The origin of oceanic plagiogranites from the karmoy ophiolite, western Norway

Abstract

Both field relationships and geochemical characteristics indicate two suites of plagiogranitic and related rocks coexisting in the higher parts of the Karmoy ophiolite of western Norway. The plutonic zone of this ophiolite can be subdivided into three complexes; the East-Karmoy Igneous Complex, the Visnes High Level Complex and the Veavagen Igneous Complex and plagiogranitic rocks are well developed in the first two of these. Within the East-Karmoy Igneous Complex, plagiogranites are associated with high temperature, pre-basic dyke, shear zones. Rare earth element modelling indicates that these plagiogranites were derived by anatexis of amphibolite (hydrated diabase) assuming a starting material consisting of 40% hornblende and 60% plagioclase and that batch melting occurred within the stability field of hornblende. In comparison, plagiogranite occurs in a number of bodies in the upper part of the Visnes High Level Complex and forms a sandwich horizon together with biotite diorites and epidosites between a roof assemblage of dykes, microgabbros and magnetite gabbros, and a floor assemblage of layered and non-layered gabbros. The R.E.E. modelling of the petrogenesis of this series of plagiogranites indicates that they were derived by filter pressing of a differentiated interstitial liquid to the vari-textured gabbros, although the distribution of highly hygromagmatophile elements such as K, Rb, Ba, etc. cannot be explained satisfactorily by this model alone. Depletion in these elements appears to be an autometasomatic effect.