Geochronological and mineral chemical constraints on the age and formation conditions of the leucogranite in the Mawat ophiolite, Northeastern of Iraq: insight to sync-subduction zone granite

• Daraban leucogranite occurs as cactus-like dykes hosted in serpentinized harzburgite in the mantle section of the Mawat ophiolite, Kurdistan region, northeastern Iraq. It has a primary mineral assemblage of quartz+orthoclase+albite+tourmaline+muscovite, with Mg-rich biotite, phlogopite, zircon, ilmenite–titanohematite exsolution, xenotime, and monazite as the most abundant accessory minerals. New laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry U–(Th)–Pb dating of zircon, monazite, and xenotime reveal a single episode of leucogranite magmatism in the Mawat ophiolite at 92.6±1.2Ma. These data indicate that the intrusion ages of leucogranite rocks postdate the 105±5Ma formation age of Mawat ophiolite obtained by K–Ar hornblende method. The leucogranite magma originated by anatexis of pelagic sediments during the late Cretaceous subduction in the Neo-Tethys Ocean, leading to the formation of the Mawat ophiolite as part of the main Zagros ophiolite belt in Iraq and Iran. Tourmaline and biotite from leucogranite dykes were examined regarding their microchemistry and formation environment. Electron microprobe studies show that the tourmalines form mainly dravite–schorl solid solutions with a tendency to schorl compositions. Biotites in the leucogranite have bimodal composition represents by phlogopite and Mg-rich biotite. The tourmaline and biotite compositions, as well as field observations, appear to exclude a late-stage magmatic differentiation origin for the leucogranite. A probable source is S-type granitic magma rich in boron that resulted from the anatexis of silica-rich Ca-poor subduction wedge sediments like those of the Qulqula group. This intruded the ophiolites during the subduction stage. Calculated biotite and Fe–Ti oxide equilibria indicate that the parent magma formed along the subduction zone and solidified in the mantle wedge at a pressure 3.8–4.2kbar, equivalent to 12.5–13.8km depth. © 2016, Saudi Society for Geosciences.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Geokemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Geochemistry (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Geologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Geology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Multidisciplinär geovetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Geosciences, Multidisciplinary (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Anatectic conditions

Biotite

Iraq

Leucogranite

Mawat ophiolite

Subduction zone

Tourmaline

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)