Geochemistry and Petrogenesis of Central Lebombo Basalts of the Karoo Igneous Province

Three distinet basaltic rock types are recognized on the basisof detailed new analyses in the eastern zone (central Lebombo)of the Karoo Igneous Province. The high titanium and zirconiumgroup is composed of low-Fe (henceforth called simply high Ti-Zrbasalts) and high-Fe (henceforth called ‘high-Fe’)varieties and distinguished from the low titanium and zirconiumgroup by 2–4 times greater abundances of Ti, P, Zr, Nb,Y, La, Ce, and Nd (high field strength elements; HFSE), as wellas higher but more variable abundances of K, Rb, Ba, and Sr,All rock types are interbedded to some degree, although thehigh Ti-Zr type (low-Fe) predominates at the base of the sectionand the ‘high-Fe’ type occurs mostly at the topof the section. Stratigraphic relationships show that the highTi-Zr basalts to the south within a distance of 60 km. Eruptionof each rock type from replenished, tapped, and fractionatedmagma chambers can account for much of the major and trace elementvariation within each suite, with the notable exceptions ofthe large ion lithophile elements (LILE; K, Rb, and Ba) andSr. Neither crystal fractionation nor contamination with graniticcrust can produce the variations between the basalt types anddoes not appear to affect significantly the geochemistry withinany basalt type. The North Lebombo high Ti-Zr picrites are themost likely parent magmas to the high Ti-Zr low-MgO group. Considerationof previous studies of the picrites suggested that the highTi-Zr picrite geochemistry requires a mixed source or the mixingof two picrite endmember magmas discriminated on the basis ofdegree of incompatible element enrichment. At least one of theendmembers must be within, or derived from, sub-continentallithospheric mantle. The low-MgO high Ti-Zr basalt geochemistryis consistent with evolution from a picritic parent with abouta 30–44 wt. % mantle lithospheric component. In contrast,the low Ti-Zr basalt group parental composition is outside thecompositional range suggested for the high Ti-Zr picrite endmembers,being more depleted in incompatible elements (e.g., Ti, P, Zr,Nb, LREE, and LILE). Again, by analogy with possible picriticparents, this group may segregate from a source more depletedin incompatible elements than a mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)source, leaving a harzburgitic residue. The ‘high-Fe’basalt group is very evolved (e.g., MgO <5%) but may stillbe constrained by Nd-isotope and Zr/Y ratios to have a mantlesource geochemically similar to that from which the Walvis Ridgebasalts were derived. If a mantle plume contributed to basaltgeochemistry significantly, then the late-stage ‘high-Fe’basalts represent this component most closely.