Petrogenetic Evolution of Plio-Quaternary Mafic Lavas in Nehbandan (East Iran)

Both the Sistan Suture Zone of eastern Iran and the Nehbandan Fault contain Plio-Quaternary Nehbandan mafic lavas. Positive anomalies in the large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and negative anomalies in Nb (niobium) exist in these mafic lavas. This indicates the occurrence of subduction magmatism and post-collision volcanism. Petrologic and geochemical analyses distinguished two groups of lava. Group I contains alkaline basalts with a slight depletion in Nb while Group II contains sub-alkaline basaltic andesite to andesite with a sharp depletion in Nb. Geochemical studies show that fractional crystallization and crustal contamination played an important part in the evolution of the Nehbandan lavas. Group II, however, was more greatly affected than Group I. Geochemical studies also indicate that these lavas may have been generated due to a low degree of partial melting (