Cretaceous rift related magmatism in central-western South America

Abstract

The Cretaceous–Paleocene Andean basin system of central-western South America, comprises northwestern Argentina and southwestern Bolivia. It is situated between 62°–68°W and 18°–27°S, but extends westward to northern Chile and northward to Bolivia and Peru. These basins have been interpreted as an aborted foreland rift. In a general sense, it may be possible to relate this rift to the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean, however it was directly associated, in a backarc position, with the subduction of the Nazca Plate below the South American Plate. Three main magmatic episodes were recognized: the pre-rift stage (130–120 Ma) which is characterized by an early phase of anorogenic plutonism, with subalkaline and alkaline granitic intrusives; the syn-rift volcanic episode which started with a mainly alkaline volcanic activity (110–100) in which alkaline rocks prevail; a second more voluminous volcanic episode (80–75 Ma) which is characterized by an alkaline suite represented by basanites and tephriphonolites; and the last volcanic episode (65–60 Ma) which consists of lamproitic sills and basic K rich lava flows. Petrography, chemistry and chronology of the Cretaceous plutonic bodies indicate anorogenic pre-rift related A-type granite complexes closely related to the further evolution of the Cretaceous rift basin. The petrology and geochemistry of the Cretaceous volcanic rocks show strong alkaline affinities and suggest a similar rift-related origin. The geochemical and isotopic characteristics of the alkaline basalts suggest that they originated through low degrees of partial melting of a depleted mantle subcontinental lithosphere which was previously enriched by processes such as the introduction of veins rich in amphibole, high Ti phlogopite, and apatite. Cretaceous plutonic and volcanic rocks from central-southwestern South America are related to an intracontinental rift environment and although their ages are correlative with those of the Paraná volcanic province, their petrology, geochemistry and isotopic compositions reveal different source regions and petrogenetic processes.