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January 17, 2026Minerals0 citationsOpen Access

Magmatic to Subsolidus Evolution of the Variscan Kastoria Pluton (NW Greece): Constraints from Mineral Chemistry and Textures

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IGIoanna GerontidouAKAntonios KoroneosLPLambrini Papadopoulou

Key Points

  • The central aim is to analyze the mineralogy and chemistry of accessory minerals in the Kastoria pluton and understand its geological evolution.
  • Analyzed mineral composition in porphyritic granite and mafic microgranular enclaves
  • Estimated crystallization pressure using hornblende barometer
  • Examined effects of metamorphism on primary mineral assemblages
  • The granite contains less biotite and amphibole compared to enclaves, indicating compositional differences
  • Mineral chemistry supports a calc-alkaline magmatic trend
  • Substantial metamorphism features were observed, including tiny titanite needles and new epidote formations

Abstract

This study focuses on the mineralogy and mineral chemistry of the accessory minerals occurring in the Kastoria pluton situated in NW Greece, which intrudes the Pelagonian nappe having crystallized during the Late Paleozoic (~300 Ma). The pluton consists of porphyritic granite (GR) that hosts mafic microgranular enclaves (MME) of monzonitic composition. Both lithologies contain quartz, microcline, plagioclase, biotite, secondary white mica, hornblende, and actinolite along with accessory minerals including titanite, epidote, allanite, apatite, zircon, and magnetite. Compared to the granite, the enclaves are richer in biotite, amphibole, and plagioclase but poorer in quartz and microcline. Mineral chemistry indicates a calc–alkaline affinity, consistent with the observed magmatic trends. Crystallization pressure, estimated at 3 kbar from Al in a hornblende barometer, suggests emplacement at mid-crustal levels. During the Alpine deformation, the pluton underwent low-grade greenschist to amphibolite-facies metamorphism, which partially overprinted the primary mineral assemblages. Magmatic titanite and allanite crystals are well preserved, showing only recrystallization features. Metamorphism produced tiny titanite needles and epidote replacing primary minerals (plagioclase, amphibole, and biotite). Later, hydrothermal alteration produced another generation of secondary epidote. Only a couple of epidote crystals preserve potential magmatic relict characteristics (euhedral habit, zircon inclusions, positive Eu anomaly, and sharp contact with primary minerals). These results provide insights into both the primary magmatic features and the subsequent metamorphic modification of the I-type Kastoria pluton within the Pelagonian domain.

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Cite This Study

Gerontidou et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/696b2672d2a12237a9349b07https://doi.org/10.3390/min16010083
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