Iron and Zinc isotope fractionation during magmatism in the continental crust: Evidence from bimodal volcanic rocks from Hailar basin, NE China

Fe isotopic variation in Hailar volcanic rocks can be explained by two steps of magmatism. During the first step, partial melting of basaltic trachyandesites with an average δ56Fe of 0.09 ± 0.14‰ produced trachytes-rhyodacites with an average δ56Fe of 0.24 ± 0.27‰. Modelling using rhyolite-MELTS shows that Fe isotopes can be fractionated by preferential partitioning of isotopically different Fe3+ and Fe2+ between the solid residue and partial melt. The second step involves formation of rhyolites with significantly high δ56Fe through partial melting or extensive crystallization of crust materials, during which isotopically heavy Fe preferentially partition into the rhyolitic melt. Therefore, fractionation of Fe isotopes between melts and minerals can result in high δ56Fe in SiO2-rich igneous rocks and apparent Fe isotope heterogeneity within the continental crust.