THE GUAIRA PARAGUARI ALKALINE PROVINCE (GPAP. EASTERN PARAGUAY): GEOCHEMICAL CONSTRAINS ON MESOZOIC.

K-RICH INTRACONTINENTAL ROCKS

by Jaime Bez Presser and Peter Rene Bitschene

The source of potassium in volcanic rocks is a controversal matter. General consensus is that K, and other mobile LILE in modern subduction related igneous rocks are derived from recycled subducted material, whereas Nb and Ti, and others HFSE, are retained in the lithosphere. This leads to particular high K/Nb and K/Ti ratlos. These geochemical characteristic are aiso increasingly found in the rift -related intracontinental alkaline rocks, a most striking example for this Mesozoic Gauir Paraguar Alkaline Provinces (GPAP) at the western border of the Paran Basin, in Eastern Paraguay. The GPAP comprises intrusive, hypabyssal and extrusive rocks, the most mafic rocks are shonkinite (Intrusive). alkali-basalts (extrusive), and mica -monchiquites (hypabyssal dykes). The rocks pierce Mesozoic and oider redbed sediments and continental flood basalts (tholeites) of Gondwana cycle, and correspond in time and styie to the Jacupirana mode from the eastern part of the Paran Basin. Most of the rocks as a common characteristic show high K 20 (1.68 to 10.96%) and MgO (0.60 to 10.35%) concentrations. the K20/Na20 ratio is >1. and LREE are strongly enriched over HREE. The rocks are potassic to ultrapotassic, and have lamproitic - affinities. In particular, they have very high K20/T02 (2 to 8). P205/T02 (0.31 to 3.42). and K20/Nb (0.15 i 0.04) ratios. The source of the K-rich alkaline rocks from GPAP is an enriched mantle wedge which has acquired its LILE enrichment and HFSE depletion by interaction of recycled subducted lithosphere with overiying continental lithosphere.

1ER. COLOQUIO DE ROCAS MAGMTICAS DEL PARAGUAY. SAN LORENSO 1990 DEP GEOL. FAC. CIENC. EXACT. & Nat. (U.N.A.) - PARAGUAY