Volume 39 (2008): Issue 3-4 (January 2008)

In 1802, Leopold von Buch described some outcrops of orbicular granite in the Karkonosze granite, Lower Silesia, Poland. In that publication, Abraham Gottlieb Werner wrote a foreword dated 1800. The Silesian discovery predates that of the well-known orbicular diorite (Napoleonite) in outcrop on Corsica and, thus, may be the first ever record of this distinctive rock type in its geological context. The characterizing, closely-packed, simple orbs comprise K-feldspar cores surrounded by rims of radiating K-feldspar and quartz. Rapid growth from a hydrous, pegmatitic melt is indicated. The Karkonosze outcrop, in the timing of its discovery, is a unique part of the geological heritage.

An unusual association of Se minerals was studied. Se enters into the structures of sulphosalts - into bournonite, jamesonite and tintinaite at concentrations up to 0.10, 0.38 and 1.11 apfu, respectively. However, Se and Te, together with Bi, also form discrete minerals such as tetradymite, laitakarite, ikunolite and hedleyite. Members of the laitakarite-ikunolite solid solution display a wide range of anion substitution from the nearly Se-free (0.10 apfu) end member to the S-poor (0.42 apfu) end member. Their contents of Te are low. Accompanying tetrahedrite does not contain Se or Te.

First occurrence of xenotime-(Y) veins in the Neoproterozoic metamudstone, NW margin of the Małopolska Block, is reported here. The veins are <5 μm thick, inhomogeneous and of varied morphology. Their textural characteristics, exhibiting very low U and Th contents (<1 wt%) and relatively high heavy rare earth elements (REE) contents (12-24 REE₂O₃ wt%), suggest hydrothermal genesis, though diagenetic precursors of the veins are not excluded. The veins provide good evidence of the mobility of Y, REE, U and Th in low-temperature conditions (anchimetamorphic to greenschist facies). The observed differences in the chemical composition of the veins may indicate multiple stages of formation, possibly during several hydrothermal events that affected the area.