Petrogenesis and Tectono-Magmatic Evolution of S-Type and A-Type Granites in the New England Batholith
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Petrogenesis and Tectono-magmatic Evolution of S-type and A-type granites in the New England Batholith A Thesis submitted to The University of Newcastle for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy B. Landenberger B.Sc. (Hons) July 1996 Frontispiece: View looking east from the Devil’s Forehead (near the summit of Chaelundi Mountain in the Guy Fawkes River National Park) over the headwaters of Chandlers Creek in Chaelundi State Forest. The foreground outcrop forms part of the Chaelundi Complex A- type granite suite. I hereby certify that the work embodied in this thesis is the result of original research and has not been submitted for a higher degree to any other University or Institution. (Signed)_________________________________ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Several people have lent helping hands during the course of this project with technical and logistical problems, while others have helped to prevent the onset of insanity. Bill Collins and Robin Offler supervised the project and have been invaluable help in clarifying ideas and helping with organisational aspects of the thesis work. Bill Collins provided fervent inspiration in times when things seemed to be going in circles. Discussions with Paul Dirks, Sue Keay, Terry Farrell, Martin Hand, Dick Flood, Stirling Shaw, and Ron Vernon have also aided in developing the ideas presented herein. Many staff members of the Geology Department have provided technical assistance and advice, including Richard Bale, Esad Krupic, Hope Ruming, Geraldene MacKenzie and Jan Crawford. I also thank Doug Todd for his help with XRF analysis and Dave Phelan for his help with microprobe analysis. Isotopic analyses were carried out at the Centre for Isotope Studies (CIS - North Ryde) under the guidance of Dave Whitford, Bo Zhou and Steve Craven. Stereographic projections were produced with the computer program GeOrient which was kindly supplied by Rod Holcombe (Department of Earth Sciences, University of Queensland). During the first three years of the project, I was supported by an Australian Postgraduate Research Award. Funding for external analytical work was supported by several ARC and University (SRC) research grants to Bill Collins and Robin Offler. Finally, I would like to thank my wife Debbie for her help, support, and most of all patience and understanding over the last six years. For Debbie, Justine and Daniel -i- TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES......................................................... v LIST OF PLATES..........................................................ix LIST OF TABLES.......................................................... x ABSTRACT...............................................................xi CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................. 1 1A1 Preamble - Physiography of the New England Tableland. .................. 1 1A2 Regional geological setting .......................................... 2 1A3 A Brief Tectonic History ........................................... 4 1A3A1 Pre- late Carboniferous ..................................... 4 1A3A2 Post- late Carboniferous ..................................... 5 1A4 Previous studies of the New England Batholith .......................... 6 1A5 Aims of the project................................................ 8 CHAPTER 2. STRUCTURAL RELATIONS OF THE HILLGROVE PLUTONIC SUITE 10 2A1 Introduction ..................................................... 10 2A2 Structural Setting ................................................ 12 2A2A1 Distribution of the Hillgrove Suite ........................... 12 2A2A2 Structural history of the Tia Complex......................... 13 2A3 Structural Framework............................................. 14 2A3A1 A definition of domains.................................... 15 2A3A2 Structural continuity outside the Tia Complex - Macroscopic structural features............................ 16 2A3A3 Meso- and Microscopic Deformation Features.................. 19 2A3A4 A correlation of post-accretion deformation structures - the regional perspective.................................. 32 2A4 Conclusions and Regional Implications............................... 43 -ii- CHAPTER 3. AGE RELATIONS OF THE HILLGROVE PLUTONIC SUITE ........ 47 3A1 Introduction ..................................................... 47 3A2 Previous geochronology of the ..................................... 49 3A3 Structural sequence associated with the Hillgrove Suite - a brief review ..... 53 3A4 Sample Selection, Analytical Methods ................................ 54 3A4A1 Zircon U-Pb............................................. 54 3A4A2 Biotite Rb-Sr ............................................ 57 3A6 Discussion...................................................... 61 CHAPTER 4. PETROGENESIS OF THE HILLGROVE PLUTONIC SUITE..........66 4A1 Introduction ..................................................... 66 4A1A1 S-type granites in the SNEFB ............................... 67 4A1A2 Previous petrogenetic studies of the Hillgrove Suite .............. 67 4A2 Defining the Hillgrove Suite ........................................ 68 4A2A1 Previous definitions of the Hillgrove Suite ..................... 68 4A2A2 Definition of the Hillgrove Supersuite ........................ 71 4A3 Petrography & Mineral Chemistry ................................... 78 4A3A1 General Petrography of Hillgrove Supersuite granitoids ........... 78 4A3A2 Biotite .................................................. 82 4A3A3 Other ferromagnesian phases: Amphiboles & pyroxenes.......... 85 4A3A4 Peraluminous phases other than biotite: garnet, cordierite, muscovite. ...................................................... 87 4A3A5 Oxides and other opaque phases ............................. 90 4A3A6 Plagioclase.............................................. 91 4 A3A7 Alkali Feldspar........................................... 92 4A3A8 Quartz.................................................. 93 4A4 Geochemistry ................................................... 96 4A4A1 Defining the geochemical characteristics - variations within the Hillgrove Supersuite, and comparisons with other granitoids. ..... 96 4A4A2 The Bakers Creek Suite................................... 110 4A4A3 Rocks of accretion complex ................................ 114 4A5 Petrogenetic Constraints.......................................... 115 4A5A1 Parental magmas of the Hillgrove Suite ...................... 115 -iii- 4A5A2 Identifying the source rocks................................ 118 4A5A3 Quantification the partial melting process..................... 133 4A5A4 Contamination within the Hillgrove Supersuite - the possibilities. ..................................................... 140 4A6 Conclusions.................................................... 143 CHAPTER 5. PETROGENESIS OF THE CHAELUNDI COMPLEX A-TYPE GRANITOID SUITE: DERIVATION BY PARTIAL MELTING OF A DEHYDRATED CHARNOCKITIC LOWER CRUST.................................... 144 5A1 Introduction .................................................... 144 5A2 Geological Setting ............................................... 145 5A3 Petrography of the Suites ......................................... 149 5A3A1 The I-type suite ......................................... 149 5A3A2 The A-type suite......................................... 155 5A4 Geochemistry .................................................. 156 5A5 Petrogenetic Constraints.......................................... 161 5A5A1 Fractionation ........................................... 161 5A5A2 Parental magmas ........................................ 172 5A5A3 Geochemical contrasts between the Chaelundi Complex I- and A-type parental magmas............................. 172 5A5A4 Nature of the source rocks................................. 174 5A6 Petrogenetic Models............................................. 175 5A6A1 Previous Models ........................................ 175 5A6A2 Charnockitization of the lower crust and generation of A-type magmas176 5A7 Conclusions.................................................... 184 CHAPTER 6. PETROGENESIS OF BASALTIC ENCLAVES IN THE A-TYPE WOODLANDS QUARTZ MONZONITE ............................................. 185 6A1 Introduction .................................................... 185 6A2 Geological Setting ............................................... 186 6A3 Microgranitoid enclaves in A-type granites of the New England Batholith ........................................................... 188 6A4 Field relationships of the Woodlands Quartz Monzonite and its enclaves .... 188 -iv- 6A4A1 Age and intrusive relationships............................. 188 6A4A2 Outcrop detail .......................................... 190 6@5 Petrography and Mineral Chemistry ................................. 194 6A5A1 The host quartz monzonite................................. 194 6A5A2 Enclave matrix.......................................... 194 6A5A3 Enclave phenocrysts ..................................... 197 6A5A4 Enclave xenocrysts ...................................... 202 6A5A5 Pyroxene thermometry.................................... 203 6A6 Geochemistry .................................................. 204 6A6A1 The host quartz monzonite................................. 204 6A6A2 Enclaves............................................... 209 6@7 Enclave Petrogenesis ............................................ 210 6A7A1 Restite, Cumulate or Mingled Magma? ....................... 210 6A7A2 Composition of the enclave parent