Isotopic Evolution of the Idaho Batholith and Challis Intrusive Province, Northern US Cordillera

Abstract

The Idaho batholith and spatially overlapping Challis intrusive province in the North American Cordillera have a history of magmatism spanning some 55 Myr. New isotopic data from the 98Ma to 54Ma Idaho batholith and 51Ma to 43Ma Challis intrusions, coupled with recent geochronological work, provide insights into the evolution of magmatism in the Idaho segment of the Cordillera. Nd and Hf isotopes show clear shifts towards more evolved compositions through the batholith’s history and Pb isotopes define distinct fields correlative with the different age and compositionally defined suites of the batholith, whereas the Sr isotopic compositions of the various suites largely overlap.The subsequent Challis magmatism shows the full range of isotopic compositions seen in the batholith.These data suggest that the early suites of metaluminous magmatism (98^87 Ma) represent crust^mantle hybrids. Subsequent voluminous Atlanta peraluminous suite magmatism (83^67 Ma) results primarily from melting of different crustal components. This can be attributed to crustal thickening, resulting from either subduction processes or an outboard terrane collision. A later, smaller crustal melting episode, in the northern Idaho batholith, resulted in the Bitterroot peraluminous suite (66^54 Ma) and tapped different crustal sources. Subsequent Challis magmatism was derived from both crust and mantle sources and corresponds to extensional collapse of the over-thickened crust.