Coeval interaction between magmas of contrasting composition (Late Carboniferous-Early Permian Santa Eulália-Monforte massif, Ossa-Morena Zone): field relationships and geochronological constraints

Authors

  • M.F. PEREIRA Instituto de Ciências da Terra, departamento de geociências, ECT, universidade de Évora Rua Romão Ramalho 59, 7000-671, Évora, Portugal.
  • C. GAMA Instituto de Ciências da Terra, departamento de geociências, ECT, universidade de Évora Rua Romão Ramalho 59, 7000-671, Évora, Portugal.
  • C. RODRÍGUEZ Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Huelva Huelva, Spain.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1344/GeologicaActa2017.15.4.10

Keywords:

Iberian Massif, Late Carboniferous-Early Permian, Calc-alkaline bimodal plutonism, Zircon dating, Variscan and Cimmerian cycles.

Abstract

The Santa Eulália-Monforte massif is a post-kinematic Late Carboniferous-Early Permian calc-alkaline composite massif (LC-EP) located in the Ossa-Morena Zone (OMZ, Portugal). This paper examines the field relationships between pinkish granites and mafic-intermediate rocks from the external ring of this massif and presents new U-Pb zircon age determinations. The estimated 206Pb/238U ages, 297±4Ma for the pinkish granite and 303±3Ma for a gabbro-diorite point to a short time interval between the crystallization of both magmas. At outcrop scale, contacts of the mafic-intermediate rocks with the host pinkish granite are sharp and corroborate this age relationship, but do not justify why the host-enclave contacts often has curved and irregular shapes, indicating liquid-liquid interaction. A full analysis of the distribution of U-Pb zircon ages and respective Th/U ratios suggests that the compositionally distinct magmas were roughly contemporaneous. The obtained ages also fit the LC-EP Iberian calc-alkaline suite that was formed contemporaneously to the development of the Iberian-Armorican Arc and when the Paleotethyan oceanic Plate subducted under the Eurasian active margin. Taking this geodynamic setting as a reference, the LC-EP Iberian calc-alkaline magmatism can be interpreted as most probably related to the Cimmerian cycle instead of the traditionally accepted model that ascribe a closer connection of this magmatism with the Variscan cycle.

The Santa Eulália-Monforte massif is a post-kinematic Late Carboniferous-Early Permian calc-alkaline composite massif (LC-EP) located in the Ossa-Morena Zone (OMZ, Portugal). This paper examines the field relationships between pinkish granites and mafic-intermediate rocks from the external ring of this massif and presents new U-Pb zircon age determinations. The estimated 206Pb/238U ages, 297±4Ma for the pinkish granite and 303±3Ma for a gabbro-diorite point to a short time interval between the crystallization of both magmas. At outcrop scale, contacts of the mafic-intermediate rocks with the host pinkish granite are sharp and corroborate this age relationship, but do not justify why the host-enclave contacts often has curved and irregular shapes, indicating liquid-liquid interaction. A full analysis of the distribution of U-Pb zircon ages and respective Th/U ratios suggests that the compositionally distinct magmas were roughly contemporaneous. The obtained ages also fit the LC-EP Iberian calc-alkaline suite that was formed contemporaneously to the development of the Iberian-Armorican Arc and when the Paleotethyan oceanic Plate subducted under the Eurasian active margin. Taking this geodynamic setting as a reference, the LC-EP Iberian calc-alkaline magmatism can be interpreted as most probably related to the Cimmerian cycle instead of the traditionally accepted model that ascribe a closer connection of this magmatism with the Variscan cycle.

Downloads

Published

2017-11-17

Issue

Section

Granites and Related Rocks. A tribute to Guillermo Corretgé