Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1981

Publication Title

The Journal of Geology

Volume

89

Issue

4

First Page

433

Last Page

457

Abstract

U/Pb isotopic studies of zircons, many containing xenocrystic cores with euhedral overgrowths, and monazite from igneous rocks and metasedimentary inclusions of the northeastern Idaho batholith yield linear arrays on concordia diagrams. We interpret these as mixing lines between an old component (cores) and a young component (overgrowths and zircons without cores). The lower intercept of such arrays with concordia may yield the minimum age of the rocks if the overgrowths and zircons without cores are discordant, or the crystallization age if they are concordant. Monazites yield apparently concordant ages either equal or less than the lower intercept zircon ages. The samples studied yield lower intercept ages ranging from 73.5+ or -6 Ma (foliated quartz diorite) to 46.5+ or -1 Ma (feldspar megacryst granite); ages obtained are consistent with crosscutting relations observed in the field. Upper intercepts yield ages of 1700 to 2349 Ma. These are interpreted to indicate the mean age of xenocrystic zircon. Studies of zircons from xenolith suites indicate that they could represent the source of the old zircon component. The zircon and monazite results, the generally high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the igneous rocks, and the isotopic composition of Pb in feldspar indicate that the magmas were derived anatectically from a continental crustal source or were extensively mixed with such old crust prior to or during emplacement.

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