The Skien lavas, Oslo Rift: petrological disequilibrium and geochemical evolution

The Skien lavas, which form the earliest phase of basaltic magmatism within the Permo-Carboniferous Oslo Rift, contain multiple generations of clinopyroxene which exhibit strong petrological and geochemical disequilibrium. Three principal core compositions have been identified: (1) low-jadeite, high-Mg, Cr-diopside cores (CrMgDi) with strongly depleted trace-element signatures, which are believed to be xenocrystic in origin; (2) Mg-rich, Cr-poor diopside cores (MgDi) with moderately depleted trace-element signatures which probably represent early cognate growth; and (3) more dominant, low-Mg, phenocrystic diopside cores (PhenDi). Several samples contain CrMgDi or MgDi cores which have been subjected to resorption and partial re-equilibration with their host melts, indicative of extensive disequilibrium and magma mixing. These three core types are overgrown by trace-element-enriched Ti-augite, which also forms megacrysts and late-stage lava groundmass. Calculated Ti-augite/melt partition coefficients show clinopyroxene compatibility of the M-HREE, Zr, Hf and Y. The LILE, Sr, and Nb remain incompatible. )Sr₃₀₀ and )Nd₃₀₀ of Ti-augite overgrowths, phenocrystic diopside, and MgDi diopside cores show that intrasample isotopic disequilibrium existed when the host basalts were erupted. All epsilon values lie within the range of data previously published for the Skien lavas. Detailed examination of the chemical, isotopic and textural disequilibrium features seen in these lavas has enabled us to place constraints upon the magmatic evolution of this basalt suite, ranging from xenocryst incorporation to cognate multistage pyroxene growth, as well as identifying clear evidence of magma mixing and possible crustal contamination.