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The Subvolcanic Units of the Late Paleozoic Halle Volcanic Complex, Germany: Geometry, Internal Textures and Emplacement Mode

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Physical Geology of Shallow Magmatic Systems

Part of the book series: Advances in Volcanology ((VOLCAN))

Abstract

The Late Paleozoic Halle Volcanic Complex formed in the Saale basin, a NE-SW-trending intermountain depositional system located in the Variscan orogen in Central Europe. Apart from minor lava flows and pyroclastic deposits, the HVC is dominated by a c. 300 km³ rhyolitic laccolith complex. The individual porphyritic rhyolite units display aspect ratios between 0.04 and 0.07. They initially emplaced at different levels of the Saale basin fill. As a consequence, the units are separated by tilted host sediments. Precursory to the emplacement of the rhyolitic laccoliths, a small-volume intermediate sill complex formed at the northern margin of the HVC. This chapter summarizes knowledge on the geometry, composition, internal textures, age, and host rock deformation of the HVC subvolcanic units.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The HVC comprises subvolcanic bodies and a minor amount of lava and pyroclastic deposits. The rhyolitic subvolcanic units have non-plutonic textures. Therefore we maintain the term “rhyolite” for the laccolith bodies and we use the notion “Halle Volcanic Complex”, both terms have been established in regional literature over the last 200 years.

  2. 2.

    Unpublished diploma thesis by Nicole Schulz, co-author of the present contribution (N. Pastrik)

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Acknowledgments

This contribution is in parts based on a number of unpublished diploma theses, among these the excellent theses of Marion Geißler, Dietrich Lange and Alexander Mock, carried out under the supervision by two of us (C.B. and B.-C.E.). In this context, we highly acknowledge co-supervision of diploma thesis by Peggy Melzer and Hajo Götze. We highly appreciate permission for access and sampling of wells of the WISMUT GmbH and the Bundesanstalt für Geologie und Rohstoffe (BGR) in Berlin-Spandau. Thoughtful reviews by John Hogan and Sergio Rocchi were very helpful to improve the text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany

    Christoph Breitkreuz

  2. State Survey for Geology and Mining of Sachsen-Anhalt, Halle, Germany

    Bodo-Carlo Ehling

  3. Geoforschungszentrum Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany

    Nicole Pastrik

Authors
  1. Christoph Breitkreuz
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  2. Bodo-Carlo Ehling
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  3. Nicole Pastrik
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Correspondence to Christoph Breitkreuz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Freiberg University of Mining and Technology, Freiberg, Germany

    Christoph Breitkreuz

  2. Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Sergio Rocchi

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Breitkreuz, C., Ehling, BC., Pastrik, N. (2015). The Subvolcanic Units of the Late Paleozoic Halle Volcanic Complex, Germany: Geometry, Internal Textures and Emplacement Mode. In: Breitkreuz, C., Rocchi, S. (eds) Physical Geology of Shallow Magmatic Systems. Advances in Volcanology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/11157_2014_2

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