The Wichita Granite Group are medium- to fine-grained alkali-feldspar granite rocks of Cambrian age exposed in the Wichita Mountains of southwestern Oklahoma. All exhibit a reddish color imparted by small desseminated hematite grains. They are broken into several mappable units based on composition, texture, and cross-cutting relationships[1]. Exposures form isolated peaks and rocky uplands that support only thin soils that locally thicken within fractures and potholes.
Units edit
The individual lithostratigraphic units were largely defined By M.C. Gilbert[1], and are presented in terms of their outcrop region and relative age (younger to older). Oklahoma state highway 54 is the approximate division for the two geographic provinces.
Western Province edit
Lugert Granite edit
- Type locality: Mount Lugert
Cooperton Granite edit
Long Mountain Granite edit
- Long Mountain
Reformatory Granite[2][3][1] edit
- Example locality: Walsh Mountain, north of Granite, OK, 34°58′33″N 99°28′35″W / 34.97583°N 99.47639°W
Headquarters Granite edit
Eastern Province edit
Quanah Granite[2][4][1] edit
- Example locality: south of Quanah Parker Lake 34°42′10″N 98°38′5″W / 34.70278°N 98.63472°W
Cache Granite[1] edit
Saddle Mountain Granite[1] edit
Mount Scott Granite[1] edit
- Type localities: Mount Scott and the Ira Smith Quarry
Medicine Park Granite[1] edit
- Example locality: the hillslope above Medicine Park
Rush Lake granite edit
- Example locality: Rush Lake
Uses edit
In general the Wichita Granite group has been exploited for fill and road metal. More extensive quarrying for dimension stone is confined to the Reformatory Granite in and around the town of Granite.
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h Myers, J.D. (1981). "Geochemistry of the Cambrian Wichita Granite Group and revisions of its lithostratigraphy". Oklahoma Geology Notes. 41: 172–195.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Taylor, C.H. (1915). "Granites of Oklahoma". Oklahoma Geological Survey Bulletin. 20: 108 p.
- ^ Merritt, C.A. (1958). "Igneous geology of the Lake Altus area". Oklahoma Geological Survey Bulletin. 76: 70 p.
- ^ Chase, G.W. (1954). "Resume of the geology of the Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma". Petroleum Geology of Southern Oklahoma. 1: 35–55.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)
External links edit
[[Category:Granitic rocks]] {{Petrology-stub}}