; Antoshechkina, Paula M.; Guo, Chunli; Hou, Kejun; Tang, Suohan

2018-01-01

The Dala diabase intrusion, at the southeastern margin of the Yardoi gneiss dome, is located within the outcrop area of the 132 Ma Comei Large Igneous Province (LIP), the result of initial activity of the Kerguelen plume. We present new zircon U-Pb geochronology results to show that the Dala diabase was emplaced at 132 Ma and geochemical data (whole-rock element and Sr-Nd isotope ratios, zircon Hf isotopes and Fe-Ti oxide mineral chemistry) to confirm that the Dala diabase intrusion is part of the Comei LIP. The Dala diabase can be divided into a high-Mg/low-Ti series and a low-Mg/high-Ti series. The high-Mg/low-Ti series represents more primitive mafic magma compositions that we demonstrate are parental to the low-Mg/high-Ti series. Fractionation of olivine and clinopyroxene, followed by plagioclase within the low-Mg series, lead to systematic changes in concentrations of mantle compatible elements (Cr, Co, Ni, and V), REEs, HFSEs, and major elements such as Ti and P. Some Dala samples from the low-Mg/high-Ti series contain large ilmenite clusters and show extreme enrichment of Ti with elevated Ti/Y ratios, likely due to settling and accumulation of ilmenite during the magma chamber evolution. However, most samples from throughout the Comei LIP follow the Ti-evolution trend of the typical liquid line of descent (LLD) of primary OIB compositions, showing strong evidence of control of Ti contents by differentiation processes. In many other localities, however, primitive magmas are absent and observed Ti contents of evolved magmas cannot be quantitatively related to source processes. Careful examination of the petrogenetic relationship between co-existing low-Ti and high-Ti mafic rocks is essential to using observed rock chemistry to infer source composition, location, and degree of melting.

Mantle sources and magma evolution of the Rooiberg lavas, Bushveld Large Igneous Province, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Günther, T.; Haase, K. M.; Klemd, R.; Teschner, C.

2018-06-01

We report a new whole-rock dataset of major and trace element abundances and 87Sr/86Sr-143Nd/144Nd isotope ratios for basaltic to rhyolitic lavas from the Rooiberg continental large igneous province (LIP). The formation of the Paleoproterozoic Rooiberg Group is contemporaneous with and spatially related to the layered intrusion of the Bushveld Complex, which stratigraphically separates the volcanic succession. Our new data confirm the presence of low- and high-Ti mafic and intermediate lavas (basaltic—andesitic compositions) with > 4 wt% MgO, as well as evolved rocks (andesitic—rhyolitic compositions), characterized by MgO contents of < 4 wt%. The high- and low-Ti basaltic lavas have different incompatible trace element ratios (e.g. (La/Sm)N, Nb/Y and Ti/Y), indicating a different petrogenesis. MELTS modelling shows that the evolved lavas are formed by fractional crystallization from the mafic low-Ti lavas at low-to-moderate pressures ( 4 kbar). Primitive mantle-normalized trace element patterns of the Rooiberg rocks show an enrichment of large ion lithophile elements (LILE), rare-earth elements (REE) and pronounced negative anomalies of Nb, Ta, P, Ti and a positive Pb anomaly. Unaltered Rooiberg lavas have negative ɛNdi (- 5.2 to - 9.4) and radiogenic ɛSri (6.6 to 105) ratios (at 2061 Ma). These data overlap with isotope and trace element compositions of purported parental melts to the Bushveld Complex, especially for the lower zone. We suggest that the Rooiberg suite originated from a source similar to the composition of the B1-magma suggested as parental to the Bushveld Lower Zone, or that the lavas represent eruptive successions of fractional crystallization products related to the ultramafic cumulates that were forming at depth. The Rooiberg magmas may have formed by 10-20% crustal assimilation by the fractionation of a very primitive mantle-derived melt within the upper crust of the Kaapvaal Craton. Alternatively, the magmas represent mixtures of melts

Publications - PDF 97-29I | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

igneous rocks of the Tanana B-1 Quadrangle and vicinity Authors: Newberry, R.J., and Haug, S.A , and Sr isotopic data for igneous rocks of the Tanana B-1 Quadrangle and vicinity: Alaska Division of ; Isotopes; Plutonic; STATEMAP Project; Trace Elements; Volcanic Top of Page Department of Natural Resources

Workshop on Evolution of Igneous Asteroids: Focus on Vesta and the HED Meteorites. Pt. 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittlefehldt, David W. (Editor); Papike, James J. (Editor)

1996-01-01

This volume contains abstracts of papers that have been accepted for presentation at the Workshop on Evolution of Igneous Asteroids: Focus on Vesta and the HED Meteorites, October 16-18, 1996, in Houston, Texas.

FeO and MgO in plagioclase of lunar anorthosites: Igneous or metamorphic?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phinney, W. C.

1994-01-01

The combined evidence from terrestrial anorthosites and experimental laboratory studies strongly implies that lunar anorthosites have been subjected to high-grade metamorphic events that have erased the igneous signatures of FeO and MgO in their plagioclases. Arguments to the contrary have, to this point, been more hopeful than rigorous.

Stable isotope studies of metasomatic Ca-Fe-Al-Si skarns and associated metamorphic and igneous rocks, Osgood Mountains, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, B.E.; O'Neil, J.R.

1977-01-01

Garnet-pyroxene skarns were formed 90 m.y. B.P. in the Osgood Mountains at or near contacts of grandiorite with calcareous rocks of the Cambrian Preble Formation. The metasomatic replacement followed contact metamorphic recrystallization of the Preble. The sources, temperature, and variation in H2O/CO2 ratios of the metasomatic fluid are interpreted from 269 analyses of oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur isotopes in whole rocks, minerals and inclusion fluids. Skarns formed in three mineralogical stages. Oxygen isotope data indicate that temperatures during the crystallization of garnet, pyroxene and wollastonite (Stage I) were least 550 ?? C, and that the metasomatic fluid had an {Mathematical expression} ??? 0.035 in the massive skarns, and ??? 0.12 in vein skarns up to 3 cm thick. Pore fluids in isotopic equilibrium with garnet in calc-silicate metamorphic rocks, on the other hand, had {Mathematical expression} ??? 0.15. The metasomatic fluids of Stage I were derived primarily from the crystallizing magma. The isotopic composition of magmatic water was ??18O =+9.0, ??D= -30 to -45. Oxygen isotope temperatures of greater than 620 ?? C were determined for the granodiorite. Isotopic and chemical equilibria between mineral surfaces and the metasomatic fluid were approached simultaneously in parts of the skarn several meters or more apart, while isotopic and chemical disequilibria (i.e. zoning) have been preserved between 20 to 40 ??m-thick zones in grandite garnet. More Fe-, or andradite-rich garnet crystallized in more H2O-rich C-O-H fluids ( {Mathematical expression} ??? 0.01) than present with grossularite-rich garnet ( {Mathematical expression}??? 0.035). Stage II was marked by the replacement of garnet and pyroxene by quartz, amphibole, plagioclase, epidote, magnetite, and calcite. Many of the replacement reactions took place over a relatively narrow range in temperature (480-550 ?? C), as indicated by 18O fractionations between quartz and amphibole. Meteoric

Rock Magnetism: Successes and Mysteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunlop, D. J.

2011-12-01

Louis Néel once proposed making ships "invisible" (i.e., magnetically undetectable) by giving them a permanent or remanent magnetism that would cancel the signal induced by the Earth's magnetic field. Like much of rock magnetism, this borders on the magical. Rocks possess a magnetic memory that verges on the phenomenal. An adequate magnetic lifetime for your credit card is until its expiry date and one must avoid exposure to magnetic fields and heat. But a rock's magnetic memory is forever, and the recipe for that durability includes, for igneous and metamorphic rocks, exposure to ancient fields while hot - near the Curie temperature in fact. The thermal remanent magnetism (TRM) thus produced is largely immune to later field changes at lower temperatures although luckily a fraction - a partial TRM overprint - does record later heating events, e.g., burial during major orogenies. When we lift the veil and look closely, on a microscale or nanoscale, it is perplexing to understand why paleomagnetism works so well when rocks seemingly contain so few of Néel's ideal recorders: single-domain grains with tightly coupled atomic spins. In larger grains with multiple domains, the walls between neighbouring domains move readily, like dislocations in crystals, enlarging some domains at the expense of others. This mutability makes any magnetic memory of multi-domain grains suspect. But around the threshold between single-domain and multi-domain structures - a specific grain size that varies widely from one magnetic mineral to another - there are recent predictions and observations of novel structures, including linked magnetic moments of nearby grains and interfacial moments of exsolved phases, that could go some way towards explaining why single-domain-like behaviour is so widespread. Many magnetic properties show an almost continuous variation with grain size, quite unlike the expected discontinuity at the single-domain threshold. Among these is initial susceptibility which

Microstructural evidence of melting in crustal rocks (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holness, M. B.; Cesare, B.; Sawyer, E. W.

2010-12-01

The signature of the former presence of melt on a microscopic scale is highly variable, subject to modification both during the melting event and during its subsequent history. Static pyrometamorphism results in melt films on grain boundaries between reactant phases. If a volume increase is involved, melting results in hydrofracture. On a longer timescale, as demonstrated by fragments of the crustal source in lava flows at El Hoyazo (SE Spain), melt occurs throughout the rock. These examples are highly unusual: the great majority of rocks that underwent melting cooled more slowly, permitting microstructural modification driven by a combination of textural equilibration, reaction and deformation. In the absence of deformation, and at constant temperature, melt-bearing rocks approach textural equilibrium, characterised by uniform grain size, smoothly curved grain boundaries and the establishment at all three-grain junctions of the equilibrium dihedral angle. The dihedral angle controls melt connectivity, with consequences for melt mobility and rock rheology. However, deformation is the rule rather than the exception in regional metamorphic terrains with profound effects on melt distribution. If deformation occurs predominantly by diffusive processes, textural equilibration can keep pace. At higher deformation rates melt is squeezed into planar pockets aligned parallel to the shearing direction or perpendicular to the extensional stress. Microstructures formed during solidification are controlled by cooling rate, H2O, and the size of the melt pockets. Large pockets solidify to look like igneous rocks. In small pores the supersaturation required for crystal growth is high and melt persist to lower temperatures, even being preserved as tiny glassy inclusions (“nanogranites”) in regional terranes. The pore size effect changes crystallization order, resulting in small, highly cuspate grains on grain boundaries with low dihedral angles. Crystallisation microstructures

LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb and muscovite K-Ar ages of basement rocks from the south arm of Sulawesi, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaya, Asri; Nishikawa, Osamu; Hayasaka, Yasutaka

2017-11-01

The zircon U-Pb and muscovite K-Ar age from the Bantimala, Barru and Biru basement complexes in the South Arm of Sulawesi, Indonesia provide new information regarding the timing of magmatism, metamorphism and sedimentation in this region and have implications for the origin and evolution of the study area. The study area is at the juncture between the southeast margin of Sundaland and Bird's Head-Australia. The age of both the zircon U-Pb of detrital materials in the Bantimala Complex and the muscovite K-Ar of amphibolite in the Biru Complex fall in the Late Early Cretaceous (between 109 and 115 Ma), which is a similar age range to previous data for both the sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. The youngest detrital zircon in the schist samples from the Barru Complex fall into the Triassic in age (between 243 and 247 Ma). These age data indicate that the protolith of all three basement complexes were involved in the subduction system and metamorphosed in the late Early Cretaceous, but there are several differences in their deposition environment under and out of the influence of the late Early Cretaceous magmatism in the Bantimala and Barru Complexes, respectively. Felsic igneous activities are confirmed in the Late Cretaceous and the Eocene by the zircon U-Pb age of igneous rocks intruding or included as detrital fragments in three basement complexes. These dates are similar to those reported from the Meratus Complex of South Kalimantan. The detrital zircon age distributions of the basement rocks in the South Arm of Sulawesi display predominant Mesozoic (Cretaceous and Triassic) and Paleozoic populations with a small population of Proterozoic ages supporting the hypothesis that the West Sulawesi block originated from the region of the circum Bird's Head-Australian, namely the Inner Banda block. The absence of Jurassic zircon age population in the South Arm of Sulawesi suggests the division of the South Arm of Sulawesi from the Inner Banda block in early stage of

Germanium Enrichments in Sedimentary Rocks in Gale Crater, Mars: Constraining the Timing of Alteration and Character of the Protolith

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berger, J. A.; Schmidt, M. E.; Gellert, R.; Campbell, J. L.; Boyd, N. I.; Elliott, B. E.; Fisk, M. R.; King, P. L.; Ming, D. W.; Perrett, G. M.;

Petrochemistry of Mafic Rocks Within the Northern Cache Creek Terrane, NW British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

English, J. M.; Johnston, S. T.; Mihalynuk, M. G.

2002-12-01

The Cache Creek terrane is a belt of oceanic rocks that extend the length of the Cordillera in British Columbia. Fossil fauna in this belt are exotic with respect to the remainder of the Canadian Cordillera, as they are of equatorial Tethyan affinity, contrasting with coeval faunas in adjacent terranes that show closer linkages with ancestral North America. Preliminary results reported here from geochemical studies of mafic rocks within the Nakina area of NW British Columbia further constrain the origin of this enigmatic terrane. The terrane is typified by tectonically imbricated slices of chert, argillite, limestone, wacke and volcaniclastic rocks, as well as mafic and ultramafic rocks. These lithologies are believed to represent two separate lithotectonic elements: Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic, subduction-related accretionary complexes, and dismembered basement assemblages emplaced during the closure of the Cache Creek ocean in the Middle Jurassic. Petrochemical analysis revealed four distinct mafic igneous assemblages that include: magmatic 'knockers' of the Nimbus serpentinite mélange, metabasalts of 'Blackcaps' Mountain, augite-phyric breccias of 'Laughing Moose' Creek, and volcanic pediments to the reef-forming carbonates of the Horsefeed Formation. Major and trace element analysis classifies the 'Laughing Moose' breccias and the carbonate-associated volcanics as alkaline in nature, whereas the rest are subalkaline. Tectonic discrimination diagrams show that the alkaline rocks are of within-plate affinity, while the 'Blackcaps' basalts and 'knockers' from within the mélange typically straddle the island-arc tholeiite and the mid-ocean ridge boundaries. However, primitive mantle normalized multi-element plots indicate that these subalkaline rocks have pronounced negative Nb anomalies, a characteristic arc signature. The spatial association of alkaline volcanic rocks with extensive carbonate domains points to the existence of seamounts within the Cache

Cretaceous crust beneath SW Borneo: U-Pb dating of zircons from metamorphic and granitic rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, L.; Hall, R.; Armstrong, R.

2012-12-01

Metamorphic basement rocks from SW Borneo are undated but have been suggested to be Palaeozoic. This study shows they record low pressure 'Buchan-type' metamorphism and U-Pb SHRIMP dating of zircons indicates a mid-Cretaceous (volcaniclastic) protolith. SW Borneo is the southeast promontory of Sundaland, the continental core of SE Asia. It has no sedimentary cover and the exposed basement has been widely assumed to be a crustal fragment from the Indochina-China margin. Metamorphic rocks of the Pinoh Group in Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) are intruded by granitoid rocks of Jurassic-Cretaceous age, based on K-Ar dating, suggesting emplacement mainly between 130 and 80 Ma. The Pinoh metamorphic rocks have been described as a suite of pelitic schists, slates, phyllites, and hornfelses, and have not been dated, although they have been correlated with rocks elsewhere in Borneo of supposed Palaeozoic age. Pelitic schists contain biotite, chlorite, cordierite, andalusite, quartz, plagioclase and in some cases high-Mn almandine-rich garnet. Many have a shear fabric associated with biotite and fibrolite intergrowth. Contact metamorphism due to intrusion of the granitoid rocks produced hornfelses with abundant andalusite and cordierite porphyroblasts. Granitoids range from alkali-granite to tonalite and contain abundant hornblende and biotite, with rare white mica. Zircons from granitoid rocks exhibit sector- and concentric- zoning; some have xenocrystic cores mantled by magmatic zircon. There are four important age populations at c. 112, 98, 84 and 84 Ma broadly confirming earlier dating studies. There is a single granite body with a Jurassic age (186 ± 2.3 Ma). Zircons from pelitic metamorphic rocks are typically euhedral, with no evidence of rounding or resorbing of grains; a few preserve volcanic textures. They record older ages than those from igneous rocks; U-Pb ages are Cretaceous with a major population between 134 and 110 Ma. A single sample contains Proterozoic

Meteoritic basalts. Final report, 1986-1989

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Treiman, A.H.

1989-10-01

The objectives were to: explain the abundances of siderophile elements in the SNC meteorite suite, of putative Martian origin; discover the magmatic origins and possibly magma compositions behind the Nakhla meteorite, one of the SNC meteorites; and a re-evaluation of the petrology of Angra dos Reis, a unique meteorite linked to the earliest planetary bodies of the solar nebula. A re-evaluation of its petrography showed that the accepted scenario for its origin, as a cumulate igneous rock, was not consistent with the meteorite's textures (Treiman). More likely is that the meteorite represents a prophyritic igneous rock, originally with magma dominant.more » Studies of the Nakhla meteorite, of possible Martian origin, although difficult, were successful. It became necessary to reject the basic categorization of Nakhla: that is was a cumulate igneous rock. Detailed studies of the chemical zoning of Nakhlas' minerals, coupled with the failure of experimental studies to yield expected results, forced the conclusion that Nakhla is not a cumulate rock in the usual sense: a rock composed of igneous crystals and intercrystal magma. Study of the siderophile element abundances in the SNC meteorite groups involved trying to find reasonable core formation processes and parameters that would reproduce the observed abundances. Modelling was successful, and delimited a range of models which overlap with those reasonable from geophysical constraints.« less

Meteoritic basalts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Treiman, Allan H.

1989-01-01

The objectives were to: explain the abundances of siderophile elements in the SNC meteorite suite, of putative Martian origin; discover the magmatic origins and possibly magma compositions behind the Nakhla meteorite, one of the SNC meteorites; and a re-evaluation of the petrology of Angra dos Reis, a unique meteorite linked to the earliest planetary bodies of the solar nebula. A re-evaluation of its petrography showed that the accepted scenario for its origin, as a cumulate igneous rock, was not consistent with the meteorite's textures (Treiman). More likely is that the meteorite represents a prophyritic igneous rock, originally with magma dominant. Studies of the Nakhla meteorite, of possible Martian origin, although difficult, were successful. It became necessary to reject the basic categorization of Nakhla: that is was a cumulate igneous rock. Detailed studies of the chemical zoning of Nakhlas' minerals, coupled with the failure of experimental studies to yield expected results, forced the conclusion that Nakhla is not a cumulate rock in the usual sense: a rock composed of igneous crystals and intercrystal magma. Study of the siderophile element abundances in the SNC meteorite groups involved trying to find reasonable core formation processes and parameters that would reproduce the observed abundances. Modelling was successful, and delimited a range of models which overlap with those reasonable from geophysical constraints.

Neodymium isotopic study of rare earth element sources and mobility in hydrothermal Fe-oxide (Fe-P-REE) systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gleason, James D.; Marikos, Mark A.; Barton, Mark D.; Johnson, David A.

2000-03-01

Rare earth element (REE)-enriched, igneous-related hydrothermal Fe-oxide hosted (Fe-P-REE) systems from four areas in North America have been analyzed for their neodymium isotopic composition to constrain REE sources and mobility in these systems. The Nd isotopic results evidence a common pattern of REE concentration from igneous sources despite large differences in age (Proterozoic to Tertiary), tectonic setting (subduction vs. intraplate), and magmatic style (mafic vs. felsic). In the Middle Proterozoic St. Francois Mountains terrane of southeastern Missouri, ɛ Nd for Fe-P-REE (apatite, monazite, xenotime) deposits ranges from +3.5 to +5.1, similar to associated felsic to intermediate igneous rocks of the same age (ɛ Nd = +2.6 to +6.2). At the mid-Jurassic Humboldt mafic complex in western Nevada, ɛ Nd for Fe-P-REE (apatite) mineralization varies between +1.1 and +2.4, similar to associated mafic igneous rocks (-1.0 to +3.5). In the nearby Cortez Mountains in central Nevada, mid-Jurassic felsic volcanic and plutonic rocks (ɛ Nd = -2.0 to -4.4) are associated with Fe-P-REE (apatite-monazite) mineralization having similar ɛ Nd (-1.7 to -2.4). At Cerro de Mercado, Durango, Mexico, all assemblages analyzed in this Tertiary rhyolite-hosted Fe oxide deposit have identical isotopic compositions with ɛ Nd = -2.5. These data are consistent with coeval igneous host rocks being the primary source of REE in all four regions, and are inconsistent with a significant contribution of REE from other sources. Interpretations of the origin of these hydrothermal systems and their concomitant REE mobility must account for nonspecialized igneous sources and varied tectonic settings.

Geologic field notes and geochemical analyses of outcrop and drill core from Mesoproterozoic rocks and iron-oxide deposits and prospects of southeast Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Day, Warren C.; Granitto, Matthew

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources/Missouri Geological Survey, undertook a study from 1988 to 1994 on the iron-oxide deposits and their host Mesoproterozoic igneous rocks in southeastern Missouri. The project resulted in an improvement of our understanding of the geologic setting, mode of formation, and the composition of many of the known deposits and prospects and the associated rocks of the St. Francois terrane in Missouri. The goal for this earlier work was to allow the comparison of Missouri iron-oxide deposits in context with other iron oxide-copper ± uranium (IOCG) types of mineral deposits observed globally. The raw geochemical analyses were released originally through the USGS National Geochemical Database (NGDB, http://mrdata.usgs.gov). The data presented herein offers all of the field notes, locations, rock descriptions, and geochemical analyses in a coherent package to facilitate new research efforts in IOCG deposit types. The data are provided in both Microsoft Excel (Version Office 2010) spreadsheet format (*.xlsx) and MS-DOS text formats (*.txt) for ease of use by numerous computer programs.

Analytical, Experimental, and Modelling Studies of Lunar and Terrestrial Rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haskin, Larry A.

1997-01-01

The goal of our research has been to understand the paths and the processes of planetary evolution that produced planetary surface materials as we find them. Most of our work has been on lunar materials and processes. We have done studies that obtain geological knowledge from detailed examination of regolith materials and we have reported implications for future sample-collecting and on-surface robotic sensing missions. Our approach has been to study a suite of materials that we have chosen in order to answer specific geologic questions. We continue this work under NAG5-4172. The foundation of our work has been the study of materials with precise chemical and petrographic analyses, emphasizing analysis for trace chemical elements. We have used quantitative models as tests to account for the chemical compositions and mineralogical properties of the materials in terms of regolith processes and igneous processes. We have done experiments as needed to provide values for geochemical parameters used in the models. Our models take explicitly into account the physical as well as the chemical processes that produced or modified the materials. Our approach to planetary geoscience owes much to our experience in terrestrial geoscience, where samples can be collected in field context and sampling sites revisited if necessary. Through studies of terrestrial analog materials, we have tested our ideas about the origins of lunar materials. We have been mainly concerned with the materials of the lunar highland regolith, their properties, their modes of origin, their provenance, and how to extrapolate from their characteristics to learn about the origin and evolution of the Moon's early igneous crust. From this work a modified model for the Moon's structure and evolution is emerging, one of globally asymmetric differentiation of the crust and mantle to produce a crust consisting mainly of ferroan and magnesian igneous rocks containing on average 70-80% plagioclase, with a large

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of rare-earth elements from carbonatite rocks.

PubMed

Diehl, Lisarb O; Gatiboni, Thais L; Mello, Paola A; Muller, Edson I; Duarte, Fabio A; Flores, Erico M M

2018-01-01

In view of the increasing demand for rare-earth elements (REE) in many areas of high technology, alternative methods for the extraction of these elements have been developed. In this work, a process based on the use of ultrasound for the extraction of REE from carbonatite (an igneous rock) is proposed to avoid the use of concentrated reagents, high temperature and excessive extraction time. In this pioneer work for REE extraction from carbonatite rocks in a preliminary investigation, ultrasonic baths, cup horn systems or ultrasound probes operating at different frequencies and power were evaluated. In addition, the power released to the extraction medium and the ultrasound amplitude were also investigated and the temperature and carbonatite mass/volume of extraction solution ratio were optimized to 70°C and 20mg/mL, respectively. Better extraction efficiencies (82%) were obtained employing an ultrasound probe operating at 20kHz for 15min, ultrasound amplitude of 40% (692Wdm -3 ) and using a diluted extraction solution (3% v/v HNO 3 +2% v/v HCl). It is important to mention that high extraction efficiency was obtained even using a diluted acid mixture and relatively low temperature in comparison to conventional extraction methods for REE. A comparison of results with those obtained by mechanical stirring (500rpm) using the same conditions (time, temperature and extraction solution) was carried out, showing that the use of ultrasound increased the extraction efficiency up to 35%. Therefore, the proposed ultrasound-assisted procedure can be considered as a suitable alternative for high efficiency extraction of REE from carbonatite rocks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toward an understanding of disequilibrium dihedral angles in mafic rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holness, Marian B.; Humphreys, Madeleine C.S.; Sides, Rachel; Helz, Rosalind T.; Tegner, Christian

2012-01-01

The median dihedral angle at clinopyroxene-plagioclase-plagioclase junctions in mafic rocks, Θcpp, is generally lower than equilibrium (109˚ {plus minus} 2˚). Observation of a wide range of mafic bodies demonstrates that previous work on systematic variations of Θcpp is incorrect in several important respects. Firstly, the spatial distribution of plagioclase compositional zoning demonstrates that the final geometry of three-grain junctions, and hence Θcpp, is formed during solidification (the igneous process): sub-solidus textural modification in most dolerites and gabbros, previously thought to be the dominant control on Θcpp, is insignificant. Θcpp is governed by mass transport constraints, the inhibiting effects of small pore size on crystallization, and variation in relative growth rates of pyroxene and plagioclase. During rapid cooling, pyroxene preferentially fills wider pores while the narrower pores remain melt-filled, resulting in an initial value of Θcpp of 78˚, rather than 60˚ which would be expected if all melt-filled pores were filled with pyroxene. Lower cooling rates create a higher initial Θcpp due to changes in relative growth rates of the two minerals at the nascent three-grain junction. Low Θcpp (associated with cuspate clinopyroxene grains at triple junctions) can also be diagnostic of infiltration of previously melt-free rocks by late-stage evolved liquids (the metasomatic process). Modification of Θcpp by sub-solidus textural equilibration (the metamorphic process) is only important for fine-grained mafic rocks such as chilled margins and intra-plutonic chill zones. In coarse-grained gabbros from shallow crustal intrusions the metamorphic process occurs only in the centres of oikocrysts, associated with rounding of chadacrysts.

Crustal Anatexis by Upwelling Mantle Melts in the N.Atlantic Igneous Province: the Isle of Rum, NW Scotland.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hertogen, J.; Meyer, R.; Nicoll, G.; Troll, V. R.; Ellam, R. M.; Emeleus, C. H.

2008-12-01

Crustal anatexis is a common process in the rift-to-drift evolution during continental breakup and the formation of Volcanic Rifted Margins (VRM) systems. 'Early felsic-later mafic' volcanic rock associations on the Continent Ocean Boundary (COB) of the N.Atlantic Ocean have been sampled by ODP drilling on the SE Greenland margin and the the Vøring Plateau (Norwegian Sea). Such associations also occur further inland in the British Paleocene Igneous Province, such as on the Isle of Rum (e.g., Troll et al., Contrib. Min. Petrol., 2004, 147, p.722). Sr and Nd isotope and trace element geochemistry show that the Rum rhyodacites are the products of melting of Lewisian amphibolite gneiss. There are no indications of a melt contribution from Lewisian granulite gneiss. The amphibolite gneiss parent rock had experienced an ancient Cs and Rb loss, possibly during a Caledonian event, which caused 87Sr/86Sr heterogeneity in the crustal source of silicic melts. The dacites and early gabbros of Rum are mixtures of crustal melts and primary mantle melts. Rare Earth Element modelling shows that late stage picritic melts on Rum are close analogues for the parent melts of the Rum Layered Suite, and for the mantle melts that caused crustal anatexis of the Lewisian gneiss. These primary mantle melts have close affinities to MORB whose trace element content varies from slightly depleted to slightly enriched. The 'early felsic-later mafic' volcanic associations from Rum, and from the now drowned seaward dipping wedges on the shelf of SE Greenland and on the Vøring Plateau show geochemical differences that result from variations in the regional crustal composition and the depth at which crustal anatexis took place.

Geologic Mapping in Nogal Peak Quadrangle: Geochemistry, Intrusive Relations and Mineralization in the Sierra Blanca Igneous Complex, New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goff, F.; Kelley, S. A.; Lawrence, J. R.; Cikowski, C. T.; Krier, D. J.; Goff, C. J.; McLemore, V. T.

2011-12-01

Nogal Peak quadrangle is located in the northern Sierra Blanca Igneous Complex (SBIC) and contains most of the White Mountain Wilderness (geologic map is available at http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/maps/geologic/ofgm/details.cfml?Volume=134). The geology of the quad consists of a late Eocene to Oligocene volcanic pile (Sierra Blanca Volcanics, mostly alkali basalt to trachyte) intruded by a multitude of dikes, plugs and three stocks: Rialto, 31.4 Ma (mostly syenite), Three Rivers, ca. 29 to 27 Ma (quartz syenite intruded by subordinate alkali granite), and Bonito Lake, 26.6 Ma (mostly monzonite). Three Rivers stock is partially surrounded by alkali rhyolites that geochemically resemble the alkali granites. The circular shape of the stock and surrounding rhyolites suggests they form the root of a probable caldera. SBIC rocks have compositions typical of those found within the Rocky Mountain alkaline belt and those associated with continental rift zone magmatism. Because the volcanic host rocks are deeply eroded, intrusive relations with the stocks are well exposed. Most contacts at stock margins are near vertical. Roof pendants are common near some contacts and stoped blocks up to 700 m long are found within the Three Rivers stock. Contacts, pendants and stoped blocks generally display some combination of hornfelsing, brecciation, fracturing, faulting and mineralization. Sierra Blanca Volcanics display hydrothermal alteration increasing from argillic in the NW sector of the quad to high-temperature porpylitic near stock margins. Retrograde phyllic alteration occurs within breccia pipes and portions of the stocks. Mineral deposits consist of four types: Placer Au, fissure veins (mostly Ag-Pb-Zn±Au), breccia pipes (Au-Mo-Cu), and porphyry Mo-Cu. A singular pipe on the SW margin of Bonito Lake stock contains sapphire-lazulite-alunite. Although Au has been intermittently mined in the quad since 1865, best production of Au originated around the turn of the last

Geochemistry and mineralogy of the Dotson Zone HREE deposit in the Bokan Mountain peralkaline igneous complex, southeastern Alaska, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, Cliff D.; Lowers, Heather; Adams, David; Robinson, R. James

2017-01-01

The Bokan Mountain igneous complex (BMIC) is a typical example of a peralkaline intrusive system that has evolved to the point of developing late stage HFSE- and REE-rich silicic pegmatites and dikes. The Dotson Zone comprises a series of felsic dikes that extend from the southeast margin of the composite pluton and may represent an important resource of critical HREEs. Petrographically, the primary igneous mineral assemblage is altered by late-igneous and hydrothermal fluids resulting in redistribution and enrichment of REEs. An area of flexure in the southeastern end of the Dotson Zone was the primary locus of enrichment as shown by the pervasive alteration and consistently high REE+Y values. We favor a model in which the dikes were emplaced concurrently with the marginal intrusions, and then altered during emplacement of the inner, main intrusion in a relatively rapid series of overlapping intrusive and late magmatic fluid-high temperature hydrothermal events as the complex cooled. A much later sodic intrusive event focused on the BMIC may have resulted in additional silica-Na-Zr-rich alteration in proximity to the pluton.

Isotopic and trace element compositions of upper mantle and lower crustal xenoliths, Cima volcanic field, California: Implications for evolution of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mukasa, S.B.; Wilshire, H.G.

1997-01-01

Ultramafic and mafic xenoliths from the Cima volcanic field, southern California, provide evidence of episodic modification of the upper mantle and underplating of the crust beneath a portion of the southern Basin and Range province. The upper mantle xenoliths include spinel peridotite and anhydrous and hydrous pyroxenite, some cut by igneous-textured pyroxenite-gabbro veins and dikes and some by veins of amphibole ?? plagioclase. Igneous-textured pyroxenites and gabbros like the dike rocks also occur abundantly as isolated xenoliths inferred to represent underplated crust. Mineral and whole rock trace element compositions among and within the different groups of xenoliths are highly variable, reflecting multiple processes that include magma-mantle wall rock reactions, episodic intrusion and it filtration of basaltic melts of varied sources into the mantle wall rock, and fractionation. Nd, Sr, and Pb isotopic compositions mostly of clinopyroxene and plagioclase mineral separates show distinct differences between mantle xenoliths (??Nd = -5.7 to +3.4; 87Sr/86Sr = 0.7051 - 0.7073; 206Pb/204Pb = 19.045 - 19.195) and the igneous-textured xenoliths (??Nd = +7.7 to +11.7; 87Sr/86Sr = 0.7027 - 0.7036 with one carbonate-affected outlier at 0.7054; and 206Pb/204Pb = 18.751 - 19.068), so that they cannot be related. The igneous-textured pyroxenites and gabbros are similar in their isotopic compositions to the host basaltic rocks, which have ??Nd of+5.1 to +9.3; 87Sr/86Sr of 0.7028 - 0.7050, and 206Pb/204Pb of 18.685 - 21.050. The igneous-textured pyroxenites and gabbros are therefore inferred to be related to the host rocks as earlier cogenetic intrusions in the mantle and in the lower crust. Two samples of peridotite, one modally metasomatized by amphibole and the other by plagioclase, have isotopic compositions intermediate between the igneous-textured xenoliths and the mantle rock, suggesting mixing, but also derivation of the metasomatizing magmas from two separate and

The Edwardsburg Formation and related rocks, Windermere Supergroup, central Idaho, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lund, Karen; Aleinikoff, John N.; Evans, Karl V.

2011-01-01

In central Idaho, Neoproterozoic stratified rocks are engulfed by the Late Cretaceous Idaho batholith and by Eocene volcanic and plutonic rocks of the Challis event. Studied sections in the Gospel Peaks and Big Creek areas of west-central Idaho are in roof pendants of the Idaho batholith. A drill core section studied from near Challis, east-central Idaho, lies beneath the Challis Volcanic Group and is not exposed at the surface. Metamorphic and deformational overprinting, as well as widespread dismembering by the younger igneous rocks, conceals many primary details. Despite this, these rocks provide important links for regional correlations and have produced critical geochronological data for two Neoproterozoic glacial periods in the North American Cordillera. At the base of the section, the more than 700-m-thick Edwardsburg Formation (Fm.) contains interlayered diamictite and volcanic rocks. There are two diamictite-bearing members in the Edwardsburg Fm. that are closely related in time. Each of the diamictites is associated with intermediate composition tuff or flow rocks and the diamictites are separated by mafic volcanic rocks. SHRIMP U–Pb dating indicates that the lower diamictite is about 685±7 Ma, whereas the upper diamictite is 684±4 Ma. The diamictite units are part of a cycle of rocks from coarse clastic, to fine clastic, to carbonate rocks that, by correlation to better preserved sections, are thought to record an older Cryogenian glacial to interglacial period in the northern US Cordillera. The more than 75-m-thick diamictite of Daugherty Gulch is dated at 664±6 Ma. This unit is preserved only in drill core and the palaeoenvironmental interpretation and local stratigraphic relations are non-unique. Thus, the date for this diamictite may provide a date for a newly recognized glaciogenic horizon or may be a minimum age for the diamictite in the Edwardsburg Fm. The c. 1000-m-thick Moores Lake Fm. is an amphibolite facies diamictite in which glacial

Hot dry rock geothermal energy: status of exploration and assessment. Report No. 1 of the hot dry rock assessment panel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1977-06-01

The status of knowledge of attempts to utilize hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal energy is summarized. It contains (1) descriptions or case histories of the ERDA-funded projects at Marysville, MT, Fenton Hill, NM, and Coso Hot Springs, CA; (2) a review of the status of existing techniques available for exploration and delineation of HDR; (3) descriptions of other potential HDR sites; (4) definitions of the probable types of HDR resource localities; and (5) an estimate of the magnitude of the HDR resource base in the conterminous United States. The scope is limited to that part of HDR resource assessment relatedmore » to the determination of the extent and character of HDR, with emphasis on the igneous-related type. It is estimated that approximately 74 Q (1 Q = 1,000 Quads) of heat is stored in these sites within the conterminous U.S. at depths less than 10 km and temperatures above 150/sup 0/C, the minimum for power generation. (Q = 10/sup 18/ BTU = 10/sup 21/J; the total U.S. consumption for 1972 was approximately 0.07 Q). Approximately 6300 Q are stored in the conduction-dominated parts of the crust in the western U.S. (23% of the total surface area), again at depths less than 10 km and temperatures above 150/sup 0/C. Nearly 10,000 Q are believed to be contained in crustal rocks underlying the entire conterminous U.S., at temperatures above 150/sup 0/C. The resource base is significantly larger for lower grade heat. (JGB)« less

Scattering from Rock and Rock Outcrops

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

Scattering from Rock and Rock Outcrops Derek R. Olson The Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 30 State...In terms of target detection and classification, scattering from exposed rock on the seafloor, (i.e., individual rocks and rock outcrops) presents...levels, and other statistical measures of acoustic scattering from rocks and rock outcrops is therefore critical. Unfortunately (and curiously

Early Cretaceous bimodal volcanic rocks in the southern Lhasa terrane, south Tibet: Age, petrogenesis and tectonic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chao; Ding, Lin; Liu, Zhi-Chao; Zhang, Li-Yun; Yue, Ya-Hui

2017-01-01

Limited geochronological and geochemical data from Early Cretaceous igneous rocks of the Gangdese Belt have resulted in a dispute regarding the subduction history of Neo-Tethyan Ocean. To approach this issue, we performed detailed in-situ zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopic, whole-rock elemental and Sr-Nd isotopic analyses on Late Mesozoic volcanic rocks exposed in the Liqiongda area, southern Lhasa terrane. These volcanic rocks are calc-alkaline series, dominated by basalts, basaltic andesites, and subordinate rhyolites, with a bimodal suite. The LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb dating results of the basaltic andesites and rhyolites indicate that these volcanic rocks erupted during the Early Cretaceous (137-130 Ma). The basaltic rocks are high-alumina (average > 17 wt.%), enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and light rare earth elements (LREEs), and depleted in high field strength elements (HFSEs), showing subduction-related characteristics. They display highly positive zircon εHf(t) values (+ 10.0 to + 16.3) and whole-rock εNd(t) values (+ 5.38 to + 7.47). The silicic suite is characterized by low Al2O3 (< 15.4 wt.%), Mg# (< 40), and TiO2 (< 0.3 wt.%) abundances; enriched and variable concentrations of LILEs and REEs; and strongly negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.08-0.19), as well as depleted Hf isotopic compositions (εHf(t) = + 4.9 to + 16.4) and Nd isotopic compositions (εNd(t) = + 5.26 to + 6.71). Consequently, we envision a process of basaltic magmas similar to that of MORB extracted from a source metasomatized by slab-derived components for the petrogenesis of mafic rocks, whereas the subsequent mafic magma underplating triggered partial melting of the juvenile crust to generate acidic magma. Our results confirm the presence of Early Cretaceous volcanism in the southern Lhasa terrane. Combined with the distribution of the contemporary magmatism, deformation style, and sedimentary characteristics in the Lhasa terrane, we favor the suggestion that the Neo

Intrusive Rock Database for the Digital Geologic Map of Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nutt, C.J.; Ludington, Steve

2003-01-01

information. The information in the database is from a variety of sources, including geologic maps at scales ranging from 1:500,000 to 1:24,000, and thesis monographs. The references are shown twice: alphabetically and by region. The digital geologic map of Utah (Hintze and others, 2000) classifies intrusive rocks into only 3 categories, distinguished by age. They are: Ti, Tertiary intrusive rock; Ji, Upper to Middle Jurassic granite to quartz monzonite; and pCi, Early Proterozoic to Late Archean intrusive rock. Use of the tables provided in this report will permit selection and classification of those rocks by lithology and age. This database is a pilot study by the Survey and Analysis Project of the U.S. Geological Survey to characterize igneous rocks and link them to a digital map. The database, and others like it, will evolve as the project continues and other states are completed. We release this version now as an example, as a reference, and for those interested in Utah plutonic rocks.

Pre-Cenozoic basement rocks of the Proto-Philippine Sea Plate: Constraints for the birthplace of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tani, K.; Ishizuka, O.; Horie, K.; Barth, A. P.; Harigane, Y.; Ueda, H.

2016-12-01

The Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc is widely regarded to be a typical intra-oceanic arc, with the oceanic Pacific Plate subducting beneath the Philippine Sea Plate, an evolving complex of active and inactive arcs and back-arc basins. However, little is known about the origin of the proto-Philippine Sea Plate, which existed along with the Pacific Plate at the time of subduction initiation in the Eocene. To investigate the crustal structures of the proto-Philippine Sea Plate, we conducted manned-submersible and dredge surveys in the Daito Ridges and the Kyushu-Palau Ridge. The Daito Ridges comprise the northwestern Philippine Sea Plate along with what are regarded as remnants of the proto-Philippine Sea Plate. Submersible observations and rock sampling revealed that the Daito Ridges expose deep crustal sections of gabbroic, granitic, metamorphic, and ultra-mafic rocks, along with volcanic rocks ranging from basalt to andesite. Mesozoic magmatic zircon U-Pb ages have been obtained from the plutonic rocks, and whole-rock geochemistry of the igneous rocks indicates arc origins. Furthermore, mafic schist collected from the Daito Ridge has experienced amphibolite facies metamorphism, with phase assemblages suggesting that the crust was thicker than 20 km at the time. Similar amphibolite-facies metamorphic rocks with Proterozoic zircons have been recovered in the southern Kyushu-Palau Ridge, indicating that such distinctively older basement rocks exist as isolated tectonic blocks within the present Philippine Sea Plate. These finds show that the parts of the Daito Ridges and Kyushu-Palau Ridge represent developed crustal sections of the Pre-Cenozoic arc that comprises part of the proto-Philippine Sea Plate, and, together with the tectonic reconstruction of the proto-Philippine Sea Plate (Deschamps and Lallemand 2002, JGR), they suggest that subduction of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc initiated at the continental margin of the Southeast Asia.

The Mesozoic-Cenozoic igneous intrusions and related sediment-dominated hydrothermal activities in the South Yellow Sea Basin, the Western Pacific continental margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yumao, Pang; Xunhua, Zhang; Guolin, Xiao; Luning, Shang; Xingwei, Guo; Zhenhe, Wen

2018-04-01

Various igneous complexes were identified in multi-channel seismic reflection profiles from the South Yellow Sea Basin. It is not rare that magmatic intrusions in sedimentary basins cause strong thermal perturbations and hydrothermal activities. Some intrusion-related hydrothermal vent complexes have been identified and they are considered to originate from the deep sedimentary contact aureole around igneous intrusions and terminate in upper vents structures, and are linked by a vertical conduit system. The upper vent complexes are usually eye-shaped, dome-shaped, fault-related, crater-shaped or pock-shaped in seismic profiles. A schematic model was proposed to illustrate the structures of different types of hydrothermal vent complexes. A conceptual conduit model composed of an upper pipe-like part and a lower branching part was also derived. Hydrothermal vent complexes mainly developed during the Middle-Late Cretaceous, which is coeval with, or shortly after the intrusion. The back-arc basin evolution of the area which is related to the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic may be the principal factor for voluminous igneous complexes and vent complexes in this area. It is significant to study the characteristics of igneous complexes and related hydrothermal vent complexes, which will have implications for the future study of this area.

A paleointensity technique for multidomain igneous rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huapei; Kent, Dennis V.

2013-10-01

We developed a paleointensity technique to account for concave-up Arai diagrams due to multidomain (MD) contributions to determine unbiased paleointensities for 24 trial samples from site GA-X in Pleistocene lavas from Floreana Island, Galapagos Archipelago. The main magnetization carrier is fine-grained low-titanium magnetite of variable grain size. We used a comprehensive back-zero-forth (BZF) heating technique by adding an additional zero-field heating between the Thellier two opposite in-field heating steps in order to estimate paleointensities in various standard protocols and provide internal self-consistency checks. After the first BZF experiment, we gave each sample a total thermal remanent magnetization (tTRM) by cooling from the Curie point in the presence of a low (15 µT) laboratory-applied field. Then we repeated the BZF protocol, with the laboratory-applied tTRM as a synthetic natural remanent magnetization (NRM), using the same laboratory-applied field and temperature steps to obtain the synthetic Arai signatures, which should only represent the domain-state dependent properties of the samples. We corrected the original Arai diagrams from the first BZF experiment by using the Arai signatures from the repeated BZF experiment, which neutralizes the typical MD concave-up effect. Eleven samples meet the Arai diagram post-selection criteria and provide qualified paleointensity estimates with a mean value for site GA-X of 4.23 ± 1.29 µT, consistent with an excursional geomagnetic field direction reported for this site.

Draped aeromagnetic survey in Transantarctic Mountains over the area of the Butcher Ridge igneous complex showing extent of underlying mafic intrusion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Behrendt, John C.; Damaske, D.; Finn, C.A.; Kyle, P.; Wilson, T.J.

2002-01-01

A draped aeromagnetic survey over the area surrounding the Butcher Ridge igneous complex (BRIC), Transantarctic Mountains, was acquired in 1997-1998 as part of a larger Transantarctic Mountains Aerogeophysical Research Activity survey. The BRIC is a sill-like hypoabyssal intrusion ranging in composition from tholeiitic basalt to rhyolite. An 40Ar/39 Ar age of 174 Ma and the chemical character of the basaltic rocks show the BRIC to be part of the widespread Jurassic Ferrar suite of continental tholeiitic rocks, that extends for 3500 km across Antarctica. The aeromagnetic survey shows a horseshoe-shaped pattern of anomalies reaching amplitudes as great as 1900 nT generally associated with the bedrock topography where it is exposed. It is apparent that the high-amplitude anomaly pattern is more extensive than the 10-km-long exposed outcrop, first crossed by a single 1990 aeromagnetic profile. The highest-amplitude anomalies appear south of the profile acquired in 1990 and extend out of the survey area. The new aeromagnetic data allow determination of the extent of the interpreted Butcher mafic(?) intrusion beneath exposures of Beacon sedimentary rock and ice in the area covered, as well as beneath the small BRIC exposure. The magnetic anomalies show a minimum area of 3000 km2, a much greater extent than previously inferred. Magnetic models indicate a minimum thickness of ~1-2 km for a horizontal intrusion. However, nonunique models with magnetic layers decreasing in apparent susceptibility with depth are consistent with of a 4- to 8-km-thick layered intrusion. These magnetic models indicate progressively deeper erosion of the interpreted mafic-layered body from the south to north. The erosion has removed more magnetic upper layers that mask the magnetic effects of the lower less magnetic layers. The probable minimum volume of the intrusion in the area of the survey is ~6000 km3. An alternate, but less likely, interpretation of a series of dikes can also fit the

The magmatic history of the Vetas-California mining district, Santander Massif, Eastern Cordillera, Colombia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantilla Figueroa, Luis C.; Bissig, Thomas; Valencia, Víctor; Hart, Craig J. R.

2013-08-01

The Vetas-California Mining District (VCMD), located in the central part of the Santander Massif (Colombian Eastern Cordillera), based on U-Pb dating of zircons, records the following principal tectono-magmatic events: (1) the Grenville Orogenic event and high grade metamorphism and migmatitization between ˜1240 and 957 Ma; (2) early Ordovician calc-alkalic magmatism, which was synchronous with the Caparonensis-Famatinian Orogeny (˜477 Ma); (3) middle to late Ordovician post-collisional calc-alkalic magmatism (˜466-436 Ma); (4) late Triassic to early Jurassic magmatism between ˜204 and 196 Ma, characterized by both S- and I-type calc-alkalic intrusions and; (5) a late Miocene shallowly emplaced intermediate calc-alkaline intrusions (10.9 ± 0.2 and 8.4 ± 0.2 Ma). The presence of even younger igneous rocks is possible, given the widespread magmatic-hydrothermal alteration affecting all rock units in the area. The igneous rocks from the late Triassic-early Jurassic magmatic episodes are the volumetrically most important igneous rocks in the study area and in the Colombian Eastern Cordillera. They can be divided into three groups based on their field relationships, whole rock geochemistry and geochronology. These are early leucogranites herein termed Alaskites-I (204-199 Ma), Intermediate rocks (199-198 Ma), and late leucogranites, herein referred to as Alaskites-II (198-196 Ma). This Mesozoic magmatism is reflecting subtle changes in the crustal stress in a setting above an oblique subduction of the Panthalassa plate beneath Pangea. The lower Cretaceous siliciclastic Tambor Formation has detrital zircons of the same age populations as the metamorphic and igneous rocks present in the study area, suggesting that the provenance is related to the erosion of these local rocks during the late Jurassic or early Cretaceous, implying a local supply of sediments to the local depositional basins.

Neodymium isotopic study of rare earth element sources and mobility in hydrothermal Fe oxide (Fe-P-REE) systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gleason, J.D.; Marikos, M.A.; Barton, M.D.

2000-03-01

Rare earth element (REE)-enriched, igneous-related hydrothermal Fe-oxide hosted (Fe-P-REE) systems from four areas in North America have been analyzed for their neodymium iosotopic composition to constrain REE sources and mobility in these systems. The Nd isotopic results evidence a common pattern of REE concentration from igneous sources despite large differences in age (Proterozoic to Tertiary), tectonic setting (subduction vs. intraplate), and magmatic style (mafic vs. felsic). In the Middle Proterozoic St. Francois Mountains terrane of southeastern Missouri, {epsilon}{sub Nd} for Fe-P-REE (apatite, monazite, xenotime) deposits ranges from +3.5 to +5.1, similar to associated felsic to intermediate igneous rocks of themore » same age ({epsilon}{sub Nd} = +2.6 to +6.2). At the mid-Jurassic Humboldt mafic complex in western Nevada, {epsilon}{sub Nd} for Fe-P-REE (apatite) mineralization varies between +1.1 and +2.4, similar to associated mafic igneous rocks ({minus}1.0 to +3.5). In the nearby Cortez Mountains in central Nevada, mid-Jurassic felsic volcanic and plutonic rocks ({epsilon}{sub Nd} = {minus}2.0 to {minus}4.4) are associated with Fe-P-REE (apatite-monazite) mineralization having similar {epsilon}{sub Nd}({minus}1.7 to {minus}2.4). At Cerro de Mercado, Durango, Mexico, all assemblages analyzed in this Tertiary rhyolite-hosted Fe oxide deposit have identical isotopic compositions with {epsilon}{sub Nd} = {minus}2.5. These data are consistent with coeval igneous host rocks being the primary source of REE in all four regions, and are inconsistent with a significant contribution of REE from other sources. Interpretations of the origin of these hydrothermal systems and their concomitant REE mobility must account for nonspecialized igneous sources and varied tectonic settings.« less

U-Pb ages and Hf isotope compositions of zircons in plutonic rocks from the central Famatinian arc, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otamendi, Juan E.; Ducea, Mihai N.; Cristofolini, Eber A.; Tibaldi, Alina M.; Camilletti, Giuliano C.; Bergantz, George W.

2017-07-01

The Famatinian arc formed around the South Iapetus rim during the Ordovician, when oceanic lithosphere subducted beneath the West Gondwana margin. We present combined in situ U-Th-Pb and Lu-Hf isotope analyses for zircon to gain insights into the origin and evolution of Famatinian magmatism. Zircon crystals sampled from four intermediate and silicic plutonic rocks confirm previous observations showing that voluminous magmatism took place during a relatively short pulse between the Early and Middle Ordovician (472-465 Ma). The entire zircon population for the four plutonic rocks yields coherent εHf negative values and spreads over several ranges of initial εHf(t) units (-0.3 to -8.0). The range of εHf units in detrital zircons of Famatinian metasedimentary rocks reflects a prolonged history of the cratonic sources during the Proterozoic to the earliest Phanerozoic. Typical tonalites and granodiorites that contain zircons with evolved Hf isotopic compositions formed upon incorporating (meta)sedimentary materials into calc-alkaline metaluminous magmas. The evolved Hf isotope ratios of zircons in the subduction related plutonic rocks strongly reflect the Hf isotopic character of the metasedimentary contaminant, even though the linked differentiation and growth of the Famatinian arc crust was driven by ascending and evolving mantle magmas. Geochronology and Hf isotope systematics in plutonic zircons allow us understanding the petrogenesis of igneous series and the provenance of magma sources. However, these data could be inadequate for computing model ages and supporting models of crustal evolution.

Thermal infrared (2.5-13.5 μm) spectroscopic remote sensing of igneous rock types on particulate planetary surfaces

USGS Publications Warehouse

Salisbury, John W.; Walter, Louis S.

1989-01-01

Fundamental molecular vibration bands are significantly diminished by scattering. Thus such bands in spectra of fine particulate regoliths (i.e., dominated by <5-μm particles), or regoliths displaying a similar scale of porosity, are difficult to use for mineralogical or rock type identification. Consequently, other spectral features have been sought that may be more useful in spectroscopic remote sensing of composition. We find that mineralogical information is retained in overtones and combination tones of the fundamental molecular vibrations in the 3.0- to 7.0-μm region, but that relatively few minerals have a sufficiently distinctive band structure to be unambiguously identified with currently available techniques. More significantly, identification of general rock type, as defined by the SCFM chemical index (SCFM = SiO2/SiO2 + CaO + FeO + MgO), is possible using spectral features associated with the principal Christiansen frequency and with a region of relative transparency between the Si-O stretching and bending bands. However, environmental factors may affect the appearance and wavelengths of these features. Finally, prominent absorption bands may result from the presence of relatively small amounts of water, hydroxyl or carbonate, because absorption bands exhibited by these materials in the 2.7- to 4.0-μm region, where silicate spectra are otherwise featureless, increase strongly in spectral contrast with decreasing particle size. Such materials are thus detectable in very small amounts in a particulate regolith composed predominantly of silicate minerals.

Preservation of Fe Isotope Proxies in the Rock Record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, C.; Beard, B.; Valley, J.; Valaas, E.

2005-12-01

Iron isotope variations provide powerful constraints on redox conditions and pathways involved during biogeochemical cycling of Fe in surface and near-surface environments. The relative isotopic homogeneity of igneous rocks and most bulk weathering products contrasts with the significant isotopic variations (4 per mil in 56Fe/54Fe) that accompany oxidation of Fe(II)aq, precipitation of sulfides, and reduction by bacteria. These isotopic variations often reflect intrinsic (equilibrium) Fe isotope fractionations between minerals and aqueous species whose interactions may be directly or indirectly catalyzed by bacteria. In addition, Fe isotope exchange may be limited between reactive Fe pools in low-temperature aqueous-sediment environments, fundamentally reflecting disequilibrium effects. In the absence of significant sulfide, dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction by bacteria produces relatively low 56Fe/54Fe ratios for Fe(II)aq and associated biogenic minerals such as magnetite and siderite. In contrast, Fe(II)aq that exchanges with Fe sulfides (FeS and pyrite) is relatively enriched in 56Fe/54Fe ratios. In modern and ancient environments, anoxic diagenesis tends to produce products that have low 56Fe/54Fe ratios, whereas oxidation of Fe(II)aq from hydrothermal sources tends to produce ferric Fe products that have high 56Fe/54Fe ratios. Redox cycling by bacteria tends to produce reactive ferric Fe reservoirs that have low 56Fe/54Fe ratios. Application of Fe isotopes as a proxy for redox conditions in the ancient rock record depends upon the preservation potential during metamorphism, given the fact that most Archean sedimentary sequences have been subjected to regional greenschist- to granulite-facies metamorphism. The 1.9 Ga banded iron formations (BIFs) of the Lake Superior region that are intruded by large ~1 Ga intrusions (e.g., Duluth gabbro) provide a test of the preservation potential for primary, low-temperature Fe isotope variations in sedimentary rocks. 56Fe/54

Geochemical characterization of the siliciclastic rocks of Chitravati Group, Cuddapah Supergroup: Implications for provenance and depositional environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somasekhar, V.; Ramanaiah, S.; Sarma, D. Srinivasa

2018-06-01

Petrological and geochemical studies have been carried out on Pulivendla and Gandikota Quartzite from Chitravati Group of Cuddapah Supergroup to decipher the provenance and depositional environment. Both the units are texturally mature with sub-rounded to well-rounded and moderately to well-sorted grains. Majority of the framework grains are quartz, in the form of monocrystalline quartz, followed by feldspars (K-feldspar and plagioclase), mica, rock fragments, heavy minerals, with minor proportion of the matrix and cement. Based on major element geochemical classification diagram, Pulivendla Quartzite is considered as quartz-arenite and arkose to sub-arkose, whereas Gandikota Quartzite falls in the field of lith-arenite and arkose to sub-arkose. Weathering indices like CIA, PIA, CIW, ICV, Th/U ratio and A-CN-K ternary diagram suggest moderate to intense chemical weathering of the source rocks of these quartzites. Whole rock geochemistry of quartzites indicate that they are primarily from the first-cycle sediments, along with some minor recycled components. Also their sources were mostly intermediate-felsic igneous rocks of Archean age. The tectonic discrimination plots, Th-Sc-Zr/10 of both these formations reflect active to passive continental margin setting. Chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns, and various trace element ratios like Cr/Th, Th/Co, La/Sc and Th/Cr indicate dominantly felsic source with minor contribution from mafic source. Th/Sc ratios of Pulivendla and Gandikota Quartzite are in close proximity with average values of 2.83, 3.45 respectively, which is higher than AUCC (Th/Sc=0.97), demonstrating that the contributions from more alkali source rocks than those that contributed to AUCC.

Zircon U-Pb ages and petrogenesis of a tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) complex in the northern Sanandaj-Sirjan zone, northwest Iran: Evidence for Late Jurassic arc-continent collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizi, Hossein; Zanjefili-Beiranvand, Mina; Asahara, Yoshihiro

2015-02-01

The Ghalaylan Igneous Complex is located in the northern part of the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone (SSZ) in northwest Iran. At the surface, the complex is ellipsoidal or ring-shaped. The igneous rocks, which are medium- to fine-grained, were intruded into a Jurassic metamorphic complex and are cut by younger dikes. Zircon U-Pb ages indicate that the crystallization of the main body occurred from 157.9 ± 1.6 to 155.6 ± 5.6 Ma. The igneous complex includes granodiorite, tonalite, and quartz monzonite, as well as subvolcanic to volcanic rocks such as dacite and rhyolite. The rocks have high concentrations of Al2O3 (15-19 wt.%), SiO2 (65-70 wt.%), and Sr (700-1100 ppm), high (La/Yb)N ratios (15-40), and very low concentrations of MgO (< 0.83 wt.%), Ni (< 7 ppm), and Cr (usually < 50 ppm). There is a lack of negative Eu anomalies. These geochemical features show that the rocks are similar to high-silica adakites and Archaean tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) rocks. The initial ratios of 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd vary from 0.70430 to 0.70476 and from 0.51240 to 0.51261, respectively, values that are similar to those of primitive mantle and the bulk Earth. The chemical compositions of the igneous rocks of the complex, and their isotope ratios, differ from those of neighboring granitic bodies in the northern SSZ. Based on our results, we suggest a new geodynamic model for the development of this complex, as follows. During the generation of the Songhor-Ghorveh island arc in the Neotethys Ocean, an extensional basin, such as a back-arc, developed between the island arc and the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone (SSZ). As a consequence, basaltic magma was injected from the asthenosphere without the development of a mature oceanic crust. During arc-continent collision in the Late Jurassic, hot basaltic rocks were present beneath the SSZ at depths of 30-50 km, and the partial melting of these rocks led to the development of TTG-type magmas, forming the source of the Ghalaylan Igneous

Origin of the mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) and their host granitoids from the Tagong pluton in Songpan-Ganze terrane: An igneous response to the closure of the Paleo-Tethys ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qiong; Sun, Min; Zhao, Guochun; Yang, Fengli; Long, Xiaoping; Li, Jianhua; Wang, Jun; Yu, Yang

2017-10-01

The Songpan-Ganze terrane is mainly composed of a Triassic sedimentary sequence and late Triassic-Jurassic igneous rocks. A large number of plutons were emplaced as a result of tectono-magmatic activity related to the late stages of Paleo-Tethys ocean closure and ensuing collision. Granitoids and their hosted mafic enclaves can provide important constraints on the crust-mantle interaction and continental crustal growth. Mesozoic magmatism of Songpan-Ganze remains enigmatic with regard to their magma generation and geodynamic evolution. The Tagong pluton (209 Ma), in the eastern part of the Songpan-Ganze terrane, consists mainly of monzogranite and granodiorite with abundant coeval mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) (ca. 208-209 Ma). The pluton comprises I-type granitoid that possesses intermediate to acidic compositions (SiO2 = 61.6-65.8 wt.%), high potassium (K2O = 3.2-4.1 wt.%), and high Mg# (51-54). They are also characterized by arc-type enrichment of LREEs and LILEs, depletion of HFSEs (e.g. Nb, Ta, Ti) and moderate Eu depletions (Eu/Eu* = 0.46-0.63). Their evolved zircon Hf and whole-rock Nd isotopic compositions indicate that their precursor magmas were likely generated by melting of old lower continental crust. Comparatively, the MMEs have lower SiO2 (53.4-58.2 wt.%), higher Mg# (54-67) and show covariation of major and trace elements, coupled with field and petrographic observations, such as the disequilibrium textures of plagioclase and amphibole, indicating that the MMEs and host granitoids were originated from different magma sources but underwent mafic-felsic magma mixing process. Geochemical and isotopic data further suggest that the precursor magma of the MMEs was formed in the continental arc setting, mainly derived from an ancient metasomatized lithospheric mantle wedge. The Triassic granitoids from the Songpan-Ganze terrane show remarkable temporal-spatial-petrogenetic affinities to the counterparts of subduction zones in the Yidun and Kunlun arc

Basalt-trachybasalt samples in Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Peter H.; Bridges, John C.; Wiens, Roger; Anderson, Ryan; Dyar, Darby; Fisk, Martin; Thompson, Lucy; Gasda, Patrick; Filiberto, Justin; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Blaney, Diana; Hutchinson, Ian

2017-11-01

The ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, Curiosity, observed numerous igneous float rocks and conglomerate clasts, reported previously. A new statistical analysis of single-laser-shot spectra of igneous targets observed by ChemCam shows a strong peak at 55 wt% SiO2 and 6 wt% total alkalis, with a minor secondary maximum at 47-51 wt% SiO2 and lower alkali content. The centers of these distributions, together with the rock textures, indicate that many of the ChemCam igneous targets are trachybasalts, Mg# = 27 but with a secondary concentration of basaltic material, with a focus of compositions around Mg# = 54. We suggest that all of these igneous rocks resulted from low-pressure, olivine-dominated fractionation of Adirondack (MER) class-type basalt compositions. This magmatism has subalkaline, tholeiitic affinities. The similarity of the basalt endmember to much of the Gale sediment compositions in the first 1000 sols of the MSL mission suggests that this type of Fe-rich, relatively low-Mg#, olivine tholeiite is the dominant constituent of the Gale catchment that is the source material for the fine-grained sediments in Gale. The similarity to many Gusev igneous compositions suggests that it is a major constituent of ancient Martian magmas, and distinct from the shergottite parental melts thought to be associated with Tharsis and the Northern Lowlands. The Gale Crater catchment sampled a mixture of this tholeiitic basalt along with alkaline igneous material, together giving some analogies to terrestrial intraplate magmatic provinces.

Basalt-trachybasalt samples in Gale Crater, Mars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edwards, Peter H.; Bridges, John C.; Wiens, Roger Craig

The ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, Curiosity, observed numerous igneous float rocks and conglomerate clasts, reported previously. A new statistical analysis of single-laser-shot spectra of igneous targets observed by ChemCam shows a strong peak at ~55 wt% SiO 2 and 6 wt% total alkalis, with a minor secondary maximum at 47–51 wt% SiO 2 and lower alkali content. The centers of these distributions, together with the rock textures, indicate that many of the ChemCam igneous targets are trachybasalts, Mg# = 27 but with a secondary concentration of basaltic material, with a focus of compositions around Mg#more » = 54. We suggest that all of these igneous rocks resulted from low-pressure, olivine-dominated fractionation of Adirondack (MER) class-type basalt compositions. This magmatism has subalkaline, tholeiitic affinities. The similarity of the basalt endmember to much of the Gale sediment compositions in the first 1000 sols of the MSL mission suggests that this type of Fe-rich, relatively low-Mg#, olivine tholeiite is the dominant constituent of the Gale catchment that is the source material for the fine-grained sediments in Gale. The similarity to many Gusev igneous compositions suggests that it is a major constituent of ancient Martian magmas, and distinct from the shergottite parental melts thought to be associated with Tharsis and the Northern Lowlands. Finally, the Gale Crater catchment sampled a mixture of this tholeiitic basalt along with alkaline igneous material, together giving some analogies to terrestrial intraplate magmatic provinces.« less

Basalt-trachybasalt samples in Gale Crater, Mars

DOE PAGES

Edwards, Peter H.; Bridges, John C.; Wiens, Roger Craig; ...

2017-09-14

The ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, Curiosity, observed numerous igneous float rocks and conglomerate clasts, reported previously. A new statistical analysis of single-laser-shot spectra of igneous targets observed by ChemCam shows a strong peak at ~55 wt% SiO 2 and 6 wt% total alkalis, with a minor secondary maximum at 47–51 wt% SiO 2 and lower alkali content. The centers of these distributions, together with the rock textures, indicate that many of the ChemCam igneous targets are trachybasalts, Mg# = 27 but with a secondary concentration of basaltic material, with a focus of compositions around Mg#more » = 54. We suggest that all of these igneous rocks resulted from low-pressure, olivine-dominated fractionation of Adirondack (MER) class-type basalt compositions. This magmatism has subalkaline, tholeiitic affinities. The similarity of the basalt endmember to much of the Gale sediment compositions in the first 1000 sols of the MSL mission suggests that this type of Fe-rich, relatively low-Mg#, olivine tholeiite is the dominant constituent of the Gale catchment that is the source material for the fine-grained sediments in Gale. The similarity to many Gusev igneous compositions suggests that it is a major constituent of ancient Martian magmas, and distinct from the shergottite parental melts thought to be associated with Tharsis and the Northern Lowlands. Finally, the Gale Crater catchment sampled a mixture of this tholeiitic basalt along with alkaline igneous material, together giving some analogies to terrestrial intraplate magmatic provinces.« less

Intrusive origin of the Sudbury Igneous Complex: Structural and sedimentological evidence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowan, E. J.; Schwerdtner, W. M.

1992-01-01

In recent years, many geoscientists have come to believe that the Sudbury event was exogenic rather than endogenic. Critical to a recent exogenic hypothesis is the impact melt origin of the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC). Such origin implies that the SIC was emplaced before deposition of the Whitewater Group, in contrast to origins in which the SIC postdates the lithification of the Onaping Formation. Structural and sedimentological evidence is summarized herein that supports an intrusion of the SIC after lithification of all Whitewater Group strata, and conflicts with the hypothesis advanced by other researchers.

A Change in Igneous Activity of the Jack Hills Zircon Sources ca. 3.9 Ga

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, E. A.; Harrison, T. M.

2010-12-01

New Ti-in-zircon crystallization temperature (Txlln) data for <4 Ga Jack Hills zircons reveal that the tight clustering of Hadean grains around a Txlln of 680°C, possibly indicative of felsic-to-intermediate minimum melting conditions, continues to ~3.92 Ga. Between 3.92-3.82 Ga the 680°C clustering ceases and most concordant grains cluster around an apparent Txlln of 610°C. A small group of zircons with higher Txlln (~750°C), present during the Hadean, is also observed during this period. After 3.82 Ga a Hadean-like distribution resumes for ~100 Ma. This large, concordant, low-Ti group at ~3.9 Ga is statistically distinct from the Hadean distribution and appears to be unique in the Jack Hills zircon record. The existence of coeval high- and low-Ti groups suggests that two distinct zircon-forming processes are distinguishable ~3.9 Ga, unlike during the Hadean. The significant numbers of zircons with apparent Txlln below 600°C may be suggestive of subsolidus formation, since igneous units with solidii below 600°C are relatively rare. The higher-Ti group is more consistent with an intermediate to mafic igneous origin but metamorphic overprinting or subsolidus formation at granulite grade cannot be ruled out by Txlln alone. A substantial proportion of the high-Ti group display oscillatory and disrupted oscillatory zoning in cathodoluminescence images, usually indicative of igneous origins and later metamorphism, respectively; most low-Ti grains are homogeneous. Several of each group display patchy zonation indicative of metamorphic overprinting. Although several grains with apparent Txlln >600°C display oscillatory zonation, the majority of the low-Ti group do not show textural evidence for igneous origins. We interpret these results to indicate the transition from a mechanism(s) that produced dominantly 680°C apparent zircon temperatures at ca. 3.9 Ga to include a new zircon-forming process in the sediment source(s), likely a protracted period of metamorphism

Al-in-olivine thermometry evidence for the mantle plume origin of the Emeishan large igneous province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Rong; Liu, Yongsheng

2016-12-01

The Emeishan large igneous province (ELIP) is renowned for its world-class Ni-Cu-(PGE) deposits and its link with the Capitanian mass extinction. The ELIP is generally thought to be associated with a deep mantle plume; however, evidence for such a model has been challenged through geology, geophysics and geochemistry. In many large igneous province settings, olivine-melt equilibrium thermometry has been used to argue for or against the existence of plumes. However, this method involves large uncertainties such as assumptions regarding melt compositions and crystallisation pressures. The Al-in-olivine thermometer avoids these uncertainties and is used here to estimate the temperatures of picrites in the ELIP. The calculated maximum temperature (1440 °C) is significantly ( 250 °C) higher than the Al-in-olivine temperature estimated for the average MORB, thus providing compelling evidence for the existence of thermal mantle plumes in the ELIP.

Sources of metals in the Porgera gold deposit, Papua New Guinea: Evidence from alteration, isotope, and noble metal geochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richards, Jeremy P.; McCulloch, Malcolm T.; Chappell, Bruce W.; Kerrich, Robert

1991-02-01

The Porgera gold deposit is spatially and temporally associated with the Late Miocene, mafic, alkalic, epizonal Porgera Intrusive Complex (PIC), located in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG). The highlands region marks the site of a Tertiary age continent-island-arc collision zone, located on the northeastern edge of the Australasian craton. The PIC was emplaced within continental crust near the Lagaip Fault Zone, which represents an Oligocene suture between the craton and volcano-sedimentary rocks of the Sepik terrane. Magmatism at Porgera probably occurred in response to the Late Miocene elimination of an oceanic microplate, and subsequent Early Pliocene collision between the craton margin and an arc system located on the Bismarck Sea plate. Gold mineralization occurred within 1 Ma of the time of magmatism. Metasomatism accompanying early disseminated Au mineralization in igneous host rocks resulted in additions of K, Rb, Mn, S, and CO 2, and depletions of Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, Ba, and Sr; rare-earth and high-field-strength elements remained largely immobile. Pervasive development of illite-K-feldspar-quartz-carbonate alteration assemblages suggests alteration by mildly acidic, 200 to 350°C fluids, at high water/ rock ratios. Strontium and lead isotopic compositions of minerals from early base-metal sulphide veins associated with K-metasomatism, and later quartz-roscoelite veins carrying abundant free gold and tellurides, are remarkably uniform (e.g., 87Sr /86Sr = 0.70745 ± 0.00044 [n = 10] , 207Pb /204Pb = 15.603 ± 0.004 [n = 15] ). These compositions fall between those of unaltered igneous and sedimentary host rocks, and specifically sedimentary rocks from the Jurassic Om Formation which underlies the deposit (igneous rocks: 87Sr /86Sr ≈ 0.7035 , 207Pb /204Pb ≈ 15.560 ; Om Formation: 87Sr /86Sr |t~ 0.7153 , 207Pb /204Pb ≈ 15.636 ). It is therefore suggested that the hydrothermal fluids acquired their Sr and Pb isotopic signatures by interaction with, or

Chemical data and variation diagrams of igneous rocks from the Timber Mountain-Oasis Valley Caldera Complex, southern Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Quinlivan, W.D.; Byers, F.M.

1977-01-01

Silica variation diagrams presented here are based on 162 chemical analyses of tuffs, lavas, and intrusives, representative of volcanic centers of the Timber Mountain-Oasis Valley caldera complex and cogenetic rocks of the Silent Canyon ca1dera. Most of the volcanic units sampled are shown on the U.S. Geological Survey geologic map of the Timber Mountain caldera area (I-891) and are described in U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 919. Early effusives of the complex, although slightly altered, are probably chemically, and petrographically, more like the calc-alkalic Fraction Tuff (Miocene) of the northern Nellis Air Force Base Bombing and Gunnery Range to the north, whereas effusives of later Miocene age, such as the Paintbrush and Timber Mountain Tuffs, are alkali-calcic.

Records of Triassic volcanism in Pangean Great Lakes, and implications for reconstructing the distal effects of Large Igneous Provinces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whiteside, J. H.; Percival, L.; Kinney, S.; Olsen, P. E.; Mather, T. A.; Philpotts, A.

2017-12-01

Documentation of the precise timing of volcanic eruptions in sedimentary records is key for linking volcanic activity to both historical and geological episodes of environmental change. Deposition of tuffs in sediments, and sedimentary enrichment of trace metals linked to igneous processes, are both commonly used for such correlations. In particular, sedimentary mercury (Hg) enrichments have been used as a marker for volcanic activity from Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) to support their link to episodes of major climate change and mass extinction in the geological record. However, linking such enrichments to a specific eruption or eruption products is often challenging or impossible. In this study, the mercury records from two exactly contemporaneous latest Triassic-earliest Jurassic rift lakes are presented. Both sedimentary records feature igneous units proposed to be related to the later (Early Jurassic) stages of volcanism of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP). These CAMP units include a small tuff unit identified by thin-section petrology and identified at 10 localities over a distance of over 200 km, and a major CAMP basalt flow overlying this tuff (and dated at 200.916±0.064 Ma) which is also known across multiple sedimentary basins in both North America and Morocco and is thought to have been emplaced about 120 kyr after the tuff. A potential stratigraphic correlation between Hg enrichments and the igneous units is considered, and compared to the established records of mercury enrichments from the latest Triassic that are thought to be coeval with the earlier stages of CAMP volcanism. Investigating the Hg records of sedimentary successions containing tuffs and basalt units is an important step for demonstrating whether the mercury emissions from specific individual volcanic eruptions in the deep past can be identified in the geological record, and are thus important tools for interpreting the causes of associated past geological events, such as

Petrology and Composition of HED Polymict Breccias

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittlefehldt, David W.; Herrin, J. S.; Mertzman, S. A.; Mertzman, K. R.

2010-01-01

The howardite, eucrite and diogenite (HED) clan of meteorites forms the largest suite of achondrites with over 900 named members. The HEDs are igneous rocks and breccias of igneous rocks from a differentiated asteroid [1]. The consensus view is that these rocks hail from the asteroid 4 Vesta, which will be the first target of NASA's Dawn mission. When Dawn arrives at Vesta, she will begin remote imagery and spectroscopy of the surface. The surface she will observe will be dominated by rocks and soils mixed through impact gardening. To help with the interpretation of the remotely sensed data, we have begun a project on the petrologic and compositional study of a suite of HED polymict breccias. Here we report on the preliminary findings of this project.

Chapter 39 The Edwardsburg Formation and related rocks, Windermere Supergroup, central Idaho, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lund, Karen; Evans, Karl V.; Alienikoff, John N.

2011-01-01

In central Idaho, Neoproterozoic stratified rocks are engulfed by the Late Cretaceous Idaho batholith and by Eocene volcanic and plutonic rocks of the Challis event. Studied sections in the Gospel Peaks and Big Creek areas of west-central Idaho are in roof pendants of the Idaho batholith. A drill core section studied from near Challis, east-central Idaho, lies beneath the Challis Volcanic Group and is not exposed at the surface. Metamorphic and deformational overprinting, as well as widespread dismembering by the younger igneous rocks, conceals many primary details. Despite this, these rocks provide important links for regional correlations and have produced critical geochronological data for two Neoproterozoic glacial periods in the North American Cordillera. At the base of the section, the more than 700-m-thick Edwardsburg Formation (Fm.) contains interlayered diamictite and volcanic rocks. There are two diamictite-bearing members in the Edwardsburg Fm. that are closely related in time. Each of the diamictites is associated with intermediate composition tuff or flow rocks and the diamictites are separated by mafic volcanic rocks. SHRIMP U–Pb dating indicates that the lower diamictite is about 685±7 Ma, whereas the upper diamictite is 684±4 Ma. The diamictite units are part of a cycle of rocks from coarse clastic, to fine clastic, to carbonate rocks that, by correlation to better preserved sections, are thought to record an older Cryogenian glacial to interglacial period in the northern US Cordillera. The more than 75-m-thick diamictite of Daugherty Gulch is dated at 664±6 Ma. This unit is preserved only in drill core and the palaeoenvironmental interpretation and local stratigraphic relations are non-unique. Thus, the date for this diamictite may provide a date for a newly recognized glaciogenic horizon or may be a minimum age for the diamictite in the Edwardsburg Fm. The c. 1000-m-thick Moores Lake Fm. is an amphibolite facies diamictite in which glacial

A Photographic Atlas of Rock Breakdown Features in Geomorphic Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bourke, Mary C. (Editor); Brearley, J. Alexander; Haas, Randall; Viles, Heather A.

2007-01-01

features (e.g., alveoli) occur across climate regimes. We have drawn on the published geomorphological literature and our own field experience. We use, where possible, images of extrusive igneous rocks as the data returned from Mars, Venus and the Moon indicates that this is the predominant rock type. One of the purposes of this atlas is to expand the range of surface features that are known to indicate a particular geomorphic environment or process history. The surface features on boulders in some environments such as aeolian and weathering are well understood. In contrast, those in fluvial or ejecta environments are not. Therefore we have presented a comprehensive assemblage of features that are likely to be produced in each of the geomorphic environments. We hope that this atlas will trigger more research on diagnostic features, particularly their morphometry and detailed morphology, their persistence and rates of formation. In this first edition of the atlas we detail the features found on clasts in three geomorphic environments: aeolian, fluvial and weathering. Future editions of the atlas will include chapters on ejecta, micro-impacts, coastal, colluvial, glacial and structural features.

Seismic anisotropy in the lower crust: The link between rock composition, microstructure, texture and seismic properties.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czaplinska, Daria; Piazolo, Sandra; Almqvist, Bjarne

2015-04-01

Seismic anisotropy observed in Earth's interior is caused by the presence of aligned anisotropic minerals (crystallographic and shape preferred orientation; CPO and SPO respectively), and fluid and/or melt inclusions related to deformation. Therefore, the variations in seismic anisotropy carry valuable information about the structure of the mantle and crust. For example, anisotropy observed in the upper mantle is mainly attributed to the CPO of olivine, and provides strong evidence for the flow within the upper mantle. Seismic anisotropy in the crust is still poorly constrained, mostly due to the much larger heterogeneity of the crustal rocks in comparison with the more homogenous mantle. Anisotropy in the crust will be affected by the variations in rock composition, microstructure, texture (presence or lack of CPO), brittle structures (e.g. fracture systems) and chemical composition of the minerals. However, once the relationships between those variables and seismic properties of the crustal rocks are established, seismic anisotropy can be used to derive characteristics of rocks otherwise out of reach. Our study focuses on two sets of samples of middle to lower crustal rocks collected in Fiordland (New Zealand) and in Sweden. Samples from Fiordland represent a root of a thick (ca. 80 km) magmatic arc and comprise igneous rocks, which crystallized at high P and T conditions and were subsequently metamorphosed and deformed. Samples from Sweden are derived from a metasedimentary nappe in the Caledonian orogenic belt, which is mostly composed of gneisses, amphibolites and calc-silicates that have experienced different amounts of strain. We use large area EBSD mapping to measure the CPO of the constituent phases and record the geometric relationships of the rock microstructure. Data is then used to calculate the elastic properties of the rock from single-crystal stiffnesses. Here, we utilize the EBSD GUI software (Cook et al., 2013), which offers varied homogenization

Color Me Metamorphic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birdd, Donald L.

1990-01-01

Described are five activities using crayons to demonstrate the rock cycle including weathering, erosion and sedimentation, and sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rock formation. Discussed are materials, procedures, and probable results. (CW)

REE enrichment in granite-derived regolith deposits of the southeast United States: Prospective source rocks and accumulation processes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foley, Nora K.; Ayuso, Robert A.; Simandl, G.J.; Neetz, M.

2015-01-01

The Southeastern United States contains numerous anorogenic, or A-type, granites, which constitute promising source rocks for REE-enriched ion adsorption clay deposits due to their inherently high concentrations of REE. These granites have undergone a long history of chemical weathering, resulting in thick granite-derived regoliths, akin to those of South China, which supply virtually all heavy REE and Y, and a significant portion of light REE to global markets. Detailed comparisons of granite regolith profiles formed on the Stewartsville and Striped Rock plutons, and the Robertson River batholith (Virginia) indicate that REE are mobile and can attain grades comparable to those of deposits currently mined in China. A REE-enriched parent, either A-type or I-type (highly fractionated igneous type) granite, is thought to be critical for generating the high concentrations of REE in regolith profiles. One prominent feature we recognize in many granites and mineralized regoliths is the tetrad behaviour displayed in REE chondrite-normalized patterns. Tetrad patterns in granite and regolith result from processes that promote the redistribution, enrichment, and fractionation of REE, such as late- to post- magmatic alteration of granite and silicate hydrolysis in the regolith. Thus, REE patterns showing tetrad effects may be a key for discriminating highly prospective source rocks and regoliths with potential for REE ion adsorption clay deposits.

50 Myr of pulsed mafic magmatism in the High Arctic Large Igneous Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, D. G.; Dockman, D. M.; Heaman, L. M.; Gibson, S. A.; Sarkar, C.

2017-12-01

Extensive and voluminous Cretaceous mafic magmatism in the Sverdrup Basin of Arctic Canada forms the circum-Arctic High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP). The small number of published high-precision ages for this LIP indicate its eruption over a considerable timespan raising concerns over whether the HALIP can be strictly defined as a single LIP and questioning the role of a single or multiple plumes in its genesis. Here we present an integrated geochemical and geochronological study to better constrain the timing and cause of mafic magma genesis in the Canadian HALIP. Six new U-Pb and four 40Ar/39Ar ages of mafic lavas and intrusive sheets range from 121 Ma to 78 Ma. The U-Pb ages are the first analyzed from the mafic intrusions of Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere Islands. The new geochronology, combined with other published high-precision ages, reveal a > 50 Myr duration of mafic magmatism in the HALIP defined by three main pulses. Tholeiites dominate the initial 25 Myr of magmatism, transitioning to coeval emplacement of alkali and tholeiitic basalts. Whole-rock Sr-Nd isotope ratios indicate that both magma types are derived from a similar source dominated by convecting mantle. Rare-earth-element inversion models reveal that the alkalic and tholeiitic magmas were generated beneath a bimodal lithospheric `lid' thickness of 65 ± 5 and 45 ± 4 km, respectively. We suggest that the early 128 - 122 Ma tholeiitic event is primarily plume-generated and correlates across the circum-Arctic with the other HALIP tholeiites. Younger HALIP magmatism, with coeval alkalic and tholeiitic magmas erupting over 25 Myr, may be explained by alternating modes of edge-driven mantle convection as the primary control on magma genesis. A distal plume may have intensified magma production by edge-driven convection.

Does a Heavy Fe-Isotope Composition of Akilia Quartz-Amphibole-Pyroxene Rocks Necessitate a BIF Origin?

PubMed

Whitehouse, M J; Schoenberg, R; Fedo, C M; Kamber, B S

2015-10-01

The age and origin of the quartz-amphibole-pyroxene (qap) gneiss from the island of Akilia, southern West Greenland, have been the subject of intense debate since the light C-isotope composition of graphite inclusions in apatite was interpreted to indicate the presence of Earth's earliest biological activity. Although this claim for biogenic relicts has been vigorously challenged, the possibility that the rocks might represent some of Earth's earliest water-lain sediments and, hence, a suitable repository for life remains an open question. While some workers have suggested that the entire sequence represents an originally mafic-ultramafic igneous precursor subsequently modified by metasomatism, quartz injection, high-grade metamorphism, and extreme ductile deformation, others maintain that at least a small part of the sequence retains geochemical characteristics indicative of a chemical sedimentary origin. Fractionated Fe isotopes with δ(56)Fe values similar to those observed in Isua BIF have been reported from high-SiO2 units of qap and used to support a chemical sedimentary protolith for the qap unit. Here, we present new Fe isotope data from all lithologic variants in the qap gneiss on Akilia, including layers of undisputed ultramafic igneous origin. Since the latter require introduction of fractionated Fe into at least part of the qap unit, we argue that Fe isotopes must therefore be treated with considerable caution when used to infer BIF for part or all of the qap protolith.

Palaeointensity determinations and magnetic properties on Eocene rocks from Izu-Bonin-Mariana forearc (IODP Exp. 352)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvallo, C.; Camps, P.; Sager, W. W.; Poidras, T.

2017-09-01

IODP Expedition 352 cored igneous rocks from the Izu-Bonin-Mariana forearc crust. Cores from Sites U1440 and U1441 recovered Eocene basalts and related rocks and cores from Sites U1439 and U1442 recovered Eocene boninites and related rocks. We selected samples from Holes U1439C, U1440B and U1442A for palaeointensity measurements. Hysteresis measurements and high and low-temperature magnetization curves show that samples from Hole U1440B undergo magneto-chemical changes when heated and are mostly composed of single-domain (SD) or pseudo-single-domain (PSD) titanomaghemite. In contrast, the same measurements show that most selected samples from Holes U1439C and U1442A are thermally stable and are composed of either SD or PSD titanomagnetite with very little titanium content, or SD ferromagnetic grains with a large paramagnetic contribution. Thellier-Thellier palaeointensity experiments carried out on U1439C and U1442A samples give a good success rate of 25/60 and Virtual Dipole Moment (VDM) values between 1.3 and 3.5 × 1022 Am2. Multispecimen palaeointensity experiments with the domain-state corrected method carried out on 55 samples from Hole U1440B (divided into four groups) and 20 from Hole U1439C gave poor quality results, but indicated a VDM around 4-6 × 1022 Am2 in Hole U1440B forearc basalts. These results are in agreement with the few, low VDM values previously measured on Eocene rocks. However, they do not support an inverse relationship between field intensity and reversal rate for this period of time, since the Eocene reversal rate was low.

Petrogenesis and metallogenesis of the Wajilitag and Puchang Fe-Ti oxide-rich intrusive complexes, northwestern Tarim Large Igneous Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Dongyang; Zhang, Zhaochong; Huang, He; Cheng, Zhiguo; Charlier, Bernard

2018-04-01

The Wajilitag and Puchang intrusive complexes of the Tarim large igneous province (TLIP) are associated with significant resources of Fe-Ti oxide ores. These two mafic-ultramafic intrusions show differences in lithology and mineral chemistry. Clinopyroxenite and melagabbro are the dominant rock types in the Wajilitag complex, whereas the Puchang complex is generally gabbroic and anorthositic in composition with minor plagioclase-bearing clinopyroxenites in the marginal zone. Disseminated Fe-Ti oxide ores are found in the Wajilitag complex and closely associated with clinopyroxenites, whereas the Puchang complex hosts massive to disseminated Fe-Ti oxide ores mainly within its gabbroic rocks. The Wajilitag intrusive rocks are characterized by a restricted range of initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7038-0.7048) and positive εNd(t) (+0.04 - +3.01), indicating insignificant involvement of continental crustal contamination. The slightly higher initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7039-0.7059) and lower εNd(t) values (-1.05 - +2.35) of the Puchang intrusive rocks also suggest that the isotopic characteristics was controlled primarily by their mantle source, rather than by crustal contamination. Both complexes have Sr-Nd isotopic compositions close the neighboring kimberlitic rocks and their hosted mantle xenoliths in the TLIP. This indicates that the ferrobasaltic parental magmas were most probably originated from partial melting of a metasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle, modified recently with subduction-related materials by the impingement of the ascending mantle plume. The recycled subduction-related materials preserved in the lithospheric mantle could play a key role in the formation of the parental Fe-rich magmas in the context of an overall LIP system. The distinct variations in mineral assemblage for each complex and modeled results indicated that the Wajilitag and Puchang complexes experienced different crystallization path. Fe-Ti oxides in Wajilitag joined the

Sedimentary rock-hosted Au deposits of the Dian-Qian-Gui area, Guizhou, and Yunnan Provinces, and Guangxi District, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, S.G.; Jiazhan, H.; Zhiping, L.; Chenggui, J.

2007-01-01

Sedimentary rock-hosted Au deposits in the Dian-Qian-Gui area in southwest China are hosted in Paleozoic and early Mesozoic sedimentary rocks along the southwest margin of the Yangtze (South China) Precambrian craton. Most deposits have characteristics similar to Carlin-type Au deposits and are spatially associated, on a regional scale, with deposits of coal, Sb, barite, As, Tl, and Hg. Sedimentary rock-hosted Au deposits are disseminated stratabound and(or) structurally controlled. The deposits have many similar characteristics, particularly mineralogy, geochemistry, host rock, and structural control. Most deposits are associated with structural domes, stratabound breccia bodies, unconformity surfaces or intense brittle-ductile deformation zones, such as the Youjiang fault system. Typical characteristics include impure carbonate rock or calcareous and carbonaceous host rock that contains disseminated pyrite, marcasite, and arsenopyrite-usually with ??m-sized Au, commonly in As-rich rims of pyrite and in disseminations. Late realgar, orpiment, stibnite, and Hg minerals are spatially associated with earlier forming sulfide minerals. Minor base-metal sulfides, such as galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and Pb-Sb-As-sulphosalts also are present. The rocks locally are silicified and altered to sericite-clay (illite). Rocks and(or) stream-sediment geochemical signatures typically include elevated concentrations of As, Sb, Hg, Tl, and Ba. A general lack of igneous rocks in the Dian-Qian-Gui area implies non-pluton-related, ore forming processes. Some deposits contain evidence that sources of the metal may have originated in carbonaceous parts of the sedimentary pile or other sedimentary or volcanic horizons. This genetic process may be associated with formation and mobilization of petroleum and Hg in the region and may also be related to As-, Au-, and Tl-bearing coal horizons. Many deposits also contain textures and features indicative of strong structural control by

Trace element geochemistry of zircons from mineralizing and non-mineralizing igneous rocks related to gold ores at Yanacocha, Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koleszar, A. M.; Dilles, J. H.; Kent, A. J.; Wooden, J. L.

2012-12-01

Zircons record important details about the evolution of magmatic systems, are relatively insensitive to alteration, and have been used to investigate the geochemistry, temperature, and oxidation state of volcanic and plutonic system. We examine zircons that span 6-7 m.y. of calc-alkaline volcanic activity in the Yanacocha district of northern Peru, where dacitic intrusions are associated with high-sulfidation gold deposits. The 14.5-8.4 Ma Yanacocha Volcanics include cogenetic lavas and pyroclastic rocks and are underlain by the andesites and dacites of the Calipuy Group, the oldest Cenozoic rocks in the region. We present data for magmatic zircons from the Cerro Fraile dacitic pyroclastics (15.5-15.1 Ma) of the Calipuy Group, and multiple eruptive units within the younger Yanacocha Volcanics: the Atazaico Andesite (14.5-13.3 Ma), the Quilish Dacite (~14-12 Ma), the Azufre Andesite (12.1-11.6 Ma), the San Jose Ignimbrite (11.5-11.2 Ma), and the Coriwachay Dacite (11.1-8.4 Ma). Epithermal high sulfidation (alunite-bearing) gold deposits are associated with the dacite intrusions of the Coriwachay and Quilish Dacites. Zircons from the non-mineralizing rocks typically have lower Hf concentrations and record Ti-in-zircon temperatures that are ~100°C hotter than zircons from the mineralizing intrusions. Temperatures recorded by zircons from the mineralizing intrusions are remarkably similar to those of the underlying Cerro Fraile dacite pyroclastics, but the zircons discussed here generally record SHRIMP-RG 206Pb/238U ages within error of previously published Ar-Ar eruption ages (eliminating antecrystic or xenocrystic origins). These observations suggest that zircons in the mineralizing intrusions form after greater extents of crystallization (and thus record elevated Hf concentrations and lower temperatures) than do zircons in the non-mineralized deposits. Unlike zircons from mineralized units associated with the porphyry Cu(Mo) deposits in Yerington, Nevada, which

Comparing phosphorus mobilization strategies using Aspergillus niger for the mineral dissolution of three phosphate rocks.

PubMed

Schneider, K D; van Straaten, P; de Orduña, R Mira; Glasauer, S; Trevors, J; Fallow, D; Smith, P S

2010-01-01

Phosphorus deficiencies are limiting crop production in agricultural soils worldwide. Locally available sources of raw phosphate rock (PR) are being recognized for their potential role in soil fertility improvement. Phosphorus bioavailability is essential for the efficiency of PRs and can be increased by acid treatments. The utilization of organic acid producing micro-organisms, notably Aspergillus niger, presents a sustainable alternative to the use of strong inorganic acids, but acid production of A. niger strongly depends on the mineral content of the growth media. This study compared the phosphorus mobilization efficiency of two biological treatments, namely addition of acidic cell-free supernatants from A. niger cultivations to PRs and the direct cultivation of A. niger with PRs. The results show that addition of PR to cultivations leads to significant differences in the profile of organic acids produced by A. niger. Additions of PR, especially igneous rocks containing high amounts of iron and manganese, lead to reduced citric acid concentrations. In spite of these differences, phosphorus mobilization was similar between treatments, suggesting that the simpler direct cultivation method was not inferior. In addition to citric acid, it is suggested that oxalic acid contributes to PR solubilization in direct cultivations with A. niger, which would benefit farmers in developing countries where conventional fertilizers are not adequately accessible.

Alteration of submarine volcanic rocks in oxygenated Archean oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohmoto, H.; Bevacqua, D.; Watanabe, Y.

2009-12-01

Most submarine volcanic rocks, including basalts in diverging plate boundaries and andesites/dacites in converging plate boundaries, have been altered by low-temperature seawater and/or hydrothermal fluids (up to ~400°C) under deep oceans; the hydrothermal fluids evolved from shallow/deep circulations of seawater through the underlying hot igneous rocks. Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits (VMSDs) and banded iron formations (BIFs) were formed by mixing of submarine hydrothermal fluids with local seawater. Therefore, the behaviors of various elements, especially of redox-sensitive elements, in altered submarine volcanic rocks, VMSDs and BIFs can be used to decipher the chemical evolution of the oceans and atmosphere. We have investigated the mineralogy and geochemistry of >500 samples of basalts from a 260m-long drill core section of Hole #1 of the Archean Biosphere Drilling Project (ABDP #1) in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. The core section is comprised of ~160 m thick Marble Bar Chert/Jasper Unit (3.46 Ga) and underlying, inter-bedded, and overlying submarine basalts. Losses/gains of 65 elements were quantitatively evaluated on the basis of their concentration ratios against the least mobile elements (Ti, Zr and Nb). We have recognized that mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of many of these samples are essentially the same as those of hydrothermally-altered modern submarine basalts and also those of altered volcanic rocks that underlie Phanerozoic VMSDs. The similarities include, but are not restricted to: (1) the alteration mineralogy (chlorite ± sericite ± pyrophyllite ± carbonates ± hematite ± pyrite ± rutile); (2) the characteristics of whole-rock δ18O and δ34S values; (3) the ranges of depletion and enrichment of Si, Al, Mg, Ca, K, Na, Fe, Mn, and P; (4) the enrichment of Ba (as sulfate); (5) the increases in Fe3+/Fe2+ ratios; (6) the enrichment of U; (7) the depletion of Cr; and (8) the negative Ce anomalies. Literature data

In-situ stressing of rock: Observation of infrared emission prior to failure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahlgren, R.; Freund, F. T.; Momayez, M.; Bleier, T. E.; Dunson, C.; Joggerst, P.; Jones, K.; Wang, S.

2009-12-01

Blocks of igneous rocks such as anorthosite and granite subjected at one end to uniaxial stress have been shown to emit a small but distinct excess amount of infrared (IR) light (Freund, F. T., et al, JASTP, 71, 2009). This anomalous IR emission arises from the radiative de-excitation of electron vacancy defects, which, upon stress-activation, flow into the unstressed portion and recombine at the surface. This non-thermal IR emission occurs in the 8 μm to 14 μm wavelength region. Field experiments are performed by slowly stressing large boulders and monitoring the IR emission in situ with a Bruker EM27 Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The boulders are prepared by drilling four blind holes into the rock, 50-100 cm deep, in an array roughly parallel to, and behind, the surface from where the IR emission is monitored. Any debris and water is blown out of the boreholes with compressed air, and the rock is given time to dry and relax from drilling-induced stresses. The holes are then filled with grout that expands upon curing, creating an increasing radial pressure of up to 5 × 103 t/m2. The experiments were carried out with two large granite boulders, one of about 30 t of hard (over 150 MPa) granite at the University of Arizona’s Henry "Hank" Grunstedt San Xavier Mining Laboratory, located in the copper mining district near Tucson, AZ and the other of about 7 t of weathered granite in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Oakhurst, CA. The Bruker EM27 FTIR spectrometer equipped with a 20 cm reflective telescope collects the IR emission from a safe distance at a rate of a full 4-16 µm spectrum every 30 sec. After recording baseline data, the grout was mixed with water and poured into the holes as IR emission was monitored continuously until the experiment was terminated after rock failure. The time of failure is noted whenever the first acoustic or visual cues are sensed from the boulder. The IR data shows that after a period of quiescence, pronounced

No Evidence for Connectivity between the Bushveld Igneous Complex and the Molopo Farms Complex from Forward Modeling of Receiver Functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skryzalin, P. A.; Ramirez, C.; Durrheim, R. J.; Raveloson, A.; Nyblade, A.; Feineman, M. D.

2016-12-01

The Bushveld Igneous Complex contains one of the most studied and economically important layered mafic intrusions in the world. The Rustenburg Layered Suite outcrops in northern South Africa over an area of 65,000 km2, and has a volume of up to 1,000,000 km3. Both the Bushveld Igneous Complex and the Molopo Farms Complex in Botswana intruded the crust at 2.05 Ga. Despite being extensively exploited by the mining industry, many questions still exist regarding the structure of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, specifically the total size and connectivity of the different outcrops. In this study, we used receiver function analysis, a technique for determining the seismic velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle, to search for evidence of the Bushveld at station LBTB, which lies in Botswana, between the Far Western Limb of the Bushveld and the Molopo Farms Complex. The goal of our study was to determine whether a fast, high-density mafic body can be seen in the crust beneath this region using receiver functions. Observation of a high density layer would argue in favor of connectivity of the Bushveld between The Far Western Limb and the Molopo Farms Complex. We forward modeled stacks of receiver functions as well as sub-stacks that were split into azimuthal groups which share similar characteristics. We found that there was no evidence for a high velocity zone in the crust, and that the Moho in this region is located at a depth of 38 ± 3 km, about 8-9 km shallower than Moho depths determined beneath the Bushveld Complex. These two lines of evidence give no reason to assume connectivity between the Bushveld Igneous Complex and the Molopo Farms Complex, and rather suggest two separate intrusive suites.

40Ar/39Ar ages and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions of alkaline and tholeiitic rocks from the northern Deccan Traps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marzoli, A.; Parisio, L.; Jourdan, F.; Melluso, L.; Sethna, S. F.; Bellieni, G.

2015-12-01

The Deccan large igneous province in India was emplaced close to the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (K-Pg; 66.0 Ma) and is formed by tholeiitic and alkaline rocks. Definition of the origin of Deccan magmatism and of its environmental impact relies on precise and accurate geochronological analyses. We present new 40Ar/39Ar ages from the northern sector of the province. In this area, tholeiitic and alkaline rocks were contemporaneously emplaced at 66.60±0.35 to 65.25±0.29 Ma in the Phenai Mata area, while rocks from Rajpipla and Mt. Pavagadh yielded ages ranging from 66.40±2.80 to 64.90±0.80 Ma. Indistinguishable ages for alkaline and tholeiitic magmatism, coupled with distinct major and trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions suggest that distinct mantle sources, necessary for the two magmatic series were synchronously active. The new ages are compared with previous ages, which were carefully screened and filtered and then recalculated in order to be comparable. The entire data set of geochronological data does not support a time-related migration of the magmatism related to the northward Indian Plate movement relative to the Reunion mantle plume. The main phase of magmatism, including the newly dated rocks from the Northern Deccan occurred across the K-Pg boundary, confirming a causal link between the emplacement of the province and the K-Pg mass extinction.

Using a Differential Scanning Calorimeter to Teach Phase Equilibria to Students of Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maria, Anton H.; Millam, Evan L.; Wright, Carrie L.

2011-01-01

As an aid for teaching phase equilibria to undergraduate students of igneous and metamorphic petrology, we have designed a laboratory exercise that allows them to create a phase diagram from data produced by differential scanning calorimetry. By preparing and analyzing samples of naphthalene and phenanthrene, students acquire hands-on insight into…

Gravimetric and magnetic fabric study of the Sintra Igneous complex: laccolith-plug emplacement in the Western Iberian passive margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terrinha, Pedro; Pueyo, Emilio L.; Aranguren, Aitor; Kullberg, José Carlos; Kullberg, Maria Carla; Casas-Sainz, Antonio; Azevedo, Maria do Rosário

2017-12-01

The geometry and emplacement of the 96 km2, Late Cretaceous Sintra Igneous complex (SIC, ca. 80 Ma) into the West Iberian passive margin is presented, based on structural data, gravimetric modeling, and magnetic fabrics. A granite laccolith ( 76 km2, < 1 km thick, according to gravimetric modeling) surrounds a suite of gabbro-diorite-syenite plugs ( 20 km2, 4 km deep) and is encircled by cone sheets and radial dykes. Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility was interpreted from 54 sites showing fabrics of para- and ferro-magnetic origin. Most fabrics can be interpreted to have a magmatic origin, according to the scarcity of solid-state deformation in most part of the massif. Magnetic foliations are shallowly dipping in the granite laccolith and contain a sub-horizontal ENE-WSW lineation. The gabbro-syenite body displays concentric magnetic foliations having variable dips and steeply-plunging lineations. The SIC can be interpreted to be intruded along an NNW-SSE, 200 km-long fault, perpendicular to the magnetic lineation within the laccolith, and was preceded by the intrusion of basic sills and plugs. The SIC intruded the Mesozoic series of the Lusitanian Basin during the post-rift, passive margin stage, and its geometry was only slightly modified during the Paleogene inversion that resulted in thrusting of the northern border of the intrusion over the country rocks.

K-Ar geochronology of basement rocks on the northern flank of the Huancabama deflection, Ecuador

USGS Publications Warehouse

Feininger, Tomas; Silberman, M.L.

1982-01-01

The Huancabamba deflection, a major Andean orocline located at the Ecuador-Peru border, constitutes an important geologic boundary on the Pacific coast of South America. Crust to the north of the deflection is oceanic and the basement is composed of basic igneous rocks of Cretaceous age, whereas crust to the south is continental and felsic rocks of Precambrian to Cretaceous age make up the basement. The northern flank of the Huancabamba Deflection in El Oro Province, Ecuador, is underlain by Precambrian polymetamorphic basic rocks of the Piedras Group; shale, siltstone, sandstone, and their metamorphosed equivalents in the Tahuin Group (in part of Devonian age); concordant syntectonic granitic rocks; quartz diorite and alaskite of the Maroabeli pluton; a protrusion of serpentinized harzburgite that contains a large inclusion of blueschist-facies metamorphic rocks, the Raspas Formation, and metamorphic rocks north of the La Palma fault. Biotite from gneiss of the Tahuin Group yields a Late Triassic K-Ar age (210 ? 8 m.y.). This is interpreted as an uplift age and is consistent with a regional metamorphism of Paleozoic age. A nearby sample from the Piedras Group that yielded a hornblende K-Ar age of 196 ? 8 m.y. was affected by the same metamorphic event. Biotite from quartz diorite of the mesozonal Maroabeli pluton yields a Late Triassic age (214 ? 6 m.y.) which is interpreted as an uplift age which may be only slightly younger than the age of magmatic crystallization. Emplacement of the pluton may postdate regional metamorphism of the Tahuin Group. Phengite from politic schist of the Raspas Formation yields an Early Cretaceous K-Ar age (132 ? 5 m.y.). This age is believed to date the isostatic rise of the encasing serpentinized harzburgite as movement along a subjacent subduction zone ceased, and it is synchronous with the age of the youngest lavas of a coeval volcanic arc in eastern Ecuador. A Late Cretaceous K-Ar age (74.4 ? 1.1 m.y.) from hornblende in

Petrogenesis of cataclastic rocks within the San Andreas fault zone of Southern California U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawford Anderson, J.; Osborne, Robert H.; Palmer, Donald F.

1980-08-01

cataclasis. It is evident that the gouge development in these primarily igneous crystalline terranes is largely an in situ process with minimal mixing of rock types. Fabric analyses reveal that brecciation (shattering), not shearing, is the major deformational mechanism at these upper crustal levels.

Progress in 1988 1990 with computer applications in the ``hard-rock'' arena: Geochemistry, mineralogy, petrology, and volcanology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rock, Nicholas M. S.

This review covers rock, mineral and isotope geochemistry, mineralogy, igneous and metamorphic petrology, and volcanology. Crystallography, exploration geochemistry, and mineral exploration are excluded. Fairly extended comments on software availability, and on computerization of the publication process and of specimen collection indexes, may interest a wider audience. A proliferation of both published and commercial software in the past 3 years indicates increasing interest in what traditionally has been a rather reluctant sphere of geoscience computer activity. However, much of this software duplicates the same old functions (Harker and triangular plots, mineral recalculations, etc.). It usually is more efficient nowadays to use someone else's program, or to employ the command language in one of many general-purpose spreadsheet or statistical packages available, than to program a specialist operation from scratch in, say, FORTRAN. Greatest activity has been in mineralogy, where several journals specifically encourage publication of computer-related activities, and IMA and MSA Working Groups on microcomputers have been convened. In petrology and geochemistry, large national databases of rock and mineral analyses continue to multiply, whereas the international database IGBA grows slowly; some form of integration is necessary to make these disparate systems of lasting value to the global "hard-rock" community. Total merging or separate addressing via an intelligent "front-end" are both possibilities. In volcanology, the BBC's videodisk Volcanoes and the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Project use the most up-to-date computer technology in an exciting and innovative way, to promote public education.

Magmatic evolution of Panama Canal volcanic rocks: A record of arc processes and tectonic change

PubMed Central

Cardona, Agustin; Montes, Camilo; Foster, David; Jaramillo, Carlos

2017-01-01

Volcanic rocks along the Panama Canal present a world-class opportunity to examine the relationship between arc magmatism, tectonic forcing, wet and dry magmas, and volcanic structures. Major and trace element geochemistry of Canal volcanic rocks indicate a significant petrologic transition at 21–25 Ma. Oligocene Bas Obispo Fm. rocks have large negative Nb-Ta anomalies, low HREE, fluid mobile element enrichments, a THI of 0.88, and a H2Ocalc of >3 wt. %. In contrast, the Miocene Pedro Miguel and Late Basalt Fm. exhibit reduced Nb-Ta anomalies, flattened REE curves, depleted fluid mobile elements, a THI of 1.45, a H2Ocalc of <1 wt. %, and plot in mid-ocean ridge/back-arc basin fields. Geochemical modeling of Miocene rocks indicates 0.5–0.1 kbar crystallization depths of hot (1100–1190°C) magmas in which most compositional diversity can be explained by fractional crystallization (F = 0.5). However, the most silicic lavas (Las Cascadas Fm.) require an additional mechanism, and assimilation-fractional-crystallization can reproduce observed compositions at reasonable melt fractions. The Canal volcanic rocks, therefore, change from hydrous basaltic pyroclastic deposits typical of mantle-wedge-derived magmas, to hot, dry bi-modal magmatism at the Oligocene-Miocene boundary. We suggest the primary reason for the change is onset of arc perpendicular extension localized to central Panama. High-resolution mapping along the Panama Canal has revealed a sequence of inward dipping maar-diatreme pyroclastic pipes, large basaltic sills, and bedded silicic ignimbrites and tuff deposits. These volcanic bodies intrude into the sedimentary Canal Basin and are cut by normal and subsequently strike-slip faults. Such pyroclastic pipes and basaltic sills are most common in extensional arc and large igneous province environments. Overall, the change in volcanic edifice form and geochemistry are related to onset of arc perpendicular extension, and are consistent with the idea that

Magmatic evolution of Panama Canal volcanic rocks: A record of arc processes and tectonic change.

PubMed

Farris, David W; Cardona, Agustin; Montes, Camilo; Foster, David; Jaramillo, Carlos

2017-01-01

Volcanic rocks along the Panama Canal present a world-class opportunity to examine the relationship between arc magmatism, tectonic forcing, wet and dry magmas, and volcanic structures. Major and trace element geochemistry of Canal volcanic rocks indicate a significant petrologic transition at 21-25 Ma. Oligocene Bas Obispo Fm. rocks have large negative Nb-Ta anomalies, low HREE, fluid mobile element enrichments, a THI of 0.88, and a H2Ocalc of >3 wt. %. In contrast, the Miocene Pedro Miguel and Late Basalt Fm. exhibit reduced Nb-Ta anomalies, flattened REE curves, depleted fluid mobile elements, a THI of 1.45, a H2Ocalc of <1 wt. %, and plot in mid-ocean ridge/back-arc basin fields. Geochemical modeling of Miocene rocks indicates 0.5-0.1 kbar crystallization depths of hot (1100-1190°C) magmas in which most compositional diversity can be explained by fractional crystallization (F = 0.5). However, the most silicic lavas (Las Cascadas Fm.) require an additional mechanism, and assimilation-fractional-crystallization can reproduce observed compositions at reasonable melt fractions. The Canal volcanic rocks, therefore, change from hydrous basaltic pyroclastic deposits typical of mantle-wedge-derived magmas, to hot, dry bi-modal magmatism at the Oligocene-Miocene boundary. We suggest the primary reason for the change is onset of arc perpendicular extension localized to central Panama. High-resolution mapping along the Panama Canal has revealed a sequence of inward dipping maar-diatreme pyroclastic pipes, large basaltic sills, and bedded silicic ignimbrites and tuff deposits. These volcanic bodies intrude into the sedimentary Canal Basin and are cut by normal and subsequently strike-slip faults. Such pyroclastic pipes and basaltic sills are most common in extensional arc and large igneous province environments. Overall, the change in volcanic edifice form and geochemistry are related to onset of arc perpendicular extension, and are consistent with the idea that Panama