Lithium elemental and isotopic variations in rock-melt interaction

Despite the occurrence of highly variable lithium (Li) elemental distribution and isotopic fractionation in mantle mineral, the mechanism of Li heterogeneity and fractionation remains a controversial issue. We measured Li contents and isotopic compositions of olivine and clinopyroxene xenocrysts and phenocrysts from kamafugite host lavas, as well as minerals in melt pockets occurring as metasomatic products in peridotite xenoliths from the Western Qinling, central China. The olivine xenocrysts in the kamafugites show compositional zonation. The cores have high Mg# (100 × Mg/(Mg+Fe); 91.0–92.2) and Li abundances (5.63–21.7 ppm), low CaO contents (≤0.12 wt%) and low δ⁷Li values (−39.6 to −6.76‰), which overlap with the compositional ranges of the olivines in the melt pockets as well as those in peridotite xenoliths. The rims of the olivine xenocrysts display relatively low Mg# (85.9–88.2), high CaO contents (0.19–0.38 wt%) and high δ⁷Li values (18.3–26.9‰), which are comparable to the olivine phenocrysts (Mg#: 86.4–87.1; CaO: 0.20–0.28 wt%; Li: 12.4–36.8 ppm; δ⁷Li: 18.1–26.0‰) and the silicate-melt metasomatized olivines. The clinopyroxene phenocrysts and clinopyroxenes in the melt pockets have no distinct characteristics with respect to the Li abundances and δ⁷Li values, but show higher and lower CaO contents, respectively, than the clinopyroxenes from silicate and carbonatite metasomatized samples. These features indicate that Li concentration and isotopic signatures of the cores of the xenocrysts recorded carbonatite melt-peridotite reaction (carbonatite metasomatism) at mantle depth, and the variations in the rims probably resulted from xenocryst–host magma interaction during ascent. Our results reveal that the interaction with carbonatite and silicate melts gave rise to an increase in Li abundance in minerals of peridotite xenoliths at mantle depth or during transportation. In terms of δ⁷Li, the carbonatite and silicate melts produced remarkably contrasting δ⁷Li variations in olivine. Based on the systematic variations of Li abundances and Li isotopes in olivines, we suggest that the δ⁷Li value of olivine is a more important indicator than that of clinopyroxene in discriminating carbonatite and silicate melt interaction agents with peridotites.     

Petrology and new data on the geochemistry of the Andahua volcanic group (Central Andes,southern Peru)

The Quaternary Andahua volcanic group is located within the Central Volcanic Zone in Southern Peru. The author presents new data on major and trace elements and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios for Andahua rocks from all regions with volcanic centres. The TAS data identify the Andahua lavas as trachyandesites, basaltic trachyandesites and dacites. The phenocrysts are represented mainly by plagioclase, but olivine, clinopyroxene and hornblende are also present. In some cases the trachyandesites show Ca enrichment and their plagioclases have an andesine–bytownite composition. The plagioclase phenocrysts show a slight normal and occasionally reverse zonation. Their basaltic parental magmas were enriched in fluids derived from dehydration of the subducted oceanic crust. The chemical content of the Andahua volcanic rocks shows some similarity to both the slightly older and the contemporaneous and widespread Barroso Group rocks in this region.     

相图对广西栗木花岗岩斑晶及起源岩浆的热力学形成条件的分析

与压力、温度、源岩成分、部分熔融程度有关的岩浆起源量化分析是花岗岩研究的难点。以广西栗木第二阶段花岗岩为研究对象,在岩相学及晶体类型分析的基础上,选择熔体晶体群中的斑晶和小颗粒环带净边结构斜长石及自形石英等作为探讨花岗岩起源之初始岩浆的特殊晶体群,运用相图分析它们形成时的压力和温度,进而推导出初始岩浆形成时的压力约为0.43 GPa(相当于深约16km处的上地壳),开始熔融出岩浆的共结点温度约为720°,初始岩浆最终熔出温度略高于800°,源岩成分的基性程度Ab/An值大于7.8。研究还表明,选择的特殊晶体群没有经历岩浆上升途中的阶段性生长,并认为,对于钙长石含量低的An—Ab—Or—Q岩浆体系(An5%),斑晶条纹长石的成分能够反映花岗岩浆起源时的部分熔融程度。该研究克服了前人利用矿物化学成分计算只能得出岩浆侵位时结晶温度、压力而得不到部分熔融时的熔融温度和压力的缺点,可为花岗岩起源分析提供有益的参考。     

Oxygen isotope ratios of phenocrysts from alkali basalts of the Pannonian basin: Evidence for an O-isotopically homogeneous upper mantle beneath a subduction-influenced area

Oxygen isotope compositions of olivine and pyroxene phenocrysts and pyroxene and amphibole megacrysts from Neogene alkali basalts of the Pannonian basin (0.5–11 Ma) have been determined by laser fluorination. Measured δ¹⁸O values in olivine and clinopyroxene phenocrysts show rather restricted variations from 5.00 to 5.20‰ and from 5.07 to 5.34%., respectively, with cpx-ol fractionations Δ¹⁸O(cpx-ol) ranging from + 0.04 to + 0.29‰. These δ¹⁸O values are significantly lower than those of the corresponding whole rocks, suggesting that low temperature alteration has increased the ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratios of the groundmass of host rocks, even in fresh looking samples, whereas their phenocrysts have retained original oxygen isotope compositions. The uniform oxygen isotope ratio in the phenocrysts suggests that the mantle source of the alkali basalts was also homogeneous with respect to its oxygen isotope composition, which is in contrast to the relatively wide variation of Sr, Nd and Pb isotope ratios in the source. Variations in radiogenic isotope compositions in the basalts have been explained by the interaction of subduction-related fluids with the mantle source of the basalts. If this is the case, then the fluids which caused significant changes in the Sr and Pb isotope ratios of the mantle source clearly did not noticeably modify its oxygen isotope composition. These data support the opinion that the upper mantle is more homogeneous with respect to its oxygen isotope composition than it was previously considered.