Marginal continental and within-plate neoproterozoic granites and rhyolites of Wrangel Island, Arctic region

Abstract

The paper presents new data on the U–Pb zircon age, as well as results of isotopic geochemical analysis, of granites and rhyolites from Wrangel Island. The U–Pb age estimates of granites and rhyolites are grouped into two clusters (~690–730 and 590–610 Ma), which imply that these rocks crystallized in the Late Neoproterozoic. Granitic rocks dated back to 690–730 Ma are characterized by negative εNd(t) values and Paleoproterozoic Sm–Nd model age. The older inherited zircons corroborate the ancient age of their crustal source. The granitic rocks pertain to involved peraluminous granites of type I, which form at a continental margin of the Andean type and can be compared with coeval granites and orthogneisses from the Seward Peninsula in Alaska. Rhyolites and granites ~590–610 Ma in age are distinguished by a moderately positive εNd(t) and Mesoproterozoic model age. It is suggested that they have a heterogeneous magma source comprising crustal and mantle components. The geochemical features of granites and rhyolites correspond to type A granites. Together with coeval OIB-type basalts, they make up a riftogenic bimodal association of igneous rocks, which are comparable with orthogneisses (565 Ma) and gabbroic rocks (540 Ma) of Seward Peninsula in Alaska.