Distribution of REE between amphibole and pyroxenes in the lithospheric mantle: An assessment from the lattice strain model

Abstract

Abstract Amphibole and pyroxenes are the main reservoirs of rare earth elements (REEs) in lithospheric mantle that has been affected by hydrous metasomatism. In this study, we developed semi-empirical models for REE partitioning between orthopyroxene and amphibole and between clinopyroxene and amphibole. These models were formulated on the basis of parameterized lattice strain models of mineral–melt REE partitioning for orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and amphibole, and they were calibrated using major element and REE data of amphibole and pyroxenes in natural mantle samples from intraplate setting. The mineral–melt REE partitioning models suggest that amphibole is not in equilibrium with coexisting pyroxenes in the mantle samples, and that the amphibole crystallized at a lower temperature than that of the pyroxenes. We estimated the apparent amphibole crystallization temperature using major element compositions of the amphibole and established temperature- and composition-dependent models that can be used to predict apparent pyroxene–amphibole REE partition coefficients for amphibole-bearing peridotite and pyroxenite from intraplate lithospheric mantle. Apparent pyroxene–amphibole REE partition coefficients predicted by the models can be used to infer REE contents of amphibole from REE contents of coexisting pyroxenes. This is especially useful when the grain size of amphibole is too small for trace element analysis.