Mineralogy and petrography of a kimberlite-picrite dike in the northwestern Urik-Iya Graben,the eastern Sayan region

Mica kimberlite and alkali picrite were identified in the northwestern Urik-Iya Graben of the eastern Sayan region. Typomorphism of Cr-diopside and high-Cr (up to 55.22 wt % Cr₂O₃) spinel from kimberlite of the Bushkanai dike indicate that the melt was generated in the mantle, composed of spinel peridotite. The high content of Cr-spinel (45–55 wt % Cr₂O₃) microlites in the groundmass of kimberlite and small amounts of ulvospinel and titanomagnetite in the absence of perovskite testifies to the diamond potential of this kimberlite. Picroilmenite, manganoilmenite with an anomalously high MnO content (11.37–17.78 wt %), and barium titanate with (wt %) 62.21 TiO₂, 0.61 Cr₂O₃, 15.89 FeO, 4.05 MnO, 1.71 CaO, and 11.13 BaO close in composition to a new mineral species from the Murun pluton were identified in the groundmass for the first time. Kimberlite from the Bushkanai dike belongs to the Zolotitsa low-Ti geochemical type of kimberlites derived from the slightly enriched lithospheric mantle EM1. The distribution of trace elements, including REE, in picrite from the same dike corresponds to the slightly depleted asthenospheric mantle. Different mantle sources of kimberlite and picrite from the same dike indicate that these rocks are related to independent melts rather than to products of fractionation of a common parental alkaline ultramafic magma.     

Chromite-bearing spessartites from Kasuga-mura,Japan, and their bearing on possible mantle origin andesite

An unusual association of chromite and hornblende was found in the spessartites of andesite composition, occurring as a dike swarm associated with a Cretaceous granite batholith. The spessartites are largely porphyritic with phenocrysts of either hornblende or augite. One dike, comprising a finegrained spessartite, exhibits distinct chilled selvages of aphanitic facies. The chromites in the fine-grained and augite-spessartites are significantly higher in Cr/ (Cr+Al) than those occurring rarely as inclusions in the phenocrystic hornblendes in the hornblende spessartite, although both are similar in Mg/ (Mg+Fe), Fe₂O₃, and TiO₂. The phenocrystic hornblendes are titaniferous pargasite with high Mg/ (Mg+Fe), and differ in their higher octahedral Al from the groundmass hornblendes including those in the fine-grained spessartite. The crystallization sequence in the phenocrystic hornblende-bearing spessartites is Al-rich chromite, phenocrystic hornblende, and plagioclase without pyroxene, suggesting a high water content in the magma and the start of the crystallization at relatively high pressures. The finegrained spessartite from which the porphyritic spessartites have been derived by fractionation of dominant mafic minerals, has the high Mg-value and Cr content equivalent to those in primitive, undifferentiated basalts, although still andesitic in SiO₂ content. Chemically similar magnesian andesites, although uncommon, found in some orogenic calc-alkalic suites may represent a magma composition in equilibrium with mantle peridotite under the condition of high water pressures.     

A Cretaceous dike swarm provides evidence of a spreading axis in the back-arc basin of the Kohistan paleo-island arc,northwestern Himalaya,Pakistan

A 100–4000 m wide and 15 km long dike swarm, consisting of basalt and dolerite, occurs at the base of the Thelichi Formation in the Kohistan paleo-island arc terrane, north Pakistan. The dikes contain hornblende (altered from diopsidic-augite), diopsidic-augite (relics; ophitic to subophitic texture), chlorite, epidote, sphene, apatite, zircon, ilmenite, titanomagnetite and magnetite. The geochemistry reveals two groups of dikes: (1) Higher TiO₂ (2.74–3.50 wt%), Na₂O, Fe₂O₃ and lower Al₂O₃ (12.65–14.16 wt%) and MgO (3.73–5.04 wt%); (2) Lower TiO₂ (1.24–2.05 wt%), Na₂O, Fe₂O₃ and higher Al₂O₃ (14.02–16.52 wt%) and MgO (3.98–7.52 wt%). The MgO contents (3.73–7.52-wt%) show a variation in the dikes from relatively primitive to more evolved compositions. The dikes contain high amounts of both LILE and HFSE. The major, trace and rare-earth elements data confirm the MORB affinity and the back-arc basin origin of the dike swarm. The NW–SE orientation of the dike swarm and its 134 ± 3 Ma K–Ar age suggest the spreading axis of the back-arc basin in the Early Cretaceous.     

Igneous geochemistry of mafic rocks in the Betts Cove ophiolite,Newfoundland

The Betts Cove ophiolite, Newfoundland, consists of cumulate ultramafics, gabbro/clinopyroxenites, sheeted dikes and pillow lavas. The pillow lavas are divisible into three compositional groups: lower lavas (<0.25 wt.% TiO₂), intermediate lavas (0.25–0.50 wt.% TiO₂) and upper lavas (>0.7 wt.% TiO₂). The lower and intermediate lavas are very depleted in Ti, Zr, Y, P, and REE and have high Al₂O₃/TiO₂ ratios relative to normal oceanic tholeiite. The extreme depletion of these lavas and their dike equivalents (diabase and picrites) suggests they were derived by melting a severely depleted lherzolite. Conversely, the upper lavas, a volumetrically small part of the ophiolite, are compositionally similar to fractionated oceanic tholeiite and thus, their source material may be like that postulated for modern ocean floor basalts. Whereas the majority of basalts in the Betts Cove ophiolite are depleted in incompatible elements, most dikes and lavas from the Blow-MeDown ophiolite, western Newfoundland, are not and have incompatible element concentrations similar to modern oceanic tholeiite. The chemical differences between the two ophiolite massifs are related to melting of ultramafic source materials which are in different states of depletion brought about by previous melting episodes.     

Petrogenesis of post-collisional Middle Eocene volcanism in the Eastern Pontides (NE,Turkey): Insights from geochemistry,whole-rock Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes,zircon U-Pb and 40Ar-39Ar geochronology

The debate about whether Eocene magmatism is considered to be post-collisional or subduction-related or not still continues. Here we offer new ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar ad U-Pb zircon geochronology, mineral chemistry, bulk rock and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope geochemistry data obtained from the southern dike (SD) suite, in comparison with the northern dike (ND) suite, from the Eastern Pontides. The geochronological data indicate that the SD suite erupted between 45.89 and 45.10 Ma corresponding to the Lutetian (Middle Eocene). The magmas of the ND suite are characterised by slightly more alkaline affinity compared to the SD suite. The trace and rare earth element (REEs) content of the SD suite is characterised by large ion lithophile element (LILEs; Sr, K₂O, Ba, Rb) enrichment and depletion of Nb, Ta, and TiO₂ elements to different degree with high Th/Yb ratios, which indicate that the magmas forming the SD and ND suites were derived from lithospheric mantle sources enriched by mostly slab-derived fluids in the spinel stability field. The Sr, Nd and Pb radiogenic isotope ratios of the dikes support the view that the magma for the hydrous group (H-SD) was derived from a relatively more enriched mantle source than the other SD and ND suites. The ND suite and the anhydrous group (A-SD) display similar geochemical features characterised by moderate light earth element (LREE)/heavy rare earth element (HREE) ratios, while the H-SD group has respectively lower LREE/HREE ratios indicating higher melting degree. Detailed considerations of the alkalinity, enrichment and partial melting degree for the source of the studied volcanic rocks indicate that the magmas of the northern dike suite are characterised by slightly more alkaline affinity, whereas the magmas throughout the southern dike suite show increments in the enrichment rate and melting degree. In light of the obtained data and comparative interpretations, the geodynamic evolution and differences in petrogenetic character of the Lutetian magmas from both the northern and southern parts of the Eastern Pontides may be explained by different degrees of melting of a net veined mantle source initially metasomatized by mostly subduction fluids during asthenospheric upwelling due to fragmented asymmetric delamination in a post-collisional extensional tectonic environment.     

THE HISTORY OF TETHYS IN THE LATE PALEOZOIC-EARLY MESOZOIC AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF PANGEA

The Terra Nova ultrapotassic igneous rocks of northeastern Brazil consist of two dike swarms (alkali-feldspar syenites to quartz syenites and alkali-feldspar granites) and one elongated E-W syenitic body (the Serra do Livramento pluton), which intruded metasediments of the Cachoeirinha-Salgueiro fold belt from 580 to 514 Ma. Mafic ultrapotassic syenite enclaves are recorded in the Serra do Livramento and Terra Nova shoshonitic plutons, both of which are cut by the dike swarms.

Mineralogically, Terra Nova ultrapotassic hypabyssal rocks resemble shoshonitic lamprophyres. Pyroxene is present in all facies; the clinopyroxenes are zoned, SiO₂ saturated, and Al₂O₃ poor (0.12 to 1.15%), and range from earlier diopside to late acmite. Amphiboles are characterized by high SiO₂ and low Al₂O₃ (0.20 to 2.00%) and TiO₂ (0.0 to 1.76%) contents; their compositions range from calcic to alkaline. The late amphiboles are riebeckite-arfvedsonites instead of K-richterites, as expected in ultrapotassic rocks, reflecting the early crystallization of K-feldspar.

The syenitic-facies rocks are mostly peralkaline, whereas the granites are metaluminous. The syenites have high concentrations of incompatible elements (Ba, Sr, and Rb) and light-rare-earth-element (LREE) concentrations lower than for typical ultrapotassic rocks, with chondrite-normalized Ce/Yb ratios of 10 to 20 and wide variation in the La/Ta ratios (40 to 250). The granites have lower incompatible-element contents and La/Ta ratios (20 to 60) than do the syenites.

Syenites from the dike swarm exhibit high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7106), whereas εNd, values for the ultrapotassic mafic enclaves range from -1.1 to -3.7, suggesting that the enclaves and the syenites have different sources.

Field evidence, combined with geochemical data, shows that the granites and the syenites alternate in space and time, suggesting that syenites and granites cannot be associated by either fractional crystallization or partial melting of the same source. The syenites probably represent partial melting of a metasomatized lithospheric mantle, modified by subduction-zone fluids and crustal metasediments during the early stages of a Brasiliano (Pan-African) collisional event. Low-degree partial melting of a metasomatized lower crust appears to be the source of the granites.     

Production of high titania slag by Electro-Slag Crucible Melting (ESCM) process

In this research, ilmenite concentrate of Iran region successfully was smelted by Electro-Slag Crucible Melting (ESCM) process to produce TiO₂-rich slag as primary product and pig iron as by-product. Moreover, effects of reductant (carbon) amount and smelting time on TiO₂ and FeO content of slag and iron recovery were studied. It is found that addition of carbon excess to stoichiometric amount decreases the iron recovery and TiO₂ content in slag. If the smelting time keeps between 0 to 17 min, the TiO₂ content and iron recovery will be increased, whereas smelting time in excess of 17 min will cause products decline significantly. At optimum conditions, TiO₂ content in slag and the iron recovery are 70 wt.% and 84%, respectively. Kinetic studies proved that the reduction of equivalent FeO was first-order reaction. The studies made by X-ray diffraction analysis showed that formation of the titanium sub-oxides (Ti₃O₅ and Ti₂O₃) causes the decrease in iron recovery and TiO₂ content.     

Crystallization of titaniferous chromite,magnesian ilmenite and armalcolite in tholeiitic suites in the Karoo Igneous Province

Titaniferous chromite (up to 8 wt% TiO₂) and magnesian ilmenite (up to 10 wt% MgO) coexist at the base of the differentiated tholeiitic Mount Ayliff Intrusion in the Karoo Province of southern Africa, suggesting that the original magma was TiO₂-rich. Picritic lavas with 3% TiO₂ from the Lebombo monocline of the Karoo Province also contain microphenocrysts of magnesian ilmenite (up to 6 wt% mgO) and armalcolite (up to 7 wt% MgO). These oxide mineral associations and compositions are atypical of tholeiitic magmas, in which chromite usually has less than 1 wt% TiO₂, ilmenite less than 3 wt% MgO and armalcolite is rarely a primary mineral. Experiments have been conducted at one atmosphere pressure on a range of compositions to determine the effect of TiO₂ on the crystallization and composition of chromite, ilmenite and armalcolite. The results indicate that increasing the TiO₂ content of picritic magmas increases the TiO₂ content of the spinel, mainly at the expense of Al₂O₃, whereas Cr₂O₃ is not affected. Spinel compositions in the Mount Ayliff Intrusion (with over 45 wt% Cr₂O₃, less than 10 wt% Al₂O₃ and 8 wt% TiO₂) were duplicated in experiments on a picrite at temperatures of about 1,200°C at the Ni/NiO buffer. Increasing fO₂ from fayalite-magnetite-quartz to Ni/NiO buffer is shown to increase the crystallization temperature of armalcolite and to decrease that of ilmenite. The total FeO content of the liquid has little influence on the crystallization temperature of these phases. The TiO₂ content of the liquid, when either ilmenite or armalcolite crystallizes, varies inversely with SiO₂ content. The MgO content of the liquid at which ilmenite or armalcolite crystallizes depends upon the TiO₂ content of the starting composition, with naturally occurring and experimetally determined saturation being demonstrated for liquids with 5 wt% MgO and 5.5 wt% TiO₂. The partition coefficent for MgO between armalcolite or ilmenite and liquid is about 1.5. Observed magnesian armalcolite and ilmenite compositions in picrite lavas (both minerals) and in the Mount Ayliff Intrusion (ilmenite only) are consistent with crystallization from a TiO₂-rich magma with approximately 5 wt% MgO. The Fe ₂ ³⁺ TiO₅ component of armalcolite in the picrite lavas matches those formed experimentally at temperatures of 1,150–1,110°C and fO₂ of the Ni/NiO to Ni/NiO+1 log unit. Similarities also exist between the compositions of chromite, ilmenite and armalcolite and liquid fraction-ation trends of some Hawaiian high-TiO₂ lavas and the experimental studies presented here.     

Mineralogy and petrology of xenoliths in a diatreme from south Westland,New Zealand

Xenoliths up to a metre in length occur in a carbonatitic diatreme member of a lamprophyric dike swarm at Moeraki River, south Westland, New Zealand. The xenoliths reported here consist of Iherzolite (chromite, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and olivine) and harzburgite (chromite, olivine and orthopyroxene). A clinopyroxene xenocryst is also reported. Analyses of these phases are presented. The chemistry, low CaO and high Al₂O₃ and Na₂O content of the clinopyroxenes; low CaO and high forsterite content of the olivine, suggests that these phases were in equilibrium under high pressures within the spinel Iherzolite field. An orthopyroxene-chromite intergrowth is described and is interpreted as the product of the re-equilibration of garnet in passing from the garnet Iherzolite field to the spinel Iherzolite field.     

Upper crustal podiform chromitite from the northern Oman ophiolite as the stratigraphically shallowest chromitite in ophiolite and its implication for Cr concentration

A new type of podiform chromitite was found at Wadi Hilti in the northern Oman ophiolite. It is within a late-intrusive dunite body, possibly derived from olivine-rich crystal mush, between the sheeted dike complex and upper gabbro. This chromitite forms small (<30 cm in thickness) pods with irregular to lenticular shapes. Neither layering nor graded bedding is observed within the pods. The chromitite is in the upper crust, by far shallower in ophiolite stratigraphy than the other podiform chromitites that have ever been found in the Moho transition zone to the upper mantle. It is distributed along a small felsic to gabbroic melt pool within the dunite body, which was formed by melting of gabbroic blocks captured by the mush. Chromian spinel was precipitated due to mixing of two kinds of melt, a basaltic interstitial melt from the mush and an evolved, possibly felsic, melt formed by the melting of gabbro blocks. The podiform chromitite reported here is strikingly similar in petrography and spinel chemistry to the stratiform chromitite from layered intrusions. The former contains plagioclase and clinopyroxene as matrix silicates instead of olivine as well as includes euhedral and fine spinel with solid mineral inclusions. Chromian spinel of the upper crustal podiform chromitite from Oman has relatively low content of (Cr₂O₃ + Al₂O₃), the Cr/(Cr + Al) atomic ratio of around 0.6, and the relatively high TiO₂ content ranging from 1 to 3 wt%. We conclude that assimilation of relatively Si-rich materials (crustal rocks or mantle orthopyroxene) by olivine-spinel saturated melts can explain the genesis of any type of chromitite.Editorial responsibility: V. Trommsdorff     

Origin and differentiation of Triassic dolerite magmas,North Carolina,USA

Ten dolerite dikes intruded into Triassic fault troughs in the Piedmont area of North Carolina have been analyzed for the contents of major elements plus selected trace elements. The average composition of the initial magma, as indicated by four chill margins for major elements and three for trace elements, is: SiO₂, 48.6%; Al₂O₃, 16.9%; TiO₂, 0.57%; Fe₂O₃, 3.30%; FeO, 6.72%; MgO, 10.59; CaO, 10.42%; Na₂O, 2.03%; K₂O, 0.20%; MnO, 0.20%; Rb, 2.6 ppm; Sr, 133 ppm; Zr, 46 ppm; Th, 0.4 ppm; and U, below detection limit of approximately 0.1 ppm. One large dike (BP) exhibits a Palisades-type of differentiation by crystal settling of olivine, and the comparatively thick JY dike shows development of micropegmatite toward the center; the smaller dikes, however, are relatively homogeneous across their width. Study of the relationship between SiO₂ content and the ratio FeO+Fe₂O₃/MgO+ FeO+Fe₂O₃ indicates that most dikes crystallize under conditions of decreasing oxygen pressure, but the differentiation trend of the JY, RD, and RS dikes indicates either constant or increasing oxygen pressure during their evolution.Statistical comparison of the composition of the initial dolerite magmas with a variety of basalt types around the world suggests that the North Carolina dolerites are far more similar to oceanic or oceanic margin tholeiites than to continental tholeiites. The North Carolina rocks are distinctly different from plateau basalts but are similar to the chill zones of the Precambrian Bushveld and Stillwater lopoliths. The comparatively low contents of Th, U, and Sr, plus the relatively high K/Rb ratio all support the possibility that the magmas for the North Carolina dolerites evolved in a dominantly oceanic environment. It seems distinctly possible that continental-type crust and mantle did not exist in the Appalachian Piedmont area in Triassic time, even after major orogeny and the concurrent formation of granitic intrusions.     

Titanium solubility in olivine in the system TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>–MgO–SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>: no evidence for an ultra-deep origin of Ti-bearing olivine

The finding of ilmenite rods in olivine from orogenic peridotites has sparked a discussion about the processes of incorporation and exsolution of titanium in olivine. We have experimentally investigated the solubility of Ti in olivine as a function of composition, temperature and pressure in the synthetic TiO₂–MgO–SiO₂ system. Experiments at atmospheric pressure in the temperature range 1,200–1,500°C showed that the highest concentration of TiO₂ is obtained when olivine coexists with spinel (Mg₂TiO₄). The amount of TiO₂ in olivine in the assemblages olivine + spinel + periclase and olivine + spinel + ilmenite at 1,500°C was 1.25 wt.%. Changes in the coexisting phases and decreasing temperature result in a significant reduction of the Ti solubility. Olivine coexisting with pseudobrookite (MgTi₂O₅) and a Ti–Si-rich melt at 1,500°C displays a fourfold lower TiO₂ content than when buffered with spinel. A similar decrease in solubility is obtained by a decrease in temperature to 1,200°C. There is a negative correlation between Ti and Si and no correlation between Ti and Mg in Ti-bearing olivine. Together with the established phase relations this suggests that there is a direct substitution of Ti for Si at these temperatures, such that the substituting component has the stoichiometry Mg₂TiO₄. The unit cell volume of olivine increases systematically with increasing TiO₂ content demonstrating that the measured TiO₂ contents in olivine are not caused by micro-inclusions but by incorporation of Ti in the olivine structure. Least squares fitting of 20 olivine unit cell volumes against the Ti content yield the relation: V (ų)=290.12(1) + 23.67(85) N_Ti. The partial molar volume of end-member Mg₂TiO₄ olivine (N_Ti=1) is thus 47.24±0.13 cm³. The change of the Ti solubilty in olivine coexistent with rutile and orthopyroxene with pressure was investigated by piston cylinder experiments at 1,400°C from 15 to 55 kbar. There is no increase in TiO₂ contents with pressure and in all the experiments olivine contains ~0.2 wt.% TiO₂. Moreover, a thermodynamic analysis indicates that Ti contents of olivine coexisting with rutile and orthopyroxene should decrease rather than increase with increasing pressure. These data indicate that the ilmenite exsolution observed in some natural olivine does not signify an ultra-deep origin of peridotite massifs.     

电感耦合等离子体发射光谱法测定超贫磁铁矿和磁性物中有益有害组分及可选性评价

超贫磁铁矿是需要通过磁选富集后才能利用的铁矿石,磁性物是其磁选后的主要产品,磁性物中有益有害组分的含量是否满足规范要求是评价超贫磁铁矿可选性的前提,然而尚未引起足够的重视。本文采用电磁分选仪对超贫磁铁矿进行磁选,结合ICP-OES法对原矿和磁性物中有益有害组分(TFe、V_2O_5、TiO_2、P、Cu、Pb、Zn)进行了测定。结果表明,对于含量明显低于规范要求的V_2O_5、Cu、Pb、Zn,磁选后其含量虽有变化,但不影响冶炼及综合评价的结果;对于TFe、TiO_2、P,磁选后其含量发生明显变化,其中TFe由14.23%~16.60%提高至53.95%~69.86%,TiO_2由4.43%~5.02%降至0.84%~1.83%,P由0.11%~0.30%降至0.027%~0.048%,已对冶炼及综合评价的结果产生了影响,依据磁性物中TFe、TiO_2、P的含量更能切实反映超贫磁铁矿的可选性;所用超贫磁铁矿易于选别,通过单一弱磁选即可获得主要组分(TFe)及有害物质(P、Cu、Pb、Zn)满足炼铁用铁矿石工业要求的精矿;大部分TiO_2随弱磁选进入尾矿,后期应注意对尾矿中的TiO_2进行评价。该方法可快速获得超贫磁铁矿原矿及磁性物中有益有害组分的含量信息,既能从冶炼角度初步评价超贫磁铁矿的可选性,也可以确定后续综合利用研究的目标元素,对于超贫磁铁矿资源的合理开发利用具有重要的现实意义。     

TiO2 activity in metamorphosed pelitic and basic rocks: principles and applications to metamorphism in southeastern Canadian Cordillera

The activity of TiO₂ can be precisely defined as a function of pressure, temperature and activities of other components for common mineral assemblages in metapelites (ilmenite-quartz-garnet-plagioclase-Al₂SiO₅) and in metabasites (plagioclase-sphene-ilmenite-quartzgarnet). These mineral assemblages can be modelled by the equilibria: 1) 3ilmenite+Al₂SiO₅+2quartz=almandine+3TiO₂ 2) anorthite + 2sphene = grossular + 2TiO₂ + quartz 3) 3anorthite+3quartz+6ilmenite = grossular+ 6TiO₂+2almandine. These mineral assemblages can be used at (rutile saturation) and a given T to get maximum pressure limits of some metapelites and metabasites. When electron microprobe analyses of mineral grains adjacent to Ti-bearing phases are made, these data give maximum pressure estimates in reasonable agreement with other geobarometers. The activity of TiO₂ in many metapelites is very near rutile saturation, but for metabasites the activity of TiO₂ in some sillimanite zone rocks is as low as 0.6. The solubility of TiO₂ in biotite, hornblende and garnet is a complex function of T, P, the activities of components in coexisting minerals and crystal chemical constraints in these minerals. At a given P and T the solubility of TiO₂ in biotite and hornblende does not appear to be strongly dependent upon for sphene and ilmenite versus rutile-bearing assemblages.     

Mesoproterozoic within-plate igneous province of the western urals: Main petrogenetic rock types and their origin

The Mesoproterozoic (1.38?C1.30 Ga) Kama-Belsk igneous province (KBP) was formed at the eastern margin of the East European Platform (EEP), in the Volga-Ural area and Bashkirian anticlinorium. It is made up of plutonic, volcanic, and subvolcanic (numerous dike and sill swarms) rocks of bimodal composition. KBP, as most of large igneous provinces, contains two geochemical types of basites: high-titanium (HTi) rocks with TiO₂ > 1.5 wt % and low-titanium (LTi) rocks with TiO₂ < 1.5?C2.0 wt %. They demonstrate zoned distribution, were derived from different mantle sources at different regimes of their partial melting. The high and low-titanium basites significantly differ in geochemical and isotopic (Sr, Nd, O) parameters. The HTi rocks are characterized by Ti/Y > 400, (Gd/Yb) _n = 1.62?C4.08, (Dy/Yb) _n = 1.31?C2.43; Nb/Nb* from 0.5 to 1.3, while the LTi rocks have Ti/Y < 400, (Gd/Yb) _n = 1.23?C1.51, (Dy/Yb)n = 1.01?C1.26, and Nb/Nb* from 0.3 to 0.9. The HTi rocks have ?_Nd(T) from + 1.3 to ?2.4, while the LTi rocks are characterized by ?_Nd(T) from + 0.5 to ?6.1. The oxygen isotopic composition ??18O is 5.0?C5.9?? in the LTi rocks and 7.0?? in the HTi picrobasalts. According to obtained estimates, the parental melts for the LTi type (Mg# = 0.76) are comparable with high-Mg primary melts inferred for within-plate picrites. The parental melts for the HTi type (Mg# = 0.69) had higher Fe contents, which in combination with lowered Al₂O₃ and elevated TiO₂, Na₂O, and P₂O₅ make these rocks similar to ferropicrites. The HTi melts were presumably derived by partial melting of a pyroxenite in equilibrium with garnet-bearing residue, whereas the LTi melts were generated from peridotite protolith and left spinel-bearing residuum. Both the varieties of the basites were contaminated mainly by Paleoproterozoic crustal material.     

In-situ geotechnical experimentation and stability evaluation of an instrumented 180 m×70 m×12.5 m fill dike constructed on laminated soft ground

 An instrumented trial-fill dike was constructed on soft, laminated soils of the Lisan Peninsula foreshore of the Dead Sea. The earthwork had base dimensions of 180 m by approximately 70 m wide and was raised in two stages to a maximum height of 12.5 m above original ground level. The geotechnical data of the dike were monitored in order to: assess the short- and long-term strength of the foundation, obtain and analyze the pore-pressure response of the foundation soils for potential use in construction control, obtain data on embankment settlement in order to refine end-of-construction and post-construction settlement assessments, and optimize the height of the dike to be constructed by providing information on the construction sequence for use in calculation of capital costs and alternative layouts and dike heights. The successful completion of the trial dike has demonstrated that steep-side dikes up to 12.5 m high can be constructed rapidly on soft soils. The construction of the trial dike has therefore proved a very substantial benefit to the evaluation of the likely performance of a dike constructed along the Lisan shore. The key factor which made this fast construction possible was the unexpected, very rapid consolidation of the majority of the foundation soil which has been shown to occur. The principal observations from the trial dike were: (1) end of construction settlements may be calculated using drained stiffnesses where E′/s_{u initial} has a value of around 65; (2) post-construction settlements can be calculated using a coefficient of secondary compression, Cα equal to 0.015; (3) a rapid increase in undrained shear strength occurred when loading the soil up to a value of s_u equal to around 30 kPa. The value of s_u/σ_v′ was as high as 0.5 at this stage. With further loading the strength increase was more modest and s_u/σ_v fell to around 0.25 for a vertical effective stress of 160 kPa; (4) for the undrained stability analyses of the trial dike, the mean vane shear-strength profile provided an appropriate assessment of the short-term factor of safety against failure, 5) For the drained stability analyses of the trial dike, lower bound effective strength parameters for the foundation and embankment fill (c′=0, φ′=30° and c′=2 kN/m², φ′=33°, respectively), combined with field measurements of end of construction pore water pressures provided an analysis which was broadly compatible with the undrained analysis; and (6) the trial dike has been stable, pre- and post-construction, because of the well drained nature of its foundation which prevented the build up of high pore water pressures and led to rapid consolidation. Received: 22 June 1998 · Accepted: 30 October 1998     

The formation of SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-rich melts within the deep oceanic crust by hydrous partial melting of gabbros

Small amounts of felsic, evolved plutonic rocks, often called oceanic plagiogranites, always occur as veins or small stocks within the gabbroic section of the oceanic crust. Four major models are under debate to explain the formation of these rocks: (1) late-stage differentiation of a parental MORB melt, (2) partial melting of gabbroic rocks, (3) immiscibility in an evolved tholeiitic liquid, and (4) assimilation and partial melting of previously altered dikes. Recent experimental data in hydrous MORB-type systems are used to evaluate the petrogenesis of oceanic plagiogranites within the deep oceanic crust. Experiments show that TiO₂ is a key parameter for the discrimination between different processes: TiO₂ is relatively low in melts generated by anatexis of gabbros which is a consequence of the low TiO₂ contents of the protolith, due to the depleted nature of typical cumulate gabbros formed in the oceanic crust. On the other hand, TiO₂ is relatively high in those melts generated by MORB differentiation or liquid immiscibility. Since the TiO₂ content of many oceanic plagiogranites is far below that expected in case of a generation by simple MORB differentiation or immiscibility, these rocks may be regarded as products of anatexis. This may indicate that partial melting processes triggered by water-rich fluids are more common in the deep oceanic crust than believed up to now. At slow-spreading ridges, seawater may be transported via high-temperature shear zones deeply into the crust and thus made available for melting processes.     

The Mlindi ring structure. An example of an ultrapotassic pyroxenite to syenite differentiated complex

The Mlindi ring complex in southern Malawi, dated at 495 Ma, is intrusive in the Proterozoic migmatite basement composed mainly of hornblende- and biotite-bearing paragneiss and dolomitic marble. Three main lithologic facies have been distinguished: (1) syenite, which crops out in the outer part of the complex as an oval-shaped ring dike (7 km×9 km) and as a rim of massive bodies cutting the mafic rocks of the central part, (2) two types of diopside-biotite gabbro (syenogabbro and gabbronorite), and (3) a banded phlogopite pyroxenite cumulate intruded by the diopside-biotite gabbro. Major- and trace-element geochemistry shows these rocks to form a continuous suite from pyroxenite to syenite with two potassium trends: a highpotassium trend comprising pyroxenite and syenogabbro in which ultrapotassic rocks (K₂O/Na₂O > 3) are developed, and a low-potassium trend with gabbronorite and sodic syenite. The major-element geochemistry of the phlogopite pyroxenite is similar to that of the kamafugitic series volcanic rocks containing micaceous pyroxenite inclusions. The pyroxenite is poorer in compatible elements (e.g. Ni=100–200 ppm, Cr=40–1200 ppm, Cu=5–200 ppm and Co=50 ppm) than other mafic cumulates or lamproite and lamprophyre, which suggests that the Mlindi rocks crystallized from an already differentiated magma. On the other hand, the pyroxenite has a very high content of incompatible elements (e.g. Th or REE) due to abundant apatite; consequently their REE patterns are commonly similar to that of apatite. The A1₂O₃ (2%) and TiO₂ (<0.4%) contents of diopside are very low, whereas the biotite (or phlogopite) is rich in TiO2 (3–4%). Compositional changes, especially Fe-Mg substitution, in these minerals were small during differentiation.     

嫦娥一号干涉成像光谱仪数据再校正与全月铁钛元素反演

月球表面的元素和物质成分分布是理解月球成岩与地质演化历史的重要线索。嫦娥一号干涉成像光谱仪(IIM)是我国首台月球探测成像光谱仪器,其获得的大量月球高光谱数据已成为我国未来探测月球成分与地质演化研究的宝贵基础数据。本文利用探月工程地面应用系统发布的IIM B版本2C级数据,开发出一套数据再定标流程,获得了较为可靠的月表相对反射率数据。我们在新校正数据的基础上开展月球表面FeO、TiO_2的反演建模,获得了全月FeO和TiO_2分布图,这些图件是进行月球地质填图的基础。校正数据反演的FeO和TiO_2分布与前人对Clementine UVVIS数据的反演结果相近,表明干涉成像光谱仪数据具有较大的应用潜力。高地的低铁岩石成分(一般小于8%)佐证了月球月壳形成的过程中的岩浆洋分异假说,而月海玄武岩的TiO_2成分变化范围较大(0~13%)则表明月海玄武岩来源于不同的月幔源区。根据嫦娥一号干涉成像光谱仪全月FeO分布图,可将月球表面物质类型总体划分为高地斜长岩和月海玄武岩,而根据TiO_2分布可以进一步将月海玄武岩划分为5种不同钛含量的玄武岩岩石类型。FeO和TiO_2在全月范围内的分布表明Apollo和Luna返回的月球样品不能够代表全月范围内的矿物成分多样性,月球岩浆演化历史比前人认为的要复杂。未来月球样品返回任务(如嫦娥五号)如能赴这些特殊地区进行取样,将很有可能返回重要的月球科学研究发现和成果。     

Early‐Cretaceous Syenites and Granites in the Northeastern Tengchong Block,SW China: Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications

Whole-rock major and trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic data, together with zircon LA ICPMS in-situ U-Pb and Hf isotopic data of the syenites and granites in the Tengchong Block are reported in order to understand their petrogenesis and tectonic implications. Zircon U-Pb data gives the emplacement ages of ca. 115.3±0.9 Ma for syenites and 115.7±0.8 Ma for granites, respectively. The syenites are characterized by low SiO_2 content(62.01–63.03 wt%) and notably high Na_2O content(7.04–7.24 wt%) and Na_2O/K_2O ratios(2.02–2.10), low MgO, Fe_2O_3 T and TiO_2, enrichment of LILEs(large-ion lithophile element) such as Rb, Th, U, K, and Pb) and obvious depletion HFSE(high field strength element; e.g. Nb, Ta, P, and Ti) with clearly negative Eu anomalies(d Eu=0.53–0.56). They also display significant negative whole-rock εNd(t) values of-6.8 and zircon εHf(t) values(-9.11 to-0.27, but one is +5.30) and high initial ~(87) Sr/~(86) Sr=0.713013. Based on the data obtained in this study, we suggest that the ca. 115.3 Ma syenites were possibly derived from a sodium-rich continental crustal source, and the fractionation of some ferro-magnesian mineral and plagioclase might occur during the evolution of magma. The granites have high SiO_2 content(71.35–74.47 wt%), metaluminous to peraluminous, low Rb/Ba, Rb/Sr, and Al_2O_3/(MgO+FeOT+TiO_2) ratios and moderate(Al_2O_3+MgO+FeOT+TiO_2) content. They show low initial ~(87) Sr/~(86) Sr(0.703408 to 0.704241) and εNd(t) values(-3.8 to-3.5), plotted into the evolutionary trend between basalts and lower crust. Hence, we suggest that the granites were derived from the melting of mixing sources in the ancient continental crust involving some metabasaltic materials and predominated metasedimentary greywackes. Together with data in the literatures, we infer that the Early Cretaceous magmatism in the Tengchong block was dominated by magmas generated by the partial melting of ancient crustal material, which represent the products that associated to the closure of Bangong-Nujiang Meso-Tethys.