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albite-epidote-hornfels facies

geology

Quick Summary

The albite-epidote-hornfels facies represents a specific type of contact metamorphism in geology. This occurs when hot magmas intrude into the Earth's crust, heating the surrounding rocks. The albite-epidote-hornfels facies is typically found in the outer zones of these contact aureoles, where the heat influence diminishes and the rocks transition to a regional metamorphic grade.

Characteristic minerals in this facies include quartz, muscovite, biotite, chlorite, andalusite, actinolite, calcite, dolomite, albite, and epidote. These mineral assemblages are similar to those found in regional greenschist-facies metamorphism but include low-pressure minerals like andalusite.1

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