Os isotopic constraints on crustal contamination in Auckland Volcanic Field basalts, New Zealand

Abstract

The Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF) represents the youngest and northernmost of three subjacent Quaternary intraplate basaltic volcanic fields in the North Island, New Zealand. Previous studies on AVF eruptive products suggested that their major- and trace-element, and Sr-, Nd- and Pb-isotopic signatures primarily reflect their derivation from the underlying asthenospheric and lithospheric mantle. All AVF lavas however ascend through a ca. 20–30km thick continental crust, and some do carry crustal xenoliths, posing the question whether or not crustal contamination plays a role in their formation. Here we present new Os and Pb isotopic data, and Os and Re concentrations for 15 rock samples from 7 AVF volcanic centres to investigate mantle and crustal petrogenetic processes. The samples include the most primitive lavas from the field (Mg# 59–69) and span a range of eruption sizes, ages, locations, and geochemical signatures. The data show a large range in Os concentrations (6–579ppt) and 187Os/188Os isotope ratios from mantle-like (0.123) to highly radiogenic (0.547). Highly radiogenic Os signatures together with relatively low Os contents in most samples suggest that ascending melts experienced contamination primarily from metasedimentary crustal rocks with high 187Os/188Os ratios (e.g., greywacke). We further demonstrate that <1% metasedimentary crustal input into the ascending melt can produce the radiogenic Os isotope signatures observed in the AVF data. This low level of crustal contamination has no measurable effect on the corresponding trace element ratios and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions. In addition, high Os contents (195–578ppt) at slightly elevated but mantle-like Os isotopic compositions (187Os/188Os=0.1374–0.1377) in some samples suggest accumulation of xenocrystic olivine-hosted mantle sulphides from the Permian-Triassic ultramafic Dun Mountain Ophiolite Belt, which traverses the crust beneath the Auckland Volcanic Field. We therefore infer that the AVF Os isotopic compositions and Os contents reflect contamination from varying proportions of heterogeneous crustal components, composed of Waipapa and Murihiku terrane metasediments, and ultramafic rocks of the Dun Mountain Ophiolite Belt. This demonstrates, contrary to previous models that primitive lavas from the Auckland Volcanic Field do show evidence for variable interaction with the crust.