Early Paleozoic alkaline magmatism of the Altai Mountains: 40Ar-39Ar geochronology data for the Edel’veis complex

The isotopic age by 40 Ar- 39 Ar (506.8 ± 3.5 Ma) was determined for the rock-forming phlogopite from the alkaline carbonatite-containing Edel’veis complex in the southeast of the Altai Mountains. Based on this, the complex development is attributed to the formation of a large magmatic province at the Early Paleozoic stage (Caledonian, ∼510–470 My ago) of the development of the Central Asian folded belt. By the features of substantial composition and the time of appearance, the Edel’veis complex is considered as a product of the primary phase of the activity of the mantle plume promoting the multiform magmatism of Central Asia in the Early and Middle Paleozoic. In view of the new geochronology data obtained, for the geodynamic evolution of the Gorno-Altai terrain, the authors propose to distinguish the three stages of the appearance of magmatism of increased alkalinity: the Early Paleozoic (Cambrian), Middle Paleozoic (Devonian), and Early Mesozoic (Triassic) stages.