Petrology of nepheline syenite gneiss from Amazonian Brazil

Nepheline syenite gneiss is exposed in three localities near the village of Boca Nova (47·04′W, 1°51′S) in northeastern Pará, Brazil. Isotopic and chemical evidence for an igneous premetamorphic history include: (1) bulk compositions which plot in the Q–Ne–Ks system on a peralkaline fractionation curve; (2) bulk compositions which fall on the Hviddal igneous trend in the SiO₂–Al₂O₃–Na₂O + K₂O molecular diagram; (3) an average K/Rb ratio identical to the average for nepheline syenites of the Khibina massif; (4) K/Rb ratios which lie on the ideal igneous fractionation curve; (5) Nb(Ta) contents far in excess of average crustal abundance; and (6) a low Sr₈₇/Sr⁸⁶ value (0·7034) characteristic of mantle derivation. Post-kinematic lit-par-lit injections, discordant veins, and concordant pods of leucocratic nepheline–alkali feldspar pegmatite partially replaced the metamorphic assemblage and destroyed any microscopic equilibrium texture that may have been present. The final disequilibrium assemblage consists of Fe-rich biotite and two generations each of sodic plagioclase, microcline, and nepheline. Some minor metasomatic chemical effects may be present in the rocks but a case for nephelinization of crustal rocks cannot be documented. Field, petrographic, and chemical constraints indicate that the Boca Nova gneiss is an early-stage migmatite formed by anatexis of metamorphosed igneous nepheline syenite or its volcanic equivalent. Regional metamorphism and partial melting opened the Rb-Sr system so that the whole-rock Rb/Sr isochron age of 724 m.y. has no unambiguous interpretation. A K/Ar age of 580 ± 10 m.y. from biotite denning the metamorphic foliation is regarded as a minimum date for the regional metamorphism and anatexis. No other alkaline rocks of comparable age are known in the Sao Luis Craton.