Theralite

rdf:langString Theralite

rdf:langString John Smith Flett

rdf:langString John Smith

rdf:langString Flett

rdf:langString Theralite

rdf:langString Theralite (from Greek "to pursue") is, in petrology, the name given to calcic foidal gabbro, a plutonic hylocrystalline rock consisting of augite, olivine, calcic plagioclase (labradorite), and nepheline, along with accessories including biotite, magnetite, ilmenite and analcime. Theralite is the intrusive equivalent of nepheline basanite, a foidal basalt with essential calic plagioclase and essential olivine. Tephrite is foidal basalt with essential calic plagioclase but without essential olivine. It is essentially the volcanic equivalent of essexite. The discovery of theralite was looked forward to with interest as it was of rare occurrence, and as completing the series of basic rocks containing nepheline as an essential constituent. With the increase in silica (SiO2) and the concomitant reduction in nepheline, theralite becomes gabbro. With a decrease in silica and reduction in olivine theralite grades into teschenite and with the addition of sodic feldspar, grades into essexite. With a further reduction in silica such that there is no feldspar these rocks become melteigites. With the addition of alkali feldspar replacing or becoming more dominant than calcic plagioclase theralites grade into foidal syenite, including shonkinite. Pyroxene in these rocks may be of green colour or purplish-brownand rich in titanium. Properly theralite is only for a specific type of calcic foidal gabbro, those with essential nepheline and without essential analcime or sodic feldspar.