Calcium and neodymium radiogenic isotopes of igneous rocks: Tracing crustal contributions in felsic magmas related to super-eruptions and continental rifting

The two crustal xenoliths found within the 28.2 Ma FCT yield εCa values of 3.6 and 7.0, respectively. The 40Ca excesses of these Precambrian source rocks are supported by K-Ca geochronology. However, like several other ignimbrites from the SRMVF and from Yellowstone, USA, the FCT (εCa ∼ 0.3) has a Ca isotope composition that is indistinguishable from the mantle. Nd isotopic analyses of the FCT imply that it was generated from 10-75% of an enriched component, and so the Ca isotopic data appear to restrict that component to newly formed lower crust, low K/Ca crust, or enriched mantle. Contrary to these findings, several large ignimbrites and one granitoid from the SRMVF show significant 40Ca excesses. These tuffs (Wall Mountain, Blue Mesa, and Grizzly Peak) and one granitoid (Mt. Princeton) are sourced from near, or within the Colorado Mineral Belt. Collectively, these data indicate that felsic, Precambrian crust likely contributed less than 50% of the material to the petrogenesis of many of the large ignimbrites that have erupted across the western United States. However, the crustal components that contributed to magmas in the Colorado Mineral Belt have 40Ca excesses; consistent with felsic, Precambrian crust.