Biotite Equilibria and Fluid Circulation in the Klokken Intrusion

Chemical variation in biotite from the KJokken gabbro-syeniteintrusion in the Proterozoic Gardar province in South Greenlandhas been investigated by electron probe and, for F and Li, ionmicroprobe. Most mica occurs in small amounts as fringes onilmenomagnetite or fayalite, rarely as an intercumulus or poikiliticphase. The micas range continuously from Phlog₇₀Ann₃₀ in a gabbro,to Phlog₄Ann₉₆ in the most evolved (slightly persilicic andperalkaline) syenite. In the syenites Fe-Mg partitioning betweenbiotite and olivine can be described by a single distributioncoefficient, K_d = XF X^Biot_Ms/X^Biot_Fe 3, suggesting that thesereactant phases mix ideally at the reaction T. Experimentaldata for Fe-Mg exchange via aqueous chloride solutions (Schulien,1980) imply low T (32Q?C). F was absent in the experiments andmay significantly affect the exchange equilibrium. K_d in thegabbros is 1, consistent with equilibrium via a fluid depletedin F because of crystallization of large amounts of amphibole. Al, Mn, and Ti vary regularly throughout the series and canbe used as markers of cryptic variation in the layered syenites.(Al + Si): 22 O is always in the range 7.7–7.85. A1/(A1+ Si) decreases from 0.31 in gabbros to 0.25 in the most Fe-richmicas. Li is always < 260 ppm w. In the syenite series, Fshows a near-linear inverse relationship with Fe/(Fe + Mg) whichpasses close to OF at Ann₁₀₀ with l.4 wt% F(0–7 F to 44positive charges) at Ann₄₄. Biotites in the gabbro unit (whichforms an outer sheath to the intrusion) have relatively lessF, probably because it was consumed by coexisting amphibole.^I8O is similar for both gabbros and syenites, and it is unlikelythat an envelope fluid was involved in the reactions. G reachesa maximum of 0.3 wt. % in biotite except for that in one syenitesample with 0–7 wt. %. Calculation of relative F-OH fugacitiesfrom the reaction OH-phlogopite + F-annite = F-phlogopite +OH-annite, as calibrated by Munoz (1984), appears to suggestthat each horizon in the layered series was in equilibrium witha slightly different fluid. In view of the intimate interleavingof these lithologies, this is improbable. The equilibrium constantof the exchange reaction, obtained from the experimental data,seems not to be appropriate to the Klokken assemblage, or toother examples of regular F-Fe avoidance. Explanations may includeshort-range Fe-Mg ordering in the natural examples or the effectof additional components in the fluid. F contents are high incomparison with biotites from calc-alkaline complexes; highmagmatic F may account for the igneous layering common in theGardar. Temperatures calculated from reactions involving fayaliteand magnetite show that most biotites grew subsolidus. The F-poorannites grew > 300 ?C subsolidus even when texturally intercumulus.Stable isotope data are consistent with the separation and retentionof a deuteric fluid during the final stage of magmatic crystallization.Klokken was not generally subject to the pervasive, long-range(in both distance and time) dydrothermal interactions demonstratedin calcalkaline and theleiitic intrusions, although more extensivefluid flow is indicated for the more permeable laminated syenites.The biotites preserve chemical variation indicating local equilibriumwith other mafic phases, and halogens provide a useful markerof subsolidus fluid flow.     

Apparent OSL ages of modern deposits from Fåbergstølsdalen,Norway: implications for sampling glacial sediments

The application of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating within glacial settings can be limited where sediments have not had their OSL signal fully reset by sunlight exposure. Heterogeneous bleaching can result in age overestimations, and although it is recognized that certain depositional settings are more likely to have experienced sufficient sunlight exposure to bleach the OSL signal, no comprehensive study has empirically investigated the processes of sediment bleaching, or the variability in bleaching between deposits of the same type and within the same glacial catchment. A suite of modern glacial and glaciofluvial sediments from Fåbergstølsdalen, southern Norway, have been analysed to explore the controls that sedimentary processes and depositional setting have on bleaching of the OSL signal of quartz. There is considerable variability in the residual OSL ages of similar modern deposits, which reflects high sensitivity of the OSL signal to sediment source, sedimentary process, transport distance and depositional setting. Overdispersion values are greatest for the sediments which have been most heterogeneously bleached and these sediments have the lowest residual ages. Sampling strategies that incorporate sufficient consideration of the depositional framework of sample settings can minimize the effects of unbleached residuals on OSL age determinations.     

Biotites as Indicators of Fluorine Fugacities in Late-Stage Magmatic Fluids: the Gardar Province of South Greenland

The major element chemistry and fluorine contents of biotitesfrom the Gardar alkaline province of South Greenland providean insight into the F contents of late-stage fluids associatedwith the magmatism. Biotites were taken from composite intrusionsranging from alkali gabbro to syenites, nepheline syenites andalkali granites. In each complex they show a large range ofFe/(Fe+Mg) (from 0•2 to 1) and exhibit strong Fe-F avoidance.There is considerable variation in F for any value of Fe/(Fe+Mg)but for each centre maximum F values plotted against Fe/(Fe+Mg)define a nearly straight line of characteristic slope towardslow or zero F at pure annite. Micas in the SiO₂ undersaturatedcentres have higher F contents than those from oversaturatedcentres. Cl is low (0•69 wt%) except in the Kûngnâtintrusion, where it reaches 1•4 wt%. Phase equilibriumand textural considerations suggest that most or all biotitesgrew subsolidus in a pervasive deuteric fluid. ¹⁸O values suggestthat these fluids were largely magmatic in character and thatextensive reactions with envelope fluids did not occur. Metasomaticresetting of F in biotites in early intrusive units in the aureoleof later units can be demonstrated. Experimental data of Munoz (Mineralogical Society of America,Reviews in Mineralogy 13, 469–494, 1984) were used tocalculate families of curves showing variation in F with Fe/(Fe+Mg)for biotites in equilibrium with fluids of fixed fugacity ratio,f(HF)/f(H₂O), at fixed P and T. The resulting curves cut sharplyacross the maximum fluorine lines observed in the natural examples.As it seems highly unlikely that changes in fluid compositionand T, acting together, could produce the observed linear relationship,we conclude that the partitioning of F between fluid and micain the plutonic environment is not well modelled by the experiments.Possible explanations are short-range order (SRO) of Fe andMg on octahedral sites in biotite (Mason, Canadian Mineralogist30, 343–354, 1992) or effects resulting from differentF speciation in alkaline fluids. If perfect Fe-F avoidance isassumed, Fe-Mg SRO can increase maximum F content. The F levelsseen in the silica-saturated centres are broadly consistentwith a cooling-rate related control. It is possible that thehigher F in biotites in the undersaturated centres reflectsdifferent speciation in the fluid rather than higher F contents,with strongly bound SiF₄° complexes more common. KEY WORDS: biotites; Gardar; fluorine; alkaline rocks; fluids