Multistage Fractional Crystallization in the Continental Arc Magmatic System: Constraints from the Appinites in Tengchong Block, Southeastern Extension of Tibet

Abstract

Abstract The petrogenesis and evolution process of continental arc magmatism provide insight into discovering the formation and differentiation of continental crust. Therefore, the geochemical, isotopic, and mineralogical analyses were conducted for coeval continental arc igneous rocks in the Tengchong Block to clarify their evolution process in the continental arc magmatic systems. The Middle Triassic appinites in the Tengchong Block, southeastern extension of Tibet, were generated at the subduction setting with zircon U-Pb age of ca. 243 Ma. The Nb/Yb, Zr/Yb, and Ta/Yb ratios along with depleted zircon Hf isotopic compositions indicate a source with an N-MORB affinity for the appinites. However, relatively enriched whole-rock Sr-Nd isotopic compositions with the characteristic of high Sr/Nd, Ba/Th, Th/La, and Th/Nd ratios suggest the source was metasomatized by ~2% subducted sediment-derived fluid. According to the REE ratios modeling, the primary magma of Nabang appinites was due to 5-10% partial melting of such metasomatized mantle source. The appinites are characterized by variable compositions, such as SiO2 contents of 47.82-61.74 wt.% and MgO of 10.61-2.61 wt.%, which resulted from the polybaric and multistage fractional crystallization of a slightly hydrous primary magma in a thick crust. At lower crustal pressures, clinopyroxene was the main fractionating phase, and at middle crustal pressures, amphibole+magnetite were the dominant fractionating phases; predominant plagioclase fractionation occurred at the magma emplacement level. This process could be an effective mechanism to induce the differentiation of continental crust. The fractionation of clinopyroxene and amphibole, accompanied by suppressing plagioclase at lower-middle crustal pressures, induces the high alumina in the evolved melt and forms high-alumina basaltic to andesitic magma.