Nd- and Sr-isotopic compositions of lavas from the northern Mariana and southern Volcano arcs: implications for the origin of island arc melts

Nd- and Sr-isotopic data are reported for lavas from 23 submarine and 3 subaerial volcanoes in the northern Mariana and southern Volcano arcs. Values of _Nd range from +2.4 to +9.5 whereas ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ranges from 0.70319 to 0.70392; these vary systematically between and sometimes within arc segments. The Nd-and Sr-isotopic compositions fall in the field of ocean island basalt (OIB) and extend along the mantle array. Lavas from the Volcano arc, Mariana Central Island Province and the southern part of the Northern Seamount Province have _Nd to +10 and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.7032 to 0.7039. These are often slightly displaced toward higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr at similar _Nd. In contrast, those lavas from the northern part of the Mariana Northern Seamount Province as far north as Iwo Jima show OIB isotopic characteristics, with _Nd and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.7035 to 0.7039. Plots of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and _Nd versus Ba/La and (La/Yb)_n support a model in which melts from the Mariana and Volcano arcs are derived by mixing of OIB-type mantle (or melts therefrom) and a metasomatized MORB-type mantle (or melts therefrom). An alternate interpretation is that anomalous trends on the plots of Nd- and Sr-isotopic composition versus incompatible-element ratios, found in some S-NSP lavas, suggest that the addition of a sedimentary component may be locally superimposed on the two-component mixing of mantle end-members.     

Petrogenesis of the Puerto Edén Igneous and Metamorphic Complex,Magallanes, Chile: Late Jurassic syn-deformational anatexis of metapelites and granitoid magma genesis

A suite of schists, gneisses, migmatites, and biotite granitoids from the Puerto Edén Igneous and Metamorphic Complex (PEIMC) and biotite–hornblende granitoids of the South Patagonian batholith (southern Chile) has been studied. For that purpose, the chemistry of minerals and the bulk rock composition of major and trace elements including Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd isotopes were determined. Mineralogical observations and geothermobarometric calculations indicate high-temperature and low-pressure conditions (ca. 600–700 °C and 3 to 4.5 kbar) for an event of metamorphism and partial melting of metapelites in Late Jurassic times (previously determined by SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages). Structures in schists, gneisses, migmatites and mylonites indicate non-coaxial deformation flow during and after peak metamorphic and anatectic conditions. Andalusite schists and sillimanite gneisses yield initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of up to 0.7134 and εNd₁₅₀ values as low as − 7.6. Contemporaneous biotite granitoids and a coarse-grained orthogneiss have initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios between 0.7073 and 0.7089, and εNd₁₅₀ values in the range − 7.6 to − 4.4. This indicates that metamorphic rocks do not represent the natural isotopic variation in the migmatite source. Thus, a heterogeneous source with a least radiogenic component was involved in the production of the biotite granitoids. The PEIMC is considered as a segment of an evolving kilometre-sized and deep crustal shear zone in which partial melts were generated and segregated into a large reservoir of magmas forming composite plutons in Late Jurassic times. A biotite–hornblende granodiorite and a muscovite–garnet leucogranite show initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.7048 and 0.7061, and εNd₁₀₀ values of − 2.6 and − 1.8, respectively, and are thus probably related to Early Cretaceous magmas not involved in the anatexis of the metasedimentary rocks.     

Petrology and geochemistry of spinel peridotite xenoliths from the western Pannonian Basin (Hungary): evidence for an association between enrichment and texture in the upper mantle

Twenty spinel peridotite xenoliths from Pliocene alkali basaltic tuffs and lavas of the western Pannonian Basin (Hungary) have been analysed for bulk rock major and trace elements, electron probe mineral compositions, and REE and Sr, Nd isotopes on separated and leached clinopyroxenes. The xenoliths are texturally diverse, including protogranular, porphyroclastic, equigranular and poikilitic textures which can generally be correlated with geochemical features. Protogranular xenoliths are relatively undepleted in Ca, Al, Ti and Na, whereas poikilitic xenoliths are more refractory. LREE-depleted patterns. and MORB-like _Nd and _Sr values are associated with protogranular peridotites. In contrast, xenoliths with complex textures are generally LREE-enriched. Much of the isotopic variation in the suite (_Sr=–20.4 to +10.4, +_Nd=+1.8 to +13.7) can be related to interaction between protogranular mantle and melts resembling the host alkali basalts, but a third (high _Sr) component may be due to Miocene subduction beneath the region.     

Multi-chronometric ages and origin of Archaean tonalitic gneisses in Finnish Lapland: A case for long crustal residence time

The Tojottamanselkä gneisses of the Koitelainen region, northern Finland, have been dated by the Sm-Nd and the common Pb methods. The Sm-Nd data of seven samples from a small area (100 m × 100 m) define an isochron ofT=3.06±0.12 (2) Ga, with correspondingI _Nd=0.50848±9 (2), or _Nd(T)=–3.7±1.8. This age is in good agreement with the zircon U-Pb discordia age (3.1 Ga) reported by Kröner et al. (1981) and is interpreted as the time of magmatic emplacement. The distinctly negative _Nd(T) value is found for the first time for Archean tonalitic gneisses and implies derivation of these magmas by remelting of continental material with a long (200–500 Ma) crustal residence time. A few samples, on the other hand, possess _Nd(T) values close to zero, hence they are thought to be derived by partial melting of basaltic sources with nearchondritic REE distribution patterns.Common Pb isotopic data yield an isochron age of 2.64±0.24 (2) Ga which is in agreement, within error limit, with the published Rb-Sr isochron age of 2.73±0.24 Ga (Kröner et al. 1981). The age of ca. 2.7 Ga is interpreted as the time of regional metamorphism during which both Pb and Sr isotopes were rehomogenised.The tonalitic gneisses have highly fractionated REE patterns with (La/Yb)_N ratios varying from 9 to 43. Like most Archean gneisses of TTG composition (tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite), they could be derived by partial melting of crustal sources of basaltic to granodioritic compositions. Direct derivation by melting of mantle peridotites is excluded.The present geochemical study indicates that the Tojottamanselkä gneisses have had a very complex history that involved multi-stage development. Together with the published age data for the basement gneisses and greenstone belts of eastern central Finland (Vidal et al. 1980; Martin et al. 1983a), we conclude that the Archean crustal development in Finland started at least 3.5 Ga ago and passed through a series of magmatic and metamorphic events at 3.1, 2.85, 2.65 and 2.5 Ga before the final intrusions of K-rich granites about 2.4 Ga ago.     

Nd and Sr isotope systematics of the Oka complex,Quebec, and their bearing on the evolution of the sub-continental upper mantle

A detailed isotopic study of minerals and whole rocks from the Cretaceous Oka complex, Quebec, Canada, shows a very small variation in initial Nd and Sr isotopic compositions. Assuming an age of 109 Ma for the complex, apatite, calcite, garnet, melilite, monticellite, olivine and pyroxene and whole rocks yield a range for initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.70323–0.70333; and for initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd of 0.51271–0.51284 ( _SR(T)= –14.8 to –16.2; _Nd(T)=+4.1 to +6.6). The negative _SR and positive _Nd indicate derivation of the Nd and Sr from a source with a time-integrated depletion in the large-ion lithophile (LIL) elements. This agrees with data from other Canadian carbonatites and confirms that a large part of the Canadian Shield is underlain by a source region depleted in the LIL elements. The new data from Oka suggest that the depleted source may have remained coupled to the continental crust until recent time.     

Nd-Sr isotopic and trace element study of rocks and fluids from the continental deep drilling Project (KTB), Germany

Geochemical analyses were interpreted on the dominant lithological units and on a deep crustal fluid from the Continental Deep Drilling Project (KTB) Pilot Hole, situated at the western margin of the Variscan Bohemian Massif. The biotite gneiss (from 384 m depth) shows a rare earth element pattern very similar to the European shale composite with Nd model ages of 940 Ma (CHUR) and 1.4 Ga (DM). The lamprophyre dike in the upper profile (1549 m), a nepheline and olivine normative basalt, is geochemically and isotopically similar to rocks from the Tertiary Central European Volcanic Province. The lower metabasite sequence (3575–4000 m), with an intrusion age of approximately 500 Ma, is made up primarily of highly metamorphosed subalkalic olivine basalts. The geochemical characteristics of the metabasites are a (La/Yb)_N of 5–10, an La concentration of 20–50 times chondrite as well as (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i of 0.7035–0.7038 and _Nd(T) of 4–6. These values suggest a depleted mantle source for the igneous precursors, evolving by assimilation-fractional crystallization processes with up to 25% of upper crust into the ultramafic, basaltic, and intermediate rock types of the metabasite sequence. The strong geochemical and chronological similarities between the KTB metabasites and rocks from the Münchberg Massif suggest that these units belong to the same lithological complex. The high salinity as well as the radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.709413 in the KTB fluid from 4000 m depth might be the result of migrating fluids reacting with the regional Permo-Mesozoic evaporite deposits, followed by extensive Sr isotopic exchange with the upper crust.     

Garnet pyroxenite and eclogite in the Bohemian Massif: geochemical evidence for Variscan recycling of subducted lithosphere

High-temperature, high-pressure eclogite and garnet pyroxenite occur as lenses in garnet peridotite bodies of the Gföhl nappe in the Bohemian Massif. The high-pressure assemblages formed in the mantle and are important for allowing investigations of mantle compositions and processes. Eclogite is distinguished from garnet pyroxenite on the basis of elemental composition, with mg number <80, Na₂O > 0.75 wt.%, Cr₂O₃ < 0.15 wt.% and Ni < 400 ppm. Considerable scatter in two-element variation diagrams and the common modal layering of some eclogite bodies indicate the importance of crystal accumulation in eclogite and garnet pyroxenite petrogenesis. A wide range in isotopic composition of clinopyroxene separates [_Nd, +5.4 to –6.0; (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i, 0.70314–0.71445; ¹⁸O_SMOW, 3.8–5.8%o] requires that subducted oceanic crust is a component in some melts from which eclogite and garnet pyroxenite crystallized. Variscan Sm-Nd ages were obtained for garnet-clinopyroxene pairs from Dobeovice eclogite (338 Ma), Úhrov eclogite (344 Ma) and Nové Dvory garnet pyroxenite (343 Ma). Gföhl eclogite and garnet pyroxenite formed by high-pressure crystal accumulation (±trapped melt) from transient melts in the lithosphere, and the source of such melts was subducted, hydrothermally altered oceanic crust, including subducted sediments. Much of the chemical variation in the eclogites can be explained by simple fractional crystallization, whereas variation in the pyroxenites indicates fractional crystallization accompanied by some assimilation of the peridotite host.     

Layered amphibolite sequence in NE Sardinia,Italy: remnant of a pre-Variscan mafic silicic layered intrusion?

A banded amphibolite sequence of alternating ultramafic, mafic (amphibolite) and silicic layers, tectonically enclosed within Variscan migmatites, outcrops at Monte Plebi (NE Sardinia) and shows similarities with leptyno-amphibolite complexes. The ultramafic layers consist of amphibole (75–98%), garnet (0–20%), opaque minerals (1–5%) and biotite (0–3%). The mafic rocks are made up of amphibole (65–80%), plagioclase (15–30%), quartz (0–15%), opaque minerals (2–3%) and biotite (0–2%). The silicic layers consist of plagioclase (60–75%), amphibole (15–30%) and quartz (10–15%). Alteration, metasomatic, metamorphic and hydrothermal processes did not significantly modify the original protolith chemistry, as proved by a lack of K₂O-enrichment, Rb-enrichment, CaO-depletion, MgO-depletion and by no shift in the rare earth element (REE) patterns. Field, geochemical and isotopic data suggest that ultramafic, mafic and silicic layers represent repeated sequences of cumulates, basic and acidic rocks similar to macrorhythmic units of mafic silicic layered intrusions. The ultramafic layers recall the evolved cumulates of Skaergaard and Pleasant Bay mafic silicic layered intrusions. Mafic layers resemble Thingmuli tholeiites and chilled Pleasant Bay mafic rocks. Silicic layers with Na₂O: 4–6 wt%, SiO₂: 67–71 wt% were likely oligoclase-rich adcumulates common in many mafic silicic layered intrusions. Some amphibolite showing a strong Ti-, P-depletion and REE-depletion are interpreted as early cumulates nearly devoid of ilmenite and phosphates. All Monte Plebi rocks have extremely low Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf content and high LILE/HFSE ratios, a feature inherited from the original mantle sources. The mafic and ultramafic layers show slight and strong LREE enrichment respectively. Most mafic layer samples plot in the field of continental tholeiites in the TiO₂–K₂O–P₂O₅ diagram and are completely different from N-MORB, E-MORB and T-MORB as regards REE patterns and Nd, Sr isotope ratios but show analogies with Siberian, Deccan and proto-Atlantic rift tholeiites. Comparisons with Thingmuli, Skaergaard and Kiglapait rocks and with experimental data suggest that the Monte Plebi intrusion was an open-to-oxygen system with fO₂ FMQ. Mafic and ultramafic samples yielded _Nd(460)=+0.79 /+3.06 and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.702934–0.703426, and four silicic samples _Nd(460)=–0.53/–1.13; ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.703239–0.703653. Significant differences in Nd isotope ratios between mafic and silicic rocks prove that both groups evolved separately in deeper magma chambers, from different mantle sources, with negligible interaction with crustal material, and were later repeatedly injected within a shallower magma chamber. The spectrum of Sr and Nd isotope data is consistent with a slightly enriched mantle metasomatized during an event earlier than 460 Ma. The metasomatising component was represented by alkali-Th-rich fluids of crustal origin rather than by sedimentary materials, able to modify alkali and Sr–Nd isotope systematics. Monte Plebi layered amphibolites might represent the first example of a strongly metamorphosed fragment of an early Paleozoic mafic silicic layered intrusion emplaced in a thinning continental crust and then tectonically dismembered by Variscan orogeny.     

Ce and Nd isotope geochemistry on island arc volcanic rocks with negative Ce anomaly: existence of sources with concave REE patterns in the mantle beneath the Solomon and Bonin island arcs

¹³⁸Ce/¹⁴²Ce isotope ratios in Cenozoic island arc volcanic rocks are reported for the first time, together with isotope ratios of Nd and Sr and abundances of REE, Ba and Sr. The island arc volcanics studies here are boninites from Chichijima, the Bonin Islands, and basalts and andesites from the Solomon Islands. REE patterns of the island arc volcanic rocks from the Solmon Islands and the Bonin Islands are confirmed to have negative Ce anomalies. It is also disclosed that the majority of these island arc volcanic rocks show mainly positive values for both _Ce and _Nd. It is shown that these _Ce and _Ce values can hardly be interpreted by simple mixing between MORB and oceanic or continental crustal rocks; the former have positive _Nd and negative _Ce and the latter have negative _Ce and positive or negative _Nd. Existence of sources having positive _Ce and _Nd values is strongly suggested. If the sources are assumed to have been fractionated from CHUR (chondritic uniform reservoir) at the early or middle Precambrian era, the sources from which the volcanics were derived are concluded to have kept concave REE patterns with larger (La/Ce)_N and smaller (Nd/Sm)_N ratios than chondritic values over a substantial period of time, until the time of Cenozoic magmatism forming island arc volcanic rocks in question. During the periods of the Cenozoic magmatic activities and their related events, Ce anomalies are considered to have been created. From Ce and Nd isotope ratios, however, it is difficult to determine which of the following processes was responsible for the Ce anomaly; the incorporation process of subducted oceanic crust into magma at the mantle or the slab dehydration and metasomatism process. Nevertheless, so far as Ce and Nd isotopic ratios are concerned, incorporation of oceanic sediments did not take place to any clearly detectable degree.     

Geochemistry of the Chakradharpur granite—Gneiss complex—A Precambrian trondhjemite body from West Singhbhum,Eastern India

The Chakradharpur Granite—Gneiss complex (CKPG) is exposed as an elliptical body within the arcuate metamorphic belt sandwiched between the Singhbhum Granite in the south and the Chotonagpur Granite—Gneiss to the north. It consists of an older bimodal suite of grey gneiss and amphibolites, intruded by a younger unit of pegmatitic granite. The bimodal suite represents the basement to the enveloping metasediments.The average major-element chemistry of the grey gneiss conforms to the definition of trondhjemite and includes both low-Al₂O₃ and high-Al₂O₃ types. The amphibolites can be grouped into a low-MgO and a high-MgO type. Rocks of the younger unit range in composition from granodiorite to quartz monzonite. The two granitic units also differ significantly in their Rb, Sr and Ba contents, and in the REE distribution pattern. The grey gneiss shows a highly fractionated REE pattern and a distinct positive Eu anomaly, with Eu/Eu^* values increasing with increase in SiO₂ %. In samples of the younger granite, the REE pattern is less fractionated, with higher HREE abundance relative to the grey gneiss and usually shows a negative Eu anomaly. The two types of REE patterns in amphibolites are interpreted to represent the two broad groups identified on the basis of major element chemistry.On the basis of chemical data, a two-stage partial melting model for the genesis of grey gneiss is suggested, involving separation of hornblende and varying amounts of plagioclase in the residual phase. Varying amounts of plagioclase in the residuum result in the wide range of Al₂O₃ content of the partial melt from which the trondhjemites crystallised. Residual hornblende produces the highly fractionated REE pattern, but a relatively higher HREE content of the trondhjemites compared to those produced by separation of garnet in the residual phase. The high level of Ba together with moderate levels of Sr in the trondhjemites can also be explained by plagioclase in the residue, whose effectiveness in partitioning Ba compared to Sr is lower. Of the two groups of amphibolites, the low-MgO type shows relative depletion of LREE compared to the high-MgO type. It contains varying amounts of plagioclase and is tentatively suggested to represent the residue. The other group, with a slightly fractionated REE pattern (Ce_N/ Yb_N = 2.01), is generally considered to represent the source material for the trondhjemites. This may have been generated by 5–15% partial melting of mantle peridotites, containing higher concentrations of LIL elements than those which produced average Precambrian tholeiites. This first phase of partial melting resulted in the slightly fractionated REE pattern of these amphibolites. Derivation of the younger granitic unit from the trondhjemites can be ruled out on the basis of REE data alone. REE data suggest partial melting of metasediments to be the origin of these rocks. It is also possible that deeply buried volcanic rocks, similar to calc-alkaline components of greenstone belts, are the parent for this component.     

The iron-rich suite from the Amîtsoq gneisses of southern West Greenland: early Archaean plutonic rocks of mixed crustal and mantle origin

A distinctive group of augen gneisses and ferrodiorites (termed the iron-rich suite) is a component of the early Archaean Amîtsoq gneisses of southern West Greenland. The iron-rich suite outcrops south of the mouth of Ameralik fjord in an area that underwent granulite facies metamorphism in the early Archaean. The iron-rich suite forms approximately 30% of the Amîtsoq gneiss of this area and occurs as sheets and lenses up to 500 m thick. The rest of the Amîtsoq gneisses are predominantly tonalitic-granodioritic, banded grey gneisses. Despite intense deformation and polymetamorphism, there is local field evidence that the iron-rich suite was intruded into the grey gneisses after they had been affected by tectonism and metamorphism. The banded grey gneisses are interpreted as 3,700 to 3,800 Ma old; U-Pb zircon ages from the iron-rich suite give concordia intercepts at circa 3,600 Ma.Coarse grained augen gneisses with microcline mega-crysts are the dominant lithology of the iron-rich suite. They are mostly granodioritic, grading locally into granite and diorite, and are generally rather massive, but locally have well-preserved layering or are markedly heterogeneous. Mafic components are commonly concentrated into clots rich in hornblende and biotite and containing apatite, ilmenite, sphene and zircon. Variation in the proportion of these clots is the main reason for the compositional variation of the augen gneisses. The ferrodiorites of the suite occur as lenses in the augen gneisses. Leucocratic granitoid sheets locally cut the iron-rich suite. The augen gneisses and ferrodiorites have geochemical characteristics in common, such as high Fe/Mg values and high contents of FeOt, TiO₂, P₂O₅, Zr, Y and total REE (rare earth elements).The iron-rich suite probably formed as follows:Heating of the lower crust adjacent to mantle-derived basic intrusions caused melting of the lower crust, giving rise to granodioritic magmas. Disruption of partially crystallised basic intrusions caused mixing of the crustal melts and the fractionated mantle melts to produce the augen gneisses with their high FeOt, TiO₂, P₂O₅, Zr, Y and total REE enrichment. Fragmented, crystallised parts of the basic intrusions gave rise to the ferrodiorite inclusions. These heterogeneous plutons rose to higher crustal levels where they crystallised as sheets and possibly were responsible for the local granulite facies metamorphism. The granitoid sheets that cut the iron-rich suite are interpreted as crustal melts of local origin.The iron-rich suite resembles Proterozoic rapakivi granite-ferrodiorite-norite (anorthosite) associations which form characteristic suites in late- to post-tectonic environments in recently thickened sial. The occurrence of this type of magmatism in the early Archaean is evidence of the complex, polygenetic nature of the oldest known continental crust.     

Origin of continental crust of 1.9-1.7 Ga age defined by Nd isotopes in the Ketilidian terrain of South Greenland

Initial Nd isotope ratios are determined for components of 1.9-1.7 Ga age continental crust in the Ketilidian terrain of South Greenland. The Ketilidian has well-documented ages of migmatization/metamorphism (1.80 Ga) and post-tectonic granitoid intrusion (1.76-1.74 Ga) from U-Pb zircon studies. The Nd results show that: (1) metatholeiites with chondritic ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd have _Nd=+4 to +5 at 1.8 Ga; (2) migmatites, paragneisses and an early granitoid have _Nd close to zero; (3) post-tectonic norites have _Nd +1.5, while spatially associated more-abundant granitoids have _Nd=0 to +1. The metatholeiites show that a normal depleted mantle (_Nd=+4 to +5) was present beneath this 1.9-1.7 Ga orogenic zone, as is the case in such environments today. However, metatholeiites are an insignificant part of the Ketilidian crust, and the bulk initial ratio of the whole terrain lies close to _Nd=0. Rather than invoking depleted and undepleted mantle sources whose products did not mix, we infer the _Nd=0 value to be caused by mixing of a component derived from depleted mantle (_Nd=+ 4 to +5) with Archean crustal material (_Nd=-9 to -13). As there are no proven relics of Archean crust beyond the border zone of the Ketilidian, and the _Nd= 0 value appears to be a wellhomogenized feature, we propose that the Archean material was added in the form of sediments transported to the orogenic zone on oceanic crust. The Archean component comprised between 5 and 17% of the Ketilidian, and the most reasonable estimate is 10%. Thus this 1.9-1.7 Ga terrain consisted of 90% new mantle-derived crust.     

Latest Precambrian to Early Cambrian U–Pb zircon ages of augen gneisses from Calabria (Italy), with inference to the Alboran microplate in the evolution of the peri-Gondwana terranes

In situ U–Pb dating of zircons from five samples of Calabrian augen gneisses shows that their protoliths are Latest Precambrian to Early Cambrian in age (562 ± 15, 547 ± 7, 540 ± 4, 539 ± 16 and 526 ± 10 Ma), and contain Archaean (3.1 Ga), Palaeoproterozoic (1.7–2.4 Ga) and Neoproterozoic (0.6–0.9 Ga) inheritance. Geochemical signature of augen gneisses is typical of high-K calc-alkaline post-collisional magmatism. Their Sr–Nd isotopic compositions [0.7093 < (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i < 0.7139; −3.2 < ɛ_Nd(t) < −5.4; 1.5 < T _DM < 1.7 Ga] indicate the involvement of a crustal component in significant proportions. The Calabrian augen gneisses have, therefore, to be distinguished from the orthogneisses of Sardinia and northern Algeria, and from the porphyroids of Sicily, which are Middle Ordovician. By contrast, the Calabrian augen gneisses show a close similarity to the Pan-African post-collisional granitoids of the northern edge of the West African craton (e.g. the Moroccan Anti-Atlas). This suggests a peri-Gondwana origin and corroborates previous palaeogeodynamic reconstructions attributing the Alboran microplate to the northern margin of the West African craton.     

Geochronology of the mkushi gneiss complex,Central Zambia

Rb-Sr and K-Ar ages are reported from the Mkushi Gneiss Complex and its intrusives in central Zambia. Of the Rb-Sr whole-rock data of the Mkushi gneisses (three suites, 22 samples) only one suite (six samples) defines an isochron of 1777 ± 89 Ma with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.713 ± 0.0006 (errors 95% confidence level; λ⁸⁷Rb = 1.42·10⁻¹¹ a⁻¹). The other samples scatter below this isochron, but above a 1480 Ma line. Four hornblendes from amphibolitic dykes yield K-Ar ages between 864 and 804 Ma. Whole-rocks of the ‘red facies’ of the intrusive Mtuga Granite (nine samples) define an isochron of 607 ± 39 Ma with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.730 ± 0.005. The ‘white facies’ of the Mtuga Granite (four samples) and probably also the copper-bearing aplitic veins (seven samples) are of the same age, but with even higher initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios. Seven biotites from the Mkushi gneisses yield Rb-Sr and K-Ar ages between 469 Ma and 444 Ma. These data are interpreted to signal (1) about 1780 Ma ago: emplacement of the granitoid precursors of the Mkushi gneisses, derived from older continental material, (2) between about 1480 Ma and 860 Ma ago: formation of the Mkushi gneisses and the amphibolites (probably during the Irumide orogeny, about 1350 Ma ago); (3) between about 860 Ma and 800 Ma ago: closure of the hornblendes to K-Ar (490–550°C) after resetting (probably in relation to the c. 860 Ma old tectono-thermal event widespread in eastern and eastern-central Africa), (4) about 600 Ma ago: intrusion of the Mtuga Granite and the copper-bearing splites (post-tectonic Pan-African), possibly derived from the Mkushi gneisses, and (5) about 460-450 Ma ago: closure of the biotites to Rb-Sr and K-Ar (approximately 400°C), reflecting the final regional cooling (termination of the Pan-African events). Some regional implications are discussed.     

Basalt-rhyolite volcanism by MORB-continental crust interaction: Nd,Sr-isotopic and geochemical evidence from southern San Joaquin Basin,California

The early miocene Tecuya volcanic center in the southern San Joaquin basin of California consists of flows and tuffs of basalt and rhyolite that erupted, closely spaced in time, in both submarine and subaerial conditions. The rhyolites are overlain by the basalts and constitute approximately 45% of a total of at least 180 km³ of the Tecuya volcanic rocks. The basalts have _Nd(t) values of +2 to +6 and (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i values between 0.7035 and 0.7052. These rocks show LREE enrichment [(La/Yb)_N =2.4–5.5; La=28–150 times chondrite] and higher Th/U, Th/Ta, Rb/Ta, Ba/Ta, Cs/Rb but lower K/Rb ratios than MORB. Combined major- and trace-element, and Sr–Nd isotopic data suggest the involvement of subcontinental lithosphere, depleted upper mantle source (MORB), and local continental crust in the basalt petrogenesis. _Nd(t) values in rhyolites vary from +1.5 to +3.7 while (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i ratios range from 0.7051 to 0.7064. The rhyolites display LREE enrichment [(La/Yb)_N=10; La=100 times chondrite] along with a distinct negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu^*=0.75) and depletion of Ti and P. Mixing relations in (⁸⁷/⁸⁶Sr)_i – _Nd(t) space among basalts, rhyolites, and local continental crust indicate that the Tecuya rhyolites were produced by assimilation of variable amounts of continental crust by MORB-related magmas and subcontinental lithosphere-derived melts. This conclusion is supported by the synchroneity of Tecuya volcanism at 22 Ma with interaction of a segment of the East Pacific Rise along the southern California margin. The Tecuya volcanic rocks thus provide an example for the generation of rhyolitic melts owing to crustal assimilation by basaltic melts during mid-oceanic ridge-induced magmatism along a continental margin.     

U–Pb zircon data of Variscan meta-igneous and igneous acidic rocks from an Alpine shear zone in Calabria (southern Italy)

The paper deals with the U–Pb data of zircon separated from three samples representative of mylonitic leucogranites, trondhjemites and pegmatites occurring along the Alpine tectonic zone between the Castagna and Sila Units in northern Calabria. These mylonites are associated to Variscan granitic-granodioritic biotite-rich augen gneisses derived from Neo-Proterozoic-Early Cambrian protoliths. Apparent ages ranging from Early Cambrian to post-Variscan have been obtained. Th, U and rare earth elements have been determined in two zircon domains of mylonitic leucogranite and trondhjemite giving different ages in order to get information relative to their geological significance. The pegmatite preserves intrusive contact with the augen gneisses and with the other mylonites; it turns out to be emplaced at 290–300 Ma, like the Variscan plutonites of the Castagna Unit. The deformation masks the original contacts of the mylonitic leucogranite and trondhjemite with the biotite-rich augen gneisses. The age-group averaging 540 Ma is interpreted as indicative of the emplacement of the protoliths and it coincides with the age previously determined for the emplacement of the protoliths of the biotite-rich augen gneisses. Zircon from the mylonitic pegmatite includes domains showing concordant and discordant ages younger than 290 Ma, thus reflecting various degrees of partial resetting and Pb-loss caused by post-Variscan events. Zircon from the mylonitic leucogranite and trondhjemite includes apparent ages between 300 and 280 Ma as well as ages younger than 250 Ma. Perturbation of U–Pb system by Alpine shearing appears evident; however, possibile effects caused by thermal input and hydrothermal fluid infiltration from the Variscan plutonites cannot be excluded.     

Mildly peraluminous high-silica granites in a continental rift: the Drammen and Finnemarka batholiths,Oslo Rift,Norway

The peraluminous Drammen batholith (650 km²) is the largest granite complex within the mainly alkaline province of the Permo-Carboniferous Oslo Rift, and peraluminous to metaluminous granites are also present in the southern part of the otherwise alkaline Finnemarka complex (125 km²). The emplacement of the Drammen granite, and probably most of the other biotite granite complexes, predate the alkaline syenites and granites. The eight separate petrographic types of the Drammen batholith range in SiO₂ from 70 to 79 wt.% and have experienced variable amounts of fractionation of feldspars, biotite, zircon, apatite, titanite and Fe–Ti-oxides. The initial Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic ratios and a decoupling between the variations in the SiO₂ content and the aluminum saturation index [ASI=Al₂O₃/(CaO+Na₂O +K₂O)] show that the various intrusive phases are not strictly comagmatic. The _Nd values of the southern part of Finnemarka (+3.5 to +4) and the northern part of the Drammen granite (+1 to +1.5) are high and indicate insignificant (for Finnemarka) to minor Precambrian crustal or enriched mantle contributions. The very low _Sr values of all of these samples (–1 to –12, outside the main Oslo Rift magmatic array), point to a time integrated Rb-depleted crustal contaminant or an EM1 mantle component. The earliest extruded alkali basalts along the southwestern margin of the Oslo Rift are the only other samples within this low _Sr area, but their isotopic signature may also be linked to a mantle enrichment event (involving an EM1 component), e.g. associated with the Fen carbonatite magmatism 540 Ma ago. For a given ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, the ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios of the Drammen and Finnemarka batholiths are distinctly lower than those of the Skien alkaline volcanics and all other magmatic Oslo Rift rocks. This may indicate that the lithosphere of the central part of the rift had a time integrated Th-depletion. The samples from the southern part of the Drammen batholith, characterized by the presence of abundant miarolitic cavities, have _Nd near 0 (–0.7 to +0.4) but strongly elevated _Sr of +35 to +67. The combined Pb isotopic ratios of all the samples analyzed indicate that the Precambrian crustal anatectic contribution is in the form of time integrated Th-and U-depleted lower crust, and the high +_Sr of the sourthern part of the Drammen granite results from shallow level wallrock assimilation or magma-fluid interactions. The remarkably low contribution of old crustal components to the Finnemarka and the northernmost Drammen batholiths may result from extensive late Precambrian intracustal differentiation in southwestern Scandinavia, leading to widespread upper crustal granites ( 900 Ma) and a correspondingly dense and refractory lower crust, in particular in a zone intersecting the central part of the rift. Liquidus phase relations and mass-balance constrainst permit derivation of the granites from mildly alkaline to tholeiitic melts by extensive crystal fractionation of clinopyroxene-and amphibole-rich assemblages. It is equally possible to form the granitic magmas by partial melting of Permian gabbros of similar composition. Either scenario is consistent with the isotopic constrainst and with the presence of dense cumulates and/or residues in the lower crust. The lack of igneous rocks of intermediate composition associated with the Drammen and Finnemarka batholiths point to an efficient upper crustal density filtering. Considerable amounts of heat would be accumulated in this region if differentiated, intermediate melts could not escape to shallower levels. Successive magma injections would therefore easily result in partial melting of already solidified mafic to intermediate melts and cumulates, and it is suggested that the peraluminous granites formed mainly by water-undersaturated anatexis of mafic material.     

Geochemistry of S-type granitic rocks from the reversely zoned Castelo Branco pluton (central Portugal)

The zoned pluton from Castelo Branco consists of Variscan peraluminous S-type granitic rocks. A muscovite>biotite granite in the pluton's core is surrounded successively by biotite>muscovite granodiorite, porphyritic biotite>muscovite granodiorite grading to biotite=muscovite granite, and finally by muscovite>biotite granite. ID-TIMS U–Pb ages for zircon and monazite indicate that all phases of the pluton formed at 310 ± 1 Ma. Whole-rock analyses show slight variation in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_310 Ma between 0.708 and 0.712, Nd_310 Ma values between − 1 and − 4 and δ¹⁸O values between 12.2 and 13.6. These geological, mineralogical, geochemical and isotopic data indicate a crustal origin of the suite, probably from partial melting of heterogeneous Early Paleozoic pelitic country rock. In detail there is evidence for derivation from different sources, but also fractional crystallization linking some of internal plutonic phases. Least-squares analysis of major elements and modelling of trace elements indicate that the porphyritic granodiorite and biotite=muscovite granite were derived from the granodiorite magma by fractional crystallization of plagioclase, quartz, biotite and ilmenite. By contrast variation diagrams of major and trace elements in biotite and muscovite, the behaviours of Ba in microcline and whole-rock δ¹⁸O, the REE patterns of rocks and isotopic data indicate that both muscovite-dominant granites were probably originated by two distinct pulses of granite magma.     

Nd and Sr isotopic variations in acidic rocks from Japan: significance of upper-mantle heterogeneity

Initial Nd and Sr isotopic ratios have been measured for Cretaceous acidic and related intermediate rocks (24 volcanic and two plutonic rocks) from the Inner Zone of Southwest Japan (IZSWJ) to investigate the genesis of acidic magmas. The initial Nd and Sr isotopic ratios for these rocks show three interesting features: (1) _Nd values for acidic rocks (+2 to –9) are negatively correlated with _Sr values (+10 to +90) together with those for intermediate rocks ( _Nd=+3 to -8; _Sr=0 to +65). (2) The _Nd values for silica rich rocks (>60% SiO₂) correlate with the longitude of the sample locality, decreasing from west to east in a stepwise fashion: Four areas characterized by uniform _Nd values are discriminated. (3) Low silica rocks (<60% SiO₂) in a certain area have distinctly different _Nd values from those of the high silica rocks in the same area.These results as well as those deduced from the additional samples collected, for comparison, from other provinces in Japan suggest that the acidic rocks can be formed neither by fractional crystallization processes from more basic magmas nor by crustal assimilation processes. The isotopic variations of the acidic rocks may reflect regional isotopic heterogeneity in the lower crust, and this heterogeneity may ultimately be attributed to the regional heterogeneity of the uppermost-mantle beneath the Japanese Islands.