The development of en-echelon vein segments by the

pressure solution of formerly continuous veins

P. L. HANCOCK and M. S. ATIYA

HANCOCK, P. L. & M. S. ATIYA. 1975. The development of en-echelon vein

segments by the pressure solution of formerly continuous veins. Proc. Geol. Ass .• 86
(3), 281-286. Pressure solution across a set of surfaces oblique to a formerly con-
tinuous vein gives rise to an array of en-echelon vein segments in a belt which may be
called a pseudo-shear lone. From the geometry of the structures the shortening
perpendicular to the pressure solution surfaces can be calculated. Analysed examples
show that shorten ing may exceed 50 per cent within a lone of closely spaced pressure
solution surfaces .
Department of Geology, Queen's Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 ITR.

CONTENTS
page
I. INTRODUCTION .. . ... ... ... 281
2. DiSCUSSION OF FIELD EXAMPLES 283
3. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 286
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 286
REFERENCES ... ... ., . ... .. . 286

I. INTRODUCTION
An array of en-echelon vein segments may develop without simple shear as a consequence of
pressure solution across a set of surfaces oblique to a formerly continuous vein. This note outlines
the geometry of the structures and analyses some field examples.
The role of pressure solution in the development of cleavage or schistosity is assessed by
Plessmann (1964), Williams (1972), Durney (1972) and Beach (1974). The abrupt termination of
fossils, grains and some veins at pressure solution surfaces is also a well-known phenomenon.
The examples discussed here have pressure solution surfaces orientated perpendicular, or
nearly perpendicular, to the reference surface or plane of view, commonly bedding, on which the
measurements were made. If this condition is not fulfilled the analysis may be invalid. The nota-
tion used is defined in Fig. I ,
Consider a formerly continuous vein cut by a set of pressure solution surfaces oblique to it. Fig.
l(a) shows the situation before the removal of the 'Strips of rock, and Fig. l(b) illustrates the con-
figuration after pressure solution . Provided that the closing of adjacent blocks occurs perpen-
dicular to the pressure solution surfaces, as is assumed here, there will be apparent-slip along each
pressure solution surface. The quantitative determination of any possible component of simple
shear can be made only when either the trace of the vein is perpendicular to the pressure solution
surface. or the surface cuts two veins making different angles with it. When neither of these con-
ditions is fulfilled it may be possible to decide whether the offset could involve at least some shear.
The arrangement shown in Fig. l(c), where there is 'normal' slip (relative to the vein as a
reference direction), could arise from pressure solution, sinistral shear or a combination of both.
281
282 P. L. HANCOCK AND M. S. ATIYA

. . ......
.................
...... . -,
'.
"
""" strip 2
"

'. -,
-,

-,
.... . ...
...... , strip 3

(0 ) v"in ( b)

······",.1 <, " I

"
-;

... ,
-,-,
'.

I
fault or pressure
""""',foUlt
.......solut Ion surtcce

(e) vein (d)

Fig. 1. Geometry of a single vein cut by pressure solution surfaces orien-

tated perpendicular to the plane of view. (a) before removal of pressure solu-
tion strips. (b) after removal of pressure solution strips. (c) single vein offset
at a surface, the offset could be caused by pressure solution or sinistral shear.
(d) single vein offset at a surface, the offset must involve some dextral shear.
Notation. ¢ : angle between pressure solution surface and veiD;(): angle
between trend of pseudo-shear zone, containing an array of vein segments,
and the pressure solution surfaces; a: apparent-slip of vein on pressure solu-
tion surface; Yb: original width of strip before pressure solution; w,: remain-
ing width of strip after pressure solution; w,: width of strip removed during
pressure solution
The arrangement shown in Fig. l(d), where there is 'reverse' slip, must result from at least some
dextral shear. From Fig. I(a) it can be seen that
W,= a tan 4> (I)
where w, is the width of the strip removed during pressure solution, a is the apparent-slip on the
pressure solution surface, and 4> is the angle, measured clockwise, between the pressure solution
surface and the vein. Thus from field measurements of a and 4> the width of the strip removed
during pressure solution maybe determined. In the example illustrated </> is less than 90° and
hence the apparent-slip is sinistral. When 4> exceeds 90° the apparent-slip is dextral.
Fig. 2 is a plot which allows w, to be determined rapidly frome and </> • The amount of
apparent-slip is a function of 4> and w" and for any given angle of 4> the apparent-slip increases
with increasing values of W" For any given value ofw, the apparent-slip approaches infinity as the
vein becomes more nearly parallel to the pressure solution surface.
 DEVELOPMENT OF EN-ECHELON VEIN SEGMENTS 283

? 100 100
o

...'.
:; 90 90
-0
Vl
80 BO
'"
:;
Vl
Vl 70 70
a'" 60 60
»
.D 60 120
-o 50 50

,"m~~~~
~
0
E ~o 40
~
0-
.: 30 30
Ui
20 20
'0
s:
U 10 10
~
~ ~ ~ ~ m ~ 50 ~ m m m 0 ~ m m ~ ~ m BO 00 m
sinIstral apparent - slip de-xtral apparent -slip

Fig. 2. Plot for the determination of w, from </J and a

Pressure solution across a set of surfaces cutting a vein results in an en-echelon array of vein
segments (Fig. I(b» which resembles in some respects an array of second-order en-echelon veins
generated in a shear zone. For this reason it is possible to describe an array of vein segments,
which has arisen as a consequence of the segmentation by pressure solution of a formerly con-
tinuous vein, as forming a pseudo-shear zone. Where <P is less than 90° the segments are arranged
as if they belonged to a dextral shear zone (Fig. I(b», and where </J exceeds 90° they appear to
belong to a sinistral shear zone.
The generalised trend of the pseudo-shear zone will be straight provided that the formerly con-
tinuous vein was straight, the pressure solution surfaces cutting it are parallel and evenly spaced,
and the same width of material was removed at each surface. If these conditions are fulfilled it is
possible to determine the proportion of material remaining compared with the original width
between any two pressure solution surfaces in a set knowing that
'EWr tan ()
'Ewo = tan <P (2)
where 'Ewr is the sum of the individual widths (w, of Fig. I) of the strips remaining between the
outer two pressure solution surfaces being considered, and 'Ewo is the sum of the individual widths
(w, of Fig. I) of the original strips. The angle () , between the trend of the pseudo-shear zone and
tbe pressure solution surfaces, and the angle <P , as defined earlier, are both readily measured in
the field. The percentage shortening perpendicular to the pressure solution surfaces can then be
determined from the ratio ~wr. Alternatively the shortening carl be determined from measure-
~wo

ments of the individual values of w" and calculating wXl using equation (l) or Fig. 2, for each
pressure solution surface.
The final configuration of vein segments in a pseudo-shear zone is a function of <P, the fre-
quency of pressure solution surfaces, and the amount of pressure solution across each surface.

2. DISCUSSION OF FIELD EXAMPLES

Plate I, A illustrates the morphology of a pressure solution surface cutting and offsetting a calcite
vein in a sample of Carboniferous Limestone from Bioul, north-west of Dinant in Belgium.
284 PROC. GEOL. ASS ., VOL. 86 (1975), PLATE I

I 6 ' ll L 9 c; I ... z II
ill 1111. 1.,1

Examples of veins cut by pressure solution

surfaces .
A. Part of the surface of a hand-specimen ex-
posing a sutured pressure solution surface
cutting and offsetting a calcite vein in Car-
boniferous Limestone from near Bioul, north-
west of Dinant , Belgium. The scale is marked
in centimetres and millimetres.
B. Bedding surface exposing in plan a pseudo-
shear zone comprising an array of en-echelon
vein segments separated by and offset at a set
of sub-parallel pressure solut ion surfaces.
Bikfaya Limestone (Upper Jurassic) from
near Babdat, Central Lebanon. The match-
box is about 5 cm in length

B
 DEVELOPMENT OF EN-ECHELON VEIN SEGMENTS 285

Measuring ¢J and a on the specimen and using equation (1) or Fig. 2 it is possible to determine that
about 24 mm of limestone was removed during pressure solution across the surface, which is
perpendicular to the plane of the photograph.
A pseudo-shear zone comprising an array of en-echelon calcite vein segments cut by four sub-
parallel pressure solution surfaces orientated perpendicular to bedding is illustrated in Plate 1, B.
The structures are exposed on a bedding surface in the Bikfaya Limestone of Upper Jurassic age
in the central Lebanese mountains near Babdat. Beyond the illustrated zone of pressure solution
surfaces and vein segments the vein is straight and continuous. The generalised trend of the
pseudo-shear zone is not straight, reflecting the uneven spacing of the pressure solution surfaces
and the unequal amount of solution across them. Nevertheless, within the zone of pressure solu-
tion surfaces the percentage shortening calculated using field measurements from either the
generalised trend of the zone and equation (2) or from individual measurements of Wr and equation
(1) applied to each pressure solution surface, is in the range 60 to 65 per cent.
Fig. 3(a) shows part of a bedding surface in Lower Carboniferous limestone at Hook Head in
Co. Wexford, Eire, on which is exposed an array of calcite vein segments within a zone of sub-
parallel pressure solution surfaces. Assuming no shear on these surfaces, which are at a relatively
high angle to the formerly continuous vein, the shortening within the zone of pressure solution
surfaces is about 80 per cent. As Fig. 3 shows, the pressure solution surfaces appear to be
arranged en-echelon.

~---- cak::ite vein segment

~----pressure solution surface

unsegmented part
of cntcrte vein

(b)

Fig. 3. Field examples of veins segmented at pressure solution sur-

faces. (a) Sketch from a photograph of the relevant details of part of
an array of en-echelon calcite vein segments cut by pressure solution
surfaces, The structures are exposed in' plan on a bedding surface in
Carboniferous Limestone at Hook Head, Co. Wexford, Eire. (b)
Two veins segmented at a set of cleavage surfaces in deformed
Upper Palaeozoic rocks near Ardmore, southern Ireland (after
Dawson-Grove, 1955, fig. 7)

Fig. 3(b) shows the arrangement of two vein sets relative to a set of cleavage planes as described
by Dawson-Grove (1955) from the Ardmore area of southern Ireland. The north-north-west
trending veins are offset sinistrally along the cleavage while the north-north-east veins are offset
dextrally. Dawson-Grove thought these offsets might arise as a result of more than one phase of
shearing. However, the configuration seems more likely to be the result of pressure solution on
the cleavage planes. The shortening across anyone cleavage plane calculated from either vein
direction is the same, and therefore it is reasonable to assume that there has been no shear.
Structures similar to the examples just described occur in sandstones as well as limestones, and
they appear to be common in many areas of deformed sedimentary rocks.
286 P. L. HANCOCK AND M. S. ATIYA

3. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Pressure solution across a set of surfaces oblique to a formerly continuous vein gives rise to an
array of en-echelon vein segments. Unlike second-order en-echelon veins initiated in shear zones
they do not necessarily define the location or direction of a shear zone. Accordingly such zones of
en-echelon vein segments are here called pseudo-shear zones. The en-echelon vein segments differ
from second-order en-echelon veins in that adjacent vein segments do not overlap in plan, and the
shape of the segments in plan is commonly an approximate parallelogram, rather than a lens seen
in section. The angle between vein segments and a pseudo-shear zone is generally small, com-
monly much less than 45°, the angle between undeformed second-order extension veins and shear
zones. The angle may be comparable, however, with that reported by Hancock (1972) between
shear zones and some second-order veins occupying fractures along which there has been some
shear.
From field measurements of the geometry of the structures it is possible to determine the width
of material removed at pressure solution surfaces and the amount of shortening within a pseudo-
shear zone. The analysed examples of segmented veins indicate that shortening in excess of 50 per
cent may have occurred within some zones of closely spaced pressure solution surfaces. The en-
echelon arrangement of some of the pressure solution surfaces suggests that their orientations
may be related to zones of simple shear which are younger than the formerly continuous veins,
and at a small angle to the resulting pseudo-shear zone.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to thank Drs. A. Beach, C. Farrow and B. Yardley for their helpful comments on
several aspects of this work. Dr. B. P. J. Williams kindly supplied the transparency from which
Fig. 3(a) was drawn.

REFERENCES
BEACH, A. 1974. A geochemical investigation of
pressure solution and the formation of veins in a
deformed greywacke. Contr. Mineral. Petrol., 46.
61-8.
DAWSON-GROVE, G. E. 1955. Analysis of minor
structures near Ardmore, County Waterford, Eire. Q.
JI geol. Soc. Lond.. 111, 1-21.
DURNEY, D. W. 1972. Solution transfer, an important
geological deformation mechanism. Nature. 235,
315-17.
HANCOCK, P. L. 1972. The analysis of En-Echelon
veins. Geol. Mag.. 109, 269-76.
I'LESSMANN, W. 1964. Gesteinsldsung, ein Haupt-
faktor beim Schieferungsprozess. Geol. Mitt., 4,
69-82.
WILLIAMS, P. F. 1972. Development of metamorphic
layering and cleavage in low grade metamorphic rocks
at Bermagui, Australia. Am. J. Sci .• 272, 1-47.
Received 26 February 1975