Evidence of Sr mobility in and around the albite-lepidolite-topaz granite of Beauvoir (France): An in-situ ion and electron probe stude of secondary Sr-rich phosphates

The Beauvoir albite-lepidolite-topaz granite is a small, highly evolved intrusion, rich in Li, Rb, F, but also paradoxically rich (or enriched) in Sr (up to 755 ppm) and Ca, a provocative chemical contradiction. Goyazite, an Sr-rich phosphate, is ubiquitous as small secondary grains growing exclusively in albite. Ion microprobe spot analyses reveal variable, higher than whole-rock 87Sr/86Sr ratios at the crystal scale. These data suggest exchanges between the granite and the surrounding micaschists. A two-stage scenario is proposed: (1) Sr, mainly common, was introduced from the micaschists into the Sr-poor granite at the vanishing time of crystallization, redistributed into zones of preferential permeability and stored in recrystallized P-rich albite, (2) the low-temperature destabilization of albite and lepidolite (host for radiogenic Sr produced by in-situ radioactive 87Rb decay), during the Oligocene extensive period, provoked the consequent mixture of both Sr in variable proportions, resulting in the precipitation of goyazite. These results highlight the strong disturbance affecting the Rb-Sr granite system which can be visualized in secondary minerals, such as these low-temperature, micron-size Sr-rich phosphates. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]