43 Appalachian Petrology: A Session to Honor the Career of Dr. Robert J. Tracy

Saturday, 21 March 2020
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Lake Fairfax

GARNET: A COMPREHENSIVE, STANDARDIZED, GEOCHEMICAL DATABASE INCORPORATING LOCATIONS AND PARAGENESIS

Paper number: 43-13
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 5:05 PM – 5:25 PM

Authors

Abstract

Over 95,000 garnet sample analyses were compiled to create a standardized database for cluster analyses based on attributes of locality information, paragenetic modes, major oxides, rare earth elements (REEs), and trace elements. Data on garnet attributes were collected from the literature, open source databases, and electron microprobe (EMP) analyses performed at the Carnegie Institution for Science's Geophysical Laboratory. We focused on compiling samples published before modern database management was standardized to prevent the loss of “dark data.” Paragenetic and locality attributes for each sample were classified by increasing resolution from generic material type (i.e. Igneous, Metamorphic, Sedimentary, Hydrothermal or Unknown) to more specific rock type names (i.e. Eclogite, Diorite, Skarn, etc.) with a similar system for location examining the Continent, Country, Area, Context, Longitude, and Latitude. Major oxides are reported in weight percent (wt%), while trace elements and REEs are recorded in parts per million. 280-point EMP analyses examined 9 garnet samples across common garnet species, such as pyrope, andradite, almandine, spessartine, grossular, and uvarovite. These analyses record garnet SiO2 content and identify outliers within previously collected metadata, which ranges from 0.01 wt% to 99 wt% SiO2. Preliminary cluster analysis using kmeans reveals 2 distinct clusters dependent on the concentration of major oxides. This data resource will be examined further in future cluster analysis to determine if there is a correlation with paragenesis. This comprehensive database of garnet information was created to be an open access resource for future mineralogical studies. We encourage scientists to contribute to vast databases of mineralogical information that are valuable to advancing the process of scientific discovery.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 52, No. 2

doi: 10.1130/abs/2020SE-344505

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