Genesis and magma fertility of gold associated high-K granites: LA-ICP-MS zircon trace element and REEs constraint from Bakoshi–Gadanya granites in NW Nigeria.

High-K granites dominate the rock units in the Bakoshi and Gadanya areas located in the northwestern Nigerian subshield, part of the Trans-Saharan Belt, West Africa. In this contribution, the LA-ICP-MS zircon trace element revealed the fertility of magma responsible for the high-K granites that hosts the Bakoshi–Gadanya gold mineralization. Two likely metallogenic granites types are 1) Gadanya alkali granite, with high Ce4+/Ce3+ (mean 1485) and limited range of Eu anomalies may likely be associated with the gold mineralization, and 2) Bakoshi porphyritic granite, Jaulere biotite granite, Shanono coarse-grained granite, and Yettiti granite, all have low Ce4+/Ce3+ ratios (mean < 100, except second Bakoshi granite D2-1) with wider ranges of Eu/Eu* values, thus are considered reduced granites. These reduced granites have oxygen fugacity values and Eu anomalies comparable to reduced granites associated with tin belts in Myanmar and Zaaiplaats granites in Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Ti-in-Zircon thermometric study revealed two thermal regimes during the crystallization of the Bakoshi–Gadanya granites: the high temperature (746–724 °C): Shanono coarse-grained granite, Bakoshi granite D2-1, and Jaulere biotite granite; and relatively low temperature (705–653 °C): Bakoshi porphyritic granite D1-1, Yettiti medium-grained granite, and Gadanya alkali granite. Zircon trace elements including U, Yb, Y, Nb, and Sc ratios constraint the magma source of Bakoshi–Gadanya granites to an enriched mantle metasomatized during the subduction process before its melting. Except for Gadanya alkali granite, fractionation of titanite and apatite dominate the magma evolution with limited amphibole fractionation. Melt that crystallized Gadanya alkali granite is rather saturated in zircon without accessory titanite or apatite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]