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The La Breña — El Jagüey Maar Complex, Durango, Mexico: II. Petrology and geochemistry

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Abstract

A suite of 16 basanitic volcanic rocks, representing all stages in the evolution of the La Breña — El Jagüey (LBEJ) Maar Complex, has been studied petrographically and analyzed for mineral compositions and whole-rock major element, trace element, and Sr−Nd−Pb isotopic compositions. Two feldspathic granulite xenoliths were also studied as possible lower-crustal contaminants to the LBEJ magmas. The volcanic rocks contain the stable minerals olivine, plagioclase, augite, and titanomagnetite±ilmenite, plus a diverse suite of xenocrusts derived from disaggregation of mantle xenoliths of spinel lherzolite (olivine, orthopyroxene, spinel) and lower-crustal granulite xenoliths (plagioclase, quartz, augite, ilmenite). Late-stage interstitial melts rich in Fe and Ti migrated into vesicles in several samples, forming coarse-grained segregation vesicles that are dominated by ilmenite blades up to 2 mm long. The whole-rock elemental data are typical of intra-plate basanitic rocks, with strong enrichments in large ion lithophile elements (i.e. K, Th, U) as well as high field strength elements (i.e. Nb, Ta) relative to mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) and estimates of primordial mantle abundances. Mg# increased systematically with time during the evolution of the LBEJ Maar Complex, from 57.0–58.2 in the pre-maar lavas to 59.1–63.8 in the post-maar lavas. Compatible elements (Ca, Sc, Cr, Co, Ni) correlate positively with Mg#, whereas a large group of incompatible elements (Al, Na, K, P, Rb, Sr, Zr, Nb, Ba, La, Ce, Sm, Hf, Ta, Th, U) correlate negatively with Mg#. These trends can be closely reproduced by simple models of fractional crystallization, provided that the incompatible element abundances of the parental, high-Mg# magmas are allowed minor variability. All successful fractionation models demand an important role for augite, despite its presence in the LBEJ volcanic rocks as only a late-stage microphenocrystic and groundmass mineral. Minor garnet fractionation is necessary to produce depletion of heavy rare earth element (REE) abundances in the pre-maar lavas, whose REE patterns cross those for the rest of the suite. The importance of augite and garnet fractionation indicate that the differentiation of the LBEJ magmas took place within the upper mantle, a conclusion that is supported by the presence of spinel lherzolite xenoliths in magmas from all stages in the evolution of the maar complex. Isotopic data for seven LBEJ volcanic rocks show the following ranges: 87Sr/86Sr 0.70327–0.70347, ɛ Nd 4.2–5.0, 206Pb/204Pb 18.60–18.81, 207Pb/204Pb 15.58–15.65, 208Pb/204Pb 38.19–38.58. Sr-Nd values are negatively correlated and form a trend parallel to the mantle array, overlapping the field for ocean island basalts (OIB). The LBEJ rocks have similar 87Sr/86Sr values but lower ɛ Nd compared to basanitic rocks from the US Basin and Range Province (BRP). Pb isotopic ratios are positively correlated and overlap the braod fields for MORB and OIB and the small fields for Mexican ore deposits and volcanic rocks from the active subduction-related Mexican Volcanic Belt. The LBEJ rocks have slightly more radiogenic Pb than basanitic rocks from the US BRP. Despite correlations among the isotopic ratios of the LBEJ suite, none of these ratios correlate with position in the eruption sequence, Mg#, or any other compositional parameter. The two lower-crustal xenoliths have high 87Sr/86Sr values (0.707, 0.710) and low ɛ Nd (-1.5,-8.0) compared to the LBEJ volcanic rocks, but their Pb isotopic compositions are only slightly more radiogenic than the volcanic rocks. These data do not support the widely held view that the lower crust is a major reservoir of unradiogenic Pb. In order to further constrain the role played by crustal contamination in generating the isotopic diversity in the LBEJ suite, we conducted an extensive investigation of Sr−Nd−Pb isotopic ratios for scoria clasts from different levels of a single scoria-fall horizon in the pyroclastic sequence related to the formation of La Breña Maar. Our results do not support an important role for crustal contamination in the LBEJ magmas. Rather, we conclude that minor isotopic variability exists in the mantle source regions beneath the maar complex.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Washington University, 63130, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Jean G Pier & Frank A Podosek

  2. Department of Mineral Sciences, NHB-119, Smithsonian Institution, 20560, Washington, D.C., USA

    James F Luhr

  3. Estación Regional del Centro, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, Guanajuato, México

    Jose J Aranda-Gómez

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  1. Jean G Pier
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Pier, J.G., Luhr, J.F., Podosek, F.A. et al. The La Breña — El Jagüey Maar Complex, Durango, Mexico: II. Petrology and geochemistry. Bull Volcanol 54, 405–428 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00312322

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