Metamorphic feldspathization of metavolcanics and granitoids, Avnik area, Turkey

Abstract

In the Avnik area of the Bingöl massif the Lower Unit consists of basic to felsic metavolcanics (ca. 450 Ma), intruded by granitoids (ca. 350 Ma). These are unconformably overlain by an Upper Unit of micaschists and Permian marbles; both units have been deformed and metamorphosed in Alpine time. The metavolcanics and granitoids are extensively feldspathized and silicified. The granitoids, and basic-intermediate volcanics, are albitized, while felsic volcanics are K-feldspathized. Metasomatism has severely modified K/Rb and Rb/Sr ratios, but not REE patterns, and is inferred to have occurred at relatively low T. Nametasomatism of the Upper Unit micaschists has produced albite porphyroblasts.

Metasomatism postdates formation of the Upper Unit sediments, and is probably related to reaction with sea water that infiltrated the basement of volcanics and granitoids during deposition of these sediments. Rb-Sr whole-rock dating of extensively feldspathized intermediate-felsic metavolcanics gives an age of ca. 90 Ma, which suggests that the most extensive reaction coincided with expulsion of the trapped sea water during the early stages of the Alpine orogeny. The distribution of albitization vs. K-felds-pathization suggests that the type of metasomatism was controlled on a local scale by permeability and grain size, rather than by T variations.