Metasomatism and Melting in Carbonated Peridotite Xenoliths from the Mantle Wedge: The Gobernador Gregores Case (Southern Patagonia)

Spinel-facies mantle xenoliths occur in a diatreme cutting throughthe Neogene Southern Patagonia Plateau at Gobernador Gregores(Santa Cruz Province, Argentina). This plateau is in a back-arcposition with respect to the Chile trench. Xenoliths differin their whole-rock composition from other South America occurrences,having higher CaO/Al₂O₃ ratios and, in some samples, TiO₂ enrichment,whereas the Na₂O/Al₂O₃ variation range is similar. Three assemblagescan be distinguished. Assemblage 1, in anhydrous protogranularlherzolites and harzburgites, contains clinopyroxene with adepleted major and trace element composition, indicating pre-metasomaticdepletion processes. This assemblage fully recrystallized toAssemblage 2 (amphibole ± phlogopite ± Cl-apatite-bearing)during a metasomatic episode. This causes clinopyroxene to acquiregeochemical characteristics often attributed to carbonate-meltmetasomatism. Noticeably, amphibole is markedly enriched inNb (up to 298 ppm), especially when depleted in Ti. A furtherevent, related to decompression during xenolith uplift to thesurface, induces closed-system (perhaps with the exception ofCO₂ addition) disequilibrium melting of Assemblage 2, dominantlyof amphibole. It is found in pockets (where amphibole is a residualphase) consisting of Na–Si-rich glass and carbonate (Mg-richcalcite) drops, and in veins originating from the pockets (Assemblage3). Euhedral olivine, clinopyroxene and spinel crystallize onlyin the silicate glass. So do new, euhedral apatite crystalswhen glass is in contact with previous Assemblage 2 apatite.Textural evidence and comparison with experimental work suggestthat silicate glass and carbonates are the result of unmixingof a former homogeneous melt. Because of the different flowrates of carbonate and silicate melt, the xenoliths become enrichedin carbonate, which is found in the veins during their migration.Thus, the high CaO/Al₂O₃ ratio of whole rocks provides inconclusiveevidence of carbonatite metasomatism. This factor, and otherminor deviations from the expected results of carbonatite metasomatism,lead us to hypothesize an aqueous, Cl-rich fluid, possibly slabderived, as an alternative agent. Amphibole, resulting fromreactive porous flow of this agent in the mantle, could fullyexplain the observed geochemical features, as indicated by estimatesof its partition coefficients. KEY WORDS: carbonated xenoliths; Gobernador Gregores; LAM–ICP-MS; mantle metasomatism; silicate glass     

Origin of the Gabbro-Peridotite Association from the Northern Apennine Ophiolites (Italy)

The Northern Apennine ophiolites are remnants of the MiddleJurassic–Early Cretaceous lithosphere from the LigurianTethys. New trace element and Nd–Sr isotope investigationswere performed on: (1) the rare gabbros associated with thesubcontinental mantle rocks from the External Liguride ophiolites;(2) the gabbro–peridotite association from the poorlyknown ophiolitic bodies from Cecina valley (Southern Tuscany).Clinopyroxenes from the External Liguride and Cecina valleygabbros have similar trace element compositions, which are consistentwith formation from normal mid-ocean ridge basalt (N-MORB) magmas.Sm–Nd mineral isochron ages are 179 ± 9 Ma foran External Liguride gabbro and 170 ± 13 Ma and 173·5± 4·8 Ma for two different gabbroic bodies fromthe Cecina valley ophiolites. These ages are interpreted todate the igneous crystallization of the gabbros and are slightlyolder than the oldest pelagic sediments of the Ligurian Tethys.Initial     

Nature, origin and classification of peritidal tepee structures and related breccias

Distinctive peritidal tepee antiform structures, buckled margins of saucer-like megapolygons are common in marine vadose fenestral and pisolitic limestones and/or dolomites of carbonate platform sequences and occur in intertidal and supratidal carbonates ranging in age from Silurian to Holocene. These megapolygons commonly form and are sometimes truncated before the deposition of the next sedimentary layer. The megapolygons result from the expansion of surface sediments by as much as 15%. The expansion is caused by the following continuously repeated sequence of processes: (1) Desiccation and thermal contraction causing small fractures; (2) phases of wetting causing enlargement of fractures; (3) phases of crystallization of calcium carbonate and other minerals causing the enlargement, fill and cementation of the fractures. Precipitation is from brines and meteoric waters; (4) hydration of minerals, thermal expansion, breaking waves and faulting may add to this disruption. The development of the tepee fabric can be traced from an initially cemented subaerial fenestral crust, exhibiting expansion and compressional structures, to a completely disrupted and brecciated sediment riddled by a labyrinth of fractures and solution cavities. These spaces are filled by numerous phases of internal marine and fresh-water cement and sediment, the latter containing penecontemporaneous or younger marine faunas. Peritidal tepees are useful tools for geologic reconstruction and provide evidence of subaerial exposure; a tropical to subtropical climate; and back-beach or back-barrier deposition. Proper identification of tepees is of economic importance, because they provide good early porosity and permeability for petroleum entrapment and a site for mineralization. Aesthetically, tepee rocks are a fine kaleidoscopic decorative stone.     

Lithospheric Mantle Evolution during Continental Break-Up: The West Iberia Non-Volcanic Passive Margin

Ultramafic (lherzolites, metasomatized peridotites, harzburgites,websterites and clinopyroxenites) and mafic igneous (basalts,dolerites, diorites and gabbros) rocks exposed at the sea-flooralong the West Iberia continental margin represent a rare opportunityto study the transition zone between continental and oceaniclithosphere. The igneous rocks are enriched in LREE, unlikeNorth Atlantic MORB. A correlation between their ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Ndisotopic composition and Ce/Yb ratio suggests that they originatefrom mixing between partial melts of a depleted mantle sourcesimilar to DMM and of an enriched mantle source which may residewithin the continental lithosphere. Clinopyroxenes and amphibolesin the ultramafic rocks are LREE depleted and have flat HREEpatterns with concentrations higher than those of abyssal peridotites.Clinopyroxenes in the harzburgites are less LREE depleted buthave lower HREE concentrations. The clinopyroxenes in the GaliciaBank (GB) lherzolites have radiogenic Nd (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd rangingfrom 0·512937 to 0·513402) and unradiogenic Sr(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ranging from 0·702100 to 0·702311)isotopic ratios similar to, or higher than, DMM (Depleted MORBMantle) whereas the clinopyroxenes in the Iberia Abyssal Plainwebsterites have low-Nd isotopic compositions (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd rangingfrom 0·512283 to 0·512553) with high-Sr isotopicratios (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ranging from 0·704170 to 0·705919).Amphiboles in Galicia Bank lherzolites and diorites have Nd–Srisotopic compositions (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd from 0·512804 to 0·512938and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from 0·703243 to 0·703887) intermediatebetween those of the clinopyroxenes from the Galicia Bank andthe Iberia Abyssal Plain, but similar to the clinopyroxenesin the 5100 Hill harzburgite (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd = 0·512865and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0·703591) and to the igneous rocks (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Ndranging from 0·512729 to 0·513121 and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Srranging from 0·702255 to 0·705109). The majorand trace element compositions of cpx in the Galicia Bank spinellherzolites provide evidence for large-scale refertilizationof the lithospheric upper mantle by MORB-like tholeiitic melts.The associated harzburgites did not undergo partial meltingduring the rifting stage, but, in earlier times, probably during,or even before, the Hercynian orogeny. Iberia Abyssal Plainwebsterites are interpreted as high-pressure cumulates formedin the mantle. Their high Sm/Nd ratios (from 0·43 to0·67) coupled with very low-Nd isotopic compositionsare best explained by a two-stage history: formation of thecumulates from the percolation of enriched melts long beforethe rifting, followed by low-degree partial melting of the pyroxenites,accounting for their LREE depletion. This last event probablyoccurs during the rifting episode, 122 Myr ago. The isotopicheterogeneities observed in the ultramafic rocks of the Iberiamargin were already present at the time of the rifting event.They reflect a long and complex history of depletion and enrichmentevents in an old part of the mantle, and provide strong argumentsfor a sub-continental origin of this part of the upper mantle. KEY WORDS: Iberia margin; mantle peridotites; igneous rocks; petrology; geochemistry