The Setting of the Ballachulish Intrusive Igneous Complex in the Scottish Highlands

The Ballachulish igneous complex is one of a series of relatively late granitoid complexes in the Caledonian orogenic zone and intrudes metasediments of the Dalradian Supergroup in the Scottish Highlands (Fig. 1.1). For those who are unfamiliar with the Scottish Highlands, the purpose of this chapter is to give some background to the nature of the Caledonian orogeny in Scotland, the Dalradian Supergroup and the late Caledonian granitoids. The aim, in conjunction with the following chapter on local regional geology, is to provide the reader with some background on crustal conditions and tectonic relations of intrusion, and on the broad history of development of the aureole rocks prior to contact metamorphism. Clearly these features are relevant to models of pressure-temperature-time relationships in the intrusive complex and its aureole, and to examining kinetic controls on the crystallization of the magmatic and metamorphic rocks.