Lamprophyres and carbonatitic lamprophyres related to rifting in the Labrador Sea

Lamprophyre dykes intruded into the Archaean of South West Greenland are believed to coincide with the early stages of rifting in the Labrador Sea area. They yield K/Ar and fission-track ages of 150–115 m.y. which are similar to the apatite fission-track ages from the host rocks but which predate the formation of ocean floor. The strongly undersaturated, often K-rich magmas exhibit the chemical characters of modern rift volcanism with many types present, and the paragenesis and their mineral chemistry reflect the composition and the different physical conditions in the evolution of the lamprophyres. Crystal fractionation and carbonate unmixing are believed to be the main factors in the evolution of the lamprophyre dykes from a primary mantle derived magma. However, the most undersaturated and evolved lamprophyre types cannot be explained in this way, and more complex models must be considered.