Petrogenesis and geochronology of Mishao peraluminous I-type granites, Shalair valley area, NE Iraq

Abstract

The Shalair area, which is located in northeastern Iraq, is considered to be part of the northern Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone (SaSZ) and contains several granitoid bodies. One of these bodies, the Mishao porphyritic-granite (MG), was crystallized at 111.6 ± 2.4 Ma, based on its zircon U-Pb age. Its geochemical characteristics suggest that the MG rocks are calc-alkaline, peraluminous, I-type granites with microgranular mafic enclaves. They are enriched in SiO2, Na2O, Al2O3 and Zr and depleted in MgO, Fe2O3, Nb and Ti; in contrast, the enclave sample records lower SiO2 content and higher contents of MgO and Fe2O3. These rocks show an enrichment of LREE relative to HREE, and pronounced negative Eu anomalies implying feldspar fractionation. The isotopic and geochemical characteristics of the MG samples suggest that these rocks are evolved through fractional crystallization. In the La/Nb-Nb diagram and Sm/Nd ratios, the MG rocks and the enclave samples exhibit strong evidence for crustal contamination. The MG rocks record high initial 87Sr/86Sr (0.70625–0.70740) and low 143Nd/144Nd(i) (0.51235–0.51274) ratios. These Sr-Nd isotopic data, combined with the presence of high Th/U and Rb/Sr ratios and significant depletions of Nb, Ta and Ti, show a relation of these bodies to an active continental margin regime. Based on the age and geochemical data of the MG, this study presents new information about the occurrence of Middle Cretaceous magmatic activities, which are related to the active continental margins in the SaSZ that run parallel to the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt.