BURDIGALIAN IGNIMBRITES OF SOUTHERN CORSI CA - PETROLOGY AND K-AR DATING

The Tre Paduli ignimbrites, located in southern Corsica near Bonifacio , are high-K calc-alkaline dacites, overlying the Hercynian batholith. A Burdigalian age (18.9 +/- 0.4 and 19.3 +/- 0.5 Ma) has been determi ned by K-Ar analysis on the glass of these lavas. Together with the Bu rdigalian rhyolitic tuffs of Balistra (south of Porto-Vecchio), the Tr e Paduli ignimbrites thus represent the northern equivalents of the Mi ocene Sardinian ignimbrites. These occurrences demonstrate that the Ol igo-Miocene Sardinian are was extending northwards over the southern m argin of the Corsican batholith.