Geochemistry and petrogenesis of the Early Cretaceous continental rift-type volcanic rocks of the Mecsek Mountains, South Hungary
Authors:
S. Harangi
Affiliation:
Department of Petrology and Geochemistry, Eötvös University, H-1088, Budapest, Múzeum krt. 4/A, Hungary
Abstract:
Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks (basanite to phonolite) from the Mecsek Mountains (South Hungary) represent the products of Late Mesozoic extension-related alkaline magmatism at the southern margin of the European plate. Two mafic groups have been distinguished: ankaramite-alkali basalt and Na-basanite-phonotephrite. Phonolites could have been formed from the Na-basanitic magma by low-pressure fractionation. The major and trace element characteristics of the Mecsek basalts are similar to those of alkaline basalts of other intraplate areas and have a St. Helena-type OIB affinity. The mantle source of the Mecsek volcanics could be similar to that proposed by Wilson and Downes (1991) as one of the mantle endmembers for extension-related Tertiary-Quaternary alkaline basalts in Europe. Geochemical modelling indicates that the primary magmas of the Na-basanite series were formed by about 4% partial melting, whereas ankaramites and alkali basalts originated by about 6% partial melting of a garnet-peridotite source.