Magma mixing model for the genesis of middle crust in the Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc: evidence from plutonic rocks in the Mineoka-Setogawa ophiolitic mélange, central Japan

• Published in: International geology review Vol. 62; no. 4; pp. 503 - 521
• Main Authors: Ichiyama, Yuji, Ito, Hisatoshi, Tamura, Akihiro, Arai, Shoji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 03.03.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Accretion; Basalt; Chemical composition; Continental crust; Crystallization; Crystals; Dehydration; Diorite; Eocene; Fragments; Gabbro; Geochemistry; Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc; Lava; Magma; Magma mixing; Mineoka-Setogawa belt; Oligocene; Ophiolites; Ophiolitic mélange; Organic chemistry; Paleogene; Plagioclase; Rock; Rocks; Single crystals; Tectonics; Tholeiitic basalt; Japan
• ISSN: 0020-6814; 1938-2839
• DOI: 10.1080/00206814.2019.1621779

A Paleogene accretionary complex, the Mineoka-Setogawa belt is distributed adjacent to the northern portion of the collision zone between Honshu and Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) arcs in central Japan, comprising a mélange of ophiolitic fragments of various sizes. The Eocene-Oligocene plutonic rocks in this belt (gabbro, diorite, and tonalite) have been interpreted as fragments brought from the deep crust beneath the IBM arc through tectonic collisions. The geochemical characteristics of the gabbro and associated basaltic dike are similar to those of the Eocene IBM tholeiitic basalt; thus, the gabbro was likely formed via the crystallization of the Eocene tholeiitic basaltic magmas, which was produced by the partial meltings of a depleted mantle wedge. A comparison with experimental results and geochemical modeling indicates that the tonalite was generated by 10-30% dehydration melting of the gabbro. Actually, Eocene-Oligocene felsic veins, which are coeval with the plutonic rocks, occur in the Mineoka-Setogawa gabbro. Plagioclase crystals in the diorite comprise Ca-rich and -poor parts in a single crystal. Their compositional characteristics are consistent with those of plagioclase in the gabbro and tonalite, respectively. The textures and chemical composition of plagioclase indicate that the diorite was formed by the mixing between mafic and silicic magmas. The whole-rock composition of the diorite also indicates the evidence for the mixing between basaltic magmas which were fractionated to variable degrees and homogeneous silicic magma. The mixing model proposed from the first direct observations of the IBM middle crust exposed on the Mineoka-Setogawa belt is applied to the genesis of the Eocene to present intermediate rocks in the IBM arc. If the continental crust were created at intra-oceanic arc settings such as the IBM arc, the magma mixing model would be one of the most likely mechanisms for the genesis of the continental crust.