The Qikirtaliapik Granite was introduced by Beaudette et al. (2020) to individualize a granite intrusion cutting gabbros of the Qikitalialuk Suite. Granite was observed during mapping in the Parent Lake area (sheet 35G11) in the summer of 2019.

The Qikirtaliapik Granite is massive, homogeneous, hololeucocratic, white in patina and beige in fresh exposure. It is composed of 30% medium to coarse anhedral quartz, 55% medium tabular plagioclase, 12% fine interstitial K-feldspar and 3% ferromagnesian minerals represented by biotite, muscovite and euhedral garnet. Plagioclase is partially recrystallized. Where present, foliation is very weakly marked by the alignment of micas. The rock is not magnetic. Microscopic observation reveals large zones of anhedral quartz and subhedral plagioclase with fine interstitial microcline. Ferromagnesian minerals are grouped in millimetric clusters of subhedral biotite, hornblende and epidote. Hornblende has a skeletal texture with >30% rounded inclusions of very fine quartz. Trace amounts of apatite and euhedral garnet make the accessory phases. Very slight sericitization is visible in the core of the plagioclase crystals.

Thickness and Distribution

The Qikirtaliapik Granite forms a modest mass (2000 m by 650 m) with a NE-SW elongation axis and located in the NE part of sheet 35G11. Although microcline is present, this unit has very low potassium and thorium contents as seen on the SIGÉOM interactive map. A positive magnetic anomaly covers the central part of the pluton, but does not correspond to mapped boundaries. Since it is not magnetic, the unit is assumed to be thin.

Dating

A rock sample taken in sheet 35G14 was dated at 1870 ±15 Ma.