Magmatic evolution of the andesitic Eocene volcanic rocks in the Kuh-e- Kalut-e-Ghandehari (NW of Anarak, Isfahan Province)

The Kuh-e-Kalut-e-Ghandehari is located about 40 Km northwest of the Anarak (northeast of Isfahan). This area is a part of the Central Iran that is situated in west of the Yazd block; near to the Ashin ophiolite and drastic directional changes of the Great Kavir Fault. In the northwest of Anarak, the Ashin ophiolite is covered by the Cretaceous limestones, and crossed by the Eocene volcanic rocks. The Upper Eocene gabbro-diorite stock cross cuts the Eocene volcanic rocks. Andesites are the predominant unit of the Eocene volcanic rocks. They are grey to dark- grey in colour and have amphibolite xenolith. The main textures of these volcanic rocks are porphyritic, poikilitic, trachytic, sieved texture and glomeroporphyritic. The main phenocrystic minerals of andesites are plagioclase, amphibole and clinopyroxene situated in a matrix of the same minerals and sanidine, magnetite and apatite. Secondary minerals are formed as a result of the hydrothermal alteration and comprise zeolite, chlorite, epidot, sericite, kaolinite and calcite. Mineral chemistry indicates that plagioclases are andesine to labradorite (An= 30-52%), K-feldspars are sanidine (Or= 68-71%), amphiboles are calcic with pargasite composition (Mg#= 0.58-0.71), and clinopyroxenes are diopside (Mg#= 0.91-0.93) in composition. Whole rocks chemical analyses indicate that these andesite and trachy-andesite rocks have calc-alkaline property. The chondrite and primitive mantle-normalized REE and multi-element patterns show LREE and LILE enrichment and HFSE (Ti, Ta, Nb) depletion, which are characteristics of the subduction-related magmas. These data indicate that the primary magmas were genarated by medium degrees of partial melting of the lithospheric mantle spinel lherzolite. Subduction of the Central-East-Iranian Microcontinent (CEIM)-confining oceanic crusts (Naein and Ashin oceanic crusts) are possibly the reason of this volcanism. Geochemistry of these volcanic rocks are similar to the arc-related ones.