The Nature and Origin of Granite

Preface. The historical perspective - an ever changing emphasis. The categories of granitic rocks - the search for a genetic typology. Granite as a chemical system - the experimental impact. The physical nature of granitic magmas - a case of missing information. The evolution of the granitic texture - a continuum of crystal growth. Differentiation in granitic magmas: zoning as an example of multifactinal processes at work. The volcano-plutonic interface - not Read's hiatus. The evidence for restite - unmixing as an alternative hypothesis. The mingling and mixing of granite with basalt - a third term in a multiple hypothesis. Appinites, diatremes and granodiorites - the interaction of wet basalt with granite. Controls of upwelling and emplacement - the response of the envelope: balloons, pistons and reality. On the rates of emplacement, crystallization and cooling. Plagiogranite and Ferrogranophyre: extreme differentiation in contrasted situations. Cordilleran-type batholiths - magmatism and crust formation at a plate edge. Intraplate rift-related magmatism - mainly the A-type, alkali feldspar granites. Migmatites - are they a source of granitic plutons? The waning stages - the role of volatiles in the genesis of pegmatites and metal ores. The sources of granitic magmas in their various global tectonic niches. A kind of conclusion - a search for order among multifactorial processes and multifarious interactions. Bibliography. Index.