Temporal Evolution of Magmatism in the Northern Volcanic Zone of the Andes: The Geology and Petrology of Cayambe Volcanic Complex (Ecuador)

In the Northern Volcanic Zone of the Andes, the Cayambe VolcanicComplex consists of: (1) a basal, mostly effusive volcano, theViejo Cayambe, whose lavas (andesites and subordinate dacitesand rhyolites) are typically calc-alkaline; and (2) a younger,essentially dacitic, composite edifice, the Nevado Cayambe,characterized by lavas with adakitic signatures and explosiveeruptive styles. The construction of Viejo Cayambe began >1·1Myr ago and ended at 1·0 Ma. The young and still activeNevado Cayambe grew after a period of quiescence of about 0·6Myr, from 0·4 Ma to Holocene. Its complex history isdivided into at least three large construction phases (Angurealcone, Main Summit cone and Secondary Summit cone) and compriseslarge pyroclastic events, debris avalanches, as well as periodsof dome activity. Geochemical data indicate that fractionalcrystallization and crustal assimilation processes have a limitedrole in the genesis of each suite. On the contrary, field observations,and mineralogical and geochemical data show the increasing importanceof magma mixing during the evolution of the volcanic complex.The adakitic signature of Nevado Cayambe magmas is related topartial melting of a basaltic source, which could be the lowercrust or the subducted slab. However, reliable geophysical andgeochemical evidence indicates that the source of adakitic componentis the subducted slab. Thus, the Viejo Cayambe magmas are inferredto come from a mantle wedge source metasomatized by slab-derivedmelts (adakites), whereas the Nevado Cayambe magmas indicatea greater involvement of adakitic melts in their petrogenesis.This temporal evolution can be related to the presence of thesubducted Carnegie Ridge, modifying the geothermal gradientalong the Wadati–Benioff zone and favouring slab partialmelting. KEY WORDS: adakites; ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating; Cayambe volcano; Ecuador; mantle metasomatism; Andes     

Chemical versus Temporal Controls on the Evolution of Tholeiitic and Calc-alkaline Magmas at Two Volcanoes in the Alaska-Aleutian Arc

The Alaska–Aleutian island arc is well known for eruptingboth tholeiitic and calc-alkaline magmas. To investigate therelative roles of chemical and temporal controls in generatingthese contrasting liquid lines of descent we have undertakena detailed study of tholeiitic lavas from Akutan volcano inthe oceanic Aleutian arc and calc-alkaline products from Aniakchakvolcano on the continental Alaskan Peninsula. The differencesdo not appear to be linked to parental magma composition. TheAkutan lavas can be explained by closed-system magmatic evolution,whereas curvilinear trace element trends and a large range in⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotope ratios in the Aniakchak data appear to requirethe combined effects of fractional crystallization, assimilationand magma mixing. Both magmatic suites preserve a similar rangein ²²⁶Ra–²³⁰Th disequilibria, which suggests that thetime scale of crustal residence of magmas beneath both thesevolcanoes was similar, and of the order of several thousandyears. This is consistent with numerical estimates of the timescales for crystallization caused by cooling in convecting crustalmagma chambers. During that time interval the tholeiitic Akutanmagmas underwent restricted, closed-system, compositional evolution.In contrast, the calc-alkaline magmas beneath Aniakchak volcanounderwent significant open-system compositional evolution. Combiningthese results with data from other studies we suggest that differentiationis faster in calc-alkaline and potassic magma series than intholeiitic series, owing to a combination of greater extentsof assimilation, magma mixing and cooling. KEY WORDS: uranium-series; Aleutian arc; magma differentiation; time scales     

Development of a Continental Volcanic Field: Petrogenesis of Pre-caldera Intermediate and Silicic Rocks and Origin of the Bandelier Magmas, Jemez Mountains (New Mexico, USA)

The Miocene–Quaternary Jemez Mountains volcanic field(JMVF) is the site of the Valles caldera and associated BandelierTuff. Caldera formation was preceded by > 10 Myr of volcanismdominated by intermediate composition rocks (57–70% SiO₂)that contain components derived from the lithospheric mantleand Precambrian crust. Simple mixing between crust-dominatedsilicic melts and mantle-dominated mafic magmas, fractionalcrystallization, and assimilation accompanied by fractionalcrystallization are the principal mechanisms involved in theproduction of these intermediate lavas. A variety of isotopicallydistinct crustal sources were involved in magmatism between13 and 6 Ma, but only one type (or two very similar types) ofcrust between 6 and 2 Ma. This long history constitutes a recordof accommodation of mantle-derived magma in the crust by meltingof country rock. The post-2 Ma Bandelier Tuff and associatedrhyolites were, in contrast, generated by melting of hybridizedcrust in the form of buried, warm intrusive rocks associatedwith pre-6 Ma activity. Major shifts in the location, styleand geochemical character of magmatism in the JMVF occur withina few million years after volcanic maxima and may correspondto pooling of magma at a new location in the crust followingsolidification of earlier magma chambers that acted as trapsfor basaltic replenishment. KEY WORDS: crustal anatexis; fractional crystallization; Jemez Mountain Volcanic Field; Valles Caldera; radiogenic isotopes; trace elements     

Geochemistry, Petrogenesis and Geodynamic Relationships of Miocene Calc-alkaline Volcanic Rocks in the Western Carpathian Arc, Eastern Central Europe

We report major and trace element abundances and Sr, Nd andPb isotopic data for Miocene (16·5–11 Ma) calc-alkalinevolcanic rocks from the western segment of the Carpathian arc.This volcanic suite consists mostly of andesites and dacites;basalts and basaltic andesites as well as rhyolites are rareand occur only at a late stage. Amphibole fractionation bothat high and low pressure played a significant role in magmaticdifferentiation, accompanied by high-pressure garnet fractionationduring the early stages. Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic dataindicate a major role for crustal materials in the petrogenesisof the magmas. The parental mafic magmas could have been generatedfrom an enriched mid-ocean ridge basalt (E-MORB)-type mantlesource, previously metasomatized by fluids derived from subductedsediment. Initially, the mafic magmas ponded beneath the thickcontinental crust and initiated melting in the lower crust.Mixing of mafic magmas with silicic melts from metasedimentarylower crust resulted in relatively Al-rich hybrid dacitic magmas,from which almandine could crystallize at high pressure. Theamount of crustal involvement in the petrogenesis of the magmasdecreased with time as the continental crust thinned. A strikingchange of mantle source occurred at about 13 Ma. The basalticmagmas generated during the later stages of the calc-alkalinemagmatism were derived from a more enriched mantle source, akinto FOZO. An upwelling mantle plume is unlikely to be presentin this area; therefore this mantle component probably residesin the heterogeneous upper mantle. Following the calc-alkalinemagmatism, alkaline mafic magmas erupted that were also generatedfrom an enriched asthenospheric source. We propose that bothtypes of magmatism were related in some way to lithosphericextension of the Pannonian Basin and that subduction playedonly an indirect role in generation of the calc-alkaline magmatism.The calc-alkaline magmas were formed during the peak phase ofextension by melting of metasomatized, enriched lithosphericmantle and were contaminated by various crustal materials, whereasthe alkaline mafic magmas were generated during the post-extensionalstage by low-degree melting of the shallow asthenosphere. Thewestern Carpathian volcanic areas provide an example of long-lastingmagmatism in which magma compositions changed continuously inresponse to changing geodynamic setting. KEY WORDS: Carpathian–Pannonian region; calc-alkaline magmatism; Sr, Nd and Pb isotopes; subduction; lithospheric extension     

Microchemical and Sr Isotopic Investigation of Zoned K-feldspar Megacrysts: Insights into the Petrogenesis of a Granitic System and Disequilibrium Crystal Growth

K-feldspar megacrysts (Kfm) are used to investigate the magmaticevolution of the 7 Ma Monte Capanne (MC) monzogranite (Elba,Italy). Dissolution and regrowth of Kfm during magma mixingor mingling events produce indented resorption surfaces associatedwith high Ba contents. Diffusion calculations demonstrate thatKfm chemical zoning is primary. Core-to-rim variations in Ba,Rb, Sr, Li and P support magma mixing (i.e. high Ba and P andlow Rb/Sr at rims), but more complex variations require othermechanisms. In particular, we show that disequilibrium growth(related to variations in diffusion rates in the melt) may haveoccurred as a result of thermal disturbance following influxof mafic magma in the magma chamber. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios(I_Sr) (obtained by microdrilling) decrease from core to rim.Inner core analyses define a mixing trend extending towardsa high I_Sr–Rb/Sr melt component, whereas the outer coresand rims display a more restricted range of I_Sr, but a largerrange of Rb/Sr. Lower I_Sr at the rim of one megacryst suggestsmixing with high-K calc-alkaline mantle-derived volcanics ofsimilar age on Capraia. Trace element and isotopic profilessuggest (1) early megacryst growth in magmas contaminated bycrust and refreshed by high I_Sr silicic melts (as seen in theinner cores) and (2) later recharge with mafic magmas (as seenin the outer cores) followed by (3) crystal fractionation, withpossible interaction with hydrothermal fluids (as seen in therim). The model is compatible with the field occurrence of maficenclaves and xenoliths. KEY WORDS: Elba; monzogranite; K-feldspar megacrysts; zoning; magma mixing; trace element; Sr isotopes; petrogenesis     

Zircon U-Pb age and Hf-O isotope insights into genesis of Permian Tarim felsic rocks,NW China: Implications for crustal melting in response to a mantle plume

Deciphering the contribution of crustal materials to A-type granites is critical to understanding their petrogenesis. Abundant alkaline syenitic and granitic intrusions distributed in Tarim Large Igneous Province, NW China, offer a good opportunity to address relevant issues. This paper presents new zircon Hf-O isotopic data and U-Pb dates on these intrusions, together with whole-rock geochemical compositions, to constrain crustal melting processes associated with a mantle plume. The ∼280 Ma Xiaohaizi quartz syenite porphyry and syenite exhibit identical zircon δ¹⁸O values of 4.40 ± 0.34‰ (2σ) and 4.48 ± 0.28‰ (2σ), respectively, corresponding to whole-rock δ¹⁸O values of 5.6‰ and 6.0‰, respectively. These values are similar to mantle value and suggest an origin of closed-system fractional crystallization from Tarim plume-derived melts. In contrast, the ∼275 Ma Halajun A-type granites have higher δ¹⁸O values (8.82–9.26‰) than the mantle. Together with their whole-rock ε_Nd(t) (−2.0–+0.6) and zircon ε_Hf(t) (−0.6–+1.5) values, they were derived from mixing between crust- and mantle-derived melts. These felsic rocks thus record crustal melting above the Tarim mantle plume. At ∼280–275 Ma, melts derived from decompression melting of Tarim mantle plume were emplaced into the crust, where fractional crystallization of a common parental magma generated mafic-ultramafic complex, syenite, and quartz syenite porphyry as exemplified in the Xiaohaizi region. Meanwhile, partial melting of upper crustal materials would occur in response to basaltic magma underplating. The resultant partial melts mixed with Tarim plume-derived basaltic magmas coupled with fractional crystallization led to formation of the Halajun A-type granites.     

The Arc Lavas of the Shirahama Group, Japan: Sr and Nd Isotopic Data Indicate Mantle-Derived Bimodal Magmatism

New Sr and Nd isotopic data are presented and integrated withprevious data for the Shirahama Group Mio-Pliocene medium-Kvolcanic are suite of south-central Honshu, Japan. Main resultsare: (1) The Shirahama lavas range in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from 0.70315to 0.70337 and in ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd from 0.51298 to 0.51306; the Srand Nd isotopic data cluster tightly within the mantle array,and all lie within an overlapping field of mid-ocean ridge basaltand ocean island basalt; (2) small differences exist among theShirahama tholeiitic series, calc-alkaline series and mixedlavas. The present isotopic data are consistent with a previouslypublished model, which proposes that chemical variations inmagmas of coexisting tholeiitic and calc-alkaline series areproduced through crystal fractionation from mantle-derived magmasof basalt and magnesian andesite, respectively. Moreover, thetholeiitic series and the calc-alkaline series are isotopicallyidentical. Thus, both magma series can be derived from a sourcemantle with the same isotopic composition, supporting the hypothesisof simultaneous generation of basalt and magnesian andesitemagmas from a single diapir rising through the mantle wedgeabove the subduction zone. The differences of water contentand temperature within the diapir are again thought to havebeen produced through dehydration and heating of an isotopicallyhomogeneous hydrous diapir. The isotopic data show that thehigh-SiO₂ lavas have the same isotopic compositions as moremafic lavas. These data and liquid lines of descent of the Shirahamamagmas suggest that even rhyolites can be produced by differentiationfrom mantle-derived magmas without crustal contamination. Analysesfrom 38 other arc volcanoes have been compiled to investigatethe intravolcano variability of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr. Twelve of these displayno intravolcano strontium isotopic variability, as is the casewith the Shirahama Group, but others show greater variationof ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from individual volcanic centers, presumably reflectingcrustal contamination. Most of the latter volcanoes are underlainby thick continental crust. It is noteworthy, however, thatthe greater variations of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr correlate with SiO₂ content;andesites or dacites, not basalts, from the same volcano havethe lowest ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, and these rocks are calc-alkaline in termsof FeO^*/MgO and SiO₂ Theoretically, assimilation of continentalcrust by the isotopically uniform Shirahama magmas could producethese relationships. Given that mantle-derived basalt and magnesianandesite both encounter continental crust on their ascent tothe surface, the hotter basalt magma would assimilate more crustalwallrocks than the cooler andesite, resulting in the basaltbeing more radiogenic. Fractional crystallization, magma mixing,and/or assimilation-fractional crystallization of these magmasin crustal magma chambers could produce large compositionalvariations, but the derivatives of the hotter basaltic magmas(tholeiitic series in the broad sense) would display greatercontamination than those derived from the cooler andesitic magmas(calc-alkaline series). ^*Telephone: 81-858-43-1215. Fax: 81-858-43-2184. e-mail: tamura{at}misasa.okayam-u.ac.jp     

The Grayback Pluton: Magmatism in a Jurassic Back-Arc Environment, Klamath Mountains, Oregon

The Jurassic Grayback pluton was emplaced in a back-arc settingbehind a contemporaneous oceanic arc. Th\alphae main stage ofthe pluton consists of an early, reversely zoned tonalite togabbro that was intruded by synplutonic noritic and gabbroicmagmas. Late-stage activity was characterized by intrusion oftonalitic and granitic dikes, many of which contain mafic enclavesand hybrid zones. Most mafic rocks in the pluton are calc-alkaline,with characteristic magnesian clinopyroxene, calcic cores inplagioclase, and elemental abundances similar to H₂O-rich arcbasalts. However, some mafic rocks contain relatively Fe-richclinopyroxene, lack calcic cores in plagioclase, and are compositionallysimilar to evolved high-alumina tholeiite. Compositional variation in the main stage can be modeled inpart by fractional crystallization and crusted assimilationduring which parental calc-alkaline basalt evolved to graniticcompositions. Cumulates related to this process are representedby modally variable melagabbro and pyroxenite. Mixing of basalticand tonalitic magmas accounts for the compositions of most main-stageintermediate rocks, but mixing of basaltic and granitic magmaswas uncommon until late in the pluton's history. Oxygen, Sr and Nd isotopic data indicate that virtually allmain-stage magmas in the pluton contain a crustal component.Isotopic and trace element data further suggest that late-stagetonalitic dikes represent melts derived from older, metavolcanicarc crust Deep crustal contamination of main-stage rocks tookplace below the level of emplacement, probably in a magma-richzone where basalts ponded and mixed with crustal melts. The Grayback pluton illustrates the diversity of Jurassic back-arcmagmatism in the Klamath province and demonstrates that ancientmagmatism with arc-like features need not be situated in anarc setting. KEY WORDS: Grayback Pluton; Klamath Mountains; Oregon; back arc; crustal contamination ^*Corresponding author     

Petrogenesis of Tertiary Mafic Alkaline Magmas in the Hocheifel, Germany

Primitive nephelinites and basanites from the Tertiary Hocheifelarea of Germany (part of the Central European Volcanic Province;CEVP) have high Mg-number (>0·64), high Cr and Nicontents and strong light rare earth element enrichment butsystematic depletion in Rb, K and Ba relative to trace elementsof similar compatibility in anhydrous mantle. Alkali basaltsand more differentiated magmatic rocks have lower Mg-numberand lower abundances of Ni and Cr, and have undergone fractionationof mainly olivine, clinopyroxene, Fe–Ti oxide, amphiboleand plagioclase. Some nephelinites and basanites approach theSr–Nd–Pb isotope compositions inferred for the EAR(European Asthenospheric Reservoir) component. The Nd–Sr–Pbisotope composition of the differentiated rocks indicates thatassimilation of lower crustal material has modified the compositionof the primary mantle-derived magmas. Rare earth element meltingmodels can explain the petrogenesis of the most primitive maficmagmatic rocks in terms of mixing of melt fractions from anamphibole-bearing garnet peridotite source with melt fractionsfrom an amphibole-bearing spinel peridotite source, both sourcescontaining residual amphibole. It is inferred that amphibolewas precipitated in the asthenospheric mantle beneath the Hocheifel,close to the garnet peridotite–spinel peridotite boundary,by metasomatic fluids or melts from a rising mantle diapir orplume. Melt generation with amphibole present suggests relativelylow mantle potential temperatures (<1200°C); thus themantle plume is not thermally anomalous. A comparison of recentlypublished Ar/Ar ages for Hocheifel basanites with the geochemicaland isotopic composition of samples from this study collectedat the same sample sites indicates that eruption of earlierlavas with an EM signature was followed by the eruption of laterlavas derived from a source with EAR or HIMU characteristics,suggesting a contribution from the advancing plume. Thus, theHocheifel area represents an analogue for magmatism during continentalrift initiation, during which interaction of a mantle plumewith the overlying lithosphere may have led to the generationof partial melts from both the lower lithosphere and the asthenosphere. KEY WORDS: alkali basalts; continental volcanism; crustal contamination; partial melting; Eifel, Germany     

Episodic Silicic Volcanism in Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula: Chronology of Magmatism Associated with the Break-up of Gondwana

New SHRIMP U–Pb zircon, Rb–Sr whole-rock, and ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ardata are presented for the Jurassic silicic volcanic rocks andrelated granitoids of Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula.U–Pb is the only reliable method for dating crystallizationin these rocks; Rb–Sr is prone to hydrothermal resettingand Ar–Ar is additionally affected by initial excess ⁴⁰Ar.Volcanism spanned more than 30 My, but three episodes are definedon the basis of peak activity: V1 (188–178 Ma), V2 (172–162Ma) and V3 (157–153 Ma). The first essentially coincideswith the Karoo–Ferrar mafic magmatism of South Africa,Antarctica and Tasmania. The silicic products of V1 are lower-crustalmelts that have incorporated upper-crustal material. The geochemistryof V2 and V3 ignimbrites is more characteristic of destructiveplate margins, but the presence of inherited zircon still pointsto a crustal source. The pattern of volcanism corresponds inspace and in time to migration away from the Karoo mantle plumetowards the proto-Pacific margin of Gondwana during riftingand break-up. The heat required to initiate bulk crustal fusionmay have been supplied by the spreading plume-head, but thinningof the crust during continental dispersion would also have facilitatedanatexis. KEY WORDS: Antarctic Peninsula; ignimbrites; Jurassic; Patagonia; U–Pb; zircon     

Geochemistry of the Active Azufre--Planchon--Peteroa Volcanic Complex, Chile (3515'S): Evidence for Multiple Sources and Processes in a Cordilleran Arc Magmatic System

Along strike of the Quaternary magmatic arc in the SouthernVolcanic Zone of the Andes, there is a south to north increasein crustal thickness, and the lavas define systematic geochemicaltrends which have been attributed to variations in the proportionsand compositions of mantle-and crustal-derived components. Realisticinterpretations of these regional geochemical trends requiresan understanding of the sources and processes that control lavacompositions at individual volcanoes. Because it is in an importantgeophysical and geochemical transition zone, we studied theAzufre—Planchon—Peteroa volcanic complex, a nestedgroup of three volcanoes <055 m.y. in age located at 3515'Sin the Southern Volcanic Zone of the Andes. North of this complexat 33–35S the continental crust is thick, basalts areabsent, and there is abundant evidence for crustal componentsin the evolved lavas, but south of 37S, where the crust isrelatively thin, basaltic lavas are abundant and the contributionof continental crust to the lavas is less obvious. In additionto its location, this volcanic complex is important becausethere is a diversity of lava compositions, and it is the northernmostexposure of recent basaltic volcanism on the volcanic front.Therefore, the lavas of this complex can be used to identifythe relative roles of mantle, lower-crustal and upper-crustalsources and processes at a single location. Volcan Azufre is the oldest and largest volcano of the complex;it is a multi-cycle, bimodal, basaltic andesite–dacitestratovolcano. Volcan Planchon is the northernmost basalt-bearingvolcano along the volcanic front of the Southern Andes, andVolcan Peteroa, the youngest volcano of the complex, has eruptedmixed magmas of andesitic and dacitic composition. Most basalticandesite lavas at Azufre and Planchon are related by a plagioclase-poor,anhydrous mineral fractionating assemblage. High-alumina basaltis produced from a tholeiitic parent by an 4–8 kbar fractionatingassemblage. During this moderatepressure crystallization, themagmas also incorporated a crustal component with high La/Yband high abundances of Rb, Cs and Th. Based on the chemicalcharacteristics of the added component and the inferred depthof crystallization, the crustal source may have been garnetgranulite derived from solidified arc magmas in the lower tomiddle continental crust. At Planchon, the role of crustal assimilationhas increased with decreasing eruption age probably becausecrustal temperatures have increased during continued volcanism.Azufre dacite lavas formed at low pressures by fractionationof a plagioclase-rich assemblage. These dacite lavas containan upper-crustal component, probably derived in part from limestone,with high values of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁸O/¹⁶O. Thus two depths (upperand lower crust) of crystallization and associated crustal assimilationare evident in Planchon–Azufre lavas. Peteroa, the focusof recent volcanism, consists of calc-alkaline andesite anddacite eruptive products whose textures and compositions indicatean important role for magma mixing. Therefore, the volcanismevolved from a tholeiitic system of basalt and subordinate dacite(Planchon–Azufre) to a calc-alkaline system with abundantmixed lavas of intermediate composition (Peteroa). In additionto crustal thickness, two important parameters which controlledthe diversity of lava composition in this complex are magmasupply rate from the mantle and crustal temperature. Both parametersvaried with time, and they must be considered in broader interpretationsof along-strike geochemical trends. KEY WORDS: arc magmas; Andes; Peteroa; Planchan; geochemistry ^*Corresponding author. Present address: ENTRIX, Inc., 4II North Central Avenue, Glendale, CA 91203, USA     

Origins of igneous microgranular enclaves in granites: the example of Central Victoria,Australia

To investigate their genesis and relations with their host rocks, we study igneous microgranular enclaves (IMEs) in the c. 370 Ma, post-orogenic, high-level, felsic plutons and volcanic rocks of Central Victoria, Australia. The IMEs are thermally quenched magma globules but are not autoliths, and they do not form mixing series with their host magmas. These IMEs generally represent hybrids between mantle-derived magmas and very high-T crust-derived melts, modified by fractionation, ingestion of host-derived crystals and, to a lesser extent, by chemical interactions with their hosts. Isotopic and elemental evidence suggests that their likely mafic progenitors formed by partial melting of subcontinental mantle, but that the IME suites from different felsic host bodies did not share a common initial composition. We infer that melts of heterogeneous mantle underwent high-T hybridisation with melts from a variety of crustal rocks, which led to a high degree of primary variability in the IME magmas. Our model for the formation of the Central Victorian IMEs is likely to be applicable to other occurrences, especially in suites of postorogenic granitic magmas emplaced in the shallow crust. However, there are many different origins for the mingled magma globules that we call IMEs, and different phenomena seem to occur in differing tectonic settings. The complexity of IME formation means that it is difficult to unravel the petrogenesis of these products of chaotic magma processes. Nevertheless, the survival of fine-grained, non-equilibrium mineralogy and texture in the IMEs suggests that their tenure in the host magmas must have been geologically brief.     

The Cameroon Volcanic Line Revisited: Petrogenesis of Continental Basaltic Magmas from Lithospheric and Asthenospheric Mantle Sources

The volcanic activity of Mts Bambouto and Oku (Western Highlands)and of the Ngaoundere Plateau, in the continental sector ofthe Cameroon Volcanic Line, Equatorial West Africa, ranges inage from Oligocene to Recent. It is characterized by basanitic,alkali basaltic and transitional basaltic series. Mineral chemistry,major and trace element bulk-rock compositions, and geochemicalmodelling suggest that the magmatic series evolved mainly atlow pressure (2–4 kbar) through fractional crystallizationof clinopyroxene and olivine ± magnetite, at moderatelyhydrated (H₂O = 0·5–1 wt %) and QFM (quartz–fayalite–magnetite)to QFM + 1 fO₂ conditions. Basalts from Ngaoundere (Mioceneto Quaternary) and from the early activity (31–14 Ma)of the Western Highlands have incompatible trace element andSr–Nd isotopic compositions similar to those of oceanicCameroon Line basalts, pointing to a similar asthenosphericmantle source. By contrast, the late (15–4 Ma) WesternHighlands basanites and alkali basalts have anomalously highconcentrations of Sr, Ba and P, and low concentrations of Zr,which are exclusive features of continental Cameroon basalts.The genesis of these latter magmas is consistent with derivationfrom an incompatible element enriched, amphibole-bearing lithosphericmantle source. Western Highlands basalts show a continuous spectrumfrom high to low Sr–Ba–P compositions, and may resultfrom variable amounts of mixing between melts derived from ananhydrous lherzolite source (asthenospheric component) and meltsfrom an amphibole-bearing peridotite source (lithospheric HSrcomponent). New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages for Mts Oku and Bambouto basalts,combined with previous ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and K/Ar ages of basaltic andsilicic volcanics, and with volcanic stratigraphy, suggest aNE–SW younging of the peak magmatic activity in the WesternHighlands. This SW younging trend, extending from the Oligocenevolcanism in northern Cameroon (e.g. Mt Oku) to the still activeMt Cameroon, suggests that the African plate is moving abovea deep-seated mantle thermal anomaly. However, the age and locationof the Ngaoundere volcanism does not conform to the NE–SWyounging trend, implying that the continental sector of theCameroon Volcanic Line cannot be easily interpreted as the surfaceexpression of a single hotspot system. KEY WORDS: Cameroon Line basalts;⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology; lithospheric and asthenospheric mantle source; hotspot     

Petrogenesis of Tertiary Continental Intra-plate Lavas from the Westerwald Region, Germany

Tertiary volcanic rocks from the Westerwald region range frombasanites and alkali basalts to trachytes, whereas lavas fromthe margin of the Vogelsberg volcanic field consist of morealkaline basanites and alkali basalts. Heavy rare earth elementfractionation indicates that the primitive Westerwald magmasprobably represent melts of garnet peridotite. The Vogelsbergmelts formed in the spinel–garnet peridotite transitionregion with residual amphibole for some magmas suggesting meltingof relatively cold mantle. Assimilation of lower-crustal rocksand fractional crystallization altered the composition of lavasfrom the Westerwald and Vogelsberg region significantly. Thecontaminating lower crust beneath the Rhenish Massif has a differentisotopic composition from the lower continental crust beneaththe Hessian Depression and Vogelsberg, implying a compositionalboundary between the two crustal domains. The mantle sourceof the lavas from the Rhenish Massif has higher ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pband ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr than the mantle source beneath the Vogelsbergand Hessian Depression. The 30–20 Ma volcanism of theWesterwald apparently had the same mantle source as the QuaternaryEifel lavas, suggesting that the magmas probably formed in apulsing mantle plume with a maximum excess temperature of 100°Cbeneath the Rhenish Massif. The relatively shallow melting ofamphibole-bearing peridotite beneath the Vogelsberg and HessianDepression may indicate an origin from a metasomatized portionof the thermal boundary layer. KEY WORDS: continental rift volcanism; basanites; trachytes; assimilation; fractional crystallization; partial melting     

New Insights into Crustal Contributions to Large-volume Rhyolite Generation in the Mid-Tertiary Sierra Madre Occidental Province, Mexico, Revealed by U Pb Geochronology

Voluminous (3·9 x 10⁵ km³), prolonged (18 Myr) explosivesilicic volcanism makes the mid-Tertiary Sierra Madre Occidentalprovince of Mexico one of the largest intact silicic volcanicprovinces known. Previous models have proposed an assimilation–fractionalcrystallization origin for the rhyolites involving closed-systemfractional crystallization from crustally contaminated andesiticparental magmas, with <20% crustal contributions. The lackof isotopic variation among the lower crustal xenoliths inferredto represent the crustal contaminants and coeval Sierra MadreOccidental rhyolite and basaltic andesite to andesite volcanicrocks has constrained interpretations for larger crustal contributions.Here, we use zircon age populations as probes to assess crustalinvolvement in Sierra Madre Occidental silicic magmatism. Laserablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysesof zircons from rhyolitic ignimbrites from the northeasternand southwestern sectors of the province yield U–Pb agesthat show significant age discrepancies of 1–4 Myr comparedwith previously determined K/Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages from thesame ignimbrites; the age differences are greater than the errorsattributable to analytical uncertainty. Zircon xenocrysts withnew overgrowths in the Late Eocene to earliest Oligocene rhyoliteignimbrites from the northeastern sector provide direct evidencefor some involvement of Proterozoic crustal materials, and,potentially more importantly, the derivation of zircon fromMesozoic and Eocene age, isotopically primitive, subduction-relatedigneous basement. The youngest rhyolitic ignimbrites from thesouthwestern sector show even stronger evidence for inheritancein the age spectra, but lack old inherited zircon (i.e. Eoceneor older). Instead, these Early Miocene ignimbrites are dominatedby antecrystic zircons, representing >33 to 100% of the datedpopulation; most antecrysts range in age between 20 and 32 Ma.A sub-population of the antecrystic zircons is chemically distinctin terms of their high U (>1000 ppm to 1·3 wt %) andheavy REE contents; these are not present in the Oligocene ignimbritesin the northeastern sector of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Thecombination of antecryst zircon U–Pb ages and chemistrysuggests that much of the zircon in the youngest rhyolites wasderived by remelting of partially molten to solidified igneousrocks formed during preceding phases of Sierra Madre Occidentalvolcanism. Strong Zr undersaturation, and estimations for veryrapid dissolution rates of entrained zircons, preclude coevalmafic magmas being parental to the rhyolite magmas by a processof lower crustal assimilation followed by closed-system crystalfractionation as interpreted in previous studies of the SierraMadre Occidental rhyolites. Mafic magmas were more probablyimportant in providing a long-lived heat and material flux intothe crust, resulting in the remelting and recycling of oldercrust and newly formed igneous materials related to Sierra MadreOccidental magmatism. KEY WORDS: ignimbrite; rhyolite; Sierra Madre Occidental; Tertiary; U–Pb geochronology; zircon; antecryst; crustal melting     

Zircon Crystal Morphology, Trace Element Signatures and Hf Isotope Composition as a Tool for Petrogenetic Modelling: Examples From Eastern Australian Granitoids

In situ laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometryanalysis of trace elements, U–Pb ages and Hf isotopiccompositions of magmatic zircon from I- and S-type granitoidsfrom the Lachlan Fold Belt (Berridale adamellite and Kosciuskotonalite) and New England Fold Belt (Dundee rhyodacite ignimbrite),Eastern Australia, is combined with detailed studies of crystalmorphology to model petrogenetic processes. The presented examplesdemonstrate that changes in zircon morphology, within singlegrains and between populations, generally correlate with changesin trace element and Hf-isotope signatures, reflecting the mixingof magmas and changes in the composition of the magma throughmingling processes and progressive crystallization. The zircondata show that the I-type Kosciusko tonalite was derived froma single source of crustal origin, whereas the S-type Berridaleadamellite had two distinct sources including a significantI-type magma contribution. Complex morphology and Hf isotopevariations in zircon grains indicate a moderate contributionfrom a crustal component in the genesis of the I-type Dundeerhyodacite. The integration of data on morphology, trace elementsand Hf isotope variations in zircon populations provides a toolfor the detailed analysis of the evolution of individual igneousrocks; it offers new insights into the contributions of differentsource rocks and the importance of magma mixing in granite petrogenesis.Such information is rarely obtainable from the analysis of bulkrocks. KEY WORDS: granite source origins; zircon Hf isotopes; zircon petrogenesis; zircon morphology; zircon U–Pb ages     

The Genesis of Intermediate and Silicic Magmas in Deep Crustal Hot Zones

A model for the generation of intermediate and silicic igneousrocks is presented, based on experimental data and numericalmodelling. The model is directed at subduction-related magmatism,but has general applicability to magmas generated in other platetectonic settings, including continental rift zones. In themodel mantle-derived hydrous basalts emplaced as a successionof sills into the lower crust generate a deep crustal hot zone.Numerical modelling of the hot zone shows that melts are generatedfrom two distinct sources; partial crystallization of basaltsills to produce residual H₂O-rich melts; and partial meltingof pre-existing crustal rocks. Incubation times between theinjection of the first sill and generation of residual meltsfrom basalt crystallization are controlled by the initial geotherm,the magma input rate and the emplacement depth. After this incubationperiod, the melt fraction and composition of residual meltsare controlled by the temperature of the crust into which thebasalt is intruded. Heat and H₂O transfer from the crystallizingbasalt promote partial melting of the surrounding crust, whichcan include meta-sedimentary and meta-igneous basement rocksand earlier basalt intrusions. Mixing of residual and crustalpartial melts leads to diversity in isotope and trace elementchemistry. Hot zone melts are H₂O-rich. Consequently, they havelow viscosity and density, and can readily detach from theirsource and ascend rapidly. In the case of adiabatic ascent themagma attains a super-liquidus state, because of the relativeslopes of the adiabat and the liquidus. This leads to resorptionof any entrained crystals or country rock xenoliths. Crystallizationbegins only when the ascending magma intersects its H₂O-saturatedliquidus at shallow depths. Decompression and degassing arethe driving forces behind crystallization, which takes placeat shallow depth on timescales of decades or less. Degassingand crystallization at shallow depth lead to large increasesin viscosity and stalling of the magma to form volcano-feedingmagma chambers and shallow plutons. It is proposed that chemicaldiversity in arc magmas is largely acquired in the lower crust,whereas textural diversity is related to shallow-level crystallization. KEY WORDS: magma genesis; deep hot zone; residual melt; partial melt; adiabatic ascent     

Collision-related slab break-off volcanism in the Eastern Anatolia,Kepez volcanic complex (TURKEY)

The Neogene–Quaternary volcanic products, related to Arabian and Anatolian Plate collision along the Bitlis Suture Zone, cover wide areas on both plates. One of these volcanic exposures on the Arabian Plate is the Kepez volcanic complex (KVC). This study aims explain to petrogenesis of KVC. Although some examples display alkaline affinities, the majority of the volcanic rock is calc-alkaline and can be defined in three main groups. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data obtained from dacite, basalt and andesite rock groups within the KVC yield ages of between 13.5 and 15.5 Ma. Geochemical and petrographical data show that the andesitic rocks are products of homogeneous mixing between basic end-member magmas and dacitic magmas which are the products of partial melting of lower crustal compositions. Basaltic products of KVC are asthenospheric mantle derived, while dacitic and andesitic volcanic rocks are crustal origin. High Sr and Nd isotope ratios may indicate that andesitic and dacitic rocks originated from continental crust. The lithospheric mantle, which is subducting underneath the Anatolian plate, must have experienced slab break-off processes 13–15 million years ago and sunk into the asthenosphere. KVC were produced with the collision between Arabian and Anatolian Plates and related uplift of the East Anatolia region.     

Mantle and Crustal Sources in the Genesis of Late-Hercynian Granitoids (NW Portugal): Geochemical and Sr-Nd Isotopic Constraints

Large volumes of granitoids were emplaced in the Hercynian Central Iberian Zone during the last ductile deformation phase (D3, 300-320 Ma). The biotite-rich granitoids are the most abundant: (1) syn-D3 granodiorites-monzogranites (313-319 Ma) with calc-alkaline and aluminopotassic affinities; (2) late-D3 granodiorites-monzogranites (306-311 Ma), related to subalkaline and aluminopotassic series. These granitoids are associated with coeval gabbro-norite to granodiorite bodies and/or mafic microgranular enclaves. Both granitoids and basic-intermediate rocks show petrological, geochemical and isotopic evidence of interaction between felsic and mafic magmas.The mantle-derived melts, represented by shoshonitic gabbro-norites, were probably derived from an enriched and isotopically homogeneous source (Sr_i = 0.7049 to 0.7053, e_Nd = -2.1 to -2.5). In some syn- and late-D3 plutons there are evidences of essentially crustal granites, represented by moderately peraluminous monzogranites of aluminopotassic affinity. They have similar Nd model ages (1.4 Ga) but different isotopic compositions (Sr_i = 0.7089 to 0.7106, e_Nd = -5.6 to -6.8), revealing a heterogeneous crust. Potential protoliths are metasedimentary (immature sediments) and/or felsic meta-igneous lower crust materials. Large amounts of hybrid magmas were generated by the interaction of these coeval mantle- and crust-derived liquids, giving rise to slightly peraluminous monzogranites/granodiorites of calc-alkaline and subalkaline affinities, which display more depleted isotopic compositions than the crustal end-members (Sr_i = 0.7064 to 0.7085, e_Nd = -4.4 to -6.2). Petrogenetic processes involving mingling and/or mixing and fractional crystallization (at variable degrees) in multiple reservoirs are suggested.A major crustal growth event occurred in late-Hercynian times (∼305-320 Ma) related to the input of juvenile mantle magmas and leading to the genesis of composite calc-alkaline and subalkaline plutons, largely represented in the Central Iberian Zone.     

Petrological, Geochemical and Isotopic Constraints on the Origin of the Harzburg Intrusion, Germany

We present mineralogical, petrological and geochemical datato constrain the origin of the Harzburg mafic–ultramaficintrusion. The intrusion is composed mainly of mafic rocks rangingfrom gabbronorite to quartz diorite. Ultramafic rocks are veryrare in surface outcrops. Dunite is observed only in deepersections of the Flora I drill core. Microgranitic (fine-grainedquartz-feldspathic) veins found in the mafic and ultramaficrocks result from contamination of the ultramafic magmas bycrustal melts. In ultramafic and mafic compositions cumulatetextures are widespread and filter pressing phenomena are obvious.The order of crystallization is olivine pargasite, phlogopite,spinel plagioclase, orthopyroxene plagioclase, clinopyroxene.Hydrous minerals such as phlogopite and pargasite are essentialconstituents of the ultramafic cumulates. The most primitiveolivine composition is Fo_89·5 with 0·4 wt % NiO,which indicates that the olivine may have been in equilibriumwith primitive mantle melts. Coexisting melt compositions estimatedfrom this olivine have mg-number = 71. The chemical varietyof the rocks constituting the intrusion and the mg-number ofthe most primitive melt allow an estimation of the approximatecomposition of the mantle-derived primary magma. The geochemicalcharacteristics of the estimated magma are similar to thoseof an island-arc tholeiite, characterized by low TiO₂ and alkalisand high Al₂O₃. Geochemical and Pb, Sr and Nd isotope data demonstratethat even the most primitive rocks have assimilated crustalmaterial. The decoupling of Sr from Nd in some samples demonstratesthe influence of a fluid that transported radiogenic Sr. Leadof crustal origin from two isotopically distinct reservoirsdominates the Pb of all samples. The ultramafic rocks and thecumulates best reflect the initial isotopic and geochemicalsignature of the parent magma. Magma that crystallized in theupper part of the chamber was more strongly affected by assimilatedmaterial. Petrographic, geochemical and isotope evidence demonstratesthat during a late stage of crystallization, hybrid rocks formedthrough the mechanical mixing of early cumulates and melts withstrong crustal contamination from the upper levels of the magmachamber. KEY WORDS: Harzburg mafic–ultramafic intrusion; Sr–Nd–Pb isotopes; magma evolution; crustal contamination