High- and Low-Temperature I-type Granites

Abstract: I– and S-type granites differ in several distinctive ways, as a consequence of their derivation from contrasting source rocks. The more mafic granites, whose compositions are closest to those of the source rocks, are most readily classified as I– or S–type. As granites become more felsic, compositions of the two types converge towards those of lowest temperature silicate melts. While discrimination of the two is therefore more difficult for such felsic rocks, that in no way invalidates the twofold subdivision. If felsic granite melts undergo fractional crystallisation, the major element compositions are not affected to any significant extent, but the concentrations of trace elements can vary widely. For some trace elements, fractional crystallisation causes the trace element abundances to diverge, so the I– and S– type granites are again easily separated. Such fractionated S-type granites can be distinguished, for example, by high P and low Th and Ce, relative to their I-type analogues. Our observations in the Lachlan Fold Belt show that there is no genetic basis for subdividing peraluminous granites into more mafic and felsic varieties, as has been attempted elsewhere. The subdivision of felsic peraluminous granites into I– and S-types is more appropriate, and mafic peraluminous granites are always S–type. In a given area, associated mafic and felsic S-type granites are likely to be closely related in origin, with the former comprising both restite-rich magmas and cumulate rocks, and the felsic granites corresponding to melts that may have undergone fractional crystallisation after prior restite separation. We propose a subdivision of I-type granites into two groups, formed at high and low temperatures. The high-temperature I–type granites formed from a magma that was completely or largely molten, and in which crystals of zircon were not initially present because the melt was undersaturated in zircon. In comparison with low-temperature I–type granites, the compositions extend to lower SiO₂ contents and the abundances of Ba, Zr and the rare earth elements initially increase with increasing SiO₂ in the more mafic rocks. While the high-temperature I–type granite magmas were produced by the partial melting of mafic source rocks, their low-temperature analogues resulted from the partial melting of quartzofeldspathic rocks such as older tonalites. In that second case, the melt produced was felsic and the more mafic low-temperature I–type granites have that character because of the presence of entrained and magmatically equilibrated restite. High temperature granites are more prospective for mineralisation, both because of that higher temperature and because they have a greater capacity to undergo extended fractional crystallisation, with consequent concentration of incompatible components, including H₂O.     

The Cornubian Batholith: an Example of Magmatic Fractionation on a Crustal Scale

Abstract. The Cornubian Batholith comprises six major and several smaller bodies of S‐type granite in southwestern England. These late‐Variscan granites comprise two‐mica granites, and much less abundant Li‐mica granites that are restricted to one of the major bodies (St Austell) and smaller bodies. Some of these intrusive rocks are associated with major Sn mineralization. This paper is concerned with the geochemistry of the two‐mica granites, which are felsic, strongly peraluminous, and have a high total alkali content and low Na:K. Rocks with very similar compositions to these granites occur elsewhere, including the Variscan granites of continental Europe, and in southeastern Australia. In detail all of the major plutons of this batholith have distinctive compositions, except for Bodmin Moor and Carnmenellis which cannot be discriminated from each other compositionally. A comparison with experimental data shows that the granites attained their major element composition under conditions of crystal‐liquid equilibrium, with the final melt being saturated in H₂O, at temperatures close to 770d?C and pressures about 50 MPa. That temperature estimate is in good agreement with values obtained from zircon saturation thermometry. The specific minimum‐temperature composition excludes the possibility of widespread transfer of elements during hydrothermal alteration. Minor elements that are relatively very abundant are Li, B, Cs and U, while F, Ga, Ge, Rb, Sn, Ta, W and Tl are quite abundant and P is high for felsic rocks. Sr, Ba, and the trace transition metals Sc to Zn, are low, but not as low as they commonly are in very felsic granites. These trace element abundances, and the EL₂O‐saturation, resulted from the fractional crystallization of a melt derived by the partial melting of feldspathic greywackes in the crust. The Cornubian granites have compositions very similar to the more felsic rocks of the Koetong Suite of southeastern Australia, where a full range of granites formed at the various stages of magmatic fractionation postulated for the Cornubian granites, can be observed. The operation of fractional crystallization in the Cornubian granites is confirmed by the high P abundances in the feldspars, with P contents of the plagioclase crystals correlating with Ab‐con‐tent Most of the granites represent solidified melt compositions but within the Dartmoor pluton there is a significant component of granites that are cumulative, shown by their higher Ca contents. The Cornubian plutons define areas of high heat flow, of a magnitude which requires that fractionated magmas were transported laterally from their sources and concentrated in the exposed plutons. The generation of these granite plutons therefore involved magmatic fractionation during the stages of partial melting, removal of unmelted material from that melt, and fractional crystallization. During the later stages of those processes, movement of those magmas occurred on a crustal scale.     

Lead contents of S-type granites and their petrogenetic significance

An evaluation of Pb and Ba contents in S-type granites can provide important information on the processes of crustal partial melting. Primary low-T S-type granites, which form mainly by fluid-absent muscovite melting, may acquire a significant enrichment in Pb when compared to higher-T S-type granites for a given Ba content. We consider the following factors are responsible for this enrichment: Muscovite is a major carrier of Pb in amphibolite facies metapelites, and thus large quantities of Pb can be liberated upon its breakdown. The typical restite assemblage of Qz?+?Bt?+?Sil?±?Pl?±?Grt?±?Kfsp that forms during low-T, fluid-absent muscovite melting can take up only minor amounts of this Pb. This is because the crystal/melt Pb distribution coefficients for these restite minerals are low to very low. Only K-feldspar is moderately compatible for Pb, with a crystal/melt distribution coefficient of ~3, but its modal content in restites is usually low. At the same time, the restite assemblage will retain much Ba owing to the very high Ba uptake in both biotite and K-feldspar, which is an order of magnitude higher than for Pb. Thus, during a low-T anatectic event involving a low degree of crustal melting, Pb (as an incompatible element) can become strongly enriched in the partial melt relative to Ba and also relative to source rock values. In the case of higher-T anatexis and larger partial melt amounts, the Pb becomes less enriched and the Ba less depleted or even enriched relative to source rock values. During fractional crystallization of a S-type granite magma, Ba behaves strongly compatibly and Pb weakly compatibly. The concentrations of both elements decrease along the liquid line of decent. Owing to this sympathetic fractionation behavior, the primary, source-related Pb–Ba fingerprint (with weak or strong Pb enrichment) remains in evolved S-type granites. This facilitates a distinction between primary low-T S-type granites, which are related to muscovite melting, and secondary low-T S-type granites that evolve through fractional crystallization from a higher-T parental magma. We show in this paper that a simple logarithmic Pb versus Ba diagram can be a valuable aid for interpreting the petrogenesis of S-type granite suites.     

Trace elements and evolution of granite melt as exemplified by the Raumid Pluton,Southern Pamirs

New trace element data were obtained by ICP-MS for 58 samples representing eight intrusive phases of the Raumid granite Pluton. All of the rocks, except for one sample that was deliberately taken from a greisenized zone, were not affected by postmagmatic fluid alteration. The sequential accumulation of incompatible trace elements (Rb, Ta, Nb, Pb, U, and others) in the Raumid Pluton from the early to late phases coupled with a decrease in incompatible element contents (Sr, Eu, Ba, and others) indicates a genetic link between the granites of all phases via fractional crystallization of a granite melt. The REE distribution patterns of final granite phases are typical of rare-metal granites. The Ta content in the granites of phase 8 is only slightly lower than that of typical rare-metal granites. Greisenization disturbed the systematic variations in trace element distribution formed during the magmatic stage. The ranges of trace element contents (Rb, Sr, Ta, Nb, and others) and ratios (Rb/Sr, La/Lu, Eu/Eu*, and others) in the Raumid granite overlap almost entirely the ranges of granitic rocks of various compositions, from the least differentiated with ordinary trace element contents to rare-metal granites. This indicates that the geochemical signature of rare-metal granites can develop at the magmatic stage owing to fractional crystallization of melts, which is the case for the melt of the Raumid granite.     

Geochemical and thermodynamic modeling of the petrogenesis of A1-type granites and associated intermediate rocks: A case study from the central Fennoscandian Shield

The origin of ferroan A-type granites in anorogenic tectonic settings remains a long-standing petrological puzzle. The proposed models range from extreme fractional crystallization of mantle-derived magmas to partial melting of crustal rocks, or involve combination of both. In this study, we apply whole-rock chemical and Sm-Nd isotopic compositions and thermodynamically constrained modeling (Magma Chamber Simulator, MCS) to decipher the genesis of a suite of A1-type peralkaline to peraluminous granites and associated intermediate rocks (monzodiorite-monzonite, syenite) from the southwestern margin of the Archean Karelia craton, central Finland, Fennoscandian Shield. These plutonic rocks were emplaced at ca. 2.05 Ga during an early stage of the break-up of the Karelia craton along its western margin and show trace element affinities to ocean island basalt-type magmas. The intermediate rocks show positive ε_Nd(2050 Ma) values (+1.3 to +2.6), which are only slightly lower than the estimated contemporaneous depleted mantle value (+3.4), but much higher than average ε_Nd(2050 Ma) of Archean TTGs (–10) in the surrounding bedrock, indicating that these rocks were essentially derived from a mantle source. The ε_Nd(2050 Ma) values of the peralkaline and peraluminous granite samples overlap (–0.9 to +0.6 and –3.2 to +0.9, respectively) and are somewhat lower than those in the intermediate rocks, suggesting that the mafic magmas parental to granite must have assimilated some amount of older Archean continental crust during their fractionation, which is consistent with the continental crust-like trace element signatures of the granite members. The MCS modeling indicates that fractional crystallization of mantle-derived magmas can explain the major element characteristics of the intermediate rocks. The generation of the granites requires further fractional crystallization of these magmas coupled with assimilation of Archean crust. These processes took place in the middle to upper crust (∼2–4 kbar, ∼7–15 km) and involved crystallization of large amounts of clinopyroxene, plagioclase and olivine. Our results highlight the importance of coupled FC-AFC processes in the petrogenesis of A-type magmas and support the general perception that magmas of A-type ferroan granites become more peraluminous by assimilation of crust. They further suggest that variable fractionation paths of the magmas upon the onset of assimilation may explain the broad variety of A-type felsic and intermediate igneous rocks that is often observed emplaced closely in time and space within the same igneous complex.     

Significance of selective crystal entrainment and differential crystal-melt separation in petrogenesis of granites from the Tongbai orogen

Partial melting has been shown to be an important mechanism for intracrustal differentiation and granite petrogenesis. However, a series of compositional differences between granitic melt from experiments and natural granites indicate that the processes of crustal differentiation are complex. To shed light on factors that control the processes of crustal differentiation, and then the compositions of granitic magma, a combined study of petrology and geochemistry was carried out for granites (in the forms of granitic veins and parautochthonous granite) from a granulite terrane in the Tongbai orogen, China. These granites are characterized by high SiO₂ (>72 wt%) and low FeO and MgO (<4 wt%) with low Na₂O/K₂O ratios (<0.7). Minerals in these granites show variable microstructures and compositions. Phase equilibrium modelling using P–T pseudosections shows that neither anatectic melts nor fractionated melts match the compositions of the target granites, challenging the conventional paradigm that granites are the crystallized product of pure granitic melts. Based on the microstructural features of minerals in the granites, and a comparison of their compositions with crystallized minerals from anatectic melts and minerals in granulites, the minerals in these granitoids are considered to have three origins. The first is entrained garnets, which show comparable compositions with those in host granulites. The second is early crystallized mineral from melts, which include large plagioclase and K-feldspar (with high Ca contents) crystals as well as a part of biotite whose compositions can be reproduced by crystallization of the anatectic melts. The compositions of other minerals such as small grained plagioclase, K-feldspar and anorthoclase in the granites with low Ca contents are not well reconstructed, so they are considered as the third origin of crystallized products of fractionated melts. The results of mass balance calculation show that the compositions of these granites can be produced by mixing between different proportions of crystallized minerals and fractionated melts with variable amounts of entrained minerals. However, the calculated modal proportions of different crystallized minerals (plagioclase, K-feldspar, biotite and quartz) in the granites are significantly different from those predicted by melt crystallization modelling. Specifically, some rocks have lower modes of biotite and plagioclase, whereas others show lower K-feldspar modes than those produced by melt crystallization. This indicates that the crystallized minerals would be differentially separated from the primary magmas to form the evolved magmas that produce these granites. Therefore, the crystal entrainment and differential melt-crystal separation make important contributions to the composition of the target granites. Compared with leucogranites worldwide, the target granites show comparable compositions. As such, the leucogranites may form through the crystal fractionation of primary granitic magmas at different extents in addition to variable degrees of partial melting.     

Magma Mixing and the Production of Compositional Variation within Granite Suites: Evidence from the Granites of Southeastern Australia

Granite suites are groups of plutons possessing characteristicfeatures that are a result of their derivation from source materialof a specific composition. Variation within suites has beenascribed to a variety of processes. Magma mixing or minglingis a popular hypothesis, generally proposed in terms of blendingbetween a crustal melt and mafic material from the mantle thatcaused that melting. When the compositions of pairs of suitesfrom the Bega Batholith of southeastern Australia are compared,any differences seen at either end of the range in compositionare also seen at the other limit, so that both the most maficand most felsic rocks show similar relative abundances of particularelements. Similar relationships are seen for other granitesin the region. These observations are not consistent with large-scalemagma mixing or mingling and, although those processes may operateon a small scale, they cannot have been responsible for themajor compositional variations. Likewise, assimilation of countryrocks had no significant role in producing variation in thegranites of southeastern Australia. The production of variationby differential separation of melt from residual solid sourcematerial, or restite, must be favoured for many of the granitesuites of this region. KEY WORDS: assimilation; enclaves; granite suites; magma mixing; restite     

铌钽矿研究进展和攀西地区铌钽矿成因初探

铌钽矿主要产出类型包括伟晶岩型、富Li-F花岗岩型、碱性侵入岩型、碳酸岩型及冲积砂矿型。前2种类型以钽为主,后3种则以铌占主导。铌和钽大多以铌钽独立矿物(铌铁矿、钽铁矿、细晶石、烧绿石等)呈浸染状分布于含矿岩石中,也有部分以类质同象的形式分布于云母、榍石、霓石、钛铁矿等矿物中。关于铌钽矿的富集机制,一些学者认为可由富F-Na和稀有金属(铌、钽等)的花岗质熔体经结晶分异作用形成;另一些学者则根据铌钽矿化与岩石的钠长石化、锂云母化等紧密共生的特点,认为铌钽的富集是岩浆期后流体交代早期形成的花岗岩所致。攀西(攀枝花-西昌)地区的铌钽矿床(化)基本上都是沿着断裂带分布,矿体赋存于印支期碱性岩脉(碱性正长伟晶岩)中,有少数存在于碱性花岗岩中,与区域上邻近的正长岩体及花岗岩体关系密切。其矿石矿物主要为烧绿石、褐钇铌矿等。初步推断,攀西地区的铌钽矿与二叠纪地幔柱活动有关。碱性的正长岩体及花岗岩体与广泛分布的峨眉山玄武岩、辉长岩均是地幔柱岩浆活动的产物,长英质岩体(包括正长岩体和花岗岩体)是富铌钽岩石的母岩体。碱性伟晶岩脉(如炉库和白草地区)是碱性岩浆逐步演化的产物,含矿的碱性花岗岩是花岗质岩浆分异演化的结果。此外,在该地区的铌钽矿床中,铌钽矿物几乎都富集在钠长石化发育的地段,说明后期的热液交代对铌钽的富集也起到了一定作用。因此,攀西地区铌钽的富集是岩浆结晶分异和岩浆期后热液交代共同作用的结果。     

Geochemistry of the Sweetwater Wash Pluton,California: Implications for “anomalous” trace element behavior during differentiation of felsic magmas

Field relations, mineralogy and major and trace element data for the very felsic, peraluminous Sweetwater Wash pluton establish a differentiation sequence dominantly controlled by fractional crystallization processes. Elements Ba and Sr show depletion by factors of 50–60X from the earliest granite unit analyzed to the late-stage pegmatites and aplites. The strong Ba depletion is largely due to the partitioning behavior of this element in K-feldspar, while the Sr depletion is due to the combined effects of the two feldspars. The 4-fold increase in Rb during crystallization is also predictable from mineral/ melt partition coefficients.Coefficients for the light rare-earth elements (LREE) in major mineral species predict that these elements should behave incompatibly during crystallization and increase with fractionation. In fact, the LREE abundances decrease by a factor of 10–20X during crystallization. This anomalous behavior is commonly observed in felsic plutonic and volcanic sequences. In the Sweetwater Wash pluton monazite occurs in minute quantities, but it is sufficiently abundant to govern the partitioning of LREE and Th during crystallization. Petrographic observations indicate that monazite was on the liquidus throughout most of the crystallization. Analyses of silicate mineral separates suggest that the monazite contains more than 75% of the LREE in the whole rocks.Fractionation of REE-rich accessories (in particular monazite) from felsic magmas may be the general cause of REE depletion during differentiation of these melts. Monazite can easily be mistaken for zircon and, because it typically contains 50% LREE, extremely minute and easily overlooked quantities of monazite can control LREE abundances.     

The Ackley City Batholith,southeastern Newfoundland: Evidence for crystal versus liquid-state fractionation

The 345 ± 10 Ma old composite Ackley City Batholith of southeastern Newfoundland, consists largely of very felsic K-feldspar megacrystic granite and alaskite. Spatially related to the southeast contact of the alaskite are younger aplites and pegmatite, intrusive phases which are interpreted to be pan of a tilted, high level roof zone complex to the batholith. The compositions of the alaskite and roof zone complex define major and trace element gradients similar to those in voluminous high-silica eruptive suites; i.e., the alaskite is more chemically evolved (higher in Rb, lower in Ca, Fe, Mn, Ti, P, Sr, Ba and LREE) toward the roof. Apparently these chemical gradients in the batholith are restricted to the top 2 to 3 kms of the former magma chamber. Fractional crystallization is a plausible process for generating the chemical dispersion in the granites, although very high feldspar partition coefficients for Ba, Sr and Eu are required to generate the observed chemical gradients by a reasonable degree of fractional crystallization. Restriction of crystal fractionation to near the roof of the batholith may reflect a decreased viscosity which would facilitate crystal-liquid separation by processes such as filter pressing, flow differentiation or convective fractionation.The chemical gradients in these granites closely resemble those attributed in high-silica volcanics to the process of thermogravitational diffusion (TGD). Compositional gradients in the upper portion of a magma chamber are consistent with the TGD model. This model, although still poorly understood, is, like fractional crystallization, a plausible mechanism to generate the chemical features of the Ackley City granites.     

The Topsails igneous terrane,Western Newfoundland: evidence for magma mixing

The Topsails igneous terrane of Western Newfoundland contains a diverse suite of igneous rocks, but consists mainly of Silurian alkaline to peralkaline granites and rhyolites. The terrane exhibits evidence for the coexistence of mafic and salic magmas in the form of composite dykes and flows, sinuous, boudined mafic dykes cutting granites and net vein complexes. Field data and major and trace element chemical data suggest that these magmas mixed to produce limited volumes of more or less homogeneous hydrids.Magma mixing, a process which has received recent prominence in petrogenetic models for calc-alkaline volcanic suites, has elicited less attention than restite separation and fractional crystallization as a cause of chemical dispersion in granites. Evidence from the Topsails igneous terrane suggests the possible importance of magma mixing to granite petrogenesis and a major role for transcurrent faulting in the origin and evolution of peralkaline magmas.     

Zr/Hf ratio as an indicator of fractionation of rare-metal granites by the example of the Kukulbei complex,eastern Transbaikalia

The concept of granitic melt fractionation as the main process in the concentration of rare elements in granites calls for the development of a reliable method to determine the evolutionary sequences of granite series. We propose to use for this purpose a zirconium-hafnium indicator, the Zr/Hf weight ratio in granitic rocks (Zaraisky et al., 1999, 2000). By the example of three classic regions of rare-metal deposits, eastern Transbaikalia, central Kazakhstan, and Erzgebirge (Czech Republic and Germany), it was empirically shown that the Zr/Hf ratio of granites decreases during the fractional crystallization of granite magmas in the sequence granodiorite → biotite granite → leucogranite → lithium-fluorine granite. The reason is the higher affinity of Hf compared with Zr to a granite melt. This implies that the crystallization and settling of accessory zircon will cause the progressive enrichment of Hf relative to Zr in the residual melt. As a result, the Zr/Hf ratio decreases regularly in the series of sequential phases of granite intrusion related to a single magma chamber from granodiorite to biotite granite, leucogranite, and Li-F granite (from 45-30 to 10-2). Our experimental investigations supported the preferential enrichment of haplogranite melt in Hf and zircon crystals in equilibrium with melt in Zr (T= 800°C and P = 1 kbar). The Zr/Hf indicator was tested by the example of the wellknown Kukulbei rare-metal granite complex of eastern Transbaikalia (J3), which is unique in the degree of fractionation of initial granite melt with the formation of three phases of granite emplacement and vein derivatives. An important feature of the complex is its “short” differentiation trend. It was supposed that the granite magma of the first phase is parental, and the later phases forming small intrusive bodies in large massifs of biotite granites of the first phase are sequential products of its crystallization differentiation in a magma chamber. The biotite granites of the first phase are barren. The leucocratic granites of the second phase are accompanied by tin-tungsten greisen deposits (e.g., Spokoininskoe), and the upper part of cupola-like stocks of Li-F amazonite granites of the third phase host apogranite-type tantalum deposits (Orlovka, Etyka, and Achikan). In addition to three granite phases, the Kukulbei complex includes dikes of ongonites, elvans, amazonite granites, and chamber miarolitic pegmatites. All of the granitic rocks of the complex have similar isotopic ages of 142± 0.6 Ma. The Zr/Hf ratio decreases systematically from phase 1 (40–25), to phase 2 (20–10), and phase 3 (10–2). The ongonites, elvans, and pegmatites have similar Zr/Hf ratios (15-5), falling between the ranges of leucocratic muscovite granites and Li-F granites. Compared with other granite series, the granitic rocks of the Kukulbei complex show specific petrographic and geochemical features: they are strongly enriched in Rb, Li, Cs, Be, Sn, W, Mo, Ta, Nb, Bi, and F but depleted in Mg, Ca, Fe, Ti, P, Sr, Ba, V, Co, Ni, Cr, Zr, REE, and Y. From the early to late intrusion phases, the degree of enrichment and depletion in these element groups increases regularly. This is accompanied by a significant decrease (from 40 to 2) in Zr/Hf, which can be used as a reliable indicator of genetic relations, degree of fractionation, and rare-metal potential of granites. Granites with Zr/Hf values lower than 25 are promising for prospecting for Sn, W, Mo, and Be greisen deposits, whereas the formation of Ta deposits requires Zr/Hf values lower than 10.     

Genesis and Mixing/Mingling of Mafic and Felsic Magmas of Back-Arc Granite: Miocene Tsushima Pluton, Southwest Japan

The Middle Miocene Tsushima granite pluton is composed of leucocratic granites, gray granites and numerous mafic microgranular enclaves (MME). The granites have a metaluminous to slightly peraluminous composition and belong to the calc‐alkaline series, as do many other coeval granites of southwestern Japan, all of which formed in relation to the opening of the Sea of Japan. The Tsushima granites are unique in that they occur in the back‐arc area of the innermost Inner Zone of Southwest Japan, contain numerous miarolitic cavities, and show shallow crystallization (2–6 km deep), based on hornblende geobarometry. The leucocratic granite has higher initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7065–0.7085) and lower ε_Nd(t) (?7.70 to ?4.35) than the MME of basaltic–dacitic composition (0.7044–0.7061 and ?0.53 to ?5.24), whereas most gray granites have intermediate chemical and Sr–Nd isotopic compositions (0.7061–0.7072 and ?3.75 to ?6.17). Field, petrological, and geochemical data demonstrate that the Tsushima granites formed by the mingling and mixing of mafic and felsic magmas. The Sr–Nd–Pb isotope data strongly suggest that the mafic magma was derived from two mantle components with depleted mantle material and enriched mantle I (EMI) compositions, whereas the felsic magma formed by mixing of upper mantle magma of EMI composition with metabasic rocks in the overlying lower crust. Element data points deviating from the simple mixing line of the two magmas may indicate fractional crystallization of the felsic magma or chemical modification by hydrothermal fluid. The miarolitic cavities and enrichment of alkali elements in the MME suggest rapid cooling of the mingled magma accompanied by elemental transport by hydrothermal fluid. The inferred genesis of this magma–fluid system is as follows: (i) the mafic and felsic magmas were generated in the mantle and lower crust, respectively, by a large heat supply and pressure decrease under back‐arc conditions induced by mantle upwelling and crustal thinning; (ii) they mingled and crystallized rapidly at shallow depths in the upper crust without interaction during the ascent of the magmas from the middle to the upper crust, which (iii) led to fluid generation in the shallow crust. The upper mantle in southwest Japan thus has an EMI‐like composition, which plays an important role in the genesis of igneous rocks there.     

The Zr/Hf ratio as a fractionation indicator of rare-metal granites

The Zr-Hf geochemical indicator, i.e., the Zr/Hf ratio (in wt %) in granitic rocks is proposed to be used as the most reliable indicator of the fractionation and ore potential of rare-metal granites. It was empirically determined that the fractional crystallization of granitic magma according to the scheme granodiorite → biotite granite → leucogranite → Li-F granite is associated with a decrease in the Zr/Hf ratio of the granites. The reason for this is the stronger affinity of Hf than Zr to granitic melt. This was confirmed by experiments on Zr and Hf distribution between granitic melt and crystals of Hf-bearing zircon (T = 800°C, P= 1 kbar). The application of the Zr/Hf indicator was tested at three classic territories of rare-metal granites: eastern Transbaikalia, central Kazakhstan, and the Erzgebirge in the Czech Republic and Germany. The reference Kukul’bei complex of rare-metal granites in eastern Transbaikalia (J₃) is characterized by a uniquely high degree of fractionation of the parental granitic melt, with the granites and their vein derivatives forming three intrusive phases. The biotite granites of phase 1 are barren, the leucogranites of phase 2 are accompanied by greisen Sn-W mineral deposits (Spokoininskoe and others), and the final dome-shaped stocks of amazonite Li-F granites of phase 3 host (in their upper parts) Ta deposits of the “apogranite” type: Orlovka, Etyka, and Achikan. The Kukul’bei Complex includes also dikes of ongonites, elvanes, amazonite granites, and miarolitic pegmatites. All granitic rocks of the complex are roughly coeval and have an age of 142±0.6 Ma. The Zr/Hf ratio of the rocks systematically decreases from intrusive phase 1 (40–25) to phases 2 (20–30) and 3 (10–2). Compared to other granite series, the granites of the Kukul’bei Complex are enriched in Rb, Li, Cs, Be, Sn, W, Mo, Ta, Nb, Bi, and F but are depleted in Mg, Ca, Fe, Ti, P, Sr, Ba, V, Co, Ni, Cr, Zr, REE, and Y. From earlier to later intrusive phases, the rocks become progressively more strongly enriched or depleted in these elements, and their Zr/Hf ratio systematically decreases from 40 to 2. This ratio serves as a reliable indicator of genetic links, degree of fractionation, and rare-metal potential of granites. Greisen Sn, W, Mo, and Be deposits are expected to accompany granites with Zr/Hf < 25, whereas granites related to Ta deposits should have Zr/Hf < 5.     

Geochemical evolution of halogen-enriched granite magmas and mineralizing fluids of the Zinnwald tin-tungsten mining district,Erzgebirge, Germany

We remelted and analyzed crystallized silicate melt inclusions in quartz from a porphyritic albite-zinnwaldite microgranite dike to determine the composition of highly evolved, shallowly intruded, Li- and F-rich granitic magma and to investigate the role of crystal fractionation and aqueous fluid exsolution in causing the extreme extent of magma differentiation. This dike is intimately associated with tin- and tungsten-mineralized granites of Zinnwald, Erzgebirge, Germany. Prior research on Zinnwald granite geochemistry was limited by the effects of strong and pervasive greisenization and alkali-feldspar metasomatism of the rocks. These melt inclusions, however, provide important new constraints on magmatic and mineralizing processes in Zinnwald magmas.The mildly peraluminous granitic melt inclusions are strongly depleted in CAFEMIC constituents (e.g., CaO, FeO, MgO, TiO₂), highly enriched in lithophile trace elements, and highly but variably enriched in F and Cl. The melt inclusions contain up to several thousand ppm Cl and nearly 3 wt% F, on average; several inclusions contain more than 5 wt% F. The melt inclusions are geochemically similar to the corresponding whole-rock sample, except that the former contain much more F and less CaO, FeO, Zr, Nb, Sr, and Ba. The Sr and Ba abundances are very low implying the melt inclusions represent magma that was more evolved than that represented by the bulk rock. Relationships involving melt constituents reflect increasing lithophile-element and halogen abundances in residual melt with progressive magma differentiation. Modeling demonstrates that differentiation was dominated by crystal fractionation involving quartz and feldspar and significant quantities of topaz and F-rich zinnwaldite. The computed abundances of the latter phases greatly exceed their abundances in the rocks, suggesting that the residual melt was separated physically from phenocrysts during magma movement and evolution.Interactions of aqueous fluids with silicate melt were also critical to magma evolution. To better understand the role of halogen-charged, aqueous fluids in magmatic differentiation and in subsequent mineralization and metasomatism of the Zinnwald granites, Cl-partitioning experiments were conducted with a F-enriched silicate melt and aqueous fluids at 2,000 bar (200 MPa). The results of the experimentally determined partition coefficients for Cl and F, the compositions of fluid inclusions in quartz and other phenocrysts, and associated geochemical modeling point to an important role of magmatic-hydrothermal fluids in influencing magma geochemistry and evolution. The exsolution of halogen-charged fluids from the Li- and F-enriched Zinnwald granitic magma modified the Cl, alkali, and F contents of the residual melt, and may have also sequestered Li, Sn, and W from the melt. Many of these fluids contained strongly elevated F concentrations that were equivalent to or greater than their Cl abundances. The exsolution of F-, Cl-, Li-, ± W- and Sn-bearing hydrothermal fluids from Zinnwald granite magmas was important in effecting the greisenizing and alkali-feldspathizing metasomatism of the granites and the concomitant mineralization.Editorial Handling: B. Lehmann     

Topaz–albite granites and rare-metal mineralization in the Limu District, Guangxi Province, southeast China

The topaz-albite granites of the Limu district are ultra-acidic, peraluminous, Li-F-Na-rich and Sn-Ta-Nb-mineralized. A distinct vertical zonation is developed in the granite stocks. There is an upward, systematic transition from leucocratic microcline-albite granite, through albite-microcline granite, topaz-albite granite, pegmatite stockscheider and layered pegmatite-aplite dikes, to K-feldspar-quartz veins and lepidolite-fluorite stringers in the country rocks. Snow-ball textures, homogeneous distribution of rock-forming and accessory minerals, disseminated mineralization, and melt inclusions in quartz, topaz, and albite are typical features indicative of their crystallization from the late stage Li-F-Na-rich and Sn-Ta-Nb-bearing residual granitic melts at a higher intrusion level. A comparison with rare-metal-bearing pegmatite, ongonite, topaz rhyolite and obsidian glass from other regions shows the worldwide existence of these specialized residual melts. Their emplacement and crystallization in a variety of geological environments result in the formation of a series of chemically similar rocks with different petrographic textures and mineral associations. The topaz-albite granites and associated mineralization in the Limu district provide a good example of highly evolved magmatic fractionation in the F-rich granite system and fluid/melt partitioning behavior of rare-metal elements during magmatic-hydrothermal evolution.     

花岗岩结晶分离作用问题——关于花岗岩研究的思考之二

岩浆结晶分离作用是一个古老的话题,很早就有学者指出,地球内部生成的岩浆大多是玄武质岩浆,大多数花岗岩是由玄武岩结晶分离形成的。本文在考察了岩浆结晶分离作用的制约因素、比较了不同性质岩浆结晶分离作用的特征之后指出:玄武质岩浆可以发生结晶分离作用,因为有与其相关的堆晶岩产出;安山质岩浆也可以发生结晶分离作用,因为也有与其相关的堆晶岩产出。但是,花岗质岩浆似乎不大可能发生结晶分离作用,因为,很少见到有与(富硅的)花岗质岩浆相伴的堆晶岩产出。花岗质岩浆之所以不大可能发生结晶分离作用的原因在于:(1)岩浆的黏性大,它不仅阻滞了矿物的结晶作用(使斜长石不能发育为自形晶),而且阻止了密度大的矿物(例如角闪石)下沉;(2)主要造岩矿物(例如斜长石)的密度与花岗质岩浆的密度相差无几,使结晶分离作用难以进行。本文详细考察了花岗质岩浆中斜长石的行为,指出在花岗质岩浆中斜长石结晶分离几乎是不可能的。那么,文献中大量充斥的花岗岩结晶分离作用的说法是依据什么呢?作者认为,文献中的许多说法可能主要是根据哈克图解得出的,而不是根据实际观察和理论研究得出的。作者认为,玄武岩和花岗岩不仅来源不同,成分不同,而且解释也不同。哈克图解中许多适合玄武岩的解释未必适合花岗岩。由于鲍文反应原理是结晶分离作用的理论基础,因此,文中也对鲍文反应原理进行了评述,并指出文献中存在的一些需要认真对待的问题,例如,从玄武岩-安山岩-英安岩-流纹岩的连续演化序列是不可能的;单元-超单元填图方法是不科学的;中国东部中生代大规模花岗岩不可能是玄武质岩浆结晶分离形成的等等。本文还以 Ajaji el ai.(1998)报道的摩洛哥 Tanncherfi 花岗岩为例,指出结晶分离作用的解释是不可能的。作者认为,花岗岩类的成分变化大,主要可能与源区组成、温度、压力、挥发分、部分熔融程度和过程、混合作用、岩浆分异及结晶分离作用有关。其中,源区组成可能是花岗岩多样性的最重要的原因,而结晶分离作用的影响可能是微乎其微的。本文认为,花岗岩结晶分离作用对于花岗岩成因的意义已经被大大地夸大了,我们应当重新思考结晶分离作用对于花岗质岩浆的意义。由于花岗岩的极端复杂性,许多问题还得不到比较合理的解释,本文的认识只是初步的。     

Geochronology and petrogenesis of Pan-African, syn-tectonic, S-type and post-tectonic A-type granite (Namibia): products of melting of crustal sources, fractional crystallization and wall rock entrainment

The Oetmoed Granite–Migmatite Complex (OGMC), Central Damara Orogen, Namibia, consists mainly of 526 to 516 Ma garnet- and cordierite-bearing granite and subordinate 488 to 494 Ma hornblende- and titanite-bearing granite in the form of planar sheets and dykes. Additionally, a slightly elongated granite body occurs in the center of the complex. The garnet- and cordierite-bearing granite has major- and trace-element characteristics of S-type granite but the hornblende- and titanite-bearing granite has higher HFSE and REE contents similar to A-type granite. Whereas the garnet- and cordierite-bearing granite contains numerous restitic xenoliths, the hornblende- and titanite-bearing granite is xenolith-free. The country rocks are cordierite–sillimanite–K-feldspar–garnet-bearing metasedimentary rocks and migmatite. Cordierite- and garnet-rich xenoliths in the S-type granite do not represent primary restite, their depleted chemical composition is best explained by varying and large degrees of partial melting of incorporated country rocks. Most chemical variations among the garnet- and cordierite-bearing granite can be explained by processes linked with fractional crystallization of plagioclase, biotite and accessory phases, mostly monazite and zircon. Major and trace element data and high δ ¹⁸O values suggest that the least evolved members of the garnet- and cordierite-bearing granite were derived from metapelitic rocks at ca. 800°C as inferred from monazite and apatite dissolution thermometry. Higher CaO and Na₂O but lower SiO₂ contents and lower Rb/Sr ratios as well as lower δ ¹⁸O values of the hornblende- and titanite-bearing granite suggest that they are more likely generated by partial melting of non-pelitic sources (metagranitoids?) at temperatures in excess of 900°C. Decreasing TiO₂, Na₂O, FeO_tot., MgO, CaO, total REE content but increasing Al₂O₃ and K₂O indicate fractionation of mainly hornblende and titanite in the case of the hornblende- and titanite-bearing granite. The differing compositions of the garnet- and cordierite-bearing granite and the hornblende- and titanite-bearing granite are attributed to different source rocks (metapelite instead of metagranitoid) and different temperatures during melting as inferred from accessory phase dissolution thermometry. Furthermore, significant entrainment of country rock in some samples played a major role during petrogenesis of the garnet- and cordierite-bearing granite but was not important during the evolution of the hornblende- and titanite-bearing granite. Intrusion of such hot, felsic magmas close to the inferred peak of metamorphism has probably caused, in part, the high temperature metamorphism and anatexis of the country rocks at relatively low pressures.     

Inclusions in Three S-Type Granites from Southeastern Australia

The Jillamatong Granodiorite is one of the most mafic S-typegranites in the Kosciusko regidn and is typical of widely distributed,cordierite-bearing S-type granites in the Lachlan Fold Beltof southeastern Australia. The Koetong and Granya Adamellitesbelong to the Koetong Suite of the Corryong Batholith and arerare examples in the Lachlan Fold Belt of granites that containprimary muscovite. Although subtle differences can be found,inclusions within the Jillamatong Granodiorite and the KoetongSuite are broadly similar despite the fact that the JillamatongGranodiorite belongs to a different and distinct suite (theBullenbalong Suite). Mica-rich schistose and micTogranular inclusionsdominate but other types occur, including foliated quartzofeldspathicvarieties, calcsilicates, quartzites, and pure quartz types.The total abundance of all inclusion types in each granite studiedis less than 5.1% although abundance varies from one graniteto another. All inclusions are believed to have been derived from metasedimentaryor modified metasedimentary lithologies and all inclusions,except some quartzites, were entrained at depth where the hostgranite magmas were generated by partial melting of heterogeneoussedimentary sources. The inclusions are restite but most arenot complementary to the melt component of the magma now representedby the host granite. They represent fragments from differentrefractory lithologies of a complex metasedimentary source andbecause their compositions and mineral assemblages were unsuitablefor the generation of large quantities of granite melt, theydid not melt or were melted only to small and variable extents(less than the rheological critical melt percentage of Arzi,1978). Such lithologies remained physically coherent and retainedtheir separation from the host granite magma during ascent.Lithologies that did melt extensively were physically disaggregatedand are not represented among the inclusions. Since the inclusions do not represent complementary restitecontrolling compositional variation among the host granites,their compositions cannot be used to precisely estimate thebulk compositions of the source rocks. However, the different,source-rock derived, inclusion types collectively provide informationregarding the lithologies present in the source and hence thegeneral character of the source terranes. The dominance of schistoseand microgranular inclusions in the Jillamatong Granodioriteand the Koetong Suite indicates that pelitic and quartzofeldspathiccompositions are the two dominant components in the source terranes. Inclusions of the same type from the two suites are broadlysimilar but different in detail. Inclusions reflect the mineralogicaland geochemical characteristics of their host granites and thereare textural differences between microgranular inclusions ofthe two suites examined. The differences reflect subtle butsignificant contrasts in source materials, the conditions prevailingduring partial melting and the history of emplacement and crystallizationof the host magmas.     

Petrogenesis of Lingshan highly fractionated granites in the Southeast China: Implication for Nb-Ta mineralization

Whole rock major and trace element and Sr-, Nd- and Hf-isotope data, together with zircon U-Pb, Hf- and O-isotope data, are reported for the Nb-Ta ore bearing granites from the Lingshan pluton in the Southeastern China, in order to trace their petrogenesis and related Nb-Ta mineralization. The Lingshan pluton contains hornblende-bearing biotite granite in the core and biotite granite, albite granite and pegmatite at the rim. In addition, numerous mafic microgranular enclaves occur in the Lingshan granites. Zircon SIMS U-Pb dating gives consistent crystallization ages of ca. 132 Ma for the Lingshan granitoids and enclaves, consistent with the Nb-Ta mineralization age of ∼132 Ma, indicating that mafic and felsic magmatism and Nb-Ta mineralization are coeval. The biotite granites contain hornblende, and are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous, with high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.7071–0.7219, negative ε_Nd(t) value of −5.9 to −0.3, ε_Hf(t) values of −3.63 to −0.32 for whole rocks, high δ¹⁸O values and negative ε_Hf(t) values for zircons, and ancient Hf and Nd model ages of 1.41–0.95 Ga and 1.23–1.04 Ga, indicating that they are I-type granites and were derived from partial melting of ancient lower crustal materials. They have variable mineral components and geochemical features, corresponding extensive fractionation of hornblende, biotite and feldspar, with minor fractionation of apatite. Existence of mafic microgranular enclaves in the biotite granites suggests a magma mixing/mingling process for the origin of the Lingshan granitoids, and mantle-derived mafic magmas provided the heat for felsic magma generation. In contrast, the Nb-Ta mineralized albite granites and pegmatites have distinct mineral components and geochemical features, which show that they are highly-fractionated granites with extensive melt and F-rich fluid interaction in the generation of these rocks. The fluoride-rich fluids induce the enrichment in Nb and Ta in the highly evolved melts. Therefore, we conclude that the Nb-Ta mineralization is the result of hydrothermal process rather than crystal fractionation in the Lingshan pluton, which provides a case to identify magmatic and hydrothermal processes and evaluate their relative importance as ore-forming processes.