LASI – Laccoliths, sills and dykes

Physical geology of shallow-level magmatic systems

Since 2002, the open LASI community gathers scientists interested in shallow-level tabular igneous intrusion. Five international conferences have been held since then, each one with 40-50 participants from 10-17 countries, presenting a similar numbers of oral papers and attending altogether a field trip to tabular intrusions. The conferences put in evidence the vitality of this research community as well as the relevance of the topic to societal needs such as hydrocarbon and ore mineral exploration, natural hazards, and climate change.

LASI I – Freiberg, Saxony (Germany) – October 2002

MEETING

• where: TU Bergakademie, Freiberg (Saxony, Germany)
• organizers: Christoph Breitkreuz and Nick Petford
• participants: 40, from 10 countries
• abstracts: LASI1-Abstracts.pdf (5.7 MB)

FIELD TRI

• Flechtingen and Halle Volcanic Complex
• leaders: and Alex Mock, Christoph Breitkreuz, Bodo-Carlo Ehling, Marek Awdankiewicz
• guidebook: LASI1-Guidebook.pdf (5.2 MB)

PUBLICATIONS

• Breitkreuz and Petford, eds (2004): Physical Geology of High-level magmatic systems, Geological Society, London, Special Publication 234
• Book review

 

LASI II – Isle of Skye, Scotland (UK) – April 2006

MEETING

• where: Portree, Isle of Skye (Scotland, UK)
• organizers: Ken Thomson (†) and Nick Petford
• participants: 53, from 16 countries

FIELD TRIP

• Tertiary sills of the Trotternish peninsula, Skye
• leaders: Donny Hutton and Ken Thomson (†)

PUBLICATIONS

• Thomson and Petford, eds (2008): Structure and Emplacement of High-level magmatic systems, Geological Society, London, Special Publication 302
• Book review

LASI III – Elba Island, Tuscany (Italy) – September 2008

MEETING

• where: Marciana Marina, Elba Island (Tuscany, Italy)
• organizers: Sergio Rocchi, Andrea Dini, David S. Westerman, Francesco Mazzarini
• participants: 44, from 17 countries
• abstracts: LASI3-Abstracts.pdf (18 MB)

FIELD TRIP

• two of the youngest (late Miocene) plutonic-subvolcanic complexes in Europe: a nested felsic Christmas-tree laccolith complex, a major sheeted pluton, a mafic dyke swarm, and a felsic-aplitic dyke swarm coupled with classical ore mineral deposits
• leaders: Sergio Rocchi, Andrea Dini, David S. Westerman, Francesco Mazzarini
• guidebook: LASI3-Guidebook.pdf (23 MB)

PUBLICATIONS

• Rocchi S., Dini A., Mazzarini F., Westerman D.S., eds (2010): Magma Pulses and Sheets in Tabular Intrusions, Geosphere Themed issue

 

LASI IV – Moab-Henry Mts, Utah (USA) – September 2010

MEETING

• where: Moab (Utah, USA)
• organizers: Sven Morgan, Eric Horsman, Michel de Saint-Blaquat, Basil Tikoff
• participants: 44, from 17 countries
• abstracts: LASI4-Abstracts.pdf (3.6 MB)

FIELD TRIP

• Henry Mountains, the type locality for the term ‘laccolith’, with superb three-dimensional exposures of many forms of intrusions; documentation of incremental growth of a large intrusion from sill, to sheeted laccolith, to bysmalith (pluton); evidence for assembly of intrusions through emplacement of multiple m
  agma pulses (sheets)
• leaders: Sven Morgan, Eric Horsman, Michel de Saint-Blaquat, Basil Tikoff
• guidebook: LASI4-Guidebook.pdf (13 MB)

LASI V – Port Elizabeth, Karoo (South Africa) – 2012

MEETINGwhere: Port Elizabeth (South Africa)

• organizers: Sverre Planke, Stephane Polteau, Henrik Svensen, Luc Chevallier, Goonie Marsh, Dougal Jerram
• participants:
• abstracts:

FIELD TRIP

• Karoo Basin (Golden Valley Sill Complex, Witkop III Hydrothermal Vent Complex) and Bushveld Complex
• leaders:  Sverre Planke, Henrik Svensen, Luc Chevallier, Goonie Marsh
• guidebook