Geology and Petrology of Limestone
GEOLOGY AND PETROLOGY OF THE FLETCHER LIMESTONE COMPANY QUARRY, FLETCHER, HENDERSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA by Kelley J. Kaltenbach
A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science
Department of Geography and Geology University of North Carolina Wilmington 2007
Approved by
Advisory Committee
______________________________
______________________________
________________________________ Chair
Accepted by ________________________________ Dean, Graduate School
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………………………………………...……..............viii DEDICATION………………………………………………………………………....................ix LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………...……................x LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………………….................xi LIST OF PLATES……………………………………………………………………..................xiv INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………...1 Study Objectives…………………………………………………………………………..3 Methods…………………………………………………………………………………...3 Terminology……………………………………………………………………….…...…5 Geologic Setting…………………………………...…………………………….…...…...6 Eastern Blue Ridge…………………………………………………………...…...8 Inner Piedmont…………………………………………………………………....9 Brevard fault zone……………………………………………………………......10 PETROLOGY OF THE FLETCHER MARBLE AND ADJACENT ROCKS…………………12 Quaternary Sediments……………………………………………………………………12 Fletcher marble…………………………………………………………………..………12 Mineralogy………………………...……………………………………………..15 Microtextural features……………………………………………………………37 Brevard phyllonite…………………...………….………………….…………………….42 Mineralogy………………………………………………………………………..42 Textural features…………………………………………………………………..61
iii
Exotic rocks……………………………………………………………………...67 Brittle features………………………………...…………………………………70 STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS………………………………………………………………...…75 Planar
A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science
Department of Geography and Geology University of North Carolina Wilmington 2007
Approved by
Advisory Committee
______________________________
______________________________
________________________________ Chair
Accepted by ________________________________ Dean, Graduate School
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………………………………………...……..............viii DEDICATION………………………………………………………………………....................ix LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………...……................x LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………………….................xi LIST OF PLATES……………………………………………………………………..................xiv INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………...1 Study Objectives…………………………………………………………………………..3 Methods…………………………………………………………………………………...3 Terminology……………………………………………………………………….…...…5 Geologic Setting…………………………………...…………………………….…...…...6 Eastern Blue Ridge…………………………………………………………...…...8 Inner Piedmont…………………………………………………………………....9 Brevard fault zone……………………………………………………………......10 PETROLOGY OF THE FLETCHER MARBLE AND ADJACENT ROCKS…………………12 Quaternary Sediments……………………………………………………………………12 Fletcher marble…………………………………………………………………..………12 Mineralogy………………………...……………………………………………..15 Microtextural features……………………………………………………………37 Brevard phyllonite…………………...………….………………….…………………….42 Mineralogy………………………………………………………………………..42 Textural features…………………………………………………………………..61
iii
Exotic rocks……………………………………………………………………...67 Brittle features………………………………...…………………………………70 STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS………………………………………………………………...…75 Planar