GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF ROCKS FROM ELACHEE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, CHICOPEE, GA

In June 2019, an interdisciplinary team from the University of North Georgia, conducted a geochemical and petrographic investigation of the Chicopee Woods Conservation Area near Chicopee, Georgia where the Elachee Nature Science Center is located. The 1900 acres has been subject to a previous study focused predominantly on the vegetation and soil composition, but no previous geochemical or petrographic analyses had been performed. The purpose of the study was to collect samples to determine rock type and composition and attempt to relate these to what is known of the regional metamorphic geology. The Elachee Nature and Science Center provides public education opportunities via field trips and public programs that currently focus on the flora and fauna of the area. It is hoped that our study results will aid them in expanding their programs to include the geology of the area. As an interdisciplinary study, the analysis of samples collected was a two-fold effort. The geochemical aspect of the study (the subject of this presentation) was focused on determination of elemental composition of collected samples to aid in determination of rock type. Petrographic analyses to classify rock samples based on mineral content is reported in a separate presentation. Samples were collected both on-trail and off-trail, with a guide for the latter, to seek out exposed outcrops. Location and preliminary rock-types were noted on scene. We collected samples from 29 rock outcrops within the study area and 26 samples were subsequently analyzed using the X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). Because our team had access to a lab-bench XRF instrument and a hand-held field unit, a secondary objective of our geochemical effort was to compare results using these two XRF instruments.