Comparison of petrogenetic signatures between mantle-derived alkali silicate intrusives with and without associated carbonatite, Namibia

We compare the petrogenetic and chemical signatures of two alkali silicate suites from the Cretaceous Damaraland igneous province (Namibia), one with and one without associated carbonatite, in order to explore their differences in terms of magma source and evolution. The Etaneno complex occurs in close spatial proximity to the Kalkfeld bimodal carbonatite–alkali silicate complex, and is dominated by nepheline (ne)-monzosyenites and ne-bearing alkali feldspar syenites. The Etaneno samples have isotopic compositions of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(i)=0.70462–0.70508 and Nd=?0.5 to ?1.5, with the highest ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(i) and lowest Nd values observed in evolved samples. The magma differentiated via olivine, feldspar, clinopyroxene, and nepheline (ne) fractionation in a F-rich system, which fractionated Zr from Hf, and Y from Ho. Partly glassy, recrystallized inclusions in some samples are less evolved than their host rocks and contain a cumulate component (nepheline, plagioclase). The Kalkfeld ne-foidites (ijolites) and ne-syenites have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr(i)=0.70285–0.70592 and Nd=0.5 to 1.1. The isotope ratios show no consistent variation with rock composition, and they are in the same range as the associated carbonatites. The Kalkfeld silicate magma fractionated nepheline and alkali-feldspar in a CO₂-dominated, F- and Ca-poor system. As a result, the rocks display some major and trace element trends distinctly different from those of the Etaneno samples.

We suggest that the Etaneno and the Kalkfeld magmas represent different melt fractions of a heterogeneous mantle source, resulting in different compositions especially with respect to CO₂ contents of the primitive, parental magmas. In this scenario, the carbonated alkali silicate Kalkfeld parental melt contained a critical CO₂ concentration and underwent liquid separation of carbonate and silicate melt fractions at crustal depths. The resulting silicate melt fraction experienced a very different mode of differentiation than the carbonate-poor Etaneno parental magma. Thus, the Kalkfeld rocks are depleted in Ca and other divalent cations, as well as F, rare-earth elements (REE), Ba, and P relative to the Etaneno syenites. We interpret these differences to reflect the partitioning of these elements into the carbonate melt fraction during immiscible separation.