Sedimentary inclusions in the hypersthene-gabbro, Ardnamurchan, Argyllshire

Abstract

The hypersthene-gabbro of Ardnamurchan Point is the earliest of the intrusions of Centre 2 of the Ardnamurchan complex as shown by 5. E. Richey (11, p. 208).I The mass is intruded into domed Jurassic sediments and Tertiary basalt flows (fig. 1). The main part of the intrusion is composed of rather fine-grained gabbro, containing 2-3 % of hypersthene which typically surrounds crystals of olivine. Marginally, however, the gabbro is a quartz-bearing variety, with a micrographic mesostasis. The outer contact is somewhat sinuous due to the fact that the intrusion has only been exposed to a comparatively small depth below its original roof. This same geological accident may account in part for the number of fine-grained, basic, granular masses that are locally abundant within the gabbro.