Metagraywackes are quartzose chlorite or biotite schists containing very fine to coarse granules of blue quartz; primary graded laminations have been transposed by shearing into elongate lozenges that give the rock a distinctive pin-striped appearance in weathered surfaces perpendicular to schistosity. A mylonitic fabric is superimposed in varying degrees, as are late-stage chevron-style folds. In Buckingham, Appomattox, and Campbell Counties, rocks in this unit are progressively more tectonized from east to west across the outcrop belt; in the western portion, the dominant lithology is a polydeformed, mylonitic mica schist with abundant quartz-rich boudins; transposed pinstriped lamination or segregation layering at a high angle to mylonitic schistosity is characteristic. Metagabbroic blocks ranging in size from 5 cm to 3 m across and larger have been identified at widely scattered locations throughout the outcrop belt. Mineralogy: quartz + albite + epidote + chlorite + muscovite + magnetite ± chloritoid ± calcite; biotite- and staurolite-bearing assemblages occur in Appomattox and Campbell Counties. Detrital minerals identifi ed in thin section include plagioclase, perthite, epidote, magnetite, tourmaline, and titanite. Lithic fragments include dacite tuff, gabbro, and monocrystalline quartz with zircon and biotite inclusions (Evans, 1984). The northern portion of the outcrop belt includes melange zone IV of the Mine Run complex of Pavlides (1989; 1990). In Albemarle and Fluvanna counties, CZpm includes the lower chlorite-muscovite unit of Smith and others (1964) and Hardware metagraywacke of Evans (1984). In Appomattox and Buckingham Counties, polydeformed quartzose mica schists in the western portion of the outcrop belt are lithologically indistinguishable from schists mapped as Fork Mountain Formation in structural blocks that occur to the west; these units are considered to be at least in part correlative. In Campbell County, polydeformed metagraywacke and mica schist is intruded by the Cambrian-age Melrose Granite (Cm).
Heterogeneous layered sequence is dominantly garnetiferous biotite gneiss and porphyroblastic gneiss, migmatitic in part, with subordinate interlayered amphibolite and amphibole gneiss (Ya), pelitic-composition gneiss, calcsilicate gneiss, biotite hornblende-quartz-plagioclase gneiss, and garnetiferous leucogneiss. These lithologies contain amphibolite-facies metamorphic mineral assemblages consistent with rock chemistry. Farrar (1984) reports relict granulite-facies assemblages in some rocks. This unit underlies a wide area that surrounds the State Farm antiform (Poland, 1976; Reilly, 1980; Farrar, 1984) and two subsidiary antiforms to the northeast; the unit includes the Maidens gneiss and portions of the Sabot amphibolite of Poland (1976), the eastern gneiss complex and Boscobel granodiorite gneiss of Bobyarchick (1976), and the Po River Metamorphic Suite of Pavlides (1980). Poland (1976) and Reilly (1980) proposed that the Maidens gneiss and Sabot amphibolite were a Late Precambrian- to Early Paleozoic-age volcanic-sedimentary cover sequence unconformably overlying the State Farm gneiss. Farrar (1984) interpreted relict granulite-facies mineral assemblages to have equilibrated during Grenville-age regional metamorphism; this contributed to his conclusion that the Sabot and Maidens, in addition to the State Farm, are Grenville or pre-Grenville in age. Porphyroblastic garnet-biotite gneiss (Ymd) is intruded by rocks of the Carboniferous-age Falmouth Intrusive Suite (Pavlides, 1980).
Ellisville biotite granodiorite (Pavlides, 1990). Mesocratic, coarse- to medium-grained, equigranular to porphyritic, massive to strongly foliated granodiorite. Mineralogy: quartz + plagioclase + potassium feldspar + biotite; accessories include epidote, allanite, titanite, and apatite. Porphyritic rocks contain potassium feldspar megacrysts up to 1.5 cm across; myrmekite commonly occurs adjacent to potassium feldspar. Brownish-green, strongly pleochroic biotite is associated with, and in places poikilitically encloses epidote, allanite, titanite, and apatite. Subhedral epidote locally encloses euhedral titanite. Pleochroic green amphibole and muscovite are minor constituents locally. The Ellisville has been dated at 440±8 Ma (Rb-Sr whole rock; Pavlides and others, 1982).
Chopawamsic Formation, undivided, (Pavlides, 1981). Includes laterally discontinuous lenses and tongues of metamorphosed felsic, intermediate, and mafic volcanic flows and volcanoclastic rocks, with interlayered quartzite, quartzose graywacke, schist, and phyllite. Volcanic flows are locally highly vesicular; fragmental breccia and tuff are common. Felsic flows are typically light-gray aphanitic rocks with phenocrysts of quartz and feldspar; intermediate flows are dark-green amphibole-bearing rocks with fine-grained quartz-feldspar matrix; greenstone metabasalts contain blue green amphibole, chlorite, albitic plagioclase, and quartz. Geophysical signature: linear strike-elongate pattern of elevated magnetic anomalies. The Chopawamsic is correlated with the James Run Formation in Maryland; the James Run has been dated at 570 to 530 Ma (U-Pb zircon; Tilton and others 1970). The Chopawamsic is unconformably overlain by the Late Ordovician Arvonia and Quantico Formations. Pavlides (1981 and subsequent works) has made the interpretation on the basis of geologic and geochemical data that the Chopawamsic and related plutons represent an ancient is land-arc sequence.
Ta River Metamorphic Suite, (undivided). Layered sequence consists dominantly of greenish-gray to black, medium- to coarse-grained, poorly to well-lineated, massive to well-layered amphibolite and amphibole-bearing gneiss and schist; includes interlayered ferruginous quartzite, and minor biotite gneiss, felsic volcanic rocks, gabbro and granite. Amphibolitic rocks commonly contain quartz-epidote lenses and veins. Porportion of biotite gneiss and schist in creases from northeast to southwest along strike, as does grade of regional metamorphism. Mineralogy: (horn blende, tremolite-actinolite, and cummingtonite) + quartz + calcic oligoclase ± epidote ± biotite ± garnet. Geophysical signature: linear positive and negative magnetic and radiometric anomalies. Pavlides (1981) correlated the Ta River with the Chopawamsic and James Run Formations, and considered the Ta to be a more oceanward facies of a Chopawamsic island arc sequence, on the basis of geologic and geochemical factors. The Quantico Formation generally overlies the boundary between the Chopawamsic and the Ta, obscuring the contact relationships.
Melange zone III (Pavlides, 1989). Phyllite and schist matrix contains abundant euhedral magnetite; many matrix rocks are highly deformed on a mesoscopic and microscopic scale. Mafic exotic blocks (mf) include amphibolite, ultra mafic rocks, serpentinite, and talc; many mafic and ultra mafic blocks are composite. Biotite gneiss blocks (gn) are also present. Metavolcanic olistoliths (vo) are rare. Geophysical signature: Strong positive magnetic anomaly. This unit is intruded by the Ellisville biotite granodiorite (SOe).
Heterogenous layered assemblage correlates with the Chopawamsic Formation and Ta River Metamorphic Suite, on strike to the northeast, and in traceable into the Milton belt in North Carolina (Geologic Map of North Carolina, 1985). Quartzofeldspathic biotite gneiss. Heterogeneous layered sequence consists of salt-and-pepper and segregation layered biotite granite gneiss interlayered with biotite schist; dark-gray to black, fine- to coarse-grained, thin- to thickly-laminated hornblende gneiss and schist; lesser quartz-muscovite schist; and, locally, gray to green, medium-grained, calcareous gneiss and calc-silicate granofels (Tobish and Glover, 1969). This unit includes the upper and lower felsic gneiss units and intermediate volcanic rocks in the Hyco Formation as used by Baird (1989, 1991); and biotite gneiss and interlayered gneiss of Kreisa (1980), correlative with the biotite gneiss unit of Marr (1980a; 1980b). Mineralogy: (quartzofeldspathic rocks), (1) quartz + albite + potassium feldspar + muscovite + chlorite + actinolite + epidote + calcite + magnetite + zircon; (2) quartz + oligoclase + muscovite + biotite + garnet + hornblende + magnetite + epidote + rutile + calcite + zircon; (mafic rocks), (1) quartz + albite + chlorite + epidote + actinolite + titanite + magnetite ilmenite. (2) quartz + oligoclase + andesine + hornblende + microcline + biotite + garnet + cordierite + magnetite + rutile + titanite + scapolite; (pelitic rocks), (1) quartz + albite + muscovite + chlorite + epidote + magnetite-ilmenite; (2) quartz + muscovite + biotite + kyanite + oligoclase + potassium feldspar + epidote + magnetite-ilmenite + garnet; (3) quartz + muscovite + sillimanite + magnetite-ilmenite; (calcareous rocks), (1) quartz + calcite + biotite + epidote + chlorite + tremolite + ilmenite; (2) calcite+ quartz + epidote + hornblende + pyroxene + scapolite. Geophysical signature: felsic rocks are delineated by strike-elongate positive radiometric anomalies (Henika and Johnson, 1980); mafic metavolcanic rocks and metasedimentary units are characterized by closed strike-elongate radiometric lows and closed strike-elongate aeromagnetic highs.
Gray to black, graphitic, pyritic phyllite and slate (northern Piedmont); metamorphic grade increases to the southwest to produce porphyroblastic staurolite-, kyanite-, and garnet-biotite muscovite schists. Locally the unit contains felsic metatuff, metagraywacke, and micaceous quartzite interbeds; thickness has been estimated at as much as 3000 feet (Pavlides, 1980). Mineralogy: quartz + muscovite + biotite ± garnet ± staurolite ± kyanite + opaque minerals; chlorite is a common secondary mineral. Geophysical signature: strike-elongated positive linear magnetic and radiometric anomalies. The unit was originally named Quantico Slate by Darton (1894), and modified to Quantico Formation by Pavlides (1980). An Ordovician age for the Quantico is indicated by fossils collected by Watson and Powell (1911) and more recently by Pavlides and others (1980). The Quantico unconformably overlies older units in the northeastern Pied mont, and is correlated with the Arvonia Formation to the southwest.
Diorite, light- to dark-gray, fine- to coarse-grained. Hornblendite and amphibolite occur as dikes associated with diorite; these are coarse-grained, with blocky hornblende and plagioclase; epidote-rich alteration zones are common. Mineralogy: hornblende + plagioclase (intermediate composition); accessory minerals include apatite, titanite, zircon, garnet, pyrite, and magnetite. Augite, diopside, quartz, and potassium feldspar are locally present. Hornblende is largely replaced by chlorite or biotite; plagioclase contains abundant epidote inclusions. Late biotite porphyroblasts are common; these are commonly hydrated to form vermiculite. Rossman (1991) interprets the Green Springs to be a flattopped intrusive body with its upper surface approximately coincident with the present land surface. He notes that the pluton contains metasedimentary xenoliths that resemble the enclosing metagraywacke, and has a thermal aureole that is manifested by garnet and biotite porphryoblasts in the surrounding country rocks. Conley and Johnson (1975) concluded that the pluton was rootless at depth on the basis of a gravity study. Vermiculite is being extracted commercially from a deposit near the northeast margin of the pluton.
Granite gneiss (Pavlides, 1990). Fine- to medium grained, light-gray to white granite to tonalite gneiss; composed of biotite, oligoclase, quartz, and porphyroblastic microcline, with accessory muscovite, epidote, titanite, and magnetite; hornblende occurs locally within diffuse compositional layering. Inclusions of biotite gneiss and amphibolite are present locally. Unit occurs as irregular lenticular to tabular masses within porphyroblastic biotite gneiss (Ymd).
Falmouth Intrusive Suite (Pavlides, 1980). Fine grained to pegmatitic granite, quartz monzonite, granodiorite, and tonalite; consists of dikes, sills and small plutons. Mineralogy: plagioclase + quartz + microcline + biotite + muscovite + hornblende ± garnet + epidote + apatite + titanite + opaque minerals; myrmekite common. The unit has been dated at 300-325 Ma (U-Pb zircon and Rb-Sr whole-rock; Pavlides and others, 1982). These rocks intrude the Ta River Metamorphic Suite (Cta), Falls Run Granite Gneiss (Sf), Holly Corners Gneiss (CZh), Quantico Formation (Oq) and porphyroblastic garnet-biotite gneiss (Ym; Po River Meta mor phic Suite of Pavlides, 1980).
Melange zone II (Pavlides, 1989). Schist (Pavlides, 1989). Schist and phyllite matrix is more complexly deformed than the matrix of melange zone I; contains metavolcanic blocks (vo) similar to Chopawamsic Formation rocks (Ccv), in addition to granitoid blocks of altered tonalite and granodiorite (gr); intruded by the Ellisville biotite granodiorite (SOe).
Light-gray, medium- to coarse-grained, massive to indistinctly-foliated. Mineralogy: quartz + plagioclase (intermediate composition) + potassium feldspar + biotite + muscovite.
Falls Run Granite Gneiss (Pavlides, 1980). Pink to white, coarse-grained, strongly-foliated hornblende-biotite granite to monzonite gneiss. Mineralogy: microcline + plagioclase + quartz + biotite + muscovite ± hornblende; apatite, epidote, titanite, and magnetite-ilmenite are accessories; myrmekite is common. The Falls Run has been dated at 410 Ma (U-Pb zircon and Rb-Sr whole-rock; Pavlides and others, 1982); the gneiss intrudes Ta River Metamorphic Suite (Cta) and the Holly Corners Gneiss (CZh).
Medium- to dark-gray and greenish- gray mica phyllite and sandy laminated schist. Lenses and pods of feldspathic quartzite, metamorphosed quartzarenite, dolomitic marble, and dark-gray to medium-bluish-gray, laminated marble are common in the upper part. Mineralogy: quartz + albite + muscovite + chlorite + magnetite-ilmenite + epidote ± biotite ± chloritoid ± calcite. Chloritoid and magnetite porphyroblasts are common near the Bowens Creek fault. Geophysical signature: Low amplitude, linear magnetic highs are superimposed on a pronounced southeast-sloping magnetic gradient between Alligator Back units northwest of the Candler and a persistant linear magnetic trough localized along the trend of the Bowens Creek fault zone. Microstructural elements in the upper Candler indicate dextral transpression along a continuous shear zone (Bowens Creek fault zone) within the Candler outcrop belt from the Virginia-North Carolina boundary in Patrick County northeastward to at least the north end of Buffalo Ridge on the Amherst-Campbell County line. Conley and Henika (1970) and Gates (1986) hypothesized that the Bowens Creek fault is part of a major strike slip (wrench) system that is part or a continuation of the Brevard fault zone to the southwest . Northeast of the Scottsville Mesozoic basin, the Candler includes laminated metasiltstone (Ccas), ferruginous metatuff, dolomitic marble, and phyllite that are conformable above Catoctin metabasalt (Evans, 1984; Conley, 1989; Rossman, 1991); in Orange County, the Candler includes the True Blue formation of Pavlides (1989, 1990).
Dark-green, variably schistose chlorite-actinolite-epidote greenstone metabasalt, amygdaloidal in part; massive yellowish-green epidosite segregations common.
Everona Limestone (Jonas, 1927). Thinly-laminated medium-bluish-gray limestone with graded, graphitic silty partings; includes calcareous graphitic phyllite, and pyrite-bearing graphitic slate. Mineralogy: calcite + quartz + muscovite ± graphite ± chlorite ± albite ± pyrite + tourmaline. The Everona occurs dominantly as lenticular bodies immediately north west of or within the Mountain Run fault zone (Evans, 1984; Conley, 1989; Rossman, 1991). In most outcrops primary laminations are complexly folded due to strain accommodation associated with the Mountain Run fault. Unit thickness and degree of lateral continuity are structurally controlled in many places. Mack (1965) reports thicknesses ranging from about 20 to 1100 feet. Jonas (1927) reports retrieving trilobite fragments from sandy beds adjacent to the Everona, but these were so poorly preserved that E.O. Ulrich could not identify them, even with respect to genus. Recent attempts to extract conodonts from the Everona have so far proven fruitless. The Everona is interpreted to be in stratigraphic continuity with phyllites and metasiltstones that are conformable above the Catoctin Formation (Evans, 1984; Rossman, 1991), and is likely Early Paleozoic in age.
Melanocratic, fine- to coarse-grained, weakly to strongly foliated, irregularly layered amphibole-rich gneiss and schist. Mineralogy: hornblende + clinopyroxene + plagioclase + magnetite + biotite ± scapolite ± garnet ± quartz ± epidote. Geophysical signature: narrow, strike-elongate, positive magnetic anomaly. Lenses and layers of amphibolite and amphibole gneiss are interlayered with porphyroblastic garnet-biotite gneiss (Ymd). The mafic rocks constitute 50 percent or more of the section in a zone about 0.62 mile wide surrounding outcrop areas of State Farm gneiss (Ysf); farther away from the State Farm contact, lenses and layers of amphibolite and amphibole gneiss are more widely scattered, but are laterally persistent and outline map-scale structures (Marr, 1985). Amphibolite and interlayered biotite gneiss adjacent to the State Farm gneiss were named the Sabot amphibolite by Poland (1976), who characterized the formation as a tabular sheet 0.7 to 1.0 km thick. He and Goodwin (1970) interpreted these amphibolites as metamorphosed mafic volcanic or pyroclastic rocks. Glover and others (1989 and references therein) report a low-angle regional discordance between the base of the Sabot and the compositional layering in the underlying State Farm Gneiss.
Felsic/mafic volcanic rocks as exotic blocks within melange units
Grayish-green, fine- to very fine-grained, laminated schistose and phyllitic metasiltstone; relict detrital quartz and albite define graded laminations on the order of 0.5 to 1 cm thick. Mineralogy: quartz + chlorite+ muscovite + albite + epidote + magnetite + tourmaline +zircon. Laminated metasiltstone occurs in stratigraphic conformity above the Catoctin Formation; in southeastern Albemarle County, the unit contains discontinuous interbeds of ferruginous metatuff. Laterally discontinuous beds of feldspathic metasandstone, micaceous quartzite, and coarse-grained to pebbly metagraywacke occur within the metasiltstone outcrop belt, and are interbedded with phyllites somewhat higher in the section (Evans, 1984).
Light-gray, fine- to medium grained quartzite and quartzose muscovite schist. Mineralogy: quartz + muscovite + plagioclase ± microcline. This lithology occurs as thin discontinuous lenses at the base of the Quantico; thin diopsidic calcsilicate layers are also found locally in the lower part of the Quantico (Pavlides, 1980).