Granite

I take it my explanation wasn't so simple afterall... lolOne of the hardest things to do in these types of discussions is to explain complicated issues in simple terms. Thanks Coragyps.

None? Hmmm, that's a pretty strong stance, does that also mean that there is no relevant information on any creationist sites?

I appreciate the discussion on how the granite is formed and cooled, I am curious if this is currently a theory or has it actually been duplicated in some fashion in a lab/experiment. I imagine with the time frame involved and the depth with which this rock is found, that there has never been an actual observation of this cooling process.

I'd be very surprised at that. It is hard to be wrong all the time isn't it. Also you note that at least 3 examples of ok information was given in an earlier post.However, if the car salesmen lies to you and sells you a lemon once are you as inclined to buy a car from him the next time without taking it to a competent mechanic?It might be useful if you would find other examples of relevant informtion and post them. We could collect that which hasn't already been hacked to bits already.

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Common sense isn't

Anything that has not been directly observed is basically a theory. However, we have enough field and chemical evidence to adequately support the conclusion that granite initially (in the far far past) started out life as a more mafic melt.Without getting too involved in the technical aspects of igneous evolution, not all, if any, granite directly results from fractionation of basalt. More than likely, the primitive basaltic magma (A), originating from somewhere near the mantle, fractionated to a certain point, say to magma B, which might be half way between a basaltic composition and granite. Magma B, was then recycled and that magma fractionated to form magma C. The chemistry of magma C is somewhere between B and granite. And so on, until finally granite resulted. That's how I understand it, at least.I believe most granite formation in the last half(?) of earth's history is sourced mainly from recycled crust (it has the same chemistry). By looking at 87Sr/86Sr ratios, you can determine whether their origin is more influenced by mantle-derived (VERY deep source) melts or is continentally-derived.No, granite cannot be created in the lab (last I heard), but we do have large layered intrusions that exhibit this fractionation process; although I don't know of any that make it all the way to granite. I've seen layered intrusions make it as far as diorite, which is has an intermediate composition between basalt and granite (though a bit closer to the granite end).See for example the Bushveld Igneous Complex (South Africa) and the Skaergaard Intrusion - a Word document (Greenland).Layered intrusions start out gabbroic (at the base) and progessively become more felsic near the top of the intrusion. These are highly complex systems and as such, theories regarding their formation are numerous and often extremely complicated. However, current theories still favor crystal fractionation.