Génesis de cristobalita en andesitas alteradas (Los Escullos, Almería)
[EN] This paper studies the mineralogical and petrological composition of an outcrop of altered andesite in the volcanic region of Cabo de Gata (Los Escullos), using X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive analyses. The aim is to determine...
| Autores: | , |
|---|---|
| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2015 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| Repositorio: | DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:digital.csic.es:10261/126914 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/126914 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Cristobalite Devitrificación Andesites Vapour-phase Los Escullos Cristobalita Desvitrificación Andesitas Fase de vapor |
| Sumario: | [EN] This paper studies the mineralogical and petrological composition of an outcrop of altered andesite in the volcanic region of Cabo de Gata (Los Escullos), using X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive analyses. The aim is to determine the alteration processes that were able to develop a large amount of cristobalite in the andesites. This cristobalite grew independent of the silicification that generated siliceous veins and dikes in this outcrop. Optical microscopy reveals that the alteration affected only the andesite groundmass, leaving the phenocrysts (amphibole, biotite, plagioclase and opaques) preserved. The paste is mainly composed of cristobalite and small amounts of zeolites and smectites, which were formed in a later stage. The twinnings of cubic and tetragonal cristobalite crystals, identified in SEM, suggest that they might be formed as a vapour-phase. It is considered the cristobalite was formed by devitrification and perhaps by vapour-phase mineralization and that may be necessary a cristobalite precursor formation, in order to provide the nuclei. This process would occur during the percolation of gas at the start of cooling of the glass in the andesitic flow. |
|---|