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8.2.2.2 Batholith

A batholith is a dome-shaped mass of igneous rock, often consisting of granite, formed by magma intrusion. Batholiths are usually much larger than laccoliths, often extending over hundreds of square miles, and appear to have replaced rather than displaced the invaded rocks. Batholiths are revealed when the overlying rocks have been worn away. Batholiths form the sub-structure to mountain ranges, and appear to continue downwards to enormous depths.


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Batholithic complex in the Sierra Nevada, California
Batholithic complex in the Sierra Nevada, California
Earth Science Slides by John S. Shelton
Batholithic complex in the Sierra Nevada, California 

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