Geochemistry of the Yandal belt metavolcanic rocks,Eastern Goldfields Province,Western Australia

Archaean felsic metavolcanic rocks occur throughout the Yandal belt in the north of the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia where they are most abundant in the higher parts of the stratigraphy. With the exception of the Spring Well Sequence at the southern end of the belt, these rocks are typically dacites showing geochemical affinities with Archaean high‐Al trondhjemite‐tonalite‐dacite (TTD) suites. They have high Sr, Al₂O₃, and (La/Yb)_N; low Y, Nb, Zr and heavy rare‐earth elements (HREE); and lack a significant Eu anomaly. In contrast, broadly coeval mafic volcanic rocks have flat REE patterns and trace‐element compositions more typical of modern backarc basin basalts. The Spring Well Sequence is readily distinguished lithologically and geochemically from the remainder of the Yandal belt. Spring Well basaltic andesites are geochemically similar to modern calc‐alkaline arc magmas, i.e. negative Nb–Ta anomalies and enrichment of both large‐ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare‐earth elements (LREE). Andesites and rhyolites, both abundant in the Spring Well Sequence, have elevated LILE relative to high field strength elements, and moderate to strong negative Nb, Ta, Sr and Ti anomalies. Rhyolites have low Sr/Y and relatively flat REE patterns ((La/Yb)_N = 4.2–5.0). The chemistry and lithostratigraphic associations of the Yandal belt, with the exception of the Spring Well area, suggest a similarity with the Kalgoorlie Terrane, which is supported by published geochronological data. In contrast, the abundance of rhyolite, distinctive calc‐alkaline chemistry and ca2690 Ma age of the Spring Well Sequence suggests a possible association with ca2692 Ma bimodal calc‐alkaline arc‐rift sequence at Teutonic Bore and similar rocks at Melita and Jeedamya, 150 km south of Spring Well. The abundance of TTD dacite and tholeiitic basalt throughout the Yandal belt suggests magma generation from both decompression partial melting of mantle peridotite to produce backarc tholeiitic magma, and partial melting of subducted oceanic lithosphere to produce high‐Al dacite‐tonalite magma. Based on field relationships of the lithological associations, spatial geochemical patterns and published geochronological data, a shallow, west‐dipping subduction model is postulated for the Yandal belt. In this model, widespread tholeiitic basalt and TTD dacite volcanic sequences are thought to have formed in a backarc basin west of a predominantly submerged continental margin volcanic arc. The dominance of dacite in the upper stratigraphy of the Yandal belt could indicate the development of a secondary volcanic ridge or arc in this basin. The Spring Well Sequence is interpreted to occupy the northern preserved portion of the primary arc, remnants of which now extend south through Teutonic Bore to the Melita and Jeedamya volcanic centres. South of Spring Well, volcanic sequences become distinctly bimodal with basalt and high silica rhyolite suggesting an increasing influence of arc extension toward the south.     

Review Section

ABSTRACT

The petrology, geochronology, and geochemistry of the early Permian volcanic rocks from Houtoumiao area, south Xiwuqi County in central Inner Mongolia of China, are studied to elucidate the early Permian tectonic setting of the region. The volcanic rocks, which are interbedded with sandstone, feature both mafic and felsic compositions and show a bimodal nature. Zircon U–Pb dating reveals that the volcanic rocks formed at 274–278 Ma, similar to the ages of bimodal magmatism in neighbouring areas. The mafic rocks are composed of tholeiitic basalt, basaltic andesite, basaltic trachyandesite, and trachyandesite. They are rich in Th, U, and LILEs, depleted in HFSEs Nb, Ta, and Ti, and have positive ε_Nd(t) values (+3.6 to +7.9). Geochemical analyses indicate that the mafic rocks originated from metasomatized lithospheric mantle. The felsic volcanic rocks are mainly rhyolite, with minor trachyte and dacite. They have different evolutionary tendencies of major elements, chondrite-normalized REE patterns, and isotopic compositions from the mafic volcanic rocks, which preclude formation by fractional crystallization of mafic melts. The ε_Nd(t) values of the felsic rocks are similar to those of the Carboniferous Baolidao arc rocks in the region. It is suggested that Permian felsic melts originated from the partial melting of Carboniferous juvenile arc-related rocks. By comparison with typical Cenozoic bimodal volcanism associated with several tectonic settings, including rift, post-collisional setting, back-arc basin, and the Basin and Range, USA, the bimodal volcanic rocks in central Inner Mongolia display similar petrological and geochemical characteristics to the rocks from back-arc basin and the Basin and Range, USA. Based on the analysis of regional geological data, it is inferred that the early Permian bimodal volcanic rocks in the study area formed on an extensional continental margin of the Siberian palaeoplate after late Carboniferous subduction–accretion.     

Age and significance of voluminous mafic–ultramafic magmatic events in the Murchison Domain,Yilgarn Craton

Mafic–ultramafic rocks in structurally dismembered layered intrusions comprise approximately 40% by volume of greenstones in the Murchison Domain of the Youanmi Terrane, Yilgarn Craton. Mafic–ultramafic rocks in the Murchison Domain may be divided into five components: (i) the ～2810 Ma Meeline Suite, which includes the large Windimurra Igneous Complex; (ii) the 2800 ± 6 Ma Boodanoo Suite, which includes the Narndee Igneous Complex; (iii) the 2792 ± 5 Ma Little Gap Suite; (iv) the ～2750 Ma Gnanagooragoo Igneous Complex; and (v) the 2735–2710 Ma Yalgowra Suite of layered gabbroic sills. The intrusions are typically layered, tabular bodies of gabbroic rock with ultramafic basal units which, in places, are more than 6 km thick and up to 2500 km² in areal extent. However, these are minimum dimensions as the intrusions have been dismembered by younger deformation. In the Windimurra and Narndee Igneous Complexes, discordant features and geochemical fractionation trends indicate multiple pulses of magma. These pulses produced several megacyclic units, each ～200 m thick. The suites are anhydrous except for the Boodanoo Suite, which contains a large volume of hornblende gabbro. They also host significant vanadium mineralisation, and at least minor Ni–Cu–PGE mineralisation. Collectively, the areal distribution, thickness and volume of mafic–ultramafic magma in these complexes is similar to that in the 2.06 Ga Bushveld Igneous Complex, and represents a major addition of mantle-derived magma to Murchison Domain crust over a 100 Ma period. All suites are demonstrably contemporaneous with packages of high-Mg tholeiitic lavas and/or felsic volcanic rocks in greenstone belts. The distribution, ages and compositions of the earlier mafic–ultramafic rocks are most consistent with genesis in a mantle plume setting.     

Neoproterozoic nascent island arc volcanism from the Nubian Shield of Egypt: Magma genesis and generation of continental crust in intra-oceanic arcs

The Neoproterozoic Wadi Ranga metavolcanic rocks, South Eastern Desert of Egypt, constitute a slightly metamorphosed bimodal sequence of low-K submarine tholeiitic mafic and felsic volcanic rocks. The mafic volcanic rocks are represented by massive and pillow flows and agglomerates, composed of porphyritic and aphyric basalts and basaltic andesites that are mostly amygdaloidal. The felsic volcanic rocks embrace porphyritic dacites and rhyolites and tuffs, which overlie the mafic volcanic rocks. The geochemical characteristics of Wadi Ranga volcanic rocks, especially a strong Nb depletion, indicate that they were formed from subduction-related melts. The clinopyroxene phenocrysts of basalts are more akin to those crystallizing from island-arc tholeiitic magmas. The tholeiitic nature of the Wadi Ranga volcanics as well as their LREE-depleted or nearly flat REE patterns and their low K₂O contents suggest that they were developed in an immature island arc setting. The subchondritic Nb/Ta ratios (with the lowest ratio reported for any arc rocks) and low Nb/Yb ratios indicate that the mantle source of the Wadi Ranga mafic volcanic rocks was more depleted than N-MORB-source mantle. Subduction signature was dominated by aqueous fluids derived from slab dehydration, whereas the role of subducted sediments in mantle-wedge metasomatization was subordinate, implying that the subduction system was sediment-starved and far from continental clastic input. The amount of slab-derived fluids was enough to produce hydrous magmas that follow the tholeiitic but not the calc-alkaline differentiation trend. With Mg# > 64, few samples of Wadi Ranga mafic volcanic rocks are similar to primitive arc magmas, whereas the other samples have clearly experienced considerable fractional crystallization.The low abundances of trace elements, together with low K₂O contents of the felsic metavolcanic rocks indicate that they were erupted in a primitive island arc setting. The felsic volcanic rocks are characterized by lower K/Rb ratios compared to the mafic volcanic rocks, higher trace element abundances (~ 2 to ~ 9 times basalt) on primitive arc basalt-normalized pattern and nearly flat chondrite-normalized REE patterns, which display a negative Eu anomaly. These features are largely consistent with fractional crystallization model for the origin of the felsic volcanic rocks. Moreover, SiO₂-REE variations for the Wadi Ranga volcanic rocks display steadily increasing LREE over the entire mafic to felsic range and enriched La abundances in the felsic lavas relative to the most mafic lavas, features which are consistent with production of the felsic volcanic rocks through fractional crystallization of basaltic melts. The relatively large volume of Wadi Ranga silicic volcanic rocks implies that significant volume of silicic magmas can be generated in immature island arcs by fractional crystallization and indicates the significant role of intra-oceanic arcs in the production of Neoproterozoic continental crust. We emphasize that the geochemical characteristics of these rocks such as their low LILE and nearly flat REE patterns can successfully discriminate them from other Egyptian Neoproterozoic felsic volcanic rocks, which have higher LILE, Zr and Nb and fractionated REE patterns.     

A basaltic-ferrobasaltic granulite association,Oonagalabi gneiss complex,Central Australia: magmatic variation in an Early Proterozoic rift

Extremely fractionated basaltic to ferrobasaltic amphibolites and granulites comprise two spatially associated mafic tholeiitic suites (?deformed sills) within the Early Proterozoic Oonagalabi basement gneiss complex, Harts Range, Central Australia. The metatholeiites are characterised by high to very high FeO, TiO₂ and P₂O₅ contents, and variable depletion in CaO and Al₂O₃. Despite similar Zr/Nb ratios, the rocks from the two suites show different degrees of enrichment in LREE and other “immobile” incompatible elements. The basaltic melts which were parental to the two mafic suites were not comagmatic and the rocks cannot be related simply by fractionation of realistic assemblages of low-pressure fractionating phases. The data suggest that primary basaltic liquids for the two suites were derived by different degrees of partial melting from essentially similar undepleted mantle source regions. Clinopyroxene in the residual mantle assemblage controlled the composition of the segregating melt at lower degrees of melting. The ferrobasaltic compositions imply long residence times for the basaltic magmas in shallow-level differentiating tholeiitic sills and/or magma chambers in a mature propagating rift environment. High-grade (granulite facies) metamorphism, and subsequent restricted metasomatic reequilibration of the mafic rocks with interlayered migmatitic and quartzofeldspathic gneisses, have affected only abundances of certain highly-smobile elements (e.g. K₂O and Rb), resulting in the partial disruption of inter-element correlations. However, the geochemical data do not indicate any large-scale depletion of large ion lithophile elements (LILE) in the Oonagalabi gneiss complex.     

Middle/Late Cambrian intracontinental rifting in the central West Sudetes,NE Bohemian Massif (Czech Republic): geochemistry and petrogenesis of the bimodal metavolcanic rocks

The Early Palaeozoic East Krkonoše Complex (EKC) situated in the central West Sudetes, NE Bohemian Massif, is a volcano‐sedimentary suite containing abundant mafic and felsic volcanics metamorphosed to greenschist facies. The trace element distribution patterns and Nd isotope signatures (E_Nd500 = + 3.1 to + 6.6) of the metabasites (metabasalts) indicate that they may be related to a rising mantle diapir associated with intracontinental rifting. At the early stage, limited melting of an upwelling asthenosphere produced alkali basalts and enriched tholeiites which compositionally resemble oceanic island basalts. A later stage of rifting with larger degrees of melting at shallower depths generated tholeiitic basalts with E‐MORB to N‐MORB characteristics. The values of (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i = 0.706 and E_Nd500 = − 5 ±1 of the porphyroids (metarhyolites) as well as the lack of rocks with intermediate compositions suggest that the felsic rocks were formed by a partial melting event of continental crust triggered by mantle melts. The geochemistry of the EKC bimodal metavolcanics and their association with abundant terrigenous metasediments suggest that the felsic–mafic volcanic suite was generated during intracontinental rifting. This process, widespread in Western and Central Europe during the Early Palaeozoic, is evidence of large‐scale fragmentation of the northern margin of the Gondwana supercontinent. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Petrology of middle proterozoic diabases and picrites from Lake Nipigon,Canada

Mafic rocks at Lake Nipigon provide a record of rift-related continental basaltic magmatism during the Keweenawan event at 1109 Ma. The mafic rocks consist of an early, volumetrically minor suite of picritic intrusions varying in composition from olivine gabbro to peridotite and a later suite of tholeiitic diabase dikes, sheets and sills. The diabase occurs primarily as two 150 to 200 m thick sills with a textural stratigraphy indicating that the sills represent single cooling units. Compositional variation in the sills indicates that they crystallized from several magma pulses.The diabases are similar in chemistry to olivine tholeiite flood basalts of the adjacent Keweenawan rift, particularly with respect to low TiO₂, K₂O and P₂O₅. The picrites have higher TiO₂, K₂O and P₂O₅ than the diabases and are similar to, but more primitive than, high Fe-Ti basalts which erupted early in the Keweenawan volcanic sequence.All of the rocks crystallized from fractionated liquids. The picrites are cumulate rocks derived at shallow crustal depths from a magma controlled predominantly by olivine fractionation. Picritic chills are in equilibrium with olivine phenocrysts of composition Fo₈₀ and are interpreted to represent the least evolved liquids observed. The parental magma of the picrites was probably Fe rich relative to the parental magma of the diabase. The diabase sills crystallized from an evolved basaltic liquid controlled by cotectic crystallization of plagioclase and lesser olivine and pyroxene.The emplacement of dense olivine phyric picritic magmas early in the sequence, followed by later voluminous compositionally evolved magmas of lower density suggests the development of a crustal density filter effect as the igneous event reached a peak. Delamination of the crust-mantle interface may have resulted in the transition from olivine controlled primitive magma to fractionated magma through the development of crustal underplating.     

Komatiitic and Iron-rich Tholeiitic Lavas of Munro Township, Northeast Ontario

Munro Township, in the Archean Abitibi greenstone belt of northeastOntario, contains volcanic and hypabyssal rocks of two magmaseries: (1) an Fe-rich tholeiitic series of basaltic to daciticlava flows (3–10 m thick), layered peridotite-pyroxenite-gabbroflows (120 m thick), and layered sills (700 m thick); (2) anultramafic-mafic komatiitic series, comprising discrete lavaflows of peridotitic to andesitic composition (1–17 mthick), layered peridotite-gabbro flows (120 m thick), and layeredsills (500 m thick). The komatiitie lavas form a successionabout 1000 m thick that is both underlain and overlain by thickersuccessions of tholeiitic volcanic rocks. Three types of komatiite are recognized: peridotitic, pyroxenitic,and basaltic komatiites. The most ultramafic are peridotiticcumulates rich in forsteritic olivine (Fo_89–94), at thebases of flows and sills. Many less mafic peridotitic komatiites(MgO: 20–30 per cent), which typically form the upperparts of flows and the marginal parts of small intrusions, exhibitspinifex textures indicative of their formation from ultrabasicliquids. Pyroxenitic komatiites (MgO: 12–20 per cent)also may contain olivine, but are dominated by clinopyroxene,usually in spinifex textures. Basaltic komatiites (MgO <12per cent) are composed mainly of clino-pyroxene and plagioclaseor devitrified glass, rarely in spinifex texture and more commonlyin equigranular textures. Peridotitic komatiite with roughly30 per cent MgO appears to represent a parental liquid fromwhich the more ultramafic komatiites formed by accumulationof olivine, and the less mafic types were derived by fractionationof olivine, joined and finally succeeded in later stages byclinopyroxene and plagioclase. Komatiites of Munro Township share many of the characteristicsof the komatiites from the Barberton Mountain Land, South Africa(Voljoen & Viljoen, 1969a and b), but lack the high CaO/Al₂O₃ratios that distinguish the Barberton rocks. The Munro komatiitesare identical in this respect to ultramafic volcanic rocks inAustralia, Canada, Rhodesia, and India. It is proposed thatthe definition of the term komatiite be broadened so that itincludes all members of this ultramafic-mafic rock series, notonly those from Barberton Mountain Land. The proposed criteriaare: (1) highly ultramafic compositions in noncumulate lavas;(2) unusual volcanic structures such as spinifex texture andpolyhedral jointing; (3) low Fe/Mg ratios at given Al₂O₃ valuesor high CaO/Al₂O₃ ratios; low TiO₂ at given SiO₂; and high MgO,NiO, and Cr₂O₃.     

Petrogenesis of an early Eocene gabbro–granite complex in Kachang (SW Yunnan) and its implications for Eocene magmatism in the Tengchong terrane of SW China

Major and trace element, zircon U–Pb and Hf-isotope data are reported for mafic intrusions and host granite from the Kachang pluton (North Yingjiang of SW Yunnan) in the Tengchong Terrane, in order to investigate their sources, petrogenesis and tectonic implications. The zircon U–Pb age of the mafic rocks (~55 Ma) is identical to that of the host granite (56.7 ± 0.6 Ma). The mafic rocks have high MgO concentrations (up to 13.43 wt.%) at low SiO₂ contents (low to 42.73 wt.%) and slight negative to positive εHf(t) values (?2.26 to +0.59). They are enriched in LILE and LREEs and depleted in HFSEs, which can be explained as melts derived from a enriched mantle, with some crustal contamination. The host granite have high SiO₂ contents (69.18–72.65 wt.%), highly negative εHf(t) values (?9.08 to ?5.14), suggesting mainly derived from an ancient crustal source. Field observations, geochronology, geochemistry and zircon Hf isotopic compositions point to a complex petrogenesis, where enriched mantle- and crust-derived magma mixing was coupled with crystal fractionation, thus explaining the genetic link between mafic and felsic magmas, result of mafic magma upwelling triggered by the subduction rollback of the Neotethyan slab. Our new data, along with the data reported (especially zircon U–Pb dating and Lu–Hf isotope data) in the Tengchong Terrane, indicate that the spatial and temporal variations and changing magmatic compositions over time in the Tengchong Terrane closely resemble those of the Lhasa Terrane in southern and central Tibet.     

Relative timing of igneous intrusion in the Eucalyptus area,northeastern Yilgarn Block,Western Australia

Field studies in the Eucalyptus area, northeastern Yilgarn Block have shown intrusive and extrusive rocks in an Archaean greenstone sequence to be comagma‐tic, and have suggested the sequence of subsequent granitoid intrusion and gold mineralisation. Andesitic volcanic rocks and related subvolcanic granodiorite porphyry and epiclastic sediments were followed by tholeiitic basalt with gabbro/dolerite sills and dykes, which were in turn succeeded by high‐Mg basalt with associated peridotite intrusions. Large, irregular gabbro and peridotite intrusions, which are inferred to represent subvolcanic magma chambers, occur in lower stratigraphic levels, whereas comformable subvolcanic sills occur in higher stratigraphic levels. Granodiorite plutons were followed by adamellite plutons; at least some gold mineralisation was contemporaneous with granitoid emplacement.     

Petrology and geochemistry of the mafic dyke rocks from precambrian almora crystallines of Kumaun Lesser Himalaya

Mafic dykes of Almora region intrude the Precambrian crystalline rocks of Kumaun Lesser Himalaya. Mafic dykes exhibit fine grained margin and medium to coarse grained core, melanocratic, low to highly ferromagnetic (MS=0.85?38.58×10^?3SI) in nature commonly showing subophitic to ophitic textures with ol-pl-cpx-hbl-bt-mt-ap-sp assemblage, and modally correspond to leucogabbro and olivinegabbro (sensu stricto). Olivine (Fo₆₁-Fo₃₃), clinopyroxene (Wo₄₆-En₄₂-Fs₂₂ to Wo₄₀-En₃₆-Fs₁₅) and plagioclase (An₅₈-An₁₂) have crystallized in the temperature range of ca1400–980°C at pressure <2 kbar in an olivine tholeiitic basalt parent. Low acmite (Na_pfu=0.033?0.025), (Mg^#=0.64–0.82), Ti-Al contents of clinopyroxenes and their evolution along enstatite-ferrosilite join (i.e. Mg?Fe substitution) strongly suggest tholeiitic nature of mafic dyke melt with changing activities of alumina and silica. Clinopyroxene compositions of mafic dykes differ markedly as compared to those observed for adjoining Bhimtal volcanics but closely resemble to that crystallized in tholeiitic melts of Deccan province. Observed Cr vs Mg^# variation, enriched LILE (Sr, Ba)-LREE and positive Eu-anomaly of the studied mafic dykes are indicative of fractional crystallization of olivine-clinopyroxene -plagioclase from a crustally-contaminated tholeiitic basalt magma derived from enriched mantle source. The mafic dykes of Almora are geochemically identical to mafic dykes of Nainital, but are unrelated to Precambrian mafic volcanic flow and dykes of NW Himalaya and dykes of Salma and Rajmahal regions.     

Precambrian mafic magmatism in the Bastar craton,central India

The Bastar craton has experienced many episodes of mafic magmatism during the Precambrian. This is evidenced from a variety of Precambrian mafic rocks exposed in all parts of the Bastar craton in the form of volcanics and dykes. They include (i) three distinct mafic dyke swarms and a variety of mafic volcanic rocks of Precambrian age in the southern Bastar region; two sets of mafic dyke swarms are sub-alkaline tholeiitic in nature, whereas the third dyke swarm is high-Si, low-Ti and high-Mg in nature and documented as boninite-norite mafic rocks, (ii) mafic dykes of varying composition exposed in Bhanupratappur-Keskal area having dominantly high-Mg and high-Fe quartz tholeiitic compositions and rarely olivine and nepheline normative nature, (iii) four suites of Paleoproterozoic mafic dykes are recognized in and around the Chattisgarh basin comprising metadolerite, metagabbro, and metapyroxenite, Neoarchaean amphibolite dykes, Neoproterozoic younger fine-grained dolerite dykes, and Early Precambrian boninite dykes, and (iv) Dongargarh mafic volcanics, which are classified into three groups, viz. early Pitepani mafic volcanic rocks, later Sitagota and Mangikhuta mafic volcanics, and Pitepani siliceous high-magnesium basalts (SHMB). Available petrological and geochemical data on these distinct mafic rocks of the Bastar craton are summarized in this paper. Recently high precision U-Pb dates of 1891.1±0.9 Ma and 1883.0±1.4 Ma for two SE-trending mafic dykes from the BD2 (subalkaline) dyke swarm, from the southern Bastar craton have been reported. But more precise radiometric age determinations for a number of litho-units are required to establish discrete mafic magmatic episodes experienced by the craton. It is also important to note that very close geochemical similarity exist between boninite-norite suite exposed in the Bastar craton and many parts of the world. Spatial and temporal correlation suggests that such magmatism occurred globally during the Neoarchaean-Paleoproterozoic boundary. Many Archaean terrains were united as a supercontinent as Expanded Ur and Arctica at that time, and its rifting gave rise to numerous mafic dyke swarms, including boninitenorite, world-wide.     

碧口群火山岩岩石成因研究

新元古代(846~776Ma)碧口群火山岩喷发于大陆板内裂谷环境。该火山岩系以基性火山岩为主,酸性火山岩次之,中性火山岩少见。根据岩石地球化学数据,碧口群裂谷基性熔岩总体上属于低Ti/Y(<500)岩浆类型。元素和同位素数据表明,碧口群基性熔岩的化学变化不是由一个共同的母岩浆的结晶分异作用所产生。它们极有可能是源于地幔柱源(εNd(t)≈+3,87Sr/86Sr(t)≈0.704,La/Nb≈0.7)。地壳混染作用对于碧口群裂谷基性熔岩的形成有重要贡献。我们的研究揭示,碧口群火山岩存在空间上的岩石地球化学变化。东部红岩沟和辛田坝—黑木林地区的碧口群基性熔岩以拉斑玄武岩为主,产生于幔源石榴子石稳定区的高度部分熔融。相反,西部白杨—碧口地区的碧口群基性熔岩的母岩浆则是形成于幔源的尖晶石-石榴子石过渡带:碱性熔岩是产生于部分熔融程度较低的条件下,拉斑玄武质熔岩则是产生于部分熔融条件较高的条件下。它们经受了浅层位辉长岩质(cpx+plag±ol)分离作用,化学变异较大。     

Tectonomagmatic origin of some volcanic and sub-volcanic rocks from the Lower Benue rift,Nigeria

Petrological and geochemical studies on some volcanic and sub-volcanic rocks from the Lower Benue rift indicate that they are basalts, basaltic and doleritic sills, trachybasalt and trachyte which generally belong to the alkali basalt series. The alkaline affinity is clearly evident in both their normative and modal mineral compositions, as well as their chemical compositions. The generally high fractionation indices [(La/Yb)N] are 7.06 to 17.65 for the basaltic rocks and 23.59 to 135. 35 for the trachytic rocks, against low values commonly seen in subalkaline (tholeiitic) series, with strong enrichments in the incompatible elements. All this strongly supports their alkaline affinity. The basaltic rocks are generally fine-grained and porphyritic, consisting of phenocrysts of clinopyroxene and olivine in the groundmass of the same minerals together with plagioclase. The clinopyroxene is either diopside or clinoenstatite. The trachyte consists of oligoclase, orthoclase, biotite, quartz and exhibits typical trachytic, flow structure. The basaltic and doleritic sills are commonly altered, with calcite and epidote as common alteration prod-ucts. This alteration, which is reflected in the erratic behaviour of K2O, MnO and P2O5 on Harker variation diagrams, high values of LOI, strong depletions in the more mobile LILE (Rb, K, Ba and Sr) and high Th/Ta ratios, is attributed to the effects of an aqueous fluid phase and crustal contamination. On the whole, the mineralogical, as well as major-, trace-elements and REE data suggest that the rocks are co-genetic and most likely derived from differentiation of an alkali olivine-basalt magma, generating through variable low degrees of partial melting of probably an enriched lithospheric (upper) mantle following an asthenospheric uplift (mantle plume or intumescence) with HIMU signa-tures in a within-plate continental rift tectonic setting. This corroborates earlier results obtained for the intrusive rocks in the region.     

Geochemistry and Tectonic Setting of Mafic Igneous Units in the Neoproterozoic Katangan Basin, Central Africa: Implications for Rodinia Break-up

Geochemical compositions of mafic igneous rocks in the Katangan basin in Central Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, hereafter Congo, and Zambia) provide the basis for the geodynamic interpretation of the evolution of this Neoproterozoic basin located between the Congo and Kalahari cratons. The Katangan basin is subdivided into five major tectonic units: the Katangan Aulacogen, the External Fold and Thrust Belt, the Domes Region, the Synclinorial Belt and the Katangan High. The metamorphosed mafic igneous rocks investigated occur in the Katangan Aulacogen, the External Fold and Thrust Belt and the Domes Region. The earliest magmatic activity produced continental tholeiites emplaced on Paleoproterozoic crust during the early stages of intraplate break-up. This continental tholeiite magmatism was followed by an association of alkaline and tholeiitic basalts emplaced in the Katangan continental rift and then by tholeiitic basalts with E-MORB affinity marking a young oceanic crust. These volcanic associations mark different stages of evolution from pre-rift continental break-up up to a continental rift similar to the East African rift system and then to a Red Sea type incipient oceanic rift. A similar evolution occurs in the Damaran basin in southwestern Africa, although no pre-rift continental tholeiites have been recorded in this segment of the Pan-African belt system.     

A greenstone belt in southeast Tibet: An accreted middle–late Permian oceanic plateau

Studies of accreted oceanic plateau sections provide crucial information on their structures, compositions, and origins. We investigate the petrogenesis of ultramafic–mafic rocks in the Tangjia–Sumdo greenstone belt of southeast Tibet using petrography, whole-rock geochemistry, and U-Pb zircon geochronology. These rocks are divided into four groups based on geochemical characteristics that include depleted and tholeiitic mafic rocks, transitional mafic rocks, enriched and alkaline mafic rocks, and picritic ultramafic rocks. Depleted and tholeiitic mafic rocks have the oldest crystallization ages (～272 Ma), followed by picritic ultramafic rocks (～270 Ma), transitional mafic rocks (267–254 Ma), and enriched and alkaline mafic rocks (252–250 Ma). Hafnium and neodymium isotope ratios of depleted and tholeiitic mafic rocks (ε_Hf(t) = +13.1–+16.9; ε_Nd(t) = +6.9–+7.1), transitional mafic rocks (ε_Hf(t) = +1.8–+16.9; ε_Nd(t) = +0.8–+5.5), enriched and alkaline mafic rocks (ε_Hf(t) = +0.5–+5.4; ε_Nd(t) = ?1.5 to +1.9) and picritic ultramafic rocks (ε_Hf(t) = +14.9–+17.2; ε_Nd(t) = +7.8–+9.0) are similar to those of N-MORB, E-MORB, OIB and depleted-type picritic mafic rocks in other oceanic plateaus, respectively. The geochemical characteristics of the depleted and tholeiitic mafic rocks suggest that they formed by partial melting of depleted spinel lherzolite in a mid-ocean ridge setting, whereas the picritic ultramafic rocks suggest a high degree of partial melting of depleted lherzolite in a hot mantle plume head. The transitional mafic rocks formed by partial melting of moderately enriched garnet lherzolite. The youngest rocks (enriched and alkaline mafic rocks) formed by partial melting of a more enriched garnet lherzolite (compared to transitional mafic rocks) at relatively low temperatures. We propose that the depleted and tholeiitic mafic rocks represent normal oceanic crust of the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys Ocean and the transitional mafic rocks, enriched and alkaline mafic rocks and picritic ultramafic rocks are the fragments of the oceanic plateau, which were related to middle–late Permian mantle plume activity in the Sumdo Paleo-Tethys Ocean. We further suggest that the majority of the Tangjia–Sumdo greenstone belt represents a middle–late Permian oceanic plateau that reflects a previously unrecognized middle–late Permian mantle plume.     

Geochemical and isotopic characteristics and evolution of the Jurassic volcanic arc between Arica (18°30′S) and Tocopilla (22°S), North Chilean Coastal Cordillera

The present-day North Chilean Coastal Cordillera between 18°30′S and 22°S records an important part of the magmatic evolution of the Central Andes during the Jurassic. Calc-alkaline to subordinate tholeiitic members from four rock groups with biostratigraphically constrained age display incompatible element pattern characteristic of convergent plate-margin volcanism, whereas alkaline basalts of one group occurring in the Precordillera show OIB-type trace element signatures. The correlation of biostratigraphic ages, regional distribution, and composition of the volcanic rocks provides a basis for the discussion on geochemical evolution and isotope ratios.Major and trace element distributions of the volcanic rocks indicate their derivation from mantle-derived melts. LILE and LREE enrichments in calc-alkaline basaltic andesites to dacites and some of the tholeiites hint at the involvement of hydrous fluids during melting and mobile element transport processes. A part of the Early Bajocian to ?Lower Jurassic and Oxfordian andesites and dacites are adakite-like rocks with a substantial participation of slab melt and are characterized by high Sr/Y ratios and low HREE contents. The Middle Jurassic tholeiitic and calc-alkaline basalts and basaltic andesites have been transported and partly stored within a system of deep-seated feeder fissures and crustal strike-slip faults before eruption.The isotopic composition of Sr (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i=0.7032-0.7056) and Nd (εNd_i=2.2-7.1) of the Jurassic volcanic rocks mostly fall in the range characteristic for mantle melts although some crustal components may have been involved. A few samples show slightly more radiogenic Sr isotopic composition, which is probably due to interaction with ancient sea-water. The Pb isotopic composition of the arc rocks is uncoupled from the isotopic composition of Sr and Nd and is dominated by the crustal component. Since the Cretaceous and Modern arc volcanic rocks show Pb isotopic compositions that can be largely explained by in situ Pb isotope growth of Jurassic arc volcanic rocks, we argue that the various Andean arc systems between 18°30′S and 22°S formed on the same type of basement.Most of the investigated samples have high Ba, Zr, and Th concentrations compared to island arc mafic volcanic rocks. About 20% of the Jurassic arc volcanics comprise of dacitic to rhyolitic rocks. These characteristics combined with the Pb isotopic composition that shows the influence of a Palaeozoic (or partly older) basement point to a continental margin setting for the North Chilean Jurassic arc. The distribution of the magmatic rocks throughout time, their textures, and the character of intercalated sedimentary rocks reflect westward movement of the magma sources and of the arc/back-arc boundary relative to the current coast line during the Early Bajocian on a broad front between 19°30′ and 21°S.     

Stratigraphic and structural synthesis of the New England Orogen

The Spring Well volcanic complex in the Eastern Goldfields Province of Western Australia, is a relatively fresh and well exposed Archaean felsic volcanic centre that is preserved in a synclinal structure at the top of the local greenstone succession. Subaerial acid pyroclastic deposits and subordinate lava flows, intruded by anastomosing intermediate‐acid dykes and sills, comprise the near‐vent facies. In the distal regions of the centre, subaqueous crystal tuff and other tuff units are intercalated with epiclastic sediments.

Geochemical modelling indicates that the acid rocks are unlikely to have been derived by batch partial melting of probable crustal sources. However, differentiation from intermediate parents is compatible with the available geochemical data. The intermediate rocks, in turn, have critical geochemical characteristics comparable with all other studied intermediate calc‐alkaline rocks in the Yilgarn Block. Since it can be demonstrated that many of these rocks have an ultimate mantle source (through differentiation of LIL element enriched mafic primary magmas) it follows that such an origin is applicable in the Spring Well rocks. Therefore, it is concluded that the Spring Well volcanic complex represents a mantle‐derived, calc‐alkaline differentiation series, in which the more silicic members of the suite predominate. Apart from the diagnostic geochemical characteristics of these acid volcanic rocks, their spatial association with intermediate rocks distinguishes them from anatectic acid volcanic rocks that also occur in the greenstone sequences of the Yilgarn Block.     

Petrology of the Rainy Lake area,Minnesota, USA-implications for petrotectonic setting of the archean southern Wabigoon subprovince of the Canadian Shield

The Rainy Lake area in northern Minnesota and southwestern, Ontario is a Late Archean (2.7 Ga) granite-greenstone belt within the Wabigoon subprovince of the Canadian Shield. In Minnesota the rocks include mafic and felsic volcanic rocks, volcaniclastic, chemical sedimentary rocks, and graywacke that are intrucded by coeval gabbro, tonalite, and granodiorite. New data presented here focus on the geochemistry and petrology of the Minnesota part of the Rainy Lake area. Igneous rocks in the area are bimodal. The mafic rocks are made up of three distinct suites: (1) low-TiO₂ tholeiite and gabbro that have slightly evolved Mg-numbers (63–49) and relatively flat rare-earth element (REE) patterns that range from 20–8 x chondrites (Ce/Yb_N=0.8–1.5); (2) high-TiO₂ tholeiite with evolved Mg-numbers (46–29) and high total REE abundances that range from 70–40 x chondrites (Ce/Yb_N=1.8–3.3), and (3) calc-alkaline basaltic andesite and geochemically similar monzodiorite and lamprophyre with primitive Mg-numbers (79–63), enriched light rare-earth elements (LREE) and depleted heavy rare-earth elements (HREE). These three suites are not related by partial melting of a similar source or by fractional crystallization of a common parental magma; they resulted from melting of heterogeneous Archean mantle. The felsic rocks are made up of two distinct suites: (1)low-Al₂O₃ tholeiitic rhyolite, and (2) high-Al₂O₃ calc-alkaline dacite and rhyolite and consanguineous tonalite. The tholeiitic felsic rocks are high in Y, Zr, Nb, and total REE that are unfractionated and have pronounced negative Eu anomalies. The calcalkaline felsic rocks are depleted in Y, Zr, and Nb, and the REE that are highly fractionated with high LREE and depleted HREE, and display moderate negative Eu anomalies. Both suites of felsic rocks were generated by partial melting of crustal material. The most reasonable modern analog for the paleotectonic setting is an immature island arc. The bimodal volcanic rocks are intercalated with sedimentary rocks and have been intruded by pre- and syntectonic granitoid rocks. However, the geochemistry of the mafic rocks does not correlate fully with that of mafic rocks in modern are evvironments. The low-TiO₂ tholeiite is similar to both N-type mid-ocean-ridge basalt (MORB) and low-K tholeiite from immature marginal basins. The calc-alkaline basaltic andesite is like that of low-K calc-alkaline mafic volcanic rocks from oceanic volcanic arcs; however, the high-TiO₂ tholeiite is most similar to modern E-type MORB, which occurs in oceanic rifts. The conundrum may be explained by: (1) rifting of a pre-existing immature arc system to produce the bimodal volcanic rocks and high-TiO₂ tholeiite; (2) variable enrichment of a previously depleted Archean mantle, to produce both the low- and high-TiO₂ tholeiite and the calc-alkaline basaltic andesite, and/or (3) enrichment of the parental rocks of the high-TiO₂ tholeiite by crustal contamination.