Petrology of gabbroic xenoliths in 1960 Kilauea basalt: crystalline remnants of prior (1955) magmatism

The 1960 Kapoho lavas of Kilauea’s east rift zone contain 1–10 cm xenoliths of olivine gabbro, olivine gabbro-norite, and gabbro norite. Textures are poikilitic (ol+sp+cpx in pl) and intergranular (cpx+pl±ol±opx). Poikilitic xenoliths, which we interpret as cumulates, have the most primitive mineral compositions, Fo_82.5, cpx Mg# 86.5, and An_80.5. Many granular xenoliths (ol and noritic gabbro) contain abundant vesicular glass that gives them intersertal, hyaloophitic, and overall ‘open’ textures to suggest that they represent ‘mush’ and ‘crust’ of a magma crystallization environment. Their phase compositions are more evolved (Fo_80–70, cpx Mg# 82–75, and An_73–63) than those of the poikilitic xenoliths. Associated glass is basaltic, but evolved (MgO 5 wt%; TiO₂ 3.7–5.8 wt%). The gabbroic xenolith mineral compositions fit existing fractional crystallization models that relate the origins of various Kilauea lavas to one another. FeO/MgO crystal–liquid partitioning is consistent with the poikilitic ol-gabbro assemblage forming as a crystallization product from Kilauea summit magma with ∼8 wt% MgO that was parental to evolved lavas on the east rift zone. For example, least squares calculations link summit magmas to early 1955 rift-zone lavas (∼5 wt% MgO) through ∼28–34% crystallization of the ol+sp+cpx+pl that comprise the poikilitic ol-gabbros. The other ol-gabbro assemblages and the olivine gabbro-norite assemblages crystallized from evolved liquids, such as represented by the early 1955 and late 1955 lavas (∼6.5 wt% MgO) of the east rift zone. The eruption of 1960 Kapoho magmas, then, scoured the rift-zone reservoir system to entrain portions of cumulate and solidification zones that had coated reservoir margins during crystallization of prior east rift-zone magmas. Received: January 7, 1993/Accepted: November 23, 1993     

A Study of REE and Pb,Sr and Nd Isotopes in Garnet—Lherzolite Xenoliths from Mingxi,Fujian Province

The REE and Pb, Sr, Nd isotopes in three xenoliths from limburgite and scoria-breccias, including spinel-lherzolite, spinel-garnet-lherzolite and phlogopite-gamet-lherzolite, were analysed. The REE contents of the xenoliths are 1.3 to 3.3 times those of the chondrites with their REE patterns characterized by weak LREE depletion. The¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd values of whole rocks and minerals range from 0.51306 to 0.51345 with εNd=+ 8.2− +15.8,²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴ Pb < 18.673, and²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb < 15.574. All this goes to show that the upper mantle in Mingxi at the depth of 67–82 km is a depleted mantle of MORB type, with⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶ Sr ratios 0.70237–0.70390. In Nd-Sr diagram the data points of whole rocks are all out of the mantle array, implying that the xenoliths from Mingxi have more radiogenic Sr isotopes than those of the mantle array.     

宁乡县云影窝含金刚石钾镁煌斑岩地质特征

宁乡云影窝地区,共发现钾镁煌斑岩体27个,其中岩管6个。可分为岩浆型和火山碎屑型两个岩相,金云透辉橄榄钾镁煌斑岩、透辉金云橄榄钾镁煌斑岩及钾镁煌斑岩质火山角砾岩、钾镁煌斑岩质碎屑角砾岩四种类型.Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅴ号岩管含微粒金刚石。共发现××颗。这一发现,标志着湖南原生金刚石普查找矿已取得重大进展。     

Zircon geochronology and geochemistry of mafic xenoliths from Liaoning kimberlites:Track the early evolution of the lower crust,North China Craton

Since the formation of the primal nucleus at 3.8Ga[1], the North China had underwent the multi-cycle geologic processes such as arc accretion[2—4] andrift[5—7], and finally accomplished the craton[8] aroundat 1.8 Ga[2,3,9]. Paleozoic Fuxian kimberlites (LiaoningProvince) contain not only abundant peridotitic butalso mafic xenoliths. The investigation on peridotiticxenoliths indicted that the North China Craton hadcold and thick lithospheric root in the middle Ordovi-cian. The deep part o…     

Near-Ultrahigh Pressure Processing of Continental Crust: Miocene Crustal Xenoliths from the Pamir

Xenoliths of subducted crustal origin hosted by Miocene ultrapotassicigneous rocks in the southern Pamir provide important new informationregarding the geological processes accompanying tectonism duringthe Indo-Eurasian collision. Four types have been studied: sanidineeclogites (omphacite, garnet, sanidine, quartz, biotite, kyanite),felsic granulites (garnet, quartz, sanidine and kyanite), basalticeclogites (omphacite and garnet), and a glimmerite (biotite,clinopyroxene and sanidine). Apatite, rutile and carbonate arethe most abundant minor phases. Hydrous phases (biotite andphengite in felsic granulites and basaltic eclogites, amphibolesin mafic and sanidine eclogites) and plagioclase form minorinclusions in garnet or kyanite. Solid-phase thermobarometryreveals recrystallization at mainly ultrahigh temperatures of1000–1100°C and near-ultrahigh pressures of 2·5–2·8GPa. Textures, parageneses and mineral compositions suggestderivation of the xenoliths from subducted basaltic, tonaliticand pelitic crust that experienced high-pressure dehydrationmelting, K-rich metasomatism, and solid-state re-equilibration.The timing of these processes is constrained by zircon agesfrom the xenoliths and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of the host volcanic rocksto 57–11 Ma. These xenoliths reveal that deeply subductedcrust may undergo extensive dehydration-driven partial melting,density-driven differentiation and disaggregation, and sequestrationwithin the mantle. These processes may also contribute to thealkaline volcanism observed in continent-collision zones. KEY WORDS: xenolith; high-pressure; subduction; Pamir; Tibet     

Fractionation of platinum group elements in upper mantle: Evidence from peridotite xenoliths from Wangqing

The peridotite xenoliths from Wangqing display a downward-concave PGE pattern with Pt at maximum due to Pt-Pd fractionation, which is different from the flat or negatively sloped patterns commonly observed for worldwide peridotite xenoliths and massifs. Taking into account the difference in partition coefficients of Pt and Pd between alloy and sulfide melt, it is suggested that some of the Wangqing peridotites must have been equilibrated with a melt in which alloy and sulfide coexisted. Segregation of Pt-rich alloy from Pd-sulfide melts due to density contrast and extraction of residual melts without sulfide saturation resulted in the fractionation of Pt from Pd. Project supported by the Ministry of Human Affairs and a part of an international collaboration program between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France), and Australian Institute of Nuclear Sciences and Engineering (AINSE) grant to SJR.     

海南岛昌江灰色片麻岩包体及其地球化学特征

灰色片麻岩包体出露于海南岛昌江中元古代花岗质岩石中,主要由花岗闪长质-英云间长质片麻岩及其糜棱岩组成,遭受过强烈的剪切作用和变质作用,野外产出与岩石矿物学特点及其地球化学特征均表明灰色片麻岩是正片麻岩,是以片麻岩形式存在的高Al型英云间长岩-花岗间长岩深成岩体。具有轻稀土富集型和轻稀土亏损型两种分配模式,岩石成因复杂,其Nd模式年龄为2735～2791Ma,说明海南岛存在太古宙古陆壳。||关键词##4灰色片麻岩包体;;英云间长岩-花岗间长岩;;地球化学特征;;海南昌江     

Rheological Regime of the Upper Mantle beneath the Taiwan Strait and Its Tectonic Significance1

Abstract This paper deals with deformation textures and fabrics of mantle-derived xenoliths and dislocation microstructures of olivine in the upper mantle in the Penghu Islands, Taiwan. According to the calculation of the chemical composition of xenolith minerals (pyroxene), the equilibrium temperatures and pressures were 986-1116°C and 1.50-2.60 GPa, respectively. Deformation events in the upper mantle may fall into three sequences: (1) uniform steady-state flow deformation with high temperatures and low stresses, (2) shear flow deformation with high temperatures and relatively high stresses on diapiric margins of the upper mantle, and (3) extraction deformation of {110} glide bands with low temperatures and high strain rates. Deformation events and thermal structure of the upper mantle in the study area show that eastern Fujian and the Penghu Islands are characterized by very similar rheological properties of the upper mantle. Volcanism of basalts in the Penghu Islands is related to hot spots of the upper mantle under neath the Taiwan Strait, and diapirism and upwelling of the upper mantle are the dominant factors responsible for rifting of the continental margins in eastern China.     

Petrology of a new basalt occurrence in Hungary

Summary A new occurrence of basalt (minimum K/Ar age 57.9 ± 2.2 m.y.) is reported from Budaliget, near Budapest. Major and minor element concentrations show that the basalts are alkaline and potassic in nature ranging from olivine tholeiite to moderately undersaturated basanite. High mg-values and concentrations of Ni and Cr indicate that some of the samples may represent primary compositions. High pressure accidental xenoliths, xenocrysts and cognate megacrysts are frequent and the chemical zoning patterns of olivine and pyroxene phenocrysts indicate a complex evolution and polibaric conditions for the crystallization. The discovery of the new basalt occurrence is important from a geodynamical point of view: prior to the last two major geodynamical events (Plio-Pleistocene rifting with associated alkali basaltic volcanism and collision of microplates with associated Miocene calk-alkaline volcanism) the continental lithosphere below NE Transdanubia may have experienced another rifting period in the Paleocene or Upper Cretaceous.With 7 Figures     

The Homestead kimberlite, central Montana, USA: mineralogy, xenocrysts, and upper-mantle xenoliths

The Homestead kimberlite was emplaced in lower Cretaceous marine shale and siltstone in the Grassrange area of central Montana. The Grassrange area includes aillikite, alnoite, carbonatite, kimberlite, and monchiquite and is situated within the Archean Wyoming craton. The kimberlite contains 25–30 modal% olivine as xenocrysts and phenocrysts in a matrix of phlogopite, monticellite, diopside, serpentine, chlorite, hydrous Ca–Al–Na silicates, perovskite, and spinel. The rock is kimberlite based on mineralogy, the presence of atoll-textured groundmass spinels, and kimberlitic core-rim zoning of groundmass spinels and groundmass phlogopites.

Garnet xenocrysts are mainly Cr-pyropes, of which 2–12% are G10 compositions, crustal almandines are rare and eclogitic garnets are absent. Spinel xenocrysts have MgO and Cr₂O₃ contents ranging into the diamond inclusion field. Mg-ilmenite xenocrysts contain 7–11 wt.% MgO and 0.8–1.9 wt.% Cr₂O₃, with (Fe⁺³/Fe^tot) from 0.17–0.31. Olivine is the only obvious megacryst mineral present. One microdiamond was recovered from caustic fusion of a 45-kg sample.

Upper-mantle xenoliths up to 70 cm size are abundant and are some of the largest known garnet peridotite xenoliths in North America. The xenolith suite is dominated by dunites, and harzburgites containing garnet and/or spinel. Granulites are rare and eclogites are absent. Among 153 xenoliths, 7% are lherzolites, 61% are harzburgites, 31% are dunites, and 1% are orthopyroxenites. Three of 30 peridotite xenoliths that were analysed are low-Ca garnet–spinel harzburgites containing G10 garnets. Xenolith textures are mainly coarse granular, and only 5% are porphyroclastic.

Xenolith modal mineralogy and mineral compositions indicate ancient major-element depletion as observed in other Wyoming craton xenolith assemblages, followed by younger enrichment events evidenced by tectonized or undeformed veins of orthopyroxenite, clinopyroxenite, websterite, and the presence of phlogopite-bearing veins and disseminated phlogopite. Phlogopite-bearing veins may represent kimberlite-related addition and/or earlier K-metasomatism.

Xenolith thermobarometry using published two-pyroxene and Al-in-opx methods suggest that garnet–spinel peridotites are derived from 1180 to 1390 °C and 3.6 to 4.7 GPa, close to the diamond–graphite boundary and above a 38 mW/m² shield geotherm. Low-Ca garnet–spinel harzburgites with G10 garnets fall in about the same T and P range. Most spinel peridotites with assumed 2.0 GPa pressure are in the same T range, possibly indicating heating of the shallow mantle. Four of 79 Cr diopside xenocrysts have P–T estimates in the diamond stability field using published single-pyroxene P–T calculation methods.