阿尔金红柳沟蛇绿混杂岩中MORB与OIB组合的地球化学证据

阿尔金红柳沟地区早古生代蛇绿混杂带中含有地幔橄榄岩、辉长辉绿岩、细碧化玄武岩、硅质岩、复理石等岩石组合。笔者研究证实，该地区蛇绿岩中变基性岩具有过渡型洋中脊玄武岩（T－MORB）的特征，并发现蛇绿岩在混杂带中与洋岛玄武岩（OIB）共生。在球粒陨石标准化的稀土元素配分图上，T－MORB型变基性岩配分型式为平坦型；OIB中TiO2含量高，近3％，富集高场强元素Nb、Ta等，稀土元素配分型式为轻稀土富集型。MORB和OIB组合的出现说明早古生代时，该地区存在过洋盆。这一组合可与北祁连进行对比。     

中国东部新生代玄武岩稀土配分的分形结构因子与其它化学组成的相关性

本文提出了稀土配分分形结构因子概念和计算方法。利用这个新方法，计算了中国东部新生代玄武岩中稀土配分的分形结构因子。研究了这些因子与玄武岩主元素、稀土元素、分散元素和同位素之间的关系，并求出了其相关性参数。利用这些参数，求出了两个端元玄武岩的主元素和稀土元素含量；提出了五大莲池地区玄武岩可能与富钾交代地幔部分熔融作用有关，其它玄武岩的形成与软流圈地幔或岩石圈地幔部分熔融有关；玄武岩同位素的比值不仅受玄武岩浆地幔源区本身的特征制约，还可能受地幔岩部分熔融程度的制约。     

云南老王寨金矿煌斑岩地球化学研究

老王寨金矿煌斑岩稀土元素含量较高，平均约为１６０×１０￣（－６），稀土配分模式表现为轻稀土富集、重稀土亏损，且具有铕的负异常。地幔标准化的过渡元素分配型式呈“Ｗ”型，同中国东部碱性玄武岩相似。此外，煌斑岩中Ｃｒ，Ｎｉ含量高，以上都表明煌斑岩为地幔成因，是地幔部分熔融的产物。原生岩浆在演化分异的早期有铬尖晶石、橄榄石、黑云母及斜长石的结晶。煌斑岩中Ｂａ，Ｔｈ，Ｋ，Ｓｒ及稀土元素较高，而Ｎｂ，Ｐ呈明显亏损，表明岩浆上升过程中受到一定程度的壳层物质混染。     

中国西南地区大面积稀土异常区稀土来源

中国贵州、云南和广西交界处存在大面积以宣威地区为中心的土壤稀土元素地球化学异常,为了探究该地区土壤稀土元素来源,本研究采集了宣威地区土壤(红土)和岩石(玄武岩、白云岩、灰岩、砂岩、粉砂岩、泥岩、凝灰岩和页岩)样品,分析了稀土元素、微量元素、pH值和有机质组成。结果显示:土壤稀土元素含量均在大陆上地壳的2倍左右,玄武岩稀土元素含量与上覆土壤一致,但沉积岩(白云岩、石灰岩和砂岩)稀土元素含量远低于上覆土壤。土壤稀土元素与基性岩中富集的元素Co、Ni、Cu、Zn和Au等具有极好的相关性(相关系数r0.7),但与pH值(r=0.33)和有机质含量(r=0.20)无明显相关关系。玄武岩与其上覆土壤之间的稀土配分模式具有高度的一致性,而沉积岩与其上覆土壤之间的稀土配分模式差异较大,且所有土壤中位值的稀土配分模式与玄武岩的极其相似。宣威地区处于既有玄武岩又有海相沉积岩出露的区域,玄武岩可能是该地区土壤稀土元素的主要来源。     

辽河盆地沙三期火山-侵入岩地球化学与岩石成因

辽河盆地沙三期火山-侵入岩为一套偏碱性的双峰式岩系，其基性端元为碱性玄武岩，中偏碱性端元为粗面质熔岩和侵入岩。碱性玄武岩富集高场强元素(如Nb、Th、Zr、Hf、V等)和轻稀土、Sr、Ba等大离子亲石元素，而亏损Rb和K，具有与板内碱性玄武岩和洋岛玄武岩类似的特征。粗面质岩石显示与基性端元相似的地球化学特征，其不相容元素含量总体上高于碱性玄武岩，但具强烈的Sr和Eu亏损。矿物学、岩石学及地球化学证据表明，玄武质岩石是软流圈地幔低程度部分熔融的产物，并经历了橄榄石和辉石的分离结晶作用，其源区可能有金云母和石榴石残留。玄武质岩浆上升到较浅部位后进一步发生橄榄石、辉石、斜长石和磁铁矿等的分离结晶作用而形成粗面质岩浆，地壳物质混染作用不显著。     

辽宁宽甸、山东蓬莱幔源巨晶矿物中陨硫铁的研究

陨硫铁发现于山东、辽宁新生代碱性玄武岩所携带的幔源巨晶辉石等矿物中。两地的陨硫铁由于载体的巨晶辉石与碱性玄武岩之间曲混融程度不同,导致他们的稀土配分型式亦不同,即混融程度高,稀土配分型式复杂,混融程度低,则稀土配分型式与球粒陨石的配分型武相同。幔源陨硫铁以富镍为特征,并且是在特定的物理化学条件下生成的,即     

东天山觉罗塔格地区底坎儿组火山岩地球化学特征及构造环境探讨

底坎儿组火山岩是东天山石炭纪火山岩的重要组成部分,其分布范围北至吐-哈盆地南缘,南至沙泉子断裂,其地球化学特征对于探讨觉罗塔格地区的构造环境演化具有重要的意义。本文对底坎儿组火山岩的主量、微量及Sr-Nd同位素进行了研究,以探讨岩石成因及其形成的构造环境。结果表明,底坎儿组火山岩为一套钙碱性的玄武岩-安山岩-流纹英安岩组合,为石榴石-尖晶石橄榄岩地幔部分熔融的产物。玄武岩经历了橄榄石和单斜辉石的结晶分异,安山岩和流纹英安岩则经历了斜长石和磁铁矿的结晶分异。火山岩相对富集轻稀土元素和大离子亲石元素,亏损高场强元素,玄武岩的微量元素配分型式与弧玄武岩相似,而部分安山岩及流纹英安岩的微量元素配分型式与上地壳相似。底坎儿组火山岩的Nd同位素特征[εNd(t)=-0.14~5.69]及微量元素地球化学特征显示其具有中等亏损地幔源区特征,岩浆来自于俯冲流体交代的地幔,岩浆演化过程遭受了有限的地壳混染。基性火山岩微量元素配分型式及构造环境图解表明其可能形成于弧后盆地环境。     

江西周潭群斜长角闪岩的地球化学特征及其成因

周潭群斜长角闪岩的基本组成矿物是斜长石和角闪石，不同样品中还可以出现黑云母、石英和碱性长石等。所有斜长角闪岩显示石英拉斑系列特征，其稀土元素配分曲线呈平坦型，显示轻微的轻稀土亏损和Eu亏损，与由岛弧及洋拉斑玄武岩形成的斜长角闪岩的稀土分布型式及稀土特征一致。根据微量元素蛛网图的斜率和Nb、Zr异常情况以及低的Zr/Nb比值、V-Ti、Y－Cr、Zr-Ti-Sr、Zr-Y相关性，认为斜长角闪岩之原岩为岛弧型玄武岩，周潭群的原岩形成于岛弧环境。元素地球化学和Nd同位素特征指示它们的母岩浆起源于亏损程度低的地幔或来源于亏损地幔的岩浆受到地壳物质的混染。     

北祁连冷龙岭蛇绿岩地质地球化学特征及构造意义

在北祁连造山带冷龙岭地区新发现一条蛇绿岩带,该蛇绿岩从下向上由地幔橄榄岩、辉长辉绿岩、玄武岩、硅质岩组成。岩石地球化学特征表明,玄武岩可分类高Ti和低Ti两类,其中高Ti玄武岩具有LREE富集的稀土配分型式,富集K、Rb、Ba、Th、Nb、Ta等不相容元素,呈现隆起型(驼峰式)分布型式,显示了典型的洋岛火山岩地球化学特征,为板内岩浆作用的产物。低Ti玄武岩具有LREE亏损,类似N-MORB的稀土配分模式,同时又具有相对于N-MORB富集的大离子亲石元素,亏损Nb、Ta等高场强元素的岛弧火山岩的地球化学特征,代表了弧后盆地环境岩石组合。蛇绿岩岩石组合和岩石地球化学特征显示该蛇绿岩套形成于弧后盆地环境,是早奥陶世北祁连洋的残留。     

黔西北玉龙地区稀土含矿层地球化学特征

黔西北玉龙地区稀土含矿层(Pxt)处于宣威组(P₃x)底部,假整合于峨眉山玄武岩组(P_2-3em)之上,是一套富集了Nb、REE的铁质、铝质黏土岩。研究表明,铁质段与玄武岩微量元素、稀土元素配分曲线形态基本一致,说明铁质段与峨眉山玄武岩具亲源性,主量元素投点反映出铁质段物源主要由峨眉山玄武岩提供。铝质段与玄武岩微量元素、稀土配分曲线存在差异,且主量元素投点显示铝质段物源具多源性,表明除峨眉山玄武岩提供物源外,还有部分中酸性岩浆物质提供部分物源。铁质段和铝质段均呈轻稀土富集型,铝质段富集程度更高,轻稀土元素中La、Ce、Pr、Nd富集明显,占轻稀土元素的85.76%～98.36%,重稀土元素中Gd、Dy、Er、Yb富集较明显,占重稀土元素的84.41%～89.33%。铁质段形成于水动力较弱的氧化环境,铝质段形成于水动力强-弱交替的氧化-还原界面,CIA、CIW、ICV值反映铁质段、铝质段经历过强烈的风化改造作用。     

Eocene continental dyke swarm from Central Iran (Khur area)

The Eocene dyke swarm with east-west general trend intrudes the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks in ～25 km north of the Khur city (Central Iran). Some of the studied dykes can be followed for over 7 km, but the majority of exposures in the area are less than 5 km long. The dykes commonly exhibit a chilled contact with the wall rocks. These dykes are trachybasalt and basalt in composition. The trachybasalt dykes are much more abundant. The basaltic dykes cross cut the trachybasalt dykes in some locations, indicating that trachybasalt dykes are older than the basaltic ones. Primary igneous minerals of the basaltic dykes are olivine (chrysolite), clinopyroxene (diopside, augite), plagioclase (labradorite), sanidine, magnetite, orthopyroxene (enstatite), spinel and phlogopite, and secondary minerals are zeolite (natrolite and mesolite), chlorite (diabantite), calcite and serpentine. The trachybasalt dykes are composed of clinopyroxene (diopside), plagioclase (labradorite), sanidine, mica (biotite and phlogopite), amphibole (magnesio-hastingsite) and magnetite as primary minerals, and chlorite and calcite as secondary ones. Whole rocks geochemical data of the studied dykes indicate their basic and calc-alkaline nature and suggest that these two set of dykes were derived from the same parental magma. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns and the primitive mantle-normalized multi-elemental diagram of the Khur dykes show enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREE) relative to heavy rare earth elements (HREE), and negative anomalies of high field strength elements (HFSE) (e.g. Ti, Nb and Ta). These rocks show enrichment of the large ion lithophile elements (LILE) (e.g. Cs, Ba, Th and U) and depletion of the HREE and Y relative to MREE, Zr and Hf. In the chondrite-normalized REE diagram, the basalts show elevated REE abundances relative to the trachybasalt samples. Geochemical analyses of the studied samples suggest a spinel lherzolite from the mantle as the source rock and confirm the role of subduction in their generation. The chemical characteristics of the Khur dykes resemble those of continental arc rocks, and they were possibly formed by subduction of the Central-East Iranian microcontinent (CEIM) confining oceanic crust and decompression melting of a lithospheric subcontinental mantle spinel lherzolite enriched by subduction.     

Extreme-Mg olivines from venancite lavas of Pian di Celle volcano (Italy)

Olivines with a forsterite minal of up to 99.5 mol % were discovered in ultra-potassium lavas of Pian di Celle volcano (Italy). Based on high-precision analyses of these olivines and the available literature data, a new type of extreme-Mg olivines with a forsterite content of >96 mol % was distinguished. These olivines could have formed as a result of oxidation of lower Mg olivines, crystallization from the carbonatite melt, or they may represent earlier crystallized phenocrysts in skarn. Oxidized olivines are easily diagnosed on the content of typomorphic admixtures, in particular, high MgO and NiO contents. It is difficult to recognize olivines from skarns and carbonatites due to the lack of high-precision analytical data. Extreme-Mg olivines from Pian di Celle (Italy) are close to the carbonatite subtype of olivines.     

Compositional characteristics of olivines from Apollo 12 samples

The olivine phenocrysts of four basalts (12004, 12008, 12009 and 12022) are concentrically zoned and have core compositions about as magnesian as experimentally produced liquidas olivines, features which suggest fractional crystallization and absence of Fe-Mg reequilibration. In the magnesium- and olivine-rich granular basalt 12035, the olivines are either unzoned or are zoned toward adjacent grains and have compositions more iron-rich than either cumulus olivines or liquidus olivines (should the rock represent the composition of a melt), features which suggest extensive Fe-Mg re-equilibration.     

长白山火山活动历史、岩浆演化与喷发机制探讨

广义的长白山火山在我国境内包括著名的天池火山、望天鹅火山、图们江火山和龙岗火山,是我国最大的第四纪火山岩分布区。图们江火山和望天鹅火山活动都始于上新世,喷发活动分别介于上新世—中更新世（5.5~0.19 Ma）和上新世—早更新世（4.77 ~2.12 Ma）。天池火山和龙岗火山属于第四纪火山,喷发活动从早更新世（~2 Ma）持续到全新世。图们江火山岩为溢流式喷发的拉斑玄武岩,望天鹅火山、天池火山和龙岗火山母岩浆都是钾质粗面玄武岩,但经历了不同的演化过程。天池火山和望天鹅火山都经历了钾质粗面玄武岩造盾、粗面岩造锥和晚期碱性酸性岩浆（碱流岩和碱性流纹岩）的喷发;龙岗火山来自地幔的钾质粗面玄武岩浆则未经演化和混染直接喷出地表。图们江火山岩以溢流式喷发的拉斑玄武岩为主,少量玄武质粗安岩等。天池火山造盾之后,地壳岩浆房和地幔岩浆房具互动式喷发特点,来自地幔的钾质粗面玄武岩浆一方面在天池火山锥体内外形成诸多小火山渣锥,另一方面持续补给地壳岩浆房发生岩浆分离结晶作用和混合作用,分别导致双峰式火山岩分布特征和触发千年大喷发。火山岩微量元素和Sr-Nd-Pb同位素示踪揭示,长白山东（图们江火山、望天鹅火山和天池火山）、西（龙岗火山）两区显示地幔非均一性,东区岩浆源区具有软流圈地幔与富集岩石圈地幔混合特征,西区岩浆源区具有相对亏损的较原始地幔特征。西太平洋板块俯冲—东北亚大陆弧后引张是长白山火山活动的动力学机制。     

甘肃西秦岭两类新生代钾质火山岩:岩石地球化学与成因

甘肃西秦岭地区存在钾霞橄黄长岩和钾质粗面玄武岩(钾玄岩)两类钾质火山岩,出露在甘肃西秦岭礼县、宕昌县等,地理坐标大致相当于104°20′～104°50′E,33°30′～34°10′N。钾霞橄黄长岩是一种不含斜长石,但普遍含有高钛金云母、黄长石、白榴石、霞石的岩石,全岩化学成分具低SiO2和Al2O3,富TiO2、CaO、MgO和高K/Na、高Mg#值的特征;钾质粗面玄武岩(钾玄岩)含有大量斜长石但是缺乏高钛金云母、黄长石、白榴石和霞石,全岩化学中SiO2、Al2O3明显高于前者,而TiO2、CaO、MgO、K/Na和Mg#值要比钾霞橄黄长岩低。钾霞橄黄长岩的全岩K/Ar和金云母单矿物的39Ar/40Ar同位素定年落在7.1～23Ma,而钾玄岩的全岩39Ar/40Ar同位素定年落在9Ma左右,因此它们同为中新世产物。两类钾质火山岩具有相似的富集不相容元素和轻稀土的特征。两类钾质火山岩的初始87Sr/86Sr分别在0.70403～0.70749和0.70412～0.70522;143Nd/144Nd分别在0.51274～0.51294和0.51265～0.51276;εNd分别在1.12～5.95和0.3～2.3。206Pb/204Pb、207Pb/204Pb和208Pb/204Pb分别落到18.3746～18.9986、15.529～15.6693和38.4971～39.4144。在火山岩源区示踪的143Nd/144Nd-87Sr/86Sr,207Pb/204Pb-206Pb/204Pb,208Pb/204Pb-206Pb/204Pb,143Nd/144Nd-206Pb/204Pb,87Sr/86Sr-206Pb/204Pb和Ba/Nb-La/Nb图解中,一致显示两类钾质火山岩具有与OIB相似的地球化学特征,源区可能与地幔柱有关,并具有EM1、DMM和HIMU端员混合特征。结合前人对该区深部地球物理和断裂构造的研究,论证了火山岩的起源与成因,指出作为对印度—欧亚大陆强烈碰撞的吸收与调节,高原下软流圈地幔流沿400km界面向北东方向的侧向流动以及西秦岭周边克拉通块体的阻挡,是形成西秦岭断裂系左行走滑特征和巨大拉分盆地的主要原因,也是导致西秦岭新生代两类钾质火山岩和碳酸岩起源与成因的动力学机制,较好地解释了西秦岭新生代岩浆作用起源深度大,具有地幔柱源的地球化学特征,岩石组合与地球化学有别于高原内部及其周边地区新生代钾质火山岩的原因。     

燕山中段大红峪组火山岩的古风化特征

燕山中段 (主要是指北京市平谷县内 )大红峪组火山岩 ,在火山活动的间歇期 ,存在古风化现象。古风化使火山岩的成分、结构遭受改变 ,以致影响对岩石岩性的确定及同位素年龄的测定等。不同的地质环境 ,其风化情景不同。文中论述了火山岩的三种风化带及其不同的风化环境特征 ,并与现代风化带进行了对比。研究大红峪组的古风化现象 ,有利于更好地认识当时的地质环境。     

Ca-enrichment in olivines from volcanic rocks

Data are presented on the Ca-content of olivines in a range of volcanic rocks from a variety of suites. These include olivine basalts through to trachytes from Gough, St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha Islands; trachytes from central Victoria, Australia, and a leucitite and phonclitic-tephrite series from Bufumbira, Uganda. In olivine crystals from basaltic lavas the Ca- and Mn-contents are low and Fe shows the most significant zoning from core to rim. In Fe-rich olivines from trachytic differentiates Ca and Mn frequently show more significant variation than Fe. While the Mn-content is proportional to the Fe-content of these olivines, Ca-zoning, in many cases, is unrelated to Fe-content. The marked Ca-enrichment in olivines occurs with the absence of plagioclase in the host lavas. The Ca(Al  Na  K) ratio is shown to be related not only to the Ca-content of the olivines in the lava, but may be used to predict olivine stability in evolved compositions.     

Thermodynamics of water in cordierite and some petrologic consequences of cordierite as a hydrous phase

Olivine melilitites from Namaqualand, South Africa are characterized by a broad range in olivine compositions on the scale of individual hand specimens. It is possible to distinguish four petrographically and chemically distinct olivine populations in both the northern and southern pipe clusters studied: (a) Scarce anhedral or subhedral olivines that display marked disequilibrium features with the surrounding matrix, and which are characterized by having high iron and extremely low nickel contents (referred to as HILN olivines) relative to the other olivines in the same rock, (b) A dominant population of euhedral and often skeletal (hopper) olivines that are richer in Mg and Ni than the HILN olivines in the same rock. There are in addition unusual hopper olivines that are petrographically similar to the skeletal olivines, but show aberrant zonation patterns. Hopper and HILN type olivines contain fluid and carbonate inclusions which apparently record the loss of a vapour phase and an immiscible carbonate liquid during magma ascent, (c) A third population consists of large rounded olivines (megacrysts), up to 40 mm in greatest diameter. Individuals are chemically homogeneous, but megacrysts from the same pipe collectively define a trend of decreasing Mg and Ni (Fo₉₂, 0.36% Ni to Fo₇₅, 0.17% Ni). The most fayalitic megacrysts are depleted in Mg and Ni relative to the hopper olivines in the same rock, (d) Scarce magnesium-rich (Fo₉₁) anhedral olivines which show strained extinction are believed to be xenocrysts.It is suggested that the HILN-type olivines crystallized from primitive carbonate-rich magmas under conditions of low oxygen fugacity, intermediate between the Ni-NiO and Fe-FeO buffers. Mineral-melt partition coefficients for the transition elements determined in basaltic systems are considered to be inappropriate to such carbonate-rich melts. Loss of volatiles and an immiscible carbonate liquid during magma ascent resulted in an increase in oxygen activity, a decrease in the Fe-Mg distribution coefficient (K _D ) for olivine and liquid and an increase in liquidus temperatures. These effects led to the rapid crystallization of Mg- and Ni-enriched skeletal hopper olivines. The unusual hoppers crystallized later than the HILN olivines but prior to the normal hoppers, under conditions chracterized by rapid and independent changes in oxygen activity and partition coefficients associated with the loss of volatiles and an immiscible carbonate liquid. The range in chemistry which characterizes the megacryst-olivine suite is believed to record physico-chemical changes to the magmas subsequent to separation from a mantle source area, but prior to crystallization of the HILN olivines. Most important of these changes was an increasing degree of polymerization of the liquid structure and a progressive decrease in oxygen activity as the molar ratio (CO ₃ ^2- /(CO ₃ ^2- + CO₂)) in the magma increased with decreasing pressure. Increasing polymerization of the liquid resulted in an increase in olivine-liquid partition coefficients for transition elements.Olivines in kimberlites show compositional characteristics and zonation patterns similar to those recognized in the olivine melilitites which, coupled with ilmenite compositions, suggests that the two magma types initially evolved along similar physico-chemical paths.     

Patterns in the hydrogen and trace element compositions of mantle olivines

 The concentrations of hydrogen and the other trace elements in olivines from mantle xenoliths have been determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) for clarifying the incorporation mechanism and the behavior of the hydrogen. The hydrogen contents in olivines from mantle xenoliths range from 10 to 60 ppm wt. H₂O and the concentration range is consistent with the previous infrared (IR) spectroscopic data. IR spectra of the olivine crystals show no effects of the weathering or secondary alteration. The hydrogen is distributed homogeneously among olivine grains in each mantle xenolith. However, the hydrogen contents of the olivine crystals are less than those for the olivine phenocrysts crystallized from the host magma. Olivine inclusions in diamonds also show similar hydrogen contents to the xenolithic olivines. Thus the hydrogen content of xenolithic olivines does not attain equilibrium with water in the host magma during the transportation from the Earth's mantle to the surface, and is taken as a reflection of the hydrogen condition in the mantle. Correlations of hydrogen with trivalent cation contents in garnet peridotitic olivines indicate the incorporation of hydrogen into mantle olivines by a coupled substitution mechanism, with the hydrogen present in the form of hydroxyl in oxygen positions adjacent to the M site vacancies. The hydrogen content of xenolithic olivines increases with pressure but decreases with increasing temperature, suggesting importance of olivine as a water reservoir at low temperature regions such as in subducting slabs. Received August 15, 1995/Revised, accepted November 19, 1996     

Zoning of phosphorus in igneous olivine

We describe P zoning in olivines from terrestrial basalts, andesites, dacites, and komatiites and from a martian meteorite. P₂O₅ contents of olivines vary from below the detection limit (≤0.01 wt%) to 0.2–0.4 wt% over a few microns, with no correlated variations in Fo content. Zoning patterns include P-rich crystal cores with skeletal, hopper, or euhedral shapes; oscillatory zoning; structures suggesting replacement of P-rich zones by P-poor olivine; and sector zoning. Melt inclusions in olivines are usually located near P-rich regions but in direct contact with low-P olivine. Crystallization experiments on basaltic compositions at constant cooling rates (15–30°C/h) reproduce many of these features. We infer that P-rich zones in experimental and natural olivines reflect incorporation of P in excess of equilibrium partitioning during rapid growth, and zoning patterns primarily record crystal-growth-rate variations. Occurrences of high-P phenocryst cores may reflect pulses of rapid crystal growth following delayed nucleation due to undercooling. Most cases of oscillatory zoning in P likely reflect internal factors whereby oscillating growth rates occur without external forcings, but some P zoning in natural olivines may reflect external forcings (e.g., magma mixing events, eruption) that result in variable crystal growth rates and/or P contents in the magma. In experimental and some natural olivines, Al, Cr, and P concentrations are roughly linearly and positively correlated, suggesting coupled substitutions, but in natural phenocrysts, Cr zoning is usually less intense than P zoning, and Al zoning weak to absent. We propose that olivines grow from basic and ultrabasic magmas with correlated zoning in P, Cr, and Al superimposed on normal zoning in Fe/Mg; rapidly diffusing divalent cations homogenize during residence in hot magma; Al and Cr only partially homogenize; and delicate P zoning is preserved because P diffuses very slowly. This interpretation is consistent with the fact that zoning is largely preserved not only in P but also in Al, Cr, and divalent cations in olivines with short residence times at high temperature (e.g., experimentally grown olivines, komatiitic olivines, groundmass olivines, and the rims of olivine phenocrysts grown during eruption). P zoning is widespread in magmatic olivine, revealing details of crystal growth and intra-crystal stratigraphy in what otherwise appear to be relatively featureless crystals. Since it is preserved in early-formed olivines with prolonged residence times in magmas at high temperatures, P zoning has promise as an archive of information about an otherwise largely inaccessible stage of a magma’s history. Study of such features should be a valuable supplement to routine petrographic investigations of basic and ultrabasic rocks, especially because these features can be observed with standard electron microprobe techniques.