Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Origin and evolution of a peraluminous silicic ignimbrite suite: The Violet Town Volcanics

  • Published:
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Violet Town Volcanics are a 373 Ma old, comagmatic, S-type volcanic sequence mainly comprising crystal-rich intracaldera ignimbrites. Rock types vary from rhyolites to rhyodacites, all containing magmatic cordierite and garnet phenocrysts. Variation in the suite is primarily due to fractionation of early-crystallized quartz, plagioclase and biotite (plus minor accessory phases) in a high-level magma chamber prior to eruption. Early magmatic crystallization occurred at around 4 kb and 850° C with melt water contents between 2.8 and 4 wt.%. This high-temperature, markedly water-undersaturated, restite-poor, granitic magma was generated by partial melting reactions involving biotite breakdown in a dominantly quartzofeldspathic source terrain, leaving a granulite facies residue.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

Pkb:

pressure in kilobars

T° C:

temperature in degrees Celsius

\(X_{H_2 O}^{Fl} \) :

mole fraction of water in the fluid

aH2O:

activity of water

Bi:

biotite

Cd:

cordierite

Gt:

garnet

Py:

pyrope

Gr:

grossular

Alm:

almandine

Sp:

spessartine

He:

hercynite

Ilm:

ilmenite

Kfs:

potassium feldspar

Opx:

orthopyroxene

Pl:

plagioclase

An:

anorthite

Q:

quartz

Sill:

sillimanite

Ap:

apatite

References

  • Arth JG (1976) Behavior of trace elements during magmatic processes — a summary of theoretical models and their application. J Res US Geol Surv 4:41–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Birch WD, Gleadow AJW (1974) The genesis of garnet and cordierite in acid volcanic rocks: evidence from the Cerberean Cauldron, central Victoria, Australia. Contrib Mineral Petrol 45:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohlen SR, Wall VJ, Boettcher AL (1981) Experimental investigation of garnet granulite equilibria. Contrib Mineral Petrol 83:52–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw JD (1972) Stratigraphy and structure of the Torlesse Supergroup (Triassic-Jurassic) in the foothills of the Southern Alps near Hawarden (S 60–61), Canterbury. NZJ Geol Geophys 15:71–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Burnham CW (1972) The energy of explosive volcanic eruptions. Earth and Mineral Sci 1972:69–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Burnham CW, Ohmoto H (1980) Late stage processes of felsic magmatism. Mining Geol Spec Iss 8:1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Chappell BW (1978) Granitoids of the Moonbi district, New England Batholith, eastern Australia. J Geol Soc Aust 25:267–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Chatillon-Colinet C, Newton RC, Perkins D III, Kleppa OJ (1983) Thermochemistry of (Fe2+, Mg) SiO3 orthopyroxene. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 47:1597–1603

    Google Scholar 

  • Clemens JD (1981) The origin and evolution of some peraluminous acid magmas (experimental, geochemical and petrological investigations). Unpubl Ph.D. Thesis Monash University Australia 577 p

  • Clemens JD, Wall VJ (1979) Crystallization and origin of some “S-type” granitic magmas. BMR Rec 1979/2:10–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Clemens JD, Wall VJ (1981) Crystallization and origin of some peraluminous (S-type) granitic magmas. Can Mineral 19:111–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Clemens JD, Wall VJ, O'Neil JR, Compston W, McCullouch MT (in prep.) Isotopic constraints on the character of the source region for some high-temperature, peraluminous, S-type, granitic magmas

  • Drake MJ, Weill DF (1975) The partition of Sr, Ba Ca Y, Eu2+, Eu3+, and other REE between plagioclase feldspar and magmatic silicate liquid: an experimental study. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 39:689–712

    Google Scholar 

  • Eichelberger JC (1978) Andesitic volcanism and crustal evolution. Nature 275:21–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Eichelberger JC (1981) Vesiculation of mafic magma during replenishment of silicic magma reservoirs. Nature 288:446–450

    Google Scholar 

  • Eichelberger JC, Gooley R (1977) Evolution of silicic magma chambers and their relationship to basaltic volcanism. In: The Earth's Crust. Am Geophys U Monogr 20:57–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferry JM, Spear FS (1978) Experimental calibration of the partitioning of Fe and Mg between biotite and garnet. Contrib Mineral Petrol 66:113–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleming CA (1970) The Mesozoic of New Zealand: chapters in the history of the Circum-Pacific Mobile Belt. J Geol Soc Lond 125:125–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffin TJ, White AJR, Chappell BW (1978) The Moruya Batholith and geochemical contrasts between the Moruya and Jindabyne Suites. J Geol Soc Aust 25:235–247

    Google Scholar 

  • Hensen BJ, Green DH (1973) Experimental study of the stability of cordierite and garnet in pelitic compositions at high pressures and temperatures. III. Synthesis of experimental data and geological applications. Contrib Mineral Petrol 38:151–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Hildreth W (1979) The Bishop Tuff: evidence for the origin of compositional zonation in silicic magma chambers. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 180:43–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Hine R, Williams IS, Chappell BW, White AJR (1976) Geochemical contrasts between I- and S-type granitoids of the Kosciusko Batholith. J Geol Soc Aust 25:219–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerrick DM, Darken LS (1975) Statistical thermodynamic models for ideal oxide and silicate solid solutions, with application to plagioclase. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 39:1431–1442

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen ES, Irving J, Goyner FA, Larsen ES (3rd.) (1938) Petrologic results of a study of the minerals from the Tertiary volcanic rocks of the San Juan region, Colorado. Am Mineral 23:227–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Long PE (1978) Experimental determination of partition coefficients for Rb, Sr, and Ba between alkali feldspar and silicate liquid. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 42:833–846

    Google Scholar 

  • McBirney AR (1980) Mixing and unmixing of magmas. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 7:357–371

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy TS, Hasty RA (1976) Trace element distribution patterns and their relationship to the crystallization of granitic melts. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 40:1351–1358

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy TS, Groves DI (1979) The Blue Tier Batholith, northeastern Tasmania: a cumulate-like product of fractional crystallization. Contrib Mineral Petrol 71:193–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller CF, Mittlefehldt DW (1982) Crystal fractionation: controlling factor of differentiation in highly felsic magma chambers? Geol Soc Am Abstr with Progr 14:565

    Google Scholar 

  • Newton RC, Haselton HT (1981) Thermodynamics of the garnetplagioclase-Al2SiO5-quartz geobarometer. In: Newton RC, Navrotsky A, Wood BJ (eds) Thermodynamics of Minerals and Melts. Springer-Verlag, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Pattison DRM, Carmichael DM, St-Onge MR (1982) Geothermometry and geobarometry applied to early Proterozoic “S-type” granitoid plutons, Wopmay Orogen, Northwest Territories, Canada. Contrib Mineral Petrol 79:394–404

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins D III (1979) Application of new thermodynamic data to mineral equilibria. Ph.D. Thesis University of Michigan, 214 p

  • Phillips GN, Wall VJ (1980) The geology and metamorphism of the Bonnie Doon area, Victoria. Proc Roy Soc Vict 91:33–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips GN, Wall VJ, Clemens JD (1981) Petrology of the Strathbogie batholith: a cordierite-bearing granite. Can Mineral 19:47–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillpotts JA, Schnetzler CC (1970) Phenocryst-matrix partition coefficients for K, Rb, Sr, and Ba with applications to anorthosite and basalt genesis. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 36:1131–1166

    Google Scholar 

  • Rice A (1981) Convective fractionation: a mechanism to provide cryptic zoning (macrosegregation), layering, crescumulates, banded tuffs and explosive volcanism in igneous processes. J Geophys Res 86:405–417

    Google Scholar 

  • Rice A, Eichelberger JC (1976) Convection in rhyolite magma. EOS 57:1024

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross CS, Smith RL (1961) Ash flow tuffs: their origin, geologic relations and identification. US Geol Surv Prof Pap 366

  • Sleep NH (1974) Segretation of magma from a mostly crystalline mush. Geol Soc Am Bull 85:1225–1232

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith RL, Bailey BA (1966) The Bandelier Tuff: a study of ashflow eruption cycles from zoned magma chambers. Bull Volcanol 29:83–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Stormer JC Jr (1975) A practical two-feldspar geothermometer. Am Mineral 60:667–674

    Google Scholar 

  • Swanson SE (1977) Relation of nucleation and crystal growth to the development of granitic textures. Am Mineral 62:966–978

    Google Scholar 

  • van der Molen I, Patterson MS (1979) Experimental deformation of partially-melted granite. Contrib Mineral Petrol 70:229–218

    Google Scholar 

  • Vernon RH (1983) Restite, xenoliths and microgranitoid enclaves in granites. J Proc R Soc NSW 116:77–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker GPL (1972) Crystal concentration in ignimbrites. Contrib Mineral Petrol 36:135–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Wall VJ, Clemens JD, Compston W, McCullouch MT (1983) Evolution of the Central Victorian Upper Devonian magmatic province — a Palaeozoic Basin and Range analogue. Geol Soc Aust Abstr 9:160

    Google Scholar 

  • Wells PRA (1979) Chemical and thermal evolution of Archean sicilic crust, southern west Greenland. J Petrol 20:187–226

    Google Scholar 

  • White AJR (1979) Source rocks of granite magmas. (unpubl ms)

  • White AJR, Chappell BW (1977) Ultrametamorphism and granitoid genesis. Tectonophysics 43:7–22

    Google Scholar 

  • White DA (1954) The geology of the Strathbogie igneous complex, Victoria. Proc Roy Soc Vict 66:25–52

    Google Scholar 

  • White DA (1963) Upper Devonian ash-flow tuffs in Victoria. Austral J Sci 25:415–416

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitney JA, Stormer JC Jr (1977a) The distribution of NaAlSi3O8 between coexisting microcline and plagioclase and its effect on geothermometric calculations. Am Mineral 62:687–691

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitney JA, Stormer JC Jr (1977b) Two-feldspar geothermometry, geobarometry in mesozonal granitic intrusions: three examples from the Piedmont of Georgia. Contrib Mineral Petrol 63:51–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyborn D, Chappell BW, Johnston RM (1981) Three S-type volcanic suites from the Lachlan Fold Belt, southeast Australia. J Geophys Res 86:10335–10348

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. John D. Clemens

    Present address: Chemistry Department, Arizona State University, 85287, Tempe, AZ, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Earth Sciences Department, Monash University, 3168, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

    John D. Clemens & Victor J. Wall

Authors
  1. John D. Clemens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Victor J. Wall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Clemens, J.D., Wall, V.J. Origin and evolution of a peraluminous silicic ignimbrite suite: The Violet Town Volcanics. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 88, 354–371 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376761

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376761

Keywords

Search

Navigation