Geochemical characteristics of the Muong Hum alkaline granite in the Phan Si Pan zone, Northwestern Vietnam

Abstract

Alkaline granites of the Muong Hum are distributed mainly in the NW Phan Si Pan zone. The granite closely has striped or clear gneissoid structures, coinciding with general NW-SE trends. It consists mainly of plagioclase (~20–30%), alkaline feldspar (~30–50%), quartz (~20–25%), biotite (~1–5%), aegirine (~1–3%), and riebeckite (~1–2%). It has 10,000×Ga/Al ratios of 4.70–4.93, A/CNK values of 0.87–0.90, and negative Eu-anomalies as well as apparent depletion of Ba, Sr, Ti, and P. The mineral assemblages and chemical characteristics show that it is typical of A-type granites. Compared with other adjacent Late Permian to Early Triassic A-type granitic plutons, geochemical characteristics of the Muong Hum granite are similar to the Phu Sa Phìn, Phan Si Pan, Ye Yen Sun, and Nam Xe-Tam Duong granites in NW Vietnam as well as the Taihe, and Panzhihua granites in SW China. Thus, the Phan Si Pan zone must have been a displaced portion of the Emeishan large igneous province. This might be a direct result of the left-lateral Cenozoic Red River shear zone.