Petrogenesis and Tectonic Significance of Shenxianshui Alkaline Granite in Gejiu, Yunnan Province, China

Abstract

The Shenxianshui granites in the western Gejiu area were formed in the Late Cretaceous. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry indicates zircon U-Pb ages ranging from 90.67 ± 0.7 to 85.97 ± 0.6 Ma. The intrusive rocks are peraluminous (A/CNK = 1.03 to 1.33) and calc-alkaline, showing an affinity towards I-type granite. Large ion lithophilic elements are enriched in K and Rb, while high field strength elements are depleted. Moreover, light rare earth elements are significantly enriched, showing a slight negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* = 0.39 to 0.58). Shenxianshui granite has a relatively high initial Sr isotope ratio (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i (0.7098–0.7105), negative ε_Nd(t) values (−7.99 to −7.44) and negative ε_Hf(t) values (−8.37 to −2.58). Combined with previous studies, these characteristics suggest that the Shenxianshui alkaline granites were formed in a post-collision extensional environment. The alkaline granitic magma possibly originated from the partial melting of the lower crust during the Mesoproterozoic era and may have contained mantle source materials. Shenxianshui alkaline granite was formed from mixed magma with a high degree of crystal differentiation. The abundance of ore-forming elements indicates that Shenxianshui granite has the potential to mineralize key metals and rare earth elements.