Light-gray, medium-grained, equigranular, broadly-layered, locally migmatitic. Mineralogy: quartz + plagioclase + microcline + biotite + muscovite + hornblende; apatite and zircon are accessory minerals. Geophysical signature: diffuse pattern of positive radiometric anomalies.
Amphibolite, hornblende-biotite gneiss, and schist.; 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). Amphibolite, hornblende-biotite gneiss and schist. Black to moderate-olive-brown, medium- to coarse-grained, lineated and foliated; light-greenish-gray quartz-epidote stringers are common. Mineralogy: hornblende + tremolite-actinolite + oligoclase + biotite + epidote + garnet. Includes Blackwater Creek Gneiss and Catawba Creek amphibolite member of Hyco Formation of Baird (1989), hornblende gneiss of LeGrand (1960), gneiss unit of Kreisa (1980), and dominantly mafic-composition units mapped by Nelson (1992). Amphibolite is interlayered with biotite gneiss, as discussed above.
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.
Leucocratic to mesocratic, medium- to coarse-grained layered gneiss contains interlayered biotite-rich and quartzofeldspathic zones, locally migmatitic; includes lesser amounts of biotite schist, muscovite schist, and thin lenticular amphibolite bodies. Mineralogy: biotite + muscovite + plagioclase + potassium feldspar + garnet ± hornblende.
Leucocratic to mesocratic, medium-grained, equigranular, crudely-layered; includes hornblende-biotite granite and, monzogranite. Geophysical signature: strong positive radiometric signature; negative magnetic signature.
Very-light-gray, fine-grained, bedded volcaniclastic sediments, conglomerate, lithic feldspathic arenite, micaceous sandstone, siltstone, phyllite, argillite, and vitric tuff, with minor greenstone. Lithic fragments and relict euhedral crystals are common. The lower part of the unit is dominantly grayish-green slate interbedded with light-gray to grayish-green micaceous metasandstone; bedding is conspicuous and graded-bedding is common. The unit grades upward to bedded light-gray to moderate-red phyllite, metasandstone and slate.
Dark-gray, medium grained, foliated and broadly-layered. Mineralogy: biotite + plagioclase + potassium feldspar + quartz + muscovite; accessory minerals include titanite, epidote, and opaque minerals.
Light-gray, medium grained, segregation-layered gneiss, contains prominent potassium feldspar porphyroblasts. Mineralogy: quartz + biotite + plagioclase + potassium feldspar + muscovite ± hornblende; accessory minerals include epidote, apatite, and opaque minerals.
Includes light-gray, fine- to medium grained, foliated quartz-muscovite schist with relict quartz and plagioclase phenocrysts; lithic and crystal metatuff with relict volcanic fragments; and, minor felsic breccia and tuffaceous greenstone. A penetrative schistosity is defined by aligned mica grains; a lineation is defined by the ellipsoidal relict phenocrysts. These rocks were originally named the Hyco quartz porphyry by Laney (1917); they were renamed the Hyco Formation by Kreisa (1980). The Hyco has been dated at 620±20 Ma (Pb-Pb zircon; Glover and others, 1971).
Foliated felsite; 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). Foliated felsite. Grayish-orange-pink to white, fine- to medium-grained, foliated to granular metavolcanic rocks range in composition from rhyolite to dacite. Includes muscovite feldspar- quartz schist, gneiss and granofels; massive crystal metatuff; welded ashflow tuff; and, inequigranular metavolcanic breccia. Relict primary volcanic textures are recognizable where metamorphic grade is low (Henika, 1975; 1977). This unit includes felsic gneiss with less common mafic and rare calcareous gneiss mapped by Tobisch (1972), in part the metamorphosed volcanic sequence of Gates (1981), and dominantly felsic-composition units mapped by Nelson (1992). The unit contains numerous granitic dikes, sills, and lit-par-lit injections where it occurs in close proximity to Shelton Formation (Ost). Felsites occur interlayered with amphibolite, amphibole gneiss and schist (Cmv), quartzofeldspathic biotite gneiss (Cbg), sillimanite-quartz-muscovite schist and gneiss (Csg), and ferruginous quartzite (Cfq).
Mylonite. Includes protomylonite, mylonite, ultramylonite, and cataclastic rocks. Lithology highly variable, depending on the nature of the parent rock, and on intensive parameters and history of deformation. In most mapped belts of mylonite and cataclastic rock (my), tectonized rocks anastomose around lenses of less-deformed or undeformed rock. In the Blue Ridge, some of these lenses are large enough to show at 1:500,000 scale. In many places mylonitic and cataclastic rocks are gradational into less deformed or undeformed adjacent rocks, and location of contacts between tectonized rocks (my) and adjacent units is approximate or arbitrary. These boundaries are indicated on the map by color-color joins with superimposed shear pattern. Most mapped belts of mylonite represent fault zones with multiple movement histories. In the Blue Ridge, Paleozoic age contractional deformation fabrics are superimposed on Late Precambrian extensional fabrics (Simpson and Kalaghan, 1989; Bailey and Simpson, 1993). Many Piedmont mylonite zones contain dextral-transpressional kinematic indicators that formed during Late Paleozoic collision al tectonics (Bobyarchick and Glover, 1979; Gates and others, 1986). Paleozoic and older faults were reactivated in many places to form extensional faults during the Mesozoic (Bobyarchick and Glover, 1979).
Sandstone, fine-to coarse-grained, reddish-brown to gray, arkosic in places, micaceous, displays channel-type primary features. Siltstone light- to dark-gray, micaceous. Shale, light- to dark-gray, carbonaceous, micaceous, fossiliferous. Coal, bituminous, banded, moderate- to well-developed, fine- to medium-cleat, partings and inclusions of shale, siltstone, and sandstone; high methane concentrations recorded in the Richmond and Taylorsville basins. This lithologic unit occurs in the Richmond, Taylorsville, Farmville, Briery Creek, and Danville basins.
Light-gray to grayish-brown, medium to coarse-grained, kyanite-quartz schist. Mineralogy: quartz + kyanite + muscovite; accessory minerals include fuchsite, pyrite, rutile, and graphite.
Sandstone, very fine- to coarse-grained, reddish-brown to gray, micaceous, minor conglomerate beds. Siltstone, reddish-brown to gray, micaceous. Shale, reddish-brown, greenish-gray, gray, yellowish-brown, laminated, fossiliferous. Upward-fining sequences, discontinuous vertically and horizontally.
Dark-grayish-green, coarse- to medium-grained, massive to foliated metagabbro. Mineralogy: amphibole + plagioclase + clinopyroxene + quartz + biotite + muscovite + epidote ± magnetite. Geophysical signature: small circular positive magnetic anomalies. Plutons of these gabbros intrude interlayered mafic and felsic metavolcanic rocks.
Porphyroblastic mica schist, characterized by 1- to 2-mm garnet porphyroblasts in an anastomosing, greenish-black biotite-rich, schistose matrix. Most exposures show complex microstructures suggestive of polyphase deformation and superimposed shearing. In Appomattox and Campbell counties, and locally elsewhere,this unit includes quartzose muscovite schist along the western and eastern margins of the outcrop belt (presumed base of the stratigraphic section); locally the unit contains thin interbeds of calcareous mica schist and marble. Mineralogy: biotite + garnet + muscovite + quartz + plagioclase + magnetite ± kyanite ± calcite. Geophysical signature: characterized by elongate positive magnetic and radiometric anomalies. This unit was mapped in strike-belts southwest of, and not physicaly connected to the type section at Arvonia.
White to light-gray, medium- to coarse-grained, well-foliated, locally crinkle-folded, quartzose kyanite schist and kyanite-bearing quartzite. Mineralogy: kyanite + quartz + muscovite ± graphite ± pyrite ± garnet; kyanite constitutes as much as 30 percent of the rock. Kyanite-bearing quartzites and schists have been correlated with quartzose muscovite schists that occur locally at the base of the Arvonia Formation (Conley and Marr, 1980). Those workers report primary sedimentary structures in kyanite quartzite including wedge-shaped quartzite layers and quartzite-metapelite couplets; fining-upward sequences; channel fillings; and, large-and small-scale cross-beds.
Dark-gray to black, medium-grained, strongly foliated and lineated. Mineralogy: hornblende + plagioclase + biotite + quartz + epidote; apatite, titanite, and magnetite are accessory minerals. Geophysical signature: strike-elongate positive magnetic anomalies. These rocks are interlayered with migmatitic paragneiss (mpg).
Angular to subangular pebbles, cobbles, and boulders of mixed lithologies in a reddish-brown matrix of indurated medium- to coarse-grained sandstone.
Pink to white, medium- to very coarse- grained; mineralogy includes quartz, microcline porphyroblasts, plagioclase, muscovite, and minor biotite. This rock intrudes migmatitic paragneiss (mpg) southeast of Farmville Mesozoic basin.