Description and Petrogenesis of the Paran Rzhyolites, Southern Brazil

The Paran continental flood basalt province is a voluminousbimodal volcanic sequence, with <5% silicic rocks (‘rhyolites’)lying on top of the basalts, concentrated towards the SouthAtlantic margin. Petrographically, the rhyolites have an anhydrousmineralogy (plagioclase, pyroxene, Fe–Ti oxides), and.two distinct groups are defined on the basis of phenocryst abundance.The Palmas group rhyolites are almost aphyric (<5% phenocrysts),in contrast to the plagioclase-rith Chapec group rhyolites(<25% phenocrysts). The plagioclase and clinopyroxene phenocrystsin the Palmas group rhyolites are rounded and poorly preserved,and are compositionally less evolved than those in the Chapecgroup. Calculated eruption temperatures are unusually high forsilicic magmas (950–1100C), and lie within the rangeof temperatures for the associated flood basalts. Chemically,the Palmas and Chapec group rhyolites are clearly distinguishable,with the most striking feature being the higher high field strengthelements, notably Ti, in the Chapec group. This mirrors thewell-documented low- and high-Ti division of the Paran basalts,and in addition there is a geographic correlation between thelow- and high- Ti basalt and rhyolite provinces, with high-Tivolcanics predominating in the north of the Paran Basin, andlow-Ti in the south. The Chapec group have Sr and Nd isotoperatios which overlap with those of the high-Ti basalts (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr₁₃₀0•705–0•708), whereas the Palmas group exhibita range towards high Sr isotope ratios (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr₁₃₀ 0•714–0•727),continuing the trend of the low-Ti basalts to more radiogenicvalues. This suggests that assimilation of radiogenic materialhas occurred. Both rhyolite groups plot away from the isotopicfields for crustal basement types beneath the Paran, thus anorigin by simple crustal melting is discounted. Based on petrographic,chemical and isotopic data, petrogenetic models for the tworhyolite groups are developed, focusing on the clear geneticlink between the Palmas rhyolites and the low-Ti basalts, andthe Chapec rhyolites and the high-Ti basalts. The Chapec rhyolitesare modelled as partial melts ( 30%) of underplated high-Tibasalts, rather than fractionates, primarily because of thetime gap between eruption of the high-Ti basalts and Chapecrhyolites. However, the Palmas rhyolites are almost coeval withthe low-Ti basalts, and are modelled as the products of open-systemfractional crystallization from these low-Ti basaltic magmas.In addition, this low-Ti suite shows a continuous trend frombasalt to rhyolite in highly incompatible elements such as Zrand Hf consistent with a liquid line of descent, whereas thehigh-Ti magmas have a substantial gap in the concentration ofthese elements between the basalts and rhyolites. Experimentaldata support the derivation of both Paran rhyolite groups frombasaltic parents with moderately low water contents. Pressurecalculations suggest shallower ponding for the Palmas magmasthan for the Chapec magma (<5 kbar vs 5–15 kbar),and the style of eruption inferred for the two groups is explosive(rheoignimbritic) for the Palmas group, and effusive (lava flows)for the Chapec group. KEY WORDS: Paran; Brazil; rhyolits; petrogenesis; geochemistry ^*Corresponding author     

Microchemical and Sr Isotopic Investigation of Zoned K-feldspar Megacrysts: Insights into the Petrogenesis of a Granitic System and Disequilibrium Crystal Growth

K-feldspar megacrysts (Kfm) are used to investigate the magmaticevolution of the 7 Ma Monte Capanne (MC) monzogranite (Elba,Italy). Dissolution and regrowth of Kfm during magma mixingor mingling events produce indented resorption surfaces associatedwith high Ba contents. Diffusion calculations demonstrate thatKfm chemical zoning is primary. Core-to-rim variations in Ba,Rb, Sr, Li and P support magma mixing (i.e. high Ba and P andlow Rb/Sr at rims), but more complex variations require othermechanisms. In particular, we show that disequilibrium growth(related to variations in diffusion rates in the melt) may haveoccurred as a result of thermal disturbance following influxof mafic magma in the magma chamber. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios(I_Sr) (obtained by microdrilling) decrease from core to rim.Inner core analyses define a mixing trend extending towardsa high I_Sr–Rb/Sr melt component, whereas the outer coresand rims display a more restricted range of I_Sr, but a largerrange of Rb/Sr. Lower I_Sr at the rim of one megacryst suggestsmixing with high-K calc-alkaline mantle-derived volcanics ofsimilar age on Capraia. Trace element and isotopic profilessuggest (1) early megacryst growth in magmas contaminated bycrust and refreshed by high I_Sr silicic melts (as seen in theinner cores) and (2) later recharge with mafic magmas (as seenin the outer cores) followed by (3) crystal fractionation, withpossible interaction with hydrothermal fluids (as seen in therim). The model is compatible with the field occurrence of maficenclaves and xenoliths. KEY WORDS: Elba; monzogranite; K-feldspar megacrysts; zoning; magma mixing; trace element; Sr isotopes; petrogenesis     

Experimental and Thermodynamic Constraints on the Sulphur Yield of Peralkaline and Metaluminous Silicic Flood Eruptions

Many basaltic flood provinces are characterized by the existenceof voluminous amounts of silicic magmas, yet the role of thesilicic component in sulphur emissions associated with trapactivity remains poorly known. We have performed experimentsand theoretical calculations to address this issue. The meltsulphur content and fluid/melt partitioning at saturation witheither sulphide or sulphate or both have been experimentallydetermined in three peralkaline rhyolites, which are a majorcomponent of some flood provinces. Experiments were performedat 150 MPa, 800–900°C, fO₂ in the range NNO –2 to NNO + 3 and under water-rich conditions. The sulphur contentis strongly dependent on the peralkalinity of the melt, in additionto fO₂, and reaches 1000 ppm at NNO + 1 in the most stronglyperalkaline composition at 800°C. At all values of fO₂,peralkaline melts can carry 5–20 times more sulphur thantheir metaluminous equivalents. Mildly peralkaline compositionsshow little variation in fluid/melt sulphur partitioning withchanging fO₂ (D_S 270). In the most peralkaline melt, D_S risessharply at fO₂ > NNO + 1 to values of >500. The partitioncoefficient increases steadily for S_bulk between 1 and 6 wt% but remains about constant for S_bulk between 0·5 and1 wt %. At bulk sulphur contents lower than 4 wt %, a temperatureincrease from 800 to 900°C decreases D_S by 10%. These results,along with (1) thermodynamic calculations on the behaviour ofsulphur during the crystallization of basalt and partial meltingof the crust and (2) recent experimental constraints on sulphursolubility in metaluminous rhyolites, show that basalt fractionationcan produce rhyolitic magmas having much more sulphur than rhyolitesderived from crustal anatexis. In particular, hot and dry metaluminoussilicic magmas produced by melting of dehydrated lower crustare virtually devoid of sulphur. In contrast, peralkaline rhyolitesformed by crystal fractionation of alkali basalt can concentrateup to 90% of the original sulphur content of the parental magmas,especially when the basalt is CO₂-rich. On this basis, we estimatethe amounts of sulphur potentially released to the atmosphereby the silicic component of flood eruptive sequences. The peralkalineEthiopian and Deccan rhyolites could have produced 10¹⁷ and10¹⁸ g of S, respectively, which are comparable amounts to publishedestimates for the basaltic activity of each province. In contrast,despite similar erupted volumes, the metaluminous Paraná–Etendekasilicic eruptives could have injected only 4·6 x 10¹⁵g of S in the atmosphere. Peralkaline flood sequences may thushave greater environmental effects than those of metaluminousaffinity, in agreement with evidence available from mass extinctionsand oceanic anoxic events. KEY WORDS: silicic flood eruptions; sulphur; experiment; Ethiopia; Deccan     

A Chemical and Multi-Isotope Study of the Western Cape Olivine Melilitite Province, South Africa: Implications for the Sources of Kimberlites and the Origin of the HIMU Signature in Africa

We present major and trace element and Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf–Osisotopic data for the 76–58 Ma Western Cape melilititeprovince, an age-progressive magmatic lineation in which primitiveolivine melilitite intrusives and alkali basalt lavas have beenemplaced on the southwestern margin of South Africa. The magmasrange from alkali basalts with strong HIMU isotopic and traceelement affinities on the continental shelf to melilitites withkimberlite-like incompatible element compositions and EM 1 isotopicaffinities on thick Proterozoic lithosphere (i.e. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i= 0·7029–0·7043,     

Volcanic Rocks from the Nejapa and Granada Cinder Cone Alignments, Nicaragua, Central America

Mafic tholeiitic basalts from the Nejapa and Granada (NG) cindercone alignments provide new insights into the origin and evolutionof magmas at convergent plate margins. In comparison to otherbasalts from the Central American volcanic front, these marietholeiitic basalts are high in MgO and CaO and low in Al₂O_p,K₂O₁, Ba and Sr. They also differ from other Central Americanbasalts, in having clinopyroxene phenocrysts with higher MgO,CaO and Cr₂O₃ concentrations and olivine phenocrysts with higherMgO contents. Except for significantly higher concentrationsof Ba, Sr and ⁸⁷Sr/₈₆Sr, most of the tholeiites are indistinguishable in compositionfrom mid-ocean ridge basalts. In general, phenocryst mineralcompositions are also very similar between NG tholeiites andmid-ocean ridge basalts. The basalts as a whole can be dividedinto two groups based on relative TiO₂-K₂O concentrations. Thehigh-Ti basalts always have the lowest K₂O and Ba and usuallyhave the highest Ni and Cr. All of the basalts have experienced some fractional crystallizationof olivine, plagioclase and clinopyroxene. Relative to otherCentral American basalts, the Nejapa-Granada basalts appearto have fractionated at low P_T and P_H2O. The source of primarymagmas for these basalts is the mantle wedge. Fluids and/ormelts may have been added to the mantle wedge from hydrothermally-altered,subducting oceanic crust in order to enrich the mantle in Sr,Ba and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, but not in K and Rb. The role of lower crustaicontamination in causing the observed enrichments in Sr, Baand ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of NG basalts in comparison to mid-ocean ridgebasalts, however, is unclear. Rutile or a similar high-Ti accessoryphase may have been stable in the mantle source of the low-TiNG basalts, but not in that of the high-Ti basalts. Mafic tholeiiticbasalts, similar to those from Nejapa and Granada, may representmagmatic compositions parental to high-Al basalts, the mostmafic basalts at most Central American volcanoes. The characterof the residual high-Al basalts after this fractionation stepdepends critically on P_H2O Both high and low-Ti andesites are also present at Nejapa. Likethe high-Ti basalts, the high-Ti andesites have lower K₂O andBa and higher Ni and Cr in comparison to the low-Ti group. Thehigh-Ti andesites appear to be unrelated to any of the otherrocks and their exact origin is unknown. The low-Ti andesitesare the products of fractional crystallization of plagioclase,clinopyroxene, olivine (or orthopyroxene) and magnetite fromthe low-Ti basalts. The eruption that deposited a lapilli sectionat Cuesta del Plomo involved the explosive mixing of 3 components:high-Ti basaltic magma, low-Ti andesitic magma and high-Ti andesiticlava.     

Geochronology and Petrogenesis of the Cretaceous Antampombato-Ambatovy Complex and Associated Dyke Swarm, Madagascar

The Antampombato–Ambatovy complex is the largest intrusionin the central–eastern part of the Cretaceous flood basaltprovince of Madagascar, with an exposed surface area of about80 km². It has an ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar incremental heating age of 89·9± 0·4 Ma and a U–Pb age of 90 ± 2Ma. The outcropping plutonic rocks range from dunite and wehrlite,through clinopyroxenite and gabbro, to sodic syenite. A dykeswarm cross-cutting some of the above lithologies (and the nearbyPrecambrian basement rocks) is formed of picritic basalts, alkalito transitional basalts, benmoreites and rhyolites; some ofthe latter are peralkaline. A few basaltic dykes have cumulateolivine textures, with up to 26 wt % MgO and 1200 ppm Ni, whereasothers have characteristics more akin to those of primitiveliquids (9 wt % MgO; Mg-number 0·61; 500 ppm Cr; 200ppm Ni). These basalts have relatively high TiO₂ (2·2wt %) and total iron (14 wt % as Fe₂O₃), and moderate contentsof Nb (10–11 ppm) and Zr (c. 100 ppm). Initial (at 90Ma) Sr- and Nd-isotope ratios of the clinopyroxenites and basaltdykes are 0·7030–0·7037 and 0·51290–0·51283,respectively. Syenites and peralkaline rhyolites have Sr- andNd-isotope ratios of 0·7037–0·7039 and 0·51271–0·51274,respectively. The data suggest derivation of the parental magmasfrom a time-integrated depleted mantle source, combined withsmall amounts of crustal contamination in the petrogenesis ofthe more evolved magmas. The isotopic compositions of the mafic–ultramaficrocks are most similar to those of the mid-ocean ridge basalt(MORB)-like igneous rocks of eastern Madagascar, and suggestthe existence of an isotopically ‘depleted’ componentin the source of the entire Madagascar province, even thoughthe Antampombato basalts are chemically unlike the lavas anddykes with the same depleted isotopic signature found in westernMadagascar. If this depleted component is plume-related, thissuggests that the plume has a broadly MORB-source mantle composition.The existence of isotopically more enriched magma types in theMadagascan province has several possible petrogenetic explanations,one of which could be the interaction of plume-related meltswith the deep lithospheric mantle beneath the island. KEY WORDS: geochronology; flood basalts; Antampombato–Ambatovy intrusion; Cretaceous; Madagascar     

High-Magnesian Andesite Produced by Two-Stage Magma Mixing: a Case Study from Hachimantai, Northern Honshu, Japan

High-magnesian andesite occurs at Hachimantai, northern Honshu,Japan. Disequilibrium zoning features indicate that the phenocrystminerals were derived from three different magmas. Chemicalcompositions and zoning profiles are accounted for by two-stagemagma mixing: the first mixing occurred between a crystal-freebasalt magma and a more differentiated olivine basalt magma;the second stage occurred by mixing between the resultant ofthe first-stage mixing and a hypersthene–augite andesitemagma. Mass balance of phenocryst crystals shows that end-membercompositions were c. 52·0 wt % SiO₂ and 10·1 wt% MgO for the mafic end-member and 57·0 wt % SiO₂ forthe felsic end-member of the second-stage mixing. Phenocrystminerals of the first-stage mixing end-member indicate the similarityof the end-member composition to that of basalts from nearbyvolcanoes. The counterpart aphyric magma in the first-stagemixing was more magnesian than the estimated mafic end-member.Calculations of the phase equilibria of similar basalts fromnearby volcanoes and comparison of results with previous phaseequilibrium experiments showed that the olivine basalt end-memberof the first stage was hydrous and situated at a depth wherethe pressure was less than 2 kbar. Two-pyroxene thermometryestimates are about 1050°C for the pyroxenes derived fromthe felsic end-member of the second-stage mixing, and about1180°C for groundmass pyroxenes. Crystallization temperaturesof 1170–1230°C are estimated for minerals from themafic end-member of the second-stage mixing based on phase equilibriumcalculations. These similar temperature estimates between thegroundmass and the mafic end-member imply achievement of thermalequilibrium between end-members preceding crystallization. Themagma plumbing system of the eastern Hachimantai is illustratedby a recent volcanic event, involving lateral dike intrusiontoward a pressure source. The encounter of a laterally migratingbasalt dike and an andesite magma chamber triggered the magmamixing that produced the high-magnesian andesite. The modelcan account for the relation between the petrological modeland surface distribution of volcanic rocks. The infrequencyof such mixing-derived high-magnesian andesite stems from therarity of high-magnesian basalt as a potential mixing end-memberin northern Honshu. KEY WORDS: high-magnesian andesite; Hachimantai; Northern Honshu; high-magnesian basalt; two-stage magma mixing     

A Bimodal Alkalic Shield Volcano on Skiff Bank: its Place in the Evolution of the Kerguelen Plateau

A bimodal volcanic sequence of 230 m thickness on Skiff Bank,a western salient of the northern Kerguelen Plateau, was drilledduring ODP Leg 183. The sequence comprises three main units:a mafic unit of trachybasalt flows sandwiched between two unitsof trachytic or rhyolitic flows and volcaniclastic rocks. Althoughinterpretation is complicated by moderate to strong alterationof the rocks, their original chemical character can be establishedusing the least mobile major and trace elements (Al, Th, highfield strength elements and rare earth elements). High concentrationsof alkalis and incompatible trace elements indicate that bothmafic and felsic rocks are alkalic. The felsic rocks may havebeen derived by partial melting of mafic rocks, followed byfractionation of feldspar, clinopyroxene, Fe–Ti oxidesand apatite. The mafic and felsic rocks have similar Nd andPb isotopic compositions; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios are low (17·5–18·0)but, like the ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios (0·5125–0·5126),they are comparable with those of basalts from the central andsouthern Kerguelen Plateau (e.g. Sites 747, 749, 750). The Srisotopic system is perturbed by later alteration. There is nochemical or isotopic evidence for a continental crustal component.The bimodal alkalic character and the presence of quartz-phyricrhyolites is interpreted to indicate that the sequence formspart of a shield volcano built upon the volcanic plateau. Theage of 68 Ma, obtained on Site 1139 rocks by Duncan (A timeframe for construction of the Kerguelen Plateau and Broken Ridge,Journal of Petrology 43, 1109–1119, 2002), provides onlya minimum age for the underlying flood volcanic rocks. The highage indicates none the less that Skiff Bank is not the presentlocation of the Kerguelen plume. KEY WORDS: Ocean Drilling Program; Kerguelen Plateau; Skiff Bank     

Petrology and Geochemistry of Early Cretaceous Bimodal Continental Flood Volcanism of the NW Etendeka, Namibia. Part 1: Introduction, Mafic Lavas and Re-evaluation of Mantle Source Components

The bimodal NW Etendeka province is located at the continentalend of the Tristan plume trace in coastal Namibia. It comprisesa high-Ti (Khumib type) and three low-Ti basalt (Tafelberg,Kuidas and Esmeralda types) suites, with, at stratigraphicallyhigher level, interstratified high-Ti latites (three units)and quartz latites (five units), and one low-Ti quartz latite.Khumib basalts are enriched in high field strength elementsand light rare earth elements relative to low-Ti types and exhibittrace element affinities with Tristan da Cunha lavas. The unradiogenic²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios of Khumib basalts are distinctive, most plottingto the left of the 132 Ma Geochron, together with elevated ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pbratios, and Sr–Nd isotopic compositions plotting in thelower ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd part of mantle array (EM1-like). The low-Tibasalts have less coherent trace element patterns and variable,radiogenic initial Sr (     

Relationships between Mafic and Peralkaline Silicic Magmatism in Continental Rift Settings: a Petrological, Geochemical and Isotopic Study of the Gedemsa Volcano, Central Ethiopian Rift

Petrological and geochemical data are reported for basalts andsilicic peralkaline rocks from the Quaternary Gedemsa volcano,northern Ethiopian rift, with the aim of discussing the petrogenesisof peralkaline magmas and the significance of the Daly Gap occurringat local and regional scales. Incompatible element vs incompatibleelement diagrams display smooth positive trends; the isotoperatios of the silicic rocks (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0·70406–0·70719;¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd = 0·51274–0·51279) encompassthose of the mafic rocks. These data suggest a genetic linkbetween rhyolites and basalts, but are not definitive in establishingwhether silicic rocks are related to basalts through fractionalcrystallization or partial melting. Geochemical modelling ofincompatible vs compatible elements excludes the possibilitythat peralkaline rhyolites are generated by melting of basalticrocks, and indicates a derivation by fractional crystallizationplus moderate assimilation of wall rocks (AFC) starting fromtrachytes; the latter have exceedingly low contents of compatibleelements, which precludes a derivation by basalt melting. ContinuousAFC from basalt to rhyolite, with small rates of crustal assimilation,best explains the geochemical data. This process generated azoned magma chamber whose silicic upper part acted as a densityfilter for mafic magmas and was preferentially tapped; maficmagmas, ponding at the bottom, were erupted only during post-calderastages, intensively mingled with silicic melts. The large numberof caldera depressions found in the northern Ethiopian riftand their coincidence with zones of positive gravity anomaliessuggest the occurrence of numerous magma chambers where evolutionaryprocesses generated silicic peralkaline melts starting frommafic parental magmas. This suggests that the petrological andvolcanological model proposed for Gedemsa may have regionalsignificance, thus furnishing an explanation for the large-volumeperalkaline ignimbrites in the Ethiopian rift. KEY WORDS: peralkaline rhyolites; geochemistry; Daly Gap; Gedemsa volcano; Ethiopian rift     

Geochemistry of Mesozoic plutons, southern Death Valley region, California: Insights into the origin of Cordilleran interior magmatism

Mesozoic granitoid plutons in the southern Death Valley region of southeastern California reveal substantial compositional and isotopic diversity for Mesozoic magmatism in the southwestern US Cordillera. Jurassic plutons of the region are mainly calc-alkaline mafic granodiorites with )_Ndi of -5 to -16, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i of 0.707-0.726, and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_i of 17.5-20.0. Cretaceous granitoids of the region are mainly monzogranites with )_Ndi of -6 to -19, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i of 0.707-0.723, and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_i of 17.4-18.6. The granitoids were generated by mixing of mantle-derived mafic melts and pre-existing crust - some of the Cretaceous plutons represent melting of Paleoproterozoic crust that, in the southern Death Valley region, is exceptionally heterogeneous. A Cretaceous gabbro on the southern flank of the region has an unusually juvenile composition ()_Ndi -3.2, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i 0.7060). Geographic position of the Mesozoic plutons and comparison with Cordilleran plutonism in the Mojave Desert show that the Precambrian lithosphere (craton margin) in the eastern Mojave Desert region may consists of two crustal blocks separated by a more juvenile terrane.     

Geochemistry of the Wrangellia Flood Basalt Province: Implications for the Role of Continental and Oceanic Lithosphere in Flood Basalt Genesis

The Wrangellia terrane of North America contains a large volumeof Middle to Late Triassic oceanic flood basalts which wereemplaced on top of a preexisting island arc. Nd-, Sr-, and Pb-isotopiccompositions reflect derivation from a plume source with _Nd(T)+6 to + 7, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i0•7034, and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_i19•0.Major and trace element compositions suggest the Wrangelliaflood basalts (WFB) formed through relatively small degreesof partial melting at greater depths than estimated for otheroceanic plateaux such as Ontong Java. It appears that the WFBdid not form in a rifting environment, and that preexistingarc lithosphere limited the ascent and decompression meltingof the source plume. Rocks from the preexisting arc are stronglydepleted in high field strength elements (HFSEs) relative tolarge ion lithophile elements (LILEs), but the WFB are not.Assimilation of arc lithospheric mantle or crust was thereforegenerally minor. However, some contamination by arc componentsis evident, particularly in basalts erupted in the early stagesof volcanism. Minor isotopic shifts, to lower _Nd(T) and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb_iand higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i, are accompanied by shifts in trace elementratios towards more arclike signatures, e.g. low Nb/Th and Nb/La.Arc contamination is greatest in the most evolved basalts, indicatingthat assimilation was coupled with fractional crystallization.A comparison of the WFB with other continental and oceanic floodbasalts reveals that continental flood basalts generally formthrough smaller degrees of melting than oceanic flood basaltsand that the contribution of material from the crust and litho-sphericmantle is significantly greater. KEY WORDS: oceanic flood basalts; Wrangellia terrane; petrogenesis; Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes ^*Corroponding author     

Petrogenesis of the early Cretaceous Valle Chico igneous complex (SE Uruguay): Relationships with Paraná–Etendeka magmatism

The early Cretaceous (130 Ma) igneous complex of Valle Chico (SE Uruguay) is made up of felsic plutonic and subordinate volcanic rocks and dykes cropping out over an area of about 250 km². This complex is strictly linked with the formation of the Paraná–Etendeka Igneous Province and the first stages of the South Atlantic Ocean rifting. The plutonic rocks range from quartz-monzonite to syenite, quartz-syenite and granite. The volcanic rocks and the dykes range from quartz-latite to trachyte and rhyolite; no substantial differences in term of chemical composition have been found between plutonic and volcanic rocks. Only a sample of basaltic composition (with tholeiitic affinity) has been sampled associated with the felsic rocks. The Agpaitic Index of the Valle Chico felsic rocks range from 0.72 to 1.34, with the peralkaline terms confined in the most evolved samples (SiO₂>65 wt.%). Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr₍₁₃₀₎ of the felsic rocks range from 0.7046 to 0.7201, but the range of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of low-Rb/Sr samples cluster at 0.7083; ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd₍₁₃₀₎ ratios range from 0.5121 (syenite) to 0.5117 (granite). The tholeiitic basalt show more depleted isotopic compositions (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr₍₁₃₀₎=0.7061; ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd₍₁₃₀₎=0.5122), and plots in the field of other early Cretaceous low-Ti basaltic rocks of SE Uruguay. The radiogenic Sr and unradiogenic Nd of the Valle Chico felsic rocks require involvement of lower crustal material in their genesis either as melt contaminant or as protolith (crustal anatexis). In particular, most of the Valle Chico (VC) felsic rocks define a near-vertical array in Sr–Nd isotopic spaces, pointing toward classical EMI-type composition; this feature is considered to reflect a lower crust involvement as observed for other mafic and felsic rocks of the Paraná–Etendeka Igneous Province. Decompression melting of the lower crust related to Gondwana continental rifting before the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean or the presence of thermal anomalies related to the Tristan plume may have induced the lower crust to partially melt. Alternative hypothesis considers contamination of upper mantle by a mafic/ultramafic keel composed of lower crust and uppermost mantle after delamination and detachment processes. This interaction may have occurred after the continent–continent collision during the last stages of the Panafrican Orogeny. This “lower crust” model does not exclude active involvement of upper crust as contaminant, necessary to explain the strongly radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr₍₁₃₀₎ isotopic composition of some VC SiO₂-rich rocks. Mineralogical (sporadic presence of pigeonite, Ca–Na and Na clinopyroxene, calcic- and calco-sodic amphibole) and geochemical evidences (major and trace element as well as Sr–Nd isotopic similarities with the felsic early Cretaceous volcanic rocks of the Arequita Formation in SE Uruguay) allow us to propose for the VC rocks a transitional rock series (the most abundant rock types are of syenitic/trachytic composition) preferentially evolving towards SiO₂-oversaturated compositions (granite/rhyolite) also with a strong upper crustal contribution as melt contaminant. This conclusion is in contrast with previous studies according which the VC complex had clear alkaline affinity. Many similarities between VC and the coeval Paresis granitoids (Etendeka, Namibia) are evidenced in this paper. The genetic similarities between VC and the rhyolites (s.l.) of SE Uruguay may find counterparts with the genetic link existing between the early Cretaceous tholeiitic-alkaline Messum complex and the quartz latites (s.l.) of the Awahab Formation (Etendeka region, Namibia).     

Subduction Style Magmatism in a Non-subduction Setting: the Colville Igneous Complex, NE Washington State, USA

The Colville Igneous Complex is located within the Eocene MagmaticBelt of the North American Cordilleran interior. It straddlesthe US–Canadian border in northeast Washington and southernBritish Columbia. The complex consists of three intrusive andtwo extrusive phases, the first extrusive phase being contemporaneouswith the latter two intrusive phases. As a consequence of sub-solidusre-equilibration in the plutonic rocks, this study concentrateson the two extrusive phases, the Sanpoil Volcanic Formationand the Klondike Mountain Formation. The Sanpoil Volcanic Formationconsists of andesites, dacites and rare trachyandesites (SiO₂= 55–70 wt %) exhibiting a slight decrease in total alkalis(Na₂O + K₂O) with increasing silica. The Klondike Mountain Formationconsists of basalts, basaltic andesites, andesites, dacitesand rhyolites (SiO₂ = 51–75 wt %) with total alkalis increasingwith increasing silica. The calc-alkaline affinity of the rocksof the Colville Igneous Complex, coupled with the presence ofa ‘subduction signature’ of enriched large ion lithophileelements (LILE) and depleted high field strength elements (HFSE),has traditionally been attributed to petrogenesis in a subduction-relatedmagmatic arc, the ‘Challis Arc’. New trace and rareearth element and isotopic data (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i,     

Constraints on the Mantle Sources of the Deccan Traps from the Petrology and Geochemistry of the Basalts of Gujarat State (Western India)

The late Cretaceous-early Tertiary flood basalts in the Gujaratarea of the northwestern Deccan Traps (Kathiawar peninsula,Pavagadh hills and Rajpipla) exhibit a wide range of compositions,from picrite basalts to rhyolites; moreover, the basaltic rockshave clearly distinct TiO₂ contents at any given degree of differentiationand strongly resemble the low-titanium and hightitanium basaltsfound in most of the Gondwana continental flood basalt (CFB)suites. Four magma groups are petrologically and geochemicallydistinguished: (1) A low-Ti group, characterized by rocks with varying SiO²saturation, and with TiO₂ <1•8 wt%, extremely low incompatibletrace element abundances, low Zr/ (av- 3•8), Ti/ V (av.27), and a very slight large ion lithophile element (LJLE) enrichmentover high field strength elements (HFSE). These rocks sharesome features with the Bushe Formation of the Western Ghatsfarther south, but have distinct geochemical characters, inparticular the strong depletion in most incompatible trace elements. (2) A high-Ti group, characterized by a more K-rich characterthan the low-Ti rocks, and with a strong enrichment in incompatibleelements, similar to average ocean island basalt (OIB), e.g.high TiO₂ (>1•8 wt% in picrites), Nb (>19 p.p.m.)Zr/ (av. 6•5) and Tt/V (av. 47). (3) An intermediate-Ti group, with TiO₂ contents slightly lowerthan the high-Ti rocks at the same degree of evolution, andwith correspondingly lower incompatible trace element contentsand ratios, in particular K₂O, Nb, Ba and Zr/Y (av. 5•2). (4) A potassium-rich group (KT), broadly similar in geochemicalcharacter to the high-Ti group but showing more extreme K, Rband Ba enrichment (av. K₂0/Na₂0l; Ba/Y20). The most primitive low-Ti and high-Ti picrites, when correctedfor low-pressure olivine fractionation, show distinct major(and trace) element geochemistry, in particular for CaO/AI₂O₃,CaO/TiO₂ and Al₂O₃/TiO₂, and moderate but significant variationsin their SiO₂ and Fe₂O_st contents; these characteristics stronglysuggest the involvement of different mantle sources, more depletedfor the low-Ti picrites, and richer in cpxfor the high-Ti picrites,but with broadly the same pressures of equilibration (27–14kbar). This, in turn, suggests a strong lateral heterogeneityin the Gujarat Trap mantle. Low-Ti picrites and related differentiatesin Kathiawar are reported systematically for the first timehere, and suggest the existence of HFSE-depleted mantle in thenorthwestern Deccan Traps, with extension at least to the SeychellesIslands and to the area of the Bushe Formation near Bombay inthe pre-drift position, before the development of the CarlsbergRidge. The absence of correlations between LILE/HFSE ratiosand SiO₂ argues against crustal contamination processes actingon the low-Ti picrites, possibly owing to their probably rapiduprise to the surface. Consequently, the mantle region of thisrock group was probably re-enriched by small amounts of ULE-richmaterials. The substantially higher, trace element enrichmentof the least differentiated high-Ti picrites, relative to thebasalts of the Ambe-noli and Mahableshwar Formations of theWestern Ghats, testifies also to the presence of more incompatibleelement rich, OIB4ike mantle sources in northern and northwesternGujarat. These sources were geochemicaily similar to the present-dayReunion mantle sources. KEY WORDS: Deccan Traps; geochemistry; petrology; picrite basalts; western India ^*Corresponding author, e-mail: mellujo{at}ds.cued.unina.it     

Petrogenetic Aspects of Acid and Basaltic Lavas from the Paran? Plateau (Brazil): Geological, Mineralogical and Petrochemical Relationships

The acid volcanics (Lower Cretaceous) of the Paran? basin coveran area of about 150000 km² and are represented by dominantrhyodacites and subordinate rhyolites. They may be divided intotwo main types, characterized respectively by relatively lowand relatively high contents of Ti, P, and other incompatibleelements (La, Ce, Zr, etc.), i.e. the Palmas acid volcanics(PAY) and Chapec? acid volcanics (CAV), respectively. PAV arewidespread in the southern Paran? basin and are closely associatedwith basaltic and andesitic rock-types similarly characterizedby low Ti, P, and other incompatible elements. In contrast,CAV are dominant in the northern Paran? basin, where they areclosely associated with basalts containing high Ti, P, and otherincompatible elements. The generation of the Palmas and Chapec? acid melts appearsto be in part consistent with crystal fractionation processes,starting from the associated basic rocks and accompanied bycrustal contamination. However the relative absence of intermediaterock-types (‘silica gap’: 54–56 to 63–65wt. per cent), and the confinement of the acid volcanics towardsthe continental margin suggests that a model involving lowercrustal basic material of significantly different compositionin the northern and southern Paran? basin may be a more plausiblealternative. In this preferred model the basic parent materialmay be represented by mafic granulites of different compositions,or by basalts trapped at the crust-mantle discontinuity andcorresponding in composition to the contrasting low- and high-TiO₂basalts that flooded the Paran? basin in Lower Cretaceous times.The melting of these underplated materials may explain the closegeochemical relationships between fissure acid volcanics andthe closely associated basalt types (e.g., Ethiopia, Paran?).The beginning of the major rifting related to continental break-upshould therefore correspond to the stage when the melting processaffected the lower part of the continental crust. ^*Reprint requests to E. M. Piccirillo     

Petrogenesis of Evolved Basalts and Rhyolites at Austurhorn, Southeastern Iceland: the Role of Fractional Crystallization

The Austurhorn intrusive complex in southeastern Iceland representsthe evolved hypabyssal remains of an eroded Tertiary (6–7Ma) central volcano. The complex consists of a layered gabbrointrusion, a composite granophyric stock, and abundant maficand felsic dikes. Mineralogical and geochemical trends amongcontemporaneous, compositionally diverse liquids from the complexprovide insight into the genesis of evolved basalts and rhyolitesin Iceland that are difficult to infer from studies of onlylavas. Mafic and felsic samples have comparable ranges in incompatibletrace element ratios (Ba/La and P/Ce) and Sr- and Pb-isotopes(O'Nions and Pankhurst, 1973; B. Hanan, pers. comm., 1988),suggesting derivation from a common parental composition. Majorand trace element variations throughout the Austurhorn suiteare consistent with fractional crystallization of the observedphenocrysts. Quartz-normative basalts were derived from parentalbasalt containing 7.8 wt.% MgO by extensive low-pressure crystallizationof olivine, augite, plagioclase, magnetite, and ilmenite. Thefractionating assemblage is consistent with the observed mineralogyof associated gabbro. Moreover, the cumulus mineralogy of thegabbro provides evidence for fractionation processes in a compositionalinterval not represented by dikes and sills (i.e., 54–63wt.% SiO₂).Diversity among the mafic dikes reflects severaladditional factors: (1) crystallization under conditions ofvariable oxygen fugacity; (2) separate mantle melting eventsthat produce different Ce/Yb values; (3) contamination of somemafic dikes at depth, presumably by interaction with felsicmagmas. Major and trace element trends among most felsic samples canbe modeled by fractionation of the observed mineral phases:plagioclase, K-feldspar, clinopyroxene, ilmenite, apatite, allanite,and zircon. Although crustal melting has been proposed for generatingIcelandic rhyolites, most Austurhorn felsic samples are unlikeliquids derived by melting of hydrated basalts. In particular,apatite and zircon have controlled the abundances of Zr, Hf,and the REE in the felsic rocks, but they are unlikely to beresidual phases during partial melting of basalt. One felsicdike, interpreted as a melt of an evolved source, shows petrographicevidence of in situ anatexis and also has anomalous trace elementabundances and unusually high ₂₀₆Pb/₂₀₄Pb.     

Fe-rich Dunite Xenoliths from South African Kimberlites: Cumulates from Karoo Flood Basalts

Fe-rich dunite xenoliths within the Kimberley kimberlites compriseolivine neoblasts with minor elongated, parallel-oriented ilmenite,and rarely olivine porphyroclasts and spinel. Compared withtypical mantle peridotites, olivines in the Fe-rich duniteshave lower forsterite (Fo_87–89) and NiO contents (1300–2800ppm), which precludes a restitic origin for the dunites. Chrome-richspinels are remnants of a metasomatic reaction that producedilmenite and phlogopite. Trace element compositions differ betweenporphyroclastic and neoblastic olivine, the latter having higherTi, V, Cr and Ni and lower Zn, Zr and Nb contents, documentingtheir different origins. The dunites have high ¹⁸⁷Os/ ¹⁸⁸Osratios (0·11–0·15) that result in youngmodel ages for most samples, whereas three samples show isotopicmixtures between Phanerozoic neoblasts and ancient porphyroclasticmaterial. Most Fe-rich dunite xenoliths are interpreted to berecrystallized cumulates related to fractional crystallizationof Jurassic Karoo flood basalt magmatism, whereas the porphyroclastsare interpreted to be remnants from a much earlier (probablyArchaean Ventersdorp) magmatic episode. The calculated parentalmagma for the most primitive olivine neoblasts in the Fe-richdunites is similar to low-Ti Karoo basalts. Modelling the crystalfractionation of the inferred parental magma with pMELTS yieldselement fractionation trends that mirror the element variationof primitive low-Ti Karoo basalts. KEY WORDS: dunite xenoliths; fractional crystallization; Karoo; large igneous province; pMELTS; Re–Os; trace elements     

Mantle Heterogeneity and Crustal Contamination in the Genesis of Low-Ti Continental Flood Basalts from the Paran? Plateau (Brazil): Sr-Nd Isotope and Geochemical Evidence

Continental flood basalts from the Parana plateau are of LowerCretaceous age and are represented by abundant (c. 45 per centby volume) two-pyroxene tholeiites characterized by relativelylow-TiO₂ (< 2 wt. percent) and incompatible (e.g., P, Ba,Sr, La, Ce, Zr) element contents. Low-Ti basalts are distributedthroughout the Parana Basin and predominate in the southernregions, where they represent over 90 per cent by volume ofthe basic activity. Major and trace elements and Sr-Nd isotope ratios were analysedin 43 low-Ti basalts selected so as to cover the entire Paranabasin. In general, low-Ti basalts with initial ^87Sr86Sr ratios (R₀)lower than O7060 may be divided into two groups: (A) those relativelyenriched in incompatible elements (e.g., average K₂O = O.85and P₂O₅ = 0.27 wt. per cent, and Ba = 346, Sr =289, Rb=16;La =18; Zr=132 p.p.m.) and SiO₂ (average 51.1 wt. per cent);and (B) depleted in incompatible elements (e.g., average K₂O= 0.31, P₂O₅ =0.17 wt. per cent, and Ba=178, Sr= 179, Rb= 11,La = 9, Zr = 93 p.p.m.) and SiO₂ (average 49.7 wt. per cent).Low-Ti basalts of Group A are typical of northern Paran? {Ro= O70550–O70596), but a few are also present in centralParan? (Ro = 070577–0–70591), while those of GroupB are exclusive to central Paran– {Ro = 070463–0–70580) Low-Ti basalts with R₀> O7060 are typical of southern Paran?(R₀ = O7O639 –O71137), but are also present in centralParana (Ro = 070620–070890). These low-Ti basalts havechemical similarity (e.g., Ti, P, Sr) with low-Ti basalts depletedin incompatible elements (Group B) from which, however, theydiffer-in possessing significantly higher concentrations ofSiO₂, K₂O, Rb, and Ba. Such chemical diversity, accompaniedby important Ro variations (070463–071137) suggests thatthe low-Ti basalts from southern and part of central Paranamay result from crustal contamination. On the contrary, low-Ti basalts from northern, and part of central, Parana (GroupA) may be considered virtually uncontaminated. Results indicate that crustal contamination by granitic material(s)may be in the range 7–17 per cent. Such contaminationin central Paran? appears compatible with an assimilation-fractionalcrystallization process (AFC), while in southern Parana, othercontamination processes (e.g., mixing of magmasfrom crustaland mantle sources, assimilation of wall rock while magmas flowthrough dykes, etc.) were probably superimposed on AFC. Thedegree of crustal contamination generally decreases from southernto northern Parana. Sr and Nd isotope ratios suggest that mantle source materialfor low-Ti basalts depleted in incompatible elements (GroupB: southern and part of central Parana) had a lower R₀ value(c. O.7046) and a higher ^l43Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratio (Nd + c. 0.51274)than that for low-Ti basalts enriched in incompatible elements(Group A: northern and part of central Parana), namely R₀ c.O.7059 and Nd+ c. 0.51242. These Sr-isotopic differences alsoapply to the northern (incompatible-element rich, R₀ c. O.7053)and southern (incompatible-element poor R₀ c. 0.7046) basaltprovinces of Karoo, suggesting that both Parana and Karoo basaltmagmas, differing by about 70 m.y. in age, probably originatedin a similar batch of subcontinental lithospheric mantle inpredrift times (cf. Cox, 1986). The extension of the Dupal Sr-anomaly (i.e. Rio Grande Rise+ Wai vis Ridge + Gough and Tristan da Cunha islands: Sr = 46=53;Hart, 1984) inside the Brazilian continent (Sr = 46–59)suggests that the lithospheric mantle of the Parana (and Karoo)provinces was possibly also the local source of oceanic volcanismup to advanced stages of the opening of the South Atlantic. ^*Reprint requests to E. M. Piccirillo.     

Geochemistry of the Boil Mountain ophiolitic complex,northwest Maine,and tectonic implications

A coherent ophiolitic complex of pyroxenite, serpentinite, metagabbro, mafic volcanics, felsic volcanics and sediments crops out in NW Maine, adjacent to the Chain Lakes massif. The complex (here informally referred to as the Boil Mountain ophiolitic complex) is about 500 m.y. old. The volcanic sequence is not typical of ophiolites in that it contains a large proportion of felsic volcanics. The mafic volcanics are divided into two geochemical groups. A stratigraphically lower group is depleted in Ti, Zr, Y, Cr and REE contents similar to basalts from supra-subduction zone ophiolites. An upper mafic group has trace element contents similar to normal mid-ocean ridge basalts. The felsic volcanics are mostly rhyolitic and similar to low-K rhyolites found in the forearc of the Marianas trench and in an island arc sequence in the Klamath Mountains, California. The flat REE patterns of the felsic volcanic rocks are similar to those found in siliceous rocks in the Oman ophiolite. The presence of thick sequences of felsic volcanics, the abundance of pyroxenite, the low Ti, Zr and REE contents of some mafic rocks, the flat REE patterns of the felsic volcanics, and the composition of clinopyroxene all suggest the complex was formed in the vicinity of a subduction zone. The complex may be correlated with ophiolitic fragments in the eastern part of the Dunnage Zone in Newfoundland, rather than the main ophiolite belt of the western Appalachians.