The crystallization history and mechanism of emplacement of the western part of the Galway Granite, Connemara, Western Ireland

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Abstract
Summary: The Galway Granite often has a highly siliceous aphyric alkali granite at the margin, followed inwards by a K-feldspar phenocrystic adamellite and then a steeply layered granodiorite. This previously puzzling arrangement, which seemed to conflict with the necessity to cool from the periphery and crystallize the most basic granite at the margin, is examined by a traverse of chemically analysed rocks and biotites. The Mg/(Mg+Fe+Mn) values indicate that the granodiorite probably crystallized from the outside inwards. The marginal aphyric granite crystallized from the acid residuum in the nearly solid adamellite. This was drawn out of the adamellite by blocks of country rock falling into the adamellite and creating a zone of rarefaction behind them. This also explains the absence of a chilled margin and the aplitic texture and mineralogy of the aphyric granite. The adamellite largely accumulated by crystal settling with gravity grading but the granodiorite crystallized in vertical layers during upward vertical movements of the magma that tipped up the gravity layering in the adamellite. Scattered microdioritic xenoliths are postulated to be disrupted dykes. Eighteen granite and twenty-seven biotite analyses are tabulated.

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