Raymond Quadrangle, Madera and Matiposa Counties, 

California Analytic Data

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1214
Raymond Quadrangle, Madera and Mariposa Counties, 

California Analytic Data

By PAUL C. BATEMAN and WAYNE N. SAWKA

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1214

Modal and chemical data and isotopic ages of the 

plutonic rocks of the Raymond quadrangle

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1981
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR *

JAMES G. WATT, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Doyle G. Frederick, Acting Director

Library of Congress Catalog No. 81-600079

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

Washington, D.C. 20402
CONTENTS

Page

Abstract ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

General geology---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

Sampling and analytical methods ------------------------------------------------------- 1

Tonalite of Blue Canyon --------------------------------------------------------------- 2

Granodiorite of Knowles -------------------------------------------------------------- 2

Isotopic ages------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

References cited --------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

FIGURES 1-9. Simplified geologic map of the Raymond quadrangle showing:

1. Locations of analyzed and dated samples -------------------------------------------------------------------- 6

2. Volume-percent quartz------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8

3. Volume-percent potassium feldspar ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9

4. Volume-percent plagioclase-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

5. Volume-percent mafic minerals----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

6. Volume-percent biotite------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12

7. Volume-percent hornblende-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13

8. 100hornblende/(biotite + hornblende) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

9. Bulk specific gravity -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15

10. Plots of modes of granitic rocks --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16

TABLES

Page

TABLE 1. Chemical analyses, norms, and modes of granitoids -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2

2. U-Pb age determinations on zircon from granitoids -------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

3. K-Ar age determinations from granodiorite of Knowles ---------------------------------------------------------------- 3

ill

RAYMOND QUADRANGLE, MADERA AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES,

CALIFORNIA ANALYTIC DATA

By PAUL C. BATEMAN and WAYNE N. SAWKA

ABSTRACT

About 150 samples of the plutonic rocks of the Raymond 

quadrangle were collected during geologic mapping. Of these, 137 

were analyzed modally, 3 were analyzed chemically, and 4 were dated 

isotopically, 2 by the U-Pb method and 2 by the K-Ar method. In 

general, the different plutonic rocks show little internal compositional 

variation, but the hornblende-poor facies of the tonalite of Blue Canyon is zoned from more mafic in the margins to less mafic in the interior. The presence of subhedral to euhedral hornblende prisms and 

biotite books in the hornblende-rich facies of the tonalite of Blue Canyon is interpreted to indicate abundant H20 in the melt phase of the 

magma during crystallization, perhaps about 3 percent. However, a 

paucity of magnetite indicates low oxygen fugacity (FQ).

The plagiogranite of Ward Mountain and locally the tonalite of Blue 

Canyon, both dated isotopically at about 114 m.y., are deformed, 

whereas the granodiorite of Knowles, dated at about 111 m.y., is 

undeformed and intrudes the deformed rocks. These relations are interpreted to indicate a period of deformation sometime during the approximately 3-m.y. interval between the emplacement of the deformed rocks and the granodiorite of Knowles.

INTRODUCTION

The Raymond quadrangle is mostly in the western 

foothills of the central Sierra Nevada, but the south 

and southwest parts extend into the Central Valley of 

California. California State Highway 140 from Madera, 

about 7 km southwest or the southwest corner of the 

quadrangle, extends eastward across the southern 

margin of the quadrangle, and State Highway 41 

crosses the southeast corner. These highways together 

with county roads provide access to all parts of the 

quadrangle.

This report supplements the geologic map of the 

Raymond quadrangle (Bateman and others, 1981) by 

providing modal and chemical data and isotopic age 

determinations on the plutonic rocks. These data are 

presented in maps, diagrams, and tables (figs 1-10; 

tables 1-3); the brief text is intended as a guide to 

understanding and interpreting the data. A nontechnical summary of the general geology of the quadrangle accompanies the geologic map.

GENERAL GEOLOGY

Plutonic and metamorphic rocks underlie most of the 

quadrangle, but Cenozoic sedimentary deposits overlie

the crystalline rocks in the south and southwest parts 

(fig. 1). Plutonic rocks occupy the part of the 

quadrangle that lies east of a line drawn from near the 

northwest corner to near the center of the south 

border. The south end of the western metamorphic 

belt lies along the west side of the quadrangle north of 

the Fresno River, the Adobe Hill roof pendant is in the 

south-central part, and the west end of the Tick-TackToe roof pendant extends into the southeast corner.

The two largest bodies of granitic rock are the 

tonalite of Blue Canyon and the granodiorite of 

Knowles. Two plutons of the plagiogranite of Ward 

Mountain extend into the east side of the quadrangle 

from the adjoining Millerton Lake quadrangle where 

they occupy large areas. Other small bodies of 

granitoid rocks and hornblende gabbro are present 

locally. In common with most other granitoids of the 

western Sierra Nevada, the granitoids of the Raymond 

quadrangle contain small amounts of potassium 

feldspar (K-feldspar) (figs. 3 and 10).

SAMPLING AND ANALYTICAL METHODS

About 150 samples of typical plutonic rocks weighing at least 1 kg were collected. Our objective was to 

collect samples about 1.6 km apart, but because of poor 

exposures and deep weathering, especially in the south 

half of the quadrangle, sample localities are generally 

somewhat farther apart and are unevenly distributed 

(fig. 1). Care was taken to collect fresh and representative samples of the rock at each locality. Of the 

samples collected, 135 were analyzed modally (figs. 

2-7); 3 of these were analyzed chemically for their major elements (table 1), 2 were dated isotopically by the 

U-Pb method (table 2), and 2 were dated by the K-Ar 

method (table 3).

The modal analyses were made by combining point 

counts on selectively stained slabs (Norman, 1974) with 

point counts on thin sections. At least 1,000 regularly 

spaced points were counted on slabs with areas of 70 

cm2 or more to determine the volume percent of 

quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, and total mafic miner-
RAYMOND QUADRANGLE, MADERA AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA

als (figs. 2-5). The relative amounts of biotite and hornblende were then determined on thin sections and apportioned to the total content of mafic minerals (figs. 6 

and 7). Magnetite and other opaque minerals are present in these granitoids in only trace amounts and 

were omitted in calculating the amounts of biotite and 

hornblende. Isopleths were drawn on figures 2-9 to 

bring out any systematic patterns. However, we made

TABLE 1. Chemical analyses, norms, and modes of granitoids

[Chemical analyses: sample FD-20 analyzed by Vertte C. 

Smith under the supervision of Lee C. Peck. Samples 

RDa-1 and RDb-58 analyzed using the rapid method by H. 

Smith under the supervision of Floyd Brown. Modal 

analyses: Felsic mineral and total mafic minerals 

determined by Oleg Polovtzoff by counting 1000 to 2000 

points on selectively stained slabs of at least 70 cm . 

Hornblende and biotite determined by Wayne Sawka by 

apportioning counts on thin sections to total mafic 

minerals.]

Tonalite of 

Blue Canyon

RDa-1

Granodiorite 

of Knowles

RDb-58 FD-20

F

A1 2°3 

FeO -

MgO -

Na 2 0 -

K n _

H 2 0- -

P 2 o 2 - -

MnO -

Chemical analyses (weight

. 65.0

. 16 . 7

. 3.5

. 3.5

_ . i £

-7 / 

. .07

. .73

. .05

. .02

1 /-v 1

percent)

72.1

16.0

.44

1.4

/: o

2

Q

4.0

2.2

.65 

.10

.25

.12

.03 

.06

101

72.22

14.98

.15

1 Q 1

.60

2

C Q

3.96

.47 

.02

OQ

.10

.05

.04

99.74

CIPW Norms (weight percent)

g - -

p _

ab 

d t 

hy 

i 1 

ap - - -

To ta 1 

Modes

Quar t z 

Ho r nb 1 e nde 

To tal 

Bulk specific gravity 

00 £ -7

9.46

29.61

24.00

.00

10.24

1.41

1.39

.43

.05

99.68

(volume percent)

21 

2

55

15 

8

101 1 

2.75

33.15 

2.37

13.00

33.84

12.73 

.00

3.39

.64 

.48

.14

100.02

33 

6

53

00~

2.67

1.35

33.77 

12.24

.00

4.36

.22 

.54

100.02

34 

14

44

100 

2.64

no attempt to contour areas where differences in the 

values are unsystematic or slight.

TONALITE OF BLUE CANYON

The tonalite of Blue Canyon occurs in two bodies, 

one containing conspicuous hornblende prisms and the 

other almost devoid of hornblende. These two facies 

are not in contact within the Raymond quadrangle, but 

in the adjoining Millerton Lake quadrangle they grade 

into each other in several places (Bateman and Busacca, in press). The hornblende-bearing facies occurs in 

the north half of the quadrangle and in the southeast 

corner, whereas the hornblende-poor facies is confined 

to the southeast quarter.

The color index (percent of mafic minerals) generally 

is greater than 15 (fig. 5) and the ratio, 100 hornblende/ 

(biotite + hornblende) (fig. 8), generally is greater than 

25 in the hornblende-bearing facies and less than these 

amounts in the hornblende-poor facies, although a few 

notable exceptions do exist. Both facies contain only 

small amounts of K-feldspar. No systematic compositional patterns are evident in the facies containing 

hornblende prisms, but both the total mafic mineral 

content (fig. 5) and specific gravity (fig. 9) indicate that 

the hornblende-poor facies is compositionally zoned 

with respect to the mafic minerals from a more mafic 

margin to a more felsic core.

That neither facies contains more than a bare trace 

of magnetite despite the relatively high color index of 

the rocks suggests low f0 in the magma. However, the 

common occurrence of the hydrous minerals, hornblende and biotite, in subhedral to euhedral prisms and 

books indicates that these minerals crystallized from 

the melt phase of the magma. Estimates of the amount 

of water required in the melt phase of the magma for 

these minerals to precipitate are generally in the 

range of a few percent. Burnham's (1979) estimate of 3 

percent H20 at 1.2 kb pressure seems well founded. 

Thus this rock is assumed to have crystallized under 

conditions of low f0 and relatively abundant H20.

GRANODIORITE OF KNOWLES

The granodiorite of Knowles is of special interest 

because it has been widely used as a building stone in 

some of the large cities of California; and the Raymond 

quarry at the north end of the granodiorite is still active. The granodiorite is a light-gray rock of even grain 

size. In many outcrops, quartz stands out in rounded 

grains. Individual crystals of both quartz and1 plagioclase range from 2 to 5 mm across, whereas K-feldspar 

is generally in thin stringers interstitial to the other 

minerals. Biotite occurs in tiny, discrete, generally 

anhedral flakes, and a sprinkling of muscovite also 

generally is present. Both compositionally and tex-
REFERENCES CITED 

TABLE 2. U-Pb age determinations on zircon from granitoids

[From Stern and others, 1981]

Age, m.y Parts per million Atomic ratio

RDa-1 Tonal ite of Blue Canyon

RDb-58 Granodiorite of Knowles

206

Pb

206

U

111.4

111.5

207

Pb

235

U

107.8

109.4

208

pb Pb u

232

U

102.0 5.36 295.6

87.9 25.09 489.7

208

Th Pb

206

Pb

69.6 0.11631

74.3 0.79070

207

Pb

206

Pb

0.06467

0.33966

20^

Pb

206

Pb

0.00122

0.01983

TABLE 3. K-Ar age determinations from granodiorite of Knowles

Determinations for sample 220 from Evernden and Kistler (1970). Calculated ages 

are adjusted to the decay and abundance constants recommended in 1976 by the IUGS 

Subcommission on geochronology. Potassium measurements on RDa-6 and RDb-68 by 

Paul Klock. Argon measurements and age calculations on RDa-6 by S. E. Sims and on 

RDb-68 by B. Myers and J. Von Essen.

V 4<

1.167

Sample

220 (61-041)

220 (61-042)

RDa-6

RDb-68

962 x 10 A V J \

x 10 atom percent

Mineral

Muscovite

Biotite

do.

do.

+ A' « 0.581 x J

. Sample 220 is

K 

(weight percent)

10.34

7.53

7.39

7.25

LO IWYT ; ""K/K -

from same locality

Radiogenic ^Ar 

(moles/gm x 10 ~ 11 )

173.26

151.10

114.7

141.7

as sample RDa-6.

Percentage 

radiogenic Ar

93

87

95

78

Age 

(m.y.)

113

113

107

109

turally, the granodiorite is quite uniform, and the 

percentages of minerals (figs. 2-7) and specific gravity 

(fig. 9) vary unsystematically from place to place by 

small amounts.

ISOTOPIC AGES

Zircons from one sample each of the tonalite of Blue 

Canyon and the granodiorite of Knowles have been 

dated by the U-Pb method (table 2), and biotite from 

two samples of the granodiorite of Knowles have been 

dated by the K-Ar method (table 3). Previously published dates on biotite and muscovite from a sample 

collected at the same locality as one of our samples 

(RDb-6) are included in table 3. Of the U-Pb ages given, 

the 206Pb/2S8\] is considered the most reliable and is the 

age used in this discussion. Although the 206Pbp3S\] age 

on the tonalite of Blue Canyon is 111.4, other ages on 

this unit from the adjoining quadrangles indicate the 

probable age to be close to 114 m.y. (Stern and others, 

1981). The 206pb/23«U age of 111.5 m.y. on sample RDb-58 

of the granodiorite of Knowles is somewhat suspect 

because the sample was collected close to the tonalite

of Blue Canypn, and the possibility exists that the 

dated zircon was picked up from the tonalite of Blue 

Canyon. However, because this age is close to the 

average K-Ar ages for the granodiorite of Knowles, we 

believe that it is approximately correct.

These isotopic ages are important because the 

plagiogranite of Ward Mountain and, locally, the 

tonalite of Blue Canyon have been deformed to gneiss, 

whereas the undeformed granodiorite of Knowles intrudes them and truncates their cataclastic fabric. 

Isotopic dating of the plagiogranite of Ward Mountain 

in the adjoining Millerton Lake quadrangle by the 

U-Pb and K-Ar methods indicates the same age as for 

the tonalite of Blue Canyon. If the istopic ages are approximately correct, the deformation occurred in a 

brief interval of probably no more than 3 m.y. between 

111 and 114 m.y. ago.

REFERENCES CITED

Bateman, P. C., and Busacca, A. J., 1981, Geologic map of the 

Millerton Lake quadrangle, west-central Sierra Nevada, California: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-1548, 

scale 1:62,500 (in press).
RAYMOND QUADRANGLE, MADERA AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA

Bateman, P. C., Busacca, A. J., Marchand, D. E., and Sawka, W. N., 

1981, Geologic map of the Raymond quadrangle, Madera and 

Mariposa Counties, California: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic 

Quadrangle Map GQ-1555 , scale 1:62,500 (in press).

Burnham, C. W., 1979, Magmas and hydrothermal fluids, in Barnes, 

H. L., ed., Geochemistry of hydrothermal ore deposits (2d ed.): 

John Wiley and Sons, New York, p. 71-136.

Evernden, J. F., and Kistler, R. W., 1970, Chronology of emplacement 

of Mesozoic batholithic complexes in California and western 

Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 623, 42 p.

Norman, M. B., 1974, Improved techniques for selective staining of 

feldspar and other minerals using amaranth: U.S. Geological 

Survey Journal of Research, v. 2, no. 1, p.73-79.

Stern, T. W., Bateman, P. C., Morgan, B. A., Newell, M. F., and Peck, 

D. L., 1981, Isotopic U-Pb ages of zircon from the granitoids of 

the central Sierra Nevada, California: U.S. Geological Survey 

Professional Paper 1185, 17 p.

Streckeisen, A. L., and others, 1973, Plutonic rocks. Classification and 

nomenclature recommended by the IUGS Subcommission on the 

systematics of igneous rocks: Geotimes, v. 18, no. 10, p. 26-30.
FIGURES 1-10
RAYMOND QUADRANGLE, MADERA AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA

',*,, 7- xv = 13 ' ' 

^ _ ^ ^ ^ // '' 1J// «/r

119M5'

FIGURE 1. Raymond quadrangle showing the principal bedrock units and the locations of modally analyzed, chemically analyzed, and 

isotopically dated samples. The letters in the upper part of each quadrant (RDa-etc.) prefix the sample numbers in that quadrant.
FIGURES 1-10

EXPLANATION

Granodiorite southwest 

of Rabbit Hill

Plagiogranite

of Ward Mountain

Kwmx, contains inclusions

of adjacent rocks

Kblb, hornblende-poor fades

o

ISI

o

Granodiorite east 

of Hensley Lake

Undifferentiated 

granitoids

CO

o

o

<

Metasedimentary and metavolcanic 

rocks, undifferentiated

Contact 

Dashed where gradational

Modally analyzed sample

O

Chemically analyzed sample

X

Sample dated isotopically 

by the U-Pb method

Sample dated isotopically 

by the K-Ar method 

FIGURE 1. Continued.
RAYMOND QUADRANGLE, MADERA AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA

119M5'

FIGURE 2. Raymond quadrangle showing volume-percent quartz. Explanation in figure 1.
FIGURES 1-10

FIGURE 3. Raymond quadrangle showing volume-percent potassium feldspar. Explanation in figure 1.
10 RAYMOND QUADRANGLE, MADERA AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA

119M5 1

FIGURE 4. Raymond quadrangle showing volume-percent plagioclase. Explanation in figure 1.
FIGURES 1-10

IIP

X X X K X

X X X X x

X X X X

X X K X X

X X X X

X X X K K X

FIGURE 5. Raymond quadrangle showing volume-percent mafic minerals. Explanation in figure 1.
RAYMOND QUADRANGLE, MADERA AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA

119<>45'

FIGURE 6. Raymond quadrangle showing volume-percent biotite. Explanation in figure 1.
FIGURES 1-10

FIGURE 7. Raymond quadrangle showing the volume-percent hornblende in the tonalite of Blue Canyon (Kbl and Kblb) and in hybridized

samples of the plagiogranite of Ward Mountain. Explanation in figure. 1.
14 RAYMOND QUADRANGLE, MADERA AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA

119<>45'

FIGURE 8. Raymond quadrangle showing 100 hornblende (biotite + hornblende) in the tonalite of Blue Canyuon and in hybridized samples of

the plagiogranite of Ward Mountain. Explanation in figure 1.
FIGURES 1-10

FIGURE 9. Raymond quadrangle showing bulk specific gravity. Explanation in figure 1.
16 RAYMOND QUADRANGLE, MADERA AND MARIPOSA COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA

Other 

Constituents

Classification 

plan

EXPLANATION 

Q Quartz 

A Alkali feldspar 

60 p Plagioclase An,

Diorite

and

gabbro

EXPLANATION 

Tonalite of Blue Canyon 

 Blocky hornblende facies 

+ Hornblende - poor facies

EXPLANATION

 Granodiorite of Knowles

+ Plagiogranite north of

Eastman Lake

° Granodiorite southwest of 

Rabbit Hill

EXPLANATION

Tonalite south of the 

Experimental Range

Plagiogranite of

Ward Mountain 

+ Plagiogranite of 

Hensley Lake

65 90 35 65 

FIGURE 10. Plots of modes of granitic rocks. Classification plan by Streckeisen and others (1973).

GPO 789-036/7