Three Fe-Ti oxide ore-bearing gabbro-granitoid complexes in the panxi region of the Permian Emeishan large igneous province, SW China

J. Gregory Shellnutt; Kuo Lung Wang; Georg F. Zellmer; Yoshiyuki Iizuka; Bor Ming Jahn; Kwan Nang Pang; Liang Qi; Mei Fu Zhou

doi:10.2475/09.2011.02

Three Fe-Ti oxide ore-bearing gabbro-granitoid complexes in the panxi region of the Permian Emeishan large igneous province, SW China

J. Gregory Shellnutt^*, Kuo Lung Wang, Georg F. Zellmer, Yoshiyuki Iizuka, Bor Ming Jahn, Kwan Nang Pang, Liang Qi, Mei Fu Zhou

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Earth Sciences (Include Institute of Marine Environmental Science and Technology)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

77 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Permian (∼260 Ma) Emeishan large igneous province of SW China contains three nearly identical gabbro-granitoid complexes that host giant Fe-Ti oxide deposits. The Fe-Ti oxide deposits are within the lower portions of evolved layered gabbroic intrusions and are spatially and temporally associated with A-type granitic plutons. The 264 ± 3Ma Taihe layered gabbroic intrusion hosts a large magmatic Fe-Ti oxide deposit and is coeval with the Taihe peralkaline, A-type granitic pluton, which is dated at 261 ± 2 Ma. Within the A-type granitic pluton are microgranular enclaves, which have compositions intermediate between the gabbro and host granite. Primitive mantle-normalized incompatible element plots show corresponding reciprocal patterns between the mafic and felsic rocks. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns show Eu-anomalies changing from positive (Eu/Eu* = 1.5 to 5.9) in the gabbroic intrusion to negative in the enclaves (Eu/Eu* = 0.4 to 0.6) and granites (Eu/Eu*= 0.2 to 0.5). Whole rock εNd _(T) values of the gabbroic intrusion (εNd(T) =+2.5 to +3.3) are similar to those of the enclaves (εNd _(T)= +1.0 to 2.0) and granite (εNd _(T)= +1.5 to +1.9) whereas the zircon εHf _(T) values of the gabbro (εHf _(T) = +8.1 ± 0.8) are indistinguishable from those of the granites (εHf _(T)= +9.2 ± 1.0), suggesting that the parent magmas for all rock types originated from the same mantle source. Geochemical modeling indicates that the gabbros and granites can be generated by fractional crystallization of a common parental magma similar to high-Ti Emeishan flood basalt. The compositional jump from the gabbro to the enclaves is attributed to the crystallization of Fe-Ti oxide minerals. The results of this study and other studies suggest that the magmatic conditions (for example, pressure, composition, fO ₂), which led to the formation of at least three Fe-Ti oxide bearing gabbro-granitoid complexes, were relatively common during the development of the Emeishan large igneous province.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	773-812
Number of pages	40
Journal	American Journal of Science
Volume	311
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2475/09.2011.02
Publication status	Published - 2011 Nov

Keywords

A-type granites
Emeishan large igneous province
Fe-Ti oxide deposit
Fractional crystallization
Late Permian
Layered gabbro

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Earth and Planetary Sciences

Access to Document

10.2475/09.2011.02

Cite this

@article{26e040518dd04ee992f99fa1fbc7fb0d,

title = "Three Fe-Ti oxide ore-bearing gabbro-granitoid complexes in the panxi region of the Permian Emeishan large igneous province, SW China",

abstract = "The Permian (∼260 Ma) Emeishan large igneous province of SW China contains three nearly identical gabbro-granitoid complexes that host giant Fe-Ti oxide deposits. The Fe-Ti oxide deposits are within the lower portions of evolved layered gabbroic intrusions and are spatially and temporally associated with A-type granitic plutons. The 264 ± 3Ma Taihe layered gabbroic intrusion hosts a large magmatic Fe-Ti oxide deposit and is coeval with the Taihe peralkaline, A-type granitic pluton, which is dated at 261 ± 2 Ma. Within the A-type granitic pluton are microgranular enclaves, which have compositions intermediate between the gabbro and host granite. Primitive mantle-normalized incompatible element plots show corresponding reciprocal patterns between the mafic and felsic rocks. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns show Eu-anomalies changing from positive (Eu/Eu* = 1.5 to 5.9) in the gabbroic intrusion to negative in the enclaves (Eu/Eu* = 0.4 to 0.6) and granites (Eu/Eu*= 0.2 to 0.5). Whole rock εNd (T) values of the gabbroic intrusion (εNd(T) =+2.5 to +3.3) are similar to those of the enclaves (εNd (T)= +1.0 to 2.0) and granite (εNd (T)= +1.5 to +1.9) whereas the zircon εHf (T) values of the gabbro (εHf (T) = +8.1 ± 0.8) are indistinguishable from those of the granites (εHf (T)= +9.2 ± 1.0), suggesting that the parent magmas for all rock types originated from the same mantle source. Geochemical modeling indicates that the gabbros and granites can be generated by fractional crystallization of a common parental magma similar to high-Ti Emeishan flood basalt. The compositional jump from the gabbro to the enclaves is attributed to the crystallization of Fe-Ti oxide minerals. The results of this study and other studies suggest that the magmatic conditions (for example, pressure, composition, fO 2), which led to the formation of at least three Fe-Ti oxide bearing gabbro-granitoid complexes, were relatively common during the development of the Emeishan large igneous province.",

keywords = "A-type granites, Emeishan large igneous province, Fe-Ti oxide deposit, Fractional crystallization, Late Permian, Layered gabbro",

author = "Shellnutt, {J. Gregory} and Wang, {Kuo Lung} and Zellmer, {Georg F.} and Yoshiyuki Iizuka and Jahn, {Bor Ming} and Pang, {Kwan Nang} and Liang Qi and Zhou, {Mei Fu}",

year = "2011",

month = nov,

doi = "10.2475/09.2011.02",

language = "English",

volume = "311",

pages = "773--812",

journal = "American Journal of Science",

issn = "0002-9599",

publisher = "Yale University",

number = "9",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Three Fe-Ti oxide ore-bearing gabbro-granitoid complexes in the panxi region of the Permian Emeishan large igneous province, SW China

AU - Shellnutt, J. Gregory

AU - Wang, Kuo Lung

AU - Zellmer, Georg F.

AU - Iizuka, Yoshiyuki

AU - Jahn, Bor Ming

AU - Pang, Kwan Nang

AU - Qi, Liang

AU - Zhou, Mei Fu

PY - 2011/11

Y1 - 2011/11

N2 - The Permian (∼260 Ma) Emeishan large igneous province of SW China contains three nearly identical gabbro-granitoid complexes that host giant Fe-Ti oxide deposits. The Fe-Ti oxide deposits are within the lower portions of evolved layered gabbroic intrusions and are spatially and temporally associated with A-type granitic plutons. The 264 ± 3Ma Taihe layered gabbroic intrusion hosts a large magmatic Fe-Ti oxide deposit and is coeval with the Taihe peralkaline, A-type granitic pluton, which is dated at 261 ± 2 Ma. Within the A-type granitic pluton are microgranular enclaves, which have compositions intermediate between the gabbro and host granite. Primitive mantle-normalized incompatible element plots show corresponding reciprocal patterns between the mafic and felsic rocks. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns show Eu-anomalies changing from positive (Eu/Eu* = 1.5 to 5.9) in the gabbroic intrusion to negative in the enclaves (Eu/Eu* = 0.4 to 0.6) and granites (Eu/Eu*= 0.2 to 0.5). Whole rock εNd (T) values of the gabbroic intrusion (εNd(T) =+2.5 to +3.3) are similar to those of the enclaves (εNd (T)= +1.0 to 2.0) and granite (εNd (T)= +1.5 to +1.9) whereas the zircon εHf (T) values of the gabbro (εHf (T) = +8.1 ± 0.8) are indistinguishable from those of the granites (εHf (T)= +9.2 ± 1.0), suggesting that the parent magmas for all rock types originated from the same mantle source. Geochemical modeling indicates that the gabbros and granites can be generated by fractional crystallization of a common parental magma similar to high-Ti Emeishan flood basalt. The compositional jump from the gabbro to the enclaves is attributed to the crystallization of Fe-Ti oxide minerals. The results of this study and other studies suggest that the magmatic conditions (for example, pressure, composition, fO 2), which led to the formation of at least three Fe-Ti oxide bearing gabbro-granitoid complexes, were relatively common during the development of the Emeishan large igneous province.

AB - The Permian (∼260 Ma) Emeishan large igneous province of SW China contains three nearly identical gabbro-granitoid complexes that host giant Fe-Ti oxide deposits. The Fe-Ti oxide deposits are within the lower portions of evolved layered gabbroic intrusions and are spatially and temporally associated with A-type granitic plutons. The 264 ± 3Ma Taihe layered gabbroic intrusion hosts a large magmatic Fe-Ti oxide deposit and is coeval with the Taihe peralkaline, A-type granitic pluton, which is dated at 261 ± 2 Ma. Within the A-type granitic pluton are microgranular enclaves, which have compositions intermediate between the gabbro and host granite. Primitive mantle-normalized incompatible element plots show corresponding reciprocal patterns between the mafic and felsic rocks. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns show Eu-anomalies changing from positive (Eu/Eu* = 1.5 to 5.9) in the gabbroic intrusion to negative in the enclaves (Eu/Eu* = 0.4 to 0.6) and granites (Eu/Eu*= 0.2 to 0.5). Whole rock εNd (T) values of the gabbroic intrusion (εNd(T) =+2.5 to +3.3) are similar to those of the enclaves (εNd (T)= +1.0 to 2.0) and granite (εNd (T)= +1.5 to +1.9) whereas the zircon εHf (T) values of the gabbro (εHf (T) = +8.1 ± 0.8) are indistinguishable from those of the granites (εHf (T)= +9.2 ± 1.0), suggesting that the parent magmas for all rock types originated from the same mantle source. Geochemical modeling indicates that the gabbros and granites can be generated by fractional crystallization of a common parental magma similar to high-Ti Emeishan flood basalt. The compositional jump from the gabbro to the enclaves is attributed to the crystallization of Fe-Ti oxide minerals. The results of this study and other studies suggest that the magmatic conditions (for example, pressure, composition, fO 2), which led to the formation of at least three Fe-Ti oxide bearing gabbro-granitoid complexes, were relatively common during the development of the Emeishan large igneous province.

KW - A-type granites

KW - Emeishan large igneous province

KW - Fe-Ti oxide deposit

KW - Fractional crystallization

KW - Late Permian

KW - Layered gabbro

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84863229314&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84863229314&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.2475/09.2011.02

DO - 10.2475/09.2011.02

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84863229314

SN - 0002-9599

VL - 311

SP - 773

EP - 812

JO - American Journal of Science

JF - American Journal of Science

IS - 9

ER -

Three Fe-Ti oxide ore-bearing gabbro-granitoid complexes in the panxi region of the Permian Emeishan large igneous province, SW China

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this