Within-plate (intracontinental) and postorogenic magmatism of the East European Craton as reflection of the evolution of continental lithosphere

A comparative analysis of within-plate (intracontinental) and orogenic magmatic series formed during various evolution stages of the East European Craton (EEC) was performed using geological-petrological, geochemical, and isotopic data. The example of Baltic shield indicates that the compositions and tectonic settings of mantle melts in the Early Precambrian (Archean and Early Paleoproterozoic) significantly differed from those in the Phanerozoic. The Early Precambrian magmas were dominated by high-Mg low-Ti melts of the komatiite-basaltic and boninite-like series; this tectonomagmatic activity was determined by the ascent of mantle superplumes of the first generation, which originated in the depleted mantle. In the interval of 2.3–2.0 Ga, high-Mg mantle melts gradually gave place to the Fe-Ti picrites and basalts that are typical of within-plate Phanerozoic magmatism; at ～2 Ga, plume tectonics of the Early Precambrian gave way to plate tectonics. This is considered to be linked to the activity of mantle superplumes of the second generation (thermochemical), which originated from the liquid metallic core/mantle interface. Owing to the presence of fluid components, these superplumes reached much higher levels, where spreading of their head portions led to the active interaction with overlaying thinned rigid lithosphere. Sm-Nd isotopic studies showed that orogenic Neoarchean and Middle Paleoproterozoic magmatism of the Baltic shield was connected to the melting of the lithospheric mantle and crust; the melting of crustal sources gave rise to felsic members of the considered complexes. The systematic geochemical variations observed in these rocks with time presumably reflect a general trend toward an increase of the thickness of the continental crust serving as the basement for orogens. Beginning at ～2 Ga, the Meso, Neoproterozoic, and Phanerozoic including, no systematic variations were observed in the isotopic-geochemical characteristics of within-plate magmatism. All considered age sections demonstrate that isotopic-geochemical characteristics of parental mantle melts were strongly modified by crustal contamination. Mesoproterozoic magmatism of EEC was unique in the development of giant anorthosite-rapakivi granite complexes. Kimberlites and lamproites were repeatedly formed within EEC in the time interval from 1.8 to 0.36 Ga; their maximal development was noted in the Late Devonian. It was shown that only kimberlites derived from weakly enriched mantle are diamondiferous in the Arkhangelsk province; in the classic diamond provinces (Africa and Yakutia), diamondiferous kimberlites were derived from both depleted and enriched mantle.