The geochemistry of carbonatites and related rocks from two carbonatite complexes,south Nyanza,Kenya

Carbonatites, metasomatised country rocks, and carbonatitic calcite and magnetite have been analysed from two carbonatite complexes, Homa and Wasaki, W. Kenya.The carbonatites are all greatly Ce-earth enriched, contain abundant ‘carbonatitic’ trace elements (Sr, Ba, Nb and REE), and generally low concentrations of Cr, Co, Ni, Pb, Ga, Ge, Sn, Bi, Li and Mo. At both complexes early søvite is rich in Sr, and impoverished in other trace elements relative to the alvikites. The late-intruded melacarbonatites contain the greatest concentrations of Ba, REE, Fe and Mn.It is concluded that the accumulation of these elements in the later carbonatites is mainly due to fractionation of carbonates from carbonatite magma which was initially rich in ‘carbonatitic’ trace elements.     

Enigmatic association of the carbonatite and alkali-pyroxenite along the Northern Shear Zone,Purulia, West Bengal: A saga of primary magmatic carbonatite

The Purulia carbonatite, ‘carbonatite’-‘alkali-pyroxenite’-‘apatite-magnetite rock’ association, is located at Beldih area of Purulia district, West Bengal and falls within the 100 km long Northern Shear Zone (NSZ). Published literature suggests that the Purulia carbonatite was formed by the process of liquid immiscibility from under-saturated silicate parent magma. However, no silica under-saturated rocks like ijolite, nepheline-syenite etc. is known from the area. The trace element geochemistry (Ba/La, Nb/Th, Nb/Pb and Y/Ce ratios in the present study) also does not support this view. Present study indicates that the Purulia carbonatite is enriched in ΣREE and incompatible elements but the carbonatite is also poorer in Nb, Th and Pb compared to the world average of calicocarbonatites. The lower value of Nb is characteristics of carbo(hydro)thermal carbonatite where carbonatite is associated with alkali-pyroxenite and suggests probable origin of the carbonatite as carbothermal residua evolved from an unknown parentage. However, the field, petrographic and geochemical data indicate the genesis of this carbonatite from a primary carbonatitic magma of mantle decent. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of the carbonatite and apatite separated from the carbonatite (～0.703) implies primary magmatic derivation of the Purulia carbonatite. Close similarity of the apatite of the apatite-magnetite rock with the mantle apatite (of type Apatite B) indicates that they are also of primary magmatic origin. The present work portrays a unique example where primary magmatic carbonatite is associated with the alkali-pyroxenite.     

Enigmatic association of the carbonatite and alkali-pyroxenite along the Northern Shear Zone, Purulia, West Bengal: A saga of primary magmatic carbonatite

The Purulia carbonatite, ‘carbonatite’-‘alkali-pyroxenite’-‘apatite-magnetite rock’ association, is located at Beldih area of Purulia district, West Bengal and falls within the 100 km long Northern Shear Zone (NSZ). Published literature suggests that the Purulia carbonatite was formed by the process of liquid immiscibility from under-saturated silicate parent magma. However, no silica under-saturated rocks like ijolite, nepheline-syenite etc. is known from the area. The trace element geochemistry (Ba/La, Nb/Th, Nb/Pb and Y/Ce ratios in the present study) also does not support this view. Present study indicates that the Purulia carbonatite is enriched in ΣREE and incompatible elements but the carbonatite is also poorer in Nb, Th and Pb compared to the world average of calicocarbonatites. The lower value of Nb is characteristics of carbo(hydro)thermal carbonatite where carbonatite is associated with alkali-pyroxenite and suggests probable origin of the carbonatite as carbothermal residua evolved from an unknown parentage. However, the field, petrographic and geochemical data indicate the genesis of this carbonatite from a primary carbonatitic magma of mantle decent. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of the carbonatite and apatite separated from the carbonatite (∼0.703) implies primary magmatic derivation of the Purulia carbonatite. Close similarity of the apatite of the apatite-magnetite rock with the mantle apatite (of type Apatite B) indicates that they are also of primary magmatic origin. The present work portrays a unique example where primary magmatic carbonatite is associated with the alkali-pyroxenite.     

The brevity of carbonatite sources in the mantle: evidence from Hf isotopes

Hf, Zr and Ti in carbonatites primarily reside in their non-carbonate fraction while the carbonate fraction dominates the Nd and Sr elemental budget of the whole rock. A detailed investigation of the Hf, Nd and Sr isotopic compositions shows frequent isotopic disequilibrium between the carbonate and non-carbonate fractions. We suggest that the trace element and isotopic composition of the carbonate fraction better represents that of the carbonatite magma, which in turn better reflects the composition of the carbonatitic source. Experimental partitioning data between carbonatite melt and peridotitic mineralogy suggest that the Lu/Hf ratio of the carbonatite source will be equal to or greater than the Lu/Hf ratio of the carbonatite. This, combined with the Hf isotope systematics of carbonatites, suggests that, if carbonatites are primary mantle melts, then their sources must be short-lived features in the mantle (maximum age of 10–30 Ma), otherwise they would develop extremely radiogenic Hf compositions. Alternatively, if carbonatites are products of extreme crystal fractionation or liquid immiscibility then the lack of radiogenic initial Hf isotope compositions also suggests that their sources do not have long-lived Hf depletions. We present a model in which the carbonatite source is created in the sublithospheric mantle by the crystallization of earlier carbonatitic melts from a mantle plume. This new source melts shortly after its formation by the excess heat provided by the approaching hotter center of the plume and/or the subsequent ascending silicate melts. This model explains the HIMU-EMI isotope characteristics of the East African carbonatites, their high LREE/HREE ratios as well as the rarity of carbonatites in the oceanic lithosphere.     

四川牦牛坪稀土矿床碳酸岩Sm—Nd等时线年龄及其地质意义

川西冕宁-德昌REE成矿带是中国最重要的REE成矿带之一,包括牦牛坪超大型REE矿床、大陆槽大型REE矿床：木落寨中型REE矿床和里庄小型REE矿床等。REE成矿作用与碳酸岩-碱性杂岩体有关,受印度-亚洲大陆碰撞带的一系列新生代走滑断裂系统控制。碳酸岩-碱性岩杂岩体主要侵位于元古代结晶基底岩石和古生代-中生代沉积盖层。碳酸岩主要为方解石碳酸岩,碱性正长岩以英碱正长岩为主,两者微量元素分布模式及Sr-Nd同位素组成特征相一致,表明两者为岩浆不混溶产物,因此两者的成岩时代应该基本相近。然而,前人研究成果表明,牦牛坪碳酸岩中钠铁闪石K-Ar年龄为31．7Ma,正长岩全岩K—Ar年龄为40．8Ma,两者相差10Ma。此外,研究表明,大陆槽、木落寨和里庄REE矿床碳酸岩-正长岩杂岩体成岩年龄与其相应的成矿年龄基本一致,而牦牛坪REE矿床两者相差甚远。本文利用碳酸岩中方解石进行了Sm—Nd等时线年龄测定,结合前人资料,重新厘定了牦牛坪REE矿床碳酸岩的成岩年龄和矿床的成矿年龄,分别为29．9Ma和26～27Ma,两者在误差范围内相一致。     

An overview of monogenetic carbonatitic magmatism from Uganda,Italy, China and Spain: Volcanologic and geochemical features

We address general features of carbonatite monogenetic volcanic fields located in continental settings which are peculiar being associated with kamafugites or melilite-bearing leucitites. Instructive examples are the Toro Ankole in Uganda, West Qinling in China, and Campo de Calatrava in Spain and the Intra-mountain Ultra-alkaline Province (IUP) of Italy. Maars are the typical volcanic forms, occurring in isolation or in clusters along fault systems. Concentric-shelled juvenile lapilli and bombs, having a upper-mantle peridotite kernel, are unique to this type of volcanism. These pyroclasts are interpreted as the result of deep-seated fragmentation of magma having a high carbon dioxide-water (CO₂/H₂O) ratio. The presence of discrete, large peridotitic nodules implies a high-velocity propagation of magma, while the associated large CO₂ emission suggests a high proportion of juvenile CO₂. Magma fragmentation is inferred to occur as a consequence of explosive CO₂ exsolution at the upper mantle level (diatresis) followed by immiscibility. Based on field evidence, carbonatitic maar formation could be due to violent CO₂ expansion and does not require phreatomagmatic phenomena. Extrusive carbonatites and associated rocks represent very primitive melts having a distinct High Field Strength Elements (HFSE) distribution, the source of which is related to enriched mantle. Carbonated peridotite is a stable paragenesis at depths of 400–600 km; thus, primary carbonatitic silicate magma can be produced at these depths as a consequence of rising deeper melt/fluids that are trapped at the transition zone. In our opinion, carbonatitic carbon is linked to the primary process of deep-mantle differentiation and Earth's core degassing.     

Decoupling of paired elements,crossover REE patterns,and mirrored spider diagrams: Fingerprinting liquid immiscibility in the Tapira alkaline–carbonatite complex,SE Brazil

Tapira is an alkaline silicate–carbonatite complex belonging to the kamafugite-carbonatite association in the Late-Cretaceous Alto Paranaíba Igneous Province (APIP). It is dominated by coarse-grained plutonic rocks (bebedourite – a phlogopite-, apatite-, and perovskite-rich clinopyroxenite – with subordinated dunites, wehrlites, carbonatites and phoscorites). The plutonic rocks are crosscut by fine-grained ultramafic alkaline rocks (phlogopite picrites, bebedouritic dikes) and fine-grained carbonatites. Both types of dike-rocks show petrographic evidence of the coexistence of immiscible silicate and carbonatite liquids, such as carbonate ocelli present in the silicate rocks and, more rarely, silicate ocelli within carbonatites. A detailed geochemical study of the rock types in the complex, with emphasis on the fine-grained varieties, showed that whilst some rocks may be related to each other through crystal fractionation (e.g. phlogopite picrites and bebedouritic dikes), others display anomalous trace-element behaviour that cannot be readily explained by the fractionation of a particular phase or combination of phases. We interpret such anomalous geochemical signatures as produced by silicate–carbonate liquid immiscibility, on the basis of available experimental data on partition coefficients between coexisting immiscible liquids. The immiscibility signatures comprise: (a) decoupling of geochemical pairs, such as Nb–Ta and Zr–Hf; (b) rotation of REE patterns, which cross over the patterns of the primitive liquids; and (c) matching and opposite enrichment-depletion trace elements relationships in spider diagrams of conjugate immiscible liquids. We suggest that, once established, such geochemical signatures are very difficult to erase during the subsequent petrogenetic evolution processes, which may result in superimposed conflicting signatures.     

Mantle metasomatism—precursor to continental alkaline volcanism

REE distributions of an unusual suite of mantle-derived amphibole/apatite rich xenoliths have very steep, LREE-enriched chondrite-normalised patterns with no Eu anomalies. These are closely analogous to REE distributions of carbonatitic and kimberlitic rocks. A wide range in absolute abundances of REE reflects the varied mineral assemblages of this xenolith suite and, together with other trace element and volatile concentrations, supports an origin by fractionation of, or separation from, a volatile-charged LIL-enriched (possibly kimberlitic/carbonatitic) magma. Such a magma could be a medium for volatile transfer, addition of Ti, V, K and P, and LREE enrichment within the upper mantle. It is postulated that such metasomatism in the upper mantle is a necessary precursor to continental alkaline volcanism.Geochemical modelling based on REE suggests that a pyrolite source +0.35% apatite (total of 0.5% apatite), with amphibole accounting for all K₂O, can yield basanitic liquids with approximately 1–10% partial melting if the source is LREE-enriched (La about 20 times chondrite and Yb about 4.5–5 times chondrite).REE and trace element contents of the host rocks indicate that little exchange of these elements has occurred between xenolith and host magma during transport and emplacement.     

岩浆(型)碳酸岩研究进展

主要从岩石学，矿物学，岩石分类，C，O，Sr同位素，碳酸岩与矿化的关系等各方面对（碱性）碳酸岩的研究进行了较为全面的总结，并结合近20年来实验岩石等，流体包裹体研究，CO2^- H2O－NaCl流体体系的性质的研究，对碳酸岩岩浆的来源及成因，岩浆－热液的演化进行了分析和探讨，碳酸岩形成至少经历了三个阶段，即岩浆阶段，岩浆期后阶段（气相碳酸岩／岩浆热液阶段），交代碳酸岩阶段，而作为与碳酸岩在空间和成因上有密切联系的基性，超基性岩，碱性岩杂岩体，则经历了碳酸岩成岩阶段以前的岩浆不混熔作用，结晶分异作用，岩浆结晶作用以及碳酸岩形成之后的围岩蚀变（霓长岩化）作用。     

The U–Pb System in Schorlomite from Calcite–Amphobole–Pyroxene Pegmatite of the Afrikanda Complex (Kola Peninsula)

The geochronological U–Pb study of shorlomite from igneous rocks of the alkali–ultramafic Afrikanda massif (Kola Peninsula) was performed. The results demonstrate the reliability of calcium garnet as a mineral for the U–Pb geochronology of a wide range of igneous rocks, i.e., carbonatite, syenite, foidolite, foidite, melilitolite, melilitite, lamprophyres, micaceous kimberlites, etc., and associated rare earth and trace elements (REE, Nb, Zr) mineralization.     

碳酸岩的地质地球化学特征及其大地构造意义

从已知碳酸岩的地质产状、岩石学特征、Nd-Sr-Pb-O-C同位素及痕量元素地球化学特征数据,结合高温高压实验岩石学资料,论述了其地幔源区的物质成分、交代过程软流圈地幔部分熔融机制和碳酸岩岩浆的演化模型。碳酸岩既可以产生于拉张岩石圈构造背景,也能够产生于挤压而派生的引张岩石圈构造背景。前者以产于裂谷环境、与硅酸不饱和过碱性岩构成环状碳酸岩—碱性杂岩为特征,主要由起源于软流圈地幔的霞石质超基性—基性岩浆经液态不混溶作用而形成;后者产于碰撞造山过程中派生的引张岩石圈断裂带,以单一的透镜状、条带状和似层状碳酸岩体为标志,直接由导源岩石圈富集地幔的低程度部分熔融作用而产生的碳酸岩浆侵入或喷发所形成。     

成矿碳酸岩的实验岩石学研究现状与展望

火成碳酸岩及其风化产物是全球战略性关键金属稀土元素(REE)和铌(Nb)的主要来源。因此,对关键金属在火成碳酸岩中的超常富集机理研究具有重要的科学意义。研究表明成矿碳酸岩常常与碱性杂岩体存在密切的时空联系,因而母岩浆应属于碳酸盐化的硅酸盐岩浆,并以霞石岩岩浆为主。针对碳酸岩关键金属矿床的成岩成矿过程,已有实验发现母岩浆在地壳内的演化过程中,既可以通过分离结晶作用,也可以通过液态不混溶作用形成碳酸岩。然而,更加接近自然样品的多组分体系的实验均表明液态不混溶作用总是先于碳酸盐矿物分离结晶作用。因此,液态不混溶作用对关键金属成矿过程有着不可忽视的作用。尽管如此,已有不混溶实验表明当碳酸盐熔体和硅酸盐熔体发生不混溶之后,关键金属REE与Nb总是优先分配到硅酸盐熔体(碱性岩)中,但是在成矿杂岩体中,REE与Nb是高度富集在碳酸岩中。虽然不混溶实验表明REE与Nb在碳酸盐-硅酸盐熔体中的分配系数与含水量有关,即与熔体的聚合程度有关,但是绝大部分成矿碳酸岩成矿过程一般并不富水,所以碳酸岩中REE和Nb等关键金属元素超常富集的机理并不明确。因此未来的研究应重点关注在碳酸岩演化的过程中,除了水以外,其他配体对于关键金属元素在不混溶硅酸盐-碳酸盐熔体之间分配系数是否有影响,从而找到控制碳酸岩中关键金属成矿的关键。     

The role of the volatile phase for REE and Y fractionation in low-silica carbonate magmas: implications from natural carbonatites, Namibia

Summary Two bimodal carbonatite complexes in Namibia of Cretaceous age are explored as to the presence and composition of a coexisting carbonatitic fluid. The Kalkfeld and Ondurakorume complexes contain both Ca- and Mg/Fe-carbonatites, composed of calcite alone or calcite with ferroan dolomite, fluorapatite and strontianite. The major element evolution in the bulk rocks from s?vites to beforsites is due to crystallization of calcite and fluorapatite. All carbonatites show a negative Y anomaly in normalised REE plots. Fractionation is accompanied by successively lower HREE contents between Tb and Yb, expressed by the ratios Nd/Ho and Ho/Lu. The evolution of this downward-facing hump goes along with decreasing Y contents in bulk rocks and minerals. All this requires an additional phase coexisting with the carbonate liquid during fractionation. Comparison between the bulk rocks and the expelled fluid shows that the latter had preferentially accumulated the HREE and Y. Further evidence for this process are hydrothermal, HREE, Y-rich fluorites in other carbonatite complexes which reflect the composition of the expelled fluid. The high strength of fluoride complexes suggests that fluoride complexing in the carbonatitic fluid is the process responsible for extracting HREE and Y from the carbonatite magma, leaving fractionated carbonatite rocks depleted in these elements. The geochemical evolution of carbonatite magmas along fractionation has therefore to be considered in a melt-mineral-fluid system. Correspondence: B. Bühn, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de Brasilia, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil     

Characteristics of carbonatites from the northern part of the Korean Peninsula: A perspective from distribution,geology and geochemistry

The present study introduces the carbonatite in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula for the first time.Recent exploration and development of the phosphorus-bearing carbonate rocks in the area have accumulated new geological data which gave us an opportunity to study origin of the carbonate rocks.We conducted geological survey,geochemical analyses of trace elements and rare earth elements,and carbon and oxygen isotope analyses for the carbonatites from Ssangryong,Pungnyon,Yongyu and Puhung districts of the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.This research confirms that the phosphorus-bearing carbonate rocks are carbonatite originating from the mantle.The studied carbonatites are distributed at the junctions of ring and linear structures or around their margins and contain a greater amount of REEs,Y,and Sr than carbonate rocks.The carbonatites in Yongyu and Puhung area show evidence that they were formed from mantle plume generated at the lower mantle and display similar fractionation characteristics to carbonatites in Barrado Itapirapua in Brazil and Kalkfeld and Ondurakorume in Namibia.REE patterns of the carbonatites are typical of carbonatites and the carbon and oxygen isotope analyses demonstrate that the carbonatites were originated from mantle.The carbonatites from the northern part of the Korean Peninsula have a great potential for sources of REE,Y,PGE(platinum group elements),copper,and gold.     

西秦岭新生代双峰式火山作用及南北构造带成因初探

本文提供了西秦岭新生代流纹岩的全岩化学、稀土微量元素和Pb、Sr、Nd同位素分析数据,以及新生代双峰式火山岩27个同位素定年结果。研究表明,西秦岭新生代双峰式火山岩具有与东非裂谷完全相同的岩石组合。K/Ar和³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar同位素定年确定新生代双峰式火山岩的年龄从23~7.1Ma。双峰式火山岩中的钾霞橄黄长岩与钾玄岩的⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr在0.704031~0.70525之间, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb为18.408~19.062,²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb为15.476~15.677,²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb为38.061~39.414,ε_Nd=0.3~5.3,几乎全部为正值,与新特提斯地幔端元地球化学域非常相似,岩浆起源于与Ontong Java和FOZO地幔柱相似的亏损地幔源区。由此推测,火山岩的成因与印-亚大陆碰撞诱发的软流圈地幔流向东移动和上涌有关,也是青藏高原向东扩展的一种响应。西秦岭新生代双峰式火山岩的厘定为查明南北构造带的性质提供了岩石探针,它证明南北构造带是一条大陆裂谷。但是,将西秦岭的双峰式火山岩产出的大地构造背景,深部地球物理以及地幔热结构与贝加尔裂谷和东非裂谷的地幔相比较可以看出,南北构造带的裂谷特征不同于东非大陆裂谷,也与贝加尔裂谷不尽相同。南北构造带的裂谷成因与印-亚大陆碰撞诱发的软流圈物质向东的移动和上涌有关,其特征受西秦岭周边各个小块体间相对运动速度与方向以及东昆仑断裂-西秦岭北缘断裂运动性质的联合制约。由此推测,南北构造带是一条复杂的裂谷带,也可能是一个发展中的板块边界。     

Silicate-carbonate-salt liquid immiscibility and origin of the sodalite-haüyne rocks: study of melt inclusions in olivine foidite from Vulture volcano, S. Italy

Melt inclusions in clinopyroxenes of olivine foidite bombs from Serra di Constantinopoli pyroclastic flows of the Vulture volcano (Southern Italy) were studied in detail. The rocks contain abundant zoned phenocrysts and xenocrysts of clinopyroxene, scarce grains of olivine, leucite, haüyne, glass with microlites of plagioclase and K-feldspar. The composition of clinopyroxene in xenocrysts (Cpx I), cores (Cpx II), and in rims (Cpx III) of phenocrysts differs in the content of Mg, Fe, Ti, and Al. All clinopyroxenes contain two types of primary inclusion-pure silicate and of silicate-carbonate-salt composition. This fact suggests that the phenomena of silicate-carbonate immiscibility took place prior to crystallization of clinopyroxene. Homogenization of pure silicate inclusions proceeded at 1 225 – 1 190°C. The composition of conserved melts corresponded to that of olivine foidite in Cpx I, to tephrite-phonolite in Cpx II, and phonolite-nepheline trachyte in Cpx III. The amount of water in them was no more than 0.9 wt.%. Silicate-carbonate inclusions decrepitated on heating. Salt globules contained salts of alkali-sulphate, alkali-carbonate, and Ca-carbonate composition somewhat enriched in Ba and Sr. This composition is typical of carbonatite melts when decomposed into immiscible fractions. The formation of sodalite-haüyne rocks from Vulture is related to the presence of carbonate-salt melts in magma chamber. The melts conserved in clinopyroxenes were enriched in incompatible elements, especially in Cpx III. High ratios of La, Nb, and Ta in melts on crystallization of Cpx I and Cpx II suggest the influence of a carbonatite melt as carbonatites have extremely high La/Nb and Nb/Ta and this is confirmed by the appearance of carbonatite melts in magma chamber. Some anomalies in the concentrations and relatives values of Eu and especially Ga seems typical of Italian carbonatite related melts. The mantle source for initial melts was, most likely, rather uniform, undepleted and was characterized by a low degree of melting and probable presence of garnet in restite.     

Petrology of potassic alkaline ultramafic and carbonatitic rocks from Planalto da Serra (Mato Grosso State), Brazil

The Planalto da Serra igneous rocks form plugs, necks and dykes of carbonate-rich ultramafic lamprophyres (aillikites and glimmerites with kamafugitic affinity) and carbonatites (alvikites and beforsites). Phlogopite and/or tetraphlogopite, diopside and melanitic garnet are restricted to aillikitic rock-types, whereas pyroclore occurs only in carbonatites. Aillikites and carbonatites are altered to hydrotermalites, having chlorite and serpentine as dominant minerals. Planalto da Serra igneous rock association has kamafugitic affinity (i.e. effusive, ultrapotassic. High LREE/HREE fractionation, incompatible elements data and Sr-Nd isotopes, suggest that the K-ultramafic alkaline and carbonatite rocks originated from a variably metasomatized mantle source enriched in radiogenic Sr. Crustal contamination is negligible or absent. Age values of 600 Ma rule out the geochronological relationship between the investigated intrusions and the Mesozoic alkaline bodies from the Azimuth 125° lineament. The TDM model ages allow to conclude that Planalto da Serra magma is derived from the partial melting of a mantle source metasomatised by K-rich carbonatated melt during the Early to Late Neoproterozoic. On the basis of alkaline magmatism repetitions at 600 Ma and 90–80 Ma we question the subsistence of a stationary mantle plume for so long time.     

火成碳酸岩的实验岩石学研究及对地球深部碳循环的意义

火成碳酸岩是地表出露较少的幔源岩石之一。实验岩石学研究表明碳酸盐化的橄榄岩和循环的地壳物质(如碳酸盐化榴辉岩或泥质岩)的低程度(<1%)部分熔融均可以产生碳酸岩质的熔体,其中碳酸盐化泥质岩具有最低的熔融温度且更加富碱质、CO2和不相容元素;富CO2的霞石质等硅酸盐岩浆也可以通过不混溶或分离结晶作用产生碳酸岩,用于解释碳酸岩在空间中常与碱性硅酸岩的共生关系。由于碳酸岩熔体具有极低的粘度和高的活性,形成后在上升过程中会将二辉橄榄岩转变为异剥橄榄岩,是引起地幔交代作用和地幔地球化学不均一性的重要介质之一。实验表明在俯冲作用过程中,大多数的碳酸盐在位于岛弧之下的含水熔融并不分解而是被带入到深部地幔并且稳定存在,含碳地幔的熔融又会形成碳酸岩质的熔体,这说明俯冲循环物质可能对碳酸岩的成因也起着重要的作用。然而,对于碳酸岩的初始熔体成分、岩浆演化、地幔交代作用、成矿特征以及碳从地球深部返回到地表的途径和过程等都存在着很大的争议。我国火成碳酸岩出露相对较多,分布广泛,因此,加强我国碳酸岩以及伴生硅酸岩的成因研究,同时开展与碳酸岩相关的实验岩石学工作,不仅可以检验现有的成因理论,而且有助于提高我国对火成碳酸岩的研究水平;由于其特殊的成因背景,还可为许多存在很大争议的重大地质事件提供新的科学依据。     

The relationship between websterite and peridotite in the Balmuccia peridotite massif (NW Italy) as revealed by trace element variations in clinopyroxene

 Field, mineralogical and petrological data are presented on a newly found carbonatite occurrence associated with “kamafugite” lava at Cupaello, central Italy. This carbonatite occurrence is part of the Late Pleistocene Umbria-Latium ultra-alkaline district (ULUD) which extends southwards within the Apennines to Mount Vulture, delineating an important magmatic province along the most peripheral belt of the Tyrrhenian extensional tectonic system. This province is distinct, but probably related genetically with the more abundant and common leucite-bearing assemblages of the Roman Comagmatic Region and represents the first reported occurrence of carbonatite assemblages in the Mediterranean Basin. The Cupaello suite indicates that primary or near-primary mantle silicate melts of “kamafugitic” composition are transitional with Ca-carbonatite liquid and provides direct evidence of immiscibility of carbonatite from “kamafugite” magma. It is inferred that a primary mantle origin of Ca-carbonatites is conditional upon a potential silicate magma that may be coupled with the carbonatite, but may not have reached the surface. The data indicate a strong genetic link between ULUD Ca-carbonatites and some African analogues, supporting the view that their genesis depends on similar source and associated tectonic conditions. Received: 17 January 1995 / Accepted: 14 June 1995     

Chemical and Os isotopic study of Cretaceous potassic rocks from Southern Brazil

During the late Mesozoic, an unusually broad range of alkalic magma compositions was erupted along the southern border of the São Francisco craton of Brazil. This magmatic activity includes carbonatite, kimberlite, lamprophyre, lamproite, syenite and the largest known example of extrusive kamafugite, the Mata da Corda formation. To determine the nature of the sources of this magmatism, and their geochemical history, an Os isotope study along with major and trace element and Sr, Nd and Pb isotope analyses of kimberlitic, lamproitic and kamafugitic rocks from the Alto Paranaíba province of Brazil was undertaken. This complements recent geochemical and isotopic studies of these magmas. The Os isotope data for Alto Paranaíba samples point to a peridotitic lithospheric mantle source for the kimberlites and lamproites that was variably depleted in Re, presumably by melt removal at some time between the late Archean and mid-Proterozoic. These lithospheric peridotites experienced LIL-element enrichment by fluid/melt metasomatism at roughly 1 Ga, most likely during mobile belt formation along the western border of the São Francisco craton. Kamafugitic samples have very radiogenic Os, suggestive of mafic (e.g. pyroxenite, websterite, eclogite) source materials that again appear to have been stabilized in the lithospheric mantle of Brazil in the mid to late Proterozoic. The Os isotope evidence for lithospheric sources for the Alto Paranaíba activity, coupled with Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic characteristics that overlap those of the Walvis Ridge hot-spot trace indicate that the EM1 component in South Atlantic ocean island basalts most likely represents the influence of delaminated Brazilian lithospheric mantle mixed into mantle circulation beneath the South Atlantic and is not related to the plume(s) commonly associated with this ocean island magmatism.