Clinopyroxenes and Coexisting Mafic Minerals from the Alkaline Ilimaussaq Intrusion, South Greenland

The Ilímaussaq intrusion consists of an augite syeniteshell and a central cumulitic series of layered peralkaline(agpaitic) nepheline syenites with both roof and bottom cumulates.Microprobe analyses of the strongly zoned mafics show that thepyroxenes range from ferro-salite through hedenbergite to aegirine,the amphiboles from hastingsite through katophorite to arfvedsonite,and the olivines from Fo_16.8 to F_O0.2. Aenigmatite analysesare also presented. The crystal chemistry of the pyroxenes isdiscussed in detail. The behaviour of the various elements isdiscussed in relation to the conditions in the coexisting magma.The relation between oxygen fugacity and silica activity andthe stability of fayalite and Na-poor pyroxenes in over-andundersaturated magmas is considered. The persistent stabilityof these minerals in the strongly undersaturated Ilimaussaqmagma shows that the oxygen fugacities in Ilímaussaqwere lower than in any other known alkaline suites. Based onthe compositional development in the mafic minerals it is inferredthat the intrusion formed from at least three separate pulsesof successively more differentiated magma: (1) an augite syenitemagma congealed inwards from the sides, (2) a peralkaline undersaturatedmagma gave rise to the roof cumulates which congealed successivelydownwards. The differentiating magma was water-undersaturatedand underwent depletion in Mg and enrichment in Zr and Na. Thecontemporaneous bottom cumulates are hidden beneath the nowvisible bottom cumulates which possess a still more differentiatedliquidus mineral assemblage and are ascribed to a third separatemagma pulse.