Magmatic sulfides and oxides in volcanic rocks from the Pitcairn hotspot (South Pacific)

Abstract

The Pitcairn hotspot, located about 60 km east of Pitcairn Island (South Pacific), consists of several active volcanoes 60%) is the main process responsible for differentiating these rock-types from an enriched source. Pyrrhotite and rare chalcopyrite grains in contact with pyrrhotite are observed only in the trachyandesite (3) in disseminated phenocryst clusters, usually in contact with large euhedral titanomagnetite phenocrysts. In addition, large euhedral pyrrhotite flakes, some with hexagonal habit, coat the walls of vesicles. All these pyrrhotite grains show a small range in Fe/S (0.90–0.99). The pyrrhotite in clusters precipitated earlier or simultaneously with titanomagnetite in a magmatic reservoir during crystal-liquid fractionation. Late precipitated vesicle pyrrhotite was formed by diffusion of Fe from the trachyandesitic liquid after the formation of the vesicles. Iron diffused from the glassy groundmass into the vesicle and reacted there with sulfur-bearing volatiles.