A Provisional Reclassification of Granite

Abstract

AbstractThe term “granite” could be usefully reserved for massive or weakly oriented plutonic rocks of colour index less than 20 per cent and quartz content between 20 per cent and 40 per cent by volume. A symbolic classification of rocks meeting these requirements is presented. The various classes are based on the relative proportions of plagioclase and alkali feldspar, and sub-classes based on the ternary dominance ratio quartz-alkali feldsparplagioclase are also proposed. The symbols are simple and easily remembered. A few of the common names now in use are retained for class designations.