Abstract
This investigation describes five Mesozoic dolerite dikes which intrude Paleozoic metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Inner Piedmont of western South Carolina. The dikes are vertical or nearly so and strike approximately N40° W. Three major northeast-trending faults also occur in the study area. Left lateral displacement of one dolerite is documented at a locality near Cleveland, South Carolina. Elsewhere, several of the dolerite dikes appear to terminate at or near the faults. — The dolerite dikes have subophitic to microporphyritic textures and consist principally of plagioclase (generally An70–80), olivine (dominantly Fo80–90) and augite with subordinate pigeonite, titanomagnetite, chromite and brown, partly glassy mesostasis. In one dike pyroxene compositions trend from augite to ferroaugite in contrast to an augite→subcalcic augite→pigeonite trend characteristic of the other dolerites. The contrasting trends primarily result from differences in SiO2 abundance in the dolerite magmas. — Major and trace element analyses indicate the presence of two different olivine-normative dolerite magma types. The two magma types are not related by near surface crystal fractionation. Models for genesis of the olivine-normative dolerite magmas by partial melting of a plagioclase peridotite upper mantle source region are presented. The models require that the source region be enriched in LREE and incompatible elements such as Rb, Ba, Hf and Th relative to Cl chondritic abundances. One magma type appears to represent a primary dolerite magma that ascended from the source region with little subsequent compositional change. The second magma type most likely experienced assimilation of clinopyroxene-garnet (eclogite) during ascent, thereby acquiring a REE pattern with a less steep negative slope for the LREE and a slight positive slope in the HREE.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albee AL, Ray L (1970) Correction factors for electron probe microanalyses of silicates, oxides, carbonates, phosphates and sulfates. Anal Chem 42:1408–1414
Anders E, Ebihara M (1982) Solar system abundances of the elements. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 46:2363–2380
Arth JG (1976) Behavior of trace elements during magmatic processes — a summary of theoretical models and their replacements. J Res U S Geol Survey 4:41–47
Bence AE, Albee AL (1968) Empirical correction factors for the electron microanalysis of silicates and oxides. J Geol 76:382–403
Brown GM (1957) Pyroxenes from the early and middle stages of fractionation of the Skaergaard intrusion, east Greenland. Min Mag 31:511–543
Chalcraft RG (1976) The petrology of Mesozoic dolerite dikes in South Carolina. Geol Notes, Div of Geology, SC State Development Board 20:52–61
Claisse F (1956) Accurate X-ray fluorescence analysis without internal standard. Que(Prov)Dep Mines Prelim Rep 327, 24 p
Conley JF, Drummond KM (1965) Ultramylonite zones in the western Carolinas. Southeastern Geol 6:201–211
Donaldson CH (1976) An experimental investigation of olivine morphology. Contrib Mineral Petrol 57:187–213
Emslie RF (1971) Liquidus relations and subsolidus reactions in some plagioclase-bearing systems. Carnegie Inst Washington Yearb 69:148–155
Emslie RF, Lindsley DH (1969) Experiments bearing on the origin of anorthositic intrusions. Carnegie Inst Washington Yearb 67:108–112
Flanagan FH (1976) Descriptions and analyses of eight new USGS rock standards. Geol Survey Prof Paper 840, 192 p
Fujimaki H, Tatsumoto M, Aoki K (1984) Partition coefficients of Hf, Zr, and REE between phenocrysts and groundmasses. Proc Lunar Planet Sci Conf 14th, J Geophys Res 89:B662-B672
Gottfried D, Dooley RE, Higgins MW (1983) Geochemistry of Lower Mesozoic diabase dikes of the Georgia Piedmont: Implications for mantle heterogeneity (abstr). Geol Soc Am (Abstracts with Programs) 15:583
Griffin VS, Jr (1978) Detailed analysis of tectonic levels in the Appalachian Piedmont. Geol Rundsch 67:180–201
Hadley JB, Nelson AE (1971) Geologic map of the Knoxville Quadrangle, North Carolina, Tennessee and South Carolina. U S Geol Surv Misc Geol Invest, Map I-654
Hutchinson CS (1974) Laboratory handbook of petrographic techniques. Wiley, New York
Irving AJ (1978) A review of experimental studies of crystal/liquid trace element partitioning. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 42:743–770
Irving AJ, Frey FA (1978) Distribution of trace elements between garnet megacrysts and host volcanic liquids of kimberlitic to rhyolitic composition. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 42:771–787
Koch NC (1968) Ground-water resources of Greenville County, South Carolina. SC State Development Board, Bull 38, 47 p
Kuno H (1950) Petrology of Hakone Volcano and adjacent areas, Japan. Bull Geol Soc Am 61:957–1020
Kuno H (1955) Ion substitution in the diopside-ferropigeonite series of clinopyroxenes. Am Mineral 40:70–93
Kyle PR (1980) Development of heterogeneities in the subcontinental mantle: evidence from the Ferrar Group, Antarctica. Con-trib Mineral Petrol 73:89–104
Laul JC, Schmitt RA (1973) Chemical composition of Apollo 15, 16 and 17 samples. Proc Lunar Sci Conf 4th:1349–1367
Lindstrom DJ (1967) Experimental study of the partitioning of the transition metals between clinopyroxenes and coexisting silicate liquids. Ph.D. Thesis, Univ Oregon
McKay GA, Weill DF (1977) KREEP petrogenesis revisited. Proc Lunar Sci Conf 8th:2339–2355
Muir ID (1951) The clinopyroxenes of the Skaergaard intrusion, eastern Greenland. Min Mag 29:690–714
Overstreet WC, Bell H, III (1965a) Geologic map of the crystalline rocks of South Carolina. U S Geol Surv Misc Geol Invest, Map I-413
Overstreet WC, Bell H, III (1965b) The crystalline rocks of South Carolina. U S Geol Survey Bull 1183, 119 p
Philpotts JA, Schnetzler CC (1970) Phenocryst-matrix partition coefficients for K, Rb, Sr and Ba with applications to anorthosite and basalt genesis. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 34:307–322
Pickering SM, Murray JB (1976) Geologic map of Georgia. Georgia Dept of Natural Resources, Geol Water Resources Div, Georgia Geol Survey
Ragland PC, Brunfelt AO, Weigand PW (1971) Rare-earth abundances in Mesozoic dolerite dikes from estern United States. In: Brunfelt AO and Steinnes E (eds) Activation Analysis in Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry, Oslo, Universitetsforlaget, pp 227–235
Ragland PC, Hatcher RD Jr, Whittington D (1983) Juxtaposed Mesozoic diabase dike sets from the Carolinas: A preliminary assessment. Geology 11:392–399
Ragland PC, Rogers JJW, Justus PS (1968) Origin and differentiation of Triassic dolerite magmas, North Carolina, USA. Contrib Mineral Petrol 20:57–80
Ragland PC, Whittington D (1983) Early Mesozoic diabase dikes of eastern North America: Magma types (abstr). Geol Soc Am (Abstracts with Programs) 15:666
Roeder PL, Emslie RF (1970) Olivine-liquid equilibrium. Contrib Mineral Petrol 29:275–289
Schnetzler CC, Philpotts JA (1970) Partition coefficients of rare earth elements between igneous matrix material and rock forming mineral phenocrysts — II. Geochim Cosmochim Acta: 34:331–340
Shaw DM (1977) Trace element behavior during anatexis. Oregon Dept Geology and Mineral Industries, Bull 96:189–213
Smith D, Lindsley DH (1971) Stable and metastable augite crystallization trends in a single basalt flow. Am Mineral 56:225–233
Smith RC, Rose AW, Lanning RM (1975) Geology and geochemistry of Triassic diabase in Pennsylvania. Geol Soc Am Bull 86:943–955
Snipes DS, Burnett LL, Wylie JA, Sacks LA, Heaton SB, Dalton GA, Israel BA, Padgett GG (1984) Indicators of ground water quality and yield for a public water supply in rock fracture zones of the Piedmont. Water Resources Research Inst, Clemson Univ, Report No 115, 80 p
Snipes DS, Furr JE (1979) Easley dolerite in the South Carolina Piedmont. Geol Notes, Div of Geology, SC State Development Board 23:129–145
Steele KF, Ragland PC (1976) Model for the closed-system fractionation of a dike formed by two pulses of dolerite magma. Contrib Mineral Petrol 57:305–316
Volborth A (1965) Dual grinding and x-ray analysis of all major oxides in rocks to obtain true composition. Applied Spectroscopy 19:1–7
Weigand PW (1970) Major and trace element geochemistry of the Mesozoic dolerite dikes from eastern North America. Ph.D. Thesis, Univ North Carolina, 162 p
Weigand PW, Ragland PC (1970) Geochemistry of Mesozoic dolerite dikes from eastern North America. Contrib Mineral Petrol 29:195–214
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Warner, R.D., Snipes, D.S., Hughes, S.S. et al. Olivine-normative dolerite dikes from western South Carolina: Mineralogy, chemical composition and petrogenesis. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 90, 386–400 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384717
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384717