An autochthonous Avalonian basement source for the latest Ordovician Brenton Pluton in the Meguma terrane of Nova Scotia: U–Pb–Hf isotopic constraints and paleogeographic implications

International Journal of Earth Sciences - The Ediacaran–Ordovician Meguma Supergroup was thrust over Avalonia basement prior to the intrusion of post-Acadian, ca. 370 Ma, S-type...     

Geochemistry of the Adamello massif (northern Italy)

The Tertiary Adamello massif, outcropping over an area of more than 550 km² in the southern Alps (northern Italy) is composed mainly of granitoid rocks (granodiorite, tonalite, quartz diorite) with minor amounts of diorite and gabbro. The major and trace element composition of these rocks is comparable to calc-alkaline volcanic rocks of continental margins. The granitoid rocks display spatial and temporal variations in their composition, particularly in Na, P, Sr, La, Nb and Y contents and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios. The variations were probably produced by concurrent contamination/wall-rock assimilation and fractional crystallization of high-alumina basaltic magma.     

Uranium and thorium in paleozoic basalts of Nova Scotia (Canada)

In the Paleozoic basalts of Nova Scotia (Canada) metamorphosed to a greenschist facies grade, U and Th are closely associated with immobile elements (e.g. Zr and Nb). The coherence of these elements with K, typical of igneous rocks is, however, absent, U and Th are apparently not affected by greenschist facies metamorphism as are alkali and alkali earth elements and their variation thus reflects primary magmatic processes. It seems that during the early stages of metamorphism, U and Th were retained together with several other incompatible elements (Zr, Nb, La and Ce) in stable secondary phases or alternatively these elements may be held in primary accessory minerals such as zircon and apatite.     

Carbonate metasomatism in the lithospheric mantle: peridotitic xenoliths from a melilititic district of the Sahara basin

The petrological and geochemical study of harzburgitic and dunitic xenoliths from the melilititic district of In Teria (Algerian Sahara) shows that the lighospheric mantle of this region has been affected by a multi-stage metasomatism. The first metasomatic event is related to the injection of alkali silicated (basaltic or kimberlitic) melt and was responsible for the crystallization of phlogopite at depths ranging between 80 and 100 km and the crystallization of amphibole at about 60 km. During this first event, carbonate probably precipitated in the garnet stability field. In a second stage, the spinal peridotites suffered strong mineral changes resulting in an extensive formation of high-Cr endiopside and leading to conversion of harzburgite and dunite into lherzolite and wehrlite. These changes are associated with an enrichment in the most incompatible trace elements including light REE (rare-earth elements), Ta, Th and variable values of ratios such as Th/La and Ta/La. This second event is atributed to the injection (under conditions of decarbonatation and release of CO₂) of a carbonatitic melt resulting from incipient melting of the garnet peridotites, which were previously carbonated. This interpretation is corroborated by the calculation of a diffusion-percolation model which reproduces well the observed distribution of incompatible trace elements in the spinel peridotites. Given the proposed sequence of events, it appears that most of the specificities of the In Teria xenoliths can be explained by the successive geochemical modifications induced within the lithospheric mantle during reheating.     

Uranium in volcanic rocks from the central Andes

The distribution of U in volcanic rocks from two transects across the Central Andes (latitudes 27°–28° S and 16°–18° S, respectively) differs from that of K. For a given SiO₂, content of the rocks, K systematically increases with the distance from the trench, while the highest U abundances are found in the rocks overlying the thickest segments of the continental crust, which are situated in the middle parts of the transects. It is suggested that this variation of U reflects crustal contamination.     

Trace element geochemistry of paleozoic amphibolites from S. W. Spain

Summary Mid-grade low P/high T Paleozoic amphibolites from Acebuches (S. W. Spain) represent a mostly isochemically metamorphosed basaltic suite which is partly cumulative and partly differentiated. They have chemical compositions and element variations similar to ocean-floor tholeiites. The amphibolites may be related to the early stages of rapid rifting during the formation of the Variscan belt.

---

Geochemie der Spurenelemente in Paläozoischen Amphiboliten aus Südwest-Spanien

Zusammenfassung Amphibolite mittleren Metamorphose-Grades (niedrige Drucke, hohe Temperaturen) von Acebuches, Südwest-Spanien, repräsentieren eine weithin isochemisch metamorphosierte Abfolge von Basalten, die teils differenzierte und teils Cumulus-Gesteine waren. Chemismus und Element-Variationen entsprechen den Tholeiiten von Ozeanböden. Diese Amphibolite können den Frühstadien intensiver Grabenbildung im Zuge der Entstehung des Varistischen Gürtels zugeordnet werden.

---

---

With 1 Figure     

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of late proterozoic volcanic rocks from north-western Africa

The Upper Proterozoic volcanism of northwestern Africa is characterized by the predominance of calc-alkaline rocks. Volcanics with tholeiitic affinities and alkali basalts are rare. The geochemistry and the relative proportions of calc-alkaline rocktypes in the Silet zone (Algeria) and the Ouarzazate formation (Morocco) are similar to those of recent island arc suites where basalts are most abundant while in the Tassendjanet and Gara Akofo zones (Algeria) they resemble contintal margin volcanic suites with a predominance of andesites. The volcanic rocks have undergone low-grade metamorphism which strongly affected alkali and alkali-earth elements and also to a smaller degree, the less mobile elements such as REE, Zr, Hf, Nb, and P. The geochemistry of the calc-alkaline rocks point to a complex origin involving low-pressure fractional crystallization, crustal contamination and derivation from a source already enriched in LILE.     

Trace element mobility in the mylonite zone within the ophiolite aureole,St. Anthony Complex,Newfoundland

The late syntectonic mylonite zone (45–100 m thick) within the dynamothermal aureole of the St. Anthony Complex in northwestern Newfoundland was derived from surrounding quartz and epidote amphibolites by deformation and the nearly isovolumetric metasomatism. Amphibolites have a composition typical of light REE-depleted ocean-floor tholeiites. Mylonites (biotite amphibolites) resemble transitional alkali basalts in major and trace element composition and in the interrelation among relatively immobile elements such as Ti, Zr, Nb, Y and P. Their REE patterns are enriched in light REE and show gradual depletion of heavy REE with La/Yb ratios ranging from 8.4 to 18.4. The results emphasize the need for caution in interpreting the concentration and ratios of any elements in mafic rocks which have been affected by metasomatism in an amphibolite facies shear zone.     

Uranium in spinel peridotite inclusions in basalts from Sardinia

The uranium distribution in spinel peridotite inclusions and their host basalt from Sardinia, Italy, was determined by fission-track mapping. Whole-rock U concentrations range from 14 to 55 ppb. Although the partitioning of U among major silicate phases of the inclusions — olivine, orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene — remains roughly constant, the U content in the minerals is highly variable, e.g. ranging from 27 ppb to 177 ppb in clinopyroxene. The U variation in the minerals shows no apparent correlation with their major element chemistry. Liquid which equilibrated with the assemblages of inclusions with high U content, had U concentrations higher than those found in basaltic rocks. It is suggested that the inclusions were contaminated with a phase strongly enriched in U and subsequently recrystallized. The available data show that spinel peridotite inclusions of basaltic rocks frequently have complex multistage evolution and thus cannot provide a representative picture of the upper mantle radioactivity.     

Calc-alkaline volcanic rocks from NW Sardinia: Evaluation of a fractional crystallization model

The volcanic centre of Monte Seda Oro, N. W. Sardinia, representative of a Cenozoic calc-alkaline andesitic suite of rocks is composed of a variety of rocks ranging from high alumina basalts to dacites. The minerals of basaltic, andesitic and dacitic rocks show only limited variation in chemical composition. The geochemical data suggest that the various rock-types are related by a crystal-liquid fractionation. Least-squate numerical calculations, using major element data, support the derivation of andesites with SiO₃ content ranging from 53.8 to 59.0% from basalts having about 48.7% of SiO₂ by low pressure crystal fractionation of the phenocryst phases present in these rocks. However, the origin of dacites cannot be readily explained by this mechanism.