Post-collisional Pan-African granitoids and rare metal pegmatites in western Nigeria: Age, petrogenesis, and the 'pegmatite conundrum'

New U-Pb zircon dating presented here, in combination with published data, indicates an early phase of magmatism at c. 790-760 Ma in the Minna area. This magmatism could be related either to continental rifting, or to subduction around the margins of an existing continent. The peraluminous biotite-muscovite granites were intruded at c. 650-600 Ma during regional shearing in the orogenic belt, and are likely to have formed largely by crustal melting. Subsequent emplacement of metaluminous granitoids at c. 590 Ma indicates the onset of post-orogenic extension in this area, with a contribution from mantle-derived magmas. The rare-metal pegmatites represent the youngest intrusions in this area and thus are likely to have formed in a separate magmatic episode, post-dating granite intrusion.