Sale
Field, B.D. 1989 Cathodoluminescence of quartz in Paleozoic to Mesozoic basement rocks and Cretaceous-Cenozoic sedimentary rocks, Canterbury and north Otago, New Zealand. Lower Hutt: New Zealand Geological Survey. New Zealand Geological Survey report SL 21 12 p.
Abstract: The luminescence colours of quartz grains are thought to reflect their thermal history, and this information can be used to decipher provenance. In this reconnaissance study samples of both basement and cover rocks of Canterbury and North Otago were examined. Quartz in schistose basement rocks is non-luminescent or has red-brown luminescence; quartz in volcanic- derived sediment has strong, blue luminescence. There is a wide range of luminescence colours of quartz in the Torlesse Supergroup, with apparently no systematic variation with age or with regard to subterrane. Cretaceous samples from Otago contain non-luminescent quartz, probably reflecting their derivation from erosion of the Haast Schist. Most Paleocene to Oligocene samples from central Canterbury contain significant quantities of blue- luminescing quartz, probably reflecting proximity to the Cretaceous Mount Somers Volcanics. Miocene samples contain relatively little blue-luminescing quartz, probably because the large influx of Torlesse-derived detritus that was shed from the rising Southern Alps would have swamped most local sources of igneous-derived quartz.
