Petrology of the Alaskites of the Boulder Batholith, Montana Kenneth C
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University of North Dakota UND Scholarly Commons Theses and Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects 1977 Petrology of the alaskites of the Boulder batholith, Montana Kenneth C. Malick University of North Dakota Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.und.edu/theses Part of the Geology Commons Recommended Citation Malick, Kenneth C., "Petrology of the alaskites of the Boulder batholith, Montana" (1977). Theses and Dissertations. 189. https://commons.und.edu/theses/189 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects at UND Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UND Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PETROLOGY OF THE ALA.SKITES OF THE BOULDER BA.THOLITH, MONTAN.A. by Kenneth c. Malick Bachelor of Arts, Millersville State College, 1973 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faoult:, of the University of North Dakota 1n partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Soience Grand Forks, North Dakota Ma:, 1977 This t'1e;;is ::;ubmitte::3 ~;y i:(o:m(Jth c. :falick in partial ful filln:ent of the r~quj rements f0::- th3 :J,~gree of ;.'a $ter of Science fro::. the Univer:;ity of North Dako+,::i. is her,lby approved by tha Faculty Advisory Cor1L-ni ttf38 und-Jr whom thH ~vorlc h3.s been done, ~~'~ ue:1_~~)-i)__ ---~ Dean of the Graiuate School Permission T1Ue PETROLOOY OF THE AWKITES OF THE BOULDER BA.THOLITH. MONTANA. Department ____________Ge:.;:.::o_l_oQgY._ ______________________________________ Degree ---------------~Ma__ st~e_r;:....;:o_f~S~ci~e.n~c~e=----------------------------- In presenting this thesis in partial fulf'illm.ent of the requirement for a graduate degree from the University of North Dakota, I agree that the Library of this University shall make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for extensive copying for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor who supenised my thesis work or, in his absence, by the Chairman of the Department or the Dean of the Graduate School. It is understood that &rf1' copying or publication or other use of this thesis or part thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of North Dakota in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my thesis. Signature A::' C ~ :oate __c;o:J~~·--~-'-..,~'~'--)_7 ____ 111 ACKNOWLEDGF.MENTS I would like to acknowledge my committee chai~n, Dr. Frank Karner, for his considerable time and constructive criticism. A special thank you is extended to Dr. Walter Moore for his considerable time and help with restoring the x-ray equipnent which made the completion of this work possible. I would also like to thank the other members of rq committee, Dr. E. A. Noble and Dr. Paul Nichols, for their constructive criticisms. Appreciation is extended to Leo and Viola Zitnik for their hospitality during the field investigation, Willis Beckering fort.he use of ERDA.'s equipnent, Riobard Pilatske for his aid with the computer programs, and the University of North Dakota for a grant which partially fumed the field work and for a graduate teaching assistantship. A special thank ;you is also extended to rq wife, Faith, whose love and typing made this thesis possible. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACICNOWLEDG»tENTS. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • iv LIST OF TABLES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • viii ABSTRACT • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ix INTRODUCTION• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 GEOLOGIC SETTING • • • • • • • • • • ••• • • • ••• • • • • 2 General Statement Regional Geology Tectonic History Variation of Batholith Rocks &placement of the Batholith Models Economic As peats PETROGRA.PHY .AND CHEMISTRY OF THE Al.ASKITE BODIES • • • • • • • 12 General Description Sample Preparation Petrography Chemistry CHARA.CTERISTICS OF THE ALA.SICITE BODIES • • • • • • • • • • • • 21 F.ast Ridge Lowla.nd. Creek Jefferson City Cl.a.nay Creek Mineral Hill Little Whitetail CHARACTERISTICS OF THE QUARTZ MONZONITE BODIES • • • • • • • • Telegraph Creek Homestake Quarry SUMMA.RY OF PETROGRAPHIC AND CHEMICAL VARIATION • • • • • • • • 53 Petrogra phy Chemistry INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 63 Interpretation ot the Alaskites APPENDIX A. Key to Abbreviations • • • • •• •. • • • • • • 70 APPENDIX B. Petrographic Descriptions ot Individual Bodies ••••••••••• • •••• •. •. • 72 APPENDIX c. Modal Analyses ot Imividual Samples • • • • • • 84 .APPENDIX D. Chemical a:nd Normative Analyses of Individual Samples • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 90 APPENDIX E. Correlation Coefficients of Chemical a:nd Modal Data tor F.ach Sampled Body • • •• • •• •. • • 113 REFmENCES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 119 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Instrument Parameters for X-ray Fluorescence Chemical Analyses • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 15 2. Averages of Modal .l.nalyses ••••• •. •. •.... • 18 3. Averages of Chemical Analyses ••••• • •• • • • • • 20 4. Petrographic Descriptions of Individual Sam.ples • • • • 73 5. Modal .l.nalyses of Individual Samples• •, • •. •. • • 85 6. Chemical and Normative Analyses of Individual Samples • 91 7. Correlation Coefficients of Chemical and Modal Data for Each Sampled Body • • • • • • • • • • • , • • • • • • 114 LIST OF ILWSTRlTIONS Figure Page 1. Generalized Geologic Map of Boulder Batholith ••••• • 4 2. Geologic Maps of Ea.st Ridge and Lowland Creek... • • • 23 3. Modal QPK Diagrams • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 26 4. Cross Sections Showing Mineralogy of East Ridge and . Lowland Creek • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 28 5. Cross Sections Showing eao, Na,20, and K20 of Fast Ridge and Lowland Creek •• • ••• • •••••• •. • •• • 30 6. Geologic Maps ot Jefferson City and Clancy Creek •• • • '.34 1. Cross Sections Showing Mineralogy of Jefferson City and Clancy Creek • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 31 a. Cross Sections Showing eao, Na2o, and K2o of Jefferson City and Clancy Creek ••••••••••••••• • • 39 9. Geologic Maps of Mineral Hill and LitUe Wlutetail •. • 43 10. Geologic Map of Telegraph Creek and QPK Diagrams of Telegraph Creek and Homestake Quarry ••••• • •. • 41 11. Cross Sections Showing Mineralogy and eao, Na20, and K20 of Telegraph Creek • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 51 12. Modal QPK and Normative Anorthite-Albite-Orthoolase Diagrams Showing All Samples • • • • • • • • • • • • • 55 13. Normative Quarts-Albite-Orthoclase Diagrams Showing All Samples Plotted. and the Averages of the Sampled Bodies Compared to·other Granitic Rooks ••• •.•.• 14. Averaged Weight Percent Oxides Plotted Against The Crystallisation Index.• • •••••• •....... 6o 15. Flow Chart of Proposed Model ••••••••••••• • 65 ABSTRACT The Boulder batbolith outcrops in the Northern Rookies of western Montana. It is exposed over an area of .5700 1cm2 and extend.a about 112 km along the continental divide fl'ODI Mullen Pass on the north to 32 km south of Butte. The Boulder batholith represents an 1.nnaion of the upper zones of the crust by a large volume of fluid granodioritia quartz monzonitic magma emplaced at the close of a main orogenic episode during late Cretaceous and Paleocene time. Eight alaskite bodies were chosen for sampling from previous field experience and from geologic mape pu.bllsbed by the u.s.o.s. Textural descriptions, modal analyses, and chemical analyses were done on eighty-eight samples. The primary minerals of these alaskites are alkali f'eldspar, quartz, and plagioolase. Acoessoey minerals include biotite, apatite, aphene, zircon, allanite, tOUl'IIJ&llne, rutile, and opaques. The main alteration minerals include ohlorite, sericite, and hematite. In comparison with the quartz monzonites, the alaskites are typically higher in Si02 and K20 and lower in il203, Fe203+FeO, MgO, CaO, Ti02, P20.5, and MnO. The alaski.te occurs as dikes and as irregularly-shaped lenses or pods, primarily within the Butte quartz monsonite. Most of the contacts between the Butte quartz monzonite and alaskite are sharp, but a few are gradati.onal. The variation across the ind.1.vidual bodies and the variation of each body' relative to the others was compared. The most consistent patterns across the bodies were shown by_a below average concentration or Na2') 1n the center of the bodies, and an above average concentration of intergrown albite content 1n the perthite and K20 near the margins. The proposed model suggests a mechanical separation of a water rich rest magma from the quartz monzonite magma. With decreasing temperature and increasing crystalllmation the rest magma becomes saturated with water. The saturated rest magma eventually separates into a rest magma and an aqueous phase. The textural, modal, and chemical relationships observed 1n the al&skites may be the renlt of interaction between the rest magma and the aqueous phase. INTRODUCTION The objectives of this investigation are to describe the petrology and interpret the geologic history of the alaakite bodies of the Cretaceous Boulder batholith in western Montana. The alaskites of the Boulder batholith have been described as leucocratic quartz-feldspar rocks whose textures are heterogeneous and complex (Roberts, 1953). The alaskite occurs as dikes,