The Journal of Geology, May-June 1893: A Semi-Quarterly Magazone of Geology and Related SciencesVarious
Science
The Journal of Geology, May-June 1893: A Semi-Quarterly Magazone of Geology and Related Sciences
Various
Geology -- Periodicals
(3) A third view which has been advanced is that the Fundamental Gneiss
is nothing more than a great mass of eruptive granite or granitic
rock which has eaten upward, and in places penetrated the Grenville
series, or perhaps absorbed it, while the Grenville series itself
represents a series of highly altered sediments of Laurentian, Huronian
or subsequent age. The enormous extent and world-wide distribution
of the Fundamental Gneiss forming as it does wherever the base of
the geological column is exposed to view, the foundation or floor on
which all subsequent rocks are seen to rest, is opposed to this view
of its origin, as is also its persistent gneissic or banded character,
although, as above mentioned, much eruptive material is undoubtedly to
be found in it.
Which of these views is correct can be ascertained only as very careful
and detailed mapping, accompanied by accurate petrographical study,
is proceeded with. In the present state of our knowledge additional
argument and discussion will not help us toward the goal, while hasty
work and generalization serves but to retard the progress of our
knowledge.
_The Anorthosite Series._--Associated with both the series of rocks
just described there are, as has been mentioned, great eruptive masses
of granite, some of which have been folded in with the gneisses, while
others evidently erupted at a much later date, show no trace of dynamic
action.
In addition to these, basic eruptive rocks belonging to the gabbro
family occur in certain districts, sometimes in the form of
comparatively insignificant masses, but elsewhere underlying great
tracts of country. One on the upper waters of the Saguenay has an area
of no less than 5,800 square miles. These usually consist of a variety
of gabbro in which the magnesia-iron constituents are present in very
small amount, being in many cases entirely wanting, so that the rock
consists practically of pure plagioclase feldspar. These rocks were
called _anorthosites_ by Hunt, in the early reports of the Canadian
Geological Survey, on account of the great preponderance in them of
“Anorthose,” a general name given many years ago by Delesse to the
triclinic feldspars, as distinguished from “Orthose,” or orthoclase
feldspar, and thus equivalent to the term plagioclase now in general
use, but having no connection with anorthite, a variety of plagioclase
which is seldom present. After a careful study of these rocks, both
in the field and the laboratory, it is believed that this name should
be retained for this well-marked member of the gabbro family, which,
though not a common rock elsewhere, has an enormous distribution in the
Laurentian of Canada.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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