Model for the Origin and Significance of Microgranular Enclaves in Calc-alkaline Granitoids

The origin and significance of microgranular enclaves as indicatorsof the occurrence of magma mixing and/or mingling episodes betweenbasic magmas and anatectic acid magmas, either I- or S-type,are re-evaluated. A model for studying microgranular enclaveand host rock associations has been developed, based on thegeochemical characteristics and the outcrop relationships observedin microgranular enclave-bearing granitoid suites. The model consists of three main stages, concerning the injection(stage 1), the evolution (stage 2), and the mixing (stage 3)processes that basic magmas experience when injected into anatecticcrustal environments. In stage 1, an acid magma is intrudedby one or more injections of almost completely liquid basicmagma which is hotter and less viscous than the acid magma.The two systems do not mix easily, but remain as discrete entitiesuntil thermal equilibrium and comparable viscosities are reached,and freezing of the basic magma and superheating of the acidmagma are operative along their boundaries. In stage 2, thebasic magma experiences both the physical processes of stretching,convective stirring, and mingling with the acid magma, and thechemical processes of crystal fractionation, and contaminationwith the acid magma (CFC process). Repeated cycles of thesephysical and chemical processes result in the formation of bothmicrogranular enclaves and an evolved liquid which is thermallyequilibrated with the acid magma. Accordingly, microgranularenclaves record the steps of evolution of the basic magma. Instage 3, the evolved products of the basic magma (tonaliticto granodioritic in composition) and the acid magma participatein a two-endmember mixing process which accounts for the geochemicalevolution of granitoid plutons bearing microgranular enclaves. The model sheds new light on the magmatic processes occurringin plutonic environments during the formation of composite batholiths,and also suggests some ideas on the petrogenesis of tonaliticplutons. Finally, the observed scale-independent property ofmicrogranular enclaves suggests that fractal geometry, a relativelynew topic of mathematics, can play a determinant role in theunderstanding of the chaotic flow mechanics of viscous fluids,i.e., the kinematics of the mingling and stretching of basicmagmas.     

Strange attractors in magmas: evidence from lava flows

Magma mixing structures from three different lava flows (Salina, Vulcano and Lesbos) are studied in order to assess the possible chaotic origin of magma mixing processes. Structures are analysed using a new technique based on image analysis procedures that extract time series that are representative of the relative change in composition through the structures. These time series are then used to reconstruct the attractors underlying the magma mixing process and to calculate the fractal dimension of the attractors. Results show that attractors exist and possess fractional dimensions. This evidence suggests that the mixing of magmas is a chaotic process governed by a low number of degrees of freedom. In addition, fractal dimension analyses allows us to discriminate between different regimes of mixing in the three lava flows. In particular our analyses suggest that the lava flow of Salina underwent more turbulent mixing than the lava flows of Lesbos and Vulcano.     

Fractal analysis of mingled/mixed magmas: an example from the Upper Pollara eruption (Salina Island, southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)

Upper Pollara eruption products (13 ka, Salina Island, Italy) include both homogeneous and heterogeneous pumices resulting from mixing/mingling processes between an HK andesite and a high-SiO₂ rhyolite. Representative samples of heterogeneous pumices are collected and analyzed in order to check the correspondence between glass composition and morphological features of the mingling/mixing structures. Image analysis techniques are applied and eight grey color ranges (classes) are extracted from high-resolution scans of pumice. Class 1 (lighter colors) and class 8 (darker colors) show end-member glass compositions, i.e. HK andesite and high-SiO₂ rhyolite, respectively. These two classes show spot- to cluster-like morphological structures. Intermediate classes show an HK dacitic to rhyolitic composition and a banding- to fold-like morphology. Fractal analysis by box-counting of the boundary pattern of eight grey classified images is performed over a length scale of 0.028–1.8 cm. Fractal dimension D is between 1.01 and 1.84. Coupled fractal analysis and geochemical data reveal that D increases as the degree of magma interaction (homogenization) increases. This feature well fits the results from numerical models on the convective mixing of fluids driven by thermal convection. We conclude that the increase of D observed in the Upper Pollara samples reflects the transition from fractal mixing to homogenization. End-member magmas (HK andesite and high-SiO₂ rhyolite) represent isolated mixing regions, while homogenized magmas represent active mixing regions. In the analyzed pumices, isolated and active mixing regions coexist at scales between 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻² m. Morphological and compositional features of the Upper Pollara pumices result from turbulence.     

Interaction of coeval felsic and mafic magmas from the Kanker granite,Pithora region,Bastar Craton,Central India

Field and petrographic studies are carried out to characterize the interactions of mafic and felsic magmas from Pithora region of the northeastern part of the Bastar Craton. The MMEs, syn-plutonic mafic dykes, cuspate contacts, magmatic flow textures, mingling and hybridization suggest the coeval emplacement of end member magmas. Petrographic evidences such as disequilibrium assemblages, resorption textures, quartz ocelli, rapakivi and poikilitic textures suggest magma mingling and mixing phenomena. Such features of mingling and mixing of the felsic and mafic magma manifest the magma chamber processes. Introduction of mafic magmas into the felsic magmas before initiation of crystallization of the latter, results in hybrid magmas under the influence of thermal and chemical exchange. The mechanical exchange occurs between the coexisting magmas due to viscosity contrast, if the mafic magma enters slightly later into the magma chamber, then the felsic magma starts to crystallize. Blobs of mafic magma form as MMEs in the felsic magma and they scatter throughout the pluton due to convection. At a later stage, if mafic magma enters the system after partial crystallization of felsic phase, mechanical interaction between the magmas leads to the formation of fragmented dyke or syn-plutonic mafic dyke. All these features are well-documented in the study area. Field and petrographic evidences suggest that the textural variations from Pithora region of Bastar Craton are the outcome of magma mingling, mixing and hybridization processes.     

Magma mixing versus xenocryst assimilation: The genesis of trachyandesites in Sancy volcano, Massif Central, France

Sr and Nd isotopic compositions have been determined on basaltic and acid trachyandesites (BTA-ATA) from the Sancy volcano (Mont-Dore massif, France). These represent more than 80% of the lavas erupted during its activity between 0.9 and 0.2 Ma. These lavas have been recently interpreted as the result of two-component magma mixing during and after repeated injections of basaltic magmas in trachytic reservoirs. Magmatic heterogeneities in the ATA's (large to small enclaves, banded lavas, megacrysts…) testify to the mingling event. Complete mixing is supposed to have been achieved in the “hybrid” BTA's which contain sanidine, plagioclase and clinopyroxene megacrysts in disequilibrium with their host. The megacrysts are interpreted as relicts of the trachytic end-member. Isotopic data on basic comagmatic enclaves and host ATA matrix samples from three different cycles of mingling (succession of heterogeneous pyroclastics, heterogeneous ATA lava flows or domes and occasionally homogeneous BTA lava flows) are not incompatible with two component mixing but could just reflect the heterogeneity of the analysed samples. However, the BTA's have Sr contents and Sr isotopic ratios which are too high to be simple binary mixing products between the postulated end-members. Three hypotheses are considered to explain this discrepancy: (1) the analysed end-members are not those involved in BTA genesis, (2) some crustal contamination occurred during and after the mixing event, (3) Sr-rich sanidine xenocrysts with radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr have been assimilated and digested in the BTA's. In this third hypothesis that I favour, it is not necessary to resort to magma mixing to explain the genesis of the BTA's: assimilation of xenocrysts by basaltic, hawaiitic or mugearitic magmas accounts for both mineralogical disequilibria and isotopic characteristics of these lavas.     

浙东晚白垩世酸性岩浆的自混合作用及其意义

岩浆混合作用是造成火成岩多样性的主要原因之一,也是诱发火山喷发的重要机制。以往的研究多集中于基性和酸性岩浆之间的混合作用,但近年来酸性岩浆之间的混合作用受到越来越多的关注和研究。本文报道了浙东小雄破火山一个次级火山口内粗面质和流纹质两种酸性岩浆之间的混合现象。野外调查及岩相学研究显示,粗面质岩浆多呈大小不一的条带状以及透镜体状分布于流纹质岩浆内,局部发生扩散,粗面岩中斑晶大多为粗大的正长石斑晶,强烈熔蚀且聚斑结构普遍;在副矿物聚晶(由钛磁铁矿+磷灰石+锆石组成)的周围常可见反应边结构。流纹岩的斑晶主要由正长石、透长石及石英组成,晶体粒径较小,且熔蚀现象不发育。全岩主、微量元素特征及其他地质证据均显示,两种酸性岩浆之间以机械混合为主,其地球化学成分变化趋势主要受结晶分异过程控制。粗面质及流纹质岩浆在矿物组成、结构等方面的差异表明两者来源于同一层状岩浆房内的不同部位,其中粗面质岩浆应代表岩浆房底部及边部富晶体、贫熔体的粥状层部分(正长石+磁钛铁矿+锆石+磷灰石);而分异程度较高的流纹质岩浆则聚集于岩浆房上部形成富熔体、贫晶体的部分。两种酸性岩浆的混合现象是它们在地壳浅部层状岩浆房内自混合的结果,这一过程可能受岩浆房底部基性岩浆的聚集作用所控制,当更热、更基性的岩浆聚集时,岩浆房下部晶粥区内的粗面质岩浆迅速升温、活化,从而向上运移并与上部富熔体贫晶体的流纹质岩浆发生自混合作用。这一发现为我们理解中国东南沿海地区晚中生代大规模酸性火山喷发及岩浆演化机制、岩浆房结构提供了重要的参考,同时也为认识地壳浅部岩浆房内岩浆之间的自混合作用提供了可靠的例证。     

Petrological and geochronological constraints on the origin of the Palimé–Amlamé granitoids (South Togo, West Africa): A segment of the West African Craton Paleoproterozoic margin reactivated during the Pan-African collision

The Palimé–Amlamé Pluton (PAP) in southern Togo, consists of silica-rich to intermediate granitoids including enclaves of mafic igneous rocks and of gneisses. They are commonly called the “anatectic complex of Palimé–Amlamé” and without any convincing data, they were interpreted either as synkinematic Pan-African granitoids or as reworked pre Pan-African plutons. New field and petrological observations, mineral and whole-rock chemical analyses together with U–Pb zircon dating, have been performed to evaluate the geodynamic significance of the PAP within the Pan-African orogenic belt. With regard to these new data, the granitoids and related enclaves probably result from mixing and mingling processes between mafic and silicic magmas from respectively mantle and lower crust sources. They display Mg–calc-alkaline chemical features and present some similarities with Late Archaean granites such as transitional (K-rich) TTGs and sanukitoids.

The 2127 ± 2 Ma age obtained from a precise U/Pb concordia on zircon, points out a Paleoproterozoic age for the magma crystallization and a lower intercept at 625 ± 29 Ma interpreted as rejuvenation during Pan-African tectonics and metamorphism. Based on these results, a Pan-African syn to late orogenic setting for the PAP, i.e. the so-called “anatectic complex of Palimé–Amlamé”, can be definitively ruled out. Moreover according to its location within the nappe pile and its relationships with the suture zone, the PAP probably represents a fragment of the West African Craton reactivated during the Pan-African collision.     

Zircon chemistry and magma mixing, SE China: In-situ analysis of Hf isotopes, Tonglu and Pingtan igneous complexes

Field relations and whole-rock geochemistry indicate that magma mixing has been important in the genesis of the late Mesozoic I-type igneous complexes at Pingtan and Tonglu in SE China. Morphological and trace-element studies of zircon populations in rocks from each of these complexes have defined several distinct growth stages [Mineral. Mag. (2001)]. In-situ LAM-MC-ICPMS microanalysis shows large variations in ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf (up to 15 _Hf units) between zircons of different growth stages within a single rock, and between zones within single zircon grains (up to 9 _Hf units). These variations suggest that each of the observed magmas in both complexes developed through hybridisation of ≥2 magmas with different sources. Although this mixing has produced similar Sr and Nd isotopic compositions in the different rock types of each complex, the zircons have functioned as “tape recorders” and have preserved details of the assembly of the different magmas.

In the Tonglu complex the most primitive magma is a mafic monzonite (preserved as enclaves), whose isotopic composition suggests derivation from the lower crust; rhyodacites, rhyolites and quartz diorites reflect the mixing of the monzonite with ≥2 more felsic magmas, derived from older crustal materials. In the Pingtan complex, zircons in a quartz diorite enclave suggest mixing between a crustal magma and a more primitive mantle-derived component. Zircons from granites and granodiorite enclaves indicate mixing between the quartz diorite and more felsic melts with lower ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf. Major changes in ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf correlate with discontinuous changes in the trace-element composition and morphology of the zircons, in particular the development of sector zoning that suggests rapid disequilibrium crystallisation. We suggest that the magma mixing recorded by the changes in ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf occurred during transport in magma conduits. The in-situ analysis of Hf-isotopic stratigraphy in zircons is a new and powerful tool for the detailed study of magma generation processes.     

A virtual voyage through 3D structures generated by chaotic mixing of magmas and numerical simulations: a new approach for understanding spatial and temporal complexity of magma dynamics

In this contribution, we present a virtual voyage through 3D structures generated by chaotic mixing of magmas and numerical simulations with the aim to highlight the power of 3D representations in the understanding of this geological phenomenon. In particular, samples of mixed juveniles from Salina island (Southern Italy) are reconstructed in 3D by serial lapping and digital montage and numerical simulations are performed by using a 3D chaotic dynamical system. Natural and simulated magma mixing structures are visualized by using several multimedia tools including animations and “virtual reality” models. It is shown that magma interaction processes can generate large spatial and temporal compositional heterogeneities in magmatic systems. The same topological structures are observed in both 3D reconstructed rock samples and chaotic numerical simulations, indicating that the mixing of magmas is governed by chaotic dynamics. The use of 3D multimedia models gives the opportunity to penetrate into magma mixing structures and to understand their significance in the context of magma dynamics. Such an approach is very powerful since multimedia tools can strongly capture the attention of the reader bringing him/her into an interactive and memorable geological experience. Electronic supplementary material  enclosed:     

内蒙古沙德盖花岗岩岩浆混合作用:岩相学、矿物化学和年代学证据

华北地台北缘乌拉山地区的沙德盖钾长花岗岩体中普遍发育以二长岩为主的暗色微粒包体,包体具塑性流变特征,与寄主岩的接触界线或为截然或为渐变过渡。岩相学观察表明,包体中发育多种反映岩浆混合作用的典型组构,如石英眼斑、环斑长石、镁铁质团块、钾长石巨晶的溶蚀、磷灰石的针柱状形貌、长石中的包体带以及钙长石的"针尖"结构等。造岩矿物的电子探针分析表明,岩浆混合在沙德盖岩体的形成中起了重要作用,寄主花岗岩浆主要来自下地壳,而暗色包体岩浆则主要为地幔来源。锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb同位素定年结果显示,沙德盖花岗岩及其暗色微粒包体的形成时代基本一致,分别为233.4±2.3Ma和229.7±1.5Ma(中三叠世),进一步佐证了该岩体是岩浆混合作用的产物。研究认为,当铁镁质岩浆与长英质岩浆混合时,早期基性岩浆的快速淬冷形成了边界清楚、具明显冷凝边且暗色矿物含量较高的包体;随着两种不同成分岩浆之间温差的减小以及组分的交换,进一步形成了颜色较浅、边界渐变过渡和无明显冷凝边的包体。     

Enhancement of magma mixing efficiency by chaotic dynamics: an experimental study

Magma mixing is common in the Earth. Understanding the dynamics of the mixing process is necessary for dealing with the likely consequences of mixing events in the petrogenesis of igneous rocks and the physics of volcanic eruptive triggers. Here, a new apparatus has been developed in order to perform chaotic mixing experiments in systems of melts with high viscosity contrast. The apparatus consists of an outer and an inner cylinder, which can be independently rotated at finite strains to generate chaotic streamlines. The two cylinder axes are offset. Experiments have been performed for ca. 2 h, at 1,400°C under laminar fluid dynamic conditions (Re ~ 10⁻⁷). Two end-member silicate melt compositions were synthesized: (1) a peralkaline haplogranite and (2) a haplobasalt. The viscosity ratio between these two melts was of the order of 10³. Optical analysis of post-experimental samples reveals a complex pattern of mingled filaments forming a scale-invariant (i.e. fractal) distribution down to the μm-scale, as commonly observed in natural samples. This is due to the development in space and time of stretching and folding of the two melts. Chemical analysis shows strong non-linear correlations in inter-elemental plots. The original end-member compositions have nearly entirely disappeared from the filaments. The generation of thin layers of widely compositionally contrasting interfaces strongly enhances chemical diffusion producing a remarkable modulation of compositional fields over a short-length scale. Notably, diffusive fractionation generates highly heterogeneous pockets of melt, in which depletion or enrichment of chemical elements occur, depending on their potential to spread via chemical diffusion within the magma mixing system. Results presented in this work offer new insights into the complexity of processes expected to be operating during magma mixing and may have important petrological implications. In particular: (1) it is shown that, in contrast with current thinking, rheologically contrasting magmas can mix (i.e. with large proportions of felsic magmas and high viscosity ratios), thus extending significantly the spectrum of geological conditions under which magma mixing processes can occur efficiently; (2) the mixing process cannot be modeled using the classical linear two-end-member mixing model; and (3) the chemical compositions on short-length scales represent snapshots within the process of mixing and therefore may not reflect the final composition of the magmatic system. This study implies that microanalysis on short-length scales may provide misleading information on the parental composition of magmas.     

Magma mixing and mingling textures in granitoids: examples from the Galway Granite, Connemara, Ireland

Summary ?Many granitoid intrusions display textural evidence for the interaction of mafic and silicic magmas during their genesis. The ∼ 400 Ma Galway Granite exhibits excellent evidence for magma mixing and mingling both at outcrop/map scale (magma mingling and mixing zones), and at thin-section/crystal scale (mixing textures). These textures – quartz ocelli, rapakivi feldspars, acicular and mixed apatite morphologies, inclusion zones in feldspars, anorthite ‘spikes’ in plagioclase, sphene ocelli, K-feldspar megacrysts in mafic microgranular enclaves (MME), and mafic clots – constitute a textural assemblage whose origin can be explained in terms of magma mixing and mingling models. Furthermore, textures from this assemblage have been recorded throughout the Galway batholith indicating that magma mingling and mixing played a key role during its evolution. Received November 18, 2000; revised version accepted November 6, 2001     

Petrochemical evidence of magma mingling and mixing in the Tertiary monzogabbroic stocks around the Bafra (Samsun) area in Turkey: implications of coeval mafic and felsic magma interactions

Miocene aged calc-alkaline mafic host stocks (monzogabbro) and felsic microgranular enclaves (monzosyenite) around the Bafra (Samsun) area within Tertiary volcanic and sedimentary units of the Eastern Pontides, Northeast Turkey are described for the first time in this paper. The felsic enclaves are medium to fine grained, and occur in various shapes such as, elongated, spherical to ellipsoidal, flame and/or rounded. Most enclaves show sharp and gradational contacts with the host monzogabbro, and also show distinct chilled margins in the small enclaves, indicating rapid cooling. In the host rocks, disequilibrium textures indicating mingling or mixing of coeval mafic and felsic magmas are common, such as, poikilitic and antirapakivi textures in feldspar phenocrysts, sieve textured-patchy-rounded and corroded plagioclases, clinopyroxene megacrysts mantled by bladed biotites, clinopyroxene rimmed by green hornblendes, dissolution in clinopyroxene, bladed biotite, and acicular apatite. The petrographical and geochemical contrasts between the felsic enclaves and host monzogabbros may partly be due to a consequence of extended interaction between coeval felsic and mafic magmas by mixing/mingling and diffusion. Whole-rock and Sr-Nd isotopic data suggests that the mafic host rocks and felsic enclaves are products of modified mantle-derived magmas. Moreover, the felsic magma was at near liquidus conditions when injected into the mafic host magma, and that the mafic intrusion reflects a hybrid product formed due to the mingling and partial (incomplete) mixing of these two magmas.     

Coeval felsic and Mafic Magmas in neoarchean calc-alkaline magmatic arcs,Dharwar craton,Southern India: Field and petrographic evidence from mafic to Hybrid magmatic enclaves and synplutonic Mafic dykes

We present field and petrographic data on Mafic Magmatic Enclaves (MME), hybrid enclaves and synplutonic mafic dykes in the calc-alkaline granitoid plutons from the Dharwar craton to characterize coeval felsic and mafic magmas including interaction of mafic and felsic magmas. The composite host granitoids comprise of voluminous juvenile intrusive facies and minor anatectic facies. MME, hybrid enclaves and synplutonic mafic dykes are common but more abundant along the marginal zone of individual plutons. Circular to ellipsoidal MME are fine to medium grained with occasional chilled margins and frequently contain small alkali feldspar xenocrysts incorporated from host. Hybrid magmatic enclaves are intermediate in composition showing sharp to diffused contacts with adjoining host. Spectacular synplutonic mafic dykes commonly occur as fragmented dykes with necking and back veining. Similar magmatic textures of mafic rocks and their felsic host together with cuspate contacts, magmatic flow structures, mixing, mingling and hybridization suggest their coeval nature. Petrographic evidences such as disequilibrium assemblages, resorption, quartz ocelli, rapakivi-like texture and poikilitically enclosed alkali feldspar in amphibole and plagioclase suggest interaction, mixing/mingling of mafic and felsic magmas. Combined field and petrographic evidences reveal convection and divergent flow in the host magma chamber following the introduction of mafic magmas. Mixing occurs when mafic magma is introduced into host felsic magma before initiation of crystallization leading to formation of hybrid magma under the influence of convection. On the other hand when mafic magmas inject into host magma containing 30–40% crystals, the viscosities of the two magmas are sufficiently different to permit mixing but permit only mingling. Finally, if the mafic magmas are injected when felsic host was largely crystallized (~70% or more crystals), they fill early fractures and interact with the last residual liquids locally resulting in fragmented dykes. The latent heat associated with these mafic injections probably cause reversal of crystallization of adjoining host in magma chamber resulting in back veining in synplutonic mafic dykes. Our field data suggest that substantial volume of mafic magmas were injected into host magma chamber during different stages of crystallization. The origin of mafic magmas may be attributed to decompression melting of mantle associated with development of mantle scale fractures as a consequence of crystallization of voluminous felsic magmas in magma chambers at deep crustal levels.     

Nd and Sr isotope signatures of the Khibina and Lovozero agpaitic centres, Kola Alkaline province, Russia

Nd and Sr compositions of the highly evolved agpaitic nepheline syenites and associated ijolites and carbonatites from the Khibina and the Lovozero alkaline centres define three magma sources. Isotopes of the voluminous nepheline syenites and ijolites of Khibina intrusions III, IV, V, VI and VII as well as of nepheline syenites of Lovozero lie on the Kola Carbonatite Mixing Line which is close to the “mantle array” defined by the components “bulk earth” and “prema” on a Sr---Nd plot. The Khibina carbonatites and associated silicate rocks of intrusion VIII, which have more radiogenic Sr, did not evolve from the same parent magma as the nepheline syenites.

Isotopic constraints exclude a pre-enrichment of Rb, Sr, Sm and Nd in the lithospheric mantle below Kola over more than 10 Ma prior to the crystallization of the magmas. A formation of the melts involving major participation of the Precambrian crust of the Baltic Shield is also excluded.

The lack of significant Eu anomalies in the Lovozero nepheline syenites gives evidence that the agpaitic magmas in the Kola region did not form from basaltic liquids by fractional crystallization of plagioclase or anorthoclase at crustal levels. A formation from nephelinite or nepheline benmoreite magmas at mantle pressures is more likely, possibly by dynamic flow crystallization.

Enrichment factors suggest that large-ion lithophile and high field-strength elements as Ta, La, Nb and Zr, which are highly concentrated in the agpaites, were scavenged from mantle volumes of some 100,000 km³. An enrichment of these elements prior to magma formation may have been performed by volatile transfer.

The well-defined whole-rock isochrons of the Khibina III–VII and the Lovozero agpaites of c. 370 Ma date the magma separation for the different intrusion, if these melts are cogenetic and formed by fractional crystallization in a Khibina and a Lovozero magma chamber. If, however, Rb and Sr were collected by a process of volatile transfer, and the initial Sr isotopic compositions of the two distinguished agpaite suites are, therefore, averages of the sampled mantle volumes, the Rb---Sr whole-rock isochron ages of c. 370 Ma would date this process of element collection. The concordance of the whole-rock ages with the mineral ages of Khibina and Lovozero samples is then further evidence for the short period between magma genesis, intrusion and crystallization.     

Mixing between granitic and dioritic crystal mushes, Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK

The contact zone between the Cobo Granite and Bordeaux Diorite Complex of Guernsey (Channel Islands, UK) displays numerous features which result from the interaction of these two penecontemporaneously emplaced intermediate to felsic magmas. Initial interaction resulted in the formation of chilled mafic enclaves in granite magma. As thermal equilibrium was approached, some physical mixing took place to produce a heterogeneous “Marginal Facies”. Continued interaction resulted in incorporation of previously mixed magma into intruding magma. The early mixed material is locally preserved as enclaves, but more commonly underwent disaggregation promoted by its incompletely crystallised nature, the mineral components becoming distributed as xenocrysts and often as microenclaves, or glomeroxenocrysts, into surrounding magma. Further modification within the contact zone was brought about by the infiltration of melt through the interconnected pore space of the magma mushes on the scale of centimetres to hundreds of metres. These processes produced geochemical profiles which do not exhibit perfect mixing trends. The petrographic and geochemical features described not only demonstrate the efficacy of mixing between partially crystallised magma mushes of broadly similar composition, but also provide criteria by which such interaction may be recognised elsewhere. Many features, in particular mineral scale disequilibria and small scale modal heterogeneity, bear striking similarities to those which occur widely in granite plutons where obvious evidence for magma mixing is absent. As such, it is possible that many granite bodies preserve a subtle record of hitherto overlooked mixing events.     

Revisiting problem of chilled margins associated with marginal reversals in mafic–ultramafic intrusive bodies

Numerous observations on mafic–ultramafic layered intrusions, sills and dykes show that chilled margins always develop as an integral part of their marginal reversals and possess the following features: (a) they are commonly much more evolved or primitive than bulk intrusion compositions, (b) evolved chilled margins are composed of the low temperature cotectic assemblages of relevant magmatic systems and (c) tend to be compositionally similar in intrusions formed from different parental magmas, (d) fine-grained chilled margins are notably absent in many intrusions, with contact rocks being represented by medium- to coarse-grained cumulates. The anomalous features of chilled margins can be partly attributed to contamination, intratelluric inhomogeneity of magma, changes in composition of intruding magma, loss of magma from the chamber, supercooling, etc. A major process still remains, however, illusive, but appears to be universally operating along the cooling margins of magmatic bodies in a liquid state, being gravity-independent and temperature gradient-driven. We recognize this not yet specified process as Soret fractionation and explain the above observations in the following way. Primary chilled margins do not commonly survive because of intensive remelting by heat flux from the interior of the chamber. The subsequently formed “secondary chilled margins” represent cumulates that crystallized from liquids produced by temperature gradient-driven Soret fractionation. At high temperature gradients the process tends to produce similar cotectic liquids crystallizing gabbronorite (or gabbro) from all parental magmas of a given magmatic system, resulting in compositionally similar “secondary chilled margins” that are more evolved than bulk compositions. At low temperature gradients the process produces liquids that are only slightly more fractionated than the parental magma and form “secondary chilled margins” that are more primitive than bulk compositions. This interpretation suggests that, apart from the rare cases of chilled margins that survived remelting, they should not be used as monitors for parental magma compositions of intrusive bodies, even if all conventional complicating factors were not operative.     

Synplutonic mafic dykes from late Archaean granitoids in the Eastern Dharwar Craton,southern India

We present a first overview of the synplutonic mafic dykes (mafic injections) from the 2.56–2.52 Ga calcalkaline to potassic plutons in the Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC). The host plutons comprise voluminous intrusive facies (dark grey clinopyroxene-amphibole rich monzodiorite and quartz monzonite, pinkish grey porphyritic monzogranite and grey granodiorite) located in the central part of individual pluton, whilst subordinate anatectic facies (light grey and pink granite) confined to the periphery. The enclaves found in the plutons include highly angular screens of xenoliths of the basement, rounded to pillowed mafic magmatic enclaves (MME) and most spectacular synplutonic mafic dykes. The similar textures of MME and adjoining synplutonic mafic dykes together with their spatial association and occasional transition of MME to dismembered synplutonic mafic dykes imply a genetic link between them. The synplutonic dykes occur in varying dimension ranging from a few centimeter width upto 200 meters width and are generally dismembered or disrupted and rarely continuous. Necking of dyke along its length and back veining of more leucocratic variant of the host is common feature. They show lobate as well as sharp contacts with chilled margins suggesting their injection during different stages of crystallization of host plutons in magma chamber. Local interaction, mixing and mingling processes are documented in all the studied crustal corridors in the EDC. The observed mixing, mingling, partial hybridization, MME and emplacement of synplutonic mafic dykes can be explained by four stage processes: (1) Mafic magma injected during very early stage of crystallization of host felsic magma, mixing of mafic and felsic host magma results in hybridization with occasional MME; (2) Mafic magma introduced slightly later, the viscosities of two magmas may be different and permit only mingling where by each component retain their identity; (3) When mafic magma injected into crystallizing granitic host magma with significant crystal content, the mafic magma is channeled into early fractures and form dismembered synplutonic mafic dykes and (4) Mafic injections enter into largely crystallized (>80% crystals) granitic host results in continuous dykes with sharp contacts. The origin of mafic magmas may be related to development of fractures to mantle depth during crystallization of host magmas which results in the decompression melting of mantle source. The resultant hot mafic melts with low viscosity rise rapidly into the crystallizing host magma chamber where they interact depending upon the crystallinity and viscosity of the host. These hot mafic injections locally cause reversal of crystallization of the felsic host and induce melting and resultant melts in turn penetrate the crystallizing mafic body as back veining. Field chronology indicates injection of mafic magmas is synchronous with emplacement of anatectic melts and slightly predates the 2.5 Ga metamorphic event which affected the whole Archaean crust. The injection of mafic magmas into the crystallizing host plutons forms the terminal Archaean magmatic event and spatially associated with reworking and cratonization of Archaean crust in the EDC.     

Strong, localised country-rock contamination and partial homogenisation of a mafic magma: An example from west central Sweden

A dolerite sill cutting slightly older basalt in west-central Sweden shows a strong chemical variation (54% < SiO₂ < 73%) within a restricted area (< 100 × 100 m²). The linear correlation among almost all elements is extremely high; in addition, _NdT is strongly correlated with the SiO₂ content. Least-square hyperbolic-ratio and three-element ratio modelling (common denominator) suggests that most of the chemical variation is explained by mixing and/or micro-mingling. In all, we test 407 hyperbolas, of which 402 are fitted. The five ratio pairs, which could not be fitted to a hyperbola using a least-square fitting procedure, have the ratio Th / Eu in common. Testing the goodness of fit is problematic for hyperbolic distributions; for comparing purposes we sum the distances to chords approximating the hyperbola. Mobile and immobile elements behave similarly, suggesting that no elements are lost or added from outside the system. The data suggests that already the most mafic of the analysed rocks is a mixture of the ‘normal’ dolerite and a siliceous crustal rock. A mafic magma intruded into the base of the crust, where it fractionated resulting in a decreased Mg number. The magma was then contaminated with country rocks in an intermediate magma chamber due to country rock melting; during mixing/mingling almost no fractionation took place. The contaminated rock suggests the presence of a fluid phase. This was probably a prerequisite for country-rock melting. Enrichment in some incompatible elements suggests that besides major mixing/mingling a thermochemical separation process has affected the most felsic rock enriching it in light rare earths and Zr.     

Late proterozoic and Carboniferous ultramafic magmatism of carbonatitic affinity in southern Norway

Ultramafic dikes with carbonatitic affinities (“damtjernites”) in southern Norway were generated during two magmatic events separated by about 275 Ma. The older event is late Proterozoic and the younger is mid Carboniferous.

More than 50 satellitic damtjernite intrusions occur within a 1500 km² large region surrounding the Fen Central Complex. Phlogopite macrocrysts from 10 of these satellites yield a Rb---Sr isochron age of 578±24 Ma (2σ expanded errors). This demonstrates that the late Proterozoic carbonatitic magmatism centered at the Fen Central Complex occurred on a regional scale. This region is termed “the Fen Province”. The emplacement of the magmas in the Fen Province most likely occurred in connection with minor extensional tectonic activity on the Baltic platform during the drift-phase after the Proto-Atlantic opening.

Sr-isotopic data also show that a dike mineralogically and chemically similar to the Fen damtjernites was emplaced at 324±4 Ma (mid Carboniferous). This dike very likely dates the initiation of magmatism in the Oslo rift. Consequently very similar carbonate-bearing ultramafic magmas were generated within the south Norwegian mantle during the relatively minor Fen event and in the initial extensional period when the magma production in the Oslo rift was still low.