Geochemical features of some Archaean and post-Archaean high-magnesian-low-alkali liquids

Abstract

High-magnesian-low-alkali liquids are found as mafic lavas ranging in age from Archaean to Gainozoic. The most magnesian lavas are represented by Archaean spinifex textured peridotitic komatiites, and in this study these liquids are used as a comparative base for younger, less magnesian liquids. The post-Archaean lavas fall into three categories: (1) the Gape Smith (Proterozoic) - Baffin Bay (Gainozoic) group, (2) the low-Ti ophiolitic basalts of Cyprus, which represent remelting of a sequentially depleted source, and (3) the boninite group, which are the products of (wet?) melting of a source that had previously experienced depletion and addition of incompatible element enriched phases. With the use of parameters such as Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 , Sc/Zr, Ti/V, a comparison of Archaean komatiites with the younger high magnesian lavas indicates that the bulk of the variation seen in these rocks types can be interpreted in terms of the amount of partial melting and nature of residual phases. However, some of the variability that occurs within individual lava provinces (particularly among the light rare earth elements) is best explained by a heterogeneity superimposed on a previously homogeneous source. The abundance of high-magnesian liquids declines sharply after the Archaean as does the maximum MgO content achieved by the lavas.