Neoproterozoic riftogenic subalkali basites of the Central Urals: Geochemical specifics of clinopyroxene

Abstract

Trace-element distribution in clinopyroxenes of different generations was used to decipher the intricate melt fractionation history of the trachybasalts, trachyandesites, and gabbroids from different rift-related magmatic complexes, which were formed during evolution of the Neoproterozoic passive margin of the East European craton (western slope of the Central Urals). It was established that chromian and high-magnesian cores of the early Cpx phenocrysts in the trachybasalts are not xenogenic, but represent relict minerals that were formed at the early stage of fractionation of a high-Mg melt. The fact that the trachybasalts and trachybasaltic andesites contain high-Mg Cpx with trace-element patterns similar in shape and element abundance indicates their formation via differentiation of a common melt. However, their subsequent evolution was different: trachybasaltic andesites were subjected to significant crustal contamination, which was recorded in composition of late Cpx. All subalkali basites were presumably formed from comparatively deepseated melts, because, according to thermodynamic calculations, early cores in the gabbroids crystallized at temperature more than 1200°C and pressure between 10 and 14–15 kbar, i.e., at depths of approximately 35–50 km. Some differences observed between trace-element composition of Cpx from the studied subalkali basatoids and gabbroids are inconsistent with their derivation from a common source, but similarity of their Cpx in many characteristics undoubtedly indicates close depths and compositions of their sources. Geochemical peculiarities of Cpx in the Neoproterozoic rift rocks from the western slope of the Central Urals testify that they were derived from melts formed by relatively low degree partial melting with garnet in residue. The geochemical specifics of clinopyroxenes from the Neoproterozoic riftogenic subalkali basites of the Central Urals and basaltoids from the Paleozoic Tagil structure of the same region showed that this island-arc system reflects the composition of melt source and its reworking by mantle fluids, which were different in the course of plume-lithosphere interaction and suprasubduction processes.