The role of accreted continental crust in the formation of granites within the Alpine style continental collision zone: Geochemical and geochronological constrains from leucogranites in the Çataldağ Metamorphic Core Complex (NW Turkey)

Abstract

Abstract The recently discovered Cataldag Metamorphic Core Complex (CMCC) of Eo-Oligocene age is situated in NW Turkey, which is a part of the Alpine collisional belt. The footwall of the CMCC consists of a granite-gneiss-migmatite complex (GGMC) with a domal structure. Here, we document new major-trace element geochemistry, Sr-Nd-Pb isotope characteristics and Ti-in-zircon thermometry data from granites and syn-plutonic mafic dykes that are connected to the gneiss-migmatite dome of CMCC, and discuss granitic melt evolution within the context of the syn-to post-collisional evolution of the western Anatolian orogenic crust. Granites of the GGMC include both peraluminous garnet-bearing leucogranite and two-mica granite that emplaced from 32 to 35 Ma. Both types of leucogranite are enriched in light rare earth elements (Rb, U, K, Pb) and depleted in HFSE (Nb, Ta, Zr, Ti). Their 87Sr/86Sr, 206Pb/204Pb and 207Pb/204Pb initial isotope values range from 0.7094 to 0.7113, 18.79 to 18.91, and 15.71 to 15.73, respectively, and eNd(33) values vary between −5.13 and − 7.79. On the other hand, mafic dykes show similar isotopic characteristics (87Sr/86Sr(33) = 0.7055, eNd(33) = −1.8 and 206Pb/204Pb = 18.8) to enriched mantle melts. Geochemical modelling shows that the granites have dominant crustal melt component (85–70%) and a minor mantle component (