Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Petrogenesis of the highly potassic 1.42 Ga Barrel Spring pluton, southeastern California, with implications for mid-Proterozoic magma genesis in the southwestern USA

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

Abstract

Syenites from the Barrel Spring pluton were emplaced in the Early Proterozoic Mojave crustal provine of southeastern California at 1.42 Ga. All rocks, even the most mafic, are highly enriched in incompatible elements (e.g. K2O 4–12 wt%, Rb 170–370 ppm, Th 12–120 ppm, La 350–1500xchondrite, La/Ybn 35–100). Elemental compositions require an incompatible element-rich but mafic (or ultramafic) source. Trace element models establish two plausible sources for Barrel Spring magmas: (1) LREE enriched garnet websterite with accessory apatite±rutile (enriched lithospheric mantle), and (2) garnet amphibolite or garnet-hornblende granulite with enriched alkali basalt composition, also with accessory apatite±rutile (mafic lower crust). Nd and Pb isotopic ratios do not distinguish a crust vs mantle source, but eliminate local Mojave province crust as the principal one, and indicate that generation of the enriched source occurred several hundred million years before emplacement of the Barrel Spring pluton. 1.40–1.44 Ga potassic granites are common in southeastern California, suggesting a genetic link between the Barrel Spring pluton and the granites; however, although the same thermal regime was probably responsible for producing both the granitic and syentic magmas, elemental and isotopic compositions preclude a close relationship. Isotopic similarity of the Barrel Spring pluton to 1.40–1.44 Ga granites emplaced in the Central Arizona crustal province to the east may imply that a common component was present in the lithosphere of these generally distinct regions.

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

References

  • Anderson JL (1983) Proterozoic anorogenic granite putonism of North America. Geol Soc Am Mem 161:133–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson JL, Bender EE (1989) Nature and origin or Proterozoic A-type granitic magmatism in the southwestern United States of America. Lithos 23:19–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson JL, Morrison J (1992) The role of anorogenic granites in the Proterozoic crustal development of North America. In: Condie KC (ed) Proterozoic crustal evolution (Developments in Precambrian Geology 10). Elsevier, Amsterdam New York Tokyo, pp 263–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Arth JG (1976) Behavior of trace elements during magmatic processes — a summary of theoretical models and their applications. J Res US Geol Surv 4:41–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Barovich KM, Patchett PJ (1992) Behavior of isotopic systematics during deformation and metamorphism: a Hf, Nd and Sr isotopic study of mylonitized granite. Contrib Mineral Petrol 109:386–393

    Google Scholar 

  • Barton M, Hamilton DL (1982) Water-undersaturated melting experiments bearing upon the origin of potassium-rich magmas. Mineral Mag 45:267–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett VC, DePaolo DJ (1987) Proterozoic crustal history of the western United States as determined by neodymium isotopic mapping. Geol Soc Am Bull 99:674–685

    Google Scholar 

  • Castor SB, Gleason JD (1989) Proterozoic ultrapotassic intrusive rocks in southeastern California. Geol Soc Am Abstr Prog 21:24

    Google Scholar 

  • Condie KC (1992) Proterozoic terranes and continental accretion in southwestern North America. In: Condie KC (ed) Proterozoic crustal evolution (Developments in Precambrian Geology 10). Elsevier, Amsterdam New York Tokyo, pp 447–480

    Google Scholar 

  • Cullers RL, Griffin T, Bickford ME, Anderson JL (1992) Origin and chemical evolution of the 1360 Ma San Isabel batholith, Wet Mountains, Colorado: a mid-crustal granite of anorogenic affinities. Geol Soc Am Bull 104:316–328

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson JB, Smith JV (1977) The MARID (mica-amphibole-rutile-ilmenite-diopside) suite of xenoliths in kimberlite. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 41:309–323

    Google Scholar 

  • DePaolo DJ (1981) A neodymium and strontium isotopic study of the Mesozoic calc-alkaline batholiths of the Sierra Nevada and Peninsular Ranges, California. Geophys Res 86:10470–10488

    Google Scholar 

  • DeWitt E, Kwak LM, Zartman RE (1987) U−Th−Pb and40Ar/39Ar dating of the Mountain Pass carbonatite and alkalic igneous rocks, SE California. Geol Soc Am Abstr Prog 19:642

    Google Scholar 

  • Evensen NM, Hamilton PJ, O'Nions RK (1978) Rare-earth abundances in chondritic meteorites. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 42:1199–1212

    Google Scholar 

  • Farmer GL, DePaolo DJ (1984) Origin of Mesozoic and Tertiary granite in the western United States and implications for pre-Mesozoic crustal structure; 1, Nd and Sr isotopic studies of unmineralized and Cu−Mo mineralized granite in Precambrian craton: J Geophys Res 89:10141–10161

    Google Scholar 

  • Foley SF, Venturelli G, Green DH, Toscani L (1987) The ultrapotassic rocks: characteristics, classification, and constraints for petrogenetic models. Earth Sci Rev 24:81–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster DA, Harrison TM, Hoisch TD (1992)40Ar/39Ar thermochronology and thermobarometry of metamorphism, plutonism, and tectonic denudation in the Old Woman Mountains area, California. Geol Soc Am Bull 104:176–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Frey FA, Chappell BW, Roy SD (1978a) Fraction of rare-earth elements in the Tuolumne Intrusive Series, Sierra Nevada batholith, California. Geology 6:239–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Frey FA, Green DH, Roy SD (1978b) Integrated models of basalt petrogenesis: a study of quartz tholeiites to olivine melilitites from south eastern Australia utilizing geochemical and experimental petrological data. J Petrol 19:463–513

    Google Scholar 

  • Gleason JD (1988) Petrology and geochemistry of the Barrel Spring pluton and related potassic rocks, Old Woman-Puite Range, Southeastern California. Master's thesis, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

  • Gleason JD, Miller CF, Wooden JL (1988) Barrel Spring alkalic complex: 1.4 Ga plutonism in the Old Woman-Piute Range, eastern Mojave Desert, California. Geol Soc Am Abstr Prog 20:164

    Google Scholar 

  • Govindaraju K (1989) Special issue of geostandards newsletter. Geostandards New sletter 13:11–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Green TH, Pearson NJ (1987) An experimental study of Nb and Ta partitioning between Ti-rich minerals and silicate liquids at high pressure and temperature. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 51:55–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson GN (1978) The application of trace elements to the petrogenesis of igneous rocks of granitic composition. Earth Planet Sci Lett 38:26–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison TM, Watson EB (1984) The behavior of apatite during crustal anatexis: equilibrium and kinetic considerations. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 48:1467–1477

    Google Scholar 

  • Haskin LA, Haskin MA, Frey FA, Wiledman TR (1968) Relative and absolute terrestrial abundance of the rare earths. In: Ahrens LH (ed) Origin and distribution of the elements, 1. Pergamon, Oxford, pp 889–911

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson P (1984) General geochemical properties and abundances of the rare earth elements. In: Henderson P (e) Rare earth element geochemistry. Elsevier, Amsterdam Oxford New York, pp 1–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard KA, John BE, Miller CF (1987) Metamorphic core complexes, Mesozoic ductile thrusts, and Cenozoic detachments: Old Woman Mountains-Chemehuevi Mountains transect, California and Arizona. In: Davis GH, VandenDolder EM (eds) Geologic diversity of Arizona and it's margins: excursions to choice areas (field trip guidebook). Ariz Bur Geol Min Tech, Geol Surv Branch Spec Pap 5:65–382

  • Irving AJ, Frey FA (1978) Distribution of trace elements between garnet megacrysts and host volcanic liquids of kimberlitic to rhyolitic composition. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 42:771–787

    Google Scholar 

  • Irving AJ, Frey FA (1984) Trace element abundances in magacrysts and their host basalts: constraints on partition coefficients and megacryst genesis. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 48:1201–1221

    Google Scholar 

  • Karlstrom KE, Bowring SA, Conway CM (1987) Tectonic significance of an Early Proterozoic two-province boundary in central Arizona. Geol Soc Am Bull 99:529–538

    Google Scholar 

  • Kay RW, Gast PW (1973) The rare earth content and origin of alkali-rich basalts. Journal of Geology 81:653–682

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolker A, Lindsley DH, Hanson GN (1990) Geochemical evolution of the Maloin Ranch pluton, Laramie anorthosite complex, Wyoming: trace elements and petrogenetic models. Am Mineral 75:572–588

    Google Scholar 

  • Krogh TE (1973) A low-contamination method for hydrothermal decomposition of zircon and extraction of U and Pb for isotopic age determinations. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 37:485–494

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd FE, Arima A, Edgar AD (1985) Partial melting of a phlogopite-clinopyroxenite nodul from south-west Uganda: an experimental study bearing on the origin of highly potassic continental rift volcanics. Contrib Mineral Petrol 91:321–329

    Google Scholar 

  • Ludwig KR (1980) Calculations of uncertainties of U-Pb isotopic data. Earth Planet Sci Lett 46:212–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Maas R, McCulloch MT (1991) The provenance of Archean clastic metasediments in the Narryer Gneiss Complex, Western Australia: trace element geochemistry. Nd isotopes, and U-Pb ages for detrital zircons. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 55:1915–1932

    Google Scholar 

  • McCulloch MT, Jaques AL, Nelson DR, Lewis JD (1983) Nd and Sr isotopes in kimberlites and lamproites from Western Autralia: an enriched mantle origin. Nature 302:400–403

    Google Scholar 

  • Mean JK (1990) Elevation of potassium content of basaltic magma by fractional crystallization: the effects of pressure. Contrib Mineral Petrol 104:309–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Menzies MA, Leeman WP, Hawkesworth CJ (1983) Isotope geochemistry of Cenozoic volcanic rocks reveals mantle heterogeneity below western USA. Nature 303:205–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Menzies M, Rogers N, Tindle A, Hawkesworth C (1987) Metasomatic and enrichment processes in lithospheric peridotites, an effect of asthenosphere-lithosphere interaction. In: Menzies MA, Hawkesworth CJ (eds) Mantle metasomatism. Academic Press, London, pp 313–361

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller CF, Howard KA, Hoisch TD (1982) Mesozoic thrusting, metamorphism and plutonism, Old Woman-Piute Range, southeastern California. In: Frost EG, Martin DL (eds) Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the Colorado River region, California, Arizona and Nevada. Cordilleran Publishers, San Diego, pp 561–581

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller CF, Wooden JL (1994) Anatexis, hybridization and the modification of ancient crust: mesozoic plutonism in the Old Woman Mountains area, California. Lithos 32:111–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson DL, DePaolo DJ (1985) Rapid production of continental crust 1.7–1.9 b.y. ago: Nd isotopic evidence from the basement of the North American mid-continent. Geol Soc Am Bull 96:746–754

    Google Scholar 

  • Patchett PJ (1992) Isotopic studies of Proterozoic crustal growth and evolution. In: Condie KC (ed) Proterozoic crustal evolution (Developments in Precambrian Geology 10). Elsevier, Amsterdam New York Tokyo, pp 481–508

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapp RP (1990) Vapor-absent partial melting of amphibolite/ eclogite at 8–32 kb: implications for the origin and growth of the continental crust. PhD dissertation RPI, Troy, NY

  • Rapp RP, Watson EB, Miller CF (1991) Partial melting of amphibolite/eclogite and the origin of Archean trondhjemites and tonalites. Precambrian Res 51:1–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Roden MF, Murthy VR (1985) Mantle metasomatism. Ann Rev Earth Planet Sci 13:269–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers NW, Hawkesworth CJ, Parker RS, Marsh JS (1985) The geochemistry of potassic lavas from Vulsini, central Italy and implications for mantle enrichment processes beneath the Roman region. Contrib Mineral Petrol 90:244–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryerson FJ, Watson EB (1987) Rutile saturation in magmas: implications for Ti-Nb-Ta depletion in island-arc magmas. Earth Planet Sci Lett 86:225–239

    Google Scholar 

  • Simmons EC, Hedge CE (1978) Minor-element and Sr-isotope geochemistry of Tertiary stocks, Colorado Mineral Belt. Contrib Mineral Petrol 67:379–396

    Google Scholar 

  • Stacy JS, Kramers JD (1975) Approximation of terrestrial lead isotope evolution by a two stage model. Earth Planet Sci Lett 26:207–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun SS, McDonough WF (1989) Chemical and isotopic systematics of oceanic basalts: implications for mantle composition and processes. In: Saunders AD, Norry MJ (eds) Magmatism in the ocean basins. Geol Soc London Spec Pub 42:313–345

  • Taylor SR, Mclennan SM (1985) The continental crust: its composition and evolution. Blackwell Scientific, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Vollmer R, Ogden P, Schilling JG, Kingsley RH, Waggoner DG (1984) Nd and Sr isotopes in ultrapotassic volcanic rocks from the Leucite Hills, Wyoming. Contrib Mineral Petrol 87:359–368

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallace PW, Carmichael ISE (1989) Minette lavas and associated leucities from the Western Front of the Mexican Volcanic Belt: petrology, chemistry and origin. Contrib Mineral Petrol 103:470–492

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson EB, Green TH (1981) Apatite/liquid partition coefficients for the rare earth elements and strontium. Earth Planet Sci Lett 56:405–421

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson EB, Harrison TM (1983) Zircon saturation revisited: temperature and composition effects in a variety of crustal magma types. Earth Planet Sci Lett 64:295–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilshire HG (1987) A model of mantle metasomatism. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 215:47–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson M (1989) Igneous petrogenesis. Unwin Hyman, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Wooden JL, DeWitt E (1991) Pb isotopic evidence for the boundary between the Early Proterozoic Mojave and Central Arizona crustal provinces in western Arizona. In: Karlstrom KE (ed) Proterozoic geology and ore deposits of Arizona. Ariz Geol Soc Digest 19:27–50

  • Wooden JL, Miller DM (1990) Chronologic and isotopic framework for Early Proterozoic crustal evolution in the Eastern Mojave Desert Region, SE California. J Geophys Res 95:20133–20146

    Google Scholar 

  • Wooden JL, Stacey JS, Howard KA, Doe BR, Miller DM (1988) Pb isotopic evidence for the formation of Proterozoic crust in the southwestern United States. In: Ernst WG (ed) Metamorphism and crustal evolution of the western United States. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, pp 68–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Wooden JL, Czamanske GK, Bouse RM, Likhachev AP, Kunilov VE, Lyul'ko V (1992) Pb isotope data indicate a complex mantle origin for the Noril'sk-Talnakh ores, Siberia. Econ Geol 87:1153–1165

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyllie PJ, Sekine T (1982) The formation of mantle phlogopite in subduction zone hybridization. Contrib Mineral Petrol 79:375–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Zartman RE, Doe BR (1981) Plumbotectonics — the model. Tectonophysics 66:849–860

    Google Scholar 

  • Zartman RE, Haines SM (1988) The plumbotectonic model for Pb isotopic systematics among major terrestrial reservoirs — a case for bi-directional transport. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 52:1327–1339

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. James D. Gleason

    Present address: Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 85721, Tucson, AZ, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Vanderbilt University, 37235, Nashville, TN, USA

    James D. Gleason & Calvin F. Miller

  2. U.S. Geological Survery, MS 937, 94025, Menlo Park, CA, USA

    J. L. Wooden

  3. Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, GPO Box 4, 2601, Canberra, Australia

    Victoria C. Bennett

Authors
  1. James D. Gleason
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Calvin F. Miller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. L. Wooden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Victoria C. Bennett
    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

Gleason, J.D., Miller, C.F., Wooden, J.L. et al. Petrogenesis of the highly potassic 1.42 Ga Barrel Spring pluton, southeastern California, with implications for mid-Proterozoic magma genesis in the southwestern USA. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 118, 182–197 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01052868

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01052868

Keywords

Search

Navigation