冀北太古代花岗质片麻岩的成因

冀北是华北克拉通早前寒武纪变质基底的主要出露地区之一。分布于承德-滦平和赤城-张家口地区的新太古代花岗质片麻岩主要由英云闪长岩、奥长花岗岩、花岗闪长岩和二长花岗岩(TTGM)组成,构成了低钾、中钾和高钾钙碱性三个岩石化学系列。二长花岗质片麻岩的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb和Lu-Hf同位素特征揭示其岩浆结晶年龄为2509±10Ma。全岩岩石化学、Sm-Nd同位素和锆石Lu-Hf同位素研究表明:(1)低钾钙碱性系列的岩石形成于拉班玄武质岩石的低度部分熔融;(2)中钾钙碱性系列岩石主要形成于玄武质岩石和杂砂岩的部分熔融,局部存在英云闪长质片麻岩的部分熔融;(3)高钾钙碱性系列的岩石形成于以高钾中酸性火山岩为主要成分的杂砂岩的部分熔融。结合近年来冀北早前寒武纪地质研究成果,这些太古代花岗质片麻岩全岩Sm-Nd同位素和锆石Lu-Hf同位素特征揭示~2.7Ga是本区太古代地壳的主要生长期。在新太古代发生了大规模的火山喷发,火山物质形成后不久发生部分熔融形成花岗质岩浆,接着发生变质、变形作用。这些花岗质片麻岩的形成与南美洲西海岸的构造-岩浆活动特征有类似之处,可能反映了太古代末期冀北地区从活动大陆边缘地壳增生、加厚到弧后伸展转化的动力学背景。     

阿尔金山阿克塔什塔格早前寒武纪岩浆活动的年代学证据

在阿尔金山阿克塔什塔格曾测得3605±43 Ma的单颗粒锆石U-Pb年龄数据,获得了古老地壳存在的同位素年代学信息.近年来根据野外的实际资料,建立了早前寒武纪岩浆活动的相对序列,这些热事件序列可分为早期花岗岩和二长花岗岩侵入体、英云闪长岩侵入体(赋存有斜长角闪岩的包体)、奥长花岗岩、基性岩墙群和石英二长岩脉等.目前除斜长角闪岩包体和基性岩墙群尚未获得同位素年龄外,其他各期侵入体均已获得单颗粒锆石U-Pb测年数据.在野外建立热事件相对序列的基础上,通过单颗粒锆石U-Pb法测年和Sm-Nd同位素示踪研究,初步建立了该区早前寒武纪岩浆活动的年代格架:石英二长岩(脉):1825±23 Ma,TDM=2920 Ma;奥长花岗(片麻)岩:2374±10 Ma,TDM=3460 Ma;英云闪长(片麻)岩:2604±102 Ma,TDM=3063 Ma;二长花岗(片麻)岩:3096±17 Ma,TDM=2978 Ma;花岗(片麻)岩:3605±43 Ma,TDM=3528 Ma.根据上述年代学和钕同位素地球化学资料,证明阿克塔什塔格是我国西部最古老的地壳出露区,在太古宙3.5～3.6Ga和3.0～3.1Ga时期各有一次造壳活动,而太古宙末约2.6Ga则表现为地壳的活化再造.阿尔金山阿克塔什塔格不仅是我国西部最老地壳出露区,也是早前寒武纪岩浆事件序列保存最完整的地区.该区早前寒武纪岩浆活动序列和年代格架的建立为探讨我国西部地区的地壳演化以及与华北、扬子早前寒武纪变质基底的对比奠定了科学基础.     

河北承德大庙地区元古代的晚期辉长—苏长岩的岩石特征及其成因

河北承德的大庙斜长岩杂岩体是我国著名的岩体型斜长岩杂岩体,其苏长岩可分为两种类型,即早期苏长岩和晚期辉长—苏长岩。早期苏长岩已发生钠长绿帘角闪岩相变质;晚期辉长—苏长岩变质程度较弱,含有斜长石、斜方辉石和单斜辉石巨晶,主要呈岩墙、岩脉或小岩体侵入于斜长岩杂岩体中,与铁磷矿紧密相关。研究表明:晚期辉长—苏长岩主要由中性斜长石、反条纹长石、单斜辉石、斜方辉石、黑云母、磷灰石、钛磁铁矿和磁铁矿等组成,依矿物含量、成分和结构的差异可分为淡色辉长岩、单斜辉石苏长岩、斜方辉石辉长岩以及含铁磷矿对应岩石。其Ba、Sr和轻稀土富集、Eu弱负异常或无异常特征,表明晚期辉长—苏长岩岩浆不是形成斜长岩的基性岩浆,而是经斜长石分离结晶后的残余岩浆。Sr-Nd-Pb同位素地球化学特征显示晚期辉长—苏长岩可能源自EMI富集的岩石圈地幔,与岩体型斜长岩不存在同源岩浆分离结晶演化的关系。大庙地区晚期辉长—苏长岩的岩浆来源、演化和构造控制的特征对深化研究岩体型斜长岩杂岩体的成因有重要意义。     

牛鼻子梁镁铁质-超镁铁质杂岩体岩石特征

牛鼻子梁岩体位于柴达木地块的北缘,出露面积约8 km2,平面形态呈长条状,主要由斜长二辉橄榄岩、斜长单辉橄榄岩、角闪二辉橄榄岩、角闪橄榄岩、角闪橄榄二辉岩、黑云母化二辉岩、角闪辉石岩、橄榄辉石角闪石岩、角闪橄榄辉长岩、细粒辉长岩、似斑状辉长岩、暗色辉长岩、辉长岩、淡色辉长岩、石英闪长岩和英云闪长岩组成。文章通过岩石学、矿物学、地球化学研究,得到锆石U-Pb年龄为(361.5±1.2)Ma,Sm-Nd等时线年龄为(347±26)Ma。研究认为,牛鼻子梁基性-超基性岩体含矿岩石产于大陆边缘环境。岩体形成于泥盆纪晚期。岩浆分异充分,岩石类型丰富,岩浆演化过程中主要发生了橄榄石和斜长石的分离结晶/堆晶作用。岩体的母岩浆应属于拉斑玄武岩质岩浆。从目前发现的矿化情况来看,牛鼻子梁基性-超基性杂岩体为含矿岩体,有很好的找矿前景。     

牛鼻子梁镁铁质-超镁铁质杂岩体岩石特征

牛鼻子梁岩体位于柴达木地块的北缘,出露面积约8 km²,平面形态呈长条状,主要由斜长二辉橄榄岩、斜长单辉橄榄岩、角闪二辉橄榄岩、角闪橄榄岩、角闪橄榄二辉岩、黑云母化二辉岩、角闪辉石岩、橄榄辉石角闪石岩、角闪橄榄辉长岩、细粒辉长岩、似斑状辉长岩、暗色辉长岩、辉长岩、淡色辉长岩、石英闪长岩和英云闪长岩组成。文章通过岩石学、矿物学、地球化学研究,得到锆石U-Pb年龄为（361.5±1.2） Ma,Sm-Nd等时线年龄为（347±26） Ma。研究认为,牛鼻子梁基性-超基性岩体含矿岩石产于大陆边缘环境。岩体形成于泥盆纪晚期。岩浆分异充分,岩石类型丰富,岩浆演化过程中主要发生了橄榄石和斜长石的分离结晶/堆晶作用。岩体的母岩浆应属于拉斑玄武岩质岩浆。从目前发现的矿化情况来看,牛鼻子梁基性-超基性杂岩体为含矿岩体,有很好的找矿前景。     

甘肃敦煌水峡口地区前寒武纪岩石的锆石U-Pb年龄、Hf同位素组成及其地质意义

敦煌杂岩位于塔里木克拉通的东部,探寻和研究其中的早前寒武纪地质体对于探讨敦煌地块早前寒武纪地壳的形成和演化及其构造归属等问题具有重要的意义.甘肃敦煌水峡口地区的敦煌杂岩主要由英云闪长质片麻岩、花岗闪长质片麻岩以及表壳岩石组成.利用LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年方法测得水峡口英云闪长片麻岩和花岗片麻岩原岩的形成年龄分别为2561±16Ma和2510±22Ma,确证了在敦煌杂岩中存在太古宙岩石.此外,还获得斜长角闪岩的变质年龄为1806±14Ma,推测其原岩岩浆可能来自古老岩石圈地幔的部分熔融.根据已有的资料提出在古元古代晚期(1.80 ～ 1.85Ga)敦煌杂岩经历了一期较广泛的变质作用.锆石Hf同位素显示～2.5Ga的岩石年龄在敦煌地块代表新太古代晚期重要地壳生长时期,而～1.8Ga的构造-热事件则是以古老地壳物质循环再造为主.这些资料显示敦煌地块和华北克拉通在早前寒武纪经历了类似的地壳形成和演化过程,且共同记录了全球性的Columbia碰撞造山事件信息.     

西藏当雄南部约54Ma辉长岩-花岗岩杂岩的岩石成因及意义

近年来在拉萨地块南部识别的多处基性岩浆活动对揭示地幔源区成分和相关动力学问题提供了重要线索.本文对拉萨-当雄一带原认为是早白垩世茶苍卡辉长岩-浦迁花岗岩杂岩中获得了始新世幔源岩浆活动记录.研究区出露的3种岩石类型及其U-Pb锆石年龄分别是正长闪长岩、碱性角闪二长花岗岩(54.0±0.3Ma)和钾玄质碱性辉长岩(53.8±0.4Ma).其中辉长岩锆石εHf(t)值为-6.6～ -4.2、Hf模式年龄t(O)M为0.88 ～0.97Ga;二长花岗岩εHf(t)为-10.2～ -6.5,Hf地壳模式年龄tDMC为1.5 ～ 1.7Ga.三类岩石都具有富碱、富钾特征,它们具相似的稀土和微量元素含量,均显示大离子亲石元素和Pb富集、高场强元素Nb、Ta、Ti和P亏损等特征.闪长岩和花岗岩的Sr和Nd同位素特征相似,87Sr/86 Sr比值为0.711 ～0.712,εNd(t)为-9.1 ～ -7.1;而辉长岩分别是0.708和-4.8～ -4.9.本文与拉萨地块南部和中部已有结果共同表明,新生代岩浆岩的分布与成分显示了与俯冲带极性吻合的规律性变化特征,即从雅鲁藏布缝合带向北,岩石的富集组分逐渐增加,越过洛巴堆-米拉山断裂带进入具有地壳基底的中部拉萨地块后,岩石则明显增加了地壳富集组分,很好显示了基底成分对岩浆作用的控制.拉萨地块南部大约47Ma开始出现的富集组分,很可能是中部拉萨地块富集的古老地壳基底物质参与和控制的结果,而与印度大陆地壳物质的俯冲无关.茶苍卡辉长岩可能来源于受到早期俯冲来源流体交代的富集岩石圈地幔物质的部分熔融,而茶苍卡角闪二长花岗岩主要来源于古老地壳物质的重熔,但是有幔源物质参与.茶苍卡辉长岩不同于典型岛弧玄武岩,而与板内玄武岩或伸展背景下形成的玄武质岩石类似,其成因很可能与大约52Ma的特提斯洋壳板片断离和岩浆大爆发有关.     

元古宙岩体型斜长岩的特征及研究现状

斜长岩是指斜长石含量>90%的岩浆岩,可分为6类。其中,岩体型斜长岩仅赋存于前寒武纪变质地体中,形成时代主要为元古宙（2.1~ 0.9 Ga）,代表地球演化史上很重要的构造-热事件。岩体呈穹隆状或层状产出,具典型堆晶结构,有含钾长石和斜长石出溶片晶的巨晶斜长石和富铝辉石。巨晶的出溶指示了岩浆由高压至低压的变压结晶过程,体现了斜长岩体深成、浅侵位的特点。关于斜长岩的源区,之前普遍认为源于幔源玄武质岩浆,而近10年来更趋向于源区为下地壳,母岩浆的成分为纹长苏长岩和铁闪长岩等新认识;其成因模式以底侵模式和地壳舌状物熔融模式最具代表性。岩体型斜长岩时空上常与奥长环斑花岗岩共生,构成AMCG（Anorthosite Mangerite Charnockite Granite）岩石组合,被认为属非造山岩浆作用的产物,可能代表大陆裂谷环境。然而,新近一些年龄结果显示,它们形成于造山作用的后期阶段,暗示岩体产出于碰撞后环境。斜长岩体中常赋存有Fe Ti V氧化物矿床,有的富含P及Cu,Ni硫化物等,属典型的岩浆矿床。对此,目前主要有结晶分异过程、早期堆晶过程及不混熔分离3种成因机制解释。由此对今后研究中值得关注的问题提出了一些看法。     

新疆北山地区中坡山北镁铁质岩体岩石地球化学与岩石成因

中坡山北镁铁质岩体位于新疆北山裂谷带的中带,岩体形态为相互联通的岩盆状,出露面积约180km~2。由角闪辉长岩、橄榄辉石岩、橄榄辉长岩、苏长辉长岩和斜长岩组成,岩相带呈同心环状展布,相互间呈渐变过渡关系。锆石U-Pb法同位素年龄为274+4Ma。岩相学、岩石化学、造岩矿物晶体化学和稀土元素地球化学特征均显示了非常发育的分离结晶作用。橄榄辉石岩和橄榄辉长岩主要由早期结晶相聚集而成,橄榄石是最初的液相线相,单斜辉石是数量最多的分离结晶相。斜长岩由残余岩浆结晶而成。母岩浆应该是高镁的拉斑玄武岩浆。Nd、Sr、Pb同位素组成和岩石地球化学特征充分证明了岩浆与围岩之间的物质交换。同化混染作用明显地改变了侵入岩的同位素组成和大离子亲石元素丰度。除斜长岩外,各种岩石的TiO_2、Na：O、K_2O、大离子亲石元素和稀土元素丰度均很低,受同化混染作用影响较小的样品的ε_Nd(t)=+6．80,这些特征证明其岩浆源区属亏损型地幔。FeO~*和SiO_2含量证明,熔融作用开始时,源岩为二辉橄榄岩；当熔融作用持续到一定程度时,源岩物质转化为方辉橄榄岩。稀土元素地球化学证明,熔融作用发生于尖晶石稳定域内。综合各方面要素可以证明,中坡山北岩体是塔里木板块二叠纪期间第四种类型地幔源区部分熔融的产物。     

新元古代宝兴杂岩的岩石成因及其对扬子西缘构造环境的制约

位于扬子克拉通西缘的新元古代宝兴杂岩主要由中低级变质的辉长质片麻岩、闪长质片麻岩、英云闪长质到花岗闪长质片麻岩和块状二长花岗岩组成。岩石地球化学和Sm-Nd同位素特征表明,辉长质片麻岩和闪长质片麻岩为同源岩浆演化序列,原始岩浆起源于亏损地幔尖晶石橄榄岩的部分熔融,在上升和侵位过程中受到了地壳岩石强烈混染。英云闪长质和花岗闪长质岩浆形成于下地壳玄武质岩石部分熔融,而二长花岗质岩浆形成于杂砂岩的部分熔融。综合分析宝兴杂岩的岩石组合、微量元素和同位素特征,该杂岩体最有可能形成于新元古代活动大陆边缘火山弧构造背景,并可能经历了碰撞过程。     

The Chimalpahad anorthosite Complex and associated basaltic amphibolites,Nellore Schist Belt,India: Magma chamber and roof of a Proterozoic island arc

New major and trace element data on the Proterozoic Chimalpahad layered anorthositic Complex and associated basaltic amphibolites of the Nellore Schist Belt of South India provide new constraints on their petrogenesis and geodynamic setting. The Complex consists of layered anorthosites, leucogabbros, gabbros, ultramafic rocks and is spatially associated with basaltic amphibolites. Despite deformation and metamorphism, primary cumulate textures and igneous layering are locally well preserved throughout the Complex. Whereas the amphibolites display diverse REE systematics, the Chimalpahad anorthositic–gabbroic rocks are characterized by moderately depleted to strongly enriched LREE patterns and by flat to depleted HREE patterns. The field relations, major and trace element compositions of the basaltic amphibolites suggest that they are petrogenetically related to the anorthositic–gabbroic rocks by fractional crystallization. The anorthositic rocks and the basaltic amphibolites share the depletion of Nb relative to Th and La on primitive mantle-normalized diagrams. They exhibit signatures of arc magmatic rocks, such as high LILE and LREE relative to the HFSE and HREE, as well as high Ba/Nb, Ba/Zr, Sr/Y, La/Yb ratios that mimic chondrite-normalized REE and primitive mantle-normalized trace element patterns of arc magmas. Similarly, on log-transformed tectonic discrimination diagrams, the Chimalpahad rocks plot within the field of Phanerozoic magmatic arcs, consistent with a subduction zone origin. On the basis of field relations and geochemical characteristics, the Chimalpahad Complex is interpreted as a fragment of a magma chamber of an island arc, which is tectonically juxtaposed against its original volcanic cover. A new preliminary Sm–Nd date of anorthosite from the Chimalpahad Complex indicates a model age of 1170 Ma.     

The Kalar Compex, Aldan-Stanovoi shield, an ancient anorthosite-mangerite-charnockite-granite association: Geochronologic, geochemical, and isotopic-geochemical characteristics

The autonomous (massif-type) anorthosite massifs of the Kalar Complex (2623 ± 23 Ma) intrude high-grade metamorphic rocks of the Kurulta tectonic block at the junction of the Aldan and Dzhugdzhur-Stanovoi fold area. These rocks belong to the most ancient anorthosite-mangerite-charnockite-granite (AMCG) magmatic association, whose origin was constrained to the Mesoproterozoic (1.8–1.1 Ga). The charnockites are typical high-potassium reduced granites like rapakivi, which affiliate with the A type. The Nd and Pb isotopic composition of these rocks suggests their predominantly crustal genesis, whereas the anorthosites were most probably produced by a mantle magma that was significantly contaminated by crustal material at various depth levels. The intrusions of the Kalar Complex were emplaced in a postcollision environment, with the time gap between the collisional event and the emplacement of these massifs no longer than 30 m.y. The southern Siberian Platform includes two definitely distinguished and spatially separated AMCG associations, which have different ages and tectonic settings: (i) the Late Archean (2.62 Ga) postcollision Kalar plutonic complex and (ii) the Early Proterozoic (1.74–1.70 Ga) anorogenic Ulkan-Dzhugdzhur volcano-plutonic complex.     

Geology, petrology and isotope geochemistry of massif-type anorthosites from southwest Madagascar

Four massif-type anorthosite bodies 25–100 km² in area occur within high-pressure granulite facies supracrustal gneisses in southwestern Madagascar. Two of these bodies (Ankafotia and Saririaky) appear to have been pulled apart by 40 km in a ductile shear zone, but structural features such as sub-vertical stretching lineations indicate an origin by intense west-directed flattening and pure shear. Country rocks (Graphite Series) include abundant graphite schist (some with >60% graphite), marble, quartzite, and minor amphibolite and leucogneiss. Comagmatic granitoids (e.g. charnockites) are conspicuously absent. The anorthosite bodies are dominated by coarse grained anorthosites and leuconorites (feldspars typically 3–5 cm, up to 1 m); minor norites and oxide-rich ferrogabbros occur near the margins, but ultramafic rocks are absent. Typical mineralogy of the anorthositic rocks is: plagioclase (An_41–54) + orthopyroxene (En_38–66) ± augite (Mg♯ = 32–68) ± ilmenite ± magnetite ± apatite. High-alumina (to 6.1 wt% Al₂O₃) orthopyroxene megacrysts are widespread; most have exsolutions of calcic plagioclase (An_72–85) but some contain garnet lamellae. Metamorphism has produced abundant recrystallization and sporadic coronitic garnet (Mg ♯=12–36) + clinopyroxene assemblages. Rb-Sr isotopic analyses of whole-rocks and minerals reveal no meaningful age relationships. The age of late Neoproterozoic metamorphism is best constrained at 559 ± 50 Ma by a 6-point Sm-Nd mineral isochron (whole rock, plag, pyx, ilm, apat, gar) from a Saririaky oxide-rich gabbro. The igneous crystallization age of the anorthosites is estimated at 660 ± 60 Ma by a 19-point combined whole-rock and mineral Sm-Nd isochron for samples from both the Ankafotia and Saririaky bodies. Initial isotopic ratios calculated at 0.66 Ga among 13 whole rocks are: _Nd=+2.6 to +5.2 (mean=+3.7) and I_Sr=0.70328–0.70407 (mean=0.70347), indicating derivation of the Malagasy anorthosites from a depleted mantle source, and little, if any, contamination with Archean crustal material. One anorthosite sample with _Nd=−1.4 and I_Sr=0.70344 (calculated at 0.66 Ga) probably reflects the effects of assimilation of Early to Middle Proterozoic crustal basement, but typical surrounding graphite schist (_Nd=+0.3, I_Sr=0.70636, both at 0.66 Ga; T_DM= 1131 Ma) represents only a minor potential contaminant for the anorthosite bodies. T_DM model ages of the Malagasy anorthosites (797–1280 Ma; mean of 14 samples=949 Ma), as those of most other massif-type anorthosites, are older than the true crystallization age, because of crustal contamination effects. Our isotopic data, together with recent U-Pb data from the anorthosites and surrounding country rocks, are consistent with emplacement of the Malagasy anorthosite bodies at or before the start of a protracted, high-grade metamorphic event or series of events between about 630 and 550 Ma. This period coincides with the collision between, and amalgamation of, East and West Gondwana. Received: 19 December 1997 / Accepted: 12 June 1998     

Geochemical relationships between anorthosite and associated iron-rich rocks,Laramie Range,Wyoming

Rocks enriched in iron oxide and mafic silicates are commonly present as minor volumes of Proterozoic anorthosite complexes. In the Laramie Range, Wyoming, anorthositic rocks, gabbros, and iron oxide ore have been chemically analyzed to determine if the spatial association is a result of genetic relationships between the rock types.Variations in abundances of REE, Th, Sc, and Sr in whole-rock and in mineral separates from anorthositic rocks provide evidence for the presence of trapped intercumulus liquid. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios in apatites separated from iron oxide ore (0.70535±0.00004) are analogous to initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios in Laramie Range anorthosite (0.70531 and 0.70537). In addition, REE abundances in calculated parental liquids for both anorthositic rocks and iron ore are similar, providing further evidence for a comagmatic relationship.Trace element and textural characteristics of spatially associated Laramie Range gabbros indicate that they are not mixtures of the trapped liquid and cumulus components which formed anorthositic rocks. It is suggested that gabbros are early differentiation products of a high-Al gabbroic magma which subsequently crystallized large volumes of plagioclase to produce the anorthosite massif.     

河北大庙Fe-Ti-P矿床中铁钛磷灰岩的成因: 来自磷灰石的证据

铁钛磷灰岩仅由磷灰石和铁钛氧化物组成,常赋存于岩体型斜长岩中,成因上有不混溶和分异堆晶两种不同的认识。本文从磷灰石角度讨论河北大庙铁钛磷灰岩的形成机制。大庙铁钛磷灰岩常产出于浸染状Fe—P矿体内部,有时与块状铁矿石交互出现形成韵律条带状矿石,为岩浆结晶分异的产物。铁钛磷灰岩中磷灰石呈浑圆状,含量变化于15％-34％。铁钛磷灰岩的全岩和磷灰石微量元素分析显示,磷灰石比全岩相对富集稀土元素达2．96—6．93倍,但两者的配分型式基本平行。质量平衡计算（Rocl／F）的结果表明,铁钛磷灰岩中几乎100％的稀土元素赋存于磷灰石中。综合上述特征,反映磷灰石为结晶分离的堆晶矿物,铁钛磷灰岩应为堆晶成因。因为如果磷灰石结晶于铁钛磷灰岩不混溶熔体,它的稀土元素分配系数也不会变化达2．3倍（变化于2．96—6．93）。计算出该磷灰石的母岩浆稀土元素组成,与浸染状Fe．P矿石最为相似,结合它与铁钛磷灰岩之间紧密共生的野外特征以及相似的全岩及磷灰石稀土元素配分型式,认为磷灰石最可能是在浸染状Fe．P矿浆中,经结晶分离作用形成铁钛磷灰岩。     

High-Al gabbros in the Laramie Anorthosite Complex,Wyoming: implications for the composition of melts parental to Proterozoic anorthosite

High-Al gabbro represents one of the latest phases of magmatism in the 1.43 Ga Laramie anorthosite complex (LAC) in southeastern Wyoming. This lithology, which is mineralogically and geochemically the most primitive in the LAC, forms dikes and small intrusions that cross cut monzonitic and anorthositic rocks. High-Al gabbro is characterized by high Al₂O₃ (15–19 wt%), REE patterns with positive europium anomalies (Eu/Eu^*=1.2–3.8), and the lowest initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (as low as 0.7033) and highest initial _Nd (up to +2) in the LAC. Their Sr and Nd isotopic characteristics indicate a mantle origin followed by crustal assimilation during ascent. Intermediate plagioclase (An_50–60) and mafic silicate (Fo_54–63) compositions suggest that they are not primary mantle melts and that they differentiated prior to final emplacement. High-Al gabbros of the LAC are similar compositionally to gabbros from several other Proterozoic anorthosite complexes, including rocks from the Harp Lake complex and the Hettasch intrusion in Labrador and the Adirondack Mountains of New York. These gabbros are considered to be parental to their associated anorthositic rocks, a theory that is supported by recent experimental work. We interpret LAC high-Al gabbros to represent mantle-derived melts produced by the differentiation of a basaltic magma in an upper mantle chamber. Continued evolution of this magma eventually resulted in the formation of plagioclase-rich diapirs which ascended to mid-crustal levels and formed the anorthositic rocks of the LAC. Because these gabbros intrude the anorthositic rocks, they do not represent directly the magma from which anorthosite crystallized and instead are younger samples of magma formed by identical processes.     

An overview on geochemistry of Proterozoic massif-type anorthosites and associated rocks

A critical study of 311 published WR chemical analyses, isotopic and mineral chemistry of anorthosites and associated rocks from eight Proterozoic massif anorthosite complexes of India, North America and Norway indicates marked similarities in mineralogy and chemistry among similar rock types. The anorthosite and mafic-leucomafic rocks (e.g., leuconorite, leucogabbro, leucotroctolite, anorthositic gabbro, gabbroic anorthosite, etc.) constituting the major part of the massifs are characterized by higher Na₂O + K₂O, Al₂O₃, SiO₂, Mg# and Sr contents, low in plagioclase incompatible elements and REE with positive Eu anomalies. Their δ ¹⁸O‰ (5.7–7.5), initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7034–0.7066) and ɛ _Nd values (+1.14 to +5.5) suggest a depleted mantle origin. The Fe-rich dioritic rocks occurring at the margin of massifs have isotopic, chemical and mineral composition more close to anorthosite-mafic-leucomafic rocks. However, there is a gradual decrease in plagioclase content, An content of plagioclase and X_Mg of orthopyroxene, and an increase in mafic silicates, oxide minerals content, plagioclase incompatible elements and REE from anorthosite-mafic-leucomafic rocks to Fe-rich dioritic rocks. The Fe-rich dioritic rocks are interpreted as residual melt from mantle derived high-Al gabbro melt, which produced the anorthosite and mafic-leucomafic rocks. Mineralogically and chemically, the K-rich felsic rocks are distinct from anorthosite-mafic-leucomafic-Fe-rich dioritic suite. They have higher δ ¹⁸O values (6.8–10.8‰) and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7067–0.7104). By contrast, the K-rich felsic suites are products of melting of crustal precursors.     

Geochemistry of the shawmere anorthosite complex,kapuskasing structural zone,Ontario

The Archean Shawmere Anorthosite Complex, at the southern end of the Kapuskasing Structural Zone, consists dominantly of anorthosite (An_{65 –85}) with minor gabbroic and ultramafic units, which are completely enclosed and cut by tonalites. Both the anorthosites and the tonalites are themselves cut by narrow dikes of gabbroic anorthosite. All of the rocks have undergone high grade metamorphism and are recrystallized so that few igneous textures remain.The anorthosites, gabbros and ultramafic rocks of this complex are cumulates which contain calcic plagioclase (An_65–95) and have atomic Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺) ratios (Mg#) greater than 0.6; less than 3 ppm Rb; 150–210 ppm Sr; and less than 60 ppm Ba. REE abundanees range from 0.2 to 10 times chondritic and exhibit both light-enriched and light-depleted REE patterns. The lower Mg^# for the samples having more enriched light REE indicates substantial fractions of ferromagnesian minerals crystallized in addition to plagioclase during fractional crystallization, suggesting that the parent magma was basaltic, and not anorthositic. The ranges in Sr, Ba and REE abundances required for the magmas are typical of those for tholeiitic basalts from Archean greenstone belts. Thus the Shawmere Anorthosite Complex may represent cumulates of a crustal-level magma chamber which could have been the immediate source of basic Archean volcanics.One gabbroic anorthositic dike sample has a steeply fractionalted REE pattern with heavy REE abundances less than chondrites and a large positive Eu anomaly. The proposed interpretations is that this rock formed by partial melting of mafic cumulates, perhaps those of the Shawmere Anorthosite Complex itself.     

Parental magmas of the Nain Plutonic Suite anorthosites and mafic cumulates: a trace element modelling approach

Equilibrium melt trace element contents are calculated from Proterozoic Nain Plutonic Suite (NPS) mafic and anorthositic cumulates, and from plagioclase and orthopyroxene megacrysts. Assumed trapped melt fractions (TMF) <20% generally eliminate all minor phases in most mafic cumulate rocks, reducing them to mixtures of feldspar, pyroxene and olivine, which would represent the high-temperature cumulus assemblage. In anorthosites, TMF <15% generally reduce the mode to a feldspar-only assemblage. All model melts have trace element profiles enriched in highly incompatible elements relative to normal mid-ocean ridge basalt (NMORB); commonly with negative Nb and Th anomalies. Most mafic cumulates yield similar profiles with constant incompatible element ratios, and can be linked through fractional crystallization. High K-La subtypes probably represent crust-contaminated facies. Mafic cumulates are inferred to belong to a tholeiitic differentiation series, variably contaminated by upper and lower crustal components, and probably related to coeval tholeiitic basaltic dyke swarms and lavas in Labrador. Model melts from anorthosites and megacrysts have normalized trace element profiles with steeper slopes than those calculated from mafic cumulates, indicating that mafic cumulates and anorthosites did not crystallize from the same melts. Orthopyroxene megacrysts yield model melts that are more enriched than typical anorthositic model melts, precluding an origin from parental melts. Jotunites have lower K-Rb-Ba-Y-Yb and higher La-Ce than model residues from fractionation of anorthositic model melts, suggesting they are not cosanguineous with them, but provide reasonable fits to evolved mafic cumulate model melts. Incompatible element profiles of anorthositic model melts closely resemble those of crustal melts such as tonalites, with steep Y-Yb-Lu segments that suggest residual garnet in the source. Inversion models yield protoliths similar to depleted lower crustal granulite xenoliths with aluminous compositions, suggesting that the incompatible trace element budget of the anorthosites are derived from remobilization of the lower crust. The similarity of the highly incompatible trace elements and LILE between anorthositic and mafic cumulate model melts suggests that the basalts parental to the mafic cumulates locally assimilated considerable quantities of the same crust that yielded the anorthosites. The reaction between underplating basalt and aluminous lower crust would have forced crystallization of abundant plagioclase, and remobilization of these hybrid plagioclase-rich mushes then produced the anorthosite massifs.