A-type Granites
Classification and Petrogenesis
A Multi-Dimensional Problem
The A-type Granitoids
Defined by Loiselle and Wones (1979)
A stands for Anorogenic or Anhydrous
Magmas are emplaced in post-collisional or within plate
settings, i.e., an extensional environment.
May be produced by the melting of a lithospheric source
from which a previous melt had been extracted or by
differentiation of a basalt magma.
This is a very different definition from that of the I- and S-
type granitoids because it includes both tectonic setting and
chemical characteristics of the magmas. Many of us may
know what we mean by the term A-type, but it does not fit
with the other letters of the alphabet soup.
Characteristics of A-type Granitoids
1. Nonorogenic setting
2. Subaluminous to peralkaline trends, sometimes
peraluminous
3. For rocks of intermediate silica content, A-type granitoids
generally have higher total alkalis and lower CaO than other
granitoids.
4. High FeOT/MgO
5. High halogen, and particularly high F, content (Cl = 0.02 –
0.2 wt.% and F = 0.05-1.7 wt.%
6. A characteristic mineralogy consisting of iron-rich mafic
silicates (annite, ferrohendenbergite, ferrohastingsite,
fayalite), and in peralkaline suites alkali-rich mafic silicates
(aegirine, arfvedsonite, reibeckite) and perthitic feldspars
7. Characteristic trace element abundances as evidenced by
enrichment in HFS elements. Plot in the WPG fields of Pearce
et al. (1984) and the A-type fields of Whalen et al. (1987)
A-type discriminant diagrams of Whalen et al. (1987)
8. Eby (1992) suggested that the A-type granitoids, based on
certain trace element distributions, could be divided into two
groups. Granitoids that plot in the A1 group were interpreted as
differentiates of basalt magma derived from an OIB-like source
while granitoids that plot in the A2 group were derived from the
subcontinental lithosphere or lower crust.
It should also be noted
that A1-types invariably
are associated with true
anorogenic (within plate)
settings while A2-types
are often emplaced in
post-collisonal, post-
orogenic settings.
A1-type Magmatism
1. Occurs in a true anorogenic within-plate setting. Generally
separated from periods of compressional tectonics by 50 to
100 million years or more.
2. Is often associated temporally and spatially with silica-
undersaturated alkaline rocks.
3. In terms of trace elements, these magmas have OIB-like
signatures.
4. In some provinces mafic lithologies are abundant, in others
mafic lithologies are rare.
5. Examples include the White Mountain igneous province
(160 to 200 Ma and ~124 Ma) of North America and the
North Nyasa (~720 Ma) and Chilwa (138-110 Ma) alkaline
provinces of Malawi.
Examples of A1-type Granitoid Provinces –
White Mountains, NH, USA
Two periods of granitoid
magmatism (White Mountain
province) in Eastern North
America at ~180 Ma and ~124 Ma.
This is well after amalgamation of
the North American craton and is
precursor to the opening of the
North Atlantic Ocean. Rocks of a
correlative age to the younger
period of igneous activity (124
Ma), but forming a silica-
undersaturated suite (Monteregian
Hills), are found in Canada.
Age relations for Monteregian Hills and Younger White Mountains
7
5
Frequency
2 Ile
Bizard Cuttingsville
1
0
140 139 138 128 127 126 125 124 123 122 121 120 119 118 101 100 99
Age (Ma)
MH FT MH Ar-Ar MH U-Pb WM FT WM K-Ar WM U-Pb
With the exception of Ile Bizard and Cuttingsville, there is essentially a complete
overlap in ages for the two provinces.
The Ossipee Ring Complex – an example of
younger White Mountain magmatism
Quench texture in fine-grained granite
High level
intrusion,
classic ring-
complex
Fragmental rhyolite
structure
Bimodal
volcanics +
quartz syenites
and granites
Coarse-grained biotite granite
The Ossipee granites and rhyolites plot in the A-type
field on the Ga discrimination diagrams, in the Within
Plate Granite fields on the tectonic discriminant
diagrams, and are A1-type, presumably indicating that
they were derived from a plume or hotspot OIB-like
source. Note that the samples plot in the OIB field.
Chondrite normalized REE plots for the
various lithologies of the Ossipee ring
complex. Note the similar slopes of the
REE patterns for all lithologies with the
exception of the granite which shows a
flattening at the HREE end.
OIB normalized spider
diagrams for Ossipee
rhyolites and basalts.
Note the similarity of
both lithologies to OIB.
Variations can be
explained by the
fractionation of alkali
feldspar and opaque
oxide minerals. Cs
enrichment in basalts is
due to late-stage
hydrothermal alteration
as evidence by the partial
replacement of
plagioclase by epidote.
The Ossipee basalts plot in the Within Plate Basalt field and also fall in the
OIB-source field. CV and MJ are temporally related intrusions in the White
Mountain – Monteregian Hills provinces. MJ is a nepheline syenite –
nepheline diorite intrusion. All of these magmas were drawn from a similar
source, but experienced variable degrees of crustal contamination – essentially
none in the case of MJ and minor in the case of the Ossipee basalts. This
inference is confirmed with isotopic data.
Examples of A1-type Granitoid Provinces -
Chilwa Alkaline Province, Malawi
The Cretaceous age
Chilwa Alkaline
Province (CAP) is
located in southern
Malawi near the
southern end of the
present-day East
African Rift System.
Geology of the Chilwa Alkaline Province
Lithologies: carbonatite, nepheline-sodalite syenite,
nepheline syenite, syenite, granite
Junguni
Chaone & Mongolowe
Zomba
Degree of silica saturation for the major plutonic and volcanic units
Felsic rocks vary
from strongly
silica-
undersaturated
nepheline-sodalite
syenites to alkali
granites.
Mafic rocks are
silica-
undersaturated
basanites and
nephelinites.
Age versus degree of silica saturation
Sequence of emplacement:
• Basanites + nepheline-sodalite syenites (138-132 Ma)
• Nepheline syenites + syenites (129-123 Ma)
• Syenites + granites (115 – 111 Ma)
Major lithologies of the Chilwa Province
• Metavolcanics (basanites) and olivine nephelinites
• Nepheline-sodalite syenites and nepheline syenites
• Syenites and alkali granites
Sequence of emplacement
• Lava flows (basanites) and nepheline-sodalite
syenites
• Nepheline syenites and syenites
• Syenites and alkali granites
The pattern is increasing silica content
with decreasing age
Log Eu* vs log Sr, Ba
• Two groups of phonolites
can be distinguished, one that
shows negative Eu
anomalies, one that doesn’t.
• The alkali granites and
syenites (Zomba & Malosa)
roughly fall along alkali
feldspar + plagioclase
fractionation vectors.
• Many of the nepheline
syenites also show negative
Eu anomalies indicating that
feldspar fractionation played
a role in their evolution.
REE patterns for Zomba are
subparallel and show
increasing negative Eu
anomalies with increasing
total REEs, typical of a
feldspar fractionation trend.
REE patterns for Chinduzi
are much more irregular and,
in particular, the presence of
U-shaped (or V-shaped)
patterns suggests that there
may have been postmagmatic
redistribution of the elements
by F- and/or CO2-rich
hydrothermal fluids.
Spider diagrams: Note the similarity to OIBs. Depletion of Ba,
Sr, P, and Ti in the more evolved rocks is indicative of feldspar,
apatite, and ilmenite/magnetite fractionation.
Y/Nb vs Yb/Ta
diagram: The
metabasanites and
olivine nepehlinites
plot in the OIB field.
The blue vector
indicates the effect
that crustal
contamination would
have on these ratios.
The red vector
indicates the effect
that F- and/or CO3-
rich fluids would have
on these ratios.
A2-type Magmatism
1. Occurs in post-collisional or post-tectonic setting. Usually,
but not always, shortly (10 – 20 million years) after
compressional tectonism.
2. With few exceptions, never temporally and spatially
associated with silica-undersaturated alkaline rocks.
3. In terms of trace elements, a variety of source signatures,
both subcontinental lithosphere and crust. Never OIB-like
signatures.
4. In some provinces mafic lithologies are abundant, in others
mafic lithologies are rare.
5. Numerous examples. This is the most common A-type
granitoid magmatism.
Example of an A2-type Granitoid Province
In southern China, the assembly of microplates occurred during the
Triassic Indosinian orogeny. This was followed by north-south
extension and the emplacement of Jurassic age granites and bimodal
volcanism. This is a post-collisional setting.
These granites and rhyolites plot as A-type on the
Ga discriminants diagrams, in the Within Plate field
on the tectonic discriminant diagrams, and plot as
A2-type indicative of emplacement in a post-
collisional setting. Note that the samples do not plot
in the OIB field.
The basalts from the bimodal volcanic sequences plot as Within Plate
tholeiites or calc-alkaline basalts from a destructive plate margin. Note the
mixed settings from the discriminant diagrams. The geologic setting favors
the interpretation of these basalts as Within Plate tholeiites. The granites and
rhyolites show evidence of variable degrees of contamination of these
basaltic magmas by crustal material. The contamination is greater for the
granites.
As a generality, the A2-type tend to be more frequently mineralized. In
this case the granites have accessory xenotime, allanite, monazite, and to
date unidentified REE containing phases. These granites are being
prospected as potential U-Th ore deposits. Because of lateritic weathering
in this area there is also the potential for REE ore deposits (particularly for
the heavy REE). In this same region, deep weathering of S-type granites
has produced significant REE deposits.
REE-containing
accessory phases in
granites. Some of
these phases are
enriched in HREE
relative to LREE.
This has potential
mineral economic
significance.
Conclusions:
Granites and rhyolites classified as A-types can form by a
variety of processes.
There seem to be three fundamentally different
petrogenetic schemes that can produce A-type granites: (1)
differentiation from an OIB-like basaltic magma (A1); (2)
differentiation from a Continental tholeiite basaltic magma
(A2); and (3) partial melting of lower continental crust
(A2). In both case (1) and (2) interaction with crustal
material modifies the chemistry of the initial magma(s).
The tectonic setting can either be within plate (anorogenic)
or post-collision, post-subduction.
The A2-types are the more likely targets for mineral
exploration.
