Magma mixing origin for the post-collisional adakitic monzogranite of the Triassic Yangba pluton, Northwestern margin of the South China block: geochemistry, Sr–Nd isotopic, zircon U–Pb dating and Hf isotopic evidences

• Published in: Contributions to mineralogy and petrology 2010-03, Vol.159 (3), p.389-409
• Main Authors: Qin, Jiang-Feng, Lai, Shao-Cong, Diwu, Chun-Rong, Ju, Yin-Juan, Li, Yong-Fei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Continental crust; Crystallization; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Geochemistry; Geology; Isotopes; Magma; Mineral Resources; Mineralogy; Original Paper; Petrology; Rocks; Trace elements; Triassic
• ISSN: 0010-7999; 1432-0967
• DOI: 10.1007/s00410-009-0433-2

Petrogenesis of high Mg# adakitic rocks in intracontinental settings is still a matter of debate. This paper reports major and trace element, whole-rock Sr–Nd isotope, zircon U–Pb and Hf isotope data for a suite of adakitic monzogranite and its mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs) at Yangba in the northwestern margin of the South China Block. These geochemical data suggest that magma mixing between felsic adakitic magma derived from thickened lower continental crust and mafic magma derived from subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) may account for the origin of high Mg# adakitic rocks in the intracontinental setting. The host monzogranite and MMEs from the Yangba pluton have zircon U–Pb ages of 207 ± 2 and 208 ± 2 Ma, respectively. The MMEs show igneous textures and contain abundant acicular apatite that suggests quenching process. Their trace element and evolved Sr–Nd isotopic compositions [( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) i  = 0.707069–0.707138, and ε Nd ( t ) = −6.5] indicate an origin from SCLM. Some zircon grains from the MMEs have positive ε Hf ( t ) values of 2.3–8.2 with single-stage Hf model ages of 531–764 Ma. Thus, the MMEs would be derived from partial melts of the Neoproterozoic SCLM that formed during rift magmatism in response to breakup of supercontinent Rodinia, and experience subsequent fractional crystallization and magma mixing process. The host monzogranite exhibits typical geochemical characteristics of adakite, i.e., high La/Yb and Sr/Y ratios, low contents of Y (9.5–14.5 ppm) and Yb, no significant Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.81–0.90), suggesting that garnet was stable in their source during partial melting. Its evolved Sr–Nd isotopic compositions [( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) i  = 0.7041–0.7061, and ε Nd ( t ) = −3.1 to −4.3] and high contents of K 2 O (3.22–3.84%) and Th (13.7–19.0 ppm) clearly indicate an origin from the continental crust. In addition, its high Mg# (51–55), Cr and Ni contents may result from mixing with the SCLM-derived mafic magma. Most of the zircon grains from the adakitic monzogranite show negative ε Hf ( t ) values of −9.4 to −0.1 with two-stage Hf model ages of 1,043–1,517 Ma; some zircon grains display positive ε Hf ( t ) of 0.1–3.9 with single-stage Hf ages of 704–856 Ma. These indicate that the source region of adakitic monzogranite contains the Neoproterozoic juvenile crust that has the positive ε Hf ( t ) values in the Triassic. Thus, the high-Mg adakitic granites in the intracontinental setting would form by mixing between the cru