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Thermochronological, petrographic and geochemical characteristics of the

Combia Formation, Amagá basin, Colombia

Preprint · January 2020

DOI: 10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102897

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 Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Journal of South American Earth Sciences

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jsames

Thermochronological, petrographic and geochemical characteristics of the

Combia Formation, Amagá basin, Colombia
Matthias Bernet a, *, Juliana Mesa Garcia b, c, Catherine Chauvel a, d,
Maria Jackeline Ramírez Londoño b, Maria Isabel Marín-Cerón b
a
Institut des Sciences de la Terre, CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
b
Departemento de Geociencias, Universidad EAFIT, Medellín, Colombia
c
present address: Geology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
d
Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: The Amagá basin between the Western and Central Cordilleras of the Northern Andes of Colombia hosts the
Amagá basin Neogene volcanic and volcaniclastic Combia Formation. Deposition of the Combia Formation in relation to Nazca
Combia formation plate subduction and arc volcanism is still a matter of debate. Therefore, the timing, petrography and
Subduction zone volcanism
geochemical characteristics of Combia Formation rocks were studied in the western and eastern parts of the
Miocene volcanic activity
Northern Andes
Amagá basin, in order to gain more information on the type of magma generation and volcanic activity that led to
the deposition of the Combia Formation.
Apatite and zircon fission-track dating largely confirm a 12-6 Ma age for the deposition of the Combia For­
mation. Petrographic and major element analyses show that mainly trachy-andesite ignimbrites with a calc-
alkaline composition were deposited in the western Amagá basin, whereas the volcanic rocks of the eastern
Amagá basin are lavas flow and fall-out deposits of basaltic andesites of tholeiitic affinity. Trace element and
isotopic analyses show that slab dehydration and sediment melting/decarbonation were important in primary
magma generation in the mantle wedge, but the primary magma was mixed with lower continental crustal melts
(e.g. High-Pb radiogenic), resulting in characteristic isotope signatures in the western and eastern Amagá basin.
Then, the hot-zone developed a high Pb-radiogenic, garnet-bearing lower continental crustal (LCC) level as a
consequence of the quantity of dehydration of the subducting slab and of changes in the tectonic regime. An
extensional pull-apart event (12- 9 Ma), likely facilitated rapid magma ascend to the uppermost crust along a
subvertical magma plumbing system throughout the Romeral Fault zone in the eastern Amagá basin, and calc-
alkaline magmas with adakite-like signature, which may indicate contractile tectonics that allow the forma­
tion of middle-to upper-crustal magma chambers with a garnet fractionation at depth and the evolution of sil­
icate melts into the hot zone mainly related to the amount of water (>4 wt %) present.

1. Introduction plate into the Nazca and Cocos plates between 26 and 24 Ma (Marriner
and Millward, 1984), the reorientation of subduction direction (Par­
The late Paleogene to present-day magmatism of northwestern South do-Casas and Molnar, 1987), and collision of the Panamá-Choco block
America in Colombia can be divided into four major phases of activity at with northwestern South America at about 25 Ma drove the first
about 24–20 Ma, 12-6 Ma, 6-3 Ma, and 3 Ma to the Present (e.g. Sierra, magmatic pulse (e.g. McCourt et al., 1984; Aspden et al., 1987; Kellogg
1994; Toro et al., 1999; Gonzalez, 2001; Ramírez et al., 2006; Cediel and Vega, 1995; Trenkamp et al., 2002; Cediel et al., 2003; Lonsdale,
et al., 2011; Pérez et al., 2013; Lesage et al., 2013; Jaramillo et al., 2005; Restrepo-Moreno et al., 2010; Farris et al., 2011). Second, since
2019). These different magmatic phases are related to the complex the late Paleogene the Nazca plate subduction zone was subjected to
tectonic setting in which the Caribbean, Nazca and South American changes in subduction angle and direction over time, resulting in
plates interact with each other (Fig. 1). The break-up of the Farallón Miocene-Pliocene magmatic intrusions in the Western and Central

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: matthias.bernet@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr (M. Bernet).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102897
Received 1 April 2020; Received in revised form 7 September 2020; Accepted 10 September 2020
Available online 15 September 2020
0895-9811/© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Cordillera and deposition of the Combia Formation in the Amagá basin 2.1. Geology of the Amagá basin
(e.g. Pardo-Casas and Molnar, 1987; Taboada et al., 2000; Cediel et al.,
2003; Vargas and Mann, 2013). At the same time, subduction of the The Amagá basin forms the northern part of the much larger Amagá-
Caribbean plate beneath the northern (Caribbean) margin of South Cauca-Patía basin located between the Western and Central Cordilleras
America caused isolated late Miocene-Pliocene volcanic activity in the of the Northern Andes in western Colombia (Fig. 1; Sierra and Mar­
Eastern Cordillera (e.g. Vargas and Mann, 2013), such as in the ín-Cerón, 2011). Dextral strike–slip faulting along the Cauca and Rom­
Vetas-California gold-mining district of the Santander Massif (Mantilla eral fault systems to the west and east respectively is responsible for
et al., 2013), or the Paipa-Iza complex 150 km to the north-east of development of the Amagá basin, which is tectonically a pull – apart
Bogotá (Fig. 1; Pardo et al., 2005; Bernet et al., 2016). Today the main basin (e.g. Cediel et al., 2003). Basin evolution started possibly during
volcanic activity in Colombia is focused on the Central Cordillera with the Eocene (?) – Oligocene, with surface uplift and erosion of the Central
the Nevado del Ruiz, Nevado del Tolima, Cerro Machín, Nevado del Cordillera from the Late Cretaceous to Eocene and deposition of clastic
Huila, Azufral, Cumbal, Galeras etc. well to the south of the study area sediments of the Lower Amagá Formation in the basin (e.g. Restrepo-­
(Fig. 1; e.g. Marín-Cerón et al., 2010, 2019; Leal-Mejía, 2011). Moreno et al., 2009). The Lower Amagá Formation is known for its
Different techniques have been used for more than a century to un­ quartz-rich sandstones and mainly sub-bituminous but locally anthracite
derstand the genesis, age and evolution of the Combia Formation, grade coal (Silva et al., 2008; Blandon et al., 2008). The Lower Amagá
including petrography, heavy mineral analysis, X-ray diffraction, Formation is separated from the Oligocene to Miocene Upper Amagá
geochemistry, geochronology, thermochronology and stratigraphic an­ Formation by an unconformity and a change to a lithic arenite compo­
alyses (e.g. Grosse, 1926; Jaramillo, 1976; Calle and González, 1980; sition with sedimentary and metamorphic lithoclasts derived from the
Álvarez, 1983; Marriner and Millward, 1984; Rios and Sierra, 2004; Central Cordillera (Paez Acuna, 2012). During the mid to late Miocene,
Pérez, 2005; López et al., 2006; Ramírez et al., 2006), but the evolution subduction of the Nazca plate below the South American plate allowed
of the Nazca plate subduction zone magmatism still remains poorly the genesis of the Combia Formation in the Amagá basin (e.g. Grosse,
constrained. Here we present a study of a suite of samples collected from 1926; Marriner and Millward, 1984; González, 2001; Cediel et al., 2003;
three sections, the Cerro Amarillo section in the eastern Amagá basin, Ramírez et al., 2006; Leal-Mejía, 2011; Cediel et al., 2011). Therefore,
and the Anzá-Bolombolo and La Metida Creek sections in the western the Upper Amagá Formation is overlain by volcanic and volcaniclastic
Amagá basin (Fig. 2), in order to improve the knowledge gained so far deposits of the Combia Formation. Here we focus on the Cerro Amarillo
about the Combia Formation. The volcaniclastic, tuff/lapilli and flow section in the eastern Amagá basin and the Anzá – Bolombolo and La
deposits of the Combia Formation were studied with apatite fission-track Metida Creek sections in the western Amagá basin.
(AFT) and zircon fission-track (ZFT) thermochronology, petrographic
analyses, and major, trace element, Sr, Nd and Pb isotope analyses. All 2.1.1. The Cerro Amarillo (CA) section
this was done with the objective of a) characterizing and comparing the This section is located between the towns of Damasco and La Pintada
eastern and western volcanic deposits, and b) to better understand the (Fig. 2). It has a total thickness of 193 m and comprises 34 layers of
mid-late Miocene evolution of the Nazca subduction zone magmatism welded tuff, pyroclastic and agglomerate breccia, lapilli tuff breccia,
manifested between the Western and Central Cordilleras. basaltic lava flows and scoria fall/flow deposits (Fig. 3). The layers vary
in thickness from a 20 m pyroclastic and agglomerate breccia to 0.3 m
2. Geological setting lapilli tuff breccia, both at the top (Mesa-Garcia, 2015). There is also a
19.2 m thick welded tuff at the bottom. However, it is most common to
The Northern Andes of northwestern South America consist in find layers of 1–7 m in thickness. The layers are characterized by a
Colombia of the Western, Central and Eastern Cordilleras (Fig. 1). Each tabular geometry. No evidence of pinch-out or lenses were observed in
of these mountain belts reflects a particular part of the long-term evo­ the outcrops (see supplementary data file). The bottom of the strati­
lution of the Northern Andes, which is characterized by magmatic epi­ graphic sequence is mainly characterized by lava flows and welded tuff,
sodes since the Precambrian, during the Triassic, Jurassic, Late whereas the top of the sequence mainly consists of coarse to very
Cretaceous, and since the late Paleogene/Neogene until today (e.g. coarse-grained pyroclastic flows. The bottom layers have on average a
Aspden et al., 1987; Cediel et al., 2003). In general, these magmatic strike and dip of S05◦ E/25◦ SW. Towards the middle of the section the
phases have been related to Farallón/Nazca plate subduction beneath layers strike and dip N70◦ E/18◦ SE. Finally, the top breccia and lapilli
the western margin of the South American plate (e.g. Marriner and tuff layers strike and dip N15◦ W/19SW. Many basalt and welded tuffs
Millward, 1984; McCourt et al., 1984; Cediel et al., 2003; Saenz, 2003; layers have randomly distributed vesicles and amygdules of variable
Restrepo-Moreno et al., 2009; Rodríguez et al., 2012). Accretion of sizes and shapes, some are elongated indicating lava flow directions.
tectonic blocks or terranes of oceanic affinity to the continental margin
during the late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic did not cause Andean-type 2.1.2. The Anzá – Bolombolo (AB) section
subduction volcanism, because of their relatively young age and high This section is located on the western bank of the Cauca River (Fig. 2)
buoyancy preventing subduction (Cediel et al., 2003), and forcing sur­ between the villages of Anzá and Bolombolo. The stratigraphy of the
face uplift and the formation of the Western and Central Cordilleras 11.04 m thick succession consists of tuffs and lapilli tuffs in the lower
during the Pre-Andean and Andean orogenies (e.g. van der Hammen, part of the section, which are separated laterally from basaltic andesitic
1960; Taboada et al., 2000; Cediel et al., 2003). lava flows and ash flow deposits by an erosional unconformity (Fig. 4;
The present-day Andean volcanism is commonly divided into four Grosse, 1926; González, 2001; Sierra and Marín-Cerón, 2011). In the
volcanic zones, the Northern Volcanic Zone (NVZ), Central Volcanic upper part of the sequence are a lapilli tuff breccia and a
Zone (CVZ), Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ), and Austral Volcanic Zone non-differentiated lava flow, which cover the underlying units and the
(AVZ) (Fig. 1A; Thorpe and Francis, 1979; Thorpe et al., 1982; Stern, unconformity. No particular sedimentary structures were observed at
2004; Marín-Cerón et al., 2019). These segments have been distin­ this location.
guished based on differences in petrographic features and geochemical
signatures, and they are separated from each other by volcanic gaps (e.g. 2.1.3. The La Metida Creek (MC) section
Thorpe and Francis, 1979; Stern, 2004). The NVZ is located in This section is located on the western bank of the Cauca River to the
north-western South America and encompasses the region of west of Bolombolo (Fig. 2). The Combia Formation crops out along the
present-day volcanism in the Northern Andes of Ecuador and Colombia. stream bed (e.g. González, 2001). The exposed stratigraphic sequence
has a thickness of 45 m and is composed of 33 layers of tuff, lapilli tuff,
lapilli tuff breccia, pyroclastic flows and volcano-clastic sandstones

2
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Fig. 1. A) Overview map of South America, showing the Norther Volcanic Zone (NVZ), Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ), and Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ). B) Overview
map of the Colombian Andes, showing the subduction of the Nazca and Caribbean plates beneath the South American plate. Also shown are the Western, Central and
Eastern Cordilleras and areas of Pliocene to present volcanic activity, as well as the location of the study area (map from GeoMapApp, http://www.geomapapp.org/).
C) Simplified tectonic sketch map of the Northern Andes of Colombia.

3
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Fig. 2. Geological map of the Amagá basin with the locations of the Cerro Amarillo (CA), Anzá-Bolombolo (AB) and La Metida Creek (MC) sections (modified after
Sierra and Marín-Cerón, 2011).

4
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Fig. 3. Cerro Amarillo stratigraphic of the eastern Amagá basin.

5
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Fig. 4. Anzá Bolombolo stratigraphic section of the western Amagá basin.

6
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Fig. 5. La Metida Creek stratigraphic section of the western Amagá basin.

7
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

(Fig. 5). Sedimentary structures found throughout the sequence include 800 μl of concentrated HNO3 and 15 drops of concentrated HF and
lenticular bedding, load structures, ripple lamination and cross-bedding. heated in a Savillex beaker for 2 day at 90 ◦ C on a hot plate. After
The layers at the bottom are mainly grain-supported, whereas the top cooling, 20 ml of H3BO3 (25 g/l) were added to the solution to neutralize
layers are matrix-supported. In addition, nodules and organic matter are excess HF, 10 g of HNO3 and 250 ml of milliQ water for further dilution.
commonly observed at the bottom of the section, and the middle section Five standards (BR 24, BEN, BHVO2, AGV–1 and BCR–1), a duplicate
is characterized by bioturbation and fossilized plants (e.g. leaves). No and a blank were as well prepared for analysis. The solutions were
such material was observed towards the top of the section. analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectros­
copy (ICP AES) at ISTerre to determine the major element composition
3. Methods of each sample. Concentrations were obtained using the international
rock standard BR to calibrate the signal and the values recommended by
3.1. Apatite and zircon fission-track analyses Chauvel et al. (2011). Loss on ignition (LOI) was calculated for all
samples by heating 1 g of sample at 1000 ◦ C for 1 h.
AFT analysis was done on two samples from the Anzá-Bolombolo Sixteen samples, five standards (BR 24, BEN, BHVO2, AGV–1 and
section and six samples from the La Metida Creek section. In addition, BCR–1), three duplicates and one blank were analyzed for trace element
ten samples of the La Metida Creek section were analyzed with the ZFT contents. Major elements were obtained using an Inductively Coupled
method. Unfortunately, the apatite and zircon yield of the Cerro Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES) and trace elements
Amarillosection samples were too low for fission-track analyses. using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP MS)
Sample preparation and analyses were performed at the thermo­ Agilent 7500 at ISTerre.
chronology laboratory of the Universidad EAFIT at Medellín and at the Ten samples were prepared for Nd, Pb and Sr isotope ratios analyses.
Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre) thermochronology laboratory Two sets of Sr samples, unleached and leached, were prepared following
at the Université Grenoble Alpes. Rock samples were crushed and sieved the same procedures as for the Nd samples and Pb samples, respectively.
and heavy mineral fractions were separated using standard hydraulic, The samples were dissolved and conditioned in Savillex beakers. Rock
magnetic and heavy liquid separation techniques. The apatite crystals chips were leached according to McDonough and Chauvel (1991), to
were mounted in epoxy and the zircon crystals in Teflon® sheets, pol­ eliminate as much as possible Sr and Pb superficial contamination. For
ished and etched. Apatite grains were etched for 20 s at 21 ◦ C with 5.5 Nd and unleached Sr isotopic measurements, 100 mg of sample were
mol HNO3, and zircons were etched at 228 ◦ C for 10–40 h in a dissolved using HNO3 and HF and isolated using the same procedure as
NaOH–KOH melt to reveal fission tracks. A white mica sheet was Chauvel et al. (2011). For Pb and leached Sr, 1 g of rock chips was
mounted as the external detector. All samples were irradiated with leached prior to dissolution using HCl and then isolated as in Chauvel
thermal neutrons at the FRM II reactor in Garching, Germany, with a et al. (2011). Nd and Pb isotopic ratios were measured using a Nu
nominal fluence of 8 × 1015 n/cm2 for apatite and 0.5 × 1015 n/cm2 for Plasma HR MC–ICPMS at ENS Lyon, France, while Sr isotopic ratios were
zircon, together with IRMM540R dosimeter glasses and Durango age measured using a Thermo Scientist Triton MS at the University of Brest,
standards for apatite, and IRMM541 dosimeter glasses and Buluk and France.
Fish Canyon Tuff age standards for zircon. After irradiation external
detectors were etched in 48% HF for 18 min at 21 ◦ C. Fission tracks were 4. Results
counted dry at 1250x using an Olympus BX51 microscope and the
FTStage 4.04 system. Fission-track ages for each sample were calculated 4.1. Fission-track results
using the Binomfit software of Brandon (see Ehlers et al., 2005) and the
RadialPlotter program of Vermeesch (2009). 4.1.1. Anzá – Bolombolo section
The tuff layer at the bottom of the Anzá-Bolombolo section (sample
3.2. Petrographic analyses JJ22) has an AFT central age of 8.4 ± 3.1 Ma, and the pyroclastic flow
sampled towards the top of the section (sample JJ13) has an AFT central
Petrographic analyses were performed on twenty samples, seven age of 7.9 ± 1 Ma (Table 1; see the supplementary data for individual
from the Cerro Amarillo section, three from the Anzá-Bolombolo sec­ grain ages and radial plots of all samples). The combined Combia For­
tion, and ten from the La Metida Creek section. Petrographic thin sec­ mation AFT data are shown in a radial plot in Fig. 6A with a central age
tions were prepared at Geoensayos S.A.S., Medellín, Colombia. Some of of 8.6 ± 1.4 Ma based on 302 grain ages. The radial plot is a common
the pyroclastic samples had to be impregnated with epoxy, as these form of graphic representation of fission-track data. Every point reflects
deposits were not well consolidated. one single grain age.
The samples were analyzed using an Olympus BX41TF petrographic
microscope at the Geology department of EAFIT University. Modal 4.1.2. La Metida Creek section
analysis was performed counting 300–500 points per sample, using a In total six samples were analyzed with the AFT method and ten with
point counter. The description of mineral assemblages and textures was the ZFT method. AFT central ages range between 15.9 ± 11.1 and 5.1 ±
done according to Mackenzie et al. (1984) and Ehlers (1987). 2.5 Ma. Nonetheless, inherited single grains with apparent cooling ages
of between 374 and 49 Ma can also be observed in all samples (Table 1).
3.3. Geochemical analyses Zircon crystals were mainly found in the middle and bottom of the La
Metida Creek section. The euhedral to subhedral zircon crystals range in
The rock samples collected in the field were crushed to 1 mm chips at color from colorless, yellow, pink to red. The ZFT central ages are be­
the Laboratory of Solid Materials at EAFIT University. Two hundred tween 12.7 ± 2.4 Ma and 6.1 ± 1.1 Ma (Table 2). Except for the vol­
grams per sample were separated thoroughly, choosing the rock chips caniclastic sandstone sample (JJ6), no strong evidence exists of
that were the least weathered and geochemical analyses for major and contamination with inherited zircons derived from surrounding country
trace elements were performed in the clean laboratory (ISTerre) – Uni­ rock (see the supplementary data for individual grain ages and radial
versité Grenoble Alpes, France. Samples were finely powdered in an plots of all samples). The combined Combia Formation ZFT data are
agate mortar previous to analyses, except for Pb isotope analysis for shown in Fig. 6B with a central age of 9.1 ± 1.1 Ma based on 346 grain
which rock chips were used directly. The sample preparation and ages.
analytical procedures were executed according to Chauvel et al. (2011),
as summarized below.
For major elements, 50 mg of powdered sample were dissolved in

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M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Table 1
Apatite fission-track data of the Combia Formation.
Sample Lithology Number of Single grain RhoS Ns RhoI Ni RhoD P (χ 2) Age Central age* U
number grains age range (Ma) (x105 t/ (x105 t/ (x105 t/ (%) dispersion (Ma) ±2 SE (ppm)
cm2) cm2) cm2) (%) ±2 SE

AB section
JJ13 Pyroclastic 60 2.8–36.9 0.28 67 4.88 1183 9.72 44.9 2.7 7.9 ± 2.1 6±0
agglomerate
JJ22 Tuff 35 3.2–38.5 0.29 35 4.96 592 9.72 36.3 24.0 8.4 ± 3.1 7±1
MC section
JJ17 Lapilli – tuff 60 3.6–71.5 0.26 36 4.57 624 9.72 7.3 50.8 8.3 ± 3.1 6±0
JJ14 Tuff 33 4.9–374.9 0.29 18 3.34 209 9.72 0.0 141.1 15.9 ± 11.1 4±1
JJ21 Tuff 51 3.5–74.2 0.17 19 4.56 517 9.72 66.9 2.0 5.1 ± 2.5 6±1
JJ18 Volcaniclastic 16 4.7–48.9 0.23 7 4.59 139 9.72 0.9 155.4 7.3 ± 9.4 6±1
sandstone
JJ19 Tuff 20 6.6–138.7 0.24 10 3.23 133 9.72 45.7 2.1 10.5 ± 7.3 4±1
JJ20 Lapilli tuff 27 4.9–138.5 0.50 28 5.68 317 9.72 6.9 57.1 15.8 ± 9.2 9±1
breccia
combined 302 2.8–374.9 9.72 0.0 48.6 8.6 ± 1.4 6±0

Note – RhoS: spontaneous track density. RhoI: induced track density; P(χ 2): Chi2 probability. Fission-track ages were calculated using a Zeta value of 288.36 ± 7.90.
AFT data calculated with Binomfit of Brandon (see Ehlers et al., 2005).

Fig. 6. Combia Formation combined fission-track data radial and Kernel Density function plots of A) apatite fission-track data radial plot and Kernel density estimate
(KDE) plot. B) zircon fission track data with central ages radial plot and KDE plot. Radial plots of all individual samples are shown in the supplementary data. All plots
were made with RadialPlotter of Vermeesch (2009).

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M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Table 2
Zircon fission-track data of the La Metida Creek Formation.
Sample Lithology Number of Single grain RhoS Ns RhoI Ni RhoD P ( χ 2) Age Central age* U
number grains age range (x105 t/ (x105 t/ (x105 t/ (%) dispersion (Ma) ±2 SE (ppm)
(Ma) cm2) cm2) cm2) (%) ±2 SE

JJ1 Lapilli tuff 30 1.0–14.3 4.65 175 17.6 662 2.71 24.4 24.2 6.7 ± 1.5 258 ±
breccia 21
JJ8 Tuff 12 2.1–19.4 5.89 58 24.1 237 2.67 3.3 44.3 6.2 ± 2.6 359 ±
47
JJ3 Tuff 25 4.0–19.5 10.6 383 27.5 993 2.71 47.5 6.6 10.0 ± 1.7 405 ±
28
JJ9 Tuff 28 0.9–25.5 13.2 570 33.1 1432 2.67 0.0 35.3 10.1 ± 2.1 493 ±
29
JJ10 Tuff 22 5.0–20.0 10.5 363 28.6 989 2.66 68.0 0.6 9.3 ± 1.5 427 ±
29
JJ4 Tuff 31 2.9–25.8 17.7 585 38.8 1280 2.70 0.3 24.1 11.2 ± 2.0 572 ±
36
JJ6 Volcaniclastic 51 2.9–46.7 10.6 909 22.1 1844 2.69 0.0 44.1 12.7 ± 2.4 327 ±
sandstone 17
JJ5 Tuff 31 2.6–14.8 14.1 515 3.85 1405 2.69 73.1 6.5 9.4 ± 1.4 569 ±
14
JJ11 Lapilli tuff 48 1.3–16.1 6.27 362 2.63 1517 2.65 14.2 19.6 6.1 ± 1.1 394 ±
breccia 22
JJ7 Lapilli tuff 68 4.3–14.8 9.00 824 29.5 2705 2.68 94.0 0.7 7.8 ± 1.1 439 ±
breccia 20
Combined 346 0.9–46.7 10.2 4744 28.5 13,206 2.68 0.0 33.9 9.1 ± 1.1 418 ±
14

4.2. Petrographic results The ignimbrites are dominated by crystals and rock fragments
ranging from 55 to 70%, whereas the two basalt samples have different
4.2.1. Cerro Amarillo section percentage relationships between the matrix and phenocrysts, CA – 14
In general, the seven samples analyzed for this section share similar rich in crystals and CA – 18 rich in matrix. The crystal and/or rock
characteristics being hypocrystalline, porphyritic rocks. The mineral fragments are inequigranular, which is observed in the presence of
assemblage is represented by plagioclase + pyroxene ± amphibole ± seriate, glomeroporphyritic, poikilitic, and interstitial textures. Over­
olivine (Table 3). Other minerals present in the samples are secondary growth textures such as skeletal, corona and crystal zoning are also
calcite, biotite and opaque minerals. The xenoliths found in the ignim­ found in the samples, mainly in the ignimbrites. The crystals have sub­
brites are mainly basalts (aphanitic textures and volcanic glass) or an­ hedral to anhedral shapes in most samples; euhedral-shaped crystals are
desites (plagioclase crystals in volcanic glass). Some of these fragments rare or unable to identify due to alteration. The matrix is generally
are fractured. There is also evidence of oxidation and sericitization, even altered to secondary calcite, but in some cases a non-altered volcanic
though carbonate minerals are the main alteration product in these glass composition is observed with some embedded microlites of
samples. plagioclase and less common pyroxene. Color plates of thin section

Table 3
Petrographic modal analyses.
CA section CA - 1 CA – 2 CA – 7 CA – 13 CA - 14 CA - 18 CA - 22

Plagioclase 48.61 19.1 36.2 9.25 32.1 89.7 31.2

Hypersthene – 42.2 23.5 51.2 47.2 10.3 21.8
Augite 13.19 4.7 3.2 9 9.89 – 9.5
Hornblende 3.47 0.6 – – – – 5.4
Calcite 9.03 1.3 – – 7.58 – 5.01
Olivine 5.21 – – – – – 8
Biotite – 0.5 0.32 1 3.23 – 1.6
Sericite – – 3.5 – – – –
Rock fragments 19.8 19.4 28.6 29.55 – – 17.49
Oxides – 8.8 4.8 – – – –
Opaque minerals 0.69 3.4 – – – – –
Total 100 100 100.12 100 100 100 100
AB section AB – 2 AB – 6 AB – 7
Plagioclase 57.14 69.13 52.22
Pyroxene 42.86 12.01 29.1
Spherulites – 9.86 18.68
Olivine – 9 –
Total 100 100 100
MC section QML - 1 QML – 6 QML - 7 QML – 9 QML – 10 QML - 14 QML - 18 QML - 22 QML - 28 QML - 31
Plagioclase 71.22 61.4 55 40 57.14 85 57.5 62.5 60 77.14
Pyroxene – 10.53 15 20 22.85 7.6 25 25 25 14.29
Hornblende 5.91 5.26 5 – – 2.4 – – – –
Biotite 0.33 – – – – – – – – –
Oxides 2.13 – – 5.71 5.72 5 – 12.5 15 8.57
Rock fragments 16.48 15.79 – 8.57 – – – – – –
Opaque minerals 3.94 7.02 25 25.72 14.29 – – – – –
Spherulites – – – – – – 17.5 – – –
Total 100.01 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

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M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

photographs are given in the supplementary data archive. (LREE), the main difference between the Cerro Amarillo and Anzá-
Bolombolo samples is the Li enrichment of the Anzá-Bolombolo section
4.2.2. Anzá – Bolombolo section samples. Samples from both sections are enriched in LREE relative to the
The analyzed samples are hypocrystalline, inequigranular volcanic Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE) (Fig. 9B). The Cerra Amarillo section
rocks. The mineral assemblages are mainly plagioclase + pyroxene samples are weakly fractionated, compared to the moderately fraction­
(Table 3). The matrix consists of volcanic glass. Other rock components ated Anzá-Bolombolo section samples. No significant Eu anomaly exists
are spherulites, found in samples AB–6 and AB–7, and olivine, found in for all samples. Note also the spoon-like spectra for AB samples. This can
sample AB–6. These samples are located to the east of the unconformity usually be ascribed to amphibole fractionation.
described in the stratigraphic section. The samples are characterized by Nd, Sr, and Pb isotope analyses of all samples are given in Table 6.
having skeletal and crystal zoning overgrowth, spherulites and vesicular Strontium isotopic ratios measured on leached and unleached samples
textures. Color plates of thin section photographs are given in the sup­ are similar within errors. 87Sr/86Sr ratios range from 0.703862 to
plementary data. 0.703931 for the Cerro Amarillo section samples, but are higher at about
0.70417 for the Anzá-Bolombolo section samples (Fig. 10A).
143
4.2.3. La Metida Creek section Nd/144Nd ratios vary between 0.51292 and 0.51298 for the Cerro
Nine samples from this section are tuff deposits and only one sample Amarillo section samples, and are somewhat lower at 0.51290 for the
(QML – 9) is a tuffaceous sandstone because of the presence of cross- Anzá-Bolombolo section samples (Fig. 10B and C). Finally, the Cerro
bedding in the layer. Petrographic characteristics of all samples are Amarillo section samples define a small range in Pb isotopic ratios
similar and the classification as pyroclastic and epiclastic rocks is based (208Pb/204Pb: 38.68 to 38.80, 207Pb/204Pb: 15.61 to 15.62 and
206
on sedimentary structures observed in the field. The mineral assemblage Pb/204Pb: 18.91 to 19.07), and the Anzá Bolombolo section samples
is mainly plagioclase + pyroxene. Some amphiboles are present in the fall in the middle of the range (Fig. 11a and b; Table 7).
bottom layers.
The sampled rocks are mainly hypocrystalline due to the presence of 5. Discussion
phenocryst, and microlites in the matrix. The minerals have inequi­
granular and seriate fabrics. In general, skeletal textures are found in all 5.1. Constraints from low-temperature thermochronology
analyzed samples. Other common textures are glomero-porphyritic and
crystal zoning, although the latter is not present in the samples analyzed The AFT and ZFT data presented in this study can in principle be used
from the middle section of the La Metida Creek section. Similar to the for constraining the age of deposition of the volcanic and volcaniclastic
Anzá-Bolombolo section spherulites are found in the samples from the deposits of the Combia Formation (Kowallis et al., 1986; Bernet et al.,
bottom layers. Color plates of thin section photographs are given in the 2016). The AFT and ZFT data central age values ranging from 15.9 to
supplementary data. 5.1 Ma for AFT and 12.7–6.1 Ma for ZFT, bracket the known zircon U–Pb
12-6 Ma age of Combia Formation volcanic activity (e.g. Leal-Mejía,
4.3. Geochemical results 2011; Jaramillo et al., 2019). Our fission-track data highlight two
important aspects that are challenging in dating relatively young vol­
Mayor element analyses of 16 samples are presented in Table 4. Loss canic and volcaniclastic deposits with the fission-track method. As to be
on ignition (LOI) is generally below 3 wt%. For the Cerro Amarillo expected the ZFT data correspond more closely to the known 12-6 Ma
section samples, SiO2 contents range between 51 and 53 wt%. The age range determined from zircon U–Pb analyses (Leal-Mejía, 2011;
sample plot in the tholeiitic field of the AFM diagram (Fig. 7A) and Jaramillo et al., 2019), because of the higher U concentration and the
correspond to basaltic andesite according to Fig. 7B. Samples coming better track counting statistics resulting in higher precision results. The
from the Anza-Bolombolo area have slightly higher SiO2 content at U concentration of the apatites in the Combia Formation are in general
about 56 wt%, plotting in the alkaline field in Fig. 7A and correspond to very low (<10 ppm), resulting in lower precision AFT ages. As can been
trachy-andesites in Fig. 7B. In the SiO2 vs K2O diagram of Peccerillo and seen in the single grain data provided in the supplementary data archive,
Taylor (1976) the Cerro Amarillo samples plot in the High-K Calc-Al­ many apatite grains are zero-track grains, resulting in a very high single
kaline Series field (Fig. 8). grain age uncertainty, as the induced track counts also tend to be low
Trace element contents of all samples are given in Table 5 and because of the very low U concentrations.
plotted in primitive mantle-normalized spider diagrams in Fig. 9A. The In addition, dealing with volcanic and particularly volcaniclastic
Cerro Amarillo samples display an enrichment in large-ion lithophile deposits the risk of contamination with apatites and zircons recycled
elements (Rb, Ba, Cs, Sr) and a strong depletion in Nb and Ta. The Anzá- from the country rock is high, and has been shown to be the case for
Bolombolo samples are even more enriched in Rb, Ba, Cs and Sr, and certain volcanic deposits of the Paipa-Iza volcanic complex (Bernet
with similar depletion in Nb and Ta (Fig. 9A). Next to the difference in et al., 2016). Here we also think that zircons with >12 Ma apparent
large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) and Light Rare Earth Elements cooling ages were most likely recycled from the Amagá Formation

Table 4
Major elements (wt %) of the Cerro Amarillo and Anzó – Bolombolo section samples.
Oxides JJ1 - JJ1 - JJ1 – JJ1 - JJ1 - JJ1 – JJ1 - JJ1 - JJ3 – JJ3 - JJ3 - 6 JJ3 - JJ4 - 2 JJ4 - JJ2-1- JJ2-1-
(wt %) 3 6 9 13 17 18 20 23 2 5 9 3 10 14

SiO2 53.20 52.68 52.56 52.62 52.55 52.10 52.49 52.64 52.09 51.19 52.07 52.22 51.78 52.34 55.45 55.78
Al2O3 14.80 14.70 14.82 14.71 14.66 14.61 14.59 14.87 18.30 15.29 15.05 15.22 17.49 17.66 19.02 18.93
Fe2O3 t 12.03 11.77 12.13 12.82 12.67 12.55 12.93 12.75 10.40 13.44 13.48 13.63 10.49 10.23 5.01 5.53
MnO 0.19 0.17 0.17 0.19 0.19 0.18 0.19 0.18 0.18 0.21 0.21 0.21 0.17 0.17 0.09 0.09
MgO 3.56 3.51 3.32 3.48 3.43 3.32 3.49 3.30 2.99 3.44 3.50 3.46 3.48 3.05 1.05 1.12
CaO 7.68 7.82 7.56 7.57 7.58 7.47 7.36 7.50 9.33 8.28 8.35 8.24 8.80 8.84 4.51 5.28
Na2O 2.95 2.74 2.63 2.60 2.69 2.70 2.76 2.80 2.66 2.76 2.89 2.80 2.94 2.98 3.58 3.73
K2O 1.89 1.75 1.94 1.88 1.98 1.84 1.79 1.82 1.20 1.40 1.25 1.45 1.47 1.48 3.58 4.60
TiO2 1.31 1.30 1.38 1.39 1.38 1.38 1.38 1.38 0.86 1.03 1.06 1.06 0.96 0.99 5.10 0.52
P2O5 0.48 0.48 0.50 0.50 0.51 0.52 0.51 0.28 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.44 0.46 0.47 0.49
LOI 1.48 2.75 2.60 2.19 1.77 1.98 1.47 1.74 1.12 1.63 1.63 1.65 2.08 2.31 5.18 2.70
SUM 99.67 99.11 99.95 99.4 98.64 98.97 99.49 99.41 99.06 99.88 100.33 100.1 100.51 98.45 98.77 99.67

11
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Fig. 7. A) AFM diagram plot (Irvine and Baragar, 1971) for volcanic rocks from the Cerro Amarillo and Anzá- Bolombolo sectionsData of Marriner and Millward
(1984), Ordoñez (2002) and Leal-Mejía (2011) from the Combia Formation are also shown for comparison. B) Total alkalis versus silica (TAS) diagram of volcanic
rocks from the Cerro Amarillo and Anzá Bolombolo sections; boundaries in the total alkalis are from LeMaitre et al. (1989) for rock classification Data of Marriner and
Millward (1984), Ordoñez (2002) and Leal-Mejía (2011) are shown for comparison. B-A = Basaltic Andesite, P-T = Phonolitic Tephrite, P–N = Phonolitic Neph­
elinite, B + T = Basanite and Tephrite.

(Piedrahita et al., 2017). Pre-Miocene cooling ages are common in ap­ 5.2. Shallow-level processes prior to eruption
atites of the Combia Formation deposits (Table 1), and are considered to
be derived from underlying basement rock and recycling of the Amagá In general, the rocks have porphyritic textures, and plagioclase is one
Formation. of the main mineral components, both as phenocrysts and microlites.
In summary, based on the AFT and ZFT data, volcanic activity Similar results have been reported by several authors (e.g. Marriner and
occurred between 12 Ma and 6 Ma. The main phase of activity for these Millward, 1984; López et al., 2006; Ramírez et al., 2006; Bissig et al.,
deposits may have been at around 9 Ma, as suggested by the central ages 2017; Jaramillo et al., 2019).
of the combined AFT and ZFT data sets shown in Fig. 6. This confirms a The matrix for most samples is comprised of volcanic glass with
late Miocene depositional age, which has previously been proposed microlites of plagioclase and to a lesser extent pyroxene. Devitrification
based on stratigraphic position and whole rock K–Ar dating of hyp­ of the volcanic glass matrix is common in the samples. The samples show
abyssal porphyries (e.g. Grosse, 1926; Restrepo et al., 1981; Marriner evidence of alteration (e.g. secondary calcite, oxidation, argillitization)
and Millward, 1984; González, 2001; Pérez, 2005; Ramírez et al., 2006; which may indicate metasomatic to shallow processes related to hy­
Leal-Mejía, 2011). drothermal alterations and mineralization processes in the hypabyssal
porphyries of the study area (e.g. Tassinari et al., 2008; Leal-Mejía,
2011; Lesage et al., 2013; Uribe-Mogollón, 2013).
All samples show disequilibrium textures such as skeletal, sieve and

12
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Fig. 8. SiO2 vs K2O diagram of Peccerillo and Taylor (1976). The Cerro Amarillo samples plot in the High-K Calc-Alkaline Series field and the Anzá Bolombolo
samples in the Shoshonitic Series field.

Table 5
Trace elements (ppm) of volcanic rock samples of the Cerro Amarillo and Anzó Bolombolo sections.
JJ1-3 JJ1-6 JJ1-9 JJ1-13 JJ1-17 JJ1-18 JJ1- JJ1- JJ3-2 JJ3-5 JJ3-6 JJ3-9 JJ4-2 JJ4-3 JJ2-1- J22-1-
20 23 10 14

Li 8.52 8.33 7.58 8.46 8.73 9.75 8.71 10.4 8.98 8.76 7.64 9.39 8.07 8.38 13.6 15.5
Sc 31 30.7 30.2 30.5 30.1 29.5 30.1 30.4 27.4 33 32.8 33.1 24 24.8 8 8.75
Ti 7840 7760 8270 8340 8210 8110 8250 8240 5070 6170 6160 6200 5690 5900 2710 3020
V 343 340 367 369 361 365 366 367 296 331 338 337 268 278 96.9 100
Cr 12.7 11.6 13.5 13.1 13.2 13.5 13.5 13.3 10.9 15.7 16.5 17.2 31.4 32.6 1.4 1.02
Co 33.1 30.7 33.7 34.5 34.9 35.2 34.7 35.5 25.4 34.7 34.2 35.6 28 26.3 9.58 11.8
Ni 14.9 13 16 16.5 17.1 17.3 16.6 18 7.18 9.99 9.79 10.3 20.2 17.7 2.35 2.63
Cu 224 203 227 220 223 240 226 238 127 184 169 179 191 187 117 143
Zn 107 136 116 120 114 116 115 116 86.6 111 112 114 100 96.9 70.3 74.2
As 25.1 6.22 6.78 3.1 7.12 10.5 6.82 8.08 3.19 4.37 4.68 4.61 5.37 5.99 4.38 3.9
Rb 43.9 42.3 49.9 51.4 49.2 51.5 49.3 50.1 25.8 32.9 34.7 34 37.2 38.3 169 130
Sr 475 478 470 457 459 461 453 457 558 497 457 473 483 489 1870 1170
Y 26 26 28 27.5 27.2 27.6 27.3 27.4 18.9 23.3 23.5 24 21 22.2 15.5 17
Zr 110 108 116 115 114 116 114 115 55.7 75 76.2 77 65.7 68.5 106 118
Nb 5.97 5.83 6.18 6.25 6.11 6.26 6.19 6.16 2.63 3.03 3.07 3.06 3.05 3.16 4.86 5.54
Cd 0.0498 0.108 0.0574 0.0541 0.0487 0.0538 0.055 0.058 0.0441 0.0513 0.0469 0.0488 0.045 0.0461 0.0391 0.049
Cs 1.51 1.73 1.86 1.97 1.76 1.96 1.84 2 0.884 1.12 1.23 1.19 1.35 1.59 3 1.11
Ba 967 948 1030 990 1030 1010 1000 1010 607 842 823 847 717 742 1350 1250
La 10.5 10.5 11.2 11.2 11.1 11.3 11.2 11.2 5.7 7.46 7.54 7.62 7.14 7.39 19.7 21.4
Ce 22.7 22.6 23.9 24.3 23.8 24 23.9 23.9 12.4 16.2 16.4 16.5 15.4 15.7 36.5 39.9
Pr 3.21 3.21 3.42 3.46 3.36 3.42 3.41 3.41 1.83 2.39 2.41 2.42 2.22 2.29 4.69 5.13
Nd 14.7 14.6 15.5 15.8 15.5 15.7 15.4 15.4 8.64 11.3 11.5 11.7 10.3 10.7 18.4 20.2
Sm 3.87 3.94 4.24 4.29 4.16 4.2 4.25 4.18 2.48 3.24 3.33 3.37 2.81 2.92 3.74 4.13
Eu 1.21 1.23 1.27 1.27 1.26 1.28 1.28 1.24 0.858 1.09 1.07 1.1 0.98 1.04 1.2 1.29
Gd 4.53 4.46 4.74 4.71 4.73 4.67 4.66 4.73 2.96 3.87 3.92 3.96 3.34 3.52 3.3 3.59
Tb 0.713 0.717 0.747 0.758 0.745 0.754 0.755 0.753 0.479 0.623 0.645 0.66 0.542 0.58 0.456 0.487
Dy 4.5 4.55 4.65 4.77 4.68 4.85 4.78 4.78 3.19 4.08 4.18 4.23 3.58 3.77 2.54 2.84
Ho 0.925 0.929 1 1.01 0.984 0.986 0.975 0.984 0.665 0.844 0.869 0.868 0.746 0.789 0.503 0.548
Er 2.75 2.65 2.84 2.89 2.84 2.89 2.86 2.87 1.99 2.48 2.53 2.57 2.23 2.32 1.44 1.62
Tm
Yb 2.53 2.55 2.64 2.71 2.64 2.69 2.65 2.67 1.87 2.32 2.36 2.4 2.13 2.18 1.39 1.59
Lu 0.375 0.368 0.397 0.403 0.394 0.398 0.394 0.395 0.271 0.331 0.347 0.349 0.313 0.329 0.211 0.239
Hf 2.99 2.92 3.17 3.18 3.15 3.15 3.1 3.12 1.61 2.18 2.25 2.27 1.81 1.87 2.55 2.81
Ta 0.368 0.37 0.39 0.39 0.388 0.392 0.385 0.384 0.166 0.191 0.189 0.194 0.192 0.193 0.282 0.303
Tl 0.298 0.234 0.322 0.36 0.361 0.297 0.245 0.272 0.2 0.268 0.317 0.222 0.282 0.297 0.351 0.138
Pb 9.64 9.7 10.2 10.5 10.1 10.2 10.2 10.1 6 9.58 9.9 9.67 4.63 4.74 10.9 12.1
Th 1.98 1.97 2.07 2.11 2.06 2.1 2.08 2.09 1.03 1.39 1.4 1.41 1.19 1.23 4.46 4.95
U 1.08 1.08 1.18 1.11 1.12 1.11 1.1 1.11 0.517 0.854 0.857 0.843 0.528 0.532 1.22 2.19

13
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Fig. 9. A) Primordial mantle (McDonough and Sun, 1995) normalized trace element spider diagrams of volcanic rocks from the Cerro Amarillo and Anzá-Bolombolo
sections. B) Chondrite normalized (Evensen et al., 1978) Rare Earth Element (REE) patterns of the volcanic rocks from the Cerro Amarillo section. C) For comparison
trace element patterns of published data by Leal-Mejia (2011) from Combia Formation and hypabyssal porphyritic intrusions in the study area, as summarized in
Marín-Cerón et al. (2019). Trace element data normalized after Wood et al. (1979). D) For comparison, published REE data of Leal-Mejía (2011) normalized after Sun
and McDonough (1989) for hypabyssal porphyritic intrusions, Combia Formation volcanic rocks and recent to present volcanism in the Central Cordillera, as
summarized in Marín-Cerón et al. (2019). E) The La/Sm versus Ba/Th plot indicates that the Cerro Amarillo volcanic rocks were more derived from magma related to
slab dehydration, whereas the Anzá-Bolombolo samples trend more towards sediment melting derived magma.

Table 6
Isotopic compositions of volcanic rocks from the Cerro Amarillo and Anzó Bolombolo sections.
JJ1-3 JJ1-9 JJ1-17 JJ1-23 JJ3-2 JJ3-5 JJ3-9 JJ4-2 JJ2-1-10 JJ2-1-14
87
Sr/86Sr 0.703911 0.703930 0.703931 0.703921 0.703916 0.703876 0.70387 0.703862 0.70417 0.70416
2σ 0.000006 0.000008 0.000008 0.000008 0.000006 0.000006 0.000006 0.000006 0.000006 0.000006
87
Sr/86Sr (leached) 0.70391 0.70393 0.70393 0.70393 0.70392 0.70388 0.70387 0.70387 0.70417 0.70417
2σ 0.000006 0.000006 0.000006 0.000008 0.000006 0.000006 0.000006 0.000006 0.000006 0.000006
143
Nd/144Nd 0.51294 0.51293 0.51292 0.51295 0.51293 0.51296 0.51293 0.51298 0.51290 0.51289
2σ 0.000009 0.000018 0.000017 0.000010 0.000010 0.000007 0.000013 0.000008 0.000007 0.000010
εNd 5.959 5.930 5.684 6.223 5.846 6.420 5.905 6.882 5.255 5.191
208
Pb/204Pb 38.72422 38.73927 38.73610 38.73702 38.71385 38.67951 38.68273 38.79674 38.74386 38.75921
2σ 0.00418 0.00418 0.00418 0.00418 0.00418 0.00417 0.00417 0.00418 0.004179 0.004180
207
Pb/204Pb 15.61989 15.62459 15.62410 15.62365 15.62449 15.61989 15.62098 15.61286 15.60328 15.61037
2σ 0.00167 0.00167 0.00167 0.00167 0.00167 0.00167 0.00167 0.00167 0.001668 0.001669
206
Pb/204Pb 18.96667 18.97333 18.97308 18.97264 18.93568 18.91002 18.91054 19.06522 19.00789 19.018005
2σ 0.00365 0.00365 0.00365 0.00365 0.00365 0.00364 0.00364 0.00367 0.003662 0.003666

14
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Table 7
Estimated isotopic compositions and parameters for end-member involved in magma genesis.
208
Pb/204Pb 206
Pb/204Pb Pb (ppm) 142
Nd/144Nd Nd (ppm) 87
Sr/86Sr Sr (ppm)
1,9
AOC 38.14 18.59 0.53 0.51280 4.71 0.70381 61.40
HS2,3,4 38.86 18.64 9.59 0.51247 17.0 0.70763 336.16
CS2,3,4,5 38.16 18.46 3.70 0.51242 0.89 0.70858 1504.12
SC_1a 38.62 18.62 1.43 0.51285 5.94 0.70454 75.138
SC_2a 38.57 18.60 1.54 0.51284 1.15 0.70661 146.412
MW6,7 37.90 18.50 0.02 0.51310 0.71 0.70270 9.80
PMa 38.45 18.59 0.82 0.51307 5.81 0.70469 114.95
LCC8 38.73 19.02 8.81 0.51309 9.50 0.70423 173.00
a
Estimated values. Kd from Halliday et al. (1995). AOC: Altered oceanic crust; HS: Hemipelagic sediments; CS: Carbonaceous sediments; SC_1: Subduction
component 1 (AOC + HS); SC_2: Subduction component 2 (SC_1 + CS); MW: Mantle wedge (5%cpx, 25%opx, 70%ol); PM: Primary magma; and LCC: Lower continental
crust. Values are calculated based on procedures followed by Marín-Cerón (2007) for the SW Colombian volcanic arc. Values for AOC, HS, CS, MW, and LCC, are given
according to data presented by Marín-Cerón (2007). SC_2 represents the interaction between AOC (85%) and sediments (HS – 10% and CS – 5%). PM is calculated
assuming 40% of metasomatized mantle by subduction component. It is considered 10% of LCC interacts with primary magma for magma source genesis.1Pedersen
et al. (2001); 2Plank and Langmuir (2000);3Patiño et al. (2000); 4Vervoort et al. (1999);5Hemming and McLennan (2001); 6Salters and Stracke (2004);7Saunders et al.
(1988);8Weber et al. (2002);9Barret (1983); and10Halliday et al. (1995).

Fig. 10. Comparison between trace elements and isotopic systematics: A) Sr/Th versus 87Sr/86Sr, and B) Ba/Th versus 143Nd/144Nd, for volcanic rocks of the CA
section (blue circles) and the AB section (red circles). The dashed line represents altered oceanic crust values (AOC) (after Barret, 1983). Both diagrams show that
addition of fluids to the magma affected the geochemistry to the analyzed rocks and that the slab dehydration effects are more pronounced in the eastern than the
western Amagá basin. C) Nd vs. Sr isotope ratio plot, showing the fields for the Northern Volcanic Zone (NVZ), Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ) and Southern Volcanic
Zone (SVZ) as well as typical MORB composition, based on data from James et al. (1976); Hawkesworth et al. (1979); James (1982); Harmon et al. (1984); Frey et al.
(1984); Thorpe (1984); Hickey et al. (1986); Hildreth and Moorbath (1988); Wörner et al. (1988); Walker et al. (1991); de Silva (1991); Kay et al. (1991); Davidson
and de Silva (1992). Winter (2001); Marín-Cerón (2007), as summarized by and plot modified from Marín-Cerón et al. (2019). The data of our study are shown for the
Cerro Amarillo section (yellow circles) and the Anzá-Bolombolo section (red circles), plotted over the NVZ field. (For interpretation of the references to color in this
figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

15
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Fig. 11. Lead isotopic systematics of the Combia Formation shown for the Cerro Amarillo section (yellow circles) and the Anzá-Bolombolo section (red circles). A)
Plots of 208Pb/204Pb vs 206Pb/204Pb for the Andean volcanic zones (Northern Volcanic Zone – NVZ; Central Volcanic Zone – CVZ; and Southern Volcanic Zone – SVZ)
and the pre-Andean basement (plot modified from data compilation plot of Marín-Cerón (2019). Pacific sediments (Dasch, 1981; White et al., 1985); Paleozoic
basement (Chiaradia and Fontboté, 2002); metalliferous sediments from DSDP leg 92 (Barret et al., 1987). B) Zoom on the 208Pb/204Pb vs 206Pb/204Pb diagram.
Squares represent possible end-members and the respective trends of the interaction between each of the components involved during magma formation. AOC:
altered oceanic crust; HS: hemipelagic sediments; CS: carbonaceous sediments; LCC: lower continental crust. The solid blue line represents the linear trend of the
samples suggesting bimodal mixing between primary magma (yellow star) and LCC. This plot is based on the compilation of Marín-Cerón et al. (2019); Cretaceous
Domain (Kerr, 2003); Lower crust xenotiths (Weber et al., 2002); and ACC from Hole 504 (Pedersen and Furnes, 2001); NVZ data from Marín-Cerón (2007). The data
from our study are shown for the Cerro Amarillo section (yellow circles) and the Anzá-Bolombolo section (red circles) and the plotted over the Northern Volcanic
Zone field. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

spherulitic textures, embayments, reaction rims, coronas and crystal disequilibrium in the magma chamber. as it is supported by the
zoning. These textures are attributed to different conditions and geochemical modelling explained below.
magmatic processes such as pressure variations, zoned magma cham­
bers, decompression, magma mixing, phenocrysts recycling and frac­
tional crystallization (e.g. Nixon and Pearce, 1987; Nelson and Montana, 5.3. Magma genesis
1992; Singer et al., 1995; Perugini et al., 2003; Aldanmaz, 2006; Maro
and Remesal, 2011). Thus, our petrographic results favor mainly magma Magmatic arcs are the result of subduction of oceanic crust beneath
mixing and fractional crystallization to be the main causes for continental crust and this complex setting has impact on magmatic
processes such as partial melting, fractional crystallization, changes in

16
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

pressure and temperature, sediment melting, dehydration, and decar­ understanding the origin of magmas and the potential role of subducted
bonation (e.g. Rollinson, 1993; Albarade, 1995; White, 2013). In addi­ slab addition to the mantle wedge (e.g. Tatsumi, 2005; Tatsumi and
tion, fluids added to the mantle wedge play an important role, as fluids Stern, 2006). The Cerro Amarillo and Anzá-Bolombolo samples have
allow the transport of incompatible elements from the subducted medium to slightly elevated Sr/Th and rather low 87Sr/86Sr ratios
oceanic basalt and sediments to the magma, leading to enrichment in (Fig. 10A), indicating transfer of elements from the subducted slab by
specific mobile elements and modifying the isotopic composition of the NVZ aqueous fluids. Because no systematic difference in 87Sr/86Sr is
asthenospheric magma source (Tatsumi, 2005; Tatsumi and Stern, 2006; observed between leached and unleached samples (Table 6),
Tatsumi and Takahashi, 2006; Nakamura et al., 1985). post-emplacement alteration can be excluded, and the measured ratios
As we have discussed before, we correlate the Cerro Amalillo basaltic can be considered as representative of the magma source (e.g. Tamura
lava and the basaltic pyroclastic flows, with the 12-9 Ma event proposed and Nakamura, 1996; Shibata and Nakamura, 1997). Similarly, the large
by Bissig et al. (2017) for the Middle Cauca Metalogenic Belt. Our new range of Ba/Th values at almost constant 143Nd/144Nd values indicates
geochemical data for the Cerro Amarillo area are generally similar to addition of Ba through slab dehydration (Fig. 10B), with a stronger ef­
what was previously published by Marriner and Millward (1984) and by fect in the eastern Amagá basin than in the western part of the basin. In
Ordoñez (2002), as shown in Fig. 7B. Major elements allow identifica­ an 87Sr/86Sr vs 143Nd/144Nd isotopic space (Fig. 10C), the Amagá basin
tion of a tholeiitic trend in the samples from the eastern Amagá basin samples fall as expected within the field defined by the NVZ (see
while the samples from the western Amagá basin follow a calc-alkaline compilation of Ancellin et al., 2017; Marín-Cerón et al., 2019). The
trend (Fig. 7A). Both magma suites have been previously recognized at Anzá-Bolombolo samples have slightly more enriched isotopic charac­
other sampling sites of the Combia Formation (Fig. 7A; e.g. Álvarez, teristics than the Cerro Amarillo samples, a feature consistent with the
1983; Marriner and Millward, 1984; Ordoñez, 2002; Leal-Mejía, 2011). difference seen in Fig. 9E since sediment addition tends to lower the Nd
With SiO2 contents between 47 and 54 wt% our Cerro Amarillo samples isotopic composition and increase the Sr isotopes.
plot in the basaltic andesite field of Fig. 7B. Additionally, as proposed by Lead isotopes provide complementary and useful information. As
Bissig et al. (2017) for the Middle Cauca Metalogenic Bel and given our was the case for Sr and Nd isotopic data, the Amagá basin samples fall in
thermochronological data, we correlate the samples from the Anzá the field defined by the NVZ and differ drastically from fields defined by
Bolombolo section and the upper portion of the La Metida Creek seek the CVZ and SVZ (Fig. 11A) (see compilations made by Marín-Cerón,
section with the <9-6 Ma Combia event. The samples from Anzá 2007 and Marín-Cerón et al., 2010, 2019). The rather radiogenic values
Bolombolo plot in the trachy-andesite field of LeMaitre et al. (1989) and of Pb isotopes for the NVZ have been interpreted as being due either to
Cox et al. (1979) (Fig. 7B). For comparison, published data for the an enriched mantle reservoir or to continental crust assimilation. The
Combia Formation are also shown in this figure. It appears that the enriched mantle hypothesis was suggested by Rodríguez-Vargas et al.
Anzá-Bolombolo section samples from the western Amagá basin are (2005) on the basis of the Nd and Sr isotopic characteristics of xenoliths
much more alkaline than others (Fig. 7B), and that samples from both from the Mercaderes region in SW Colombia. The authors invoked the
sections have lower SiO2 contents than the volcanic rocks of the 24-20 potential involvement of magma material coming from the Galapagos
Ma magmatic phase and most of the 17-9 Ma magmatic phase rocks plume, but such influence under the Amagá basin seems quite unlikely
analyzed by Leal-Mejía (2011). Despite these differences, no precise given the distance between the SW Colombian arc and the Galapagos
division of the basin with respect to the magmatic suites can so far be (>450 km, Pedersen and Furnes, 2001). However, the Amagá Basin
given, and more detailed mapping and geochemical analyses are samples analyzed in this study provide new information because they
necessary. define a tight correlation in 208Pb/204Pb vs 206Pb/204Pb space (see
The trace elements provide clear evidence of a subduction-related Fig. 11B). Such linear array implies the involvement and mixture of two
geochemical signature, with Nb and Ta depletion (e.g. Wilson, 1989; endmembers whose compositions remain unchanged during the entire
White, 2013). Samples also all have very high Ba, U, Pb and Sr contents, volcanic sequence. The enriched end-member seems to correspond to
as already noticed for previously published Combia Formation data the local lower continental crust (Weber et al., 2002; see Fig. 11B),
(Fig. 9C and D, Leal-Mejía, 2011; data summarized in Marín-Cerón et al., whereas the less radiogenic endmember is more ambiguous. Following
2019). Medium to slightly elevated Ba/Th values, a proxy for slab the Marin-Ceron et al. (2019) model, this ‘depleted’ endmember could
dehydration characterize the Cerro Amarillo samples from the eastern correspond to the mantle wedge whose composition would be affected
Amagá basin (Fig. 9E; Labanieh et al., 2012), whereas the by the presence of material originating from the subducted slab (see
Anzá-Bolombolo samples of the western Amagá basin have low ratio, Fig. 11B). Nonetheless, there may be differences in the subduction
more consistent with a sediment melting trend (Fig. 9E). mechanisms, proportion of end-members interaction, and magma
In general, the trace element results of the Amagá basin resemble source evolution between magmatism at 12-9 and 9-6 Ma, and mag­
those of the NVZ of the Andes, as summarized in Ancellin et al. (2017); matism at 3 Ma – present, despite assuming the same end-members.
Marín-Cerón et al. (2019), even though the Combia Formation has In summary, magma was generated by slab dehydration, sediment
higher LILE (Rb, Sr, Ba) contents and lower Nb and Ta contents than melting and interactions with the LCC, resulting in the mixing of at least
those reported for the NVZ (Thorpe et al., 1982; Marriner and Millward, two end-member sources. Due to differences in depth of melting and
1984). other magmatic processes (assimilation-fractional crystallization (AFC)
The REE patterns of samples from the Anzá Bolombolo and Cerro and melting-assimilation-storage-homogenization (MASH)), as shown in
Amarillo sections are somewhat different, with higher fractionation in Fig. 12, the late Miocene volcanic rocks of the western Amagá Basin such
the former group (Fig. 9b). In comparison to the REE spectra of the 9-6 as the Anzá Bolombolo and the upper La Metida Creek sections (corre­
Ma porphyritic intrusions and recent volcanism, the Combia Formation late with the <9-6Ma event) and the eastern Amagá basin such as the
shows a pattern closer to the latest stage of volcanic activity (Fig. 9D; Cerro Amarillo section (correlate with the 12-9 Ma event), show distinct
data from Leal-Mejía (2011), summarized by Marín-Cerón et al. (2019)). petrologic and geochemical signatures.
The difference in the slope of the REE patterns of eastern (Cerro Ama­ The geochemical modeling of trace element and Nd, Sr and Pb iso­
rillo) and western (Anzá Bolombolo) Amagá basin samples suggest dif­ topic data indicates a complex magmatic process including slab dehy­
ferences in terms of magma formation, most probably during melting dration and/or sediment melting, which produces metasomatism of the
processes in the mantle source, and/or amphibole fractionation in the mantle wedge allowing the formation of a primary magma with different
crust. Overall, the absence of an Eu anomaly suggests that melting degrees of partial melting. Then, the hot-zone developed a high Pb-
occurred relatively deep, below the plagioclase stability level (~40 km radiogenic, garnet-bearing lower continental crustal (LCC) level as a
depth). consequence of the quantity of dehydration and of changes of the tec­
Combining trace element data with isotopic data can help tonic regime style. An extensional pull-apart event (12- 9 Ma), may have

17
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

Fig. 12. Schematic diagram for magma source gen­

esis of Combia Formation volcanism. AOC: altered
oceanic crust; HS: hemipelagic sediments; CS: carbo­
naceous sediments; AFC: assimilation fraction crys­
tallization processes (DePaolo, 1981); MASH:
melting, assimilation, storage, and homogenization
processes (Hildreth and Moorbath, 1988); LCC: lower
continental crust; UCC: upper continental crust.
Illustration based on model proposed for south­
western Colombian volcanism (Marín-Cerón, 2007)
and is compatible with models presented in Mar­
ín-Cerón et al. (2019).

facilitated rapid magma ascends to the uppermost crust along a sub­ surface weathering did not modify the geochemical signatures and that
vertical magma plumbing system throughout the Romeral Fault zone (e. the geochemical composition of the samples results of several magmatic
g. permineralized stage from Bissig et al., 2017). Furthermore, the processes including oceanic crusts (AOC), slab includes AOC and sedi­
calc-alkaline magmas that have adakite-like signatures, may indicate ment dehydration and melting. As the subduction components meta­
convergent tectonics that allowed the formation of middle-to upper-­ somatize the mantle wedge, primary magmas are produced. Then, the
crustal magma chambers with garnet fractionation at depth and the hot-zone developed a high Pb-radiogenic, garnet-bearing lower conti­
evolution of silicate melts into the hot zone mainly related to the amount nental crustal level as a consequence of the quantity of dehydration and
of water present (>4 wt %) at 9-6 Ma. A new period of extensional of the changes of the tectonic regime. An extensional pull-apart event (e.
pull-apart events started at 6-3 Ma (e.g. Irra basin, Sierra et al., 2012). g at ca. 12-9 Ma, Cerro Amarillo section), most likely facilitated rapid
Using these results, we propose a model where the differences in the magma ascend to the uppermost crust along a subvertical magma
crustal thickness may not be the main driver for the formation of the late plumbing system throughout the Romeral Fault zone.
Miocene-Pliocene magmatism in the Amaga basin, but may correlate In contrast, Calc-alkaline magmas with adakite-like signatures of the
with the extensional to compressional regime (e.g. Sierra et al., 2012; Anzá Bolombolo and the upper La Metida Creek sections may indicate
Bissig et al., 2017). Thus, the changes of the late Miocene magmatism convergent tectonics that allowed the formation of middle-to upper-
are mainly related to the mantle-derived magmas metasomatized by the crustal magma chambers with a garnet fractionation at depth and the
slab components, and the interaction with the high-Pb radiogenic LCC, evolution of silicate melts in the hot zone, mainly related to the amount
where the stability of garnet may play the most important role in the of water (>4 wt %) present at 9-6 Ma to form the primary magmas in the
geochemistry of the magmas and their fertility as proposed by Bissig mantle wedge and mixing of this primary magma with lower continental
et al. (2017). crustal before eruption. In contrast, contamination by upper crustal
rocks could not be detected. Finally, the new geochemical results
6. Conclusions confirm that Combia Formation volcanism in the Amagá basin between
12 and 6 Ma was similar to what is known about the NVZ of the Andes in
The late Miocene volcanic and volcanoclastic Combia Formation of South America, related to Nazca plate subduction, and with periods of
the Amagá basin between in the Central and Western Cordillera devel­ extension (12-9 Ma; 6-3 Ma) and contraction (<9-6 Ma; 3 Ma-Present).
oped above the Nazca plate subduction zone in western Colombia.
Volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of the Combia Formation are charac­ Author contribution
terized by a sequence of ignimbrites and lava flows of tholeiitic affinity
at the bottom and pyroclastic flows to the top of the formation in the All authors contributed to the writing of the manuscript. Matthias
eastern Amaga basin and a succession of pyroclastic and epiclastic flows Bernet complied the first draft, facilitated and oversaw the thermo­
with calc-alkaline affinity in the western Amagá basin. Using apatite and chronological analyses and obtained funding for the project. Juliana
zircon fission-track dating the timing of volcanic activity during the Mesa-Garcia did the field work and sample analysis (thermochronology,
deposition of the Combia Formation was confirmed between 12 and 6 petrology and geochemistry). Maria Jackeline Ramirez did part of the
Ma. field work and sample analysis (petrology). Catherine Chauvel facili­
Trace element, REE and Nd, Sr and Pb isotopic analyses show that the tated and oversaw the geochemical analyses. Maria Isabel Marin Ceron

18
M. Bernet et al. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 104 (2020) 102897

developed the study and managed the interactions with the ANH and Davidson, J.P., de Silva, S.L., 1992. Volcanic rocks from the Bolivian Altiplano: insights
into crustal structure, contamination, and magma genesis in the central Andes.
obtained funding for the project.
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the work reported in this paper.
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