Studies of the Precambrian Geology of Iowa: Part 2. The Matlock Keratophyre

Authors

Kenneth E. Windom, Iowa State UniversityFollow
Karl E. Seifert, Iowa State UniverstiyFollow
Raymond R. Anderson, Department of Natural ResourcesFollow

Document Type

Research

Keywords

Precambrian, keratophyre, volcanic rocks

Abstract

Felsic pyroclastic rock occurs in the Precambrian basement in northwestern Iowa. This rock was recovered by drilling and originally logged as rhyolite; however it is severely depleted in K₂O, Rb, Ba, Cs, and other mobile elements and is more properly called keratophyre. The volcanic unit lies atop a layered mafic/ultramafic complex and contains xenoliths of gabbro apparently derived from the layered body. These xenoliths are severely altered and are composed of secondary hydrated and carbonated minerals. The gabbros are enriched in incompatible trace elements, whose abundance patterns complement those of the keratophyre. Trace element abundance patterns for the keratophyre suggest it was derived by partial melting in a subduction zone. The keratophyre is comparable to rhyolite exposed in Wisconsin in terms of age, stratigraphic position, and low-grade metamorphism, although it cannot be established whether or not they are related in any way.

Publication Date

December 1991

Journal Title

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

98

Issue

4

First Page

178

Last Page

181

Copyright

© Copyright 1991 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Windom, Kenneth E.; Seifert, Karl E.; and Anderson, Raymond R. (1991) "Studies of the Precambrian Geology of Iowa: Part 2. The Matlock Keratophyre," Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 98(4), 178-181.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/jias/vol98/iss4/8