This paper reviews key characteristics of kimberlites on the Ekati property, NWT, Canada. To date 150 kimberlites have been discovered on the property, five of which are mined for diamonds. The kimberlites intrude Archean basement of the central Slave craton. Numerous Proterozoic diabase dykes intrude the area. The Precambrian rocks are overlain by Quaternary glacial sediments. No Phanerozoic rocks are present. However, mudstone xenoliths and disaggregated sediment within the kimberlites indicate that late-Cretaceous and Tertiary cover (likely <200 m) was present at the time of emplacement. The Ekati kimberlites range in age from 45 to 75 Ma. They are mostly small pipe-like bodies (surface area mostly <3 ha but up to 20 ha) that typically extend to projected depths of 400–600 m below current surface. Pipe morphologies are strongly controlled by joints and faults. The kimberlites consist primarily of variably bedded volcaniclastic kimberlite (VK). This is dominated by juvenile constituents (olivine and lesser kimberlitic ash) and variable amounts of exotic sediment (primarily mud), with minor amounts of xenolithic wall-rock material (generally <5%). Kimberlite types include: mud-rich resedimented VK (mRVK); olivine-rich VK (oVK); sedimentary kimberlite; primary VK (PVK); tuffisitic kimberlite (TK) and magmatic kimberlite (MK). The presence and arrangement of these rock types varies widely. The majority of bodies are dominated by oVK and mRVK, but PVK is prominent in the lower portions of certain kimberlites. TK is rare. MK occurs primarily as precursor dykes but, in a few cases, forms pipe-filling intrusions. The internal geology of the kimberlites ranges from simple single-phase pipes (RVK or MK), to complex bodies with multiple, distinct units of VK. The latter include pipes infilled with steep, irregular VK blocks/wedges and at least one case in which the pipe is occupied by well-defined sub-horizontal VK phases, including a unique, 100-m-thick graded sequence. The whole-rock compositions of VK samples suggest significant loss of kimberlitic fines during eruption followed by variable dilution by surface sediment and concurrent incorporation of kimberlitic ash. Diamond distribution within the kimberlites reflects the amount and nature of mantle material sampled by individual kimberlite phases, but is modified considerably by eruption and depositional processes. The characteristics of the Ekati kimberlites are consistent with a two-stage emplacement process: (1) explosive eruption/s causing vent clearing followed by formation of a significant tephra rim/cone of highly fragmented, olivine-enriched juvenile material with varying amounts of kimberlitic ash and surface sediments (predominantly mud); and (2) infilling of the vent by direct deposition from the eruption column and/or resedimentation of crater rim materials. The presence of less fragmented, juvenile-rich PVK in the lower portions of certain pipes and the intrusion of large volumes of MK to shallow levels in some bodies suggest emplacement of relatively volatile-depleted, less explosive kimberlite in the later stages of pipe formation and/or filling. Explosive devolatilisation of CO2-rich kimberlite magma is interpreted to have been the dominant eruption mechanism, but phreatomagmatism is thought to have played a role and, in certain cases, may have been dominant. 相似文献
A particular variety of volcanogenic country rock breccia is described; a contact breccia that has been identified at Venetia, River Ranch and Wimbledon kimberlite pipes. The contact breccia is clast supported with no juvenile kimberlite component, has tightly packed, angular fragments (with occasional rounding of smaller particles), and has a shear-fabric dipping towards the center of each kimberlite pipe or volcanic event. Clasts have preferred orientations parallel to the fabric. Photographs of the breccia in the open pit face and measured data from drill core are analyzed specifically to quantify the clast size distributions and clast shapes by means of fractal analysis. The fractal dimension is one means of characterizing the breccia because the dimension can be specific to a fragmentation mechanism. Clast size distribution fractal dimensions in the coarser particles (greater than circa 3 cm) range from greater than 3 for nonsheared breccia, down to circa 2.3 for the sheared breccia. Breccia characterization based on this fractal analysis suggests that fragmentation occurred initially from confined high-energy explosions, followed by collapse and abrasion by subsequently gravity-induced rockmass subsidence. All studied contact breccias produced a distinctive fractal signature in the finer particles (<3 cm) of circa 1.6 that can be explained by a comminution fragmentation process in that particular particle size range. It is suggested that these subsidence breccias require a substantial volume deficit at depth within the volcanic pipe in order to explain their origin and size. The methodology used in this study could be used to characterize any other volcanic breccia and further model their origins. 相似文献
The pipe shapes, infill and emplacement processes of the Attawapiskat kimberlites, including Victor, contrast with most of the southern African kimberlite pipes. The Attawapiskat kimberlite pipes are formed by an overall two-stage process of (1) pipe excavation without the development of a diatreme (sensu stricto) and (2) subsequent pipe infilling. The Victor kimberlite comprises two adjacent but separate pipes, Victor South and Victor North. The pipes are infilled with two contrasting textural types of kimberlite: pyroclastic and hypabyssal-like kimberlite. Victor South and much of Victor North are composed of pyroclastic spinel carbonate kimberlites, the main features of which are similar: clast-supported, discrete macrocrystal and phenocrystal olivine grains, pyroclastic juvenile lapilli, mantle-derived xenocrysts and minor country rock xenoliths are set in serpentine and carbonate matrices. These partly bedded, juvenile lapilli-bearing olivine tuffs appear to have been formed by subaerial fire-fountaining airfall processes.
The Victor South pipe has a simple bowl-like shape that flares from just below the basal sandstone of the sediments that overlie the basement. The sandstone is a known aquifer, suggesting that the crater excavation process was possibly phreatomagmatic. In contrast, the pipe shape and internal geology of Victor North are more complex. The northwestern part of the pipe is dominated by dark competent rocks, which resemble fresh hypabyssal kimberlite, but have unusual textures and are closely associated with pyroclastic juvenile lapilli tuffs and country rock breccias±volcaniclastic kimberlite. Current evidence suggests that the hypabyssal-like kimberlite is, in fact, not intrusive and that the northwestern part of Victor North represents an early-formed crater infilled with contrasting extrusive kimberlites and associated breccias. The remaining, main part of Victor North consists of two macroscopically similar, but petrographically distinct, pyroclastic kimberlites that have contrasting macrodiamond sample grades. The juvenile lapilli of each pyroclastic kimberlite can be distinguished only microscopically. The nature and relative modal proportion of primary olivine phenocrysts in the juvenile lapilli are different, indicating that they derive from different magma pulses, or phases of kimberlite, and thus represent separate eruptions. The initial excavation of a crater cross-cutting the earlier northwestern crater was followed by emplacement of phase (i), a low-grade olivine phenocryst-rich pyroclastic kimberlite, and the subsequent eruption of phase (ii), a high-grade olivine phenocryst-poor pyroclastic kimberlite, as two separate vents nested within the original phase (i) crater. The second eruption was accompanied by the formation of an intermediate mixed zone with moderate grade. Thus, the final pyroclastic pipe infill of the main part of the Victor North pipe appears to consist of at least three geological/macrodiamond grade zones.
In conclusion, the Victor kimberlite was formed by several eruptive events resulting in adjacent and cross-cutting craters that were infilled with either pyroclastic kimberlite or hypabyssal-like kimberlite, which is now interpreted to be of probable extrusive origin. Within the pyroclastic kimberlites of Victor North, there are two nested vents, a feature seldom documented in kimberlites elsewhere. This study highlights the meaningful role of kimberlite petrography in the evaluation of diamond deposits and provides further insight into kimberlite emplacement and volcanism. 相似文献
Deformation structures in the wall rocks of igneous intrusions emplaced at shallow crustal depths preserve an important record of how space was created for magma in the host rocks. Trachyte Mesa, a small Oligocene age intrusion in the Henry Mountains, Utah, is composed of a series of stacked tabular, sheet-like intrusions emplaced at 3–3.5 km depth into sandstone-dominated sedimentary sequences of late Palaeozoic–Mesozoic age. New structural analysis of the spatial distribution, geometry, kinematics and relative timings of deformation structures in the host rocks of the intrusion has enabled the recognition of distinct pre-, syn-, and late-stage-emplacement deformation phases. Our observations suggest a two-stage growth mechanism for individual sheets where radial growth of a thin sheet was followed by vertical inflation. Dip-slip faults formed during vertical inflation; they are restricted to the tips of individual sheets due to strain localisation, with magma preferentially exploiting these faults, initiating sill (sheet) climbing. The order in which sheets are stacked impacts on the intrusion geometry and associated deformation of wall rocks. Our results offer new insights into the incremental intrusion geometries of shallow-level magmatic bodies and the potential impact of their emplacement on surrounding host rocks. 相似文献
Constraining the process by which volcanoes become unstable is difficult. Several models have been proposed to explain the
driving forces which cause volcanic edifices to catastrophically collapse. These include models for destabilisation of volcanic
flanks by wedging due to dyke intrusion and the weakening of mechanical properties by pressurisation of pore fluids. It is
not known which, if any, of the models are relevant to particular sector collapse events. Recent developments in the palaeomagnetic
estimation of emplacement temperatures of volcaniclastic rocks have shown that even relatively low emplacement temperatures
can be recorded by volcaniclastics with high fidelity. We have carried out a palaeomagnetic study of emplacement temperatures
to investigate the role of igneous activity in the initiation of the 9,500 b.p. Murimotu sector collapse of Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand. This debris avalanche deposit has three fades which are stratigraphically
superimposed, and the lowermost fades contains three lithological assemblages representing different segments of the edifice
which were transported with little internal mixing within the flow. We have determined that some of the dacite-bearing assemblage
1, fades 1 was hot (∼350 °C) during transport and emplacement, whereas none of the other lithological assemblages of fades
contained hot material. Our interpretation is that a dacite dome was active on the ancient Ruapehu edifice immediately prior
to the Murimotu sector collapse. The partially cooled carapace of the dome and material shed from this part was incorporated
into the avalanche deposit, along with cold lavas and volcaniclastics. We have not found evidence for incorporation of material
at or close to magmatic temperatures, at least in the sampled locations. Our palaeomagnetic work allows us to develop a comprehensive,
new palaeomagnetic classification of volcaniclastics.
Published online: 25 January 2003
Editorial responsibility: D. Dingwell 相似文献
The Plechy pluton, southwestern Bohemian Massif, represents a late-Variscan, complexly zoned intrusive center emplaced near
the crustal-scale Pfahl shear zone; the pluton thus provides an opportunity to examine the interplay among successive emplacement
of large magma batches, magmatic fabric acquisition, and the late-Variscan stress field associated with strike-slip shearing.
The magmatic history of the pluton started with the emplacement of the porphyritic Plechy and Haidmühler granites. Based on
gravity and structural data, we interpret that the Plechy and Haidmühler granites were emplaced as a deeply rooted, ∼NE–SW
elongated body; its gross shape and internal fabric (steep ∼NE–SW magmatic foliation) may have been controlled by the late-Variscan
stress field. The steep magmatic foliation changes into flat-lying foliation (particularly recorded by AMS) presumably as
a result of divergent flow. Magnetic lineations correspond to a sub-horizontal ∼NE–SW finite stretch associated with the divergent
flow. Subsequently, the Třístoličník granite, characterized by steep margin-parallel magmatic foliation, was emplaced as a
crescent-shaped body in the central part of the pluton. The otherwise inward-younging intrusive sequence was completed by
the emplacement of the outermost and the most evolved garnet-bearing granite (the Marginal granite) along the southeastern
margin of the pluton.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. 相似文献