The Early Paleozoic basite magmatism of Western Transbaikalia: Composition, isotope age (U-Pb, SHRIMP RG), magma sources, and geodynamics

Abstract

Remnants of the Early Paleozoic gabbro and gabbromonzonite with an age of 514.6 ± 7.2 Ma (U-Pb, Zrn, SHRIMP-RG, Turka Massif) were identified among basites spatially associated with Late Paleozoic granitoids of Western Transbaikalia. Obtained geochronological data are close to those of felsic subvolcanic rocks of the Early Cambrian volcanotectonic structures of the Uda-Vitim paleoisland arc and gabbro of the Dzhida island arc in Central and Southwestern Transbaikalia. As compared to the Late Paleozoic analogues, the Early Paleozoic gabbromonzonite is characterized by the moderately low potassic alkalinity, fractionated REE pattern, and LILE enrichment relative to HFSE. The Early Paleozoic gabbro and gabbromonzonite are depleted in Nb, Ta, Zr, and Hf and enriched in Pb and Sr, which is typical of suprasubduction magmatic rocks. Geochemical data indicate a contribution of crustal (subducted) material in a magma source. A combination of geological, geochemical, and isotope-geochronological data indicates that the Early Paleozoic gabbromonzonite was formed in the Uda-Vitim paleoisland arc system in a suprasubduction setting. The geochemical similarity of the Early Paleozoic rocks and Late Paleozoic basites, which are associated with the Late Paleozoic granitic rocks of the Angara-Vitim batholith and were formed 200 Ma later, is attributed to inheritance of mantle source.