GEOLOGY AND MINERAL CHEMISTRY OF THE ARSLANDEDE PLUTON IN THE EASTERN PONTIDES

The Middle Eocene Arslandede Pluton, exposed in the Bayburt region on the southern margin of the Eastern Pontides (NE Turkey), has been investigated in terms of its geology and mineral chemistry. The pluton exhibits a NW-SE elongation and covers an area of approximately 7 km². It comprises a broad compositional spectrum ranging from monzodiorite to quartz monzonite. Major rock-forming minerals include plagioclase (An25-48), orthoclase (Or69-88), quartz, amphibole (Mg# = 0.63-0.73), biotite (Mg# = 0.52-0.62), pyroxene (Mg# = 0.70-0.75), and Fe-Ti oxides. Crystallization conditions, estimated via amphibole-plagioclase thermometry and Al-in-hornblende barometry, suggest crystallization temperatures of 737-812 °C and pressures of 0.09-1.61 kbar, corresponding to depths of 0.3-6.0 km. These results indicate that the pluton was emplaced at shallow crustal levels and subsequently solidified under low-pressure conditions. Comparison with other Middle Eocene plutons in the region reveals similar crystallization conditions, suggesting a common tectonic setting during the post-collisional extensional regime in the Eastern Pontides.