Implications of Quaternary volcanism at Cerro Tuzgle for crustal and mantle evolution of the Puna Plateau, Central Andes, Argentina

Abstract

The high-K Tuzgle volcanic center, (24° S, 66.5° W) along with several small shoshonitic centers, developed along extensional Quaternary faults of the El Toro lineament on the east-central Puna plateau, ≈275 km east of the main front of the Andean Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ). These magmas formed by complex mixing processes in the mantle and thickened crust (>50 km) above a ∼200 km deep scismic zone. Tuzgle magmas are differentiated from shoshonitic series magmas by their more intraplate-like Ti group element characteristics, lower incompatible element concentrations, and lower 87Sr/86Sr ratios at a given eNd. Underlying Mio-Pliocene volcanic rocks erupted in a compressional stress regime and have back-arc like calc-alkaline chemical characteristics. The Tuzgle rocks can be divided into two sequences with different mantle precursors: a) an older, more voluminous rhyodacitic (ignimbrite) to mafic andestitic (56% to 71% SiO2) sequence with La/Yb ratios 35. La/Yb ratios are controlled by the mafic components: low ratios result from larger mantle melt percentages than high ratios. Shoshonitic series lavas (52% to 62% SiO2) contain small percentage melts of more isotopically “enriched” arc-like mantle sources. Some young Tuzgle lavas have a shoshonitic-like component. Variable thermal conditions and complex stress system are required to produce the Tuzgle and shoshonitic series magmas in the same vicinity. These conditions are consistent with the underlying mantle being in transition from the thick mantle lithosphere which produced rare shoshonitic flows in the Altiplano to the thinner mantle lithosphere that produced back-are calc-alkaline and intraplate-type flows in the southern Puna. Substantial upper crustal type contamination in Tuzgle lavas is indicated by decreasing eNd (-2.5 to-6.7) with increasing 87Sr/86Sr (0.7063 to 0.7099) ratios and SiO2 concentrations, and by negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* <0.78) in lavas that lack plagioclase phenocrysts. Trace element arguments indicate that the bulk contaminant was more silicic than the Tuzgle ignimbrite and left a residue with a high pressure mineralogy. Crustal shortening processes transported upper crustal contaminants to depths where melting occurred. These contaminants mixed with mafic magmas that were fractionating mafic phases at high pressure. Silicic melts formed at depth by these processes accumulated at a mid to upper crustal discontinuity (decollement). The Tuzgle ignimbrite erupted from this level when melting rates were highest. Subsequent lavas are mixtures of contaminated mafic magmas and ponded silicic melts. Feldspar and quartz phenocrysts in the lavas are phenocrysts from the ponded silicic magmas.