Unique accessory Ti-Ba-P mineralization in the Kvalöya ultrapotassic dike, Northern Norway

Abstract

Unusual ultrapotassic dikes were recently found on the Kvaloya Island in Northern Norway. The dikes crosscutting granites 1.8 Ga in age are 0.1–1.0 m thick and consist of phlogopite phenocrysts in a fine-grained groundmass of K-magnesioarfvedsonite, orthoclase, apatite, and secondary chlorite. According to the composition of the rock-forming minerals (4.5–6.0 wt % K2O and 0.7–3.5 wt % TiO2 in magnesioarfved-sonite, 1.6–3.6 wt % FeO in orthoclase, 9.2–10.7 wt % Al2O3 and 2.1–2.6 wt % TiO2 in phlogopite) and its bulk chemical composition (K/Na = 2.3–2.9, K/Al = 1.0–1.2, (Na + K)/Al = 1.4–1.7, Mg# V = 65–73, (La/Yb)n = 100–140, 3.2–4.0 wt % TiO2, 0.55–1.47 wt % BaO, 2.5–3.0 wt % P2O5, 2650–3000 ppm Zr, 900–1260 ppm REE total, 2300–2500 ppm Sr), the rock corresponds to lamproite of the transitional type. The unique chemical composition of the rock resulted in uncommon Ti-Ba-P accessory mineralization, including baotite Ba4(Ti,Nb)8Si4O28Cl (up to 5 vol %), Sr-apatite (5–7 vol %), and previously unknown Na-Mg-Ba phosphate. Baotite forms anhedral elongated and isometric grains 10–500 μm in size. It is characterized by low Nb (0.03–0.05 f.c.); admixtures of K (0.04–0.12 f.c.) and Sr (0.04–0.07) replacing Ba and Fe (0.01–0.03 f.c.); and Al (0.03–0.04 f.c.) substituting Ti. Euhedral elongated zonal apatite crystals are extremely enriched in SrO (8–12 wt %) and REE2O3 + Y2O3 (6–9 wt %) in the marginal zone. Na-Mg-Ba phosphate occurs as prismatic grains 10–100 μm in size. The atomic ratio of its major cations Na: Mg: Ba: P ∼ 2: 1: 1: 2 corresponds to the conventional formula Na2MgBa(PO4)2; the mineral contains Sr, Mn, Fe, Ca, Si, and Al admixtures.