Strontium and neodymium isotope study of Bohemian basalts

Summary The Cenozoic alkaline basalts of northern and western Bohemia are part of the Central European Volcanic Province (CEVP) which extends from the Rhineland (Eifel, Germany) to Moravia (Czechoslovakia) and the Lover Silesia (Poland). Seven samlpes from locations within Czechoslovakia have been analyzed isotopically for the Rb-Sr and the Sm-Nd systems. Present-day, normalised 87Sr/86Sr ratios range from 0.7031 to 0.7036, and the corresponding 143Nd/144Nd ratios range from 0.51279 to 0.51286. An eigth sample from the Silurian basalts of the St. Jan type (K-Ar age: 420 Ma) occuring in the Barrandian basin in Central Bohemia is also analysed. Its Present-day, normalised, 87Sr/86Sr ratio is 0.7031, and the corresponding 143Nd/144Nd ratio 0.51288.The Nd ratios of the Cenozoic basalts are similar, but more restricted than those from Germany, but are lower than those from Lower Silesia; a trend which is converse for the Sr ratios.Comparison of the results with the systematics ofZindler andHart (1986), suggests that the mande reservoir source of the Bohemian Cenozoic CEVP basalts is similar to the HIMU (High- ocean island basalts), with transition to PUM (primitive upper mantle) or BSE (bulk silicate earth). The reservoir for the Silurian Barrandian basin basalts suggest some affinity to MORB (mid-ocean ridge basalts) or HIMU.

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Résumé Les basaltes alcalins du Cénozoique du nord et de l'ouest de la Bohème appartiennent à la Province Volcanique de l'Europe Centrale (PVEC) qui s'étend de la région du Rhin (Allemagne) jusqu'en Moravie et Basse-Silésie (Pologne). Nous avons analysé les isotopes de Rb-Sr et de Sm-Nd dans sept échantillons de Tchécoslovaquie. Les valeurs mesurées, et normalisées, du rapport 87Sr/86Sr sont comprises entre 0.7031 et 0.7036 tandis que celles du rapport 143Nd/144Nd varient entre 0.51279 et 0.51286. Un huitième échantillon provient des basaltes Siluriens du type St. Jan (avec un age K-Ar de 420 Ma) dans le bassin Barrandien de la Bohème centrale. La valeur normalisée de son rapport actuel 87Sr/86Sr est de 0.7031, celle de 143Nd/144Nd est de 0.51288.Les rapports isotopiques du Nd de ces basaltes Cénozoiques sont analogues á ceux des basaltes de l'Allemagne, bien qu'ayant un domaine de variation plus restreint, mais sont plus faibles que ceux des basaltes de Basse-Silésie. Les rapports isotopiques du Sr évoluent de façon opposée.L'interprétation de ces données suivant la systématique de ces systemes isotopiques proposée par Zindler et Hart (1986) suggere que le réservoir mantellique source des basaltes de la PVEC en Boheme, est proche du pôle HIMU transitionel vers PUM ou BSE. Le réservoir mantellique source du basalt Silurien du bassin Barrandien montre des affinités avec les pôles MORB ou HIMU.

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With 5 Figures     

Andesine megacrysts in alkali basalts from Japan

Andesine megacrysts up to 3 cm in size occur sporadically in certain alkali basalts and allied mafic rocks in southwestern Japan. They are sometimes accompanied by megacrysts of mafic minerals and ultramafic and mafic inclusions. Nine andesines have been chemically analysed.From the petrography and chemistry and the results of high pressure experimental work, it is suggested that andesine megacrysts crystallized from alkali basalt magma under dry conditions at a depth of about 30 to 60 km.     

皖苏鲁新生代玄武岩的Sr-Nd 同位素组成及其含义

皖苏鲁新生代碱性玄武岩34个样品的Sr、Nd同位素组成，总的变化范围为ε°CHUR（Nd）=-4.5-6.9，ε°CHUR（Sr）=-20.4-33.1。分布在大洋玄武岩的Sr-Nd同位素组成范围内。其中江苏省六合一仪征、山东省蓬莱、栖霞和临朐等地区玄武岩同位素组成与PREMA型地幔端元相似，皖东嘉山-来安地区玄武岩具有EMI型地幔端元特征。前者来源于软流圈或更深部的地幔部分，后者来源于不均一的岩石圈地幔部分。来源于较流圈和岩石圈地幔的熔体互相作用决定了皖苏鲁新生代玄武岩 Sr-Nd 同位素地球化学特征。     

Strontium isotopic geochemistry of the volcanic rocks and associated megacrysts and inclusions from Ross Island and vicinity,Antarctica

Twelve whole-rock samples of volcanic rocks and a composite of 11 basanitoid samples from Ross Island and vicinity, Antarctica show a narrow range of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios from 0.7030₅ to 0.7033₉. This range is consistent with a model of differentiation from a single parent magma, but the data allow a 30% variation in the ⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr ratio in the source region if the average ratio is less than 0.057 and if the source region has existed as a closed system for 1.5 b.y. Megacrysts of titaniferous augite, kaersutite, and anorthoclase are isotopically indistinguishable from the host volcanic rocks and therefore are probably cogenetic with the volcanic sequence. A single trachyte sample is isotopically distinct from the rest of the volcanic rocks and probably was contaminated with crustal strontium.Ultramafic and mafic nodules found in association with basanitoids and trachybasalts have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios ranging from 0.7027₅ to 0.7057₅. Several of these nodules exhibit evidence of reaction with the melt and are isotopically indistinguishable from their hosts, but data for seven granulite-facies nodules show an apparent isochronal relationship. Although this isochron may be fortuitous, the resulting age of 158±22 m.y. is similar to ages reported for the voluminous Ferrar Dolerites, and suggests isotopic re-equilibration within the lower crust and upper mantle. These nodules are not genetically related to the Ferrar Dolerites, as evidenced by their lower initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios.Three ultramafic nodules are texturally and isotopically distinct from the rest of the analyzed nodules. These are friable, have larger ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, and may represent a deeper sampling of mantle rock than the granulite-facies nodules. They were, however, derived at a shallower depth than the alkalic magma. Thus they are not genetically related to either the magma or the granulite-facies nodules.     

Strontium and hydrogen isotope geochemistry of fresh and metabasalt dredged from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Fresh basalt and metabasalt dredged from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge were studied for Na, K, Rb, Sr, and H₂O(+) contents, and strontium and hydrogen isotope ratios. Na, K, Rb, and Sr contents of these samples are within the range of those of oceanic tholeiite. H₂O(+) content, strontium, and hydrogen isotope ratios vary widely. The variation in water content of metabasalt is apparently related to the chlorite content. The metamorphic temperature was about 550 °C based on the estimated δD value of chlorite. There is positive linear relationship between water content and strontium isotope ratio. Based on this relationship, the variation of strontium isotope ratio of the metabasalt was interpreted as follows: complete exchange occurred between strontium in the chlorite portion of the metabasalt and strontium in sea water (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio=0.7090), while the original strontium (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr∼0.7023) was retained in the non-altered portion of the basalts.     

REE Abundaces in Megacrysts and Host Basalts：REE Behavior of Magma at High Pressures

Based on REE abundances in megacrysts and host basalts and their equilibrium conditions,it has proved that megacrysts may have been produced from the magma derived from the host rocks or of more basic composition.The REE ratios of megacrysts to host rocks may be taken as partition coefficients when both are equilibrium with each other.The crystal fractionation of megacrysts has caused the evolution of REE in the magma.It is obvious that some host basalts are the product of magma evolution after crystal fractionation.According to REE abundances in the host rocks and the partition coefficients between crystal and liquid,the history of crystal fractionation of magma can be traced.     

The geochemistry of the Dunedin Volcano: Strontium isotope chemistry

The isotopic composition of strontium has been determined for samples from the alkaline lavas of the Dunedin Volcano covering the range basalt, basanite, intermediate compositions, phonolite and quartz normative trachyte. The basaltic, intermediate and phonolitic rocks appear to be comagmatic and have similar low initial Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶ ratios around 0.7030, comparable with those of other alkaline provinces. The quartz normative trachytes have initial ratios significantly higher than those of the other rocks (0.7040) although their age is comparable. Contamination by sea water or crustal material could explain the higher initial ratios of the trachytes but it does not account for important features of their chemistry. It is suggested that the trachytes formed by partial melting involving an alkali feldspar-rich portion of older igneous rocks. Rb-Sr ages obtained are comparable with published K-Ar dates. The Rb-Sr age for the trachytes is 14.± 7 m.y. and the other alkali-enriched rocks give ages ranging within the limits of 14.4 to 12.0 m.y.     

NdSr isotope and REE geochemistry of alkali basalts from the Massif Central,France

Nd and Sr isotopic compositions as well as trace element concentrations have been determined on a suite of alkali basalts from the Massif Central, in France. Samples show a typical enrichment in incompatible elements. In particular, the REE patterns exhibit a strong fractionation characterized by a ($\text{La}\text{Yb}\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>N</mtext>}}$ ratio of about 20. The Yb_N content is about 10 times chondrite. The $\text{143}\text{Nd}\text{144}\text{Nd}$ ratios exhibit a range from 0.512775 to 0.512989, values quite comparable to those from oceanic island basalts. The $\text{87}\text{Sr}\text{86}\text{Sr}$ ratios vary between 0.70338 and 0.70458 and are anti-correlated with the Nd isotopic ratio.The isotopic and the trace element (in particular REE) data have been used in order to quantitatively model the genesis of the alkali basalts. Among the several types of models tested here, the most likely one appears to be the model of mantle metasomatism. A semi-quantitative approach shows that the source of alkali basalts from the Massif Central was metasomatized prior to melting. In such a model, the basalts could be produced by rather high degrees of partial melting (such as 10 or 15%) of the metasomatically enriched mantle.     

Origin of anorthoclase megacrysts in alkali basalts

Anorthoclase megacrysts commonly occur with low pressure cumulate nodules (olivine + clinopyroxene + kaersutite ± oligoclase) in alkali basalts and their differentiates. The absence of anorthoclase from the cumulate nodules indicates that anorthoclase remained suspended in the magma while the other minerals sank, forming the cumulates, assuming a congeneric origin for megacrysts and nodules. On this basis, density calculations indicate that anorthoclase crystallised from a magma of approximately trachyandesitic composition, while the anorthoclase megacrysts usually occur in magmas more basic than trachybasalt. Thus, the anorthoclase megacrysts and the associated cumulate nodules did not crystallise from the host magma, but were picked up from a high-level partly crystallised magma pool containing a more evolved alkali basaltic differentiate by a later surge of more basic liquid which then carried both anorthoclase megacrysts and fragmented cumulates to the surface.     

湘中锡矿山锑矿床的Sr同位素地球化学

对湘中锡矿山锑矿床围岩灰岩、硅化灰岩、煌斑岩和脉石矿物进行了系统的Sr同位素研究。结果表明，矿区围岩发生了隐性蚀变，灰岩中Sr亏损，而^87Sr/^86Sr高于同时代的海相碳酸盐，这种隐性蚀变很可能是水／岩反应所致。矿体附近的硅化灰岩中Sr更加亏损，而^87Sr/^86Sr明显增加。成矿期方解石的^87Sr/^86Sr较高，成矿体系中变化的W／R比造成了方解石中^87Sr/^86Sr值的明显波动。成矿流体为一富放射成因^87Sr的溶液。成矿流体来自或流经基底地层，流体中的Sr由基底碎屑岩提供，矿质Sb也可能主要来自富Sb的元古宇基底。水／岩反应的理论模拟显示，锡矿山成矿流体中的Sr约为3．0μg/g，^87Sr/^86Sr为０．７１７；蚀变－成矿体系为一开放体系，矿石的沉淀机制主要为水／岩反应，成矿体系中W／R 比较高。     

Strontium isotope geochemistry of Icelandic geothermal systems and implications for sea water chemistry

Chemical and Sr isotopic analyses have been made of waters from 16 geothermal sites in Iceland with particular reference to the systems at Reykjanes and Svartsengi for which compositions of geothermal sea water and fresh and hydrothermally-altered rocks have been compared. The alkalies display mixing relationships indicating a hydrothermal input of Rb and K to local meteoric and sea waters as do results for Sr and Ca involving high-temperature fluids. ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ ratios of the geothermal waters of meteoric origin parallel those of associated rocks but are higher. Ratios for geothermal sea waters are 0.7042 (Reykjanes) and 0.7040 (Svartsengi), lower than for normal sea water (0.7092) because of leaching of Sr from rocks followed by partial removal into alteration minerals, of which epidote and chlorite may be most important. Consequently, associated hydrothermally-altered rocks have been subject to significant Sr isotopic contamination by sea water Sr raising ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ ratios from 0.7032 for fresh rock to 0.7038–0.7042 (Reykjanes) and to 0.7039–0.7041 (Svartsengi). Altered basalt is only ~50% equilibrated isotopically with geothermal sea water, at a water/rock ratio of ~2, but is internally equilibrated whereas palagonitized rocks (water/rock ratio of 3 to 4) are close to Sr isotopic equilibrium with associated sea water but show significant internal Sr disequilibrium. Hydrothermal input is unlikely to be important in the oceanic mass balance of Sr but is likely to be highly significant in controlling the strontium isotopic composition of sea water.     

Trace element abundances in megacrysts and their host basalts: Constraints on partition coefficients and megacryst genesis

In an effort to obtain information about mineral/melt trace element partitioning during the high pressure petrogenesis of basic rocks, we determined rare earth and other trace element abundances in megacrysts of clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, amphibole, mica, anorthoclase, apatite and zircon, and in their host basalts. In general, the ranges of mineral/melt partition coefficients established from experimental partitioning studies and phenocryst/matrix measurements overlap with the ranges of megacryst/host abundance ratios. Our data for Hf, Sc, Ta and Th partitioning represent some of the only estimates available. Consideration of phase equilibria, major element partitioning and isotopic ratios indicate that most of the pyroxene and amphibole megacrysts may have been in equilibrium with their host magmas at high pressures (mostly 10–25 kb). In contrast, it is unlikely that mica, anorthoclase, apatite and zircon megacrysts formed in equilibrium with their host basalts; instead, we conclude that they were precipitated from more evolved magmas and have been mixed into their present host magmas. Consequently, the trace element abundance ratios for megacryst/host should not be interpreted as partition coefficients, but only as guides for understanding trace element partitioning during high pressure petrogenesis. With this caveat, we conclude that the megacryst/ host trace element abundance data indicate that mineral/melt partition coefficients in basaltic systems during high pressure fractionation are not drastically different from partition coefficients valid for low pressure fractionation.     

Isotopic and geochemical systematics in Tertiary-Recent basalts from southeastern Australia and implications for the evolution of the sub-continental lithosphere

Tertiary-Recent Tasmanian and Newer (Victoria/South Australia) basalts range from quartz tholeiite to olivine melilitite and show systematic increases in their incompatible element abundances with increasing degree of silica undersaturation. These two basalt provinces show similar relative abundances of rare earth elements (REE), differences in the relative concentrations of Rb, Ba, Th, K and Nb, and distinct, restricted isotopic compositions. The Tasmanian basalts have ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ from 0.7026 to 0.7034, and ?_Nd from + 7.5 to + 5.8; the Newer basalts have higher ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ from 0.7038 to 0.7045, and lower ?_Nd from +4.2 to + 1.7. The range in Sr and Nd isotope compositions can be denned by primary magma compositions for both provinces, using Mg-values, Ni content and the presence of spinel lherzolite nodules. Major and trace element and Sr, Nd and Pb isotope compositions are uniform on a scale of up to 50 km for four separate Newer basanite centers. The chemical and isotopic data are consistent with a model whereby tholeiitic basalts are derived by large degrees of partial melting from a chemically uniform but isotopically variable source, and generation of undersaturated, alkaline basalts by smaller degrees of partial melting of the same source. No isotopic or geochemical evidence was found which would suggest that the more evolved basalts have been contaminated by continental crust.In contrast to tholeiitic and alkalic basalts from Hawaii, there is a continuous spectrum of isotope compositions for the Newer tholeiitic to alkalic basalts. A model is proposed for the generation of these basalts involving mixtures of hotspot mantle plume-derived melt and lithospheric mantle-derived melt, where observed differences between ocean island and continental alkaline basalts are attributed to differences between the sub-oceanic and sub-continental lithospheric mantles. Isotopic differences between tholeiitic and alkalic basalts are interpreted to be due to varying degrees of exchange and mixing between the hotspot plume and lithospheric mantle melt components. The model is consistent with the generation of these basalts from a source which has been recently enriched in the LREE.     

Fluid Composititon and Carbon ＆ Oxygen Isotope Geochemistry of Cenozoic Alkali Basalts in Eastern China

The fluid compositions of Cenozoic alkali basalts in eastern China have been determined by the pyrolysis-MS method,meanwhile the carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions of CO2 released from these samples at different heating temperatures have been analyzed by the vacuum step-heating method.The data show the volatiole heterogeneity in upper-mantle sources and different evolution trends of alkali basaltic magmas in eastern China,and these alkali basaltic magmas may be generated in the oxidizing milieu,as compared with mantle-derived xenoliths in these alkali basalts,and exotic volatile components were mixed into these magmas in the process of their formation and development.     

碱性玄武岩中长石巨晶的结构水：红外光谱和核磁共振谱研究

运用傅立叶变换红外光谱技术（ＦＴＩＲ,红外区和近红外区）和质子魔角旋转核磁共振技术（＾１ＨＭＡＳＮＭＲ）对来自安徽女山,江苏盘石山和河北汉诺坝新生代大恶性玄武岩中的４个歪长石巨晶进行了观察,结果显示,这些巨晶含有结构水,主要以Ｈ２Ｏ的形式存在,其中３个样品的结构水含量（Ｈ２Ｏ）分别为４０５μｇ／ｇ,９１５μｇ／ｇ,μｇ／ｇ。这些数据和文献中已有的资源表明,名义上无水的长石族矿物可以是地球上的水储库     

汉诺坝玄武岩Re-Os同位素地球化学——Re的挥发性丢失和壳-幔相互作用的证据

本文报道了采自汉诺坝玄武岩区周坝和白龙硐剖面以及白布洛张20井等地29个玄武岩样品的Re、Os含量和~(187)Os/~(188)Os比值。Os含量为11×10~(-12)～314×10~(-12),Re含量为40×10~(-12)～238×10~(-12),Re和Os含量有正相关趋势。碱性玄武岩(AK)的Re、Os含量高于拉斑玄武岩(TH)和过渡玄武岩(TR),玄武岩Os含量变化与分离结晶作用有关,玄武岩的低Re含量与地面喷发的火山岩浆脱气过程中Re的挥发性丢失作用有关。玄武岩的~(187)Os/~(188)Os比值为0.14735～0.61136,AK的~(187)Os/~(188)Os比值比TH和TR低且变化小。玄武岩的~(187)Os/~(188)Os比值与Os含量有负相关性。随着Os含量降低到小于75×10~(-12),~(187)Os/~(188)Os比值迅速升高,反映了地壳混染在TH和TR成因中的贡献。在以往的研究中没有观察到类似的地壳混染作用,说明了Re-Os同位素体系在示踪壳源物质上的优势。一些Os含量较高的TH的~(187)Os/~(188)Os比值表明其地幔源区既非亏损的又非经交代富集的SCLM,可能是混入了地壳俯冲物质的"Marble cake"型地幔。总之,汉诺坝玄武岩的Re-Os同位素地球化学研究支持了以往研究的主要成果,两类玄武岩地球化学差异性和异源成因论;分离结晶和部分熔融过程在玄武岩成因中的重要作用;碱性玄武岩的成因与地幔柱的关系等。同时揭示了一些新的现象:汉诺坝玄武岩形成中存在少量的地壳混染作用;地面喷发的火山熔岩在脱气过程中Re的挥发性丢失;拉斑玄武岩的源区更有可能为"Marble cake"型地幔。     

Strontium isotope geochemistry of groundwaters and streams affected by agriculture,Locust Grove,MD

The effects of agriculture on the isotope geochemistry of Sr were investigated in two small watersheds in the Atlantic coastal plain of Maryland. Stratified shallow oxic groundwaters in both watersheds contained a retrievable record of increasing recharge rates of chemicals including NO₃⁻, Cl, Mg, Ca and Sr that were correlated with increasing fertilizer use between about 1940 and 1990. The component of Sr associated with recent agricultural recharge was relatively radiogenic (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.715) and it was overwhelming with respect to Sr acquired naturally by water–rock interactions in the oxidized, non-calcareous portion of the saturated zone. Agricultural groundwaters that penetrated relatively unoxidized calcareous glauconitic sediments at depth acquired an additional component of Sr from dissolution of early Tertiary marine CaCO₃ (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.708) while undergoing O₂ reduction and denitrification. Ground-water discharge contained mixtures of waters of various ages and redox states. Two streams draining the area are considered to have higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and NO₃⁻ concentrations than they would in the absence of agriculture; however, the streams have consistently different ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and NO₃⁻ concentrations because the average depth to calcareous reducing (denitrifying) sediments in the local groundwater flow system was different in the two watersheds. The results of this study indicate that agriculture can alter significantly the isotope geochemistry of Sr in aquifers and streams and that the effects could vary depending on the types, sources and amounts of fertilizers added, the history of fertilizer use and groundwater residence times.     

Tectonic Subdivision of Dabie Orogenic Belt,Central China：Evidence from Pb Isotope Geochemistry of Late Mesozoic Basalts

It has long been debated that the Dabie orogenic belt belongs to the North China or Yangtze craton. In recent years, eastern China has been suggested, based on the Pb isotopic compositions of Phanerozoic ore and Mesozoic granitoid K-feldspar (revealing the crust Pb) in combination with Meso-Cenozoic basalts (revealing the mantle Pb), being divided into the North China and Yangtze Pb isotopic provinces, where the crust and mantle of the Yangtze craton are characterized by more radiogenic Pb. In this sense, previous researchers suggested that the pro-EW-trending Dabie crogenic belt with less radiogenic Pb in the crust was part of the North China craton. In this paper, however, the Late Cretaceous basalts in the central and southern parts of the Dabie orogenic belt are characterized by some more radiogenic Pb (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=17.936−18.349,²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=15.500−15.688,²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=38.399−38.775) and a unique U-Th-Pb trace element system similar to those of the Yangtze craton, showing that the Mesozoic mantle is of the Yangtze type. In addition, the decoupled Pb isotopic compositions between crust and mantle were considerably derived from their rheological inhomogeneity, implying a complicated evolution of the Dabie orogenic belt. The study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 49794043) and the Open Laboratory of Constitution, Interaction and Dynamics of the Crust-Mantle System, China.     

Zircon megacrysts from kimberlite: oxygen isotope variability among mantle melts

The oxygen isotope ratios of Phanerozoic zircons from kimberlite pipes in the Kaapvaal Craton of southern Africa and the Siberian Platform vary from 4.7 to 5.9‰ VSMOW. High precision, accurate analyses by laser reveal subtle pipe-to-pipe differences not previously suspected. These zircons have distinctive chemical and physical characteristics identifying them as mantle-derived megacrysts similar to zircons found associated with diamond, coesite, MARID xenoliths, Cr-diopside, K-richterite, or Mg-rich ilmenite. Several lines of evidence indicate that these ¹⁸O values are unaltered by kimberlite magmas during eruption and represent compositions preserved since crystallization in the mantle, including: U/Pb age, large crystal size, and the slow rate of oxygen exchange in non-metamict zircon. The average ¹⁸O of mantle zircons is 5.3‰, ∼0.1 higher and in equilibrium with values for olivine in peridotite xenoliths and oceanic basalts. Zircon megacrysts from within 250 km of Kimberley, South Africa have average ¹⁸O=5.32±0.17 (n=28). Small, but significant, differences among other kimberlite pipes or groups of pipes may indicate isotopically distinct reservoirs in the sub-continental lithosphere or asthenosphere, some of which are anomalous with respect to normal mantle values of 5.3±0.3. Precambrian zircons (2.1–2.7 Ga) from Jwaneng, Botswana have the lowest values yet measured in a mantle zircon, ¹⁸O=3.4 to 4.7‰. These zircon megacrysts originally crystallized in mafic or ultramafic rocks either through melting and metasomatism associated with kimberlite magmatism or during metamorphism. The low ¹⁸O zircons are best explained by subduction of late Archean ocean crust that exchanged with heated seawater prior to underplating as eclogite and to associated metasomatism of the mantle wedge. Smaller differences among other pipes and districts may result from variable temperatures of equilibration, mafic versus ultramafic hosts, or variable underplating. The narrow range in zircon compositions found in most pipes suggests magmatic homogenization. If this is correct, these zircons document the existence of significant quantities of magma in the sub-continental mantle that was regionally variable in ¹⁸O and this information restricts theories about the nature of ancient subduction. Received: 8 August 1997 / Accepted: 6 May 1998