Granitic plutonism as an indicator of microplates in the Palaeozoic of central and eastern Maine

Oxygen and strontium isotope ratios have been used to characterize source regions for granitic magmas for a transect across the northern Appalachian orogen in central and eastern Maine. The northwestern plutons (Katahdin and Seboeis) have δ¹⁸O values of 10.3–13.3 and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.7083 and 0.7066, respectively. The central plutons (Bottle Lake and Center Pond) have lower δ¹⁸O values (8.2–9.9) and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7043–0.7055). The southeastern plutons (Lucerne and Deblois) have δ¹⁸O values (9.0–11.0) but initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7077 and 0.7041, respectively) which are intermediate between the northwestern and central plutons.Source models derived from these results and other petrological and geochemical data reflect the juxtaposition of discrete source regions by transcurrent faulting, which may be related to oblique plate motions. This model illustrates the importance of microplate accretion in the Palaeozoic history of the northern Appalachian orogen.     

New England granites: Trace element evidence regarding their origin and differentiation

The abundances of Sc, rare earths, Zr, Hf, Ta and Th were determined in five New England granitic plutons. Similar data are reported for separated minerals from three of the units. The granites can be divided into the Massachusetts alkaline group (Cape Ann, Peabody, Quincy) and the Rhode Island subalkaline group (Narragansett Pier, Westerly).Analyses for three samples from each pluton indicate that the Westerly granite is heterogeneous in both major and trace elements. Th abundances vary considerably (factor of 2) in both Rhode Island granites. Zr and Hf are heterogeneously distributed in all the granites while the rare earths are more homogeneous (< ± 20% deviation from mean).Eu depletions in all the granites imply that feldspar was involved either as a cumulate during fractional crystallization or as a residual phase during anatexis. Because the Massachusetts granites are associated with syenites and show evidence for low water fugacity and denser rocks at depth, these granites probably developed from basic magmas as a result of extensive feldspar crystallization.Depletion of Tb, Dy, Yb, Lu, Zr, Hf and Ta in the Rhode Island granites suggest participation of zircon or garnet as residues of partial melting or as crystal cumulates. These granites crystallized under nearly water saturated conditions and are characterized by abundant pegmatites. The presence of a water rich phase may also have been important in the depletion of elements which form stable complexes in aqueous solutions.     

Comparative geochronology in the reversely zoned plutons of the Bottle Lake Complex,Maine: U-Pb on zircons and Rb-Sr on whole rocks

The Bottle Lake Complex is a composite granitic batholith emplaced into Cambrian to Lower Devonian metasedimentary rocks. Both plutons (Whitney Cove and Passadumkeag River) are very coarse grained hornblende and biotite-bearing granites showing petrographic and geochemical reverse zonation. Two linear whole rock Rb/Sr isochrons on xenolith-free Whitney Cove and Passadumkeag River samples indicate ages of 379±5 m.y. and 381±4 m.y., respectively, in close agreement with published K-Ar ages for biotite from Whitney Cove of 377 m.y. and 379 m.y., and for hornblende ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar determinations from Passadumkeag River which indicate an age of 378±4 m.y. The initial Sr isotopic ratio for Whitney Cove is 0.70553 and for Passadumkeag River is 0.70414. A whole-rock isochron on a suite of xenoliths from the Passadumkeag River granite indicates a whole rock Rb-Sr age of 496±14 m.y., with an initial Sr isotopic ratio of 0.70262.Two types of zircon exhibiting wide petrographic diversity are evident in variable proportions throughout the batholith. One of these types is preferentially found in a mafic xenolith and it is widely dispersed in the host granites forming discrete grains and probably as inclusions in the other type of zircon. U-Pb analyses of zircons give concordia intercept ages of 399±8 m.y. for Whitney Cove, 388±6 m.y. for Passadumkeag River, 415 m.y. for a mafic xenolith in Passadumkeag River, and 396±32 for combined Whitney Cove and Passadumkeag River granite. The zircons show a spread of up to 20 m.y. in the ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages. Omitting the finest zircon fraction in the Passadumkeag River results in a concordia intercept age of 381±3 m.y., in better agreement with the whole-rock Rb-Sr and mineral K-Ar ages. For the Whitney Cove pluton, exclusion of the finest fraction does not bring the zircon age into agreement with the Rb-Sr data.Age estimates by the whole rock Rb-Sr, mineral K-Ar and Ar-Ar methods suggest that the crystallization age of the plutons is about 380 m.y., slightly younger than the U-Pb zircon intercept ages. A possible reason for this discrepancy is that the zircons contain inherited lead. Thus, zircon U-Pb ages might represent a mixture of newly developed zircon and older inherited zircon, whereas the Rb-Sr whole rock age (380 m.y.) reflects the time of crystallization, and the argon ages result from rapid cooling after emplacement.     

云母的命名

根据容许的化学成分范围，给出了纯云母类（true micas)，脆云母类（brittle micas)和层间阳离子亏损的云母类（interlayer-cation-deficient micas)的端元矿物和矿物种，概括介绍了利用现有的各种化学分析数据计算云母晶体化学式的方法，以及描述不常见化学元素代换或多型堆积的一系列修饰词和后缀，列出了云母的同义词和变种、定名有误的物质，以及过去使用或误用的云母名称。     

The Pikes Peak batholith,Colorado front range,and a model for the origin of the gabbro—anorthosite—syenite—potassic granite suite

This study of the Pikes Peak batholith includes the mineralogy and petrology of quartz syenite at West Creek and of fayalite-bearing and fayalite-free biotite granite near Mount Rosa; major element chemistry of the batholith; comparisons with similar postorogenic, intracratonic, sodic to potassic intrusives; and genesis of the batholith.The batholith is elongate in plan, 50 by 100 km, composite, and generally subalkalic. It was emplaced at shallow depth 1,040 m. y. ago, sharply transects its walls and may have breached its roof. Biotite granite and biotite—hornblende granite are predominant; quartz syenite, fayalite granite and riebeckite granite are present in minor amounts.Fayalite-bearing and fayalite-free quartz syenite, fayalite-biotite granite and riebeckite granite show a well-defined sodic differentiation trend; the less sodic fayalite-free granites exhibit a broader compositional range and no sharp trends.Crystallization was largely at P_H2O < P_total; P_H2O approached P_total only at late stages. Aplite residual to fayalite-free biotite granite in the north formed at about 1,500 bars, or 5 km depth. Feldspar assemblages indicate late stages of crystallization at about 720°C. In the south ilmenite and manganian fayalite indicate f_O2 of 10^?17 or 10^?18 bars. Biotite and fayalite compositions and the ‘granite minimum’ imply completion of crystallization at about 700°C and 1,500 bars. Nearby fayalite-free biotite granite crystallized at higher water fugacity.All types of syenite and granite contain 5–6% K₂O through a range of SiO₂ of 63–76%. Average Na₂O percentages in quartz syenite are 6.2, fayalite granite 4.2, and fayalite-free granite 3.3 MgO contents are low, 0.03–0.4%; FeO averages 1.9–2.5%. FeO/Fe₂O₃ ratios are high. Fluorine ranges from 0.3 to 0.6%.The Pikes Peak intrusives are similar in mode of emplacement, composition, and probably genesis to rapakivi intrusives of Finland, the Younger Granites of Nigeria, Cape Ann Granite and Beverly Syenite, Mass., and syenite of Kungnat, Greenland, among others — allowing for different levels of erosion. A suite that includes gabbro or basalt, anorthosite, quartz syenite, fayalite granite, riebeckite granite, and biotite and/or hornblende granites is of worldwide occurrence.A model is proposed in which mantle-derived, convecting alkali olivine basaltic magma first reacts with K₂O-poor lower crust of granulite facies to produce magma of quartz syenitic composition. The syenitic liquid in turn reacts with granodioritic to granitic intermediate crust of amphibolite facies to produce the predominant fayalite-free biotite and biotite-hornblende granites of the batholith. This reaction of magma and roof involves both partial melting and the reconstitution and precipitation of refractory phases, as Bowen proposed. Intermediate liquids include MgO-depleted and Na₂O-enriched gabbro, which precipitated anorthosite, and alkali diorite. The heat source is the basaltic magma; the heat required for partial melting of the roof is supplied largely by heats of crystallization of phases that settle out of the liquid — mostly olivine, clinopyroxene and plagioclase.