The rare earth element geochemistry of mafic granulites from the Neoarchaean northern marginal zone of the Limpopo Belt, Zimbabwe: Insights into mantle processes during an episode of crustal growth

Abstract

The granulites of the Northern Marginal Zone of the Limpopo belt, Zimbabwe represent the lower crust of the Zimbabwe Craton. They are predominantly felsic in composition and represent magmas of the tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite suite which formed during a period of major crustal growth in the Neoarchaean. However, enclosed within the felsic gneisses of the NMZ are mafic granulites (metabasalts) which make up between 5 and 10% of the rock volume and which both predate and post-date the main TTG magmatism. These rocks show a diverse range of trace element compositions and are used here to characterize those mantle processes which were taking place during this period of crustal growth.The mafic granulites can be subdivided into two main groups. 1. Large metabasite lenses, associated with banded iron formation, represent a supracrustal suite of basalts which predate the emplacement of the TTGs and may be time equivalents of the lower greenstones of the Zimbabwe Craton. Samples can be grouped into three different types of REE pattern – depleted, chondritic and enriched – which is interpreted to show that they were partial melts of a depleted mantle source, which in places interacted with and was contaminated with older felsic crust. 2. Narrow dykes post-date the emplacement of the NMZ TTG suite. There are two geochemical types. Dykes with light-enriched REE patterns are derived from a depleted mantle source but were contaminated with felsic crust during their emplacement. Dykes highly enriched in light REE were derived from an enriched mantle source formed through the refertilisation of a previously depleted mantle source. The deep melting of this refertilised source gave rise to highly enriched mafic melts.The large metabasite lenses could be indicative of the metabasaltic source which subsequently partially melted to form the NMZ TTG magmatic suite. Later deep mantle melting to form the post TTG dykes may be related to the creation of thick Neoarchaean continental crust and associated mantle lithosphere.