Granitoid formation is ineffective in isotopically homogenizing continental crust: Evidence from archean rocks of the Wind River Mountains, Wyoming
- Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)
- Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (United States)
- Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)
The Archean core of the Laramide Wind River uplift records evidence of at least three major granitoid-forming episodes. The oldest, the Dry Creek gneiss (DCG), was emplaced by 2.8 Ga and occupies the northeastern part of the range. Mafic, pelitic and ultramafic inclusions occur in the DCG. Elsewhere in the Wind River Mountains there is evidence for crustal components as old as 3.8 Ga. The Bridger batholith (BB), intruded at 2.67 Ga, is found in the west-central Wind River Mountains. The Wind River batholith (WRB) refers to the youngest Late Archean granodiorites and granites which are found throughout the range and includes granitoids previously name the Louis Lake, Bears Ears, Popo Agie, and Middle Mountain intrusions. Although granitoids of the Wind River batholith have been dated at 2.63 and 2.55 Ga, they are considered together here because there is a complete gradation in rock type and because definite intrusive contacts are scarce. The DCG, BB, and WRB each span the metaluminous/peraluminous boundary and are indistinguishable on Harker diagrams. Each has variable trace element and isotopic characteristics which do not correlate with silica content. Although the isotopic characteristics of these granitoids may be explained by mixing of variable amounts of preexisting continental crust and contemporary depleted mantle, this hypothesis is difficult to reconcile with the evolved nature of even those samples with the most mantle-like isotopic signatures. The authors suggest that each of these granitoid batholiths was formed primarily by remelting of pre-existing heterogeneous continental crust, and that the granite-forming process was not effective in obliterating these trace element and isotopic heterogeneities. Isotopic homogeneity in granitoid batholiths may reflect the isotopic homogeneity of their sources rather than an effective magmatic mixing process.
- OSTI ID:
- 5770189
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-921058--
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Vol. 24:7; ISSN GAAPBC; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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