Thursday, 17 September 2015

Carte géologique du terrain entre le lac d'Orta et celui de Lugano. Leopold von Buch. [1829]

Extract from the map

Geological cross-section

Section of the key

Carte géologique du terrain entre le lac d'Orta et celui de Lugano. Leopold Buch. [1829].

An image of the full map can be found here

Christian Leopold von Buch (1774 – 1853) was a German geologist and paleontologist. He was the first Foreign Member of the Geological Society of London.

A biography of  Christian Leopold von Buch

Posted by Bob McIntosh

Tuesday, 8 September 2015

Eruptive rocks of Brent Tor by Frank Rutley, 1878.

 Plate VIII.  Basalt with glassy magma mainly devitrified. Brent Tor, North-west side of the foot of the Tor, Magnification x55.

Plate VIII. 
Basalt with glassy magma mainly devitrified. Brent Tor, North-west side of the foot of the Tor, Magnification x55.

The 'Eruptive rocks of Brent Tor and its neigbourhood' was the first special petrographical work issued by the Geological Survey. It is dated 1878.  It denotes a time when microscopic examination of rocks collected during the mapping of new districts became routine. Colour chromolithographs.

Frank Rutley was also the author of Elements of Mineralogy first published in 1874 and still available in print today in its 27th edition!

Plate IX. 1. Decomposed Greenstone, Greston Bridge. 2. Slate beneath lower Greenstone, Greston Bridge. 3. Elvan, S. end of Shilla Mill Quarry (Polarized). 4.Mag'n. Mica and cavities in Quartz of Granite, Brazen Tor. 5. Fluid cavities containing cubes of NaCl, Brazen Tor. 6. Amygdaloidal Schalstein, Churlhanger, near Lamerton.
Plate IX.
1. Decomposed Greenstone, Greston Bridge.
2. Slate beneath lower Greenstone, Greston Bridge.
3. Elvan, S. end of Shilla Mill Quarry (Polarized).
4.Mag'n. Mica and cavities in Quartz of Granite, Brazen Tor.
5. Fluid cavities containing cubes of NaCl, Brazen Tor.
6. Amygdaloidal Schalstein, Churlhanger, near Lamerton.

Plate X No. 1 Hornblende, Pyrites and Quartz in Amphibolite, Brazen Tor, Devon No 2 Schorl in the Granulitic margin of the Granite in contact with No. 1 No 3. Pyroxene (probably Diallage) in Gabbro? Cottage Inn, Main Road to Marytavy. No. 4 Titaniferous Iron, partly altered (Gabbro) Cock's Tor, near Tavistock. Bo. 1 x55. Nos. 2,3 and 4 x25. ordinary transmitted light. On the surface of No. 4 a little light was also reflected simultaneously.


Plate X
No. 1 Hornblende, Pyrites and Quartz in Amphibolite, Brazen Tor, Devon
No 2 Schorl in the Granulitic margin of the Granite in contact with No. 1
No 3. Pyroxene (probably Diallage) in Gabbro? Cottage Inn, Main Road to Marytavy.
No. 4 Titaniferous Iron, partly altered (Gabbro) Cock's Tor, near Tavistock.
Bo. 1 x55. Nos. 2,3 and 4 x25. ordinary transmitted light. On the surface of No. 4 a little light was also reflected simultaneously.

Brent Tor. (South side near the base) x25 Brent Tor. (North side) x25
Brent Tor. (South side near the base) x25
Brent Tor. (North side) x25

A selection of plates from the memoir:

Brent Tor from Hart's Hall, near Morwellham

Brent Tor from Hart's Hall, near Morwellham
Great Staple Tor on the western Margin of Dartmoor (mural jointing in granite).

 Great Staple Tor on the western Margin of Dartmoor (mural jointing in granite).

The Master Rock, Horndon.

The Master Rock, Horndon. (woodcut)

Posted by Bob McIntosh