Age and nature of Triassic magmatism in the Netoni Intrusive Complex, West Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

We report field observations together with petrological, geochemical and geochronological data from granitoids of the Netoni Intrusive Complex of West Papua. Until now, our knowledge of the timing of granitic magmatism in this region has been limited to a wide range of ages (241–6.7Ma) obtained from K-Ar measurements of hornblende, biotite and plagioclase, primarily from samples of river detritus. We collected in situ samples along several traverses into the intrusive complex to: (1) develop a better understanding of the lithologies within the intrusive complex; and (2) determine the timing of magmatism using U-Pb dating of zircon. We also dated zircons from two river sand samples to identify other potential pulses of magmatism that may have been missed due to a sampling bias. The zircons extracted from the river sands yield age spectra similar to those obtained from the in situ samples. The combined data demonstrate that magmatism in the Netoni Intrusive Complex occurred between 248Ma and 213Ma. The petrological and geochemical data indicate that the granitoids were most likely emplaced in an ocean-continent (Andean style) subduction setting. This builds on previous work which suggests that a magmatic belt extended along eastern Gondwana (now New Guinea and eastern Australia) throughout much of the Paleozoic. The volcanic ejecta that were produced along this arc and the subsequent erosion of the mountain chain are a potential source of detritus for Triassic and younger sedimentary rocks in New Guinea, eastern Indonesia and north/northwestern Australia.