Chlorite Replacing Biotite
In many occurrence of biotite in igneous and metamorphic rocks, chlorite
is intergrown with the biotite in textures that
indicate the chlorite has formed as a replacement of biotite that formed
at an earlier time. In A, pale green chlorite occurs along the {001}
cleavage planes of the tan biotite (which contains abundant pleochroic
halos). In B, the relationship between chlorite and biotite is similar,
with a major portion of the centre of the biotite grain occupied by chlorite.
The chlorite contains inclusions of titanite
along the {001} planes of the chlorite, whereas the biotite shown here
(and elsewhere in the same rock) does not contain titanite. This suggests
that the bioitite is titanium-rich and the titanium could not be accommodated
in the secondary chlorite so formed a separate Ti-rich phase (titanite).
A is from a kyanite schist from Fernleigh, Ontario
and B is from a granite from an unknown location. Fields of view
are 5.5 mm across in A and 2.2 mm across in B. Both photographs were
taken in plane polarized light. |