Volatile and trace elements in alkaline and subalkaline melts of ocean islands: Evidence from inclusions in minerals and quenched glasses of rocks

Our database of published contents of volatile, major, and trace elements in melt inclusions in minerals and quenched glasses of volcanic rocks was used to calculate the mean compositions of alkaline and subalkaline melts of ocean islands. The data array included ~10300 determinations from more than 200 publications. The alkaline basic melts (mean Na₂O + K₂O is 4.75 wt %) are strongly enriched compared with the subalkaline melts (mean Na₂O + K₂O is 2.70 wt %) in volatile components (0.96 and 0.37 wt % H₂O, 650 and 190 ppm Cl, 1480 and 320 ppm F, and 930 and 530 ppm S, respectively) and many trace elements. For instance, the alkaline and subalkaline melts contain 31.8 and 7.2 ppm Rb, 50.1 and 9.6 ppm Nb, and 39.9 and 5.7 ppm La, respectively. Such relations were not observed for V, Cr, Co, Cu, Ga, and Sc. As to the major elements, the alkaline melts show significantly higher contents of Ti, Fe, and P, but lower contents of Si and Mg compared with the subalkaline melts. The enrichment of the alkaline melts in many trace elements compared with the subalkaline melts is retained also in silicic melts. The distribution of trace elements suggests a higher contribution of pyroxenite material during the formation of alkaline melts.