Metamorphic Geology

This book is about metamorphic rocks: the processes involved in their formation and the reasons why they occur at particular places on the continents. It has been written to serve as an elementary text on the subjects of metamorphism and mountain building for non-specialist stu dents of geology. It will be equally useful where geology is either the main or subsidiary subject and could be used by students intending to advance further in geology (the list of advanced texts in the further reading section would be more appropriate to such students). My inten tion in writing this book has been to try to dispel the notion that metamorphism comprises the 'haunted wing' of geology. Admittedly, there are rather a large number of technical terms in the book, but I hope that after working through it you will not find metamorphism an unduly difficult or obscure aspect of geology. Throughout, I have emphasised the strong links between mountain building, plate tectonics and metamorphic processes. The book introduces metamorphic rocks by considering their textures and field relations, then moves on to deal with the factors controlling metamorphism. Case studies of areas of metamorphic rocks are then presented in the context of modern theories of the Earth's activity, and the place of metamorphic rocks in the formation of ancient and young mountain belts is analysed. New technical terms and concepts are explained in context as they are introduced, important terms being emphasised in bold print.

In Earth evolution, mountain belts are the loci of crustal growth, reworking and recycling. These crustal-scale processes are unravelled through microscale investigations of textures and mineral assemblages of metamorphic rocks. Multiple episodes of metamorphism, re-equilibration and deformation, however, generally produce a complex and tightly interwoven pattern of microstructures and assemblages. Over the last two decades, the combination of advanced computing and technological capabilities with new concepts has provided a vast array of novel petrological tools and high-resolution/high-sensitivity techniques for microanalysis and imaging. Such novel approaches are proving fundamental to untangling the enigma represented by metamorphism with an unprecedented level of detail and confidence. As a result, the first decade and a half of this century has already seen the tumultuous development of new research avenues in metamorphic petrology. This book aims to provide a timely overview of the state of the art of this field, of newly developed petrological techniques, future advancements and significant new case studies.

Discusses the interpretation of mineral assemblages, how the metamorphic process affects different rocks, the limitations of different interpretive approaches, and the relationship of process and texture. Shows how it may be possible to deduce the tectonic settings in which ancient metamorphic rocks were formed, and describes textures that reflect reaction mechanisms and deformation. Acidic paper. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

A textbook providing a quantitative approach to the petrologic principles of igneous and metamorphic rocks in a new edition.

The Walker Lake-Arrowsmith River area of the Committee Bay belt, Nunavut, is dominated by three crustal domains: granite-greenstone belts in the central region, a granitic batholith in the south-east, and metasedimentary rocks in the north. Rocks within all domains display moderately to strongly developed strain fabrics & structures and preserve metamorphic mineral assemblages. This paper provides preliminary observations & interpretations of fabrics, structures, and mineral assemblages from this study area. It also presents preliminary monazite chemical ages from samples from the northern & central domains, and discusses the timing & tectonic significance of tectono-metamorphic events affecting the area.