Rare earth element abundances in a thick, layered komatiite lava flow from Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Rare earth element abundances have been measured in pyroxenitic (19.6% MgO) to gabbroic (7.7% MgO) rocks from the upper part of a thick, layered komatiite lava flow (Fred's Flow) in Munro Township, Ontario. This flow apparently erupted as a highly basic liquid which subsequently differentiated into layers of ultramafic cumulate rocks and a basaltic residual liquid. The analyzed rocks have compositions and spinifex or equigranular textures interpreted to indicate that they represent the complete range of liquids that were present during the differentiation of the lava. All the analyzed rocks are depleted in light REE, and also exhibit a slight depletion of Yb and Er relative to Gd and Dy. Chondrite-normalized Ce and Yb abundances range from 3.2 to 7.8 and 5.1 to 9.7 respectively. Proportions of fractionating minerals were estimated using a major element petrological mixing program and petrographic data. REE modeling based on these results indicates that the dominant process relating the samples is low-pressure fractional crystallization of olivine, followed at lower temperatures by clinopyroxene and plagioclase. Except for Eu, correspondence between observed and calculated REE abundances obviates any need to appeal to processes of major REE redistribution during diagenesis and low-grade metamorphism. Major differences in REE patterns of other ultramafic and mafic komatiitic lava flows [6,11], therefore, probably reflect different episodes of partial melting and/or differences in mantle source composition. The consistency of the REE in the layered flow, however, supports the concept that mafic komatiites can also be derived from ultrabasic parental magmas by low-pressure fractional crystallization. The light-REE-depleted patterns of these komatiites resemble those of modern MORB, suggesting that the mantle source of the komatiites had undergone a previous melting episode.