Scholars' Mine Masters Theses Student Theses and Dissertations 1960 Comparative petrographic, petrochemical and spectrographic analyses of the Precambrian granitic rocks of southeastern Missouri Eva B. Kisvarsanyi Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/masters_theses Part of the Geology Commons Department: Recommended Citation Kisvarsanyi, Eva B., "Comparative petrographic, petrochemical and spectrographic analyses of the Precambrian granitic rocks of southeastern Missouri" (1960). Masters Theses. 5559. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/masters_theses/5559 This thesis is brought to you by Scholars' Mine, a service of the Missouri S&T Library and Learning Resources. This work is protected by U. S. Copyright Law. Unauthorized use including reproduction for redistribution requires the permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please contact [email protected]. COMPARATIVE PETROGRAPHIC, ·PETROCHEMICAL AND SPECTRO­ GRAPHIC ANALYSES OF THE PRECAMBRIAN GRANITIC ROCKS OF SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI BY EVA BOGNAR KISVARSANYI A THESIS submitted to the faculty of the SCHOOL OF MINES AND METALLURGY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI in partial fulfillment of the work required for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE, GEOLOGY MAJOR Rolla, Missouri 1960 -12au&a4AM~ (advisor) £tg~¥Ni ii ABSTRACT Petrographic, petrochemical and spectrographic studies were completed on selected Precambrian granitic rock samples from South­ eastern Missouri. This investigation contributes to a more detailed knowledge of the Precambrian granitic rocks of this part of the state. Petrographic analysis of forty-four thin sections of granitic rocks from the St. Francois Mountains area revealed six different granite types. These have been named the Fredericktown, Knoblick, Doerun, Graniteville, Klondike and Silvermine granites. These rocks form a large part of a composite batholith. More than one period of granitic intrusion is represented, but differentiation also contributed to the formation of this diversity of the. rocks. In the Johannsen classi­ #cation they are classified as leucogranites, granites, alaskites, kali­ alaskites, sodaclase granites and adamellites. The Niggli petrochemical classification of twenty-seven chemical analyses of these granites revealed their petrogenetic relationships. The chemical character of the magma out of which they have formed was acidic, salic, relatively alkali rich and lime poor. The Doerun, Graniteville and Klondike granite's are in the aplitgranitic, the Freder­ icktown granites and granite porphyries in the aplitgranitic and engadinitg:r;anitic, the Knoblick granite in the granodioritic, and the iii Silvermine granite in the yosemititgranitic magma type. All the rocks belong to the calc-alkalic petrographic province. Qualitative spectrochemical analysis of forty-four granite sam­ ples. revealed the presence of the following n::iinor elements: Mg, Sr, Ba, Ti, Zr, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, Zn, Sn and Pb. Mg, V, Co, Zn, Sn and Pb were selected as index trace elements. The different granite types were characterized according-to the relative amounts of these. The Fredericktown granites and granite porphyries, the Knoblick granite an~ the Silvermine granite contain more Mg, V, and Co, and less Zn, Sn, and Pb than the other granite types. The Doerun, Granite­ ville and Klondike granites are also r.elatively high in V and Co. Zn is not always present, ~ut they have more Sn and Pb than the other granite types. Compared with granite~ from other localities, the Missouri granites are characterized by a consistency of copper, a relatively frequent occurrence of tin, lead and zinc, and a rareness of chromium and silver. iv TABLE OF. CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT ................................................. · ii TAB~E OF CONTENTS .................................... iv LIST OF TABLES •••••••••••••.•.••••••••••••••••••..•..• viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS •• ix INTRODUCTION ••• I Purpose and Scope of Investigation. I Location and Size of the Area ....................... 2 Previous Work••••.••.•••••••• 3 Acknowledgements 6 METHODS OF INVESTIGATION .............. 8 Field Work 8 Laboratory Work ...................................... 10 GEOLOGIC SETTING ••• 12 PETROGRAPHY AND PETROLOGY OF THE· GRANITES OF SOOTHEASTERN MISSOURI .•••••••.••••..•.••.•••..• 15 General Statem.ent 15 Main Granite Types 17 Fredericktown and Stano granites 18 Granite porphyries •••.••.•. 25 Doerun granite 28 v Graniteville granite ••••.••••.•••.•..•••••••• o. • • • • • • • • 32 Klondike granite • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • . • . • • . • • • • • • • • . • . • 3 6 Silvermine granite .•••.••.•••. o • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 41 Various granite types . • • . • • • • • • • • . • • . • • • . • . .. • . 44 Swnm ary • . .. • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • . • • • • . • • • . • . • • 4 6 PETROCHEMISTR Y OF THE GRANITES OF SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI .••••.•••••••• o • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .. • • • • • • • • • • • • 48 General Statement • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • . • . • • • • • • • • . • • . .. • . • 48 Petrochemical Classifications. • • . • • • . • • • • • • • . • • . • . 49 Classification of the Southeastern Missouri Granites According to the Niggli Petrochemical Method . • • . • . 55 Chemical chara.4cter of the granites based on the . Niggli-values . • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • . • . • . • 55 The variation diagram of the gra~ites 61 The QLM triangle .................................... 70 Magma types ............•.................... ·. 7 3 Summary on Petrochemistry... • • • • • • • • • • • . • . • • . • • • . • . 77 SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF THE GRANITIC ROCKS OF SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI 78 General Statement • . • .. • • • • • • • • . • . • • . • • • . • • • • • . • . • • 7 8 Preparation of Samples • 0 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 79 Analytical Methods ..................................... 80 The instrument . • • • . • . • • • • • . • • . • . • • • . • • • • . • . 80 vi Operating technique ••.•••••••.••••••.•••.•...•••.•. 81 Qualitative Analysis 84 The sensitivities of the trace elements ..... 88 Siderophile elements • • • • . • • • . • • • • • . • • . • • . • . • . 90 Nickel ..•.. 90 Cobalt ••••• 92 Tin 94 Chalcophile elements .•••.•••••• 95 Copper . .................... 95 Silver 97 Zinc ................... 98 Lead ......... ~ ................ 100 Lithophile elements ..••..•••••••••••.••..•..••..•••.. 101 Vanadill.Il1 ................•....••.....•. °' •• ~ ••••••• 102 Zirconium ......................................... 104 Barium and Strontium 104 Chromium 106 Elements not detected ••..••••..••••...•.. ~ .•... 107 Comparison of Trace Element Content of the Granites of Southeastern Missouri with 'Granites of Other Areas 108 Summary on Spectrographic Analysis ••••••••...•.••• 110 vii SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............................ 115 APPENDIX A. Key to the Location of the Collected - Samples .............................................. 117 APPENDIX B.o Key to the Location of the Chemical Analyses .............................................. 119 APPENDIX C. Chemical Analyses of the Prec~brian Granites of Southeastern M_is souri ••••••••••• 120 BIBLIOGRAPHY •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•••••••. 126 VITA ................................................... 129 viii LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE I. Petrographic Characteristics and Johannsen Classification of the Granites of Southeastern Missouri. • • • • • • • • • • • . • . • • • • . • • • • . • • . • . 4 7 II. Examples of the Niggli Values of Some Rock Forming Minerals . • • • • • . • • • • • . • • • • . • . • • . • • • . 54 III. Calculation of Niggli Values from Weight Per- cent of Oxides of a Rock Analysis ••.•.•••.....••• 54 IV. Niggli-, QLM-values and Magma Types of the Granites of Southeastern Missouri ••.••.••••.•..•• 75 V. Qualitative Analyses of the Precambrian Granites of Southeastern Missouri (Spectro- graphic Determinations) • ~ .•_ • • . • . • • . • . • • . 86 VI. Sensitivities of the Trace Elements ...•••. o ••••••••• 89 VII. Comparison of Trace Elements of Granites from Colorado (Bray), New England (Shimer), and Southeastern Missouri (this report) ..•••...••. 111 VIII. Index Trace Elements in the Southeastern Missouri Granite Types 114 ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FIGURE PAGE I. Precambrian granite and porphyry outcrops of Southeast.ern Missouri • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . 4 2. Distribution of the igneous rocks of Southeastern Missouri • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 9 3. Chemical character of the granites of South- eastern Missouri based on the al:fm ratios of Niggli • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 5 7 4. Chemical character of the granites of South- eastern Missouri based on the al:alk ratios of Niggli...................................... 59 5. The variation diagram of the g;ranites of South- eastern Mis-souri • • • • • • • • . • • • • . • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • 63 6. Chemical character of the granites of South- eastern Missouri based on th~ k:mg ratios of Niggli ••••••••••••• .• •••••• ~ • .• • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • . 68 7. The QLM diagram of the Precambrian granites_· of Southeastern Missouri ....................· •••• 72 8. The Eagle mounting .. .. .. .. .. .. 83 PLATE. FOLLOWING PAGE I .. · Fredericktown granite outcrop ••. ·•••••••••••••..•• 18 2.. Granophyric and microperthitic -intergrowths in Fredericktown granites • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • . 20 x PLATE FOLLOWING PAGE