The origin of dolomitic carbonatites: field and experimental constraints

Abstract

Carbonatites are most commonly either calcitic or dolomitic/ankeritic with very few types in between - what is generally referred to as the bimodal distribution. There is a widely held view that dolomitic carbonatites are less abundant than calcitic carbonatites and that these arise as sub-solidus alteration products of primary calcitic carbonatites. It is demonstrated here that dolomitic types are far more common than is sometimes appreciated and that they are particularly abundant in old Precambrian cratonic regions such as the Zimbabwean and Kaapvaal Cratons and the Archaean parts of the Canadian Shield. The field, petrographic and chemical features favour these dolomitic carbonatites being magmatic rather than arising from sub-solidus replacement of calcitic carbonatites. Experimental studies show that partial melting of carbonated mantle peridotite produces a carbonate liquid with high Mg# and MgO content and an alkali content of up to 6%. On ascent through the mantle from its original generation site this primitive carbonatite will be destroyed by reaction with lherzolite and harzburgite if it remains in equilibrium with the surrounding mantle. If, however, the melt is shielded from the surrounding mantle by a lining of metasomatic wehrlite on the conduits or if it rises too rapidly for equilibrium to be maintained, it is able to escape the mantle and rise into the crust. Reaction between primitive magnesian carbonate melt and wall-rock wehrlite shifts the composition of the melt to more Ca-rich (“calcitic”) compositions. It is argued that such liquids are capable of generating the complete range of carbonatite compositions recognised at the surface. Dolomite melts incongruently at low pressures and so will only crystallise from a magnesian carbonate magma at temperatures below the dolomite dissociation reaction. These conditions are dictated by the P-T trajectory of the ascending melt as well as the nature and concentration of minor “fluxing” constituents in the melt such as fluorine and alkalis. As a result calcite is the liquidus phase over a wide range of P-T-X conditions. Several authors have suggested that many calcite-rich carbonatites formed as cumulate-enriched crystal mushes. Such calcite mushes could be readily generated from magnesian, essentially “dolomitic”, parental magmas. It is argued that no reasonable petrogenetic mechanism exists whereby magnesian carbonatite magmas could be generated from calcitic parental melts: it is argued that the reverse is true.