Geology of the Petersburg batholith, eastern Piedmont, Virginia

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Abstract

The 295-300 Ma Petersburg batholith in east-central Virginia forms one of the largest and northernmost of the Alleghanian plutonic complexes in the southern Appalachian Piedmont. The batholith is primarily composed of granite including massive and foliated (both magmatic and solid-state fabrics) varieties. The plutonic complex intruded medium-grade metamorphosed volcanic/plutonic rocks of the Roanoke Rapids terrane. The western edge of the batholith experienced right lateral transpressional deformation associated with movement on the Hylas fault zone during the Alleghanian orogeny; this was followed by normal faulting and exhumation during the development of the Triassic Richmond basin. Much of the batholith was buried by a thin veneer of primarily Cenozoic siliciclastic sediments at the western edge of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Granite rocks of the Petersburg batholith have long been quarried for both dimension and crushed stone. The purpose of this trip is to discuss the age, origin, and tectonic significance of the Petersburg batholith.

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Publication type Book chapter
Publication Subtype Book Chapter
Title Geology of the Petersburg batholith, eastern Piedmont, Virginia
DOI 10.1130/2017.0047(06)
Volume 47
Year Published 2017
Language English
Publisher Geological Society of America
Contributing office(s) Eastern Geology and Paleoclimate Science Center
Description 10 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Monograph
Larger Work Title From the Blue Ridge to the beach Geological field excursions across Virginia
First page 153
Last page 162
Country United States
State Virginia
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