Key processes determining secondary alterations in kimberlites

A variety of hypotheses have been put forward as to the nature of secondary alteration. They were tested by using the amount of insoluble SiO₂ accumulated in the rocks (Q) as the index of secondary alteration degree. This parameter allows any sample to be characterized with the degree of its secondary alteration. By putting Q values together with contents of CaO and rare earth elements, features of diamond crystal size distributions within samples in most altered kimberlites, and the distribution of these parameters over kimberlite bodies, we show that secondary processes occurred when kimberlites were exposed to postmagmatic solutions: fluids containing water and carbon dioxide. Endogenous fluids rose from the bottom of pipes along narrow local zones and spread beyond them at the top, involving larger rock masses. There, they mingled with vadose and phreatic water. The basicity decreased abruptly, inducing profound changes of rock-forming minerals and alteration of diamond crystal weight distribution by recrystallization. The study invokes a great body of factual information, including hundreds and thousands of analyzes of kimberlites from Yakutian diamond pipes: Botuobinskaya, Nyur’inskaya, Maiskaya, Internatsional’naya, Mir, Aikhal, Yubileinaya, Sytykanskaya, Udachnaya-West, and Udachnaya-East.     

Behavior of major and rare-earth elements during the postmagmatic alteration of kimberlites

During serpentinization and subsequent alteration in the absence of brucite, kimberlites accumulate uncompensated silica. Its amount can be calculated from the average compositions of the rock-forming minerals (olivine, calcite, phlogopite) and the chemical compositions of the rocks. The contents of rock-forming oxides and REE were determined in 12 kimberlite pipes of the Yakutian kimberlite province, in 413 samples from secondary-alteration zones and of unaltered kimberlites. Columns of successive kimberlite alterations were constructed for each pipe on the basis of secondary-quartz data; here, the behavior of rock-forming oxides and REE was assessed. All the studied rocks had experienced different degrees of postmagmatic hydrothermal metasomatism at different depths in all the pipes. The changes were reflected in the supply/loss of rock-forming oxides and REE. The supply of REE during the hydrothermal metasomatism enriched the kimberlites with TiO₂, P₂O₅, and CaO. During the removal of REE, most of the rock-forming oxides were partially lost. The maximum REE supply was 67% in the Udachnaya-Vostochnaya pipe and 59% in the Nyurbinskaya pipe as compared with the unaltered kimberlites. The maximum REE loss was 87% in the Aikhal pipe and 81% in the Internatsional’naya pipe as compared with the unaltered kimberlites. The initial REE contents of the postmagmatically altered kimberlites changed considerably in all the studied cases. This conclusion was drawn owing to the use of normative-quartz content as a criterion for secondary alteration.     

东天山玉峰金矿热液蚀变作用与元素迁移规律

玉峰金矿位于中亚造山带东天山东缘,是近年来新发现的含银高品位金矿床。该矿床目前已探明6个金矿体,均赋存在石英斑岩中。矿区热液蚀变作用发育,与成矿关系最密切的为黄铁绢英岩化和硅化,显示明显的蚀变分带:以石英硫化物脉为中心,黄铁绢英岩化带在其两侧大致对称分布。本文选取矿体上盘和下盘的石英斑岩、黄铁绢英岩进行了全岩的主、微量元素及成矿元素测试,并对其中的长石和绢云母进行电子探针成分分析。测试结果表明,黄铁绢英岩中的Au含量较蚀变前呈指数级增长,Ag、Cu、As等成矿元素大量增加,CaO、Na_2O、P_2O_5、P_2O_5、Sr、Pb、Th、U、Sb等元素显著迁出,而SiO_2、Al_2O_3、TiO_2含量和稀土元素含量变化较小,表现稳定。热液蚀变过程中,石英斑岩中71%～76%的正长石发生绢云母化,导致K_2O大量迁出;而钠长石几乎全部蚀变为绢云母,造成Na_2O大量迁出。热液流体的贡献使得蚀变岩中MgO、Fe_2O_3~T含量成倍增加,并主要富集在绢云母和/或黄铁矿晶格中。综合分析认为,绢英岩化蚀变带,Au、Cu、As和Bi等元素的综合化探异常,低电阻率、高激化率的地球物理特征可以作为玉峰矿区深部和外围找矿的标志。研究区内的石炭纪石英斑岩带,尤其是在构造叠加部位,热液活动使其更有利于矿化富集,是找矿勘探的有利部位。     

胶东新立构造蚀变岩型金矿床元素地球化学行为

新立金矿位于华北克拉通东部胶东金矿省内,是一个典型的蚀变岩型(焦家型)金矿床,矿床受区域三山岛-仓上断裂带控制,产出于蚀变的玲珑花岗岩中。在主断裂带下盘蚀变矿化发育,可以划分为五个阶段:钾长石化阶段、绢英岩化阶段、黄铁绢英岩矿化阶段、多金属硫化物矿化阶段和碳酸盐化阶段。不同的蚀变矿化过程导致各阶段样品具有不同的矿物组合和地球化学特征。钾长石化花岗岩以高钾钠含量为特征,因为样品中含有新生成的二次钾长石及残留的钠长石;绢英岩的钙钠含量明显低于钾长石化花岗岩,是绢英岩化阶段斜长石蚀变分解所致;黄铁绢英岩FeT2O3含量普遍较高且SiO 2含量波动明显,与该阶段样品中大量黄铁矿的产出及部分样品中包含石英团块或石英脉相一致;多金属硫化物矿化样品的元素含量与黄铁绢英岩基本类似;碳酸盐化蚀变样品以高CaO含量为特征,与该阶段大量沉淀析出的方解石相符。在原始地幔标准化微量元素配分图上,不同阶段矿化蚀变样品,大离子亲石元素Rb、Ba、K、Sr差异性明显,而高场强元素Zr、Hf、Nb、Ta、P差异性较小,表明热液蚀变过程中大离子亲石元素活动性较强,高场强元素相对稳定。在稀土元素球粒陨石标准化图中,不同阶段样品均呈明显的右倾性,蚀变早期(钾长石化阶段)样品铕异常不明显,蚀变矿化主期(绢英岩化阶段至多金属硫化物矿化阶段)样品普遍具有负铕异常,而蚀变晚期(碳酸盐化阶段)样品普遍具有正铕异常。元素相关性分析表明,金与银、砷、铋和硫具明显正相关,与铜、铅具有一定的相关性。成矿元素因子分析也显示出金与砷、硫、铁、钴在矿化过程中具有类似的地球化学行为。实测剖面上不同位置样品元素地球化学特征的差异性主要受构造及蚀变矿化类型、强度控制,成矿元素在主断裂附近达到峰值,在远离主断裂方向上,其含量整体呈下降趋势,但在次级矿化断裂发育地段,含量又明显回升;另外在断裂附近由于微裂隙及节理相对发育,有利于热液的渗透,蚀变较强,对成矿元素的空间分布亦具有控制作用。     

中国金伯利岩中的钛铁矿

本文研究了金伯利岩中,作为巨晶和粗晶,基质相矿物,与金云母、镁铝榴石、铬尖晶石等矿物的连生体,金刚石中包裹体矿物及金伯利岩地幔岩包裹体矿物产出的钛铁矿的大小,形态、皮壳及化学成分、端元组分、环带及成分变异趋势。并与其他岩类中的钛铁矿作了对比。探讨了不同产状、共生组合类型的钛铁矿的成因。指出了与金刚石紧密伴生的钛铁矿的标型特征及找矿意义。     

中国金伯利岩地球化学

本文利用了100多个金伯利岩的主要元素及微量元素分析结果,用Si/Mg、C.l——(SiO_2+Al_2O_3+Na_2O)/(MgO+2K_2O)、Mg/(Mg+Fe)比值及SiO_2、Al_2O_3及Na_2O含量研究了金伯利岩的混染程度。结果表明,绝大部分金伯利岩受到了混染作用的影响,它们的成分实际上不能代表形成这些岩石的岩浆的成分。金伯利岩的Al_2O_3和Na_2O的含量比其他碱性超基性及基性岩石的Al_2O_3和Na_2O含量低得多。含金刚石的金伯利岩比不含金刚石的金伯利岩的MgO、(Cr_2O_3+NiO)高,而TiO_2+Al_2O_3+Na_2O+K_2O+P_2O_5低。 我国金伯利岩中Cr-Al,Ni-Co,Ni-Cr,Ni-V,Sc-Ti,Zn-Ti,Ba-Sr,Zr-Hf,Nb-Ta,U-Th,K-Rb呈正相关关系。     

Origin of Listwanite in the Luobusa Ophiolite, Tibet, Implications for Chromite Stability in Hydrothermal Systems

Listwanite from the Luobusa ophiolite,Tibet,forms a narrow,discontinuous band along the eastern part of the southern boundary fault. We undertook a detailed petrographic and geochemical study to understand the mineral transformation processes and the behaviour of major and trace elements during listwanite formation. Three alteration zones characterized by distinct mineral components and texture are recognized and,in order of increasing degree of alteration,these are: zoneIII is rich in serpentine minerals; zoneII is rich in talc and carbonates; and zoneI is mainly composed of carbonates and quartz. Geochemical data for the three alteration zones show significant modification of some major and trace elements in the protolith,although some oxides show linear correlations with Mg O. Gold mineralization is recognized in the Luobusa listwanite and may signify an important target for future mineral exploration. Gold enrichment occurs in both zoneI and zoneIIand is up to 0.91 g/t in one sample from zoneI. We show that CO2-rich hydrothermal fluids can modify both the occurrence and composition of chromite grains,indicating some degree of chromite mobility. Low-Cr anhedral grains are more easily altered than high-Cr varieties. The compositions of chromite and olivine grains in the listwanite suggest a dunite protolith.     

The petrology of a potassic syenite and its associated biotite pyroxenite at Shaki,Western Nigeria

A syenite gneiss associated with biotite pyroxenite and biotite-muscovite gneiss forms an elongated mass covering about 150 km² in the basement complex around Shaki in Western Nigeria. It lies conformably in the biotite-museovite gneiss to which it is similar in texture. The biotite pyroxenite occurs as patches of varying sizes widely distributed throughout the syenite but is not found in any of the surrounding rocks.18 chemical analyses and 62 modal analyses show that the syenite is composed essentially of microcline (in places slightly perthitic), albite, quartz, diopsidic augite and hornblende and is chemically characterised by the unusual combination of very high K₂O with high MgO, FeO and CaO contents. The biotite pyroxenite and the syenite contain high amounts of the trace elements characteristic of both magnesian ultra-basic rocks and granitic rocks.The syenite and the biotite pyroxenite are believed to have originated through two metasomatic alteration processes; one characterised by CaO+FeO+MgO and the other by K₂O. The two processes are believed to have been simultaneous and related. The process may be analogous to that obtaining during fenitisation.     

Isotope-geochemical systematics of kimberlites and related rocks from the Siberian Platform

Using the ICP-MS method we have studied the isotope systematics of Sr and Nd as well as trace element composition of a representative collection of kimberlites and related rocks from the Siberian Platform. The summarized literature and our own data suggest that the kimberlites developed within the platform can be divided into several petrochemical and geochemical types, whose origin is related to different mantle sources. The petrochemical classification of kimberlites is based on persistent differences of their composition in mg# and in contents of indicator oxides such as FeO_tot, TiO₂, and K₂O. The recognized geochemical types of kimberlites differ from one another in the level of concentration of incompatible elements as well as in their ratios.Most of isotope characteristics of kimberlites and related rocks of the Siberian Platform correspond to the earlier studied Type 1 basaltoid kimberlites from different provinces of the world: Points of isotopic compositions are in the field of primitive and weakly depleted mantle. An exception is one sample of the rocks from veins of the Ingashi field (Sayan area), which is characterized by the Sr and Nd isotopic composition corresponding to Type 2 micaceous kimberlites (orangeites).The most important feature of distribution of isotopic and trace-element compositions (incompatible elements) is their independence of the chemical rock composition. It is shown that the kimberlite formation is connected with, at least, two independent sources, fluid and melt, responsible for the trace-element and chemical compositions of the rock. It is supposed that, when rising through the heterogeneous lithosphere of the mantle, a powerful flow of an asthenosphere-derived fluid provoked the formation of local kimberlite chambers there. Thus, the partial melting of the lithosphere mantle led to the formation of contrasting petrochemical types of kimberlites, while the geochemical specialization of kimberlites is due to the mantle fluid of asthenosphere origin, which drastically dominated in the rare-metal balance of a hybrid magma of the chamber.     

Manganoan ilmenite as kimberlite/diamond indicator mineral

Manganoan ilmenite was identified in Juina, Brazil kimberlitic rocks among other megacrysts. It forms oval, elongated, rimless grains comprising 8–30 wt.% of the heavy fraction. Internally the grains are homogeneous. The chemical composition of Mn-ilmenite is almost stoichiometric for ilmenite except for an unusually high manganese content, with MnO = 0.63–2.49 wt.% (up to 11 wt.% in inclusions in diamond) and an elevated vanadium admixture (V₂O₃ = 0.21–0.43 wt.%). By the composition, Mn-ilmenite megacrysts and inclusions in diamond are almost identical. The concentrations of trace elements in Mn-ilmenite, compared to picroilmenite, are much greater and their variations are very wide. Chondrite-normalized distribution of trace elements in Mn-ilmenite megacrysts is similar to the distribution in Mn-ilmenites included in diamond. This confirms that Mn-ilmenite in kimberlites is genetically related to diamond. The finds of Mn-ilmenite known before in kimberlitic and related rocks are late- or postmagmatic, metasomatic phases. They either form reaction rims on grains of picroilmenite or other ore minerals, or compose laths in groundmass. In contrast to those finds, Mn-ilmenite megacrysts in Juina kimberlites are a primary mineral phase with a homogeneous internal structure obtained under stable conditions of growth within lower mantle and/or transition zone. In addition to pyrope garnet, chromian spinel, picroilmenite, chrome-diopside, and magnesian olivine, manganoan ilmenite may be considered as another kimberlite/diamond indicator mineral.     

Major and trace element variation in ilmenite in the Skaergaard Intrusion: petrologic implications

Ilmenite separates from the floor (LS), roof (UBS), and wall (MBS) sequences of the Skaergaard Intrusion were analyzed for major and trace elements using DCP-AES and ICP-MS techniques. In all three sequences, FeO progressively increases, and MgO and Al₂O₃ progressively decrease with differentiation. Although trace element abundances are, in general, higher in UBS ilmenite than in MBS and LS ilmenite, all three sequences have similar trends for trace element abundance vs. crystallization. Ba, Cs, Rb, Sr, Th, U, Y, and the REEs are excluded elements in ilmenite, and remained at low abundances during differentiation. Cr, Ni, Sc, and V are included elements in ilmenite and other mafic phases, and decreased during differentiation. V contents in ilmenite, however, do not decrease significantly until the upper part of the middle zone, suggesting that magnetite did not begin to affect the magma differentiation trend until much later than when it first appears in the intrusion. Hf, Nb, Ta, and Zr, which are strongly excluded elements in silicates, are included elements in ilmenite. The element ratios Zr/Hf, Y/Ho, Nb/Ta, and U/Th are relatively constant in Skaergaard ilmenite from different parts of the intrusion, suggesting that fluid transport did not significantly effect these elements during differentiation or post-solidification cooling. Calculated partition coefficients for ilmenite in the Skaergaard Intrusion are similar to those reported from previous studies of lunar and terrestrial basalts and kimberlites, and for most elements are significantly lower than those reported for ilmenite in rhyolitic magma. Similar D_i's for Zr, Hf, Nb, and Ta suggest that ilmenite crystallization did not significantly affect Zr/Nb or Hf/Ta in the Skaergaard magma, but the ratios of Zr, Hf, Nb, or Ta to other high field strength elements, such as Th, U, Y, or the REEs, may have been altered by ilmenite fractionation.     

Two age populations of zircons from the Timber Creek kimberlites,Northern Territory,as determined by laser ablation ICP MS analysis

Two populations of kimberlitic zircon are present in the Timber Creek kimberlites, Northern Territory. Laser ablation ICP MS U—Pb dating yields an age of 1483 ± 15 (2σ) Ma for the main group and an age of 179 ± 2 Ma for the other group. This distinction of two age groups is strongly supported by Hf isotope data on the same zircons. Although the trace element patterns of both populations are typical of mantle derived zircons, the ‘young’ population has slightly higher concentrations of most trace elements, but has lower Hf, Nb, Ta and Pb contents. The distinct differences in trace element contents and Hf isotopic composition of the two zircon populations indicate that they were derived from different magma sources. The dating results indicate that the emplacement age of the Timber Creek kimberlites cannot be older than the age of the ‘young’ zircon population (i.e. 179 ± 2 Ma). This clarifies the inconsistency between the previously reported SHRIMP age of the Timber Creek zircons (1462 ± 53 Ma) and the much younger age (1200 Ma) of the sediments of the Victoria River Basin into which these kimberlites have intruded. The Timber Creek kimberlites are a newly recognised extension of the widespread Jurassic kimberlite activity known in Western Australia and South Australia (Wandagee, Orroroo, Cleve and Eurelia kimberlites).     

On the origin of silicate-bearing diamondites

Garnets and clinopyroxenes, intergrown with diamonds in 37 diamondites (“bort”, “polycrystalline diamond aggregates”, “polycrystalline diamond”, “framesite”), presumably from southern Africa, were analyzed for trace element contents by LA-ICP-MS. The intimate diamond-silicate intergrowths suggest that both precipitated from the same fluids during the same crystallization events. In this study we distinguish 5 chemical garnet groups: “peridotitic” (P), intermediate (I) and 3 “eclogitic” groups (E1, E2 and E3). Chondrite-normalized trace element patterns for the garnet groups roughly correlate with major element abundances. Most of P garnets show complex, mildly sinusoidal REE_N patterns with relatively flat HREE_N-MREE_N, a small hump at Sm-Nd and depleted LREE_N, and have relatively high contents of Nb, Ta, U, and Th. The REE_N abundance patterns of E garnets differ by showing a continuous increase from LREE to HREE and depletion in LREE and highly incompatible elements relative to the P garnets. Of all garnet groups, E3 garnets are the poorest in highly incompatible trace elements and in Mg. Model equilibrium fluids for P garnets suggest crystallization from magnesian carbonate-bearing fluids/melts, which were very rich in incompatible trace elements — similar to kimberlites. Hypothetical equilibrium melts for E1 and E2 garnets are also magnesian and poorer in LREE and highly incompatible elements relative to typical kimberlitic or carbonatitic melts. Fluids that crystallized the P and most of the E garnets have similar mg numbers indicating a peridotitic source for both. The differences in Cr and highly incompatible element contents can be the result of differences in fluid formation and/or evolution rather than different source rock. The positive correlation of Cr₂O₃ and mg with the abundances of highly incompatible elements in garnets indicate fluid-rock fractionation processes rather than igneous fractional crystallization processes being responsible for the evolution of the diamondite-forming fluids.     

Chemistry of micas from kimberlites and xenoliths—II. Primary- and secondary-textured micas from peridotite xenoliths

Micas from coarse granular Iherzolites in S. African kimberlites may be separated into two groups; those showing primary textural relationships with coexisting silicates and those with secondary, alteration relationships with other silicates. Primary-textured micas form a tight cluster with a mean composition from 10 coarse garnet lherzolites of: SiO₂ 41.0, TiO₂ 0.18, Al₂O₃ 13.5, Cr₂O₃ 0.82, total Fe as FeO 2.60, MnO 0.02, MgO 26.0, NiO 0.22, CaO 0.01, BaO 0.29, Na₂O 0.31, K₂O 10.0, Rb₂O 0.028, Cl 0.08, F 0.43 wt%. Primary-textured micas in aggregates with clinopyroxene have higher TiO₂ and four specimens which look similar to the primary group but have textural ambiguities have still higher TiO₂Micas with secondary textures have wide ranges of composition which may be correlated with details of the textural parageneses. Micas from kelyphitic rims around garnets tend to be Cr-rich while those from veinlets are Cr-poor. Both groups tend to have higher FeO and TiO₂ than the primary group. Micas produced by alteration of, or filling veinlets through, orthopyroxene have a wide compositional range which overlaps that of the primary-textured micas, especially for harzburgite specimens.The primary-textured micas show a positive correlation with coexisting pyroxenes for MgO/(MgO + FeO) and TiO₂, but not for Cr₂O₃. Secondary-textured micas do not show correlations with coexisting pyroxenes for any elements.The ‘primary-metasomatic’ micas described by Harte and Gurney (1975) and metasomatic and other micas described by Boettcher et al. (1979) and Boettcher and O'neil (1979) are richer in FeO and TiO₂ than the present primary-textured micas, and are attributed to crystallization from fractionated fluids.     

新疆萨尔托海糜棱岩化石英菱镁岩元素地球化学特征及其对金成矿作用的贡献

新疆萨尔托海石英菱镁岩产在达拉布特蛇绿混杂岩带中,是蛇纹岩在剪切带深部发生热液交代作用的产物。蛇纹岩先转变为滑石片岩,再进一步转变为石英菱镁岩。石英菱镁岩局部发生剪切变形,形成糜棱岩化石英菱镁岩。与蛇纹岩相比,石英菱镁岩的MgO和SiO_2含量降低,Al_2O_3和CaO含量升高;而糜棱岩化石英菱镁岩的MgO含量较石英菱镁岩降低,Al_2O_3和SiO_2含量较石英菱镁岩升高。微量元素地球化学对比研究表明石英菱镁岩继承了蛇纹岩的微量元素特征;而糜棱岩化石英菱镁岩的微量元素含量较蛇纹岩发生了显著变化,稀土元素、高场强元素和自然金的含量明显升高,指示这些元素在剪切变形过程中发生迁移富集。剪切变形伴随强烈的流体/岩石反应,并导致剪切带流体组成和物理化学性质发生改变,从而影响矿物结晶或分解,并控制微量元素的带入迁出。蛇纹岩转变为石英菱镁岩的过程释放Au,可为糜棱岩化石英菱镁岩中的金矿化提供成矿元素。     

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     

Typomorphic Characteristics of Molybdenite from the Bystrinsky Cu–Au Porphyry–Skarn Deposit,Eastern Transbaikal Region,Russia

The paper presents pioneering data on the composition, texture, and crystal structure of molybdenite from various types of molybdenum mineralization at the Bystrinsky Cu–Au–Fe porphyry–skarn deposit in the eastern Transbaikal region, Russia. The data were obtained using electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Molybdenite found at the deposit in skarn, sulfide-poor quartz veins, and quartz–feldspar alteration markedly differs in the concentrations of trace elements determined by their species in the mineral, as well as in its structural features. Molybdenite-2H from skarn associated with phyllosilicates occurs as ultrafine crystals with uniform shape and texture; no dislocations or inclusions were found but amorphous silica was. The molybdenite composition is highly contrasting in the content and distribution of both structure-related (Re, W, and Se) and other (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ag, Cd, Sb, Te, Ag, Pd, Au, Hg, Pb, and Bi) metals. In the sulfide-poor quartz veins, highly structurally heterogeneous (2H + 3R) molybdenite microcrystals with abundant defects (dislocations and volumetrically distributed inclusions) are associated with illite, goethite, and barite. Some single crystals are unique three-phase (2H + 3R polytypes + amorphous MoS₂). The mineral has a low concentration of all trace elements, which are uniformly distributed. However, individual domains with uniquely high Pd, Te, Ni, Hg, and W concentrations caused by mineral inclusions are found in some grains. Molybdenite from quartz–feldspar alteration is characterized by low concentrations of all trace elements except for Re and Se, which enrich some domains of the grains. Our data indicate that the compositional and structural heterogeneity of molybdenite from the Bystrinsky deposit are its crucial features, which obviously correlate with the types of Mo mineralization.     

The petrogenesis of group 2 ultrapotassic kimberlites from Finsch Mine, South Africa

Major, trace element and radiogenic isotope results are presented for a suite of hypabyssal kimberlites from a single pipe, at the Finsch Mine, South Africa. These are Group 2 kimberlites characterised by abundant phlogopite ± serpentine ± diopside; they are ultrabasic (SiO₂ < 42 wt.%%) and ultrapotassic (K₂O/Na₂O > 6.9) igneous rocks, they exhibit a wide range in major element chemistry with SiO₂ = 27.6−41.9 wt. % and MgO = 10.4−33.4 wt. %. (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i=0.7089 to 0.7106, ε_{Nd is} −6.2 to −9.7 and they have unradiogenic (²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb)_i contents which ensure that they plot below the Pb-ore growth curve. They have high incompatible and compatible element contents, a striking positive array between Y and Nb which indicates that garnet was not involved in the within suite differentiation processes, and a negative trend between K/Nb and Nb contents which suggests that phlogopite was involved. In addition, some elements exhibit an unexpected order of relative incompatibility for different trace elements which suggests that the intra-kimberlite variations are not primarily due to variations in the degree of partial melting. The effects of fractional crystallization are difficult to establish because for the most part they have been masked by the entrainment of 50–60% mantle peridotite. Thus, the Finsch kimberlites are interpreted as mixtures of a melt component and entrained garnet peridotite, with no evidence for significant contamination with crustal material. The melt component was characterised by high incompatible element contents, which require both very small degrees of partial melting, and source regions with higher incompatible element contents than depleted or primitive mantle. Since the melt component was the principal source of incompatible elements in the kimberlite magma, the enriched Nd, Sr and Pb isotope ratios of the kimberlite are characteristic of the melt source region. The melt fractions were therefore derived from ancient, trace elements enriched portions of the upper mantle, most probably situated within the sub-continental mantle lithosphere, and different from the low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr garnet peridotite xenoliths found at Finsch. Within the sub-continental mantle lithosphere old, incompatible element enriched source regions for the kimberlite melt fraction are inferred to have been overlain by depleted mantle material which became entrained in the kimberlite magma.     

Chemical Composition of the Primitive Mantle Source of Peridotite Inclusions at Mount Lianshan, Liuhe County,Jiangsu Province

This paper presents a study of the major and trace element compositions of fresh mantle-derived spinel lherzolite and harzburgite inclusions from Cenozoic alkaline basalt in Mount Lianshan and Mount Panshi, Liuhe County, Jiangsu Province. An estimation is made of the contents of the major elements and some of the trace elements in the primitive mantle source region of the area, from which the authors have obtained MgO/Al2O3= 7.86. The contents of MgO and Al2O3 are also obtained as 37.58% and 4.78% respectively based on the correlation of MgO-Al2O3. Then, the contents of various elements in the primitive mantle are calculated using their regression equations with MgO, and the compositor) of the primitive mantle, a basic issue in geochemistry study, is discussed on that basis.