Trace element geochemistry of coesite-bearing eclogites from the Roberts Victor kimberlite, Kaapvaal craton

Trace element characteristics of seven coesite-bearing eclogitic xenoliths from the Roberts Victor kimberlite demonstrate that this suite of eclogites originated as gabbroic cumulates in oceanic crust that was subsequently subducted. All but one of the garnets show positive Eu anomalies, accompanied by a flat heavy rare earth pattern, which is atypical of garnet, but characteristic of plagioclase, arguing for a considerable amount of plagioclase in the protoliths. Forward modelling of the accumulation of liquidus minerals from primitive komatiitic, picritic, and basaltic liquids suggests that at least some of the eclogite protoliths were not derived from basaltic parental liquids, whereas derivation from either komatiitic or picritic liquids is possible. The reconstructed eclogite bulk rocks compare favourably with oceanic gabbros from ODP hole 735B (SW Indian Ridge), even to the extent that oxygen isotopic systematics show signs of low-temperature seawater alteration. However, the oxygen isotope trends are the reverse of what is expected for cumulates in the lower section of the oceanic crust. These new findings show that δ¹⁸O values in eclogitic xenoliths, despite being sound indicators for their interaction with hydrothermal fluids at low pressure, do not necessarily bear a simple relationship with the inferred oceanic crustal stratigraphy of the protoliths.     

SiO2 precipitation in olivine: ATEM investigation of two dunites annealed at 300 MPa in hydrous conditions

Two natural dunites were annealed at pressure P=300 MPa, temperature T=1373, 1473 and 1573 K, and fO₂ within the stability field of olivine. The starting materials contained small amounts of hydroxyls in the form of minor phases of hydrated minerals, which released an aqueous phase during the experiments. A detailed analytical transmission electron microscopy (ATEM) investigation of these materials revealed that small quantities of two types of silica-rich glass formed during heat treatment. The first type of glass, found at triple junctions as rare partially crystallized glass pockets, results from melting dehydration reactions involving the hydrous phases. The second type of glass is found as pure silica precipitates (0.1–0.5 μm in size, for a total of a few 0.1 vol%) within the olivine grains of specimens heated to ≥1473 K. From considerations of the kinetics of the precipitation at 1473 K, we interpret this silica precipitation as resulting from the condensation of olivine metallic vacancies promoted by increasing fluid fugacities during the runs. Our observations, thus, demonstrate that metastable silica can precipitate in olivine from dunites experiencing rapid changes in their thermodynamical environment.     

Features of the Early Palaeozoic Mantle beneath Langao County and Its Formation Mechanism

Phlogopite-amphibole pyroxenite xenoliths contained in an Early Palaeozoic alkali subvolcanic lam-prophyre complex in Langao County, Shaanxi Province, are metasomatized mantle xenoliths, composed mainly of clinopyroxene, amphibole, phlogopite, apatite, pervoskite, ilmenite and sphene with well-developed subsolidus metamorphism-deformation textures, such as "triple points" and "cataclastic boundaries" . Minerological studies indicate that clinopyroxene is rich in SiO2 and MgO and poor in TiO2 and Al2O3, which is notably different from magmatogenic deep-seated megacrysts and phenocrysts formed in the range of mantle pressure. Amphibole and phlogopite have the compositional feature of mantle-derived amphibole and phlogopite. Sm-Nd isotope studies suggest that the metasomatized mantle beneath Langao County is the product of metasomatism of primitive mantle by melt (fluid) derived from the mantle plume, and the mantle metasomatism occurred 650 Ma ago. The process of mantle metasomatism changed from mantle me     

上地幔Os同位素组成的演化

Re-Os同位素体系为研究地幔的成分-结构-演化提供了新的地球化学示踪和定年的工具.上地幔Os同位素组成演化的球粒陨石模型是Re-Os体系用于地幔物质定年的基础, 尤其在采用Re亏损模式年龄和Os同位素代理等时线年龄时.综合了铁陨石和各类球粒陨石、地幔橄榄岩包体和蛇绿岩豆荚状铬铁矿的Re-Os同位素体系研究的近期成果, 为认识对流上地幔Os同位素组成的演化提供了制约.对河北遵化蛇绿岩豆荚状铬铁矿岩的研究, 获得新太古代(2.5 Ga)时形成豆荚状铬铁矿的对流上地幔的187Os/188Os=0.110 2, 与球粒陨石型模式的一致.文献中常用的球粒陨石模式的参数如下: 地球形成时(4.558 Ga)初始值187Os/186Os为0.095 31, 现代值分别采用碳质球粒陨石的187Os/186Os比值为0.127 0和原始上地幔(PUM)的187Os/186Os比值为0.129 6, PUM与普通球粒陨石和顽火球粒陨石的187Os/186Os比值接近.      

青藏东缘马关地幔岩包体的岩石学与矿物学研究

对青藏东缘新生代马关地区高钾岩系中地幔岩包体的岩石学和矿物化学成分的研究表明:马关地幔岩包体属尖晶石相橄榄岩,岩石类型主要为尖晶石二辉橄榄岩,矿物组合为橄榄石(O l) 斜方辉石(O px) 单斜辉石(Cpx) 尖晶石(Sp l),含极少量金云母和角闪石。橄榄石以贵橄榄石为主,部分为镁橄榄石,其Fo值为89.72~90.47,M g#值为89.75~90.51;斜方辉石的En分子为88.00~89.59,M g#值为90.21~91.16,C r#值为3.31~6.23;单斜辉石主要为透辉石,少量为顽透辉石,成分上表现为高C a(wC aO=18.71%~20.78%)、高A l(wA l2O3=6.00%~7.30%)、高M g#值(89.93~91.57)和低C r#值(5.13~8.74);尖晶石为铬尖晶石,其w(C r2O3)为7.62%~12.88%。矿物化学成分指示:马关尖晶石二辉橄榄岩包体属A型包体,为低度熔融后的大陆地幔橄榄岩。温压估算表明,马关尖晶石相二辉橄榄岩包体的平衡温压分别为900℃~1 150℃和1.29 GPa~2.20 GPa(相当于地下深度45 km~71 km),其上地幔地温曲线与大洋地温曲线一致,显示马关地区岩石圈地幔具有很高的热流值,暗示青藏东缘及邻区于0~16 M a期间有热的软流圈地幔上涌,地幔上涌在构造上的响应即是青藏东缘乃至整个东亚地区区域性岩石圈的东-西向伸展。     

Evolution of subcontinental lithospheric mantle beneath eastern China: Re–Os isotopic evidence from mantle xenoliths in Paleozoic kimberlites and Mesozoic basalts

The ages of subcontinental lithospheric mantle beneath the North China and South China cratons are less well-constrained than the overlying crust. We report Re–Os isotope systematics of mantle xenoliths entrained in Paleozoic kimberlites and Mesozoic basalts from eastern China. Peridotite xenoliths from the Fuxian and Mengyin Paleozoic diamondiferous kimberlites in the North China Craton give Archean Re depletion ages of 2.6–3.2 Ga and melt depletion ages of 2.9–3.4 Ga. No obvious differences in Re and Os abundances, Os isotopic ratios and model ages are observed between spinel-facies and garnet-facies peridotites from both kimberlite localities. The Re–Os isotopic data, together with the PGE concentrations, demonstrate that beneath the Archean continental crust of the eastern North China Craton, Archean lithospheric mantle of spinel- to diamond-facies existed without apparent compositional stratification during the Paleozoic. The Mesozoic and Cenozoic basalt-borne peridotite and pyroxenite xenoliths, on the other hand, show geochemical features indicating metasomatic enrichment, along with a large range of the Re–Os isotopic model ages from Proterozoic to Phanerozoic. These features indicate that lithospheric transformation or refertilization through melt-peridotite interaction could be the primary mechanism for compositional changes during the Phanerozoic, rather than delamination or thermal-mechanical erosion, despite the potential of these latter processes to play an important role for the loss of garnet-facies mantle. A fresh garnet lherzolite xenolith from the Yangtze Block has a Re depletion age of ∼1.04 Ga, much younger than overlying Archean crustal rocks but the same Re depletion ages as spinel lherzolite xenoliths from adjacent Mesozoic basalts, indicating Neoproterozoic resetting of the Re–Os system in the South China Craton.     

Petrography and Geochemistry of Peridotite Xenoliths from Hannuoba and Significance for Lithospheric Mantle Evolution

Mantle-derived xenoliths and xenocrysts in Pale-ozoic diamondiferous ki mberlites in Mengyin (Shan-dong Province) and Fuxian (Liaoning Province) showthe presence of a cold,thick lithospheric mantle be-neath the North China craton ( NCC) in the MiddleOrdovician ( Griffin et al ., 1998 ; Menzies et al .,1993 ;Fan and Menzies ,1992) . However ,studies onmantle peridotites captured in the Tertiary to Neo-gene basalts of the NCC have revealed the existenceof a thin, hot and fertile lithosph…     

Genesis and evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath the Buffalo Head Terrane, Alberta (Canada)

Mantle xenoliths and xenocrysts were retrieved from three of the 88–86 Ma Buffalo Hills kimberlites (K6, K11, K14) for a reconnaissance study of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) beneath the Buffalo Head Terrane (Alberta, Canada). The xenoliths include spinel lherzolites, one garnet spinel lherzolite, garnet harzburgites, one sheared garnet lherzolite and pyroxenites. Pyroxenitic and wehrlitic garnet xenocrysts are derived primarily from the shallow mantle and lherzolitic garnet xenocrysts from the deep mantle. Harzburgite with Ca-saturated garnets is concentrated in a layer between 135–165 km depth. Garnet xenocrysts define a model conductive paleogeotherm corresponding to a heat flow of 38–39 mW/m². The sheared garnet lherzolite lies on an inflection of this geotherm and may constrain the depth of the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB) beneath this region to ca 180 km depth.

A loss of >20% partial melt is recorded by spinel lherzolites and up to 60% by the garnet harzburgites, which may be related to lithosphere formation. The mantle was subsequently modified during at least two metasomatic events. An older metasomatic event is evident in incompatible-element enrichments in homogeneous equilibrated garnet and clinopyroxene. Silicate melt metasomatism predominated in the deep lithosphere and led to enrichments in the HFSE with minor enrichments in LREE. Metasomatism by small-volume volatile-rich melts, such as carbonatite, appears to have been more important in the shallow lithosphere and led to enrichments in LREE with minor enrichments in HFSE. An intermediate metasomatic style, possibly a signature of volatile-rich silicate melts, is also recognised. These metasomatic styles may be related through modification of a single melt during progressive interaction with the mantle. This metasomatism is suggested to have occurred during Paleoproterozoic rifting of the Buffalo Head Terrane from the neighbouring Rae Province and may be responsible for the evolution of some samples toward unradiogenic Nd and Hf isotopic compositions.

Disturbed Re–Os isotope systematics, evident in implausible model ages, were obtained in situ for sulfides in several spinel lherzolites and suggest that many sulfides are secondary (metasomatic) or mixtures of primary and secondary sulfides. Sulfide in one peridotite has unradiogenic ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os and gives a model age of 1.89±0.38 Ga. This age coincides with the inferred emplacement of mafic sheets in the crust and suggests that the melts parental to the intrusions interacted with the lithospheric mantle.

A younger metasomatic event is indicated by the occurrence of sulfide-rich melt patches, unequilibrated mineral compositions and overgrowths on spinel that are Ti-, Cr- and Fe-rich but Zn-poor. Subsequent cooling is recorded by fine exsolution lamellae in the pyroxenes and by arrested mineral reactions.

If the lithosphere beneath the Buffalo Head Terrane was formed in the Archaean, any unambiguous signatures of this ancient origin may have been obliterated during these multiple events.     

Regional Variations in the Mineralogy of Metasomatic Assemblages in Mantle Xenoliths from the West Eifel Volcanic Field, Germany

Xenoliths record two distinct events in the mantle below theQuarternary West Eifel Volcanic Field, Germany. The first, duringthe Hercynian Orogeny, led to widespread formation of secondary,Ti-poor amphibole, clinopyroxene and phlogopite. The signatureof the second event, related to Quaternary volcanism, variesacross the field. At Dreiser Weiher and Meerfelder Maar, thisevent is characterized by amphibole–phlogopite–clinopyroxeneveins, hosted in lherzolite and harzburgite xenoliths broughtto the surface by sodic olivine nephelinite–basanite suitelavas. These veins formed from crystallization of sodic magmathat flowed along fractures in the mantle. At Rockeskyller Kopf,Gees and Baarley, the Quaternary event is characterized by wehrlitexenoliths, many of which have phlogopite–clinopyroxeneveins, that were transported by potassic foid suite lavas. Wehrliteformed by reaction of lherzolite–harzburgite, with a largevolume of potassic magma that flowed along grain boundariesrather than in fractures. During reaction, orthopyroxene wasconsumed and secondary clinopyroxene, olivine and phlogopiteprecipitated. Veins formed in wehrlites only during periodicover-pressure events. The composition of the magmas parentalto the veins is similar to the lavas that carried the xenolithsto surface, indicating that the source of foid and olivine nephelinite–basanitesuite magma is domainal, as was the flow regime and magma flux. KEY WORDS: Eifel; mantle xenoliths; metasomatism; trace elements