Pegmatites from western Rhodope Mts.: zircon data

Abstract

Ages of pegmatites from two localities (Rakitovo, Lepenitsa) from the western Rhodope Mts. were acquired by U-Pb geochronology on zircon with LA-ICP-MS. The pegmatites are hosted by the metamorphic rocks of the Chepino lithotectonic unit. The large pegmatite/s accumulation from the “Suhata Reka” quarry (Rakitovo locality) is formed at 68.7±1.3 Ma, while small deformed body southwards of Velingrad town (Lepenitsa locality) yielded age of 63.4±1.2 Ma. Crosscutting altered andesite dyke is presumed to intrude the metamorphic rocks and pegmatite at 59 Ma in the Lepenitsa locality. The data suggests connection with the initial stage of the magmatic activity of the Rila-West-Rhodope Batholith (RWRB).