皖南浅变质岩和沉积岩的钕同位素特点及其大地构造意义

根据Nd同位素模式年龄通常保留源区大陆地块的平均年龄的原理,作者研究了皖南上溪群千枚岩和震旦系到二叠系沉积岩的Nd同位素组成和模式年龄。发现千枚岩和沉积岩具有不同的Nd同位素组成和模式年龄,它们明显地分成二组。千枚岩的~(147)Sm/~(144)Nd=0.1220~0.1290,T_(DM)~(Nd)＝1.63~1.69Ga;沉积岩的~(147)Sm/~144Nd＝0.1100~0.1182,T_(DM)~(Nd)=1.92~2.14Ga。这表明,它们来自不同的物源区:上溪群可能来自附近的古岛弧双桥山群;沉积岩可能来自大别古陆和华北地台。     

Sr-Nd同位素初始比值和Nd模式年龄的误差估算

SrNd同位素参数广泛应用于岩石物质来源及其成因研究,但绝大多数研究者在应用这些参数时并未说明它们的误差大小,这种做法并不科学。作者首次利用误差传播定律推导出了有关参数的误差估算公式,这些参数包括Sr同位素的初始比值(87Sr/86Sr)t、Nd同位素的初始比值(143Nd/144Nd)t、εSr(t)、εNd(t)、Nd同位素模式年龄等。Rb、Sr含量的高低及其测定误差决定着(87Rb/86Sr)s的误差,Sm、Nd含量的高低及其测定误差决定着 (147Sm/144Nd)s的误差,(87Rb/86Sr)s的大小及其误差、(87Sr/86Sr)s误差、年龄值大小及其误差共同影响着(87Sr/86Sr)t的误差。同样,(147Sm/144Nd)s的大小及其误差、(143Nd/144Nd)s 的误差、年龄值大小及其误差共同影响着(143Nd/144Nd)t的误差。Nd同位素球粒陨石模式年龄TCHUR和单阶段亏损地幔模式年龄TDM的误差影响因素主要包括(147Sm/144Nd)s的大小、(143Nd/144Nd)s 的大小及这两个比值的误差,而Nd同位素两阶段亏损地幔模式年龄TDM2的误差除上述影响因素之外,还包括年龄值大小及其误差。通过对广西姑婆山4个花岗岩样品SrNd同位素参数及其误差的计算,作者对各个影响因素进行了详细分析,认为采用同位素稀释质谱法测试数据和高精度的年龄数据是获得理想示踪参数的保证,Rb、Sr、Sm、Nd含量沿用微量（包括稀土）元素测试结果的做法是不可取的,对高Rb样品更应该谨慎从事。建议研究者在使用SrNd同位素参数时能够估算这些参数的误差,并在文章中有所说明。     

贵州织金含稀土磷矿床的Sm-Nd同位素年龄及其地质意义

为探讨贵州织金含稀土磷矿床的形成时间和成矿物源, 利用Sm-Nd同位素稀释法对该矿床磷块岩中6个小壳化石及胶磷矿样品进行了年龄测定.样品的质谱分析测试结果显示, 样品的147Sm/144Nd与143Nd/144Nd构成了一条相关性良好的线性等时线; 计算结果表明织金含稀土磷矿床具有533±22Ma的Sm-Nd等时年龄, ε_Nd (t) 值为-2.44~-2.77, 表明它们具有相同的成因和相近的形成时代, 本次测得年龄代表着真实的成矿年龄; 二阶段Nd的模式年龄为1313~1338Ma.结合前人对该矿床稀土元素地球化学的研究成果表明, 织金含稀土磷矿床的成矿物源有新生地幔物质组分的加入.      

T_(CHUR)~(Nd)年龄计算公式的推导

通过对地球早期所形成岩石的研究,人们认定原始地幔具有与球粒陨石相同的~(147)Sm/~(144)Nd和~(143)Nd/~(144)Nd比值,并用缩写CHUR表示“球粒陨石均一源区”。T_(CHUR)~(Nd)是指各种岩石源区的稀土比值与CHUR产生差异的年龄。从T_(CHUR)~(Nd)年前到现代,CHUR和岩石样品(S)的演化可分别用下述两方程表示:     

玄武岩分相Sm-Nd内部等时线定年方法流程

长期以来,对玄武岩精确测年一直是困扰地质学家的重大科学问题。玄武岩结构和组成特殊,岩石中矿物组成单一、锆石十分稀少,颗粒很细,采用物理方法挑选单矿物和锆石十分困难,很难应用内部等时线法和锆石U-Pb法研究其成岩时代。而全岩样品间因岩浆分异产生的147Sm/144Nd比值差别很小,等时线年龄相对误差较大;Rb含量很低,Rb/Sr比值很小,全岩Sm-Nd法、Rb-Sr法常常不能给出正确可信的年龄。根据内部等时线法原理,本文通过化学方法,采用王水和氢氟酸-硝酸对玄武岩样品进行分步溶解,分别对同一件样品的王水溶解相、王水不溶相和全岩开展Sm-Nd同位素组成分析。结果表明:通过不同酸介质分步溶解,可提取玄武岩中石英、透辉石、长石等矿物组合,该组合与其全岩具有相同的εNd(t)和一致的Nd同位素模式年龄;矿物与全岩构筑的内部等时线中,147Sm/144Nd比值的变化由全岩之间的0.005扩大到0.11,143Nd/144Nd值的变化由全岩的0.512500~0.512547扩大到0.512500~0.513145。通过该方法获得了与已有锆石U-Pb年龄在误差范围内一致的Sm-Nd等时线年龄:t=(991±21)Ma(MSWD=2.1)。通过对比研究,本文认为:玄武岩分相Sm-Nd内部等时线定年方法,适用于前寒武纪及更古老的玄武岩样品的年龄测定。该方法的建立不仅有效提高玄武岩Sm-Nd等时线定年成功率,也为其他隐晶质且不易挑出单矿物样品的年龄测定提供了新的思路。     

湖南渣滓溪W-Sb矿床白钨矿Sm-Nd测年及其地质意义

渣滓溪W-Sb矿床位于湘西雪峰山弧形构造带的中段,是典型脉状W-Sb矿床.本文对渣滓溪矿区的白钨矿进行了Sm-Nd同位素研究.研究表明,其白钨矿的Sm/Nd变化范围为0.2175～0.3485,在白钨矿的147Sm/144Nd-1433Nd/144Nd图解中,对应的等时线年龄为(227.3±6.2)Ma,MSWD=1.6,是白钨矿的形成年龄,代表了渣滓溪W-Sb矿床的主成矿年龄,属于晚三叠纪.渣滓溪W-Sb矿床白钨矿的εMd(t)值为-11.81～-11.91,不同于沃溪W-Sb-Au矿床白钨矿的εNd(t),暗示两者在成矿物质来源上具有一定差异.本次白钨矿Sm-Nd同位素等时线年龄研究结果进一步明确了渣滓溪W-Sb矿成矿年龄,为研究湘西W-Sb多金属矿床成矿年龄及湘西的成矿时空特征提供了可靠和有用的数据,而渣滓溪W-Sb矿床晚三叠纪成矿时代的确定对于区域找矿也具有重要意义.     

一种新的稀有金属矿床定年技术：微区原位Sm-Nd定年

¹⁴⁷Sm-¹⁴³Nd放射性同位素体系在地球科学研究中得到了广泛的应用,经典的同位素稀释-热表面电离质谱法(ID-TIMS)一直是Sm-Nd同位素高精度测定的基准技术,但具有耗时长、成本高、样品需求量大等缺点,并且难以揭示微观尺度单矿物所蕴含的地球化学信息。近年来兴起的微区原位分析,具有简单、快速、高空间分辨率的特点,可以从微米尺度示踪岩浆和热液的起源及演化过程。本文通过同时测定Sm和Nd同位素质量分馏系数,实现¹⁴⁴Sm对¹⁴⁴Nd干扰的准确校正,获得了人造玻璃、磷灰石、榍石、独居石等几种不同基体标准样品(NIST610、Durango、MAD-2、BLR-1、117531)精确的¹⁴³Nd^/144Nd比值,与推荐值在误差范围内一致。然而,由于Sm和Nd元素性质的差异,在激光剥蚀和质谱电离过程中会产生明显的元素分馏,导致¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd很难进行精确校正,本文通过在进样系统中引入液态气溶胶,有效克服了基体效...     

激光原位LA-MC-ICP-MS测定地质样品Sm-Nd同位素方法新进展

本文综述了近10年来激光原位LA-MC-ICP-MS测定地质样品Sm-Nd同位素测试技术的最新进展,着重介绍了同质异位素干扰校正的关键技术难点及校正方案。LA-MC-ICP-MS技术对轻稀土富集矿物可以获得可靠的~(147)Sm /~(144)Nd and~(143)Nd /~(144)Nd值,是当前进行地质样品激光原位Sm-Nd同位素测定的主要技术,配合矿物微区U-Th-Pb年龄测定和微量元素分析,可以对矿物的成因演化提供重要的制约参数。多元同位素体系(Sr-Nd-Hf同位素、U-Th-Pb年龄和微量元素)的原位微区联合测定,低含量地质样品(小于500μg/g)和高Sm/Nd值矿物(如磷钇矿Sm/Nd远远大于1,有时甚至达到10)的Sm-Nd同位素组成的准确测定是未来LA-MC-ICP-MS激光原位Sm-Nd同位素测定的主要发展方向之一,具有广阔的应用前景。     

华南基底变质岩的Sm-Nd同位素及其对花岗岩类物质来源的制约

华南地区存在两种类型变质基底。Sm-Nd同位素数据的研究结果表明,它们可分别代表华南两种类型元古代地壳端员。华夏地块区副变质岩代表成熟度较高的(早)元古代地壳端员,~(147)Sm/~(144)Nd=0.1198,~(143)Nd/~(144)Nd=0.511822;江南古岛弧区副变质岩代表成熟度较低的(中—晚)元古代地壳端员,~(147)Sm/~(144)Nd=0.1246,~(143)Nd/~(144)Nd=0.512170。根据上述数据得出了华南元古代地壳Sm-Nd同位素演化域,进而对华南不同时代花岗岩类的物质来源作了进一步的讨论。     

利用MC-ICPMS精确测定143Nd/144Nd和Sm/Nd比值

多收集器等离子体质谱(MCICPMS)用于分析SmNd同位素时,质量分馏系数(β)与同位素的质量数呈线性关系.可以采用两种方法进行质量分馏校正:双分馏系数内部校正法(DFIC)和单分馏系数外部校正法(SFEC).采用DFIC法,对国际标样ShinEtsuJNdi1和实验室标样NdGIG进行了为期五个月的143Nd/144Nd比值测量统计,结果分别为0.512120±0.000012(2σSD)、0.511532±0.000013(2σSD).采用SFEC法,对NdGIG标样的测量统计结果为0.511525±0.000015(2σSD).两种方法的测量结果在分析误差范围内与其推荐值或TIMS测量值完全一致.对加Ce和Sm的NdGIG混合溶液分别进行了Ce和Sm对143Nd/144Nd比值分析的干扰校正研究和Sm/Nd比值测量,结果显示,143Nd/144Nd比值分别与Ce/Nd、Sm/Nd测量值呈线性关系,Sm/Nd测量值与其质量比值亦呈很好的线性关系.这表明利用MCICPMS可以快速精确地测定存在Ce、Sm干扰的样品的143Nd/144Nd比值,同时可获得精确的Sm/Nd比值,而无需加入稀释剂.这就使直接测定地质样品的SmNd等时线年龄成为可能.     

Geochemical Records of Mantle Processes in Mantle Xenoliths from Three Cenozoic Basaltic Volcanoes in Eastern China

Rare earth element (REE) contents, and Sr and Nd isotopic compositions were measured for three suites of mantle xenoliths from the Kuandian, Hannuoba and Huinan volcanoes in the north of the Sino-Korean Platform. From the correlations of Yb contents with Al/Si and Ca/Si ratios, the peridotites are considered to be the residues of partial melting of the primitive mantle. The chondrite-normalized REE compositions are diverse, varying from strongly LREE-depleted to LREE-enriched, with various types of REE patterns. Metasomatic alteration by small-volume silicate melts, of mantle peridotites previously variably depleted due to fractional melting in the spinel peridotite field, can account for the diversity of REE patterns. The Sr/ Ba versus La/Ba correlation indicates that the metasomatic agent was enriched in Ba over Sr and La, suggestive of its volatile-rich signature and an origin by fluid-triggered melting in an ancient subduction zone. The Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of these xenoliths, even from     

Episodic crustal growth in the Tanzania Craton: evidence from Nd isotope compositions

The analysis of available Nd isotope data from the Tanzania Craton places important constraints on the crust-mantle separation ages, and events marking juvenile crustal addition and crustal recycling. Nd model ages date the oldest crust extraction to 3.16 Ga in the Tanzania Craton, although a rock record of such antiquity is yet to be found there. The most significant period of juvenile crustal addition as well as crustal recycling is 2.7–2.6 Ga. The Nd isotopes of mafic samples show that chemical heterogeneity existed in the mantle beneath the Tanzania Craton, with some samples originating from significantly depleted mantle, and most samples originating from the mixture of primitive mantle and depleted mantle. The Nd isotope section reveals significant differences in Nd isotopes between the north craton and central craton; compared to the north craton, the central craton yields a Nd model age that is approximately 100 Ma older, and its ε_Nd(t) values are more negative, indicating that the two parts of the craton have different mantle source regions. Different types of granitoids are distributed in the Tanzania Craton, such as high-K and low-Al granite, calc-alkaline granite, peraluminous granite and transitional types of tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorites (TTGs). Most of the granitoids formed later than the mafic rocks in syn-collision and post-collision events.     

Scale and timing of Rare Earth Element redistribution in the Taconian foreland of New England

Clastic sedimentary rocks, deposited on eastern North America in response to the Taconian Orogeny, commonly have Sm/Nd isotope relationships indicating substantial isotope disturbance near or subsequent to the time of sedimentation that may be associated with severe depletion in light rare earth elements (LREE). Affected units [Normanskill Formation (Austin Glen and Pawlet Members), Frankfort Formation and Perry Mountain Formation] are widely separated both geographically (western New York to western Maine) and stratigraphically (Middle Ordovician to Silurian). A model is proposed for the most likely explanation of the observed REE and Sm/Nd isotope relationships involving a two‐stage process. In the first stage, REE are redistributed on a mineralogical scale (dissolution/precipitation on a sample scale) often with the involvement of REE‐enriched trace phases such as apatite and monazite. This stage typically takes place during diagenesis but may also take place later during metamorphism and/or recent weathering, and results in isotope re‐equilibration on a sample scale. The second stage occurs when one or more of these phases is redissolved and REE are transported on large advective scales. Where LREE‐enriched phases are involved, this gives rise to LREE depletion in whole rocks. The timing of this second stage cannot be constrained from Sm/Nd isotope data and may take place at any time subsequent to the isotope re‐equilibration. Such complex histories of REE redistribution may result in serious errors in estimating Nd model ages but not in estimating the Nd isotope composition at the age of sedimentation. Thus, Sm/Nd ratios even of unmetamorphosed sedimentary rocks have to be carefully evaluated before the calculation of depleted mantle model ages for the provenance.     

Pb and Nd isotopic study of two archean komatiitic flows from Alexo,Ontario

Isotopic analysis of two Archean komatiitic flows from Alexo, Ontario, gives a Pb-Pb isochron age of 2690 ± 15 Ma and a Sm-Nd isochron age of 2752 ± 87 Ma. These ages agree well with U-Pb zircon ages from underlying and overlying volcanics. The variations in element ratios that define the isochrons were not produced during crystallization of the lavas. The spread in U/Pb was caused by submarine alteration soon after eruption, and the spread in Sm/Nd resulted from (a) differences in the composition of the residue of melting, and (b) contamination of the upper komatiite flow through thermal erosion of the lower flow.The ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd ratio of uncontaminated komatiite is 0.25 which reflects the depleted nature of its mantle source. The Th/U ratio of about 3.4 is probably also representative of depleted mantle. The initial ?_Nd of +2.44 ± 0.51 indicates that the mantle depletion took place long before magma formation.     

Non-chondritic Sm/Nd ratio in the terrestrial planets: Consequences for the geochemical evolution of the mantle-crust system

Super-chondritic ¹⁴²Nd signatures are ubiquitous in terrestrial, Martian and lunar samples, and indicate that the terrestrial planets may have accreted from material with Sm/Nd ratio higher than chondritic. This contradicts the long-held view that chondrites represent a reference composition for the ¹⁴⁷Sm-¹⁴³Nd system. Using coupled ¹⁴⁶Sm-¹⁴²Nd and ¹⁴⁷Sm-¹⁴³Nd systematics in planetary samples, we have proposed a new set of values for the ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios of the bulk silicate Earth (Caro et al., 2008). Here, we revise the Bulk Silicate Earth estimates for the ⁸⁷Rb-⁸⁷Sr and ¹⁷⁶Lu-¹⁷⁶Hf systems using coupled Sr-Nd-Hf systematics in terrestrial rocks. These estimates are consistent with Hf-Nd systematics in lunar samples. The implications of a slightly non-chondritic silicate Earth with respect to the geochemical evolution of the mantle-crust system are then examined. We show that the Archean mantle has evolved with a composition indistinguishable from that of the primitive mantle until about 2 Gyr. Positive ε¹⁴³Nd and ε¹⁷⁶Hf values ubiquitous in the Archean mantle are thus accounted for by the non-chondritic Sm/Nd and Lu/Hf composition of the primitive mantle rather than by massive early crustal formation, which solves the paradox that early Archean domains only have a limited extension in the present-day continents. The Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf evolution of the depleted mantle for the past 3.5 Gyr can be entirely explained by continuous extraction of the continents from a well-mixed mantle. Thus, in contrast to the chondritic Earth model, Sm-Nd mass balance relationships can be satisfied without the need to call upon hidden reservoirs or layered mantle convection. This new Sm-Nd mass balance yields a scenario of mantle evolution consistent with trace element and noble gas systematics. The high ³He/⁴He mantle component is associated with ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd compositions indistinguishable from the bulk silicate Earth, suggesting that the less degassed mantle sources did not experience significant fractionation for moderately incompatible elements.     

Mantle heterogeneity and crustal recycling in Archean granite-greenstone belts: Evidence from Nd isotopes and trace elements in the Rainy Lake area, Superior Province, Ontario, Canada

The 2685–2752 Ma old granite-greenstone crust in the Rainy Lake area, Ontario, consists of metaigneous and metasedimentary rocks that range in composition from tholeiite to monzogranite and include anorthosite, trachyandesite, monzodiorite and high-silica rhyodacite. Major element, rare earth and other trace element data are the basis for modelling the formation of the crust by melting of large-ionlithophile element enriched and unenriched mantle, by melting of basalt at mantle to crustal levels and by melting of monzodiorite and tonalite at crustal levels.

All metaigneous rocks lie on a ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd vs. ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd isochron with an age of 2737 ±42 Ma and an initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd of 0.509178 ±33 (ε_Nd = +1.9). This age is consistent with U-Pb zircon ages, which suggests the Nd isotopic system has been unaffected since the crust-forming events. The positive initial ε_Nd's are further evidence for time-averaged depletion in Sm/Nd relative to CHUR for the Archean mantle. The similarity of the initial Nd isotopic composition for both mantle-derived and crustally-derived rocks suggests rapid recycling of crustal components, which were previously derived from depleted mantle sources.

Initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios on individual rocks range from ε_Nd = +3.3 to ε_Nd = −0.4. Younger granitoids have lower ε_Nd values (+1.5 to −0.1) relative to tholeiites and monzodiorites crystallized from mantle-derived melts (+3.3 to +1.0). Thus, incorporation of slightly older crust (ca. 100–200 Ma) in some of the granitoid source areas is possible. Mantle-derived rocks form an isochron of 2764 ±58 Ma that represents a minimum age for enrichment processes in the mantle sources for the Rainy Lake area. Consideration of data from the Abitibi belt suggests such enrichment processes in the mantle may have preceded crust-forming events in a wide area of the Superior Province, perhaps by as much as 50–70 Ma.     

Petrogenesis of 3.15 Ga old Banasandra komatiites from the Dharwar craton,India: Implications for early mantle heterogeneity

Spinifex-textured.magnesian(MgO 25 wt.%) komatiites from Mesoarchean Banasandra greenstone belt of the Sargur Group in the Dharwar craton,India were analysed for major and trace elements and~(147,146)Sm-~(143,142)Nd systematics to constrain age,petrogenesis and to understand the evolution of Archean mantle.Major and trace element ratios such as CaO/Al_2O_3.Al_2O_3/TiO_2,Gd/Yb,La/Nb and Nb/Y suggest aluminium undepleted to enriched compositional range for these komatiites.The depth of melting is estimated to be varying from 120 to 240 km and trace-element modelling indicates that the mantle source would have undergone multiple episodes of melting prior to the generation of magmas parental to these komatiites.Ten samples of these komatiites together with the published results of four samples from the same belt yield ~(147)Sm-~(143)Nd isochron age of ca.3.14 Ga with an initial ε_(Nd)(f) value of+3.5.High precision measurements of ~(142)Nd/~(144)Nd ratios were carried out for six komatiite samples along with standards AMES and La Jolla.All results are within uncertainties of the terrestrial samples.The absence of~(142)Nd/~(144)Nd anomaly indicates that the source of these komatiites formed after the extinction of ~(146)Sm,i.e.4.3 Ga ago.In order to evolve to the high ε_(Nd)(t) value of +3.5 by 3.14 Ga the time-integrated ratio of~(147)Sm/~(144)Nd should be 0.2178 at the minimum.This is higher than the ratios estimated,so far,for mantle during that time.These results indicate at least two events of mantle differentiation starting with the chondritic composition of the mantle.The first event occurred very early at ~4.53 Ga to create a global early depleted reservoir with superchondritic Sm/Nd ratio.The source of Isua greenstone rocks with positive ~(142)Nd anomaly was depleted during a second differentiation within the life time of ~(146)Sm,i.e.prior to 4.46 Ga.The source mantle of the Banasandra komatiite was a result of a differentiation event that occurred after the extinction of the ~(146)Sm,i.e.at 4.3 Ga and prior to 3.14 Ga.Banasandra komatiites therefore provide evidence for preservation of heterogeneities generated during mantle differentiation at4.3 Ga.     

介绍一个产生玄武岩的模型

地幔柱存在的一个主要证据是大规模高熔玄武岩省的出现,而且多认为玄武岩的来源依赖于地幔柱从下地幔输送。Michele Lustrino研究了造山时下地壳和岩石圈地幔的拆沉和拆离作用,提出了产生玄武岩的一个新模型。该模型认为即使地幔柱不存在,拆沉到地幔的下地壳物质再循环同样可以解释小规模的板内(大洋岛弧和大陆内部)火山岩和大洋、大陆溢流玄武岩及洋中脊玄武岩的生成及其常见的几种地球化学特征。在陆-陆碰撞过程中,下地壳中的变质反应生成石榴石,导致岩石的密度增大,致使过厚岩石圈底部(下地壳和岩石圈地幔)和上地壳分离并沉入上地幔。下地壳发生部分熔融形成富SiO2的熔体,和上涌的软流圈地幔(充填在下沉的岩石圈地幔和下地壳的空间)发生变质交代反应,导致具有强烈的地壳特点的富含斜方辉石层的形成。这个变质交代地幔体可以在拆沉后保持不变长达几个百万年。这种源的部分熔体可以保有下地壳的明显特征,产生类似富集地幔1型玄武岩浆作用。因此,该模型是提供了玄武岩浆来源的一个新选择。     

Implications of Nb/U, Th/U and Sm/Nd in plume magmas for the relationship between continental and oceanic crust formation and the development of the depleted mantle

The Nb/U and Th/U of the primitive mantle are 34 and 4.04 respectively, which compare with 9.7 and 3.96 for the continental crust. Extraction of continental crust from the mantle therefore has a profound influence on its Nb/U but little influence on its Th/U. Conversely, extraction of midocean ridge-type basalts lowers the Th/U of the mantle residue but has little influence on its Nb/U. As a consequence, variations in Th/U and Nb/U with Sm/Nd can be used to evaluate the relative importance of continental and basaltic crust extraction in the formation of the depleted (Sm/Nd enriched) mantle reservoir.This study evaluates Nb/U, Th/U, and Sm/Nd variations in suites of komatiites, picrites, and their associated basalts, of various ages, to determine whether basalt and/or continental crust have been extracted from their source region. Emphasis is placed on komatiites and picrites because they formed at high degrees of partial melting and are expected to have Nb/U, Th/U, and Sm/Nd that are essentially the same as the mantle that melted to produce them. The results show that all of the studied suites, with the exception of the Barberton, have had both continental crust and basaltic crust extracted from their mantle source region. The high Sm/Nd of the Gorgona and Munro komatiites require the elevated ratios seen in these suites to be due primarily to extraction of basaltic crust from their source regions, whereas basaltic and continental crust extraction are of subequal importance in the source regions of the Yilgarn and Belingwe komatiites. The Sm/Nd of modern midocean ridge basalts lies above the crustal extraction curve on a plot of Sm/Nd against Nb/U, which requires the upper mantle to have had both basaltic and continental crust extracted from it.It is suggested that the extraction of the basaltic reservoir from the mantle occurs at midocean ridges and that the basaltic crust, together with its complementary depleted mantle residue, is subducted to the core-mantle boundary. When the two components reach thermal equilibrium with their surroundings, the lighter depleted component separates from the denser basaltic component. Both are eventually returned to the upper mantle, but the lighter depleted component has a shorter residence time in the lower mantle than the denser basaltic component. If the difference in the recycling times for the basaltic and depleted components is ∼1.0 to 1.5 Ga, a basaltic reservoir is created in the lower mantle, equivalent to the amount of basalt that is subducted in 1.0 to 1.5 Ga, and that reservoir is isolated from the upper mantle. It is this reservoir that is responsible for the Sm/Nd ratio of the upper mantle lying above the trend predicted by extraction of continental crust on the plot of Sm/Nd against Nb/U.