Geochemical and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic constraints on the origin and petrogenesis of Paleozoic lamproites in the southern Yangtze Block, South China

Abstract

Lamproites and kimberlites are natural probes of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle providing insights into the Earth’s continental lithosphere. Whole-rock major-, trace-element and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions of the Paleozoic (~ 253 Ma) lamproite dikes from the Baifen zone of the Zhenyuan area in southeastern Guizhou Province (in the southern Yangtze Block, South China) are presented. The Baifen lamproites are characterized by high MgO (7.84–14.1 wt%), K2O (3.94–5.07 wt%) and TiO2 (2.69–3.23 wt%) contents, low SiO2 (41.3–45.7 wt%), Na2O (0.21–0.28 wt%) and Al2O3 (6.10–7.20 wt%) contents. All lamproites have elevated Cr (452–599 ppm) and Ni (485–549 ppm) abundances, as well as high Ba (1884–3589 ppm), La (160–186 ppm), Sr (898–1152 ppm) and Zr (532–632 ppm) concentrations. They show uniform REE distribution patterns that are strongly enriched in light REEs relative to heavy REEs [(La/Yb)N = 71.1–87.6], and exhibit OIB-like geochemical features with obvious enrichment of both LILEs and HFSEs in the primitive mantle-normalized multi-element distribution diagram. Moderately radiogenic Sr (87Sr/86Sri = 0.706336–0.707439), unradiogenic Nd (143Nd/144Ndi = 0.511687–0.511704 and eNd(t) = − 12.2 to − 11.9), and low initial Pb (206Pb/204Pbi = 16.80–16.90, 207Pb/204Pbi = 15.34–15.35 and 208Pb/204Pbi = 37.43–37.70) isotopic compositions are obtained from the rocks. They yield old model ages of TDM(Nd) = 1.48–1.54 Ga. These signatures suggest that the Baifen lamproite magmas are alkaline, ultrapotassic and ultramafic in character and mainly represent mantle-derived primary melts, which have undergone insignificant crustal contamination and negligible fractional crystallization. The Baifen lamproites originated from a veined metasomatized lithospheric mantle source. We envisage that they were derived by partial melting of old, mineralogically complex metasomatic vein assemblages in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle beneath the southern Yangtze Block. The source region experienced ancient mantle metasomatism with complex modification by enriched fluids and melts. The metasomatic agents are most likely to originate from pre-existing slab subduction beneath the southeastern margin of the Yangtze Block. Tectonically, the Baifen lamproites were emplaced at the southern margin of the Yangtze Block, and they formed in an intraplate extensional setting, showing an anorogenic affinity. In terms of time and space, the genesis of Baifen lamproites is presumably related to the Emeishan large igneous province. The Emeishan mantle plume is suggested as an effective mechanism for rapid extension and thinning of the lithosphere, followed by decompression melting of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Combined with the thermal perturbation from asthenospheric upwelling induced by the Emeishan mantle plume, the lamproite magmas, representing small volume and limited partial melts of ancient enriched mantle lithosphere, arose. We propose that the generation of the Baifen lamproite dikes probably was a consequence of the far-field effects of the Emeishan mantle plume.