The Pb isotopic compositions of lower crustal xenoliths and the evolution of lower crustal Pb

Abstract

Pb isotopic compositions for three suites of well-characterized granulite facies xenoliths from a diversity of crustal settings (the Chudleigh and McBride volcanic provinces, Queensland, Australia and the Eifel volcanics, West Germany) are presented here. All three suites plot to the right of the 4.57 Ga geochron, similar to the published Pb results of other mafic granulite xenoliths. Correlations between Sr, Nd and Pb isotopes in the three suites measured here point to an origin by mixing of mantle-derived basaltic magmas with lower crust at the time of basaltic underplating (i.e., < 100 Ma for Chudleigh, ∼ 300 Ma for McBride, ∼ 450 Ma for Eifel). Because the Pb concentration of the continental crust is much greater than that of mantle-derived basaltic magmas, the Pb isotopic compositions of the magmas are shifted dramatically by the mixing, allowing delineation of the isotopic characteristics of the lower crust. In all three cases, this lower crust had radiogenic Pb and Sr isotopic compositions and unradiogenic Nd isotopic compositions, yielding Proterozoic Nd model ages. Such radiogenic lower crust contrasts markedly with the Pb isotopic characteristics of most Precambrian granulite facies terrains. Whereas the Nd isotopes reflect the average age of crust formation, the Pb isotopic characteristics of the lower crust appear to be a function of the tectonothermal age of the crust: unradiogenic Pb can only develop in regions which have remained stable for long time periods (e.g., cratons), whereas in areas where orogenies have occurred subsequent to crustal formation, the Pb isotopic composition of the lower crust is “rejuvenated” through mixing with radiogenic Pb from upper crust and mantle-derived magmas. Thus, after orogeny, the Pb isotopic composition of the lower crust resembles that of the upper crust. On the basis of this proposed orogenic age-Pb isotope correlation, we estimate the Pb isotopic composition of the lower crust using the data for granulite xenoliths and granulite terrains. This, combined with an upper crust defined by modern sediments and ores, yields a model total crust composition which falls significantly to the right of the 4.57 Ga geochron. Thus, the lower crust does not appear to be sufficiently unradiogenic to balance the radiogenic upper crust and upper mantle Pb reservoirs.