Geochemistry of orthogneisses from the northern part of the Central Rhodope, Bulgaria

Abstract

The late Jurassic igneous protoliths of the two-mica and leptitoid gneisses in the Central Rhodope Asenitsa unit correspond to a range of metaluminous granodiorite to wide-spread peraluminous leucogranite compositions. Despite the amphibolite facies metamorphic overprint, the major and trace elements distribution of the igneous protoliths are preserved to a significant extent. Systematic geochemical variations display magma fractionation trends The most indicative of the latter are increasing Rb/Sr ratios from 0.1 to 22, decreasing Eu/Eu* values from 0.8 to 0.1, and decreasing Zr/Hf ratios from 40 to 11 towards the most felsic orthogneisses. The whole orthogneiss suite is distinguished by high LILE/HFSE ratios that support crustal dominated and evolved magma source.