Ar/Ar age and geochemistry of the post-collisional Miocene Yamadağ volcanics in the Arapkir area (Malatya Province), eastern Anatolia, Turkey

The Neogene Yamadağ volcanics occupy a vast area between Sivas and Malatya in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. These volcanic rocks are characterized by pyroclastics comprising agglomerates, tuffs and some small outcrops of basaltic–andesitic–dacitic rocks, overlain upward by basaltic and dacitic rocks, and finally by basaltic lava flows in the Arapkir area, northern Malatya Province. The basaltic lava flows in the Arapkir area yield a ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 15.8 ± 0.2 Ma, whereas the dacitic lava flows give ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages ranging from 17.6 through 14.7 ± 0.1 to 12.2 ± 0.2 Ma, corresponding to the Middle Miocene. These volcanic rocks have subalkaline basaltic, basaltic andesitic; alkaline basaltic trachyandesitic and dacitic chemical compositions. Some special textures, such as spongy-cellular, sieve and embayed textures; oscillatory zoning and glass inclusions in plagioclase phenocrysts; ghost amphiboles and fresh biotite flakes are attributable to disequilibrium crystallization related to magma mixing between coeval magmas. The main solidification processes consist of fractional crystallization and magma mixing which were operative during the soldification of these volcanic rocks. The dacitic rocks are enriched in LILE, LREE and Th, U type HFSE relative to the basaltic rocks. The basaltic rocks also show some marked differences in terms of trace-element and REE geochemistry; namely, the alkaline basaltic trachyandesites have pronounced higher HFSE, MREE and HREE contents relative to the subalkaline basalts. Trace and REE geochemical data reveal the existence of three distinct magma sources – one subalkaline basaltic trachyandesitic, one alkaline basaltic and one dacitic – in the genesis of the Yamadağ volcanics in the Arapkir region. The subalkaline basaltic and alkaline basaltic trachyandesitic magmas were derived from an E-MORB type enriched mantle source with a relatively high- and low-degree partial melting, respectively. The magmatic melt of dacitic rocks seem to be derived from an OIB-type enriched lithospheric mantle with a low proportion of partial melting. The enriched lithospheric mantle source reflect the metasomatism induced by earlier subduction-derived fluids. All these coeval magmas were generated in a post-collisional extensional geodynamic setting in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey.     

Trace Elements in Alkaline Lamprophyres,Clinopyroxene, and Amphibole of the Tomtor Massif and the Ore Potential of the Melts

Data obtained on lamprophyres from the carbonatite–volcanic unit in the lower horizon of the Tomtor Massif indicate that the rocks and zoned diopside and kaersutite phenocrysts in them are enriched in incompatible elements more significantly than is typical of alkaline ultramafic rocks of the Maymecha–Kotui and Kola provinces. The concentrations of these elements and their indicator ratios in the cores and intermediate zones of the diopside and kaersutite phenocrysts significantly vary, and this suggests that the minerals might have crystallized from different melts. This is consistent with the earlier conclusions, which were derived from studying melt inclusions, that the phenocrysts crystallized from mixing alkaline mafic melts of sodic and potassic types and different Mg–number which were enriched in the carbonatite component. The cores of the diopside phenocrysts started to crystallize from sodic mafic magma in a magmatic chamber, while the intermediate and outermost zones of this mineral crystallized from mixed sodic–potassic mafic melts. The carbonatite component was separated from the sodic mafic melt at high temperature (>1150°C) during diopside core crystallization. The bulk compositions of the alkaline lamprophyres and of the diopside and kaersutite phenocrysts contain lower normalized concentrations of HREE than LREE. This led us to conclude that the parental sodic and potassic mafic melts were derived from an enriched mantle source material under garnet–facies parameters, as is typical of continental rifts. It is noteworthy that the potassic mafic melt was derived at greater depths and lower degrees of melting of the mantle source than the sodic melt. The iron–rich sodic melt from which the cores of the diopside phenocrysts started to crystallize was enriched in V, REE, Y, and volatile components (H₂O, CO₂, F, Cl, and S). The onset of carbonate–silicate liquid immiscibility was marked by the redistribution of REE and Y into the carbonatite melt. The potassic, more Mg–rich mafic melt from which the intermediate and outermost zones of the diopside phenocrysts crystallized was enriched in Ti, Nb, Zr, and REE and always remained homogeneous when this mineral crystallized.     

Petrogenesis of alkaline basalt-hosted sapphire megacrysts. Petrological and geochemical investigations of in situ sapphire occurrences from the Siebengebirge Volcanic Field,Germany

Megacrystic sapphires are frequently associated with alkaline basalts, most notably in Asia and Australia, although basalt is not generally normative in corundum. Most of these sapphire occurrences are located in alluvial or eluvial deposits, making it difficult to study the enigmatic relationship between the sapphires and their host rocks. Here, we present detailed petrological and geochemical investigations of in situ megacrystic sapphires within alkaline basalts from the Cenozoic Siebengebirge Volcanic Field (SVF) in Germany. Markedly, the sapphires show several micrometer thick spinel coronas at the contact with the host basalt, indicating chemical disequilibrium between the sapphire and the basaltic melt, supporting a xenogenetic relationship. However, in situ U–Pb dating of a Columbite Group inclusion within one Siebengebirge sapphire using laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) indicates a close genetic relationship between sapphire crystallization and alkaline mafic volcanism in the SVF. The syngenetic mineral inclusion suite including carbonates, members of the Pyrochlore, Betafite and Columbite Groupe minerals, as well as a high abundance of HFSE and of gaseous low-density CO₂ inclusions support a parentage of a highly evolved, MgO and FeO deficient carbonatitic melt. We identified CO₂ to be the link between alkaline basaltic volcanism and the xenocrystic sapphires. Only alkaline volcanic suites can build up enough CO₂ in this magma chamber upon fractionation so that at high degrees of fractionation a carbonatitic melt exsolves which in turn can crystallize sapphires.     

Garnet-bearing basalts: an example from Mt. Hasan, Central Anatolia, Turkey

Summary Mt. Hasan is a complex stratovolcano located in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It exhibits four evolutionary stages: (1) Kecikalesi volcano, (2) Palaeovolcano, (3) Mesovolcano and (4) Neovolcano. Each stage is characterized by differentiated magmas varying from basaltic andesite to rhyolite, but basaltic activities are recorded on the volcano flanks. Garnets occur in rhyodacitic and rhyolitic pumices of the Palaeo-, Meso- and Neovolcanoe, as well as in the basaltic andesite lava flows of Palaeovolcano. In addition, garnets are recognised also in recent basalts which were erupted contemporaneously with Neovolcano during the late Quaternary. Garnets appear as euhedral grains in a basaltic groundmass. Mineralogy and geochemistry of older volcanics (Kecikalesi, Palaeovolcano) exhibit a tholeitic trend, while Mesovolcano and Neovolcano are calc-alkaline in affinity. However, the recent basalts exhibit alkaline chemistry and mineralogy. Garnets of Mt. Hasan volcanic rocks are pyrope- and almandine-rich and display rather uniform composition throughout the volcanic evolution. Trace element data suggest that while subduction components in magma composition decreased from Miocene to late Quaternary, the within plate character increased. We propose that the generation of garnet-bearing volcanics reflects an enriched source inherited from ancient subduction processes. Received November 1, 1999; revised version accepted June 30, 2001     

Chemostratigraphy of lava sequences from the Rio Itapicuru Greenstone Belt,Bahia State,Brazil

The Rio Itapicuru greenstone terrain of north-central Bahia State consists of belts of supracrustal rocks surrounding granitic plutons and domes. The basal supracrustal rocks are predominantly massive metabasalts with minor amounts of intercalated chemical sedimentary rocks and mafic tuffs. They are overlain by a middle unit of intermediate to acid pyroclastic rocks, lavas, and volcaniclastic sediments, and an upper unit of greywackes, sandstones and conglomerates.A geochemical study of major and trace elements of the volcanic rocks indicates the existence of a chemical discontinuity between the basaltic and the acid to intermediate members. The basalts are typical tholeiites with Ti, Zr, Sr, Y and Nb contents analogous to those of modern ocean-floor tholeiites or, alternatively, low-K tholeiites of primitive island arcs. In contrast, compositional variations of the hornblende-bearing andesites and dacites fall along indisputably calc-alkaline trends of low FeO and TiO₂ contents which decrease with increasing differentiation. The lithostratigraphic and chemical variations within lavas of the Rio Itapicuru greenstone are comparable to those described from the Western Australian greenstone belts. Only in greenstone belts of the Canadian type do thick calc-alkaline sequences containing abudant basaltic andesites overlie conformably and transitionally the underlying tholeiitic basalts. Elsewhere the calc-alkaline sequences, if present, do not contain basaltic andesites and are chemically unrelated to the underlying basalts.     

Is natrocarbonatite a cognate fluid condensate?

Natrocarbonatite flows in the crater of the volcano Oldoinyo Lengai (Tanzania) are the only carbonatite magmas observed to erupt and have provided strong arguments in favor of a magmatic origin for carbonatite. The currently favored explanation for the genesis of these carbonatites by liquid immiscibility between a silicate and a carbonatite melt is questioned based on the extremely low eruption temperatures of 544-593 °C and compositional and mineralogical characteristics not in agreement with experimental constraints. Experimental investigations of the relationship between Oldoinyo Lengai natrocarbonatite and related silicate rock compositions do indicate that alkali-bearing peralkaline carbonatite with liquidus calcite can form by liquid immiscibility. At the same time, these experiments result in evidence which speaks against a liquid immiscibility origin for the highly alkaline and peralkaline Oldoinyo Lengai natrocarbonatite. On the carbonatite side of the miscibility gap, fractional crystallization cannot account for a liquid evolution from alkali-bearing peralkaline carbonatite to highly alkaline natrocarbonatite. Such an evolution does not seem to be compatible with the liquidus mineral assemblages and the chemistry of Oldoinyo Lengai natrocarbonatite. No natural silicate magma is known to produce natrocarbonatite compositions by liquid immiscibility. The best interpretation of the Oldoinyo Lengai natrocarbonatite flows involves expulsion of a cognate, mobile, alkaline, and CO₂-rich fluid condensate. This conclusion is supported by recent studies of silicate and carbonatite melt inclusions in minerals of ultramafic alkaline complexes, trace element partitioning, isotopic constraints, and by experimental data on major element partitioning between coexisting H₂O-CO₂-rich fluid and carbonatitic melt. In contrast to all other suggested modes of formation, an origin of Oldoinyo Lengai natrocarbonatite from cognate fluid appears best to be in agreement with the field observations, the petrography, mineralogy, and geochemistry of Oldoinyo Lengai natrocarbonatite and the dynamics of the Oldoinyo Lengai natrocarbonatite extrusion.     

Ulvöspinel from xenoliths of contact-altered volcanic and volcanosedimentary rocks in nepheline syenites of the Khibiny and Lovozero plutons

Ulvöspinel is a typical accessory mineral of xenoliths of volcanic and volcanosedimentary rocks in alkaline syenites of the Khibiny and Lovozero plutons. Ulvöspinel forms homogeneous Cr- and V-rich grains in slightly altered olivine basalts, basaltic tuffs, and tuffites and is enriched in Mn and Si in the course of contact-metasomatic alteration of these rocks. The strongly reduced conditions of contact metamorphism controlled by ascending flows of hydrocarbon gases and hydrogen sulfide gave rise to the subsolidus decomposition of primary ulvöspinel and Ti-high magnetite with the formation of ilmenite lamellae and then, with decreasing redox potential, of the second-generation latticed ulvöspinel lamellae.     

The composition and sources of magmas of Changbaishan Tianchi volcano (China-North Korea)

The Changbaishan Tianchi volcano is the greatest stratovolcano within the bounds of the Late Cenozoic intraplate volcanic province of East Asia. Changbaishan Tianchi volcanic cone consists mostly of trachytes and pantellerites. It was found that the lavas composing the shield platform of Changbaishan Tianchi volcano are weakly differentiated basic rocks whose geochemical characteristics are generally similar. All the alkaline salic rocks composing the cone of the volcano are characterized by conformable normalized trace element patterns. The concentrations of rare-earth elements in these rocks are high and amount up to 1000 ppm. The character of the distribution of trace elements in the basic rocks of Changbaishan Tianchi volcano is close to that in the OIB-type basalts. Within the series from basalts to pantellerites, the rocks are enriched in REE and zirconium, but depleted in barium, strontium, and europium. According to the obtained geochemical data, it was shown that the rock series of Changbaishan Tianchi volcano, varying from basalts to trachytes and pantellerites comprises compositions geochemically interrelated by the processes of crystal fractionation. The parental magma for the rocks of the volcano was derived from plume sources of the same type as those of OIB and sources of the Late Cenozoic intraplate province of East Asia.     

Compositions of immiscible liquids in volcanic rocks

Immiscible liquids, preserved as chemically distinct, glassy globules, (Si-rich and Fe-rich) occur in many tholeiitic basalts and some alkaline and calcalkaline lavas. The glasses typically form part of a dark mesostasis containing skeletal magnetite crystals. In thick flows, the Si-rich liquid may crystallize to granophyric patches, and the Ferich one to aggregates of hedenbergite, magnetite, and accessory phases. The mesostases containing these immiscible phases constitute from 20% of a primitive olivine tholeiite (MgO=7.5%) to 50% of a highly fractionated quartz tholeiite (MgO=2.8%), but may be less if the rock is oxidized. Abundant ferric iron promotes early crystallization of magnetite and prevents the iron enrichment necessary to reach the immiscibility field; thus, aa flows rarely exhibit immiscibility, whereas the more reduced pahoehoe ones do.Alumina and alkalis are concentrated in the Si-rich liquid, whereas the remainder of the major elements are concentrated in the Fe-rich melt; but the partitioning of Fe, Mg, Ca, and P is less pronounced in alkaline rocks than in tholeiites. Conjugate liquids have compositions of granite and Fe-rich pyroxenite, though the Si-rich melt in alkaline rocks is more syenitic and the Fe-rich one contains considerable normative alkali feldspar. The liquids coexist with plagioclase and augite of, respectively, An₅₀ and Ca₃₄Mg₁₉Fe₄₇ compositions in tholeiites, and An₄₀ and Ca₄₂Mg₂₉Fe₂₉ in alkaline rocks. Immiscibility is not restricted to K-rich residual liquids, but the miscibility gap is narrower for Na-rich compositions. In tholeiitic basalts with 52% SiO₂, the Na₂O/K₂O ratios in conjugate liquids are equal, but at lower silica contents the Si-rich liquid is relatively more sodic, whereas at higher silica contents it is relatively more potassic. This may explain the association of sodic granites with mid ocean ridge basalts.Immiscible liquids are present in sufficient amounts in so many volcanic rocks that magma unmixing should be considered a viable means of differentiation during the late stages of fractionation of common magmas, at least at low pressures.     

Experiments on silicate melt immiscibility in the system Fe2SiO4–KAlSi3O8–SiO2–CaO–MgO–TiO2–P2O5 and implications for natural magmas

The effect of CaO and MgO, with or without TiO₂ and P₂O₅, on the two-melt field in the simplified system Fe₂SiO₄–KAlSi₃O₈–SiO₂ has been experimentally determined at 1,050°–1,240°C, 400 MPa. Despite the suppressing effect of MgO, CaO, and pressure on silicate melt immiscibility, our experiments show that this process is still viable at mid-crustal pressures when small amounts (0.6–2.0 wt%) of P₂O₅ and TiO₂ are present. Our data stress that the major element partition coefficients between the two melts are highly correlated with the degree of polymerisation (nbo/t) of the SiO₂-rich melt, whatever temperature, pressure, or exact composition. Experimental immiscible melt compositions in natural systems at 0.1 MPa from the literature (lunar and tholeiitic basalts) plot on similar but distinct curves compared to the simplified system. These relations between melt polymerisation and partition coefficients, which hold for a large range of compositions and fO₂, are extended to various volcanic and plutonic rocks. This analysis strengthens the proposal that silicate melt immiscibility can be important in volcanic rocks of various compositions (from tholeiitic basalts to lamprophyres). However, the majority of proposed immiscible compositions in plutonic rocks are at least not coexisting melts, but may have suffered accumulation of early crystallized minerals.     

Genesis of the Khaluta alkaline-basic Ba-Sr carbonatite complex (West Transbaikala, Russia)

The Khaluta carbonatite complex comprizes fenites, alkaline syenites and shonkinites, and calcite and dolomite carbonatites. Textural and compositional criteria, melt inclusions, geochemical and isotopic data, and comparisons with relevant experimental systems show that the complex formed by liquid immiscibility of a carbonate-saturated parental silicate melt. Mineral and stable isotope geothermometers and melt inclusion measurements for the silicate rocks and carbonatite all give temperatures of crystallization of 915–1,000°C and 890–470°C, respectively. Melt inclusions containing sulphate minerals, and sulphate-rich minerals, most notably apatite and monazite, occur in all of the lithologies in the Khaluta complex. All lithologies, from fenites through shonkinites and syenites to calcite and dolomite carbonatites, and to hydrothermal mineralisation are further characterized by high Ba and Sr activity, as well as that of SO3 with formation of the sulphate minerals baryte, celestine and baryte-celestine. Thus, the characteristic features of the Khaluta parental melt were elevated concentrations of SO₃, Ba and Sr. In addition to the presence of SO₃, calculated fO₂ for magnetites indicate a high oxygen fugacity and that Fe⁺³>Fe⁺² in the Khaluta parental melt. Our findings suggest that the mantle source for Khaluta carbonatite and associated rocks, as well as for other carbonatites of the West Transbaikalia carbonatite province, were SO₃-rich and characterized by high oxygen fugacity.     

Liquid immiscibility between silicate,carbonate and sulfide melts in melt inclusions hosted in co-precipitated minerals from Kerimasi volcano (Tanzania): evolution of carbonated nephelinitic magma

The evolution of a carbonated nephelinitic magma can be followed by the study of a statistically significant number of melt inclusions, entrapped in co-precipitated perovskite, nepheline and magnetite in a clinopyroxene- and nepheline-rich rock (afrikandite) from Kerimasi volcano (Tanzania). Temperatures are estimated to be 1,100°C for the early stage of the melt evolution of the magma, which formed the rock. During evolution, the magma became enriched in CaO, depleted in SiO₂ and Al₂O₃, resulting in immiscibility at ~1,050°C and crustal pressures (0.5–1 GPa) with the formation of three fluid-saturated melts: an alkali- and MgO-bearing, CaO- and FeO-rich silicate melt; an alkali- and F-bearing, CaO- and P₂O₅-rich carbonate melt; and a Cu–Fe sulfide melt. The sulfide and the carbonate melt could be physically separated from their silicate parent and form a Cu–Fe–S ore and a carbonatite rock. The separated carbonate melt could initially crystallize calciocarbonatite and ultimately become alkali rich in composition and similar to natrocarbonatite, demonstrating an evolution from nephelinite to natrocarbonatite through Ca-rich carbonatite magma. The distribution of major elements between perovskite-hosted coexisting immiscible silicate and carbonate melts shows strong partitioning of Ca, P and F relative to Fe_T, Si, Al, Mn, Ti and Mg in the carbonate melt, suggesting that immiscibility occurred at crustal pressures and plays a significant role in explaining the dominance of calciocarbonatites (sövites) relative to dolomitic or sideritic carbonatites. Our data suggest that Cu–Fe–S compositions are characteristic of immiscible sulfide melts originating from the parental silicate melts of alkaline silicate–carbonatite complexes.     

“三江”义敦岛弧带玄武岩喷发序列与裂谷—岛弧转化

岩石-构造组合是恢复古板块构造历史的最有效手段之一,同时是表征古板块边界与板内环境的最重要的地质证据。本文拟从岩石-构造组合角度,通过对义敦岛弧带玄武岩,特别是前岛弧期玄武岩喷发序列、岩石组合、地球化学特征和其形成背景的研究,试图从较深层次上揭示岩浆-构造内在联系,探索义敦古岛弧的形成与发展。     

Genesis of kalsilite melilitite at Cupaello,Central Italy: Evidence from melt inclusions

The paper presents data on primary carbonate–silicate melt inclusions hosted in diopside phenocrysts from kalsilite melilitite of Cupaello volcano in Central Italy. The melt inclusions are partly crystalline and contain kalsilite, phlogopite, pectolite, combeite, calcite, Ba–Sr carbonate, baryte, halite, apatite, residual glass, and a gas phase. Daughter pectolite and combeite identified in the inclusions are the first finds of these minerals in kamafugite rocks from central Italy. Our detailed data on the melt inclusions in minerals indicate that the diopside phenocrysts crystallized at 1170–1190°C from a homogeneous melilitite magma enriched in volatile components (CO₂, 0.5–0.6 wt % H₂O, and 0.1–0.2 wt % F). In the process of crystallization at the small variation in P-T parameters two-phase silicate-carbonate liquid immiscibility occurred at lower temperatures (below 1080–1150°C), when spatially separated melilitite silicate and Sr-Ba-rich alkalicarbonate melts already existed. The silicate–carbonate immiscibility was definitely responsible for the formation of the carbonatite tuff at the volcano. The melilitite melt was rich in incompatible elements, first of all, LILE and LREE. This specific enrichment of the melt in these elements and the previously established high isotopic ratios are common to all Italian kamafugites and seem to be related to the specific ITEM mantle source, which underwent metasomatism and enrichment in incompatible elements.     

Nyerereite from carbonatite rocks at Vulture volcano: implications for mantle metasomatism and petrogenesis of alkali carbonate melts Research Article

Vulture volcano displays a wide range of mafic to alkaline, carbonate-, and/or CaO-rich volcanic rocks, with subvolcanic and plutonic rocks together with mantle xenoliths in pyroclastic ejecta. The roles of magmatic volatiles such as CO₂, S, and Cl have been determined from compositions and trapping temperatures of inclusions in phenocrysts, which include the Na-K-Ca-carbonate nyerereite within melilite. We surmise that this alkali carbonate crystallised from an appropriate carbonatitic melt at relatively high temperature. Carbonatitic metasomatic features are traceable throughout many of the mantle xenoliths, and various carbonatitic components are found in the late stage extrusive suite. There is no evidence that alkali carbonatite developed as a separate magma, but it may have been an important evolutionary stage. We compare the rare occurrence of nyerereite at Vulture with other carbonatites and with an unaltered kimberlite from the Udachnaya pipe. We review the evidence at Vulture for associated carbonatitic metasomatism in the mantle, and we suggest that low viscosity alkali carbonatitic melts may have a primary and much deeper origin than previously considered.     

Liquid immiscibility in deep-seated magmas and the generation of carbonatite melts

This paper reviews the results of investigations of melt inclusions in minerals of carbonatites and spatially associated silicate rocks genetically related to various deep-seated undersaturated silicate magmas of alkaline ultrabasic, alkaline basic, lamproitic, and kimberlitic compositions. The analysis of this direct genetic information showed that all the deep magmas are inherently enriched in volatile components, the most abundant among which are carbon dioxide, alkalis, halides, sulfur, and phosphorus. The volatiles probably initially served as agents of mantle metasomatism and promoted melting in deep magma sources. The derived magmas became enriched in carbon dioxide, alkalis, and other volatile components owing to the crystallization and fractionation of early high-magnesium minerals and gradually acquired the characteristics of carbonated silicate liquids. When critical compositional parameters were reached, the accumulated volatiles catalyzed immiscibility, the magmas became heterogeneous, and two-phase carbonate-silicate liquid immiscibility occurred at temperatures of ≥1280–1250°C. The immiscibility was accompanied by the partitioning of elements: the major portion of fluid components partitioned together with Ca into the carbonate-salt fraction (parental carbonatite melt), and the silicate melt was correspondingly depleted in these components and became more silicic. After spatial separation, the silicate and carbonate-silicate melts evolved independently during slow cooling. Differentiation and fractionation were characteristic of silicate melts. The carbonatite melts became again heterogeneous within the temperature range from 1200 to 800–600°C and separated into immiscible carbonate-salt fractions of various compositions: alkali-sulfate, alkali-phosphate, alkali-fluoride, alkali-chloride, and Fe-Mg-Ca carbonate. In large scale systems, polyphase silicate-carbonate-salt liquid immiscibility is usually manifested during the slow cooling and prolonged evolution of deeply derived melts in the Earth’s crust. It may lead to the formation of various types of intrusive carbonatites: widespread calcite-dolomite and rare alkali-sulfate, alkali-phosphate, and alkali-halide rocks. The initial alkaline carbonatite melts can retain their compositions enriched in P, S, Cl, and F only at rapid eruption followed by instantaneous quenching.     

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.     

Geochemistry of subalkaline and alkaline extrusives from the Kermanshah ophiolite,Zagros Suture Zone,Western Iran: implications for Tethyan plate tectonics

The Kermanshah ophiolite is a highly dismembered ophiolite complex that is located in western Iran and belongs to the Zagros orogenic system. The igneous rocks of this complex consist of both mantle and crustal suites and include peridotites (dunite and harzburgite), cumulate gabbros, diorites, and a volcanic sequence that exhibits a wide range in composition from subalkaline basalts to alkaline basalts to trachytes. The associated sedimentary rocks include a variety of Upper Triassic to Lower Cretaceous deep- and shallow-water sedimentary rocks (e.g., dolomite, limestone, and pelagic sediments, including umber). Also present are extensive units of radiolarian chert. The geochemical data clearly identifies some of the volcanic rocks to have formed from two distinct types of basaltic melts: (i) those of the subalkaline suite, which formed from an initial melt with a light rare earth elements (LREE) enriched signature and incompatible trace element patterns that suggest an island arc affinity; and (ii) those of the alkaline suite with LREE-enriched signature and incompatible trace element patterns that are virtually identical to typical oceanic island basalt (OIB) pattern. The data also suggests that the trachytes were derived from the alkaline source, with fractionation controlled by extensive removal of plagioclase and to a lesser extent clinopyroxene. The presence of compositionally diverse volcanics together with the occurrence of a variety of Triassic–Cretaceous sedimentary rocks and radiolarian chert indicate that the studied volcanic rocks from the Kermanshah ophiolite represent off-axis volcanic units that were formed in intraplate oceanic island and island arc environments in an oceanic basin. They were located on the eastern and northern flanks of one of the spreading centers of a ridge-transform fault system that connected Troodos to Oman prior to its subduction under the Eurasian plate.     

The Redistribution of Phosphorus in Basic Volcanic Rocks

This work presents data on phosphorus content in the central and peripheral sectors of primary jointing blocks in olivine basalts of the Baikal rift zone (Khamar-Daban Range), as well as basaltic andesite flows and dolerite sills on the Karabakh Highland of the Lesser Caucasus. The P₂O₅ content decrease near cracks in volcanic rocks of the Baikal rift zone is caused by leaching of phosphorus during humid weathering. Estimates of the amount of mobilized phosphorus suggest that alkaline basic volcanic rocks can serve as the continental source for the formation of phosphates.     

新疆三塘湖盆地早二叠世火山岩地球化学特征与构造环境分析

新疆三塘湖盆地早二叠世火山岩地球化学特征与构造环境分析林克湘闫春德龚文平（江汉石油学院，湖北荆沙４３４１０２）关键词安山岩活动陆缘盆地板块构造早二叠世三塘湖盆地位于新疆东北部，与蒙古接壤，盆地呈北西—南东向展布，长约５００ｋｍ，宽４０～５０ｋｍ，面积...