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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Intensive parameters of a sulfide and aluminosilicate-bearing granite, Hancock County, Maine

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

In Hancock County, Maine, a small mineralized fine-grained granite lies at the southeast portion of the felsic Lucerne pluton, near the contact with the Blue Hill pluton. The Cambro-Ordovician, chlorite-rich Ellsworth schist occurs to the north and south of the younger fine-grained granite and is the host to many sulfide deposits within the region. Within the study area the fine-grained granite and the Ellsworth schist have been contact metamorphosed by the Devonian age Lucerne. The fine-grained granite is a quartz-rich, leucocratic, two-mica, two-feldspar granitoid. It is marked by the presence of 1) sulfides (pyrrhotite, pyrite, loellingite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite) 2) volatile-rich phases such as muscovite, tourmaline, apatite, and chlorite, and 3) high-temperature anhydrous phases such as andalusite and fibrolite. Feldspars have been partially altered to muscovite, and biotite has partially altered to chlorite. Sulfides and tourmaline appear to have formed late in the crystallization sequence. Prior to the intrusion of the Lucerne the fine-grained granite probably cooled to a maximum temperature of about 600°C, and crystallized to form feldspar, biotite, quartz, and muscovite. Andalusite and sillimanite probably formed when the Lucerne intruded; at about 650-725°C and about 1-2 kilobars. Quartz, muscovite, tourmaline and sulfides probably formed during subsequent cooling. Feldspar composition indicate reequilibration with a fluid at about 400°C. Dehydration reactions within the Ellsworth schist probably resulted in the release of metal bearing fluids from the Ellsworth schist and redeposition into the adjacent fine-grained granite.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
M.S.
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Geological Sciences
Department dc:contributor.department
Geological Sciences
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Year dc:date.issued
1986

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Ehlers, Ernest G.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/106097
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/106097

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
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related terms
citation

Ehlers, Ernest G.. Intensive parameters of a sulfide and aluminosilicate-bearing granite, Hancock County, Maine. masters thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1986. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/106097