Reply to Müntener and Baumgartner comment on: ‘Spatially controlled Fe and Si isotope variations: an alternative view on the formation of the Torres del Paine pluton’

Abstract

Muntener and Baumgartner (Contrib Mineral Petrol, 2019) comment on our interpretations of the petrogenetic processes operating within the Torres del Paine Intrusive complex (Gajos et al., in Contrib Mineral Petrol 171(11):93, 2016). The issues raised reflect either points that are subject to interpretation or misrepresentations of the data we provided. We dispute field observations and counter that their model reflects over-interpretation due to limited age dating. We provide new geothermometry data indicating that marginal granites formed in a cold environment, consistent with our original model. The Fe and Sr data are not consistent with their two endmember mixing argument. We conclude by reaffirming our position that the thermal migration zone refining process provides a viable explanation for the isotopic variation and construction of the Torres del Paine pluton.