Cadomian orogenic collapse in the Ibor and Alcudia anticlines of the Central Iberian Zone, Spain

In the Central Iberian Zone, the Cadomian orogenic collapse is represented by chaotic megabreccias, olistostromes and mélange deposits reflecting a drastic change from slope-related deposits, fed by denudation of the Cadomian arc, to offshore-dominant settings episodically punctuated by phosphogenetic processes. In the Ibor and Alcudia anticlines, the pre-rift unconformity is marked by paraconformable to angular discordant contacts separating variable tilted strata of the Ediacaran Lower Alcudian – Domo Extremeño Supergroup and the upper Ediacaran – lower Terreneuvian Ibor Group from the overlying Terreneuvian San Lorenzo and Fuentepizarra formations. The sedimentation of the San Lorenzo Formation reflects two palaeogeographic scenarios: (i) a low-angle stable basement recording shoaling-upward siliciclastic cycles, and (ii) perturbations of basement fault scarps feeding slope-related conglomeratic channels, with NE-directed palaeocurrents, and sourced from topographic palaeohighs controlled by the movement along synsedimentary normal fault systems, such as the so-called El Guijo Fault. The intra-Fortunian age of the pre-rift unconformity is constrained by the ichno- and microfossil content of the succession, and is bracketed between the first occurrence of Treptichnus pedum in the Arrocampo Formation (Ibor Group) and of Anabarella plana in the Fuentepizarra Formation.

Unravelling the relationship between mafic magmatism and Sb mineralization through dolerite geochemistry (Central Iberian Zone, Spain)

<p>This work presents the preliminary results of geochemistry of mafic intrusions (diabase dykes) and their relationship with antimony mineralization in the Central-Iberian Zone (Variscan Belt). Two different areas were studied, the Almadén (Al) and the San Antonio (SA) areas.</p><p>Both macroscopic and microscopic observations show that mafic dykes are mainly composed by clinopyroxene, plagioclase, Fe-Ti oxides and to a lesser extent of calcite and sulphides (pyrite, chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite). These samples are altered presenting chlorite and epidote as alteration minerals. Pyroxene is sometimes altered to amphibole.</p><p>Whole rock geochemistry analyses from 20 samples show a difference between SA and Al dolerites. The first fall into the classical basalt field whereas the second fall into the alkali basalt field according to the Zr/TiO2 vs Nb/Y diagram. The tectonic setting for the SA samples coincides with the volcanic arc setting whereas the samples from Al fall into the within plate magmatism. </p><p>Primitive mantle normalized diagrams display high negative anomalies in Rb, K, with small negative anomalies in Nb and Ta for both SA and Al. High positive anomalies for both areas in Cs, Pb (especially for SA) and Li accompanied by small positive anomalies in P and Ti can be observed. Dolerites from Al are more enriched in Ba, Th, U, Nb, Ba, La, Ce, Sr, P, Nd, Sn, Zr, Hf than SA. All samples are depleted in HREE and enriched in LREE. Anomalies in Rb, Nb, Ta and Li may be related with crustal contamination. Pb anomalies could be associated with assimilation of country rocks, especially marine sediments, this anomaly is also related to subduction processes. Positive P and Ti anomalies of some samples is due to the apatite and ilmenite enrichment respectively. Negative anomalies in K could be associated with presence of phlogopite in the source. Rare Earth Elements contents are compatible with the presence of garnet in the source and low degree of partial melting, this is consistent with the correlation between La/Sm vs Gd/Yb and La/Sm vs Rb. Trace element ratios such as Th/La (0,10 for SA) and (0,09 for Al) suggest an enriched mantle source.</p><p>Some of these mafic intrusions were collected near antimony mineralization whereas the other are located at distance but in the same swarm of mafic dykes. A spatial and genetic link between Sb mineralization and mafic magmatism has been proposed in other parts of the Variscan Belt, especially in the Armorican Massif.</p><p>The source of these Sb mineralization could be related to an enriched mantle with crustal contamination. The geochemical link between mafic magmatism and Sb mineralization and their source in the Central Iberian Zone is still a matter of study.</p><p>Acknowledgments</p><p>This work was funded by the ANR (ANR-19-MIN2-0002-01), the AEI (MICIU/AEI/REF.: PCI2019-103779) and author’s institutions in the framework of the ERA-MIN2 AUREOLE project, as well as by Project SBPLY/17/180501/000273, Consejería de Educación, Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain.</p>

SHRIMP U-Pb Ages and REE Patterns for Zircon from an Anatectic Variscan Two-Mica Granite from the Bemposta Migmatite Complex (Central Iberian Zone)

ABSTRACT The Variscan Bemposta Migmatite Complex (BMC) in northern Portugal (Central Iberian Zone) is a NE–SW-trending high-grade metamorphic core complex comprising upper-amphibolite- to lower-granulite-facies metapelites and metagreywackes of Ediacaran-Cambrian age and subordinate Ordovician orthogneisses showing evidence of intense migmatization. The available petrological data indicate that these rocks attained peak metamorphic conditions at the end of the first Variscan contractional deformation event (D1), followed an isothermal decompression path during D2 crustal extension, and underwent subsequent retrogression during D3 shearing. The whole BMC complex hosts numerous concordant intrusive bodies (sheets several meters thick) of syn-D2 two-mica granites, genetically linked to the leucosomes, suggesting that the emplacement of these magmas was synchronous with core complex extension. U-Pb SHRIMP ages obtained from zircons from one of these syn-D2 tabular plutons (the Faia d'Água Alta granite) yielded a crystallization age of 324 ± 3 Ma, providing a good estimate for the age of the D2 anatectic event in the region.

The Tres Arroyos Granitic Aplite-Pegmatite Field (Central Iberian Zone, Spain): Petrogenetic Constraints from Evolution of Nb-Ta-Sn Oxides, Whole-Rock Geochemistry and U-Pb Geochronology

Abundant Li-Cs-Ta aplite-pegmatite dykes were emplaced in the western Central Iberian Zone of the Iberian Massif during the Variscan Orogeny. Their origin and petrogenetic relationships with the widespread granitoids have led to a currently rekindled discussion about anatectic vs. granitic origin for the pegmatitic melts. To deal with these issues, the aplite-pegmatite dykes from the Tres Arroyos area, which constitute a zoned pegmatitic field related to the Nisa-Alburquerque granitic batholith, have been studied. This work comprises a complete study of Nb-Ta-Sn oxides’ mineralogy, whole-rock geochemistry, and U-Pb geochronology of the aplite-pegmatites that have been grouped as barren, intermediate, and Li-rich. The most abundant Nb-Ta-Sn oxides from Tres Arroyos correspond to columbite-(Fe), columbite-(Mn) and cassiterite. Niobium-Ta oxides show a marked increase in the Mn/(Mn+Fe) ratio from the barren aplite-pegmatites up to the Li-rich bodies, whereas variations in the Ta/(Ta+Nb) ratio are not continuous. The probable factors controlling fractionation of Mn/Fe and Ta/Nb reflected in Nb-Ta oxides may be attributed to the crystallization of tourmaline, phosphates and micas. The lack of a progressive Ta/Nb increase with the fractionation may be also influenced by the high F and P availability in the parental pegmatitic melts. Most of the primary Nb-Ta oxides would have crystallized by punctual chemical variations in the boundary layer, whereas cassiterite formation would be related to an undercooling of the system. Whole-rock composition of the distinguished lithotypes reflects similar tendencies to those observed in mineral chemistry, supporting a single path of fractional crystallization from the parental Nisa-Alburquerque monzogranite up to the most evolved Li-rich aplite-pegmatites. The age of 305 ± 9 Ma, determined by LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of columbite-tantalite oxides, reinforces the linkage of the studied aplite-pegmatites and the cited parental monzogranite.