Calc-alkaline mafic rocks of the Black Dyke Formation: Remnants of the final activity of a submerged Permian volcano
- URA-CNRS, Grenoble (France)
- Univ. of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States). Dept. of Geological Science
The Permian Black Dyke Fm., which occurs as large tectonic slices within the Luning allochthon in the Excelsior Mountains, NV, forms an E-W trending anticline at Black Dyke Mountain. The 800-m thick stratigraphic succession consists of volcanic and pyroclastic rocks overlain conformably by volcaniclastic sediments. Along the northern limb of the anticline, the rocks consist of mafic porphyritic lavas, breccias, and graded and ungraded pyroclastic beds. The sedimentary unit consists of thick volcaniclastic turbidites overlain by conglomerates, sandstones, and mudstones. Along the southern limb of the anticline, the sequence is replaced by reworked breccia, tuffs, and sandstones. Mafic plutonic rocks occur as xenoliths in the lavas and breccias, and as coeval plugs intruding the section. Gabbros show cumulate or porphyritic textures and are composed of amph, cpx, and zoned plag. Their Ti/V (14.5--15) and Nb/Y (0.25--0.3) ratios fall in the range commonly found in calc-alkaline rocks. Diorite porphyry shows high Al[sub 2]O[sub 3], ZrO[sub 2], and REE abundances indicating that this rock is more fractionated. Basalts and andesites are plag-cpx-opx phyric. They often include glomeroporphyritic clots of cpx with amph coronas. Some rocks exhibit fluidal textures. Both volcanic and plutonic rocks show homogeneous geochemical features and similar crystallization sequences: Fe-Ti oxides---->plag---->opx + cpx----> brown zoned hbl, suggesting that they are cogenetic. Thus, the lower part of the Black Dyke Fm. likely represents the final products formed in a calc-alkaline magma chamber because pyroclastic rocks prevail over lava flows and abundant early crystal cumulates occur as plugs or as inclusions in the lavas and breccias.
- OSTI ID:
- 5291755
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9305259-; CODEN: GAAPBC
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 25:5; Conference: 89. annual meeting of the Cordilleran Section and the 46th annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Section of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Reno, NV (United States), 19-21 May 1993; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
PETROCHEMISTRY
PETROLOGY
NEVADA
VOLCANIC ROCKS
ANTICLINES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
GEOCHEMISTRY
PERMIAN PERIOD
PETROGENESIS
RARE EARTHS
VOLCANISM
VOLCANOES
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
IGNEOUS ROCKS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
ROCKS
USA
580000* - Geosciences