Mid-Paleozoic age of granitoids in enclaves within early Cretaceous granulites, Fiordland, southwest New Zealand

Orthogneisses of granite, quartz monzonite, monzonite, and tonalite, occur locally as isolated enclaves within the Early Cretaceous granulite terrain (Western Fiordland Orthogneiss - WFO). Discordant U-Pb zircon isotopic data (seven fractions) from four granitoid samples from enclaves at George Sound, define an upper intecept age of 341??34 Ma that is interpreted as approximating the time of formation of the granitoid suite. The lower intercept age of 93??37 Ma is interpreted as approximating the time of zircon isotopic disturbance by major episodic Pb loss. The low 87Sr/ 86Sr initial ratio indicates that these mid-Paleozoic granitoids were derived from an isotopically primitive source. The granitoid enclaves within WFO show influences of several different sources. The granitoids provide evidence linking WFO to a mid-Palaeozoic country rock similar to the central Fiordland metasediments. -from Authors