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n Alas - Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys - State ...

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feldspar that developed in quartz-mka schist and<br />

gneiss near the contacts <strong>of</strong> the two ban& <strong>of</strong> atgen<br />

gneiss (pashed lines, lw. 2) might represent the<br />

begi~ing stages <strong>of</strong> the same phenomenon. The association<br />

<strong>of</strong> those clots with the narrow bands considered<br />

to be sills may indicate that intrusion <strong>of</strong> the augen<br />

gneiss sills, formation <strong>of</strong> porphyroblasts, and cataclasis<br />

were all closely related in tlme The perfect eye<br />

shape <strong>of</strong> most augen could be evidence Chat growth <strong>of</strong><br />

porphyroblasts and modification <strong>of</strong> their shape by<br />

cataclasis was contemporaneous. Petrographic examination<br />

<strong>of</strong> the fine-grained augen gneiss in question, as<br />

well as study <strong>of</strong> the metamorphic textures <strong>of</strong> the catactasized<br />

rocks in the upland h general, indicate8 that<br />

cataclasis and neocrystallieatlon were closely linked.<br />

However, because the timing <strong>of</strong> regional roetamorphism<br />

and cetaclasis subsequent to intrusion <strong>of</strong> the<br />

augen gneiss (about 350 m.y. B.P. for the large body <strong>of</strong><br />

augen gneiss) is still uncertain wit1 .lin about a 150-m.y.<br />

F i i 29.--Slabs <strong>of</strong> augen gnek from localities in Big<br />

Delta C-2 quadrangle. 4 ZXtt~oaugen gnelsq from<br />

thick sill at locality 1 (fig, 28). Note fracturing and<br />

cataclastic deformation <strong>of</strong> originally idiomorphic<br />

megamysts, and apparent rotation <strong>of</strong> some smaller<br />

megacrysts. Largest auge is 12 cm long. B Enigmatic<br />

fine-grained augen gneiss from locality 3Tlfig. 28). In<br />

outcrop, augen are more evenly spaced than in this<br />

sample. Diagonal-stacking alincment <strong>of</strong> augen, which<br />

h common in coarse-grained orthoaugen gnelss, may<br />

be evidence for porphyritic-sill protolith. Largest<br />

auge is 1.25 cm long.<br />

L-.<br />

interval (Aleinik<strong>of</strong>f and others, 19811, a genetia<br />

relation between intrusion <strong>of</strong> the augen gneiss prote<br />

lith and possible porphyroblastic formation <strong>of</strong> other<br />

augen gneiss layers is only speculative.<br />

The various layers at the localities described are<br />

examples <strong>of</strong> the textural end members in the por<br />

phyroclastic to possibly porphyroblastic origin <strong>of</strong> augen<br />

gneiss in the upland. The silt <strong>of</strong> augcn meiss, which is<br />

the first such inkusive layer that we have recognized,<br />

may be similar to other layers <strong>of</strong> augen gneiss whoso<br />

interlayering with metesedimentary mcks was pre-<br />

viously Interpreted to suggest a sedirrlentary proto-<br />

llth. The incipient clots <strong>of</strong> feldspar in pelitic rnetased-<br />

imentary rocks near the narruw bands <strong>of</strong> augen gneiss<br />

are evidence that the formation <strong>of</strong> feldspar porphyro-<br />

blasts in metasedimentary rocks may be a plausible<br />

explanation for same augen gneiss layers, and the<br />

augen gneiss layer at the last locality described is n<br />

good example <strong>of</strong> the equivoeel textures <strong>of</strong> the I1grey"<br />

area between the two end members.<br />

REFERENCES Cl"l'%D<br />

Aleinik<strong>of</strong>f, J. N., Dusel-Bacon, Cynthia, Foster, H. F.,<br />

and Futa, Kiyoto, 1981, Proteroz<strong>of</strong>c zircon from<br />

rtugen gneiss, Yukon-Tanana Upland, east-central<br />

<strong>Alas</strong>ka: Geology, v. 9, no. 10, p. 469473.<br />

Duel-Bacon, Cynthia, and Aleinik<strong>of</strong>f, J. N., 1980, Pro-<br />

terozoic cataclastic augen gneiss in ?he south-<br />

eastern part <strong>of</strong> the Big Delta qua&angle,<br />

Yukon-Tanma Upland, east+enbal <strong>Alas</strong>ka<br />

[abs.]: <strong>Geological</strong> Society <strong>of</strong> America Abstracts<br />

with Programs, v. 12, no. 3, p. 104-105.<br />

Holdaway, M. J., 1971, Stability <strong>of</strong> andalusite and the<br />

aluminum silicate phase dlagram: American<br />

Journal<strong>of</strong> Science, v. 271, no. 2, p. 97-131.<br />

Raceelemeot evidence fat tbe tectonic aZIhrfties <strong>of</strong><br />

some amphibolites from the Pnbn-'I'anana Upland,<br />

eest+entral BLaslce<br />

Bg Cynthia -1-&eon<br />

Amphibolite occurs throughout the Yukon-<br />

Tanana Upland, interlayered with metasedim entary<br />

and metaigneous rocks <strong>of</strong> Precambrian(?) and Paleozolc<br />

age. There has been considerable speculation as<br />

to the orlgins <strong>of</strong> the various nmphibolite layers and<br />

their geologic significance. Amphibolite may result<br />

from: (I) Metamorphism <strong>of</strong> basic igneous rocks, (21<br />

metamorphism <strong>of</strong> calcareous or dolomitic shele, or (3)<br />

metasomatism involving the exchange <strong>of</strong> significant<br />

amounts <strong>of</strong> nonvolatlIe constituents (Preto, 1970). On<br />

the bnsis <strong>of</strong> traceelement evidence obtained in the<br />

preliminary study reported here, basaltic protoliths are<br />

indic~ted for amphibolite <strong>of</strong> the Yukon-Tenana Uplmd.<br />

In the amphibolite-grade terrane <strong>of</strong> the southeastern<br />

part <strong>of</strong> the Big Delta quadrangle (area 7, fig.<br />

231, amphalite is corn rnonly interlayered with<br />

quarl-z<strong>of</strong>eldspathic gneiss and schist that are near the<br />

margins <strong>of</strong>, and probably wallrock for, a batholith-size<br />

body <strong>of</strong> orthoaugen gneiss <strong>of</strong> Late Devonian-Early Mississippian<br />

age (Aleinik<strong>of</strong>f and others, 1981). Samples<br />

from amphibolite layers at thee different localities<br />

around the augen gneiss pluton were cllernicdy

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