Title: Multiple intrusive events in the formation of granite plutons: Evidence from the Lee Vining Diorite, eastern California
Abstract: The Cretaceous Lee Vining Diorite (eastern Sierra Nevada) preserves important field, petrographic and geochemical evidence for complex intrusive events in a mesozonal magma body. The pluton comprises primarily light grey unfoliated quartz diorite, with color index varying between 10--50. A 1,400 m transect across the pluton yielded samples of (1) mafic diorite from a 300 m thick sill, (2) disaggregated basaltic dikes, (3) rounded mafic inclusions and (4) rounded hornblende-cumulate inclusions in addition to (5) quartz diorite of variable texture and color index. Internal intrusive contacts are observed in several places; the upper contact of the sill is indistinct locally, suggesting a low thermal contrast with host quartz diorite at the time of intrusion. Textural analysis of plagioclase crystals form throughout the pluton indicates a history of pervasive magma mixing. In each thin section, 20--90% of the plagioclase crystals are pitted or corroded, and up to 50% of these crystals are also completely zoned. Disequilibrium plagioclase crystals are not preferentially associated with mafic inclusion, but are distributed randomly within the pluton. Major and trace element analyses of over 40 samples taken along the transect show variations that cannot be explained through simple magma mixing or through progressive crystallization of amore » single magma body. The pluton is not zoned geochemically, but rather comprises small regions (< 200 m across) of uniform composition that are juxtaposed randomly. Chemical variations across the pluton likely result from both missing of small magma batches and fractional crystallization of mixed magmas. This interpretation is consistent with field and textural requirements for multiple intrusive episodes in the formation of the diorite pluton.« less
Publication Year: 1993
Publication Date: 1993-03-01
Language: en
Type: article
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