Rare-earth patterns in peralkaline and associated granites

A study of selected rare earths, determined by non-destructive neutron activation analysis, in six Nigerian younger granites, together with previously publisded data on similar granites from northern Nigeria and Russia, reveals that anorogenic granites with peralkaline affinities develop an enrichment in the middle rare-earth group Sm, Gd, Tb and Dy with a corresponding Eu depletion. Such patterns may be related to the precipitation of earlier formed perthitic feldspar and late crystallizing alkaline amphibole from low temperature liquids enriched in volatiles (alkalis and fluorine).Progressively albitized peralkaline riebeckite granites exhibit rare earth enrichments towards Yb until the most albitized peralkaline granite is no longer depleted in Eu and there is a marked upward curvature of the relatively heavier rare-earth patterns. This change could be caused by residual albite-rich hydrothermal fluids which overprinted the earlier rare-earth distribution patterns.