Lithostratigraphy of the Mesoproterozoic Windpoort Granite (Spektakel Suite), western Namaqualand, South Africa

Abstract

AbstractThe Windpoort Granite is a porphyritic, leucocratic granite belonging to the Spektakel Suite, a group of late- to post-tectonic granites intruded into the orthogneisses and supracrustal metamorphic rocks in western Namaqualand. Like other granites of this type, it is devoid of penetrative tectonic foliation, at most displaying a magmatic foliation parallel to the boundaries of the intrusion. Its main characteristic setting it apart from other Spektakel Suite granites in western Namaqualand is its tightly packed arrangement of small stubby alkali feldspar phenocrysts. Its U-Pb LA-ICPMS age of 1087 ± 11 Ma agrees with the age of other Spektakel Suite granites showing similar field relationships. It classifies geochemically as a highly potassic monzogranite with more evolved compositions than all other plutons of the Spektakel Suite.