Lavas or ignimbrites? Permian felsic volcanic rocks of the Tisza Mega-unit (SE Hungary) revisited: A petrographic study

Abstract

AbstractPermian felsic volcanic rocks were encountered in petroleum exploration boreholes in SE Hungary (eastern Pannonian Basin, Tisza Mega-unit, Békés–Codru Unit) during the second half of the 20th century. They were considered to be predominantly lavas (the so-called “Battonya quartz-porphyry”) and were genetically connected to the underlying “Battonya granite.” New petrographic observations, however, showed that the presumed lavas are crystal-poor (8–20 vol%) rhyolitic ignimbrites near Battonya and resedimented pyroclastic or volcanogenic sedimentary rocks in the Tótkomlós and the Biharugra areas, respectively. The studied ignimbrites are usually massive, matrix-supported, fiamme-bearing lapilli tuffs with eutaxitic texture as a result of welding processes. Some samples lack vitroclastic matrix and show low crystal breakage, but consist of oriented, devitrified fiammes as well. Textural features suggest that the latter are high-grade rheomorphic ignimbrites.Felsic volcanic rocks in SE Hungary belong to the Permian volcanic system of the Tisza Mega-unit; however, they show remarkable petrographic differences as compared to the other Permian felsic volcanic rocks of the mega-unit. In contrast to the crystal-poor rhyolitic ignimbrites of SE Hungary with rare biotite, the predominantly rhyodacitic–dacitic pyroclastic rocks of the Tisza Mega-unit are crystal-rich (40–45 vol%) and often contain biotite, pyroxene, and garnet. Additionally, some geochemical and geochronological differences between them were also observed by previous studies. Therefore, the Permian felsic volcanic rocks in SE Hungary might represent the most evolved, crystal-poor rhyolitic melt of a large-volume felsic (rhyodacitic–dacitic) volcanic system.The Permian volcanic rocks of the studied area do not show any evident correlations with either the Permian felsic ignimbrites in the Finiş Nappe (Apuseni Mts, Romania), as was supposed so far, or the similar rocks in any nappe of the Codru Nappe System. Moreover, no relevant plutonic–volcanic connection was found between the studied samples and the underlying “Battonya granite.”