No description available.

The late Proterozoic volcanic and sedimentary sequence in the Dordabis area SWA/Namibia has been named the Dordabis Formation and subdivided, on the basis of field, petrological and petrographic evidence, into the Opdam and Bitterwater Members. Relict phases including augite and minor plagioclase only occur in the Bitterwater metalavas, as recrystallisation is complete in the Opdam metal avas. The composition of the relict feldspars ranges from labradorite in the ophitic basalts to oligoclase in the blastoporphyritic metalavas. The feldspars in the Opdam member are albitic in composition (An content 0,0 to 1,7) . Epidote compositions are typical of those occurring in metabasic rocks. Samples with high-iron whole-rock compositions are accompanied by high concentrations of Fe3+ in concomitant epidotes. Sixty three samples were analysed using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to determine concentrations of major and 16 trace elements. Although greenschist facies metamorphism, metasomatism and shearing have produced scatter in the more mobile element concentrations, variation trends in other elements closely resemble modelled low-pressure fractional crystallisation trends. The Dordabis metalavas are petrologically classified as sub-alkaline, tholeiitic continental basalts. Low K/Rb ratios and low ratios of less incompatible to more incompatible elements probably reflect a source that has either been metasomati ca lly enriched or that has undergone little previous partial melting. Overlapping whole-rock variation trends indicate that the generally more evolved Opdam and primitive tholeiitic Bittenwater lavas are cogenetic. A comparison of the Dordabis Formation with the Sinclair Sequence and the Koras Group shows that their ages, petrology, petrography, associ a ted sedimentary suites and depositional environments are similar. It is concluded that they may possibly be coeval equivalents.

New major, minor, and trace element data for the Chakhla- Delakari sill and three nearby lava flows in the proximal area of Tamia are presented. Based on abundances of trace elements, it is inferred that the sill was the feeder of the two uppermost lava flows which tapped magmas from a LREE-, Rb-enriched source. The oldest (lowermost) flow shows greater affinity with the western Deccan lavas. The association of the feeder sill with a large network of parallel trending sills and dikes, and the elongate Satpura Dome, is taken to infer that a major locus of eruption of the Deccan Trap lavas existed in the eastern part of the province. A model is presented for the evolution of the magma source of the sill and the two uppermost flows in a chamber beneath the Satpura Dome in the easternmost Deccan Traps. Results of equilibrium crystallization experiments at 6.35 kbars conducted on two compositions which represent probable near primary liquids are presented. One of these starting compositions has 9.5% MgO and the other 13% MgO. The sequence of crystallization in both starting liquids at 6.35 kbars is as follows: olivine; olivine + Ca- clinopyroxene; ol + Ca-clinopyroxene + Ca-poor clinopyroxene; olivine + Ca-clinopyroxene + Ca-poor clinopyroxene + plagioclase. Based on the present experimental data, it is inferred that typical Deccan magmas (MgO 5-9%) are produced by early fractionation of olivine, pyroxene (Ca-augite and pigeonite), and late fractionation of plagioclase. Deccan basalts with MgO 9-10% appear to have crystallized from melts lower in Ti02 than the starting materials of this study which fractionated olivine and plagioclase. Basalts with MgO2source which has fractionated olivine and plagioclase will produce of the bulk of Deccan basalts.

The Kemess North porphyry Au-Cu-Mo deposit (300 Mt resource @ 0.30 g/t Au and 0.16% Cu)i s situated in the Toodoggone district, along the eastern margin of the Stikinia terrane in British Columbia. Mineralization is genetically related to the ca. 202 Ma, moderately SE-plunging, Kemess North diorite and is also hosted by proximal Takla Group basalt country rock. The nearby 202.7 ± 1.9 Ma Sovereign diorite has a comparable emplacement age, mineralogy, and chemistry to the Kemess North diorite, but is unmineralized. Toodoggone Formation volcaniclastic rocks (199.1 ± 0.3 Ma) crop out as prominent N-trending ridges or as isolated, fault-bounded blocks within Takla Group basalt. The unmineralized, (197.3 + 1.1/0.9 Ma) Duncan pluton intrudes Takla Group basalt. Seven vein types are separated into four stages of formation with respect to Au-Cu-Mo mineralization. Early-stage veins include magnetite stringer veins and later quartz-magnetite-pyrite + chalcopyrite + molybdenite veins. These veins are restricted mainly to the diorite, are associated with locally preserved potassic (biotite) alteration, and resulted in most of the Au-Cu-Mo mineralization at Kemess North. Main-stage quartz-pyrite + chalcopyrite ± molybdenite veins are the most abundant vein type and are present in the diorite and proximal Takla Group basalt. The veins are associated with phyllic (sericite-quartz) alteration and have a Re-Os molybdenite age of 201.8 ± 1.2 Ma. Late-stage pyrite-chalcopyrite and anhydrite ± pyrite ± chalcopyrite veins and associate phyllic (sericite-chlorite-pyrite) alteration occur in diorite and Takla Group country rocks. Lastly, post-mineralizationan hydrite and carbonate-zeolite veins cut all rocks. Fluid inclusion studies indicate that early-and main-stage ore fluids deposited Au-Cu-Mo at similar temperatures (about 400°C to 375°C) and pressures (0.9 to 3.0 kbar), corresponding to crustal depths of 3 to 10 km. Sulfur and Pb isotope compositions suggest that metals from the early-stage fluid were derived from the Kemess North diorite; metals in the main-stage fluid were derived from the diorite and probably Takla Group country rock and meteoric fluids. An E-striking, steeply S-dipping fault truncates the northern extremity of the ore body. Late NW- to NE-striking normal faults vertically displace the deposit resulting in graben-and-horst block shuffling of the stratigraphy. / Science, Faculty of / Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of / Graduate

The cyclic wetting and drying of a rock is considered to be one of a number of physical weathering processes that have an effect on the weathering of rock. While the presence of moisture is known to be of critical importance for the activation and enhancement of a number of other known weathering processes, such as cryogenic weathering, salt weathering and slaking it is possible that the mere cyclic application and removal of moisture over time may also have an effect on the physical structure of a rock. The precise nature of the process is not well understood, however. This document begins by investigating the studies that have previously been undertaken to determine how the wetting and drying weathering process is defined and to ascertain the current state of knowledge regarding this process. After an establishment of background context, a physical experiment is carried out on Clarens Formation sandstone and Marion Island basalt to note the relationship between cyclic wetting and drying and the changing physical properties of the rocks. The rocks were subjected to 105 wetting and drying cycles over a period of 21 weeks. At the beginning of the experiment, physical rock properties were measured by way of the method laid out by Cooke (1979) and again at the end of the experiment. Since the experiment was carried out under static environmental conditions, the comparison of physical rock properties gives a good indication of how the rocks have altered their structure over the experimental time period. The results obtained in this experiment show that different rock types will change in different ways when exposed to a common weathering process. The basalt samples experienced no mass loss at, while the sandstones did. The sandstones, which are rocks that are of common lithology and of very similar physical and chemical structure reacted to the wetting and drying weathering process in ways that could not be predicted without experimentation. The data does show a clear causal link between the application of external stimuli and rock property change, however. Changes in physical rock properties are not always straightforward and linear, but evolve dynamically over time, often yielding results that appear to oppose those intuitively predicted. A number of questions are asked regarding the philosophical approach that is taken to process isolation studies, with emphasis given to the careful consideration of the place that such studies have in the realm of process geomorphology. While process isolation studies may give an excellent indication of what a particular weathering process may be capable of under certain conditions and on certain rock types, they should not be regarded as indicative of what is occurring in the field. Additionally, it has become clear that it is not possible to predict how a specific rock type may respond to a specific weathering process without physical experimentation since the number of variables present in a typical weathering system are simply too vast to easily categorise. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MSc / Unrestricted

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

<p> Altered olivine tholeiite basalt on Mauna Ulu Volcano, Hawaii was examined petrographically and chemically to determine the mineralogy of the alteration products. Colour plays an important role in determining a general trend of alteration. </p> <p> The processes involved in the formation of Mauna Ulu have little effect on the alteration. The major influence is the type of volcanic gas and its constant interaction with the basaltic lava over an eight year period. The gas is oxidized as it cools, resulting in a zoning of different alteration products in a variety of colours and compositions. </p> <p> The major alteration phase was determined to be amorphous opaline silica. Other species present are hematite and sulphur, with minor halides, sulphates and sheet silicate (chlorite). </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Science (BSc)

No description available.