Sr and Nd isotopic investigations towards the origin of feldspar megacrysts in microgranular enclaves in two I-type plutons of the Lachlan Fold Belt,southeast Australia
Te. Waight et al., Sr and Nd isotopic investigations towards the origin of feldspar megacrysts in microgranular enclaves in two I-type plutons of the Lachlan Fold Belt,southeast Australia, AUST J EART, 47(6), 2000, pp. 1105-1112
New Sr and Nd isotopic data are presented for several large feldspar crysta
ls occurring in microgranular enclaves in the Swifts Creek and Bridle Track
plutons, along with analyses of their host enclave groundmass and adjacent
granitoid. In the Swifts Creek Pluton several previous studies have conclu
ded that the microgranular enclaves represent admixed, more mafic and more
primitive magmas, and new data presented here confirm that. Feldspar megacr
ysts in the microgranular enclaves have Sr and Nd isotopic signatures that
are distinct from the surrounding enclave groundmass and from other enclave
s in the pluton and therefore cannot have crystallised in situ. Isotopic co
mpositions of these feldspars are more consistent with their having crystal
lised in a reservoir similar in composition to the most primitive granitoid
analyses. The crystals were then physically transferred from the granitoid
magma into the enclave while the latter was still partially liquid, thus i
nvalidating arguments for a porphyroblastic origin. Field, petrographic and
geochemical data are consistent with microgranular enclaves in the Bridle
Track pluton also originating as admixed, more mafic magmas. However, Sr is
otopic compositions of the enclaves are identical, within error, to the hos
t granite and indicate that significant Sr isotopic equilibration has occur
red. Nd isotopic compositions of the enclaves extend to slightly higher Nd-
143/Nd-144((i)) and are consistent with a mingled magma origin followed by
major isotopic equilibration. Feldspar phenocrysts in the studied enclave h
ave isotopic compositions indistinguishable from both the enclave groundmas
s and host granite, preventing an interpretation of their origin using isot
opic evidence alone.