Chemical weathering and Rb-Sr whole rock ages

Abstract

Weathered whole rock samples of five lithic units from Maine, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina were analyzed to evaluate the effect of chemical weathering on the Rb-Sr ages of the original rocks. Major element and turbidity analyses, as well as standard X-ray diffraction and petrographic studies were made on selected samples. All weathered granitic rocks are friable; several are almost saprolites. Volcanic rocks are powdery or are pitted as a result of the weathering of plagioclase phenocrysts. The weathering profiles studied all are young relative to the age of the unaltered rock. Considering the extent of weathering, however, ages of the weathered samples are remarkably close to the published ages for unaltered samples of the same units. Weathered samples have ages ranging from essentially the same as fresh samples to no more than 20% younger than the age obtained from the fresh samples. In one profile, we have attempted to quantify the extent of weathering: there is a positive correlation between our measure of the degree of weathering and per cent ‘lowering’ of the age. Weathering of plagioclase apparently has little effect on whole rock ages; ages are lowered significantly only where biotite and K-feldspar have undergone considerable alteration.