Multiple Isotopic Components in Quaternary Volcanic Rocks of the Cascade Arc near Crater Lake, Oregon

Quaternary lavas and pyroclastic rocks of Mount Mazama, CraterLake caldera, and the surrounding area have variable Sr, Nd,and Pb isotopic compositions. High-alumina olivine tholeiites(HAOT) have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.70346–0.70364; basalticandesite, 0–70349–0.70372; shoshonitic basalticandesite, 0.70374–0.70388; and andesite, 0.70324–0.70383.Dacites of Mount Mazama have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.70348–0.70373.Most rhyodacites converge on 0.7037. However, rhyodacite ofthe caldera-forming, climactic eruption has ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.70354because of an admixed low-⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr component. Andesitic tomafic-cumulate scoriae of the climactic eruption, and enclavesin preclimactic rhyodacites, cluster in two groups but shownearly the entire ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr range of the data set, confirmingpreviously suggested introduction of diverse parental magmasinto the growing climactic chamber. Pb and Nd isotope ratiosdisplay less variation (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb= 18.838–18.967, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=15.556–15.616,²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=38.405–38.619; _Nd= +3.9 to +6.1) and generallycovary with ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶ Sr ratios. Radiogenic isotope data fromCrater Lake plot with published data for other Cascade volcanoeson isotope ratio correlation diagrams. The isotopic data for the Crater Lake area require sources ofprimitive magmas to consist of depleted mantle and a subductioncomponent, introduced in variable quantity to the depleted mantlewedge. Variable degrees of melting of this heterogeneous mantle,possibly at different depths, produced the diversity of isotopiccompositions and large-ion lithophile element (LILE) abundancesin primitive magmas. Trace element ratios do not indicate presenceof an ocean island basalt (OIB) source component that has beenreported in lavas of some other Cascade volcanoes. Crustal contamination may have affected isotope ratios and LILEconcentrations in evolved HAOT, where initial LILE concentrationswere low. Contamination is more difficult to detect in the calcalkalinelavas because of their higher LILE concentrations and the smallisotopic contrast with likely contaminants, such as mid- tolower-crustal rocks thought to be equivalents of igneous rocksof the Klamath Mountains and associated lower crust. Crustalassimilation appears to be required for calcalkaline rocks onlyby ¹⁸O values, which vary from lows of +5.6 to + 6.0% in HAOTand primitive basaltic andesites to a high of +7.0% in dacite,a range that is too high to be explained by plagioclase-dominatedclosed-system fractional crystallization. Elevated ¹⁸O valuesof differentiated lavas may be attributed to interaction withrelatively ¹⁸O-rich, ⁸⁷Sr-poor crustal rocks. Variably fused granitoid blocks ejected in the climactic eruption,and rarely in late Pleistocene eruptive units, have ¹⁸Opl of–3.4 to +6.5% and ¹⁸O_qz of –2.2 to +8.0% but haveSr, Nd, and Pb isotope ratios similar to volcanic rocks (e.g.⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr0.7037). Rb and Sr data for glass separates from granodioritessuggest that the source pluton is Miocene. Glass from granodioritehas ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios as high as 0.70617. Oxygen isotope fractionationbetween quartz, plagioclase, and glass indicates requilibrationof O isotopes at magmatic temperatures, after ¹⁸O/¹⁶O had beenlowered by exchange with meteoric hydrothermal fluids. Unmeltedgranodiorite xenoliths from pre-climactic eruptive units have¹⁸O values that are consistent with onset of hydrothermal exchangeearly during growth of the climactic magma chamber. Assimilationof such upper-crustal granodiorite apparently lowered ¹⁸O valuesof rhyodacites without significantly affecting their magmaticcompositions in other ways.     

Oxygen Isotope Evidence for Chemical Interaction of Ki lauea Historical Magmas with Basement Rocks

Klauea historical summit lavas have a wide range in matrix ¹⁸O_VSMOWvalues (4·9–5·6) with lower values in rockserupted following a major summit collapse or eruptive hiatus.In contrast, ¹⁸O values for olivines in most of these lavasare nearly constant (5·1 ± 0·1). The disequilibriumbetween matrix and olivine ¹⁸O values in many samples indicatesthat the lower matrix values were acquired by the magma afterolivine growth, probably just before or during eruption. BothMauna Loa and Klauea basement rocks are the likely sources ofthe contamination, based on O, Pb and Sr isotope data. However,the extent of crustal contamination of Klauea historical magmasis probably minor (< 12%, depending on the assumed contaminant)and it is superimposed on a longer-term, cyclic geochemicalvariation that reflects source heterogeneity. Klauea's heterogeneoussource, which is well represented by the historical summit lavas,probably has magma ¹⁸O values within the normal mid-ocean ridgebasalt mantle range (5·4–5·8) based on thenew olivine ¹⁸O values. KEY WORDS: Hawaii; Klauea; basalt; oxygen isotopes; crustal contamination     

Petrogenesis of the Swaziland and Northern Natal Rhyolites of the Lebombo Rifted Volcanic Margin, South East Africa

The Jozini and Mbuluzi rhyolites and Oribi Beds of the southernLebombo Monocline, southeastern Africa, have geochemical characteristicsthat indicate they were derived by partial melting of a mixtureof high-Ti/Zr and low-Ti/Zr Sabie River Basalt Formation types.Compositional variations within the different rhyolite typescan largely be explained by subsequent fractional crystallization.The Sr- and Nd-isotope composition of the rhyolites is uniqueamongst Gondwana silicic large igneous provinces, having _Ndvalues close to Bulk Earth (–0·94 to 0·35)and low, but more variable, initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0·7034–0·7080).Quartz phenocryst ¹⁸O values indicate that the rhyolite magmashad ¹⁸O values between 5·3 and 6·7, consistentwith derivation from a basaltic protolith with ¹⁸O values between4·8 and 6·2. The low-¹⁸O rhyolites (< 6·0)come from the same stratigraphic horizon and are overlain andunderlain by rhyolites with more ‘normal’ ¹⁸O magmavalues. These low-¹⁸O rhyolites cannot have been produced byfractional crystallization or partial melting of mantle-derivedbasaltic material. The rhyolites have low water contents, makingit unlikely that the low ¹⁸O values are the result of post-emplacementalteration. Modification of the source by fluid–rock interactionat elevated temperatures is the most plausible mechanism forlowering the ¹⁸O magma value. It is proposed that the low-¹⁸Orhyolites were derived by melting of earlier altered rhyolitein calderas situated to the east, which were not preserved afterGondwana break-up. KEY WORDS: rhyolite; Lebombo; stable and radiogenic isotopes; low-¹⁸O magmas; partial melting     

Age and Geochemistry of Basement and Alkalic Rocks of Malaita and Santa Isabel, Solomon Islands, Southern Margin of Ontong Java Plateau

Geochemical and ⁴⁰ Ar—³⁹ Ar studies of the Malaita OlderSeries and Sigana Basalts, which form the basement of Malaitaand the northern portion of Santa Isabel, confirm the existenceof Ontong Java Plateau (OJP) crust on these islands. Sr, Nd,and Pb isotopic ratios of Malaita Older Series and Sigana lavasfall within limited ranges [(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)T= 0.70369–0.70423,E_Nd(T)= + 3.7 to +6.0, and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.25–18.64]virtually indistinguishable from those found in the three OJPbasement drill sites as far as 1600 km away, indicating a uniformhotspot-like mantle source with a slight ‘Dupal’signature for the world's largest oceanic plateau. Three chemicaltypes of basalts are recognized, two of which are equivalentto two of the three types drilled on the plateau, and one withno counterpart, as yet, on the plateau; the chemical data indicateslightly different, but all high, degrees of melting and slightvariation in source composition. All but one of the ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Arplateau ages determined for Malaita Older Series and SiganaBasalt lavas are identical to those found at the distant drillsites: 121.30.9 Ma and 92.01.6 Ma, suggesting that two short-lived,volumetrically important plateau-building episodes took place30 m.y. apart. Aside from OJP lavas, three isotopically distinctsuites of alkalic rocks are present. The Sigana Alkalic Suitein Santa Isabel has an ⁴⁰ Ar-³⁹ Ar age of 91.70.4 Ma, the sameas that of the younger OJP tholeiites, yet it displays a distinct’HIMU‘ -type isotopic signature [²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb 20.20,(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) T 0.7032, _Nd(T) 4.4], possibly representing small-degreemelts of a minor, less refractory component in the OJP mantlesource region. The Younger Series in southern Malaita has an⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar age of 44 Ma and isotopic ratios [_Nd(T)=-0.5 to +1.0,(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_T =0.70404–0.70433, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.57–18.92]partly overlapping those of the ‘PHEM’ end-memberpostulated for Samoa, and those of present-day Rarotonga lavas;one or both of these hotspots may have caused alkalic volcanismon the plateau when it passed over them at 44 Ma. The NorthMalaita Alkalic Suite in northernmost Malaita is probably ofsimilar age, but has isotopic ratios [(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) _T 0.7037,_Nd(T) +4.5, ²⁰⁶pb/²⁰⁴pb 18.8) resembling those of some OJP basementlavas; it may result from a small amount of melting of agedplateau lithosphere during the OJP's passage over these hotspots.Juxtaposed against OJP crust in Santa Isabel is an 62–46-Maophiolitic (sensu lato) assemblage. Isotopic and chemical datareveal Pacific-MORB-like, backarc-basin-like, and arc-like signaturesfor these rocks, and suggest that most formed in an arc—backarcsetting before the Late Tertiary collision of the OJP againstthe old North Solomon Trench. The situation in Santa Isabelappears to provide a modern-day analog for some Precambriangreenstone belts. KEY WORDS: oceanic plateaux; Ontong Java Plateau; Solomon Islands; Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes; age and petrogenesis ^*Corresponding author.     

Origin and Evolution of Silicic Magmatism at Yellowstone Based on Ion Microprobe Analysis of Isotopically Zoned Zircons

The origin of large-volume Yellowstone ignimbrites and smaller-volumeintra-caldera lavas requires shallow remelting of enormous volumesof variably ¹⁸O-depleted volcanic and sub-volcanic rocks alteredby hydrothermal activity. Zircons provide probes of these processesas they preserve older ages and inherited ¹⁸O values. This studypresents a high-resolution, oxygen isotope examination of volcanismat Yellowstone using ion microprobe analysis with an averageprecision of ± 0·2 and a 10 µm spot size.We report 357 analyses of cores and rims of zircons, and isotopeprofiles of 142 single zircons in 11 units that represent majorYellowstone ignimbrites, and post-caldera lavas. Many zirconsfrom these samples were previously dated in the same spots bysensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP), and all zirconswere analyzed for oxygen isotope ratios in bulk as a functionof grain size by laser fluorination. We additionally reportoxygen isotope analyses of quartz crystals in three units. Theresults of this work provide the following new observations.(1) Most zircons from post-caldera low-¹⁸O lavas are zoned,with higher ¹⁸O values and highly variable U–Pb ages inthe cores that suggest inheritance from pre-caldera rocks exposedon the surface. (2) Many of the higher-¹⁸O zircon cores in theselavas have U–Pb zircon crystallization ages that postdatecaldera formation, but pre-date the eruption age by 10–20kyr, and represent inheritance of unexposed post-caldera sub-volcanicunits that have ¹⁸O similar to the Lava Creek Tuff. (3) Youngand voluminous 0·25–0·1 Ma intra-calderalavas, which represent the latest volcanic activity at Yellowstone,contain zircons with both high-¹⁸O and low-¹⁸O cores surroundedby an intermediate-¹⁸O rim. This implies inheritance of a varietyof rocks from high-¹⁸O pre-caldera and low-¹⁸O post-calderaunits, followed by residence in a common intermediate-¹⁸O meltprior to eruption. (4) Major ignimbrites of Huckleberry Ridge,and to a lesser extent the Lava Creek and Mesa Falls Tuffs,contain zoned zircons with lower-¹⁸O zircon cores, suggestingthat melting and zircon inheritance from the low-¹⁸O hydrothermallyaltered carapace was an important process during formation ofthese large magma bodies prior to caldera collapse. (5) The¹⁸O zoning in the majority of zircon core–rim interfacesis step-like rather than smoothly inflected, suggesting thatprocesses of solution–reprecipitation were more importantthan intra-crystalline oxygen diffusion. Concave-downward zirconcrystal size distributions support dissolution of the smallercrystals and growth of rims on larger crystals. This study suggeststhat silicic magmatism at Yellowstone proceeded via rapid, shallow-levelremelting of earlier erupted and hydrothermally altered Yellowstonesource rocks and that pulses of basaltic magma provided theheat for melting. Each post-caldera Yellowstone lava representsan independent homogenized magma batch that was generated rapidlyby remelting of source rocks of various ages and ¹⁸O values.The commonly held model of a single, large-volume, super-solidus,mushy-state magma chamber that is periodically reactivated andproduces rhyolitic offspring is not supported by our data. Rather,the source rocks for the Yellowstone volcanism were cooled belowthe solidus, hydrothermally altered by heated meteoric watersthat caused low ¹⁸O values, and then remelted in distinct pocketsby intrusion of basic magmas. Each packet of new melt inheritedzircons that retained older age and ¹⁸O values. This interpretationmay have significance for interpreting seismic data for crustallow-velocity zones in which magma mush and solidified areasexperiencing hydrothermal circulation occur side by side. Newbasalt intrusions into this solidifying batholith are requiredto form the youngest volcanic rocks that erupted as independentrhyolitic magmas. We also suggest that the Lava Creek Tuff magmawas already an uneruptable mush by the time of the first post-calderaeruption after 0·1 Myr of the climactic caldera-formingeruption. KEY WORDS: Yellowstone; oxygen isotopes; geochronology; isotope zoning; zircon; U–Pb dating; caldera; rhyolite; ion microprobe     

Genesis of Ultramafic Lamprophyres and Carbonatites at Aillik Bay, Labrador: a Consequence of Incipient Lithospheric Thinning beneath the North Atlantic Craton

Numerous dykes of ultramafic lamprophyre (aillikite, mela-aillikite,damtjernite) and subordinate dolomite-bearing carbonatite withU–Pb perovskite emplacement ages of 590–555 Ma occurin the vicinity of Aillik Bay, coastal Labrador. The ultramaficlamprophyres principally consist of olivine and phlogopite phenocrystsin a carbonate- or clinopyroxene-dominated groundmass. Ti-richprimary garnet (kimzeyite and Ti-andradite) typically occursat the aillikite type locality and is considered diagnosticfor ultramafic lamprophyre–carbonatite suites. Titanianaluminous phlogopite and clinopyroxene, as well as comparativelyAl-enriched but Cr–Mg-poor spinel (Cr-number < 0.85),are compositionally distinct from analogous minerals in kimberlites,orangeites and olivine lamproites, indicating different magmageneses. The Aillik Bay ultramafic lamprophyres and carbonatiteshave variable but overlapping ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i ratios (0·70369–0·70662)and show a narrow range in initial _Nd (+0·1 to +1·9)implying that they are related to a common type of parentalmagma with variable isotopic characteristics. Aillikite is closestto this primary magma composition in terms of MgO (15–20wt %) and Ni (200–574 ppm) content; the abundant groundmasscarbonate has ¹³C_PDB between –5·7 and –5,similar to primary mantle-derived carbonates, and ¹⁸O_SMOW from9·4 to 11·6. Extensive melting of a garnet peridotitesource region containing carbonate- and phlogopite-rich veinsat 4–7 GPa triggered by enhanced lithospheric extensioncan account for the volatile-bearing, potassic, incompatibleelement enriched and MgO-rich nature of the proto-aillikitemagma. It is argued that low-degree potassic silicate to carbonatiticmelts from upwelling asthenosphere infiltrated the cold baseof the stretched lithosphere and solidified as veins, therebycrystallizing calcite and phlogopite that were not in equilibriumwith peridotite. Continued Late Neoproterozoic lithosphericthinning, with progressive upwelling of the asthenosphere beneatha developing rift branch in this part of the North Atlanticcraton, caused further veining and successive remelting of veinsplus volatile-fluxed melting of the host fertile garnet peridotite,giving rise to long-lasting hybrid ultramafic lamprophyre magmaproduction in conjunction with the break-up of the Rodinia supercontinent.Proto-aillikite magma reached the surface only after coatingthe uppermost mantle conduits with glimmeritic material, whichcaused minor alkali loss. At intrusion level, carbonate separationfrom this aillikite magma resulted in fractionated dolomite-bearingcarbonatites (¹³C_PDB –3·7 to –2·7)and carbonate-poor mela-aillikite residues. Damtjernites maybe explained by liquid exsolution from alkali-rich proto-aillikitemagma batches that moved through previously reaction-lined conduitsat uppermost mantle depths. KEY WORDS: liquid immiscibility; mantle-derived magmas; metasomatism, Sr–Nd isotopes; U–Pb geochronology     

Fluid--Rock Interaction during Low-Pressure Polymetamorphism of the Reynolds Range Group, Central Australia

Marbles and metapelites from the Reynolds Range Group (centralAustralia) were regionally metamorphosed at low pressure duringM₂ at 1.6 Ga, M₂ ranged in grade from greenschist to granulitefacies along the length of the Reynolds Range, and overprinted1.78 Ga granites and their contact aureoles in the ReynoldsRange Group metasediments. At all M₂ grades the marbles andmetapelites have highly variable oxygen isotope ratios [marbles:¹⁸O(carb) 14–20%; metapelites: ¹⁸O 6–14%). Similarly, 1.78 Ga granites have highly variable oxygen isotope ratios(¹⁸O 5–13%), with the lowest values occurring at thegranite margins. In all rock types, the lowest oxygen isotopevalues are consistent with the infiltration of channelled magmaticand/or meteoric fluids. The variable lowering of oxygen isotopevalues resulted from pre-M₂ contact metamorphism and fluid—rockinteraction around the 1.78 Ga granites. In contrast, mineralassemblages in the marbles define a trend of increasing X_CO2with increasing grade from <0.05 (greenschist facies) to0.7–1.0 (granulite facies). This, together with the lackof regionally systematic resetting of oxygen isotope ratios,implies that there was little fluid—rock interaction duringprograde regional metamorphism. KEY WORDS: low pressure; polymetamorphism; fluids; stable isotopes; petrology ^*Corresponding author Fax: 61–3–94791272. e-mail: geoisb{at}lure.latrobe.edu.au     

Stable Isotopic Evidence for Fluid-Rock Interactions in the Ivrea Zone, Italy

Stable isotope compositions of Ivrea Zone marbles and associatedlithologies are in general heterogeneous. The oxygen isotopecomposition of quartz in pelites ranges from ¹⁸O +9 to + 17(SMOW) and does not vary systematically with metamorphic grade.Peridotites retain oxygen isotope signatures close to mantlevalues. Marble calcites vary in isotopic composition from ¹³C + 2(PDB),¹⁸0 +24(SMOW)to ¹³C –6(PDB), ¹⁸O + 13 (SMOW).Depletions in ¹⁸O and ¹³C may be explained dominantly by interactionwith fluids derived from within the observed metasedimentarysequence during prograde metamorphism. ¹⁸O and ¹³C show gradients of greater than 5/m across marblemargins and within marbles. The preservation of such isotopicgradients is not consistent with the long-term presence of grain-boundary-scaleinterconnected fluid films in and around marbles. There is ageneral lowering of ¹⁸O within individual marble bodies althoughlarge carbon and oxygen isotopic gradients are present. Calcitein marbles may attain oxygen isotope equilibrium, but rarelycarbon isotope equilibrium, with surrounding metapelites. Infiltrationof marbles must involve a component of channelized fluid flow. The general lack of isotopic equilibration within the sequencerequires channelized fluid flow and limited fluid-rock ratios.Large pervasive mantle to crust fluid fluxes are not consistentwith the observations. ^*Present address: Natural Environment Research Council, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1EU, England     

Basalt and Sediment Geochemistry and Magma Petrogenesis in a Transect from Oceanic Island Arc to Rifted Continental Margin Arc: the Kermadec--Hikurangi Margin, SW Pacific

Sediment mixing and recycling through a subduction zone canbe detected in lead isotopes and trace elements from basaltsand sediments from the Kermadec-Hikurangi Margin volcanic arcsystem and their coupled back-arc basins. Sr, Nd and Pb isotopesfrom the basalts delineate relatively simple, almost overlapping,arrays between back-arc basin basalts of the Havre Trough-NgatoroBasin (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.70255; _Nd=+9.3; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.52; ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb= 38.18), island arc basalts from the Kermadec Arc togetherwith basalts from Taupo Volcanic Zone (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr 0.7042; _Nd= +5; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb= 18.81; ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 38.61), and sedimentsderived from New Zealand's Mesozoic (Torlesse) basement (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr 0.715; _Nd —4; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb 18.86; ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb 38.8).Basalts from the arc front volcanoes have high Cs, Rb, Ba, Th,U and K, and generally high but variable Ba/La, Ba/Nb ratios,characteristic of subduction-related magmas, relative to typicaloceanic basalts. These signatures are diluted in the back-arcbasins, which are more like mid-ocean ridge basalts. Strongchemical correlations in plots of SiO₂ vs CaO and loss on ignitionfor the sediments (finegrained muds) are consistent with mixingbetween detrital and biogenic (carbonate-rich) components. Otherdata, such as Zr vs CaO, are consistent with the detrital componentcomprising a mixture of arc- and continent-derived fractions.In chondrite-normalized diagrams, most of the sediments havelight rare earth element enriched patterns, and all have negativeEu anomalies. The multielement diagrams have negative spikesat Nb, P and Ti and distinctive enrichments in the large ionlithophile elements and Pb relative to mantle. Isotopic measurementsof Pb, Sr and Nd reveal restricted fields of Pb isotopes butwide variation in Nd and Sr relative to other sediments fromthe Pacific Basin. Rare K-rich basalts from Clark Volcano towardthe southern end of the oceanic Kermadec Island Arc show unusualand primitive characteristics ( 2% K₂O at 50% SiO₂, Ba 600p.p.m., 9–10% MgO and Ni > 100 p.p.m.) but have highlyradiogenic Sr, Nd and Pb isotopes, similar to those of basaltsfrom the continental Taupo Volcanic Zone. These oceanic islandarc basalts cannot have inherited their isotope signatures throughcrustal contamination or assimilation—fractional crystallizationtype processes, and this leads us to conclude that source processesvia bulk sediment mixing, fluid and/or melt transfer or somecombination of these are responsible. Although our results showclear chemical gradients from oceanic island arc to continentalmargin arc settings (Kermadec Arc to Taupo Volcanic Zone), overlapbetween the data from the oceanic and continental sectors suggeststhat the lithospheric (crustal contamination) effect may beminimal relative to that of sediment subduction. Indeed, itis possible to account for the chemical changes by a decreasenorthward in the sediment flux into the zone of magma genesis.This model receives support from recent sediment dispersal studiesin the Southern Ocean which indicate that a strong bottom current(Deep Western Boundary Current) flows northward along the easterncontinental margin of New Zealand and sweeps continental derivedsediment into the sediment-starved oceanic trench system. Thetrace element and isotopic signatures of the continental derivedcomponent of this sediment are readily distinguished, but alsodiluted in a south to north direction along the plate boundary. KEY WORDS: subduction zone basalts; sediments; Sr-, Nd-, Pb-isotopes; trace elements ^*Present address: School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia.     

Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Geochemistry of the Mourne Mountains Tertiary Granites, Northern Ireland

An oxygen and hydrogen isotopic study of minerals and wholerocks from the granites of the Mourne Mountains Tertiary complex,and related rocks, shows that whereas a significant circulationof meteoric water was associated with the complex, it had onlyminor and localized effects on the granites themselves. TheSilurian slate and greywacke country rocks, which would havehad ¹⁸O_(SMOW) values of +10 to +20 before the Tertiary igneousevents, have been depicted ¹⁸O to values of –40 to –05Tertiary acid minor intrusions outside the main granite massesare also ¹⁸O depleted. ^l8O whole-rock data on the granites showa range of +6.0 to +9.5, and include values significantly higherthan most of those obtained for the granites of the Tertiarycentral complexes of Skye, Mull, and Ardnamurchan. Many of thelowest whole-rock ¹⁸O values are found in samples where theminerals are not in isotopic equilibrium. The mineral oxygenisotopic data can be explained in terms of localized interactionwith meteoric water, resulting in preferential ¹⁸O depletionin feldspar(s) and biotite, with quartz being much less affected.The granites all show low values of D_(SMOW) for biotite andamphibole separates (–137 to –104). The lowest valuesoccur close to the margins of the plutons, near internal contactsor near greisen localities, and these probably reflect limitedinteraction with meteoric water. The higher D values are fromsamples which show evidence of chloritization. This processappears to have occurred both during interaction with meteoricwater, and also during autometasomatism by an exsolved magmaticfluid in other parts of the plutons, including central locationswhere there is little or no evidence for the penetration ofmeteoric water. Granite samples which exhibit near-equilibriumoxygen isotope fractionations for constituent minerals are characterizedby magmatic O-isotopic compositions. The G2 granite, the largestpluton of the eastern centre, has a magmatic ¹⁸O_(SMOW) valueof {small tilde}+95; intrusions G3 (eastern centre) and G4(western centre) both have ¹⁸O_(SMOW) values of {small tilde}+90.The other two main intrusive phases have distinctly lower ¹⁸O_(SMOW)values: {small tilde}+75 for Gl (the least fractionated graniteof the Mourne Mountains central complex), and from +75 to +85for G5. The oxygen isotopic data rule out simple partial meltingof the country rocks as the origin of the granites and alsopreclude an origin by closed-system fractional crystallizationof basaltic magma typical of that represented by Tertiary basicigneous rocks of the region. ^* Present address: NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory, Keyworth, Nottingham BG12 5GG, UK Present address: School of Engineering Technology, Georgian College, Barrie, Ontario, L4M 3X9, Canada     

Post-collision, Shoshonitic Volcanism on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for Convective Thinning of the Lithosphere and the Source of Ocean Island Basalts

Potassic volcanism has been widespread and semi-continuous onthe Tibetan plateau since 13 Ma, post-dating the orogenic thickeningof the India-Asia collision. Volcanism may have commenced slightlyearlier (16–20 Ma) in the southern portion of the plateauand then ceased around 10 Ma. The dominant lavas are pyroxen-and plagioclase-phyric shoshonites with subordinate occurrencesof dacites and rhyolites. Their mineralogy reflects crystallizationfrom high-temperature (1100C) magmas which had elevated oxygenand water fugacities. Geochemically, they are characterizedby relatively low TiO², Al²O³ and Fe²O³, and high Na²O, coupledwith variable abundances of compatible trace elements and veryhigh contents of incompatible trace elements. Normalized incompatibleelement patterns have marked negative Nb, Ta and Ti anomalieswhereas K²O appears to be buffered at 4% over a wide range ofSiO². Isotope data show a relatively broad and enriched rangeof ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶ Sr (0.7076–0.7106) at more restricted ENd (–5.2to –8.1). Pb isotopes are characterized by a range of²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴ Pb (15.51–15.72) and ²⁰⁸ Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (38.67–39.30) at very uniform ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴ Pb (18.39–18.83), leadingto vertical arrays. Volcanics from the southern parts of theplateau have more primitive isotopic compositions: ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶ Sr0.7048–0.7080, _Nd 1.4 to –3.3, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴ Pb 18.48–18.67,²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴ Pb 15.59–15.68 and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴ Pb 38. 73–38.98. In general, the geochemical and isotopic data most closely approximatepartial melting arrays, although fractionation processes haveclearly operated. The isotopic ratios and the enrichment ofincompatible elements and LREE/HREE cannot be derived from adepleted mantle source via a single-stage melting process. Instead,a metasomatized, garnet peridotite source containing 6% phlogopiteis required and this is inferred to lie within the lithosphericmantle. The enrichment in incompatible elements in this sourcemust have been sufficiently ancient to generate the observedisotopic ratios, and Nd depleted mantle model ages suggest thiswas Proterozoic in age (1.2 Ga), whereas Pb model ages recordan Archaean event, suggesting the source had a multi-stage enrichmenthistory. The negative Ta, Nb and Ti anomalies and low Rb/Basuggest that metasomatism may have occurred during an ancientsubduction episode. The high ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴ Pb and lowNb/U, Ce/Pb of the Tibetan shoshonites are distinct from oceanisland basalts. Thus, if convectively removed lithospheric mantleprovides a source for ocean island basalts, it must differ significantlyfrom the source of the Tibetan shoshonites. A lithospheric mantle source for the volcanism places importantconstraints on geodynamic models for the evolution of the Tibetanplateau and the India-Asia collision. For likely thermal structuresbeneath the plateau, the temperatures required to trigger meltingwithin the lithospheric mantle can only be plausibly obtainedif the lower parts of the lithospheric mantle were removed byconvective thinning. This is consistent with recent models whichinvoke the same process to explain the current elevation andextensional deformation of the plateau. The age data suggestthis occurred at 13 Ma and the duration of volcanism may beexplained by continued conductive heating since that time. Poorlysampled but slightly older volcanics from the southern portionsof the plateau may indicate that convective thinning began inthe south and migrated northwards. Rapid uplift of the plateaumay have resulted in increased rates of chemical weathering,which led to global cooling, as indicated by oxygen isotopedata from Atlantic sediments. KEY WORDS: Climate; lithospheric mantle; OIB; Tibet; volcanism ^*Corresponding author.     

Isotopic and Geochemical Investigation of the Chilwa Island Carbonatite Complex, Malawi: Evidence for a Depleted Mantle Source Region, Liquid Immiscibility, and Open-System Behaviour

Initial Nd, Pb, and Sr isotopic data from carbonatites and associatedintrusive silica-undersaturated rocks from the early Jurassic,Chilwa Island complex, located in southern Malawi, central Africa,suggest melt derivation from a Rb/Sr- and Nd/Sm-depleted butTh/Pb- and U/Pb-enriched mantle source. Initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd(0.51265–0.51270) isotope ratios from the Chilwa Islandcarbonatites are relatively constant, but their initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(0.70319–0.70361) ratios are variable. The ¹⁸O_smow (9.53–14.15%0)and ¹³C_PDB (–3.27 to –1.50%0) isotope ratios ofthe carbonates are enriched relative to the range of mantlevalues, and there is a negative correlation between ¹⁸O andSr isotope ratios. The variations in Sr, C, and O isotopic ratiosfrom the carbonatites suggest secondary processes, such as interactionwith meteoric groundwater during late-stage carbonatite activity.The initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.51246 0.51269) and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(0.70344–0.70383) isotope ratios from the intrusive silicaterocks are more variable, and the Sr more radiogenic than thosefrom the carbonatites. Most of the Pb isotope data from Chilwa Island plot to the rightof the geochron and close to the oceanic regression line definedby MORBs and OIBs. Initial Pb isotopic ratios from both carbonatites(²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb 15.63–15.71; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb 19.13–19.78)and silicate rocks (²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb 15.61–15.72; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb18.18–20.12) show pronounced variations, and form twogroups in Pb-Pb plots. The isotopic variations shown by Nd, Pb, and Sr for the ChilwaIsland carbonatites and intrusive silicates suggest that thesemelts underwent different evolutionary histories. The chemicaldata, including isotopic ratios, from the carbonatites and olivinenephelinites are consistent with magmatic differentiation ofa carbonated-nephelinite magma. A model is proposed in whichdifferentiation of the carbonatite magma was accompanied byfenitization (metasomatic alteration) of the country rocks bycarbonatite-derived fluids, and subsequent alteration of thecarbonatite by hydrothermal activity. The chemical and isotopicdata from the non-nephelinitic intrusive silicate rocks reveala more complex evolutionary history, involving either selectivebinary mixing of lower-crustal granulites and a nephelinitemagma, or incremental batch melting of a depleted source andsubsequent crustal contamination.     

Geochemical and Isotopic (O, Nd, Pb and Sr) Constraints on A-type Granite Petrogenesis Based on the Topsails Igneous Suite, Newfoundland Appalachians

The voluminous, bimodal, Silurian Topsails igneous suite consistsmainly of ‘A-type’ peralkaline to slightly peraluminous,hypersohnis to subsolvus granites with subordinate syenite,onzonite and diabase, plus consanguineous basalts and highsilicarhyolites. _Nd(T) values from the suite range from –1.5to +5.4; most granitoid components exhibit positive _Nd(T) values(+1.1 to +3.9). Granitoid initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and most ¹⁸ O valuesare in the range expected for rocks derived from mantle-likeprotoliths (0.701–0.706 and +6 to +80/). Restricted ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pbvariation is accompanied by significant dispersion of ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pband ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb. Superficially, petrogenesis by either direct(via fractionation from basalt) or indirect (via melting ofjuvenile crust) derivation from mantle sources appears plausible.Remelting of the granulitic protolith of Ordovician are-typegranitoids can be ruled out, because these rocks exhibit negative_Nd(T) and a large range in ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb. Geochemical and isotopicrelationships are most compatible with remelting of hybridizedlithospheric mantle generated during arc-continent collision.A genetic link is suggested among collision-related delaminationor slab break-off events and emplacement of ‘post-erogenic’granite suites. A-type granites may recycle previously subductedcontinental material, and help explain the mass balance notedfor modern arcs. However, they need not represent net, new,crustal growth. KEY WORDS: A-type granites; juvenile crust; isotopes; Newfoundland ^*Telephone: (613) 995-4972. Fax: (613) 995-7997. e-mail: jwhalen{at}gsc.emr.ca     

The Gronnedal-Ika Carbonatite-Syenite Complex, South Greenland: Carbonatite Formation by Liquid Immiscibility

The Grønnedal-Ika complex is dominated by layered nephelinesyenites which were intruded by a xenolithic syenite and a centralplug of calcite to calcite–siderite carbonatite. Aegirine–augite,alkali feldspar and nepheline are the major mineral phases inthe syenites, along with rare calcite. Temperatures of 680–910°Cand silica activities of 0·28–0·43 weredetermined for the crystallization of the syenites on the basisof mineral equilibria. Oxygen fugacities, estimated using titanomagnetitecompositions, were between 2 and 5 log units above the fayalite–magnetite–quartzbuffer during the magmatic stage. Chondrite-normalized REE patternsof magmatic calcite in both carbonatites and syenites are characterizedby REE enrichment (La_CN–Yb_CN = 10–70). Calcite fromthe carbonatites has higher Ba (5490 ppm) and lower HREE concentrationsthan calcite from the syenites (54–106 ppm Ba). This isconsistent with the behavior of these elements during separationof immiscible silicate–carbonate liquid pairs. _Nd(T =1·30 Ga) values of clinopyroxenes from the syenites varybetween +1·8 and +2·8, and _Nd(T) values of whole-rockcarbonatites range from +2·4 to +2·8. Calcitefrom the carbonatites has ¹⁸O values of 7·8 to 8·6and ¹³C values of –3·9 to –4·6. ¹⁸Ovalues of clinopyroxene separates from the nepheline syenitesrange between 4·2 and 4·9. The average oxygenisotopic composition of the nepheline syenitic melt was calculatedbased on known rock–water and mineral–water isotopefractionation to be 5·7 ± 0·4. Nd and C–Oisotope compositions are typical for mantle-derived rocks anddo not indicate significant crustal assimilation for eithersyenite or carbonatite magmas. The difference in ¹⁸O betweencalculated syenitic melts and carbonatites, and the overlapin _Nd values between carbonatites and syenites, are consistentwith derivation of the carbonatites from the syenites via liquidimmiscibility. KEY WORDS: alkaline magmatism; carbonatite; Gardar Province; liquid immiscibility; nepheline syenite     

Geochemical Constraints on the Origin of Volcanic Rocks from the Andean Northern Volcanic Zone, Ecuador

Whole-rock geochemical data on basaltic to rhyolitic samplesfrom 12 volcanic centers are used to constrain the role of continentalcrust in the genesis of magmas formed beneath the anomalouslywide subduction-related volcanic arc in Ecuador. Relativelyhomogeneous, mantle-like, isotopic compositions across the arcimply that the parental magmas in Ecuador were produced largelywithin the mantle wedge above the subduction zone and not byextensive melting of crustal rocks similar to those upon whichthe volcanoes were built. Cross-arc changes in ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and7/4Pb are interpreted to result from assimilation of geochemicallymature continental crust, especially in the main arc area, 330–360km from the trench. Mixing calculations limit the quantity ofassimilated crust to less than 10%. Most andesites and dacitesin Ecuador have adakite-like trace element characteristics (e.g.Y <18 ppm, Yb <2 ppm, La/Yb >20, Sr/Y >40). Availablewhole-rock data do not provide a clear basis for distinguishingbetween slab-melting and deep crustal fractionation models forthe genesis of Ecuador adakites; published data highlightinggeochemical evolution within individual volcanoes, and in magmaticrocks produced throughout Ecuador since the Eocene, appear tosupport the deep fractionation model for the genesis of mostevolved Ecuadoran lavas. A subset of andesites, which displaya combination of high Sr (>900 ppm), Nd >4·1 and7/4Pb <6·0, appear to be the best candidates amongEcuador lavas for slab-melts associated with the subductionof the relatively young, over-thickened, oceanic crust of theCarnegie Ridge. KEY WORDS: andesite; Ecuador; trace elements; isotopes; adakite     

Caledonian Magma Genesis and Crustal Recycling

The isotopic compositions of Sr, Nd, Pb and O together withabundance data for Rb, Sr, Sm, Nd, U and Pb are reported forsamples from the component parts of the c. 400 Ma old EtiveComplex, temporally and spatially related Lorne and Glencoelavas, and the Dalradian country rocks into which the Complexhas been emplaced. These and published data available for otherCaledonian granites are used to evaluate the petrogenesis ofthe Etive Complex in particular, and the role of crustal recyclingin the generation and evolution of the Caledonian granites ingeneral. Nd-isotope compositions of Etive samples at 400 Ma range from – 9.9 to – 4.7 compared with–8.4 < – 3.2 for the associated volcanics investigated here, and an estimatedvalue for depleted mantle 400 Ma ago at approximately ? 7. Dalradiancountry rocks have – 23.4 < – 7.5 and two partially digested metasedimentaryxenoliths within the granite have values of –9. 3 and -4.0. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr ratios forthe Etive Complex range from 0–7043 to 0–7079, whereasDalradian metasediment in the immediate vicinity of the granitehas an initial ratio of 0–726. Oxygen isotopes in theComplex have 7. 6 per mil <¹⁸O < 10.0 per mil, all inexcess of typical values of mantle oxygen and reflect a crustalcomponent. An upper limit of 25 per cent Dalradian assimilationis set by the Nd-Sr isotopic variations with the granites andxenoliths. The Etive complex parent magma prior to Dalradian xenolith assimilationis estimated to have values between – 10 and – 5. In order to satisfy the Srand Pb isotope composition, additional components from a deepersource within the lithosphere (lower crust or continental lithosphericmantle) with relatively unradiogenic Sr, Nd and Pb are required. The crustal residence ages of the Etive Complex average about1.5 Ga, similar to those of many other late and post-tectonicCaledonian granites. The generation of the Etive Complex andCaledonian granites in general has been dominated by recyclingof the continental lithosphere, rather than the addition ofnew material from asthenospheric sources.     

Early-Middle Jurassic Dolerite Dykes from Western Dronning Maud Land (Antarctica): Identifying Mantle Sources in the Karoo Large Igneous Province

A suite of dolerite dykes from the Ahlmannryggen region of westernDronning Maud Land (Antarctica) forms part of the much moreextensive Karoo igneous province of southern Africa. The dykecompositions include both low- and high-Ti magma types, includingpicrites and ferropicrites. New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age determinationsfor the Ahlmannryggen intrusions indicate two ages of emplacementat 178 and 190 Ma. Four geochemical groups of dykes have beenidentified in the Ahlmannryggen region based on analyses of60 dykes. The groups are defined on the basis of whole-rockTiO₂ and Zr contents, and reinforced by rare earth element (REE),⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd isotope data. Group 1 were intrudedat 190 Ma and have low TiO₂ and Zr contents and a significantArchaean crustal component, but also evidence of hydrothermalalteration. Group 2 dykes were intruded at 178 Ma; they havelow to moderate TiO₂ and Zr contents and are interpreted tobe the result of mixing of melts derived from an isotopicallydepleted source with small melt fractions of an enriched lithosphericmantle source. Group 3 dyke were intruded at 190 Ma and formthe most distinct magma group; these are largely picritic withsuperficially mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-like chemistry (flatREE patterns, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i 0·7035, Nd_i 9). However, theyhave very high TiO₂ (4 wt %) and Zr (500 ppm) contents, whichis not consistent with melting of MORB-source mantle. The Group3 magmas are inferred to be derived by partial melting of astrongly depleted mantle source in the garnet stability field.This group includes several high Mg–Fe dykes (ferropicrites),which are interpreted as high-temperature melts. Some Group3 dykes also show evidence of contamination by continental crust.Group 4 dykes are low-K picrites intruded at 178 Ma; they havevery high TiO₂–Zr contents and are the most enriched magmagroup of the Karoo–Antarctic province, with ocean-islandbasalt (OIB)-like chemistry. Dykes of Group 1 and Group 3 aresub-parallel (ENE–WSW) and both groups were emplaced at190 Ma in response to the same regional stress field, whichhad changed by 178 Ma, when Group 2 and Group 4 dykes were intrudedalong a dominantly NNE–SSW strike. KEY WORDS: flood basalt; depleted mantle; enriched mantle; Ahlmannryggen; Karoo dyke     

Petrographic, Chemical and B-Isotopic Insights into the Origin of Tourmaline-Rich Rocks and Boron Recycling in the Martinamor Antiform (Central Iberian Zone, Salamanca, Spain)

Tourmaline in the Martinamor antiform occurs in tourmalinites(rocks with >15–20% tourmaline by volume), clasticmetasedimentary rocks of the Upper Proterozoic Monterrubio formation,quartz veins, pre-Variscan orthogneisses and Variscan graniticrocks. Petrographic observations, back-scattered electron (BSE)images, and microprobe data document a multistaged developmentof tourmaline. Overall, variations in the Mg/(Mg + Fe) ratiosdecrease from tourmalinites (0·36–0·75),through veins (0·38–0·66) to granitic rocks(0·23–0·46), whereas Al increases in thesame order from 5·84–6·65 to 6·22–6·88apfu. The incorporation of Al into tourmaline is consistentwith combinations of ^xAl(NaR)_–1 and AlO(R(OH))_–1exchange vectors, where ^x represents X-site vacancy and R is(Mg + Fe²⁺ + Mn). Variations in ^x/(^x + Na) ratios are similarin all the types of tourmaline occurrences, from 0·10to 0·53, with low Ca-contents (mostly <0·10apfu). Based on field and textural criteria, two groups of tourmaline-richrocks are distinguished: (1) pre-Variscan tourmalinites (probablyCadomian), affected by both deformation and regional metamorphismduring the Variscan orogeny; (2) tourmalinites related to thesynkinematic granitic complex of Martinamor. Textural and geochemicaldata are consistent with a psammopelitic parentage for the protolithof the tourmalinites. Boron isotope analyses of tourmaline havea total range of ¹¹B values from –15·6 to 6·8;the lowest corresponding to granitic tourmalines (–15·6to –11·7) and the highest to veins (1·9to 6·8). Tourmalines from tourmalinites have intermediate¹¹B values of –8·0 to +2·0. The observedvariations in ¹¹B support an important crustal recycling ofboron in the Martinamor area, in which pre-Variscan tourmaliniteswere remobilized by a combination of mechanical and chemicalprocesses during Variscan deformation, metamorphism and anatexis,leading to the formation of multiple tourmaline-bearing veinsand a new stage of boron metasomatism. KEY WORDS: tourmalinites; metamorphic and granitic rocks; mineral chemistry; whole-rock chemistry; boron isotopes     

Leucocratic and Gabbroic Xenoliths from Hualalai Volcano, Hawai'i

A diverse range of crustal xenoliths is hosted in young alkalibasalt lavas and scoria deposits (erupted 3–5 ka) at thesummit of Huallai. Leucocratic xenoliths, including monzodiorites,diorites and syenogabbros, are distinctive among Hawaiian plutonicrocks in having alkali feldspar, apatite, zircon and biotite,and evolved mineral compositions (e.g. albitic feldspar, clinopyroxeneMg-number 67–78). Fine-grained diorites and monzodioritesare plutonic equivalents of mugearite lavas, which are unknownat Huallai. These xenoliths appear to represent melt compositionsfalling along a liquid line of descent leading to trachyte—amagma type which erupted from Huallai as a prodigious lava flowand scoria cone at 114 ka. Inferred fractionating assemblages,MELTS modeling, pyroxene geobarometry and whole-rock norms allpoint to formation of the parent rocks of the leucocratic xenolithsat 3–7 kbar pressure. This depth constraint on xenolithformation, coupled with a demonstrated affinity to hypersthene-normativebasalt and petrologic links between the xenoliths and the trachyte,suggests that the shift from shield to post-shield magmatismat Huallai was accompanied by significant deepening of the activemagma reservoir and a gradual transition from tholeiitic toalkalic magmas. Subsequent differentiation of transitional basaltsby fractional crystallization was apparently both extreme—culminatingin >5·5 km³ of trachyte—and rapid, at 2·75x 10⁶ m³ magma crystallized/year. KEY WORDS: geothermobarometry; magma chamber; xenolith; cumulate; intensive parameters     

A Stable Isotope Study of Anorogenic Magmatism in East Central Asia

A stable isotope study of 168 plutonic igneous rock and fivewater samples from Transbaikalia, East Asia, has been made,including 318 whole-rock and mineral ¹⁸O/¹⁶O analyses and 14D/H analyses. This represents the first detailed isotopic studyof the enormous Phanerozoic K-rich (mostly anorogenic) granitoidbelts of this region, which are thousands of kilometers in lengthand span an age range of >250Ma. Of the five main intrusivesuites, emplacement of the youngest (Permo-Triassic) was accompaniedby intense meteoric-hydrothermal activity, locally causing extreme¹⁸O depletio (¹⁸O _feldspar<–12). This reflects thevery low ¹⁸O of the water involved in these systems, which probablyhad ¹⁸O < – 20 and D < – 150, consistent withthe high paleolatitude of Transbaikalia in the early Mesozoic(80N). Despite local post-emplacement, hydrothermal ¹⁸O-depletioneffects near Permo-Triassic and younger plutons, the variationof magmatic isotopic composition in the five intrusive suites,in space and time, can be clearly discerned using the ¹⁸O/¹⁶Ovariation in phases such as quartz and sphene that are resistantto sub-solidus exchange. A procedure for analyzing ¹⁸O/¹⁶O insphene using a laser fluorination technique is described: analysisof samples as small as 0.4 mg (including single crystals ofsphene from granitoids) is possible and provides an effectiveway to estimate the magmatic ¹⁸O value of plutonic igneous rocks.Most sphene and quartz ¹⁸O values vary by 1.0–2.0% withineach of the five main intrusive suites in Transbaikalia (rangingin age from mid-Paleozoic to Mesozoic), and are uniform bothwithin individual plutons and among plutons of the same suiteseparated by tens or hundreds of kilometers. However, each suitehas a unique range in ¹⁸O/¹⁶O, indicating that, on a regionalscale, the magmatic ¹⁸O values of these granitoids decreasedprogressively in 1% decrements from +10 in the earliest groupto +6 in the youngest. This progression was accompanied by increasesin the concentration of elements such as K and Zr, and decreasesin the concentration of elements such as Sr and Ba. These systematicsrequire large scale deep crustal melting and mixing processesto generate the compositional uniformity of individual plutonsand groups over such wide areas, and also a progressive hybridizationof the crust with alkalic, mantle-derived magmas to generatesyenites and granites with progressively lower ¹⁸O values. Thisprocess may be a hallmark of anorogenic granitoid petrogenesisand the intracontinental cratonization process in general, andalso represents an important (though largely cryptic) crustalgrowth mechanism. KEY WORDS: anorogenic granitoids; crustal growth; hybridization; hydrothermal systems; stable isotopes ¹Present address: Galson Sciences Limited, 5 Grosvenor House, Melton Road, Oakham LE15 6AX, UK.