Editorial: Granite Petrogenesis and Geodynamics
J. Gregory Shellnutt, Steven W. Denyszyn, Kwan‐Nang Pang
Abstract
Granite, sensu stricto, is a coarse grained and granular igneous rock comprising 20-60 vol% quartz and 35-90 vol% total feldspar whereas a granitic rock, sensu lato, is texturally similar but has variable proportions of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase Granites have interested geologists for centuries because of their ubiquity on continents, association with ore deposits, and their use in the construction of ancient buildings. The origin and formation of granitic rocks was at the forefront of geological debate before and after the pioneering work of James Hutton and Charles Lyell, and played an important role in the development of continental drift theory Early concepts of granite formation include crystallization from a fluid, precipitation from a primordial ocean, or transformation of preexisting rocks into granite (i.e., granitization) by metasomatism Furthermore, if granites were indeed derived from a fluid (e.g., a magma), then a question arises as to how such enormous space can be created in the crust to accommodate their emplacement It was not until the mid-20th century that the debate regarding the fundamental origin of granitic magma was resolved. The recognition that granite crystallizes from magma refuted many opposing theories including the granitization theory