Cretaceous albitization and dequartzification of Hercynian peraluminous granite in the Salvezines Massif (French Pyrénées)

Abstract

The Salvezines Massif in northern French Pyrénées has undergone extensive albitization. The massif consists of gneisses and a leucogranite hosted in Paleozoic sediments (schists and carbonates). The leucogranite was emplaced at the end of the Hercynian orogeny. The granite underwent monazite fractionation during magmatic stages, which induced lowering of REE and Th contents in the most evolved rocks. Hydrothermal alteration during late magmatic stages is also identified through the development of a tetrad effect in the REE patterns of the granite and through the fractionation of ratios like Zr/Hf out of the CHARAC (CHarge RAdius Controlled) range. The granite underwent partial to complete sub-solidus albitization. Progressive metasomatic overprint induced metasomatic replacement of feldspars into albite and dissolution of quartz (episyenitization) together with new albite formation. Hydrothermal muscovite with a sheaf-like structure sometimes crystallised in albitites. Inherited muscovites from magmatic stage and newly formed muscovites from albitites have distinct chemical compositions with the latter being much more phengitic. The initial peraluminous chemistry of the leucogranite was lost during albitization and composition evolved towards a pure albite one (A/CNK = 1). Albitization induced gains in Na and Al, and losses in Si and K. Leaching of REE and U is also identified during albitization, as well as the non-CHARAC behaviour of some elements. δ 18O values of quartz and muscovite in albitized granites are in the magmatic range (about 12 and 9.5‰, respectively). Feldspars acquired high δ 18O values during albitization (up to 15‰). Muscovite grains from albitites have higher δ 18O values than inherited ones and tend towards isotopic equilibrium with albite. The albitizing fluids have interacted with high- δ 18O rocks (probably local carbonates) prior to alter granite. Muscovites inherited from magmatic stages display very characteristic disturbed 39Ar– 40Ar age spectra with saddle-shapes when a muscovite associated with albitization provided a plateau age at 117.5 Ma for this alteration event. Albitization in the Salvezines Massif just preceded the regional talc/chlorite hydrothermal mineralization. Both events might then represent two outward signs of a huge hydrothermal system at the time of the rotation of the Iberian plate around Europe. The North Pyrenean Metamorphism is identified by 39Ar– 40Ar analyses at ca. or younger than 100 Ma.