Geochemistry and age relationships of metamorphosed mafic sills from Sierra de Enmedio and Sierra de Carrascoy (Eastern Betic zone, Southeastern Spain)

Abstract

The presence of fairly abundant shallow-intrusive mafic bodies is a common feature of the almagride units, a recently defined group of tectonic elements of the Eastern Betic Zone whose paleogeographic and tectonic interpretation is particuIarly controversial. In this paper we focuse on the bulk geochemistry (including K/Ar data) and possible age relationships of tbese rocks, and discuss them in view of their significance regarding possible tectonic framework of emplacement and subsequent crustal evolution. The analyses (49-55% SiO₂) point to a derivation from tholeiitic magmas that interacted with continental crust, as indicated by enrichment in the less compatible elements, such as Ba, Rb, Th and K, whose amounts are similar to those of well known continental tholeiitic provinces. Thus, the magmatic event is inferred to have been generated in a tectonic environment comparable to that of continental rifts. Emplacement may have taken place in Upper Triassic to Middle Jurassic times, as bracketed by their intrusion within Triassic beds and one whole-rock KIAr date of 178±4 Ma from a less altered sample. Much younger analytical K/Ar ages, scattering between 41±5 and 57±2 Ma, are obtained from common samples, however, reflecting an Eocene or younger metamorphic event that caused partial recrystallisation under low-grade greenchist, to actinolite-pumpelIyite facies conditions. As compared to other mafic complexes in the Betics, the observed chemical evidence for crustal contamination makes the almagride metabasites more similar to those in the external zona (e.g. the so-calIed «opbites») than in tbe Nevado-Filábride Ensemble, thus being consistent with proposals that correlate these units with the Subbetic in the Murcia area.