Abdel-Karim, Abdel-Aal , Azer, Mokhles , Sami, Mabrouk , Ragab, Azza
2026-01-01 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENCES 2026 233(卷), null(期), (null页)
The Mount Al-Far & aacute;id area in the southern Eastern Desert of Egypt hosts a suite of late Neoproterozoic granitic intrusions (granodiorite, monzogranite, and syenogranite) emplaced during the post-collisional stage of the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS). The granodiorites are distinguished by extreme LREE enrichment (Sigma REE up to similar to 367 ppm) and host bastnaesite-(Y) and allanite-(Ce) as primary LREE-bearing minerals, reported here for the first time in this area. All granites are strongly peraluminous (ASI >1.2) and ferroan, falling in the A(2)-subtype field, indicative of a post-collisional extensional tectonic setting. Geothermobarometry yields moderate crystallization temperatures (similar to 650-710 degrees C) and emplacement pressures similar to 4-7 kbar (mid-crustal depths similar to 19-26 km), with biotite compositions implying intermediate fO(2) conditions. Petrogenetically, trace element ratios (e.g., K/Rb similar to 188-430; Zr/Hf < 23; Nb/Ta 9-175) suggest an evolved crustal melt affected by fractional crystallization and limited assimilation. We propose that these granites were generated by partial melting of a juvenile lower-crustal source (metagreywacke to tonalitic arc crust) during lithospheric delamination and post-orogenic collapse of the ANS, followed by extensive in-situ differentiation. The presence of appreciable bastnaesite and allanite (with up to similar to 33-37 wt% Y2O3) highlights the potential for rare-earth element (REE) mineralization, positioning these granites as a valuable exploration target for critical metals. This study provides new insights into crustal growth processes in the ANS and underscores the metallogenic significance of highly fractionated granites in post-collisional settings.