An Experimental Investigation of the Influence of Water and Oxygen Fugacity on Differentiation of MORB at 200 MPa

Crystallization experiments were performed at 200 MPa in thetemperature range 1150–950°C at oxygen fugacitiescorresponding to the quartz–fayalite–magnetite (QFM)and MnO–Mn₃O₄ buffers to assess the role of water andf_O2 on phase relations and differentiation trends in mid-oceanridge basalt (MORB) systems. Starting from a primitive (MgO9·8 wt %) and an evolved MORB (MgO 6·49 wt %),crystallization paths with four different water contents (0·35–4·7wt % H₂O) have been investigated. In primitive MORB, olivineis the liquidus phase followed by plagioclase + clinopyroxene.Amphibole is present only at water-saturated conditions below1000°C, but not all fluid-saturated runs contain amphibole.Magnetite and orthopyroxene are not stable at low f_O2 (QFM buffer).Residual liquids obtained at low f_O2 show a tholeiitic differentiationtrend. The crystallization of magnetite at high f_O2 (MnO–Mn₃O₄buffer) results in a decrease of melt FeO^*/MgO ratio, causinga calc-alkaline differentiation trend. Because the magnetitecrystallization temperature is nearly independent of the H₂Ocontent, in contrast to silicate minerals, the calc-alkalinedifferentiation trend is more pronounced at high water contents.Residual melts at 950°C in a primitive MORB system havecompositions approaching those of oceanic plagiogranites interms of SiO₂ and K₂O, but have Ca/Na ratios and FeO^* contentsthat are too high compared with the natural rocks, implyingthat fractionation processes are necessary to reach typicalcompositions of natural oceanic plagiogranites. KEY WORDS: differentiation; MORB; oxygen fugacity; water activity; oceanic plagiogranite     

Ferric Iron in CaTiO3 Perovskite as an Oxygen Barometer for Kimberlite Magmas II: Applications

We apply an oxygen barometer based on the Fe content of CaTiO₃perovskite to estimate the oxygen fugacity (fO₂) during thecrystallization and emplacement of kimberlites in differenteruptive phases of a single pipe, or between different pipes,clusters or provinces. Mineral chemical data for perovskitewere compiled from the literature and obtained in our detailedstudy of perovskites from 11 kimberlites at Somerset Islandand Lac de Gras, Canada. Perovskite compositions in kimberlitesrecord a range in fO₂ of many orders of magnitude from NNO–5to NNO+6 [where log fO₂ is given relative to the nickel–nickeloxide (NNO) buffer]. The range of fO₂ recorded by differentparageneses of perovskite within a single pipe can vary up tothree orders of magnitude with trends toward both oxidationand reduction during crystallization. Kimberlites record someof the greatest ranges, and the highest known fO₂ conditionsfor any terrestrial magma. This is attributed to the presenceof deep and oxidized source regions and the variable interplayof ferric–ferrous vs carbon–fluid equilibria duringascent of kimberlite magmas. Three kimberlite pipes from theLac de Gras field show that higher fO₂ values correlate withhigher proportions of more resorbed diamonds, suggesting thatthis variable has a measurable effect on the physical propertiesof diamonds in a pipe. KEY WORDS: kimberlites; oxygen fugacity; perovskite; diamond; redox; mantle     

Hf Isotope Systematics of Kimberlites and their Megacrysts: New Constraints on their Source Regions

Kimberlites from Southern Africa, along with their low-Cr megacrysts,have unusual Hf–Nd isotopic characteristics. Group I andTransitional kimberlites define arrays trending oblique to,and well below, the Nd–Hf isotope ‘mantle array’,defined by oceanic basalts, i.e. they have negative     

Island-arc Ankaramites: Primitive Melts from Fluxed Refractory Lherzolitic Mantle

The distinctive island-arc ankaramites exemplified by the activeVanuatu arc may be produced by melting of refractory lherzoliteunder conditions in which melting is fluxed by H₂O + CO₂. Parentalpicritic ankaramite magmas with maximum CaO/Al₂O₃ to     

Oxygen Isotope Geochemistry of the Lassen Volcanic Center, California: Resolving Crustal and Mantle Contributions to Continental Arc Magmatism

This study reports oxygen isotope ratios determined by laserfluorination of mineral separates (mainly plagioclase) frombasaltic andesitic to rhyolitic composition volcanic rocks eruptedfrom the Lassen Volcanic Center (LVC), northern California.Plagioclase separates from nearly all rocks have ¹⁸O values(6·1–8·4) higher than expected for productionof the magmas by partial melting of little evolved basalticlavas erupted in the arc front and back-arc regions of the southernmostCascades during the late Cenozoic. Most LVC magmas must thereforecontain high ¹⁸O crustal material. In this regard, the ¹⁸O valuesof the volcanic rocks show strong spatial patterns, particularlyfor young rhyodacitic rocks that best represent unmodified partialmelts of the continental crust. Rhyodacitic magmas erupted fromvents located within 3·5 km of the inferred center ofthe LVC have consistently lower ¹⁸O values (average 6·3± 0·1) at given SiO₂ contents relative to rockserupted from distal vents (>7·0 km; average 7·1± 0.1). Further, magmas erupted from vents situated attransitional distances have intermediate values and span a largerrange (average 6·8 ± 0·2). Basaltic andesiticto andesitic composition rocks show similar spatial variations,although as a group the ¹⁸O values of these rocks are more variableand extend to higher values than the rhyodacitic rocks. Thesefeatures are interpreted to reflect assimilation of heterogeneouslower continental crust by mafic magmas, followed by mixingor mingling with silicic magmas formed by partial melting ofinitially high ¹⁸O continental crust (9·0) increasinglyhybridized by lower ¹⁸O (6·0) mantle-derived basalticmagmas toward the center of the system. Mixing calculationsusing estimated endmember source ¹⁸O values imply that LVC magmascontain on a molar oxygen basis approximately 42 to 4% isotopicallyheavy continental crust, with proportions declining in a broadlyregular fashion toward the center of the LVC. Conversely, the¹⁸O values of the rhyodacitic rocks suggest that the continentalcrust in the melt generation zones beneath the LVC has beensubstantially modified by intrusion of mantle-derived basalticmagmas, with the degree of hybridization ranging on a molaroxygen basis from approximately 60% at distances up to 12 kmfrom the center of the system to 97% directly beneath the focusregion. These results demonstrate on a relatively small scalethe strong influence that intrusion of mantle-derived maficmagmas can have on modifying the composition of pre-existingcontinental crust in regions of melt production. Given thisresult, similar, but larger-scale, regional trends in magmacompositions may reflect an analogous but more extensive processwherein the continental crust becomes progressively hybridizedbeneath frontal arc localities as a result of protracted intrusionof subduction-related basaltic magmas. KEY WORDS: oxygen isotopes; phenocrysts; continental arc magmatism; Cascades; Lassen     

Tertiary Ultrapotassic Volcanism in Serbia: Constraints on Petrogenesis and Mantle Source Characteristics

The Serbian province of Tertiary ultrapotassic volcanism isrelated to a post-collisional tectonic regime that followedthe closure of the Tethyan Vardar Ocean by Late Cretaceous subductionbeneath the southern European continental margin. Rocks of thisprovince form two ultrapotassic groups; one with affinitiesto lamproites, which is concentrated mostly in the central partsof the Vardar ophiolitic suture zone, and the other with affinitiesto kamafugites, which crops out in volcanoes restricted to thewestern part of Serbia. The lamproitic group is characterizedby a wide range of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i (0·70735–0·71299)and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd_i (0·51251–0·51216), whereasthe kamafugitic group is isotopically more homogeneous witha limited range of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i (0·70599–0·70674)and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd_i (0·51263–0·51256). ThePb isotope compositions of both groups are very similar (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb18·58–18·83, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb 15·62–15·70and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb 38·74–38·99), falling withinthe pelagic sediment field and resembling Mesozoic flysch sedimentsfrom the Vardar suture zone. The Sr and Nd isotopic signaturesof the primitive lamproitic rocks correlate with rare earthelement fractionation and enrichment of most high field strengthelements (HFSE), and can be explained by melting of a heterogeneousmantle source consisting of metasomatic veins with phlogopite,clinopyroxene and F-apatite that are out of isotopic equilibriumwith the peridotite wall-rock. Decompression melting, with varyingcontributions from depleted peridotite and ultramafic veinsto the final melt, accounts for consistent HFSE enrichment andisotopic variations in the lamproitic group. Conversely, themost primitive kamafugitic rocks show relatively uniform Srand Nd isotopic compositions and trace element patterns, andsmall but regular variations of HFSE, indicating variable degreesof partial melting of a relatively homogeneously metasomatizedmantle source. Geochemical modelling supports a role for phlogopite,apatite and Ti-oxide in the source of the kamafugitic rocks.The presence of two contrasting ultrapotassic suites in a restrictedgeographical area is attributable to the complex geodynamicsituation involving recent collision of a number of microcontinentswith contrasting histories and metasomatic imprints in theirmantle lithosphere. The geochemistry of the Serbian ultrapotassicrocks suggests that the enrichment events that modified thesource of both lamproitic and kamafugitic groups were relatedto Mesozoic subduction events. The postcollisional environmentof the northern Balkan region with many extensional episodesis consistent at regional and local levels with the occurrenceof ultrapotassic rocks, providing a straightforward relationshipbetween geodynamics and volcanism. KEY WORDS: kamafugite; lamproite; Mediterranean; Serbia; mantle metasomatism; veined mantle; petrogenesis     

Mantle Preconditioning by Melt Extraction during Flow: Theory and Petrogenetic Implications

Mantle preconditioning may be defined as the extraction of smallmelt fractions from mantle asthenosphere during its flow tothe site of magma generation. Equations may be written for mantlepreconditioning, assuming that the mantle comprises enriched‘plums’ in a depleted matrix. The equations takeinto account variations in mass fraction of plums, the relativerate of melting of plums and matrix, the temperature and pressureof melt extraction, the mass fraction of melt extracted, theextent of chemical exchange between plums and matrix, and theefficiency of melt extraction. Monitoring mineralogical changesand variations in partition coefficients along the inferredP–T–t path of the mantle asthenosphere allows theequations to be correctly applied to the conditions under whichmelt extraction takes place. Numerical experiments demonstratethe influence of petrogenetic variables on the shape of meltextraction trajectories and provide new criteria for distinguishingbetween melt extraction and mixing as the cause of regionalgeochemical gradients. Representative examples of arc–back-arcsystems (Scotia), continental break-up (Afar) and plume–ridgeinteraction (Azores) indicate that the compositions of the mantlesources of mid-ocean ridge basalts and island arc basalts maybe determined, at least in part, by the melt extraction historiesof their asthenospheric sources. KEY WORDS: geochemical modelling; mantle flow; isotope ratios; trace elements     

Partial Crystallization of Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalts in the Crust and Mantle

Pressures at which partial crystallization occurs for mid-oceanridge basalts (MORB) have been examined by a new petrologicalmethod that is based on a parameterization of experimental datain the form of projections. Application to a global MORB glassdatabase shows that partial crystallization of olivine + plagioclase+ augite ranges from 1 atm to 1·0 GPa, in good agreementwith previous determinations, and that there are regional variationsthat generally correlate with spreading rate. MORB from fast-spreadingcenters display partial crystallization in the crust at ridgesegment centers and in both mantle and crust at ridge terminations.Fracture zones are likely to be regions where magma chambersare absent and where there is enhanced conductive cooling ofthe lithosphere at depth. MORB from slow-spreading centers displayprominent partial crystallization in the mantle, consistentwith models of enhanced conductive cooling of the lithosphereand the greater abundance of fracture zones through which theypass. In general, magmas that move through cold mantle experiencesome partial crystallization, whereas magmas that pass throughhot mantle may be comparatively unaffected. Estimated pressuresof partial crystallization indicate that the top of the partialmelting region is deeper than about 20–35 km below slow-spreadingcenters and some ridge segment terminations at fast-spreadingcenters. KEY WORDS: MORB; olivine gabbro; partial crystallization; partial melting; ridge segmentation; fracture zones; crust; mantle; lithosphere     

攀枝花层状辉长质岩体的微量元素和锶钕铅氧同位素系统:地幔源区和矿床成因的证据

攀枝花岩体是攀西地区一个典型含钒钛磁铁矿的层状辉长质岩体,是峨眉山大火成岩省的组成部分。其Sr、Nd、Pb同位素组成变化范围较窄,落在峨眉山玄武岩的范围内,同时也落在洋岛玄武岩范围内,说明攀枝花岩体与峨眉山玄武岩有着成因联系,均与地幔柱作用有关。其低的δ18O值(<6‰)说明没有地壳物质的混染,其高的La/Nb比值(>1)和微量元素原始地幔标准化图解出现的负Nb异常则表明源区有岩石圈地幔物质的混染。因而攀枝花岩体是地幔柱和岩石圈地幔部分熔融的产物,岩浆在岩浆房中没有经历地壳物质的混染作用。Mg#与P2O5的正相关以及P2O5与FeO含量的负相关,表明P不是导致氧化物熔体不混熔的主要原因;而Mg#与Fe2O3/FeO的负相关则说明,岩浆演化过程中氧逸度的升高可能是导致氧化物熔体不混熔的主要原因。     

Ferric Iron in CaTiO3 Perovskite as an Oxygen Barometer for Kimberlitic Magmas I: Experimental Calibration

A method to estimate the oxygen fugacity (fO₂) during the crystallizationof kimberlites is developed using the Fe content of CaTiO₃ perovskite(Pv), a common groundmass phase in these rocks. With increasingfO₂, more Fe exists in the kimberlitic liquid as Fe³⁺, and thuspartitions into Pv. Experiments to study the partitioning ofFe between Pv and kimberlite liquid were conducted at 100 kPaon simple and complex anhydrous kimberlite bulk compositionsfrom 1130 to 1300°C over a range of fO₂ from NNO –5 to NNO + 4 (where NNO is the nickel–nickel oxide buffer),and at Nb and rare earth element (REE) contents in the startingmaterials of 0–5 wt % and 1500 ppm, respectively. Thepartitioning of Fe between Pv and kimberlite liquid is influencedmostly by fO₂, although the presence of Nb increases the partitionof Fe³⁺ into perovskite at a given T and fO₂. Multiple linearregression (MLR) of all the experimental data produces a relationshipthat describes the variation of Fe and Nb in Pv with fO₂ relativeto the NNO buffer:

(uncertaintiesat 2, and Nb and Fe as cations per three oxygens). Over therange of conditions of our experiments, this relationship showsno temperature (T) dependence, is not affected by the bulk Fecontent of the kimberlite starting material and reproduces experimentaldata to within 1 log fO₂ unit. KEY WORDS: kimberlites; oxygen fugacity; perovskite; ferric iron; magma     

Formation of Carbon and Hydrogen Species in Magmas at Low Oxygen Fugacity

Studies of iron-bearing silicate melt (ferrobasalt) + iron metallicphase + graphite + hydrogen equilibria show that carbon andhydrogen solubilities in melts are important for the evolutionof the upper mantle. In a series of experiments conducted at3·7 GPa and 1520–1600°C, we have characterizedthe nature (oxidized vs reduced) and quantified the abundancesof C- and H-compounds dissolved in iron-bearing silicate melts.Experiments were carried out in an anvil-with-hole apparatuspermitting the achievement of equal chemical potentials of H₂in the inner Pt capsule and outer furnace assembly. The fO₂for silicate melt–iron equilibrium was 2·32 ±0·04 log units below iron–wüstite (IW). Theferrobasalt used as starting material experienced a reductionof its iron oxides and silicate network. The counterpart wasa liberation of oxygen reacting with the hydrogen entering thecapsule. The amount of H₂O dissolved in the glasses was measuredby ion microprobe and by step-heating and was found to be between1 and 2 wt %. The dissolved carbon content was found to be 1600ppm C by step-heating. The speciation of C and H componentswas determined by IR and Raman spectroscopy. It was establishedthat the main part of the liberated oxygen was used to formOH^– and to a much lesser extent H₂O, and only traces ofH₂, CO₂ and     

The Composition of Near-solidus Partial Melts of Fertile Peridotite at 1 and 1{middle dot}5 GPa: Implications for the Petrogenesis of MORB

We have determined the near-solidus melt compositions for peridotiteMM-3, a suitable composition for the production of mid-oceanridge basalt (MORB) by decompression partial melting, at 1 and1·5 GPa. At 1 GPa the MM-3 composition has a subsolidusplagioclase-bearing spinel lherzolite assemblage, and a solidusat 1270°C. At only 5°C above the solidus, 4% meltis present as a result of almost complete melting of plagioclase.This melting behaviour in plagioclase lherzolite is predictedfrom simple systems and previous experimental work. The persistenceof plagioclase to > 0·8 GPa is strongly dependenton bulk-rock CaO/Na₂O and normative plagioclase content in theperidotite. At 1·5 GPa the MM-3 composition has a subsolidusspinel lherzolite assemblage, and a solidus at 1350°C.We have determined a near-solidus melt composition at 2% meltingwithin 10°C of the solidus. Near-solidus melts at both 1and 1·5 GPa are nepheline normative, and have low normativediopside contents; also they have the highest TiO₂, Al₂O₃ andNa₂O, and the lowest FeO and Cr₂O₃ contents compared with higherdegree partial melts. Comparison of these near-solidus meltswith primitive MORB glasses, which lie in the olivine-only fieldof crystallization at low pressure, indicate that petrogeneticmodels involving aggregation of near-fractional melts formedduring melting at pressures of 1·5 GPa or less are unlikelyto be correct. In this study we use an experimental approachthat utilizes sintered oxide mix starting materials and peridotitereaction experiments. We also examine some recent studies usingan alternative approach of melt migration into, and entrapmentwithin ‘melt traps’ (olivine, diamond, vitreouscarbon) and discuss optimal procedures for this method. KEY WORDS: experimental petrology; mantle melting; near-solidus; fertile peridotite; MORB     

Layered Lithospheric Mantle Beneath the Ontong Java Plateau: Implications from Xenoliths in Alnoite, Malaita, Solomon Islands

A varied suite of mantle xenoliths from Malaita, Solomon Islands,was investigated to constrain the evolution of the mantle beneaththe Ontong Java Plateau. Comprehensive petrological and thermobarometricstudies make it possible to identify the dominant processesthat produced the compositional diversity and to reconstructthe lithospheric stratigraphy in the context of a paleogeotherm.P–T estimates show that both peridotites and pyroxenitescan be assigned to a shallower or deeper origin, separated bya garnet-poor zone of 10 km between 90 and 100 km. This zoneis dominated by refractory spinel harzburgites (Fo_91–92),indicating the occurrence of an intra-lithospheric depletedzone. Shallower mantle (     

Nature of the Source Regions for Post-collisional, Potassic Magmatism in Southern and Northern Tibet from Geochemical Variations and Inverse Trace Element Modelling

Neogene potassic lavas in northern and southern Tibet have differentisotopic (     

Intensive Variables in Kimberlite Magmas, Lac de Gras, Canada and Implications for Diamond Survival

Crystallization temperatures (T) and oxygen fugacities (fO₂)of kimberlite magma are estimated from oxides included in olivinephenocrysts from the Leslie, Aaron, Grizzly and Torrie kimberlitepipes in the central Slave Province, Canada. Crystallizationtemperatures recorded by olivine–chromite pairs at anassumed pressure of 1·0 GPa are 1030–1170°C± 50°C, with a mean of     

The Evolution of the Upper Mantle beneath the Canary Islands: Information from Trace Elements and Sr isotope Ratios in Minerals in Mantle Xenoliths

Laser ablation microprobe data are presented for olivine, orthopyroxeneand clinopyroxene in spinel harzburgite and lherzolite xenolithsfrom La Palma, Hierro, and Lanzarote, and new whole-rock trace-elementdata for xenoliths from Hierro and Lanzarote. The xenolithsshow evidence of strong major, trace element and Sr isotopedepletion (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr 0·7027 in clinopyroxene in themost refractory harzburgites) overprinted by metasomatism. Thelow Sr isotope ratios are not compatible with the former suggestionof a mantle plume in the area during opening of the AtlanticOcean. Estimates suggest that the composition of the originaloceanic lithospheric mantle beneath the Canary Islands correspondsto the residues after 25–30% fractional melting of primordialmantle material; it is thus significantly more refractory than‘normal’ mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) mantle. Thetrace element compositions and Sr isotopic ratios of the mineralsleast affected by metasomatization indicate that the upper mantlebeneath the Canary Islands originally formed as highly refractoryoceanic lithosphere during the opening of the Atlantic Oceanin the area. During the Canarian intraplate event the uppermantle was metasomatized; the metasomatic processes includecryptic metasomatism, resetting of the Sr–Nd isotopicratios to values within the range of Canary Islands basalts,formation of minor amounts of phlogopite, and melt–wall-rockreactions. The upper mantle beneath Tenerife and La Palma isstrongly metasomatized by carbonatitic or carbonaceous meltshighly enriched in light rare earth elements (REE) relativeto heavy REE, and depleted in Zr–Hf and Ti relative toREE. In the lithospheric mantle beneath Hierro and Lanzarote,metasomatism has been relatively weak, and appears to be causedby high-Si melts producing concave-upwards trace element patternsin clinopyroxene with weak negative Zr and Ti anomalies. Ti–Al–Fe-richharzburgites/lherzolites, dunites, wehrlites and clinopyroxenitesformed from mildly alkaline basaltic melts (similar to thosethat dominate the exposed parts of the islands), and appearto be mainly restricted to magma conduits; the alkali basaltmelts have caused only local metasomatism in the mantle wall-rocksof such conduits. The various metasomatic fluids formed as theresults of immiscible separations, melt–wall-rock reactionsand chromatographic fractionation either from a CO₂-rich basalticprimary melt, or, alternatively, from a basaltic and a siliceouscarbonatite or carbonaceous silicate melt. KEY WORDS: mantle xenoliths; mantle minerals; trace elements; depletion; carbonatite metasomatism     

Evidence for Early LREE-enriched Mantle Source Regions: Diverse Magmas from the c. 3{middle dot}0 Ga Mallina Basin, Pilbara Craton, NW Australia

The c. 2·97–2·95 Ga magmatic history ofthe Mallina Basin, in the Pilbara Craton of NW Australia, includeswhat is perhaps the most lithologically diverse magmatism ofany similar-sized Archaean terrain, and is unusual for similar-sizedterrains of any age. The magmatism includes light rare earthelement (LREE)-rich basaltic rocks, LREE-rich gabbros and rockswith boninite-like compositions (collectively the ‘Mallinamafic suite’), and high-Mg diorites (sanukitoids). TheMallina mafic suite is characterized by high primitive mantlenormalized (La/Nb)_PM (>3) and (La/Yb)_PM (>2), and non-radiogenicNd-isotopic compositions (     

Contributions of Slab Fluid, Mantle Wedge and Crust to the Origin of Quaternary Lavas in the NE Japan Arc

Quaternary lavas from the NE Japan arc show geochemical evidenceof mixing between mantle-derived basalts and crustal melts atthe magmatic front, whereas significant crustal signals arenot detected in the rear-arc lavas. The along-arc chemical variationsin lavas from the magmatic front are attributable almost entirelyto geochemical variations in the crustal melts that were mixedwith a common mantle-derived basalt. The mantle-derived basaltshave slightly enriched Sr–Pb and depleted Nd isotopiccompositions relative to the rear-arc lavas, but the variationis less pronounced if crustal contributions are eliminated.Therefore, the source mantle compositions and slab-derived fluxesare relatively uniform, both across and along the arc. Despitethis, incompatible element concentrations are significantlyhigher in the rear-arc basalts. We examine an open-system, fluid-fluxedmelting model, assuming that depleted mid-ocean ridge basalt(MORB)-source mantle melted by the addition of fluids derivedfrom subducted oceanic crust (MORB) and sediment (SED) hybridsat mixing proportions of 7% and 3% SED in the frontal- and rear-arcsources, respectively. The results reproduce the chemical variationsfound across the NE Japan arc with the conditions: 0·2%fluid flux with degree of melting F = 3% at 2 GPa in the garnetperidotite field for the rear arc, and 0·7% fluid fluxwith F = 20% at 1 GPa in the spinel peridotite field beneaththe magmatic front. The chemical process operating in the mantlewedge requires: (1) various SED–MORB hybrid slab fluidsources; (2) variable amounts of fluid; (3) a common depletedmantle source; (4) different melting parameters to explain across-arcchemical variations. KEY WORDS: arc magma; crustal melt; depleted mantle; NE Japan; Quaternary; slab fluid     

Geochemical Evidence for Slab Melting in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt

Geochemical studies of Plio-Quaternary volcanic rocks from theValle de Bravo–Zitácuaro volcanic field (VBZ) incentral Mexico indicate that slab melting plays a key role inthe petrogenesis of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Rocks fromthe VBZ are typical arc-related high-Mg andesites, but two differentrock suites with distinct trace element patterns and isotopiccompositions erupted concurrently in the area, with a traceelement character that is also distinct from that of other Mexicanvolcanoes. The geochemical differences between the VBZ suitescannot be explained by simple crystal fractionation and/or crustalassimilation of a common primitive magma, but can be reconciledby the participation of different proportions of melts derivedfrom the subducted basalt and sediments interacting with themantle wedge. Sr/Y and Sr/Pb ratios of the VBZ rocks correlateinversely with Pb and Sr isotopic compositions, indicating thatthe Sr and Pb budgets are strongly controlled by melt additionsfrom the subducted slab. In contrast, an inverse correlationbetween Pb(Th)/Nd and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios, which extend to lowerisotopic values than those for Pacific mid-ocean ridge basalts,indicates the participation of an enriched mantle wedge thatis similar to the source of Mexican intraplate basalts. In addition,a systematic decrease in middle and heavy rare earth concentrationsand Nb/Ta ratios with increasing SiO₂ contents in the VBZ rocksis best explained if these elements are mobilized to some extentin the subduction flux, and suggests that slab partial fusionoccurred under garnet amphibolite-facies conditions. KEY WORDS: arcs; mantle; Mexico; sediment melting; slab melting     

Insights into Petrological Characteristics of the Lithosphere of Mantle Wedge beneath Arcs through Peridotite Xenoliths: a Review

The petrological characteristics of peridotite xenoliths exhumedfrom the lithospheric mantle below the Western Pacific arcs(Kamchatka, NE Japan, SW Japan, Luzon–Taiwan, New Irelandand Vanuatu) are reviewed to obtain an overview of the supra-subductionzone mantle in mature subduction systems. These data are thencompared with those for peridotite xenoliths from recent orolder arcs described in the literature (e.g. New Britain, WesternCanada to USA, Central Mexico, Patagonia, Lesser Antilles andPannonian Basin) to establish a petrological model of the lithosphericmantle beneath the arc. In currently active volcanic arcs, thedegree of partial melting recorded in the peridotites appearsto decrease away from the fore-arc towards the back-arc region.Highly depleted harzburgites, more depleted than abyssal harzburgites,occur only in the frontal arc to fore-arc region. The degreeof depletion increases again to a degree similar to that ofthe most depleted abyssal harzburgites within the back-arc extensionalregion, whether or not a back-arc basin is developed. Metasomatismis most prominent beneath the volcanic front, where the magmaproduction rate is highest; silica enrichment, involving themetasomatic formation of secondary orthopyroxene at the expenseof olivine, is important in this region because of the additionof slab-derived siliceous fluids. Some apparently primary orthopyroxenes,such as those in harzburgites from the Lesser Antilles arc,could possibly be of this secondary paragenesis but have beenrecrystallized such that the replacement texture is lost. TheTi content of hydrous minerals is relatively low in the sub-arclithospheric mantle peridotites. The K/Na ratio of the metasomatichydrous minerals decreases rearward from the fore-arc mantleas well as downward within the lithospheric mantle. The lithosphericmantle wedge peridotites, especially metasomatized ones frombelow the volcanic front, are highly oxidized. Shearing of themantle wedge is expected beneath the volcanic front, and isrepresented by fine-grained peridotite xenoliths. KEY WORDS: mantle wedge; lithospheric mantle; peridotite xenoliths; melting; metasomatism