Circum-Caribbean Granitoids: Characteristics and Origin

Abstract

Caribbean granitoids occur among a series of widespread magmatic arcs that developed during a period of major oceanic plate convergence and subduction that began in Late Cretaceous time. Evaluation of Caribbean granitoids reveals that two main suites of granitoids are widespread. Low-K granitoids, including gabbro, diorite, quartz diorite, tonalite, and trondhjemite, comprise one of these suites. The second main type is distinctly more potassic and consists primarily of quartz monzodiorite and granodiorite, but also includes monzodiorite, quartz monzonite, and granite. Both groups contain rocks that are transitional to the other group. The granitoids are part of an extensive Caribbean calc-alkaline assemblage that includes low-K, medium-K, and high-K rocks. Island-arc tholeiitic and normal-K calc-alkalic compositions reflect geochemical continua within the orogenic granitoids. The granitoids (including low-K rocks) lie within the calc-alkaline field on FeOT/MgO and AFM diagrams. Alkali-lime indices genera...