Rhyolite magma evolution recorded in isotope and trace element composition of zircon from Halle Volcanic Complex

Abstract

Voluminous felsic volcanic magmas were formed in Central Europe at the Carboniferous/Permian boundary in numerous pull-apart basins; one of which is the Saale Basin, which holds the Halle Volcanic Complex (HVC), the focus of this study. The rhyolites in the HVC formed laccoliths and scarce lavas, and occur in two different textural types: fine and coarse porphyritic. Zircon isotope and trace element composition was analysed in four units, two per each textural type. Zircon from the different units shows similar ranges in εHf (− 4.1 to − 8.1) and δ18O values (6.51–8.26), indicating similar sources and evolution processes for texturally diverse rhyolites from the HVC. Scarce inherited zircon ranges from ~ 315 Ma to ~ 2100 Ma with the major groupings around 315–550 Ma. These ages are typical for Devonian arc magmatic activity (350–400 Ma) and Cadomian igneous rocks (500–600 Ma), which occur in the basement presently underlying the HVC. Therefore, the source of the rhyolites was multicomponent and probably represented by a basement composed of various crystalline rocks. Trace elements in zircon show similar distributions in all analysed samples, which is broadly consistent with zircon cores crystallizing in a less evolved magma undergoing limited fractional crystallization, whilst the zircon rims crystallized from a magma undergoing extensive fractional crystallization of major and accessory minerals. Interestingly, comparison of the zircon composition in HVC rhyolites and other rhyolites worldwide shows that the observed trends are similar in such rhyolites despite the values being different. This may suggest that most of the zircon in rhyolites crystallizes at a similar stage in the rhyolite magma evolution, from magmas undergoing extensive crystallization of major phases and apatite. The implication is that most of the zircon represents late stage crystallization, but also that antecrystic component may be present and preserve information on the development of precursor magmas, probably within mush-rich magma bodies.