Geology Reference
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(Gupta and Edgar 1975). In their study of the join leucite-albite-anorthite under
atmospheric pressure Gupta and Edgar showed that leucite does not coexist with
pure albite, and reacts with it to produce nepheline ss and K
Na feldspar [(K, Na)
AlSi 3 O 8 ]. Nepheline, thus appears in the albite-rich portion of the join along with
additional (K, Na) AlSi 3 O 8 .
Anorthite-rich plagioclase (up to 3 mm across) has been described from Brown
Leucitic Tuffs of Roccamon
-
na by Luhr and Giannetti (1987). Most of the pla-
gioclase crystals have compositions, plotting in the range of An 85 - 95 with a strong
mode at An 87 - 89 (Fig. 2.2 , Table 2.3 ). These plagiocases have up to 1 wt% SrO.
Mt. Vulture tephrites and phonolitic tephrites contain plagioclase, which occurs
as a euhedral phase and is often enclosed within green salites together with leucite,
ha
yne and oxide minerals. In these rocks, the composition of plagioclase ranges
(Table 2.3 ) continuously from An-rich (up to 81 vol%) through more sodic varieties
to anorthoclase (Melluso et al. 1996). Plagioclase is found as microlites in basa-
nites, tephrites and phonolitic tephrites. These plagioclase crystals are enriched in
Sr and Ba (up to 4 wt% SrO and 7 wt% BaO). The Toppo S. Paolo phonolites are
characterised by high concentration of Ba (7 wt% BaO and 2 wt% SrO). The
plagioclase feldspars (Or 5 Ab 55 An 40 ) in minettes from Bearpaw Mountains are
found to be in equilibrium with sanidine. The associated latites from the same
locality contain plagioclase phenocrysts, which are idiomorphic and zoned
(Or 4 Ab 67 An 29 - Or 5 Ab 68 An 27 ).
The Latera Caldera of Roccamon
ΓΌ
na (Italy) is known for eruption of phonolitic
and tephri-phonolitic tuffs, which are constituted mainly of plagioclase crystals
(An 77 - 87 ). These plagioclases are in general unzoned and unembayed in the wide
pumices, whereas some of the black pumice fragments of overlying units have
anorthitic plagioclases (An 72 - 93 ), which exhibit concentric zoning and more pro-
nounced embayment and contain numerous minerals and glass inclusions. Plagio-
clase in Vico lavas (Cundari 1975) is occasionally glommeroporphyritic and
strongly zoned and seldom resorbed (also Perini and Conticelli 2002). It is often a
microphenocrystal phase. The plagioclase has anorthite content varying between
76.3 and 88.9 % in trachytic as well as tephritic phonolites.
In phonolitic tephrite of Ringgit Beser Complex of East Java (Edwards et al.
1991), the plagioclase feldspar coexisting in equilibrium with leucite, clinopyrox-
ene and phlogopite are anorthite-rich (An 91 ).
2.4 Clinopyroxene
Diopside is the major component having variable amounts of CaFeSi 2 O 6 , CaAl 2-
SiO 6 , CaFe 3+ AlSiO 6 , NaCrSi 2 O 6 and NaFeSi 2 O 6 molecules in solid solution.
Orthopyroxene may be present in peridotite or pyroxenite xenoliths, but not in the
silica-undersaturated potassic igneous rocks (for explanation, see Chap. 9 ) .
 
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