Formation mechanism of the lanthanide tetrad effect for a topaz- and amazonite-bearing leucogranite pluton in eastern Xinjiang, NW China

The Baishitouquan (BST) pluton is a topaz- and amazonite-bearing leucogranite intrusion located in the Middle Tianshan orogen of Xinjiang, northwestern China. This pluton exhibits five lithological zones gradational from the bottom upwards: leucogranite (zone-a), amazonite-bearing granite (zone-b), amazonite granite (zone-c), topaz-bearing amazonite granite (zone-d) and topaz albite granite (zone-e). Contents of REE and other trace elements were analysed on major and accessory minerals, including quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar, white micas, topaz, fluorite, garnet, zircon and monazite, separated from above five zones of the BST pluton. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of minerals from zone-a to zone-e display clear convex tetrad effect, and the TE1,3 (quantification factor of tetrad effect) values of these minerals increases from zone-a to zone-e, except that a quartz sample from zone-b and zircon from zone-c exhibits W-type tetrad effect. Therefore, we conclude that REE tetrad features of the minerals, such as quartz, plagioclase, zircon, garnet and monazite, are inherited directly from the melt and have not significantly affected by both fractional crystallization and surface weathering. With progressing of magmatic differentiation, total REE contents decrease, Eu anomaly becomes more negative, whereas Nb/Ta, Zr/Hf and Y/Ho ratios decrease gradually from zone-a to zone-e with increasing TE1,3 values. Therefore, we suggest that F-rich magmatic fluid–melt interaction above its solidus may leave the residual silicate melt with the features of very low contents of all REE, subchondritic Y/Ho, Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta values, and with an M-type tetrad pattern, including minerals crystallizing from it. Such a pattern is manifested by both whole-rock and separate minerals. Hydrothermal fluid–rock interaction played only a minor role to the convex tetrad effect of the minerals and their host rocks.