Fabric Code: tpr287

Exotic Vaitupu placer

Moderately sorted, subrounded to subangular volcanic sand; Possibly imported from near Navatu, Viti Levu, Fiji.

Fabric Class:

Pyroxenic-Igneous: Dominated by pyroxenic and igneous lithic inclusions.

Postarc: Clinopyroxenes, plagioclase, and lithics of basalts or shoshonite (a basaltic trachyandesite), dominate.

Sites:

Mineral and Rock Abundances

None (0) Minor (1) Few (2) Common (3) Frequent (4) Major (5) Very Dominant (6)
0% 0-5% 5-15% 15-30 % 30-50% 50-70% 70-100%

Name Cal. QuartzFeldspar Pyroxene Amphibole Opaques OlivineBiotite Muscovite Epidote Garnet/ SpinelIg./Met. Rocks Sed. Rocks Grog Lithics/ Region
Max 0 0 3 5 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 microphaneritic, vitric, microlitic, lathwork
Min 0 0 3 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Tuvalu

Representative slides:

Slide Site Possible OriginCal. QuartzFeldspar Pyroxene Amphibole Opaques OlivineBiotite Muscovite Epidote Garnet/ Spinel Ig./Met. Rocks Sed. Rocks Grog Lithics
WD_14_11 Vaitupu (Vaitupu) Navatu, Viti Levu, Fiji 0 0 3 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 microphanertic, vitric, microlitic, lathwork
WD_14_8 Vaitupu (Vaitupu) Navatu, Viti Levu, Fiji 0 0 3 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 microphaneritic, vitric, microlitic, lathwork

WD_14_11

Temei_53_2 Temei_53_2
Sherd 53-2 from Vaitupu (Vaitupu). Slide WD_14_11 from Dickinson Collection, Bishop Museum. x4 Magnification PPL (left) XPL (right). Scale bar: 0.5mm. High resolution image in VIMIPO (user: Guest pwd: Guest). Imaged by K. Hardy and M. Leclerc, ANU.

Has microgranular hypabyssal lithics as at Navatu, Fiji


WD_14_8

Temei_53_3 Temei_53_3
Sherd 53-3 from Vaitupu (Vaitupu). Slide WD_14_8 from Dickinson Collection, Bishop Museum. x4 Magnification PPL (left) XPL (right). Scale bar: 0.5mm. High resolution image (user: Guest pwd: Guest) or full slide in VIMIPO. Imaged by K. Hardy and M. Leclerc, ANU.

Hypabassal lithics suggest Viti Levu Fiji as origin.


References:

168 Nanumea, Tuvalu, 1998 (Dickinson, W.)

092 Vaitupu, Tuvalu 1986 (Dickinson, W.)