Petrogenesis of the postcollisional Middle Devonian monzonitic to granitic magmatism of the Sierra de San Luis, Argentina

Abstract

Middle Devonian granitoids intruded the Eastern Sierras Pampeanas basement ca. 600km east of the inferred proto-Pacific margin of Gondwana along which a ca. 390Ma collisional event developed. In the Sierra de San Luis, voluminous Middle Devonian (393–382Ma) batholiths are composed of I- to A-type hybrid Monzonite and Granite suites. Shoshonite and subordinated high-K series, stocks, synplutonic dikes and enclaves make up the Monzonite Suite; rocks are metaluminous alkali–calcic magnesian porphyritic or equigranular monzonite, quartz monzonite, monzodiorite and scarce monzogabbro. High-K and subordinated shoshonite series metaluminous to mildly peraluminous magnesian alkali–calcic to calc–alkalic porphyritic or equigranular quartz monzonite, granodiorite, monzogranite and equigranular leucomonzogranites make up the Granite Suite plutons and batholiths. Only a small group of highly evolved granites are ferroan. SiO2 (46–62%), Cr, Ni, V, Sc, LILE, LREE, Th, Zr and variable, Sr/Y, (La/Yb)N and (Tb/Yb)N, smooth Eu/Eu*, moderate Na2O (ca 3.5), and troughs at Nb and Ta for Monzonite Suite rocks suggest an subduction-related enriched lithospheric mantle source. Sm–Nd data (TDM 0.98–1.08Ga, εNd(380Ma) 0.66–1.47) and 87Sr/86Sri (0.703520–0.704203) are compatible with an enriched mantle source. The metaluminous porphyritic quartz monzonite–monzogranite and the mildly peraluminous equigranular biotite monzogranites of the Granite Suite are characterized by relatively moderate Al2O3, CaO, and 87Sr/86Sri, high LILE, Cr, variable Sr/Y, (La/Yb)N and Eu/Eu* and low Rb/Sr (<1.2) suggest a mafic source. The porphyritic monzogranite (TDM 1.20–1.28Ga, εNd(380Ma) −3.02 to −3.3, 87Sr/86Sri 0.706578–0.707027) and the biotite monzogranites (TDM 1.31Ga, εNd(380Ma) −3.3, 87Sr/86Sri 0.707782) would share a common source. The equigranular alkali–calcic leucomonzogranites are characterized by Rb/Sr >1.5, ASI 1.05–1.18, and Ga/Al 2.6–3.9, εNd(380Ma) −3.74 to −3.95 and (87Sr/86Sr)i 0.710743–0.712955 which would point to metasedimentary or felsic igneous crustal sources. Nevertheless their TDM 1.36–1.38Ga is considerably younger than the mean 1.8–1.6Ga Eastern Sierras Pampeanas crustal residence age and less radiogenic. Middle Devonian magmatism would record an episode of crustal growth by enriched mantle derived magma input and variable degrees of partial melting of a lower crustal source at the waning stages of the Achalian orogeny.