The foliation in this coarse-grained rock is the result of compositional layering; discontinuous hornblende-rich zones separate poikiloblastic plagioclase-rich regions. Albite and Carlsbad twins in the feldspars are almost entirely obscured by randomly-oriented inclusions of sericite.
This thin section contains two main zones. One half contains subhedral grains of k-feldspar, quartz, orthopyroxene, biotite and opaques. Kink bands, deformation twins, and core-mantle structures (fine-grained felspar rimming the older grain) in the the feldspars show evidence of strain accomodation. Aggregates of finer-grained serieate-lobate quartz grains with thickened grain boundaries and uniform extinction show evidence of grain boundary migration. Larger quartz grains with undulose extinction and deformation lamellae also indicate strain accomodation. The opaque mineral(s) have rounded, anhedral grain shapes and tend to cluster with biotite and orthopyroxene. Biotite is subhedral, with kink bands and undulose extinction; it is generally found in the intersticies between grains, most commonly adjacent to orthopyroxene grains. Orthopyroxene is subhedral and occasionally embayed. The other half of the thin section is dominated by two porphyroclasts of feldspar. This portion of the thin section abounds with symplectic intergrowths of quartz and feldspar as well as much subgrain development in both mineral. Growing normal to the rims of opaques and biotite grains is a poplulation of acicular aluminosilicate.
This sample has a granitic texture and contains roughly equal amounts of both feldspar phases. The k-feldspars are more sericitized than the plagioclase grains, many of which are concentrically zoned. The hornblende grains are anhedral and a times, form almost granular aggregates of equant grains. Hornblende is altering to chlorite, which also interfingers with the relatively subhedral biotite phase. Apatite and epidote are present in trace amounts.
This hypocrystalline thin section contains a trachytic groundmass of plagioclase laths, biotite needles, elongate strings of quartz, and serpentine pseudomorphs. The phenocrystic population consists of rounded quartz grains, often with a calcite rim, and concentrically-zoned, euhedral to subhedral plagioclase blocks. The plagioclase is being replaced in places by calcite, which is also found in fractures within the sample.
This fine-grained granite contains abundant feldspars, many of which display concentric zoning from plagioclase cores to k-feldspar rims. Biotite grains are altering to and interfingered with chlorite. Rounded hornblende crystals are rare in this sample.
The micas in this hypocrystalline rhyolite form euhedral needles and are generally aligned. Phenocrysts of plagioclase have been replaced by calcite and chalcedony. The groundmass of glass contains indiscernible crystals. This thin section is strongly altered and due to the fine grain size, difficult to identify minerals in.
The feldspar grains in this thin section span a broad range of sizes, with larger grains displaying strong lamellae of either the blebby or flame variety. The mafic phases are anhedral to skeletal in shape and are much less abundant than the more felsic phases. Small zircon crystals are clustered with a hornblende aggregate.
The subhedral hornblende crystals in the sample align with the micas to form a spaced foliation separating microlithons of plagioclase and quartz. Equant subhedral epidote crystals punctuate the rock. Biotite and chlorite are typically interfingered and chlorite display anomalous blue interference colors. Elongate granular aggregates of light brown to colorless titanite are present.
Most noteworthy in this sample are the millimeter-scale, euhedral, augite crystals with compositional zoning, twinning, more magnesian rims. Biotite is the subhedral phenocrystic phase in this sample and both are surrounded by interstitial nephaline. Several nephaline grains display micrographic-like intergrowths with a cloudy, difficult to identify phase. Equant olivine grains are frequently found as inclusions within pyroxene and biotite phenocrysts. Euhedral apatite are found throughout.
Although the bulk of this thin section has an aplitic texture of quartz and feldspar, several larger feldspar phenocrysts punctuate the mosaic texture of the smaller population of quartzofeldspathic phases. Biotite is sparse and where present, skeletal in shape.
Elongate plagioclase laths with interstitial clinopyroxene and minor interstitial hornblende and biotite. Classic diabasic texture. Said by Western Minerals Inc. to be the youngest dolerite body in the area and was emplaced at much deeper crustal levels than the gabbros.
The feldspars in this granite are altering to clays and thus have a consistantly cloudy appearance. The indented grain boundaries in this sample indicate the mutual interference of all phases during growth. The anhedral shape of muscovite grains indicates it grew in the interstices between grains.
Though dominated by k-feldspar, albite and quartz, this thin section contains biotite pseudomorphs after hornblende, and trace monzaite (distinguished by its high relief, high birefringence colors, and square to diamond shape).
Although stored with a series of amphibolites, this hornblende-bearing granodiorite preserves more igneous textures than metamorphic. This hypidoimorphic sample consists of equigranular feldspars, randomly oriented, euhedral biotites, and rather anhedral hornblendes grains. Small, rounded, colorless but dusty crystals of titanite are distrubuted throughout the specimen.
A continuous foliation defined by aligned euhedral biotite characterizes this fine-grained sample. Granoblastic quartz and feldspars fill the voids between biotite crystals. Small, equant opaqes are distributed evenly throughout.
Grain shapes in this thin section tend to be subhedral to anhedral with a great variety in grain size. Lath-shaped plagioclase grains have both albite and Carlsbad twins, while larger, more equant grains show concentric zoning. Other phases in this sample include strongly pleochroic biotite, clinopyroxene, nephaline, orthoclase, and opaques. The clinopyroxene, biotite, and opaques tend to cluster together. Fairly large, euhedral apatite crystals are found throughout.
A noteworthy characteristic of this allotriomorphic granite is the presence of feldspar laths with albite twinning in the core and anhedral k-feldspar rims. The remainder of the rock is comprised of equigranular and subhedral biotite, hornblende, and k-feldspar grains. Randomly oriented prismatic apatite grains are abundant in this sample.
This amphibolite has a strong, continuous foliation defined by the alignment of hornblende. Elongate, granular aggregates of epidote are present.
This is a very hypidiomorphic coarse-grained sample consisting of large grains of augite, frequently intergrown with opaques, and intergrown k-feldspar and nephaline. Augite is found altering to biotite. Radiating splays of zeolite are present to varying degrees within the three copies of this thin section.
The bulk of this thin section is augite. In plane polarized light, these grains have pleochroic rims of differing composition, which translates to concentric zoning in cross-polarized light. Twinning is common, as is alteration to a mixture of chlorite and biotite, and the formation of glomeroporphyroclasts. Chlorite and biotite also are found rimming olivine grains, which are themselves clustered with augite and biotite crystals. The mafic phases are typically subhedral in shape, in contrast to the nephaline, k-feldspar, and zeolites which are anhedrally intergrown together in the interstices between augite crystals.
Large k-feldspar and quartz crystals provide a backdrop for the smaller, less well-preserved mafic phases in this sample. Decomposing biotite is frequently found interfingered with chlorite. Hornblende grains are rather skeletal. Plagioclase crystals have relatively rounded corners and tend to cluster together. Large anhedral aggregates of sphene are interspersed in the interstices between k-feldspar grains.
Large, euhedral to subhedral plagioclase blocks are in far greater abundance than either k-feldspar or quartz, both of which are anhedral in shape. All the ferromagnesian phases are anhedral in shape and tend to cluster together. Hornblende growth is at the expense of clinopyroxene. Opaques cluster with the ferromagnesian phases. Quartz displays first-order yellows in this slightly thickened sample.
This hypidiomorphic, equigranular monazite has a classic granitic texture with a mosaic of grains all crystallizing simultaneously and impinging on one another's growth. Hornblende is particularly abundant and generally in contact with some combination of biotite, chlorite, and opaques. Some plagioclase grains are concentrically zoned.
This fine-grained granite has a mosaic texture. The quartz seems undisturbed, however, most other phases display evidence of weathering and disequilibrium. The dusting of clays and presence of sericite inclusions in the feldspars indicates they are chemically weathered. Biotite and muscovite are skeletal in appearance and biotite is frequently interfingered with chlorite.
The coarseness of this granite obscures in thin section the graphic texture so evident in handsample. The feldspars contain inclusions of muscovite as well as zircon (or another like mineral) and untwinned grains are readily distinguished from quartz by the comprehensive dusting of clay minerals due to weathering.
