scholarly journals Petrogenesis of plagiogranites in the Muslim Bagh Ophiolite, Pakistan: implications for the generation of Archaean continental crust

2018 ◽  
Vol 156 (5) ◽  
pp. 874-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
DANIEL COX ◽  
ANDREW C. KERR ◽  
ALAN R. HASTIE ◽  
M. ISHAQ KAKAR
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Small Volume ◽  
Rare Earth Element Pattern ◽  
Upper Crust ◽  
Mafic Rocks ◽  
Hornblende Gabbro ◽  
Residual Phase ◽  
Element Pattern ◽  
Trace Element Signature

AbstractHigh-SiO2 rocks referred to as oceanic plagiogranites are common within the crustal sequences of ophiolites; however, their mode of petrogenesis is controversial with both late-stage fractional crystallization and partial melting models being proposed. Here, we present new whole-rock data from plagiogranitic dyke-like bodies and lenses from the lower and middle sections of the sheeted dyke complex of the Cretaceous Muslim Bagh Ophiolite, northwestern Pakistan. The plagiogranites have similar geochemical signatures that are inconsistent with them being the fractionation products of the mafic units of the Muslim Bagh Ophiolite. However, the plagiogranites all display very low TiO2 contents (<0.4 wt%), implying that they formed by partial melting of mafic rocks. Melt modelling of a crustal gabbro from the Muslim Bagh Ophiolite shows that the trace-element signature of the plagiogranites can be replicated by 5–10% melting of a crustal hornblende gabbro with amphibole as a residual phase, resulting in a concave-up middle rare Earth element pattern. Compositional similarities between the Muslim Bagh Ophiolite plagiogranites and Archaean TTG (trondhjemite–tonalite–granodiorite) has implications for the generation of juvenile Archaean continental crust. As the Muslim Bagh Ophiolite was derived in a supra-subduction zone, it is suggested that some Archaean TTG may have been derived from melting of mafic upper crust in early subduction-like settings. However, due to the small volume of Muslim Bagh Ophiolite plagiogranites, it is inferred that they can be instructive on the petrogenesis of some, but not all, Archaean TTG.

Geochemical evidence for the production of granitoids through reworking of the juvenile mafic arc crust in the Gangdese orogen, southern Tibet

2019 ◽  
Vol 132 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 1347-1364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Wei Tang ◽  
Long Chen ◽  
Zi-Fu Zhao ◽  
Yong-Fei Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Partial Melting ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Crustal Contamination ◽  
Plate Boundaries ◽  
Southern Tibet ◽  
Mafic Rocks ◽  
Geochemical Evidence ◽  
Continental Arc

Abstract Although continental crust is characterized by the widespread occurrence of granitoids, the causal relationship between continental crust growth and granitic magmatism still remains enigmatic. While fractional crystallization of basaltic magmas (with or without crustal contamination) and partial melting of mafic lower crust are two feasible mechanisms for the production of granitoids in continental arc regions, the problem has been encountered in discriminating between the two mechanisms by whole-rock geochemistry. This can be resolved by an integrated study of zircon U-Pb ages and Hf-O isotopes together with whole-rock major-trace elements and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes, which is illustrated for Mesozoic granitoids from the Gangdese orogen in southern Tibet. The results provide geochemical evidence for prompt reworking of the juvenile mafic arc crust in the newly accreted continental margin. The target granitoids exhibit high contents of SiO2 (65.76–70.75 wt%) and Na2O + K2O (6.38–8.15 wt%) but low contents of MgO (0.19–0.98 wt%), Fe2O3 (0.88–3.13 wt%), CaO (2.00–3.82 wt%), Ni (&lt;5.8 ppm), and Cr (≤10 ppm). They are enriched in large ion lithophile elements, Pb, and light rare earth elements but depleted in high field strength elements. The granitoids are relatively depleted in whole-rock Sr-Nd isotope compositions with low (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.7043–0.7048 and positive εNd(t) values of 0.5–2.6, and have relatively low 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios at given 206Pb/204Pb ratios. Laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry U-Pb dating on synmagmatic zircons yield ages of 77 ± 2–81 ± 1 Ma in the Late Cretaceous for their emplacement. Relict zircons have two groups of U-Pb ages in the late Mesozoic and the late Paleozoic, respectively. The whole-rock Sr-Nd isotopes in the granitoids are quite similar to those of Late Cretaceous mafic rocks in the Gangdese batholith. In addition, both synmagmatic zircons and relict zircons with Late Cretaceous U-Pb ages exhibit almost the same Hf-O isotope compositions to those of the slightly earlier mafic rocks. All these observations indicate that the granitoids were mainly derived from partial melting of the juvenile mafic arc crust. Therefore, reworking of the juvenile mafic arc crust is the mechanism for the origin of isotopically depleted granitoids in southern Tibet. It is this process that leads to differentiation of the juvenile mafic arc crust toward the felsic lithology in the continental arc. In this regard, the granitoids with depleted radiogenic isotope compositions do not necessarily contribute to the crustal growth at convergent plate boundaries.

The composition and evolution of the continental crust: rare earth element evidence from sedimentary rocks

1981 ◽  
Vol 301 (1461) ◽  
pp. 381-399 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Partial Melting ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Rare Earth Element ◽  
Lower Crust ◽  
Sedimentary Rock ◽  
Earth Element ◽  
Upper Crust ◽  
Crustal Composition ◽  
Eu Anomaly

The composition of the present-day upper crust, inferred from the uniformity of sedimentary rock r.e.e. (rare earth element) patterns, is close to that of granodiorite. A revised ‘andesite’ model is used to obtain total crustal composition. The lower crust is the composition remaining, assuming that the upper crust, one-third of the total, is derived from intracrustal partial melting. The upper-crustal r.e.e. pattern has pronounced Eu depletion (Eu/Eu* = 0.64), the lower-crustal pattern has Eu enrichment (Eu/Eu* = 1.17) and the total crust has no Eu anomaly relative to chondritic abundances. The Eu depletion in the upper crust is attributed to retention of Eu in plagioclase in the lower crust. Because plagioclase is not stable below 40 km (> 10 kbar), the anomaly is intracrustal in origin. The Archaean upper crust has a different r.e.e. pattern to that of the present-day upper crust, being lower in total r.e.e., and La/Yb ratios, and lacking an Eu anomaly. These data are used to infer the Archaean upper-crustal composition, which resembles that of the present-day total crust, except that Ni and Cr contents are higher. The Archaean crustal composition can be modelled by a mixture of tholeiites and tonalite trondhjemites. The latter have steep light r.e.e.-enriched-heavy r.e.e.-depleted patterns, consistent with equilibration with garnet and hence probable mantle derivation. There is little reason to suppose that the Archaean lower crust was different in composition from the upper crust, except locally where partial melting episodes occurred. The r.e.e. evidence is consistent with isotopic and geological evidence for a low continental growth rate in the early Archaean, a massive increase (to about 70% of the total crust) between about 3000 and 2500 Ma B.P. and a slow increase until the present day. The change from Archaean to post-Archaean r.e.e. patterns in the upper crust is not isochronous, but is reflected in the sedimentary rock r.e.e. patterns at differing times in different continents. On the basis of a model composition for the mantle, 36% of the potassium, 30% of uranium, 15% of lanthanum and 3 % of ytterbium are concentrated in the present continental crust. This enrichment is related to ionic size and valency differences from common mantle cations (e.g. Mg, Fe). Pre-3.9 Ga B.P. crusts were obliterated by meteorite bombardment. No geochemical evidence exists for primordial anorthositic, sialic or mafic crusts.

INFLUENCE OF PULSED MAGMATIC ACTIVITY, LATENT HEAT, AND PARTIAL MELTING ON THE STRENGTH OF THE CONTINENTAL CRUST

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksi Rantanen ◽  
◽  
David Whipp ◽  
Jussi S. Heinonen ◽  
Lars Kaislaniemi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Magmatic Activity

Structure and spatial-temporal relationship of potassic magmatism linked to a continental-scale strike-slip shear zone and post-collisional Cenozoic extension

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
junyu Li ◽  
shunyun Cao ◽  
Xuemei Cheng ◽  
Haobo Wang ◽  
Wenxuan Li
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Shear Zone ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Red River ◽  
Compositional Variation ◽  
Continental Scale ◽  
Magmatic Rocks ◽  
Western Yunnan ◽  
Potassic Rocks ◽  
Potassic Magmatism

&lt;p&gt;Adakite&amp;#8208;like potassic rocks are widespread in post-collisional settings and provide potential insights into deep crustal or crust-mantle interaction processes including asthenosphere upwelling, partial melting, lower crustal flow, thickening and collapse of the overthickened orogen. However, petrogenesis and compositional variation of these adakite&amp;#8208;like potassic rocks and their implications are still controversial. Potassic magmatic rocks are abundant developed in the Jinshajiang&amp;#8211;Ailaoshan tectono-magmatic belt that stretches from eastern Tibet over western Yunnan to Vietnam. Integrated studies of structure, geochronology, mineral compositions and geochemistry indicate adakite-like potassic rocks with different deformation are exposed along the Ailaoshan-Red River shear zone. The potassic felsic rocks formed by mixing and partial melting between enriched mantle-derived ultrapotassic and thickened ancient crust-derived magmas. The mixing of the mafic and felsic melts and their extended fractional crystallization of plagioclase, K-feldspar, hornblende and biotite gave rise to the potassic magmatic rocks. Zircon geochronology provide chronological markers for emplacement at 35&amp;#8211;37 Ma of these adakite-like potassic rocks along the shear zone. Temperature and pressure calculated by amphibole-plagioclase thermobarometry range from 3.5 to 5.9 kbar and 650 to 750 &amp;#8451;, respectively, and average emplacement depths of ca. 18 km for granodiorite within this suite. In combination with the results of the Cenozoic potassic magmatism in the Jinshajiang&amp;#8211;Ailaoshan tectono-magmatic belt, we suggest that in addition to partial melting of the thickened ancient continental crust, magma underplating and subsequent crust-mantle mixing beneath the ancient continental crust have also played an important role in crustal reworking and strongly affected the rheological properties and density of rocks. The exhumation underlines the role of lateral motion of the Ailaoshan-Red River shear zone initiation by potassic magma-assisted rheological weakening and exhumation at high ambient temperatures within the shear zone.&lt;/p&gt;

Geochemistry and geochronology of OIB-type, Early Jurassic magmatism in the Zhangguangcai range, NE China, as a result of continental back-arc extension

2018 ◽  
Vol 158 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangying Feng ◽  
Yildirim Dilek ◽  
Xiaolu Niu ◽  
Fei Liu ◽  
Jingsui Yang
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Trace Element ◽  
Partial Melting ◽  
Early Jurassic ◽  
Ne China ◽  
Mafic Rocks ◽  
Asthenospheric Mantle ◽  
Trace Element Contents ◽  
Pacific Slab ◽  
Back Arc

AbstractThe Zhangguangcai Range in the Xing’an Mongolian Orogenic Belt, NE China, contains Early Jurassic (c. 188 Ma) Dabaizigou (DBZG) porphyritic dolerite. Compared with other island-arc mafic rocks, the DBZG dolerite is characterized by high trace-element contents, relatively weak Nb and Ta enrichments, and no Zr, Hf or Ti depletions, similar to OIB-type rocks. Analysed rocks have (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.7033–0.7044, relatively uniform positive ɛNd(t) values of 2.3–3.2 and positive ɛHf(t) values of 8.5–17.1. Trace-element and isotopic modelling indicates that the DBZG mafic rocks were generated by partial melting of asthenospheric mantle under garnet- to spinel-facies conditions. The occurrence of OIB-like mafic intrusion suggests significant upwelling of the asthenosphere in response to lithospheric attenuation caused by continental rifting. These processes occurred in an incipient continental back-arc environment in the upper plate of a palaeo-Pacific slab subducting W–NW beneath East Asia.

scholarly journals An anticlockwise metamorphic P-T path and nappe stacking in the Reisa Nappe Complex in the Scandinavian Caledonides, northern Norway: evidence for weakening of lower continental crust before and during continental collision

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carly Faber ◽  
Holger Stünitz ◽  
Deta Gasser ◽  
Petr Jeřábek ◽  
Katrin Kraus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Structural Data ◽  
Geothermal Gradient ◽  
Continental Collision ◽  
Crustal Thickening ◽  
Northern Norway ◽  
Nappe Complex ◽  
T Path

Abstract. This study investigates the Caledonian metamorphic and tectonic evolution in northern Norway, examining the structure and tectonostratigraphy of the Reisa Nappe Complex (RNC; from bottom to top, Vaddas, Kåfjord and Nordmannvik nappes). Structural data, phase equilibrium modelling, and U-Pb zircon and titanite geochronology are used to constrain the timing and P-T conditions of deformation and metamorphism that formed the nappes and facilitated crustal thickening during continental collision. Five samples taken from different parts of the RNC reveal an anticlockwise P-T path attributed to the effects of early Silurian heating followed by thrusting. An early Caledonian S1 foliation in the Nordmannvik Nappe records kyanite-grade partial melting at ~ 760–790 °C and ~ 9.4–11 kbar. Leucosomes formed at 439 ± 2 Ma (U-Pb zircon) in fold axial planes in the Nordmannvik Nappe indicate that compressional deformation initiated while the rocks were still partially molten. This stage was followed by pervasive solid-state shearing as the rocks cooled and solidified, forming the S2 foliation at 680–730 °C and 9.5–10.9 kbar. Multistage titanite growth in the Nordmannvik Nappe records this extended metamorphism between 444 and 427 Ma. In the underlying Kåfjord Nappe, garnet cores record lower P-T (590–610 °C and 5.5–6.8 kbar) but a similar geothermal gradient as the S1 migmatitic event in the Nordmannvik Nappe, indicating formation at a higher relative position in the crust. S2 shearing in the Kåfjord Nappe occurred at 580–605 °C and 9.2–10.1 kbar, indicating a considerable pressure increase during nappe stacking. Gabbro intruded in the Vaddas Nappe at 439 ± 1 Ma, synchronously with migmatization in the Nordmannvik Nappe. In the Vaddas Nappe S2 shearing occurred at 630–640 ºC and 11.7–13 kbar. Titanite growth along the lower RNC boundary records S2-shearing at 432 ± 6 Ma. It emerges that early Silurian heating (~ 440 Ma), probably resulting from large-scale magma underplating, initiated partial melting that weakened the lower crust, which facilitated dismembering of the crust into individual nappe units. This tectonic style contrasts subduction of mechanically strong continental crust to great depths.

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