Geochemistry and petrogenesis of late proterozoic volcanic rocks from north-western Africa

Abstract

The Upper Proterozoic volcanism of northwestern Africa is characterized by the predominance of calc-alkaline rocks. Volcanics with tholeiitic affinities and alkali basalts are rare. The geochemistry and the relative proportions of calc-alkaline rocktypes in the Silet zone (Algeria) and the Ouarzazate formation (Morocco) are similar to those of recent island arc suites where basalts are most abundant while in the Tassendjanet and Gara Akofo zones (Algeria) they resemble contintal margin volcanic suites with a predominance of andesites. The volcanic rocks have undergone low-grade metamorphism which strongly affected alkali and alkali-earth elements and also to a smaller degree, the less mobile elements such as REE, Zr, Hf, Nb, and P. The geochemistry of the calc-alkaline rocks point to a complex origin involving low-pressure fractional crystallization, crustal contamination and derivation from a source already enriched in LILE.