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

Citation
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
Citations number
46
Categorie Soggetti
Earth Sciences
Journal title
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES
ISSN journal
08120099 → ACNP
Volume
47
Issue
6
Year of publication
2000
Pages
1105 - 1112
Database
ISI
SICI code
0812-0099(200012)47:6<1105:SANIIT>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
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.