Shrilankite Inclusions in Garnets from Kimberlite Bodies and Diamondiferous Volcanic–Sedimentary Rocks of the Yakutian Kimberlite Province, Russia

Abstract

Pyrope–almandine garnets (Mg# = 28.3–44.9, Ca# = 15.5–21.3) from a heavy mineral concentrate of diamondiferous kimberlites of the largest diamond deposit, the Yubileinaya pipe, along with kimberlite- like rocks and diamondiferous volcano–sediments of the Laptev Sea coast, have been found to contain polymineral, predominantly acicular inclusions, composed of aggregates of shrilankite (Ti2ZrO6), rutile, ilmenite, clinopyroxene, and apatite. The presence of shrilankite as an inclusion in garnets from assumed garnet–pyroxene rocks of the lower crust, lifted up by diamond-bearing kimberlite, allows it to be considered as an indicator mineral of kimberlite, which expands the possibilities when searching for kimberlite in the Arctic.