Precaldera lavas of the southeast San Juan Volcanic Field: Parent magmas and crustal interactions

Abstract

Early intermediate composition volcanic rocks of the Oligocene (circa 34–29 Ma) southeast San Juan volcanic field, southern Colorado, comprise the Conejos Formation. Conejos lavas include both high‐K calc‐alkaline and alkaline magma series (54–69% SiO2) ranging in composition from basaltic andesite (basaltic trachyandesite) to dacite (trachydacite). The subsequent Platoro caldera complex (29–27 Ma) was superimposed on a cluster of broadly precursory Conejos stratocones. Precaldera volcanism occurred in three pulses corresponding to three time‐stratigraphic members: (1) the Horseshoe Mountain member, (2) the Rock Creek member, and (3) the Willow Mountain member. Each member exhibits distinctive phenocryst modes and incompatible trace element contents. Horseshoe Mountain lavas (hornblende‐phyric) have relatively low alkali and incompatible element abundances, Rock Creek lavas (anhydrous phenocrysts) and ash‐flow tuffs have the highest abundances, and Willow Mountain lavas (diverse mineralogy) are intermediate. All Conejos lavas exhibit low ratios of lead (206Pb/204Pb = 17.5 to 18.2) and neodymium (εNd = −8 to −4) isotopes and high 87Sr/86Sr (0.7045 to 0.7056) compared to depleted asthenospheric mantle. These values lie between those of likely mantle compositions and the isotopic composition of Proterozoic crust of the southern Rocky Mountains. Mafic lavas of the Horseshoe Mountain member have the lowest Pb and Nd isotope ratios among Conejos members but trend toward higher isotopic values with increasing degrees of differentiation. Compositions within the Rock Creek series trend toward higher Pb and lower Nd isotope ratios with increasing SiO2. Willow mountain volcanic sequences define diverse chemical‐isotopic correlations. We interpret the chemical and isotopic differences observed between mafic lavas of each member to reflect derivation from compositionally distinct mantle derived parent magmas that have experienced extensive deep level crustal contamination. Chemical and isotope correlations within each member indicate Conejos magmas differentiated via staged polybaric, multiprocess evolutionary paths. Stage I occurred near the base of the crust as mantle‐derived basalt evolved to basaltic andesite by the MASH mechanism. Stage II followed ascent to shallower crustal levels where basaltic andesite differentiated to more evolved compositions by combined fractionation and assimilation of heterogeneous crust.