Geochemistry of migmatite-granite connection: a case study from the Central Rhodope, Bulgaria

Abstract

Extensive crustal melting and intrusive granite magmatism accompanied the extensional stage of the Rhodope massif Alpine evolution. Granites of different structural position and time of crystallization could reveal compositional and temporal relations between anatectic migmatization and granite magma generation. We have studied the post-kinematic Smilyan pluton and smaller syn-kinematic granite bodies hosted by the Madan unit metatexitic gneisses in the southwestern periphery of a metamorphic core complex known as Central Rhodopian Dome (CRD). The dominant geochemical features of the Madan unit granites display remarkable similarities with in situ formed anatectic melts from the CRD diatexitic core (Arda unit): felsic peraluminous compositions, low HFSE and REE, high LILE contents and LREE/HREE ratios, and negligible to positive Eu anomaly. Some deviations of the syn-kinematic granites geochemistry (metaluminous compositions, REE and HFSE enrichment, LREE/HREE ratios and Eu/Eu* variation) support an idea of separate partial melt batches extracted from different precursor compositions. Age data available (Smilyan pluton 43 Ma, and CRD core anatectic melts 37–38 Ma) preclude direct feedback relations between Madan unit intrusive granites and Arda unit migmatites. We infer that the migmatite-granite connection should be considered a common process of protracted Tertiary crustal melting that operated during CRD evolution and affected different crustal sources to produce discrete portions of granite melts. Major and trace elements geochemistry reveals potential lines of descent amongst groups of spatially related granitic rocks due to the same mechanism of melt generation.