The geochemistry of the northern part of the Ilímaussaq intrusion, S.W. Greenland

Abstract

The Ilímaussaq intrusion (S.W. Greenland) was emplaced into granitic Precambrian basement rocks. The intrusion is of a highly alkaline nature and in terms of rocks types, its major-, minor- and trace elements, may be compared to the Khibina-Lovozero intrusion of the Kola Peninsula, U.S.S.R. The present paper describes the geochemistry of the northern part of the intrusion and the marginal rocks. New total rock analyses are given together with the detailed geochemistry of U, Th, Radioactivity, Nb, Rb, Li and Be. The Ilímaussaq intrusion consists of an early augite syenite chilled against the country rocks. The augite syenite forms a more or less continuous ring around and above the intrusion. The main central mass of the intrusion consists of poorly layered, very coarse-grained, Na-rich "foyaite" containing relatively large amounts of sodalite and eudialyte. Differentiation of the "foyaite magma" gave rise to a volatile rich residual liquid from which lujavrites were formed. Differentiation of the lujavrites in the central area of the intrusion resulted in a lower banded sequence, the kakortokites, and an upper lujavrite liquid. When the confining pressure was exceeded, explosive brecciation occurred and lujavrite was intruded into the surrounding rocks. At a high level in the intrusion a sheet-like body of soda granite was emplaced together with various quart-bearing syenites. The relative time of intrusion of the quartz-bearing syenite is uncertain through lack of field evidence. Emplacement of the early augite syenite may be related to ring faulting followed by cauldron subsidence. The later Na-rich rocks may have replaced the earlier layered augite syenite or have been emplaced into a "magma chamber" developed by cauldron subsidence. The Na-Zr-Cl-rich rocks show evidence of cooling inwards with the development of a central volatile-rich pocket. The Ilímaussaq rocks probably represent a final highly fractionated stage of the more normal augite syenite magma common to the S. W. Greenland alkaline province.