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R. W. Kistler

Publications and source records attributed to R. W. Kistler.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2012

Magnetic susceptibility and relation to initial 87Sr/86Sr for granitoids of the central Sierra Nevada, California

Measurement of the magnetic susceptibility of more than 6000 samples of granitic rock from the Mariposa 1° by 2° quadrangle, which crosses the central part of the Sierra Nevada batholith between 37° and 38°N latitude, shows that magnetic susceptibility values are above 10 −2 SI units in the east and central parts of the batholith and drop abruptly to less than 10 −3 SI units in the western foothills. In a narrow transitional zone, intermediate values (10 −3 to 10 −2 ) prevail. Magnetic susceptibility appears to decrease slightly westward within the zones of both high and low values. Magnetic susceptibility in plutonic rocks is chiefly a function of the abundance of magnetite, which depends, in turn, on the total iron content of the rocks and their oxidation ratio. Lower magnetic susceptibilities of felsic members of Sierran intrusive suites and of some felsic rock units relative to adjacent mafic rock units commonly reflect differences in total iron content, but the differences of magnetic susceptibility that define the regional pattern generally are much larger and are determined chiefly by the oxidation ratios of the rocks. The relatively unaltered condition of the samples and restriction of δ 18 O to the range of +7 to +10.3‰ indicate that neither hydrothermal fluids nor subsolidus alteration were important in modifying oxidation ratios. Correlations of magnetic susceptibility with initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr suggest that oxidation ratios have been inherited from the source regions for the magmas from which the rocks crystallized. Reduction of Fe 3+ to Fe 2+ by organic carbon or other reducing substances may also have affected magnetic susceptibility.

Journal of Geophysical Research↗
USGS2012

Petrology and geochronology of metamorphosed volcanic rocks and a middle Cretaceous volcanic neck in the east-central Sierra Nevada, California

Metamorphosed Mesozoic volcanic rocks from the east-central Sierra Nevada range in composition from basalt to rhyolite and have ages, based on whole rock Rb-Sr and U-Pb zircon dating, of about 237–224, 185, 163, 134, and 100 m.y. The major plutons of the batholith in this area are of Triassic (215–200 m.y.) and Cretaceous (94–80 m.y.) ages. Initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values for the metamorphosed volcanic rocks of the area are in the range from 0.7042 to 0.7058 and are generally different from the values for the surrounding batholithic rocks (0.7056–0.7066). A circular, zoned granitic pluton, with an outcrop area of 2.5 km 2 , similar in appearance to a ring dike complex, was apparently a conduit for some or possibly all of the middle-Cretaceous metamorphosed volcanic rocks exposed about 5 km to the south in the western part of the Ritter Range. Samples from the metamorphosed volcanic rocks and the pluton yield a Rb-Sr whole rock isochron age of 99.9 ± 2.2 m.y. with an initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr of 0.7048 ± 0.0001. Major element variation diagrams of the pluton and volcanic rocks define coincident compositional trends. The pluton, intruded into Early Jurassic metamorphosed volcanic rocks (Rb-Sr whole rock isochron age of 185 ± 6 m.y., initial 87 / 86 Sr = 0.70474 ± 0.00009), is composed of a central body of granite that is intruded into and almost completely surrounded by a crescent-shaped outer rim of quartz monzodiorite. Contact relations between the granitic rocks, intrusive in some places and completely gradational at other places, indicate that the quartz monzodiorite was not completely crystallized prior to the intrusion of the granite. Modal minerology within the pluton is also consistent with this inferred crystallization history. The granitic rock textures are cataclastic, characterized by a groundmass of feldspar and quartz that surrounds larger grains of feldspar, hornblende, and biotite. Widely spaced aplite dikes from the granite intrude the quartz monzodiorite along the contact between the granitic rocks. The aplite dikes and interstitial alkali feldspar associated with myrmekite in the pluton, being undeformed, indicate crystallization of a small amount of silicate liquid after cataclasis. Aplite compositions suggest a minimum crystallization pressure of 0.5 kb (1–2 km); this depth is consistent with crystallization near the base of a large stratovolcano. The pluton is characterized by steep, linear features, defined by mineral clots and inclusions, that probably formed during the upward movement of the nearly crystallized magma in the volcanic conduit. The ages of volcanic events relative to the ages of the major intrusive epochs and the major element and isotopic compositions of the volcanic rocks relative to the major plutons indicate that the volcanic rocks are not simply or directly related to the major plutons in the Sierra Nevada.

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth↗
USGS2012

Petrogenesis of garnet two-mica granites in the Ruby Mountains, Nevada

Garnet-two-mica granites of Jurassic (160 ± 3 m.y.) and Cretaceous (83 ± 1.3 m.y.) ages intrude amphibolite facies metasedimentary rocks of Precambrian age and lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in the northern part of the Ruby Mountains, Nevada. High initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and high values of δ 18 O for minerals suggest a dominantly sedimentary source for the magmas. Total rare-earth contents are low and less fractionated (Ce N /Yb N = 10) than granitic rocks of similar composition in the Sierra Nevada and show a negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* = 0.57). These data are consistent with melting in the stability field of plagioclase with little contribution to the melt from refractory minerals such as zircon, sphene, and apatite. Minor euhedral garnets are manganese-rich and magnesium-poor (al 60 sp 34 py 3.6 gr 2.8 ) compared to garnet (al 79 sp 6 py 13 gr 2 ) in the intruded metamorphic rocks and show an increase in manganese and a decrease in calcium in the outer few microns. Fractionation of magnesium-iron between garnet and biotite, and of sodium-potassium between K-feldspar and plagioclase in the granites suggest submagmatic equilibration temperatures, in the range of 365° to 505°C, whereas oxygen isotope equilibration temperatures for two granites are higher at 480° and 570°C. The compositions of the granites plot near minimum melting compositions in the water-saturated quartz-albite-orthoclase system. Comparison of muscovite plus quartz stability, the water-saturated granite solidus, and experimental garnet-melt equilibria suggests pressures of crystallization no lower than about 3.5 kbar. This pressure is compatible with that estimated from garnet-plagioclase-sillimanite-quartz equilibria for the intruded metasedimentary rocks.

Nevada↗
USGS2012

Two-mica granites of northeastern Nevada

The field settings are described and analytical data are presented for six two-mica granites from north-eastern Nevada. High δ 18 O and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values indicate that all are S-type granites, derived from continental crust. The major element chemistry and accessory mineral contents of these rocks also are characteristic of S-type granites. Chemical, X ray, and other data are presented for the micas recovered from these granites. The muscovites are notably high in Fe 2 O 3 , FeO, and MgO. Except for one hydrobiotite, each of the biotites has an MgO content near 6.0 weight percent. Two different types of two-mica granites are recognized in the area of this study. One type is distinguished by the presence of many biotite euhedra within muscovite phenocrysts and by an unusual suite of accessory minerals completely devoid of opaque oxides. This type probably resulted from anatexis of late Precambrian argillites under conditions of relatively low oxygen fugacity, along a line that roughly coincides with the westward disappearance of continental basement. In the other textural type of two-mica granite the micas are equigranular and there is a greater variety of accessory minerals. The magmatic evolution of this type also appears to reflect the influence of late Precambrian argillites; there may be age differences between the two types of two-mica granites.

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth↗
USGS2012

Some additional observations on inclusions in the granitic rocks of the Sierra Nevada

Microgranular quartz diorite and diorite inclusions are widespread in central Sierra Nevada granitoid rocks and are almost exclusively restricted to hornblende-bearing rocks, most commonly felsic tonalites and mafic granodiorites. Strontium 87/strontium 86 values of the inclusions and host granitoids from individual plutons generally plot on single isochrons that agree closely with previously determined ages. Neodymium 143/neodymium 144 values of five inclusions ranged from 0.51229 to 0.51248 and yield ε Nd values that correlate closely with values of their respective hosts. The Nd-Sm and Rb-Sr systematics indicate that most inclusions were in isotopic equilibrium with enclosing materials at the time of formation. Silica contents of inclusions and granitoids are contiguous, but inclusions generally contain less than, and granitoids more than, 60% SiO 2 . Linear continuity of the femic oxide and H 2 O + trends relative to SiO 2 suggests many inclusions formed as concentrations of hydrous mafic minerals. Variation of other major element oxides and trace elements support this inference. The aforementioned data are generally inconsistent with a direct genetic link between the mafic inclusions and the mantle-derived basalt. However, many initial Sierra Nevada magmas were produced by mixing of mafic, mantle-derived melts and felsic crustal materials, resulting in isotopically varied tonalitic and granodioritic magmas. Most inclusions thus represent fragmented crystal accumulations of early-formed, near-liquidus minerals generated from these previously mixed magmas.

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth↗
USGS2007

Petrology and tectonics of Phanerozoic continent formation: From island arcs to accretion and continental arc magmatism

Mesozoic continental arcs in the North American Cordillera were examined here to establish a baseline model for Phanerozoic continent formation. We combine new trace-element data on lower crustal xenoliths from the Mesozoic Sierra Nevada Batholith with an extensive grid-based geochemical map of the Peninsular Ranges Batholith, the southern equivalent of the Sierras. Collectively, these observations give a three-dimensional view of the crust, which permits the petrogenesis and tectonics of Phanerozoic crust formation to be linked in space and time. Subduction of the Farallon plate beneath North America during the Triassic to early Cretaceous was characterized by trench retreat and slab rollback because old and cold oceanic lithosphere was being subducted. This generated an extensional subduction zone, which created fringing island arcs just off the Paleozoic continental margin. However, as the age of the Farallon plate at the time of subduction decreased, the extensional environment waned, allowing the fringing island arc to accrete onto the continental margin. With continued subduction, a continental arc was born and a progressively more compressional environment developed as the age of subducting slab continued to young. Refinement into a felsic crust occurred after accretion, that is, during the continental arc stage, wherein a thickened crustal and lithospheric column permitted a longer differentiation column. New basaltic arc magmas underplate and intrude the accreted terrane, suture, and former continental margin. Interaction of these basaltic magmas with pre-existing crust and lithospheric mantle created garnet pyroxenitic mafic cumulates by fractional crystallization at depth as well as gabbroic and garnet pyroxenitic restites at shallower levels by melting of pre-existing lower crust. The complementary felsic plutons formed by these deep-seated differentiation processes rose into the upper crust, stitching together the accreted terrane, suture and former continental margin. The mafic cumulates and restites, owing to their high densities, eventually foundered into the mantle, leaving behind a more felsic crust. Our grid-based sampling allows us to estimate an unbiased average upper crustal composition for the Peninsular Ranges Batholith. Major and trace-element compositions are very similar to global continental crust averaged over space and time, but in detail, the Peninsular Ranges are slightly lower in compatible to mildly incompatible elements, MgO, Mg#, V, Sc, Co, and Cr. The compositional similarities suggest a strong arc component in global continental crust, but the slight discrepancies suggest that additional crust formation processes are also important in continent formation as a whole. Finally, the delaminated Sierran garnet pyroxenites have some of the lowest U/Pb ratios ever measured for silicate rocks. Such material, if recycled and stored in the deep mantle, would generate a reservoir with very unradiogenic Pb, providing one solution to the global Pb isotope paradox.

Earth and Planetary Science Letters↗
USGS2007

Thermal evolution and exhumation of deep-level batholithic exposures, southernmost Sierra Nevada, California

The Tehachapi complex lies at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada batholith adjacent to the Neogene-Quaternary Garlock fault. The complex is composed principally of high-pressure (8-10 kbar) Cretaceous batholithic rocks, and it represents the deepest exposed levels of a continuous oblique crustal section through the southern Sierra Nevada batholith. Over the southern ???100 km of this section, structural/petrologic continuity and geochronological data indicate that ???35 km of felsic to intermediate-composition crust was generated by copious arc magmatism primarily between 105 and 99 Ma. In the Tehachapi complex, these batholithic rocks intrude and are bounded to the west by similar-composition gneissic-textured high-pressure batholithic rocks emplaced at ca. 115-110 Ma. This lower crustal complex is bounded below by a regional thrust system, which in Late Cretaceous time tectonically eroded the underlying mantle lithosphere, and in series displaced and underplated the Rand Schist subduction assemblage by low-angle slip from the outboard Franciscan trench. Geophysical and mantle xenolith studies indicate that the remnants of this shallow subduction thrust descend northward through the crust and into the mantle, leaving the mantle lithosphere intact beneath the greater Sierra Nevada batholith. This north-dipping regional structure records an inflection in the Farallon plate, which was segmented into a shallow subduc-tion trajectory to the south and a normal steeper trajectory to the north. We combine new and published data from a broad spectrum of thermochronom-eters that together form a coherent data array constraining the thermal evolution of the complex. Integration of these data with published thermobarometric and petro-genetic data also constrains the tectonically driven decompression and exhumation history of the complex. The timing of arc magmatic construction of the complex, as denoted above, is resolved by a large body of U/Pb zircon ages. High-confidence thermochronometric data track a single retrogressing path commencing from widely established solidus conditions at ca. 100 Ma, and traversing through time-temperature space as follows: (1) Sm/Nd garnet ???770-680 ??C at ca. 102-95 Ma, (2) U/Pb titanite ???750-600 ??C at ca. 102-95 Ma, (3) Ar/Ar hornblende ???570-490 ??C at ca. 94-91 Ma, (4) Rb/Sr biotite ???390-260 ??C at ca. 90-86 Ma, (5) Ar/Ar biotite ???320-240 ??C at ca. 88-85 Ma, and (6) (U-Th)/He zircon ???230-170 ??C at ca. 88-83 Ma. Additional stratigraphic constraints place the complex at surface conditions in Paleocene-early Eocene time (ca. 66-55 Ma). Integration of these results with thermobarometric and structural data, including published data on the underlying Rand Schist, reveals a profound tectonic event whereby rapid cooling and exhumation at rates potentially as high as 100s ??C/m.y. and >5 mm/yr initiated at ca. 98 Ma and peaked between 96 and 94 Ma. Between 93 and 85 Ma, cooling rates remained high, but decelerated with or without significant exhumation. Subsequent cooling and exhumation rates are poorly constrained but were much slower and ultimately resulted in Paleocene-Eocene surface exposure. Initial rapid exhumation and cooling are hypothesized to have been driven by abrupt flattening in the corresponding segment of the Farallon plate and the resulting tectonic erosion of the underlying mantle lithosphere. Protolith as well as meta-morphic pressure-temperature and age constraints on the Rand Schist indicate its rapid low-angle subduction between 93 and 88 Ma. Comparison of the Rand Schist and Tehachapi complex pressure-temperature-time paths in conjunction with structural relations strongly suggest that the schist ascended the equivalent of ???4 kbar relative to the Tehachapi complex by low-angle normal displacement along the Rand fault between 88 and 80 Ma to attain its current underplated structural position. Such extensional tectonism is hypothesized to have been driven by slab rollback

Conference Paper↗
USGS2004

Geophysical and isotopic mapping of preexisting crustal structures that influenced the location and development of the San Jacinto fault zone, southern California

We examine the role of preexisting crustal structure within the Peninsular Ranges batholith on determining the location of the San Jacinto fault zone by analysis of geophysical anomalies and initial strontium ratio data. A 1000-km-long boundary within the Peninsular Ranges batholith, separating relatively mafic, dense, and magnetic rocks of the western Peninsular Ranges batholith from the more felsic, less dense, and weakly magnetic rocks of the eastern Peninsular Ranges batholith, strikes north-northwest toward the San Jacinto fault zone. Modeling of the gravity and magnetic field anomalies caused by this boundary indicates that it extends to depths of at least 20 km. The anomalies do not cross the San Jacinto fault zone, but instead trend northwesterly and coincide with the fault zone. A 75-km-long gradient in initial strontium ratios (Sri) in the eastern Peninsular Ranges batholith coincides with the San Jacinto fault zone. Here rocks east of the fault are characterized by Sri greater than 0.706, indicating a source of largely continental crust, sedimentary materials, or different lithosphere. We argue that the physical property contrast produced by the Peninsular Ranges batholith boundary provided a mechanically favorable path for the San Jacinto fault zone, bypassing the San Gorgonio structural knot as slip was transferred from the San Andreas fault 1.0-1.5 Ma. Two historical M6.7 earthquakes may have nucleated along the Peninsular Ranges batholith discontinuity in San Jacinto Valley, suggesting that Peninsular Ranges batholith crustal structure may continue to affect how strain is accommodated along the San Jacinto fault zone. ?? 2004 Geological Society of America.

Geological Society of America Bulletin↗
USGS2001

Rb-Sr whole-rock and mineral ages, K-Ar, 40Ar/39Ar, and U-Pb mineral ages, and strontium, lead, neodymium, and oxygen isotopic compositions for granitic rocks from the Salinian composite terrane, California

This report summarizes new and published age and isotopic data for whole-rocks and minerals from granitic rocks in the Salinian composite terrane, California. Rubidium-strontium whole-rock ages of plutons are in two groups, Early Cretaceous (122 to 100 Ma) and Late Cretaceous (95 to 82 Ma). Early Cretaceous plutons occur in all granitic rock exposures from Bodega Head in the north to those from the Santa Lucia and Gabilan Ranges in the central part of the terrane. Late Cretaceous plutons have been identified in the Point Reyes Peninsula, the Santa Lucia and the Gabilan Ranges, and in the La Panza Range in the southern part of the terrane. Ranges of initial values of isotopic compositions are 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, 0.7046-0.7147, δ 18 O, +8.5 to +12.5 per mil, 206 Pb/ 204 Pb, 18.901-19.860, 207 Pb/ 204 Pb, 15.618-15.814, 208 Pb/ 204 Pb, 38.569- 39.493, and εNd, +0.9 to -8.6. The initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr=0.706 isopleth is identified in the northern Gabilan Range and in the Ben Lomond area of the Santa Cruz Mountains, in Montara Mountain, in Bodega Head, and to the west of the Farallon Islands on the Cordell Bank. This isotopic boundary is offset about 95 miles (160km) by right-lateral displacements along the San Gregorio-Hosgri and San Andreas fault systems.

California↗
USGS1991

A Sr-isotopic comparison between thermal waters, rocks, and hydrothermal calcites, Long Valley caldera, California

The 87Sr/86Sr values of thermal waters and hydrothermal calcites of the Long Valley caldera geothermal system are more radiogenic than those of young intracaldera volcanic rocks. Five thermal waters display 87Sr/86Sr of 0.7081-0.7078 but show systematically lighter values from west to east in the direction of lateral flow. We believe the decrease in ratio from west to east signifies increased interaction of deeply circulating thermal water with relatively fresh volcanic rocks filling the caldera depression. All types of pre-, syn-, and post-caldera volcanic rocks in the west and central caldera have (87Sr/86Sr)m between about 0.7060 and 0.7072 and values for Sierra Nevada granodiorites adjacent to the caldera are similar. Sierran pre-intrusive metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks can have considerably higher Sr-isotope ratios (0.7061-0.7246 and 0.7090-0.7250, respectively). Hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks inside the caldera have (87Sr/86Sr)m slightly heavier than their fresh volcanic equivalents and hydrothermal calcites (0.7068-0.7105) occupy a midrange of values between the volcanic/plutonic rocks and the Sierran metamorphic rocks. These data indicate that the Long Valley geothermal reservoir is first equilibrated in a basement complex that contains at least some metasedimentary rocks. Reequilibration of Sr-isotope ratios to lower values occurs in thermal waters as convecting geothermal fluids flow through the isotopically lighter volcanic rocks of the caldera fill. ?? 1991.

Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research↗
USGS1990

Chapter 14: Middle Cretaceous silicic metavolcanic rocks in the Kings Canyon area, central Sierra Nevada, California

Metamorphosed silicic volcanic and hypabyssal rocks of middle Cretaceous (110 to 100 Ma) age occur in two roof pendants in the Kings Canyon area of the central Sierra Nevada. The metavolcanic remnants are similar in age to or are only slightly older than the voluminous enclosing batholithic rocks. Thus, high to surface levels of the batholith are implied for this region. This is interesting considering that deep-level (∼25 km) batholithic rocks of the same age as the metavolcanic rocks occur at the southern end of the range. Apparent structural continuity between these two regions suggests that the southern half of the range offers an oblique section through young (˜100 Ma) sialic crust. The middle Cretaceous ages of the two volcanic sequences are indicated by U/Pb zircon and Rb/Sr bulk-rock isochron data. The two isotopic systems agree very closely with one another. Some of the U/Pb systems within the Boyden Cave pendant are discordant due to the inheritance or entrainment of Proterozoic zircon. This is a common phenomenon in volcanic or plutonic rocks erupted or emplaced within the Kings sequence metamorphic framework, a belt of distinct pendants with abundant continent-derived sedimentary protoliths. In conjunction with other petrochemical parameters, lavas and magmas of this framework domain are shown to be contaminated with sedimentary admixtures. The contaminated domain of the batholith reflects the bounds of the Kings sequence framework, which along its eastern margin probably represents a major pre-batholith to early batholith tectonic break. The middle Cretaceous metavolcanic sequences were apparently built on two distinctly different early Mesozoic substrates separated by a major tectonic break. In the Boyden Cave pendant, the substrate may be represented by the shallow to deep-marine Kings sequence; to the east in the Oak Creek pendant, the substrate consists of a thick silicic ignimbrite sequence. In both areas the middle Cretaceous rocks and adjacent sequences share intense ductile deformation fabrics. Earlier views that considered these fabrics as an expression of Jurassic orogenic deformation are in error. Structural and age relations indicate that the fabrics developed between 105 and 100 Ma and during the medial phases of Cretaceous composite batholith growth.

California↗
USGS1990

Geochemistry of highly fractionated I- and S-type granites from the tin-tungsten province of western Tasmania

The Devonian batholiths of western Tasmania represent a diverse assemblage of highly fractionated intrusions (70 to 77 percent SiO 2 ) that are the products of different source materials. The Housetop batholith exhibits compositional affinities to a fluorine-rich I-type magma. The Meredith batholith also has characteristics indicative of I-type source materials. The Heemskirk batholith is composite, and consists of a volatile (F, B, H 2 O)–rich S-type granite underlying an I-type granite. The Three Hummock Island, Interview River, Sandy Cape, and Conical Rocks plutons probably have an S-type source and are grouped together as the Sandy Cape Suite. Rapakivi texture is common in the Housetop, Meredith, and Heemkirk batholiths. Quartz-tourmaline nodules are found in the Conical Rocks pluton and the S-type portion of the Heemskirk batholith. The Conical Rocks and Interview River plutons yield high initial Sr isotopic ratios of 0.74242 and 0.76009, respectively. The Housetop and Meredith batholiths yield the lowest initial Sr isotopic ratios of 0.71041 and 0.71445, respectively. The S-type portion of the Heemskirk batholith has an initial Sr isotopic ratio of 0.76387. The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar release spectrum and Rb/Sr mineral isochron analyses corroborate previously reported Devonian to Carboniferous age estimates for these batholiths. A relatively low-temperature thermal event (<200°C) caused argon loss from the K-feldspars at about 105 Ma. This heating event is probably related to the continental breakup of Australia from Antarctica. Major-element compositions of the western Tasmanian granites are very similar. The highly fractionated Sandy Cape Suite leucogranites exhibit high Ga/Al ratios typical of A-type granites, but not their extreme Zr, Y, or Ce enrichments. A distinctive feature of the Sandy Cape Suite is the increase in P 2 O 5 concentration with fractionation. The increase in P 2 O 5 with fractionation is apparently due to extremely low Ca activity, which precludes the formation of apatite, thus allowing P 2 O 5 to behave incompatibly in the melt. All of the granitoids have LREE–enriched chondrite-normalized rare earth element patterns. REE fractionation within the individual granitoids can be summarized by two trends: those with LREE >> HREE depletion (Housetop, Meredith, and Heemskirk batholiths), and those with LREE = HREE depletion (Sandy Cape Suite). The first trend is caused by the initial undersaturation of accessory mineral assemblage that resulted from high concentrations of volatiles and/or alkali complexes. The second trend is caused by early saturation of accessory phases and/or refractory accessory phases.

Tasmania↗
USGS1985

A reconnaissance Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Pb, and K-Ar study of some host rocks and ore minerals in the West Shasta Cu- Zn district, California

The Copley Greenstone, Balaklala Rhyolite, and Mule Mountain stock in the West Shasta Cu-Zn district, California, have Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Pb, and K-Ar systematics that indicate they are a cogenetic suite of ensimatic island-arc rocks about 400 m.y. Pervasive alteration and mineralization of these rocks, for the most part, was syngenetic and the major component of the mineralizing fluid was Devonian seawater. K-Ar ages of quartz-sericite concentrates from ore horizons and Rb-Sr systematics of a few rock and ore specimens record a later thermal and mineralizing event in the district of about 260 m.y. Contamination of some rocks with pelagic sediments is indicated by the Sm-Nd data.

Economic Geology↗
USGS1983

Isotopic studies of mariposite-bearing rocks from the south- central Mother Lode, California.

Gold-bearing vein formation in the Mother Lode belt of the study area apparently occurred during the Early Cretaceous between 127 and 108 m.y. B.P. The hydrothermal fluids that carried the gold precipitated quartz and mariposite at approx 320oC, similar to the T of precipitation of gold-bearing quartz veins in the Allegheny district. The O- and H-isotopic composition calculated for the fluid indicate that it was similar to formation water or was metamorphic in origin. If the carbonate in the veins was in isotopic equilibrium with this same fluid, it apparently precipitated at a higher T of approx 400oC. The Sr in the carbonate is much less radiogenic than that in any known marine carbonate, but is similar in isotopic composition to that in metamorphosed mafic volcanic rocks of the general region. These mafic rocks could have been the source for the Sr in the hydrothermal veins. This observation supports the contention that the gold-mariposite-quartz-carbonate rocks were formed as an alteration product of serpentinite and other mafic igneous rocks.-A.P.

California Geology↗
USGS1981

Stable isotope systematics in mesozoic granites of Central and Northern California and Southwestern Oregon

18O, D, and H2O+ contents were measured for whole-rock specimens of granitoid rocks from 131 localitics in California and southwestern Oregon. With 41 new determinations in the Klamath Mountains and Sierra Nevada, initial strontium isotope ratios are known for 104 of these samples. Large variations in ??18O (5.5 to 12.4), ??D (-130 to -31), water contents (0.14 to 2.23 weight percent) and initial strontium isotope ratios (0.7028 to 0.7095) suggest a variety of source materials and identify rocks modified by secondary processes. Regular patterns of variation in each isotopic ratio exist over large geographical regions, but correlations between the ratios are generally absent except in restricted areas. For example, the regular decrease in ??D values from west to east in the Sierra Nevada batholith is not correlative with a quite complex pattern of ??18O values, implying that different processes were responsible for the isotopic variations in these two elements. In marked contrast to a good correlation between (87Sr/86Sr)o and ??18O observed in the Peninsular Ranges batholith to the south, such correlations are lacking except in a few areas. ??D values, on the other hand, correlate well with rock types, chemistry, and (87Sr/86Sr)o except in the Coast Ranges where few of the isotopic signatures are primary. The uniformly low ??D values of samples from the Mojave Desert indicate that meteoric water contributed much of the hydrogen to the rocks in that area. Even so, the ??18O values and 18O fractionations between quartz and feldspar are normal in these same rocks. This reconnaissance study has identified regularities in geochemical parameters over enormous geographical regions. These patterns are not well understood but merit more detailed examination because they contain information critical to our understanding of the development of granitoid batholiths. ?? 1981 Springer-Verlag.

Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology↗