Characterisation of grain-size, shape and orientation of plagioclase in the Rooi Rand dyke swarm, South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 583 ◽  
pp. 145-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Warwick William Hastie ◽  
Michael K. Watkeys ◽  
Charles Aubourg
Keyword(s):  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Baiyegunhi ◽  
Kuiwu Liu ◽  
Oswald Gwavava

AbstractGrain size analysis is a vital sedimentological tool used to unravel the hydrodynamic conditions, mode of transportation and deposition of detrital sediments. In this study, detailed grain-size analysis was carried out on thirty-five sandstone samples from the Ecca Group in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Grain-size statistical parameters, bivariate analysis, linear discriminate functions, Passega diagrams and log-probability curves were used to reveal the depositional processes, sedimentation mechanisms, hydrodynamic energy conditions and to discriminate different depositional environments. The grain-size parameters show that most of the sandstones are very fine to fine grained, moderately well sorted, mostly near-symmetrical and mesokurtic in nature. The abundance of very fine to fine grained sandstones indicate the dominance of low energy environment. The bivariate plots show that the samples are mostly grouped, except for the Prince Albert samples that show scattered trend, which is due to the either mixture of two modes in equal proportion in bimodal sediments or good sorting in unimodal sediments. The linear discriminant function analysis is dominantly indicative of turbidity current deposits under shallow marine environments for samples from the Prince Albert, Collingham and Ripon Formations, while those samples from the Fort Brown Formation are lacustrine or deltaic deposits. The C-M plots indicated that the sediments were deposited mainly by suspension and saltation, and graded suspension. Visher diagrams show that saltation is the major process of transportation, followed by suspension.


1969 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Jenkins

SUMMARYThree varieties ofAvena byzantinaC. Koch., Sierra, Avon and Anita, originating respectively in California, Australia and South Africa, together with the Dutch variety Condor (A. sativaL.) were used as ‘subject’ varieties in crosses with a range of nine tester varieties of mainly north-west European origin. The results of a yield trial of spacedF1transplants and a drilledF2trial are presented.In theF1trial there was marked heterosis for grain yield, the thirty-six crosses yielding, on average, 109 % of the higher yielding parent, with individual cross values ranging from 68 to 139%. Heterosis was more marked insativa × byzantinacrosses than insativa × sativacrosses and the variety Sierra showed particularly high general combining ability. In theF2trial, heterosis was considerably reduced and the thirty-six crosses yielded, on average, only 96% of the higher yielding parent. In someF1crosses, heterosis for grain yield was accompanied by transgression of the higher yielding parent in number of panicles per unit area. The number of grains per panicle was positively correlated with grain yield in theF2trial but no heterosis was observed for this component. Grain size was negatively correlated with yield in theF2trial and heterosis for this component was observed in a few crosses in which yield heterosis occurred.Straw height was positively correlated with grain yield in theF1trial but negatively correlated in theF2trial. Crosses showing heterosis for yield exceeded the mid-parent but not the taller parent in straw height. The ratio of grain yield to straw yield was higher for the progenies of thebyzantinavarieties Sierra and Avon than for the progenies of thesativasubject Condor. Grain yield was positively correlated with number of days to 50% panicle emergence in both trials.It is concluded that theA. byzantinavarieties Sierra and Avon could, with advantage, be used for hybridization with adapted genotypes ofA. sativa, thereby enlarging the gene pool available to oat breeders in north-west Europe.


The Lewisian complex of northwest Scotland shows a pattern of evolution typical of a number of early Proterozoic provinces. During the period 2500-1600 Ma, deformation occurred along steeply dipping shear zones, resulting in both vertical and lateral movements. The largest of these shear zones, forming the northern boundary to the Scourian granulites (Archaean), must have penetrated to considerable depth, possibly to the mantle. Modal and chemical analysis of rocks from shear zones are presented and discussed in relation to rocks sampled outside shear zones. The mineralogy and composition of all rocks deformed in the shear zones have been considerably altered by synkinematic metasomatism. In the early stages, immediately prior to and during the intrusion of the regional doleritic dyke swarm, this metasomatic activity involved addition of H 2 O and Na to the rocks. Subsequently, more significant changes in rock chemistry occurred addition of H 2 O, K, Na, loss of Fe, Ca, Mg). These changes resulted from the interaction between large volumes of water and the rocks in the shear zones along which the fluid travelled. A combination of modal and chemical data allow general chemical reactions to be written which describe the evolution of the gneisses during reworking and retrogression from pyroxene bearing granulite facies rocks to hornblende and biotite bearing amphibolite facies rocks in shear zones. The reactions are written as ionic equilibria and suggest that the fluid phase in the shear zones had a low pH. Adiabatic transport of water upwards through the crust will result in moderate warming of the fluid, and can cause large temperature increases above the preexisting geothermal gradient in rocks through which the fluid travels. It is suggested that both deformation and metamorphism in these shear zones are related to transport of fluid by hydraulic fracturing. Grain size reduction by hydraulic fracturing increases the strain rate in the shear zones. Deformation may cease in a shear zone when the fluid pressure drops and hydraulic fracturing no longer occurs. Thus fluid transport, mineral reactions, chemical changes, grain size reduction and convective heat flow will cease. A close relation should exist between the intensity of deformation, the extent of metasomatism and the thermal history in these important shear belts.


GFF ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.R. Olsson ◽  
M.B. Klausen ◽  
M.A. Hamilton ◽  
N. März ◽  
U. Söderlund ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. SP513-2021-84
Author(s):  
Sebastian Tappe ◽  
Azhar M. Shaikh ◽  
Allan H. Wilson ◽  
Andreas Stracke

AbstractOrangeites are a significant source of diamonds, yet ambiguity surrounds their status among groups of mantle-derived potassic rocks. This study reports mineralogical and geochemical data for a ca. 140 Ma orangeite dyke swarm that intersects the Bushveld Complex on the Kaapvaal craton in South Africa. The dykes comprise distinctive petrographic varieties that are linked principally by olivine fractionation, with the most evolved members containing minor amounts of primary carbonate, sanidine and andradite garnet in the groundmass. Although abundant groundmass phlogopite and clinopyroxene have compositions that are similar to those of cratonic lamproites, these phases show notable Ti-depletion, which we consider a hallmark feature of type orangeites from the Kaapvaal craton. Ti-depletion is also characteristic for the bulk rock compositions and is associated with strongly depleted Th-U-Nb-Ta contents at high Cs-Rb-Ba-K concentrations. The resultant high LILE/HFSE ratios of orangeites suggest that mantle source enrichment occurred by metasomatic processes in the proximity of ancient subduction zones.The Bushveld-intersecting orangeite dykes have strongly enriched Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions (initial 87Sr/86Sr = 0.70701-0.70741; εNd = −10.6 to −5.8; εHf = −14.4 to −2.5), similar to those of other orangeites from across South Africa. Combined with the strong Ti-Nb-Ta depletion, this ubiquitous isotopic feature points to the involvement of ancient metasomatized mantle lithosphere in the origin of Kaapvaal craton orangeites, where K-rich metasomes imparted a ‘fossil’ subduction geochemical signature. Previous geochronology studies identified ancient K-enrichment events within the Kaapvaal cratonic mantle lithosphere, possibly associated with collisional tectonics during the 1.2-1.1 Ga Namaqua-Natal orogeny of the Rodinia supercontinent cycle. It therefore seems permissible that the cratonic mantle root was preconditioned for ultrapotassic magma production by tectonomagmatic events that occurred along convergent plate margins during the Proterozoic. However, reactivation of the K-rich metasomes had to await establishment of an extensional tectonic regime, such as that during the Mesozoic breakup of Gondwana, which was accompanied by widespread (1000 × 750 km) small-volume orangeite volcanism between 200 and 110 Ma.Although similarities exist between orangeites and lamproites, these and other potassic rocks are sufficiently distinct in their compositions such that different magma formation processes must be considered. In addition to new investigations of the geodynamic triggers of K-rich ultramafic magmatism, future research should more stringently evaluate the relative roles of redox effects and volatile components such as H2O-CO2-F in the petrogeneses of these potentially diamondiferous alkaline rocks.Supplementary material at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5440652


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