Constraints from lamprophyre petrogenesis on the timing of Eocene lithospheric thinning and associated rifting of Borneo and Sulawesi.

[Display omitted] • Eocene lamprophyre magmatism is found in South Kalimantan, Borneo. • The lamprophyre has a Priabonian 40Ar/39Ar age of 37.45 ± 0.01 Ma, indistinguishable from the sediments into which it intrudes. • Present day South Kalimantan lithosphere is 50–75% thinner than what is expected for lamprophyre petrogenesis indicating substantial lithospheric thinning since the Priabonian. • Magmatic rocks with well characterised petrogenetic pathways, such as lamprophyres, can be used as paleo-lithospheric thickness indicators. The petrogenetic history of well characterised magmatic rocks may contain invaluable information of paleo-lithospheric thickness and structure that can inform on tectonic evolution. Petrographically distinctive rocks, such as lamprophyres, provide temporal and spatial constraints to build, assess, and verify tectonic models. An alkaline lamprophyre dyke that intrudes the rift-related sediments of the Eocene Tanjung Formation of the Senakin Peninsula in South Kalimantan, Indonesia has been investigated using petrology, whole rock geochemistry and Ar-Ar geochronology. The Senakin lamprophyre dyke is mostly geochemically homogenous but petrographically stratified with vesicle free monchiquite alkaline lamprophyre mineralogy at the base and an amygdale bearing kaersutite phenocryst free upper zone. The major and trace element chemistry is consistent with an intra-plate Ocean Island Basalt like affinity. 40Ar/39Ar dating of hornblende and groundmass aliquots indicates an emplacement age of 37.45 ± 0.10 Ma (2σ), which is consistent with the Late Eocene age of the Tanjung Formation derived from microfossil analysis. The petrology and geochemistry of the Senakin lamprophyre dyke is consistent with magma genesis at > 2GPa beneath a thick lithosphere followed by fractional crystallisation at Moho depths equivalent to 0.5–0.8 GPa. This indicates a much thicker southeastern Kalimantan paleo-lithosphere. Lamprophyre magmatism was initiated by lithospheric extension associated with the opening of the Makassar Strait and also regional thermal upwelling. This extension continued to thin the lithosphere to its current thickness equivalent to 0.5 GPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]