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In this book, David Stevenson offers us a look at the evolution of planets as they move from balls of mixed molten rock to vibrant worlds capable of hosting life. Embedded in our everyday architecture and in the literal ground beneath our feet, granite and its kin lie at the heart of many features of the Earth that we take for granted. From volcanism and mountain building to shifting water levels and local weather patterns, these rocks are closely intertwined with the complex processes that continue to shape and reshape our world. This book serves as a wonderful primer for anybody interested in our planet's geological past and that of other planets in our Solar System and beyond. It illustrates not only how our planet's surface evolved, but also how granite played a pivotal role in the creation of complex, intelligent life on Earth. There has long been a missing element in popular astronomy literature, which Stevenson now aims to fill: how geological and biological evolution work in a complex partnership, and what our planet's own diversity can teach us about other rocky worlds.

Biotite granites and muscovite-bearing granites are dominant rock types of the widespread granites in SE China. However, their petrogenesis has been enigmatic. A combined study of zircon U–Pb dating and Lu–Hf isotopes, whole-rock element geochemistry and Sr–Nd–O isotopes was performed for three late Mesozoic granitic plutons (Xinfengjie, Jiangbei and Dabu) in central Jiangxi province, SE China. All the plutons are composed of biotite granites and muscovite-bearing granites that have been poorly investigated previously. The new data not only allow us to assess their sources and magma evolution processes, but also helps us to better understand the genetic link to the large-scale polymetallic mineralization in SE China. LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb dating shows that three plutons were emplaced in the Late Jurassic (159–148 Ma) and that the muscovite-bearing granites are almost contemporaneous with the biotite granites. The biotite granites have SiO 2 contents of 70.3–74.4 wt% and are weakly to strongly peraluminous with ASI from 1.00 to 1.26, and show a general decrease in ASI with increasing SiO 2 . They have relatively high zircon saturation temperatures ( T Zr  = 707–817 °C, most > 745 °C) and show a general decrease in T Zr with increasing SiO 2 . They have high initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (0.7136 to 0.7166) and high δ 18 O values (9.1–12.8‰, most > 9.5‰) and clearly negative ε Nd (T) (− 9.5 to − 11.8) and ε Hf (T) (in situ zircon) (− 13.1 to − 13.5). The muscovite-bearing granites have high SiO 2 contents (74.7–78.2 wt%). They are also weakly to strongly peraluminous with ASI of 1.04–1.18 but show a general increase in ASI with increasing SiO 2 . They have relatively low T Zr (671–764 °C, most < 745 °C) and also show a general decrease in T Zr with increasing SiO 2 . The muscovite-bearing granites have high Rb (up to 810 ppm) and high (K 2 O + Na 2 O)/CaO (up to 270), Rb/Sr (up to 42) and Rb/Ba (up to 30) as well as low K/Rb (< 150, down to 50), Zr/Hf (< 24, down to 11) and Nb/Ta (< 6, down to 2). They show similar Nd–O–Hf isotopic compositions to the biotite granites with ε Nd (T) of − 8.7 to − 12.0, δ 18 O of 8.7–13.0‰ (most > 9.5‰) and ε Hf (T) (in situ zircon) of − 11.3 to − 13.1. Geochemical data suggest the origin of the biotite granites and muscovite-bearing granites as follows: Partial melting of Precambrian metasedimentary rocks (mainly two-mica schist) in the lower crust at temperatures of ca. 820 °C generated the melts of the less felsic biotite granites. Such primary crustal melts underwent biotite-dominant fractionation crystallization, forming the felsic biotite granites. Progressive plagioclase-dominant fractionation crystallization from the evolved biotite granites produced the more felsic muscovite-bearing granites. Thus, the biotite granites belong to the S-type whereas the muscovite-bearing granites are highly fractionated S-type granites. We further suggest that during the formation of the muscovite-bearing granites the fractional crystallization was accompanied by fluid fractionation and most likely the addition of internally derived mineralizing fluids. That is why the large-scale polymetallic mineralization is closely related to the muscovite-bearing granites rather than biotite granites in SE China. This is important to further understand the source and origin of biotite granites and muscovite-bearing granites in SE China even worldwide.

\"Granite and grace: seeking the heart of Yosemite reflects on Valerie and Michael Cohen's fifty-year encounter with the granite in the high country of Yosemite National Park, where they seek a sense of belonging in an era called the Anthropocene. By creating a dialogue between geological and literary representations, where the geological becomes metaphorical, while science turns mythological, these essays shaped by on-the-rock encounters with landforms, open up important experiential and pragmatic dimensions.\"-- Provided by publisher.

The application of the Ti-in-zircon thermometer to granitic rock requires consideration of a TiO 2 and a SiO 2 during zircon crystallization. Thermodynamic software programs such as rhyolite-MELTS or Perple_X permit the estimation of a TiO 2 and a SiO 2 values from whole-rock geochemical data as a function of pressure and temperature. Model calculations carried out on a set of 14 different granite types at 2 kbar, 5 kbar, and H 2 O = 3 wt% show a SiO 2 during zircon crystallization close to 1 (0.75–1) and a TiO 2 generally far below unity (0.1–0.6). This would suggest that Ti-in-zircon temperatures for granites must be significantly upward corrected relative to the original TiO 2 - and SiO 2 -saturated calibration of the thermometer. Both the rhyolite-MELTS and Perple_X calculations indicate that a TiO 2 is typically around 0.5 in ilmenite-bearing granites. Thus, for ilmenite-series granites (that is, almost all S-type and many I-type granites), it could be a reasonable first order approximation to apply a constant temperature correction of + 70 °C to the Ti-in-zircon thermometer. Granites lacking the paragenesis zircon–ilmenite, that is, some A-type granites and a few special I-type granites may have even lower a TiO 2 (0.1–0.5) and some of them may require a huge upward correction of Ti-in-zircon temperatures on the order of 100–200 °C. Using a set of Ti-in-zircon measurements from a Variscan granite of the Bohemian Massif, we introduce a novel T -dependent a TiO 2 and a SiO 2 correction of Ti-in-zircon calculated temperatures which is based on a TiO 2 -, a SiO 2 – T functions modelled with rhyolite-MELTS. This method takes into account that early and late zircons in granitic systems may crystallize at different a SiO 2 and a TiO 2 . Furthermore, we highlight the usefulness of comparing the corrected results of Ti-in-zircon thermometry with bulk-rock-Zr-based zircon solubility thermometry and ideal zircon crystallization temperature distributions for granites, and we present a graphical method that enables this comparison. In addition, this paper addresses the problem that Ti-in-zircon measurements are commonly collected with only moderate spatial analytical resolution, which leads to an averaging effect and to difficulties in recording accurate crystallization temperatures. Therefore, we propose that Ti-in-zircon thermometry for granites should generally rely on the more representative median- T ( T med ) value of a series of zircon analyses. Peak magma temperatures will be, in general, 35–50 °C above T med , as can be modelled using zircon crystallization temperature distributions.

We investigate the shape and strength of the magnetic fabrics (anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) data) of various massive granitic plutons from different parts of India, using the eigenvalue method. The study aims to analyse eigenvalues and establish their relationship with various deformational attributes. It involves: (1) calculating eigenvectors and their corresponding eigenvalues from magnetic fabric datasets; (2) finding a link between the geometrical appearance of eigenvectors and the mechanistic issues involved with a specific deformation scenario; and (3) determining shape and strength parameters from the magnetic foliation data distribution. The statistical analysis for the unimodal magnetic fabric dataset of orthorhombic symmetry class implies that the plane, consisting of intermediate (V2) and minimum (V3) eigenvectors with pole V1, accurately traces the instantaneous stretching axis (ISAmax) of a particular material flow system under a pure shear regime. Moreover, for the distributions of similar symmetry and modality, we infer that the rotational characteristics of eigenvectors with respect to a fixed coordinate cause a distinct shift of such planes (V2–V3) from the ISAmax of a steady-state flow system under simple shear, where a substantial amount of rotational strain is involved. However, our findings also suggest that variation in symmetry and modality of magnetic fabric data distribution of different studied granitoids can directly influence the relative disposition of V2–V3 with respect to the direction of ISAmax. We conclude that eigenvalue analysis of magnetic fabrics is a powerful approach, which can be utilized while studying the salient deformational aspects of any syntectonic massive granitic body.

In contrast to I-type granites, which commonly comprise infracrustal and supracrustal sources, S-type granites typically incorporate predominantly supracrustal sources. The initial aim of this study was to identify the sources of three Scottish Caledonian (~460 Ma) S-type granites (Kemnay, Cove and Nigg Bay) by conducting oxygen, U–Pb and Hf isotope analyses in zircon in order to characterise one potential end-member magma involved in the genesis of the voluminous late Caledonian (~430–400 Ma) I-type granites. Field, whole-rock geochemical and isotopic data are consistent with the generation of the S-type granites by melting their Dalradian Supergroup country rocks. While Hf isotope compositions of magmatic zircon, U–Pb data of inherited zircons, and high mean zircon δ 18 O values of 9.0 ± 2.7‰ (2SD) and 9.8 ± 2.0‰ for the Kemnay and Cove granites support this model, the Nigg Bay Granite contains zircons with much lower δ 18 O values (6.8 ± 2.1‰), similar to those found in Scottish I-type granites. This suggests that the Nigg Bay Granite contains low-δ 18 O material representing either altered supracrustal material, or more likely, an infracrustal source component with mantle-like δ 18 O. Mixing trends in plots of δ 18 O vs. εHf for S-type granite zircons indicate involvement of at least two sources in all three granites. This pilot study of Scottish Caledonian S-type granites demonstrates that, while field and whole-rock geochemical data are consistent with local melting of only supracrustal sources, the oxygen isotopic record stored in zircon reveals a much more complex petrogenetic evolution involving two or more magma sources.

The Dahutang tungsten deposit, located in the Yangtze Block, South China, is one of the largest tungsten deposits in the world. Tungsten mineralization is closely related to Mesozoic granitic plutons. A drill core through a pluton in the Dalingshang ore block in the Central segment of the Dahutang tungsten deposit shows that the pluton is characterized by multi-stage intrusive phases including biotite granite, muscovite granite, and Li-mica granite. The granites are strongly peraluminous and rich in P and F. Decreasing bulk-rock (La/Yb)N ratios and total rare earth element (ΣREE) concentrations from the biotite granite to muscovite granite and Li-mica granite suggest an evolution involving the fractional crystallization of plagioclase. Bulk-rock Li, Rb, Cs, P, Sn, Nb, and Ta contents increase with decreasing Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta ratios, denoting that the muscovite granite and Li-mica granite have experienced a higher degree of magmatic fractionation than the biotite granite. In addition, the muscovite and Li-mica granites show M-type lanthanide tetrad effect, which indicates hydrothermal alteration during the post-magmatic stage. The micas are classified as lithian biotite and muscovite in the biotite granite, muscovite in the muscovite granite, and Li-muscovite and lepidolite in the Li-mica granite. The Li, F, Rb, and Cs contents of micas increase, while FeOT, MgO, and TiO2 contents decrease with increasing degree of magmatic fractionation. Micas in the muscovite granite and Li-mica granite exhibit compositional zonation in which Si, Rb, F, Fe, and Li increase, and Al decreases gradually from core to mantle, consistent with magmatic differentiation. However, the outermost rim contains much lower contents of Si, Rb, F, Fe, and Li, and higher Al than the mantle domains due to metasomatism in the presence of fluids. The variability in W contents of the micas matches the variability in Li, F, Rb, and Cs contents, indicating that both the magmatic and hydrothermal evolutions were closely associated with W mineralization in the Dahutang deposit. The chemical zoning of muscovite and Li-micas not only traces the processes of W enrichment by magmatic differentiation and volatiles but also traces the leaching of W by the fluids. Therefore, micas are indicators not only for the magmatic-hydrothermal evolution of granite, but also for tungsten mineralization.

Granite is one of the important rocks commonly used as building, dimension and decorative stone. Before using these rocks for any purpose, the mineralogical, petrographic, textural and mechanical properties are important to be evaluated. In this study the effect of textural features on the strength properties especially compressive strength, tensile strength and Hoek-brown parameters, were evaluated of eight different granite deposits from various areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hoek - Brown constants (mi and a) were determined for granite of Malakand and Shewa Shahbaz Garhi, using linear regression fitting technique on the full scale laboratory data on established empirical models of Hoek-Brown, Mostyn and Douglas, Generalized Hoek and Brown model, and roclab software. Two linear empirical equations were developed for quantitatively estimation of compressive and tensile strength based on grain size. The result shows that the value of compressive and tensile strength increases when grain size is decreases from very coarse to fine grained and there is little effect of grainn size and texture on the Hoek-Brown failure criterion parameters. It is concluded that the generalized variant of Hoek and Brown failure criterion is more precisely described the behavior of the rock at different stress level.

This study evaluates the geotechnical characteristics of granite from the Kohistan and Ladakh batholiths of Gilgit and surrounding areas (Pakistan). For this purpose, 27 rock samples from 9 locations were collected to determine the physico-mechanical and petrographic properties as building and dimension stones. A petrographic study was carried out to understand the performance of the rock based on its mineralogical properties. Petrographic observations like mineralogy, grain size, presence of micro-fractures and void spaces, alteration of minerals and weathering grade also help to find petrographic reliance on strength properties. Compressive strength (UCS), tensile strength, Schmidt rebound number, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), specific gravity, water absorption and porosity tests of the representative granite type samples were performed to evaluate the strength properties. Based on its mechanical behavior, as well as physical and petrographic properties, granite is classified into two strength classes, the granites with high (Grade-I) strength properties (6 of 9) and the low quality (Grade-II) granites (3 of 9). The results indicate that all granites exceed minimum strength values by ASTM standard and are recommended for use as dimension stones for all applications except for the Das-Bala (DB) porphyritic granite, Satpara granite (SL) and Jaglote granite (JG), whose mean values are lower than standard. An integrated evaluation of physico-mechanical and petrographic observations shows a statistically significant correlation between quartz percentage, grain size and specific gravity against UCS. Whereas porosity, water absorption, R -value and UPV dry have no statistically significant correlation with UCS. These comprehensive studies and analyses of results concluded that the texture of granites, quartz percentage, mineralogy and alteration of minerals, volume of void spaces, the occurrence of micro fractures and grain size of minerals all contribute to the overall strength properties of the granite from the study area.