Geochemistry and U-Pb zircon geochronology of the pegmatites in Ede area, southwestern Nigeria: A newly discovered oldest Pan African rock in southwestern Nigeria

• Two main pegmatite varieties namely, muscovite and garnet pegmatites that crystallized from a common source were identified.
• The pegmatites have affinity with muscovite class of pegmatite, hydrothermally deposited, not promising for rare elements but with evidence of Bi mineralization.
• Alteration of zircons in the pegmatite was due to interface-coupled dissolution-precipitation.
• The pegmatites yielded an emplacement age of 709 +27/−19 Ma, which represents the oldest Pan African rock in southwestern Nigeria.

Field and petrographic studies, whole rock geochemistry and in-situ LA-ICP-MS geochemical and isotopic U-Pb measurements on zircons have been performed on granitic pegmatites of Ede area, southwestern Nigeria with a view to characterize them, determining their mineralization potentials, petrogenetic attributes and emplacement age. The pegmatites are hosted by migmatite gneiss complex, biotite-muscovite schist and associated quartzite. The textural and mineralogical characteristics of these pegmatites indicate the occurrence of two main varieties, namely, muscovite pegmatite and garnet pegmatite. Of less importance are inclusions and pods of graphic granite, quartz-microcline aplitic and pegmatitic bodies. At the present level of erosion, the parent igneous rocks of the pegmatites are not exposed. The two dominant pegmatite varieties show slightly different chemical peculiarities but similar peraluminous character. The average K/Rb ratios of 165 and 163, respectively, for muscovite and garnet pegmatites combined with other trace element compositions are indicative of affinity to muscovite class of pegmatite which are generally not promising for rare elements mineralization. However, the unusually high concentration of bismuth in the zircons indicates Bi mineralization in the area which can either be in the pegmatites or host rocks.The Nb/Ta ratios for both muscovite and garnet pegmatites range from 0.7 to 15.2 and 1.0 to 14.8, respectively. These Nb/Ta ratios and Eu anomalies are statistically similar for both pegmatites. These probably indicate the pegmatites crystallized from a common source but separated into crystallization paths that produced different pegmatite varieties through liquid-liquid immiscibity mechanism. In-situ measurements of REE, P, Y, Nb, Hf, Ta, Bi, Th and U of individual zircon grains show the existence of two chemically and texturally different domains which are indicative of alteration that may be due to interface-coupled dissolution-precipitation promoted by microfractures induced by metamictization. Notwithstanding, the (Sm/La)N vs. La plot for zircon, weak positive Ce and variable europium anomaly (Eu*) are suggestive of pegmatites of hydrothermal origin. The pegmatites yielded a discordant U-Pb zircon age with upper concordia intercept of 709 +27/−19 (at 2σ, MSWD = 1.5) Ma which can be attributed to their emplacement. This age represents the oldest Pan African magmatic event reported so far in southwestern Nigeria.