Fractionation of rare-earth elements in the Tuolumne Intrusive Series, Sierra Nevada batholith, California

Abstract

Research Article| April 01, 1978 Fractionation of rare-earth elements in the Tuolumne Intrusive Series, Sierra Nevada batholith, California Fred A. Frey; Fred A. Frey 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Bruce W. Chappell; Bruce W. Chappell 2Department of Geology, Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T. 2600, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Stephen D. Roy Stephen D. Roy 3Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Fred A. Frey 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Bruce W. Chappell 2Department of Geology, Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T. 2600, Australia Stephen D. Roy 3Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1978) 6 (4): 239–242. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1978)6<239:FOREIT>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Fred A. Frey, Bruce W. Chappell, Stephen D. Roy; Fractionation of rare-earth elements in the Tuolumne Intrusive Series, Sierra Nevada batholith, California. Geology 1978;; 6 (4): 239–242. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1978)6<239:FOREIT>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Whole-rock rare-earth element (REE) abundances in the compositionally zoned Tuolumne Intrusive Series vary systematically from marginal quartz diorites with light REE at 60 times chondritic abundances and heavy REE at 8 times chondritic abundances to core granites with light REE at 100 times chondritic abundances and heavy REE at less than 3 times chondritic abundances. Similar highly fractionated REE distributions have been previously interpreted as resulting from (1) partial melting with residual garnet or hornblende or (2) fractional crystallization of hornblende. In the Tuolumne rocks, hornblende separation from the magma has caused systematic, relative depletion in heavy REE. We suggest that such hornblende fractionation may have been important in generating other granitoid rocks with highly fractionated REE abundances. Therefore, unusually low heavy REE abundances in granitoid rocks do not unequivocally indicate residual hornblende or garnet during melting. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.