Geochemistry and isotopic composition of the Guerrero Terrane (western Mexico): implications for the tectono-magmatic evolution of southwestern North America during the Late Mesozoic

The composite Guerrero Terrane of western Mexico records much of the magmatic evolution of southwestern North America during Late Mesozoic time. The Guerrero includes three distinctive subterranes characterized by unique stratigraphic records, structural evolutions, and geochemical and isotopic features that strongly suggest they evolved independently. The eastern Teloloapan Subterrane represents an evolved intra-oceanic island arc of Hauterivian to Cenomanian age, which includes a high-K calc-alkaline magmatic suite. The central Arcelia–Palmar Chico Subterrane represents a primitive island arc-marginal basin system of Albian to Cenomanian age, consisting of an oceanic suite and a tholeiitic arc suite. The western Zihuatanejo–Huetamo Subterrane comprises three components that represent an evolved island arc-marginal basin-subduction complex system of Late Jurassic (?) –Early Cretaceous age built on a previously deformed basement. The Zihuatanejo Sequence includes a thick high-K calc-alkaline magmatic suite. The Las Ollas Complex consists of tectonic slices containing exotic blocks of arc affinity affected by high-pressure/low-temperature metamorphism included in a sheared matrix. The Huetamo Sequence consists mainly of volcanic-arc derived sedimentary rocks, including large pebbles of tholeiitic, calc-alkaline, and shoshonitic lavas. These sequences are unconformably underlain by the Arteaga Complex, which represents the subvolcanic basement. On the basis of available geology, geochemistry, geochronology, and isotopic data, we suggest that Late Mesozoic volcanism along the western margin of southern North America developed in broadly contemporaneous but different intra-oceanic island arcs that constitute a complex fossil arc-trench system similar to the present-day western Pacific island arc system.