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XVII.—The Major Ultrabasic and Basic Intrusions of St Kilda, Outer Hebrides

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 July 2012

R. R. Harding
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Oxford.

Abstract

The structures and mineralogy of the Tertiary ultrabasic and basic intrusions are described. The ultrabasic rocks are thought to be remnants of a layered intrusion which once extended from Hirta to Boreray, and which probably formed by crystal accumulation. The eucrites may represent higher levels of this intrusion. A 350 feet-thick, fine-grained margin is described from the East Glen Bay Gabbro. The metamorphism of the ultrabasic and eucritic rocks, and the formation of the Glacan Mor Complex, probably occurred in a basic environment, before intrusion of the first acid rocks on St. Kilda. Five major-element and twenty-two trace-element analyses are presented.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1967

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