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2007•The Canadian MineralogistRequires access

THE COMPOSITION OF ZIRCON IN THE PERALUMINOUS HERCYNIAN GRANITES OF THE SPANISH CENTRAL SYSTEM BATHOLITH

C. Perez-Soba, Carlos Villaseca, J. González del Tánago, Lutz Nasdala

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Abstract

We have\tinvestigated\tthe\tzircon\tfrom\tgranites\tof\tthe\tSpanish\tCentral\tSystem\t(SCS)\t batholith. This\tbatholith\tis\tcomposed\tof plutons of\tboth\tI-\tand\tS-type\tgranite,\t with\tdifferent\tdegrees\tof\tfractionation. The\tassociation\tprovides\ta\tnatural\tlaboratory\tfor\tthe study of\tcompositional\tevolution\tof\tzircon. We\trecognize\ttwo\ttypes\tof\tmagmatic\tzircon. Type-1\tzircon\tconsists\tof\teuhedral\tand elongate crystals\tshowing\tan\toscillatory\tzoning,\t usually\thosted\tin\tthe\tearly\tmajor\tminerals,\t being\tmore\tabundant\tin\tgranodiorite and monzogranite\tplutons. Type-2\tzircon\tis\tcharacterized\tby\tsmaller\tand\tmore\tequant\tcrystals,\t unzoned,\t or\tirregularly\tzoned,\t and usually interstitial\tto\tthe\trock-forming\tminerals,\t and\tforming\tclusters\twith\tother\taccessory\tminerals. This\tsecond\ttype\tis\tmore abundant in\tleucogranites,\t aplites\tand\tpegmatites. Type-2\tzircon\tshows\tthe\thighest\tconcentrations\tof\tHf\t(16.58\twt. %\t HfO2), U (4.83 %\t UO2),\t Th\t(4.87 %\t ThO2),\t Y\t(8.51 %\t Y2O3),\t and\tHREE\t(3.78 %\t HREE2O3),\t and\tthe\tlowest\tanalytical\ttotals\t(down\tto 91.2%). The\treplacement\tof\tZr\tby\ttetravalent\tcations\t(Th,\t U\tand\tHf)\t is\tfavored\tin\tthe\tmost\tevolved\tgranites. Micro-areas\tof zircon with\tlow\tanalytical\ttotals\t(91–98\twt.%)\t have\ta\thigh\tlevel\tof\tcation\tsubstitution. Moreover,\t their\thigh\tTh–U\tcontents\tinduce elevated levels\tof\tradiation\tdamage. Disturbances\tin\tthe\toriginal\tstructure,\t combined\twith\tsevere\tmetamictization\tof\tU–Th-rich micro-areas,\t may\thave\tcaused\tan\tenhanced\tsusceptibility\tto\tsecondary\talteration. This\tprocess,\t in\tturn,\t is\tbelieved\tto\thave\tformed the observed strongly damaged and cation-deficient zircon. The range of Zr/Hf values in zircon crystals of the granites studied and those\tof\trelated\tmetamorphic\trocks\t(as\tpossible\tcrustal\tsources)\t are\tsimilar. The\tcomposition\tof\tzircon\tfrom\tSCS\tgranulite

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We have\tinvestigated\tthe\tzircon\tfrom\tgranites\tof\tthe\tSpanish\tCentral\tSystem\t(SCS)\t batholith. This\tbatholith\tis\tcomposed\tof plutons of\tboth\tI-\tand\tS-type\tgranite,\t with\tdifferent\tdegrees\tof\tfractionation. The\tassociation\tprovides\ta\tnatural\tlaboratory\tfor\tthe study of\tcompositional\tevolution\tof\tzircon. We\trecognize\ttwo\ttypes\tof\tmagmatic\tzircon. Type-1\tzircon\tconsists\tof\teuhedral\tand elongate crystals\tshowing\tan\toscillatory\tzoning,\t usually\thosted\tin\tthe\tearly\tmajor\tminerals,\t being\tmore\tabundant\tin\tgranodiorite and monzogranite\tplutons. Type-2\tzircon\tis\tcharacterized\tby\tsmaller\tand\tmore\tequant\tcrystals,\t unzoned,\t or\tirregularly\tzoned,\t and usually interstitial\tto\tthe\trock-forming\tminerals,\t and\tforming\tclusters\twith\tother\taccessory\tminerals. This\tsecond\ttype\tis\tmore abundant in\tleucogranites,\t aplites\tand\tpegmatites. Type-2\tzircon\tshows\tthe\thighest\tconcentrations\tof\tHf\t(16.58\twt. %\t HfO2), U (4.83 %\t UO2),\t Th\t(4.87 %\t ThO2),\t Y\t(8.51 %\t Y2O3),\t and\tHREE\t(3.78 %\t HREE2O3),\t and\tthe\tlowest\tanalytical\ttotals\t(down\tto 91.2%). The\treplacement\tof\tZr\tby\ttetravalent\tcations\t(Th,\t U\tand\tHf)\t is\tfavored\tin\tthe\tmost\tevolved\tgranites. Micro-areas\tof zircon with\tlow\tanalytical\ttotals\t(91–98\twt.%)\t have\ta\thigh\tlevel\tof\tcation\tsubstitution. Moreover,\t their\thigh\tTh–U\tcontents\tinduce elevated levels\tof\tradiation\tdamage. Disturbances\tin\tthe\toriginal\tstructure,\t combined\twith\tsevere\tmetamictization\tof\tU–Th-rich micro-areas,\t may\thave\tcaused\tan\tenhanced\tsusceptibility\tto\tsecondary\talteration. This\tprocess,\t in\tturn,\t is\tbelieved\tto\thave\tformed the observed strongly damaged and cation-deficient zircon. The range of Zr/Hf values in zircon crystals of the granites studied and those\tof\trelated\tmetamorphic\trocks\t(as\tpossible\tcrustal\tsources)\t are\tsimilar. The\tcomposition\tof\tzircon\tfrom\tSCS\tgranulite

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Available abstract

We have\tinvestigated\tthe\tzircon\tfrom\tgranites\tof\tthe\tSpanish\tCentral\tSystem\t(SCS)\t batholith. This\tbatholith\tis\tcomposed\tof plutons of\tboth\tI-\tand\tS-type\tgranite,\t with\tdifferent\tdegrees\tof\tfractionation. The\tassociation\tprovides\ta\tnatural\tlaboratory\tfor\tthe study of\tcompositional\tevolution\tof\tzircon. We\trecognize\ttwo\ttypes\tof\tmagmatic\tzircon. Type-1\tzircon\tconsists\tof\teuhedral\tand elongate crystals\tshowing\tan\toscillatory\tzoning,\t usually\thosted\tin\tthe\tearly\tmajor\tminerals,\t being\tmore\tabundant\tin\tgranodiorite and monzogranite\tplutons. Type-2\tzircon\tis\tcharacterized\tby\tsmaller\tand\tmore\tequant\tcrystals,\t unzoned,\t or\tirregularly\tzoned,\t and usually interstitial\tto\tthe\trock-forming\tminerals,\t and\tforming\tclusters\twith\tother\taccessory\tminerals. This\tsecond\ttype\tis\tmore abundant in\tleucogranites,\t aplites\tand\tpegmatites. Type-2\tzircon\tshows\tthe\thighest\tconcentrations\tof\tHf\t(16.58\twt. %\t HfO2), U (4.83 %\t UO2),\t Th\t(4.87 %\t ThO2),\t Y\t(8.51 %\t Y2O3),\t and\tHREE\t(3.78 %\t HREE2O3),\t and\tthe\tlowest\tanalytical\ttotals\t(down\tto 91.2%). The\treplacement\tof\tZr\tby\ttetravalent\tcations\t(Th,\t U\tand\tHf)\t is\tfavored\tin\tthe\tmost\tevolved\tgranites. Micro-areas\tof zircon with\tlow\tanalytical\ttotals\t(91–98\twt.%)\t have\ta\thigh\tlevel\tof\tcation\tsubstitution. Moreover,\t their\thigh\tTh–U\tcontents\tinduce elevated levels\tof\tradiation\tdamage. Disturbances\tin\tthe\toriginal\tstructure,\t combined\twith\tsevere\tmetamictization\tof\tU–Th-rich micro-areas,\t may\thave\tcaused\tan\tenhanced\tsusceptibility\tto\tsecondary\talteration. This\tprocess,\t in\tturn,\t is\tbelieved\tto\thave\tformed the observed strongly damaged and cation-deficient zircon. The range of Zr/Hf values in zircon crystals of the granites studied and those\tof\trelated\tmetamorphic\trocks\t(as\tpossible\tcrustal\tsources)\t are\tsimilar. The\tcomposition\tof\tzircon\tfrom\tSCS\tgranulite

Key concepts: Batholith, Zircon, Geology, Geochemistry, Composition (language), Mineralogy, Seismology, Tectonics

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THE COMPOSITION OF ZIRCON IN THE PERALUMINOUS HERCYNIAN GRANITES OF THE SPANISH CENTRAL SYSTEM BATHOLITH — Research Paper | ScholarLens