Alkalic Magmas Research Articles

Formation of a late-orogenic conglomeratic sequence in the Neoarchean western Wabigoon terrane, Superior craton

The Neoarchean conglomeratic Timiskaming assemblage is considered to be one of the most gold-endowed rock associations in the Abitibi greenstone belt of the southern Superior craton. Identifying Timiskaming-like basins, therefore, may facilitate new discoveries of gold deposits in other Archean greenstone belts. This study focuses on the conglomeratic Ament Bay assemblage (ABA) in the Neoarchean Sturgeon Lake greenstone belt of the western Wabigoon terrane of the western Superior craton. Geologic mapping and petrographic analysis show that the ABA consists of a ≥1000 m thick conglomerate-arenite lithofacies and a conformably overlying ≥200 m thick greywacke-mudstone lithofacies, which are interpreted to indicate a sub-aerial fan delta that transitioned into subaqueous turbidites. The depositional age is constrained to be between 2697.5 ± 1.2 and 2693.2 ± 0.9 Ma by the statistically defined minimum age of the ABA detrital zircons and igneous zircons of an alkalic intrusion within the ABA, respectively. Detrital zircons from seven ABA samples are characterized by ca. 2930, 2780–2770, and 2750–2690 Ma age populations along with minor zircons of ca. 3300–3000 Ma, which are consistent with proximal sources mostly in the western Wabigoon terrane and secondarily in the adjacent Winnipeg River terrane. Petrography of conglomerate clasts and sandstone supports these provenances and reveals additional sources from proximal mafic volcanic rocks. The ABA is interpreted to result from uplift and erosion associated with the late-stage convergence between the western Wabigoon and Winnipeg River terranes and to be partially controlled by a regional fault zone and accompanied by broadly coeval alkalic magmatism. Overall, the ABA is similar to the typical Timiskaming assemblage in lithofacies, depositional environments, structural setting, and syn-depositional alkalic magmatism, but dissimilar to the latter in gold endowment. The apparent lack of gold in the ABA is likely due to assimilation of crustal components into the coeval alkalic melts and a shallow-penetrating fault zone, in contrast to the juvenile nature of alkalic magmatism and deep-penetrating fault zones associated with the Timiskaming assemblage. This study suggests that Timiskaming-like basins similar in geology are not necessarily equivalent to the typical Timiskaming assemblage in gold endowment.

Fertile, alkalic intrusions, Karari–Whirling Dervish gold deposit, Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia

Some Archean and Phanerozoic gold deposits demonstrate a close spatial relationship with alkalic intrusions, although the genetic connotations of this association are contentious. Only a few of the alkalic intrusions in the Kurnalpi Terrane of the Archean Kalgoorlie–Kurnalpi Rift are associated with economic gold mineralisation (e.g. at Wallaby, Karari). The subvolcanic syenitic intrusions at the 2 Moz Karari–Whirling Dervish gold deposit are markedly different from most other alkalic rocks in the Kalgoorlie–Kurnalpi Rift. Although preserving pristine to slightly modified igneous textures, the syenitic intrusions are thoroughly altered by hypogene hydrothermal fluids, such that igneous minerals, comprising apatite micro-phenocrysts and relicts of Ba-rich K-feldspar, Ba-rich biotite, sodic amphibole and Cr-rich magnetite, total <5 modal %. Elevated SO3 (up to 1 wt%) in igneous apatite shows that the alkalic magmas were S-bearing and oxidised, and a high oxidation state carried through to the hydrothermal stages that followed, including potassic (biotite) alteration, at 650 °C (apatite–biotite geothermometry). Oxidised hydrothermal activity was interrupted by periods of sodic and sodic–calcic alteration in structurally controlled zones, interpreted to record the influx of reduced, external fluids at around 400–450 °C. A second, volumetrically minor stage of potassic (K-feldspar–pyrite–hematite) alteration in the intrusions is nevertheless significant, as it matches the proximal alteration assemblage in volcaniclastic country rock-hosted gold lodes. Overall, the hydrothermal system in the intrusions evolved from pervasive, high-temperature to more focussed, structurally controlled, mesothermal alteration. The source of the high-temperature, oxidised, alkaline hydrothermal fluid is considered to be the oxidised, alkalic magma itself, including an alkalic magma chamber underlying the gold deposits. Based on evidence from Karari–Whirling Dervish, gold fertility indicators for alkalic intrusions include: (i) widespread high-temperature alkaline metasomatism, including coarsening of alkali-feldspar intergrowths, abundant hydrothermal magnesian biotite and advanced to total replacement of igneous minerals; (ii) low SiO2 and high K2O, relative to unmineralised alkalic rocks in the region; (iii) alteration of igneous titanite to hydrothermal rutile with concomitant depletion of Nb; (iv) low rare earth element/P owing to depletion of rare earth element in apatite by the potassic (biotite) alteration fluid; and (v) high V/Th relative to regional alkalic rocks.

Geochemical evolution of the Paradise Mountain Caldera complex, Davis Mountains: Implications for the tectonic and magmatic evolution of Trans-Pecos Texas and adjacent Mexico

The Paradise Mountain Caldera (~20 × 14 km), located west of Fort Davis, Texas, produced two major ignimbrite/lava complexes at ~36.2 and 35.9 Ma. The older unit (Fort Davis Tuff) is composed of rheomorphic tuff and overlying chemically similar lava. The younger unit (Wild Cherry Tuff) forms thick intracaldera deposits and an outflow sheet that spread over an estimated 2000 km2. Near the caldera, the two ignimbrites are separated by trachytic lava of the Mount Locke Formation. The 5-km diameter Point of Rocks intrusion, which crops out within the eastern margin of the caldera, may have fed the Mount Locke flows. Wild Cherry Tuff is overlain by silicic lava (Casket Mountain Formation, ~35.8 Ma), with which is shares chemical similarities. Intracaldera Wild Cherry Tuff was intruded by silicic intrusions and locally intensively silicified and kaolinized. In a revision of stratigraphic nomenclature, we assign all of the above volcanic units to a Barrel Springs Group.Collectively, the above units form a series ranging from trachyte to alkali rhyolite. Glomeroporphyritic trachyte of Mount Locke lavas represents silicic melt incompletely segregated from more mafic material within a source magma chamber. Variation between Mount Locke Formation trachyte and Fort Davis Tuff rhyolite can be modelled by fractionation of a mineral assemblage of plagioclase, clinopyroxene, FeTi oxides, and apatite; variation within the two major tuff units can be modelled almost exclusively by alkali feldspar. Central eruption within the caldera produced intracaldera tuff more evolved than most of its outflow. Alkali rhyolite of the Wild Cherry Tuff and Casket Mountain lavas, although similar in major element chemistry and mineralogy, show wide variation in incompatible trace elements, suggesting that evolution of silicic magmas in terms of major element chemistry had reached an impasse due to fractionation of a mineral assemblage whose bulk composition was similar to that of parental rhyolite.Paradise Mountain units represent a transition from alkalic magmatism in northeastern Trans-Pecos Texas to metaluminous to peraluminous magmatism in southwestern Trans-Pecos Texas and adjacent Mexico. Over a span of 10 Ma, silicic magmatism terminated southwestward over this region at a rate of about 24 km/Ma. This termination may reflect continued foundering of a sinking Farallon slab and associated asthenospheric mantle upwelling. Mafic magma derived by melting of lithospheric mantle formed plutons that, through filter pressing of silicic magma from crystalline mush, generated silicic melts. The transition across the Trans Pecos region from alkalic to metaluminous magmatism may have resulted through preferential modification of lithospheric mantle along the easternmost extent of Laramide subduction.

The magma source of small-scale intraplate monogenetic volcanic systems in northern New Zealand

The Auckland intraplate volcanic province consists of four small fields of basaltic monogenetic volcanoes. Each of these was active for a period of ~1 Myr and during the last 3 Myr the locus of magmatic activity migrated northward in discrete ~50 km steps. The most recent of these volcano fields is the Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF) in which individual eruptions have produced discrete magma batches within the composition range nephelinite to sub-alkaline basalt. This range of compositions is explained by partial melting involving variable melt/solid ratios together with modal heterogeneity in their mantle source. Eruptions in the field have been irregularly spaced during its 200 kyr life with repose periods varying between ≤0.1 and 13 kyr. Although most of Auckland's volcanoes represent a single period of eruption, paired eruption sequences in which smaller more alkaline magma batches have been followed by more voluminous less alkalic magmas have also occurred. A significant flare-up in activity at about 30 kyr produced compositionally discrete eruptions from at least five spatially separate locations all within a temporal interval of as little as 100 years. An interpretation of these data is that each event (volcano) in the AVF represents a discrete batch of magma extracted from an source with the capacity of producing a compositional variety of magma. Such a source forms when upwelling mantle undergoes adiabatic rise and exists as a metastable entity at the asthenosphere-lithosphere boundary for prolonged periods (105–106 years) during which time it is tapped to create individual magma batches. The shorter term magma extraction events that produced individual volcanoes in the AVF are suggested to be the result of crustal scale tectonic events. The behaviour of these four spatially separate monogenetic volcanic systems at temporal intervals of <106 years is likely linked to the long term tectonic evolution of the Pacific-Australian Plate boundary beneath the New Zealand region.

Geochemical patterns of late Cenozoic intraplate basaltic volcanism in northern New Zealand and their relationship to the behaviour of the mantle

ABSTRACT A major period of subduction-related volcanism in northern New Zealand began about 20 million years ago; its locus of activity migrated southward during the late Cenozoic in response to changes in convergence between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates. As the volcanic arc migrated, six discrete fields of small-scale basaltic volcanoes were established behind the subduction system. These volcanoes show geochemical characteristics that reveal patterns of mantle behaviour linked to the rapidly evolving plate tectonic environment of Zealandia. Two northern volcano fields began activity about 8 million years ago and have been active into recent times; their chemical compositions reflect partial melting of shallow mantle and their spatial relationships an essentially static source environment. In contrast, four southern fields are dominated by alkalic magmas that likely ascended rapidly from garnet-bearing asthenospheric sources in a northward migrating pattern of discrete temporal episodes (∼1 ma duration) since 3 Ma. The Northland fields were sourced in mantle that became coupled to the lithosphere and have remained active during the last 8 Ma. The Auckland fields are interpreted to reflect independent actively rising asthenospheric mini-plumes linked to mantle convection associated with but geochemically distinct from the subduction system beneath central North Island New Zealand.

A New Geochemical Criterion for Rare-Metal Mineralization of High-Alkaliс Magmas (Lovozero Deposit, Kola Peninsula)

Detailed studies have shown that a change in the eudialyte occurrence forms (and the moment of its crystallization) is a new geochemical criterion for rare metal ore content in alkalic magmas (eudialyte ores). A new principle of the presence of ores in alkalic magmas has been formulated: a prerequisite for the formation of an ore deposit is early saturation of alkalic magmas with an ore mineral. If the ore component concentration is significantly lower than the cotectic (saturation), then melt saturation and crystallization of an ore mineral will take place at later stages of rock formation in a small volume of the interstitial melt, when the phenomena of convective‒gravity differentiation and segregation of mineral phases in the form of ore deposits are hampered. This leads to dispersion of the ore components in the form of xenomorphic grains of accessory minerals. Rocks of the differentiated complex (lower zone of the Lovozero deposit) and rocks of the Khibiny massif contain xenomorphic eudialyte and are not promising for eudialyte ores. Eudialyte deposits are associated with the upper zone of the Lovozero intrusion where euhedral early eudialyte occurs. The initial magma is saturated with eudialyte after crystallization of about 80% of the intrusion. The proposed criterion is applicable to the largest alkalic massifs in the world. The Ilimaussaq massif (Greenland), the rocks of which contain early crystallized, euhedral eudialyte, hosts a superlarge eudialyte ore deposit. Unlike the Khibiny massif and the Pilanesberg alkalic complex, the rocks of which contain late xenomorphic eudialyte, this massif has no deposits of this type.

Evolution of Alkalic Magma Systems: Insight from Coeval Evolution of Sodic and Potassic Fractionation Lineages at The Pleiades Volcanic Complex, Antarctica

Evolution of Alkalic Magma Systems: Insight from Coeval Evolution of Sodic and Potassic Fractionation Lineages at The Pleiades Volcanic Complex, Antarctica

Submarine Deep‐Water Lava Flows at the Base of the Western Galápagos Platform

AbstractTo investigate the initial phases of magmatism at the leading edge of the upwelling mantle plume, we mapped, photographed, and collected samples from two long, deep‐water lava flows located at the western base of the Galápagos Platform using the remotely operated vehicle Hercules. Lavas were recovered from four areas on the seafloor west of Fernandina volcano, including the western flow fronts of two deep‐water flows, heavily sedimented terrain between the two flows, and the eastern, shallower end of one flow. The sediment cover and morphologies are distinct between the western flow fronts and the eastern region based on seafloor imagery, suggesting that the long lava flows are not a single eruptive unit. Major and trace element concentrations reveal both tholeiitic and alkalic compositions and support the interpretation that multiple eruptive units comprise the deep‐water flows. Alkalic lavas have higher [La/Sm]N ratios (2.05–2.12) and total alkali contents (5.18–5.40) compared to tholeiitic lavas, which have [La/Sm]N ratios ranging from 1.64 to 1.68 and total alkali contents ranging from 3.07 to 4.08 wt%. Radiogenic isotope ratios are relatively homogeneous, suggesting a similar mantle source. We use petrologic models to assess three alternative mechanisms for the formation of the alkalic magmas: (1) high‐pressure crystallization of clinopyroxene, (2) mixing of high silica and mafic magmas, and (3) variable extents of melting of the same mantle source. Our modeling indicates that the alkalic samples form from lower extents of melting compared to the tholeiitic lavas and suggests that the deep‐water alkalic lavas are analogous to the initial, preshield building phase observed south of Hawaii and at the base of Loihi Seamount.

Understanding Degassing and Transport of CO2-rich Alkalic Magmas at Ross Island, Antarctica using Olivine-Hosted Melt Inclusions

Volatiles play an important role in magmatic and volcanic processes. Melt inclusions are a powerful tool to study pre-eruptive volatiles, but interpretation of their H2O and CO2 variations can be difficult. The H2O and CO2 contents of melt inclusions from nine basanites from Hut Point Peninsula, Mt Terror and Mt Bird on Ross Island, Antarctica, were studied to understand better the behavior of volatiles in the magmas and to provide insight into magma transport and storage processes. Ninety olivine-hosted (Fo78–-88) melt inclusions were examined along with the composition of the associated bulk-rock samples. The H2O (0·4–2·0 wt %) and CO2 (0·2–0·9 wt %, or 0·2–1·8 wt % after correction for vapor bubbles) variations in the melt inclusions cannot be explained by equilibrium degassing. A strong correlation between melt inclusion radius and H2O content for Hut Point samples indicates that diffusive loss of H+ has occurred. Based on vapor saturation pressure trends, it is inferred that a magma reservoir existed below Hut Point at a depth of ∼18 km, and by modeling diffusive loss of H+ for melt inclusions, it is shown that the magmas ascended from this depth in less than a year. Melt inclusions from Terror and Bird lack evidence of diffusive loss of H+ and there are no strong chemical indicators of CO2 fluxing. Compositional heterogeneities in melt inclusions indicate that magma mixing occurred, making it difficult to interpret H2O and CO2 trends. Melt inclusions from these volcanoes were entrapped polybarically, inconsistent with entrapment in a single storage region. Published analyses of 54 olivine-hosted (Fo53–83) melt inclusions in seven samples from Erebus volcano on Ross Island were re-examined for comparative purposes. Low H2O (∼0·1 wt %) and CO2 (0–0·2 wt %) contents and the evolved compositions of these indicate that Erebus magmas undergo shallow (<6 km) crystallization before eruption, probably in a shallow storage region. Magmas from the surrounding volcanoes show no sign of shallow storage.

The Litchfield Pluton in South-Central Maine: Carboniferous Alkalic Magmatism in northern New England, USA

The Litchfield pluton is a poorly exposed 7 km2 composite alkalic intrusive complex that cuts previously deformed and metamorphosed Silurian turbidites in south-central Maine. The pluton includes a variety of alkaline syenites, including the type locality of “litchfieldite”, a coarse-grained cancrinite, sodalite, and lepidomelane bearing nepheline syenite first recognized over 150 years ago and common in many petrologic collections. A new U-Pb zircon age of 321 ± 2 Ma from the nepheline syenite is interpreted to represent the crystallization age of the plutonic complex. A new biotite 40Ar/39Ar age of 239 ± 1 Ma from the syenite is similar to previously published mica ages from the surrounding country rocks and dates the time of regional cooling in the area below ~ 300°C. Whole rock geochemical analyses from rocks of the Litchfield pluton are compatible with strongly alkaline A-type granitoid rocks that formed in a within plate or continental rift tectonic setting. The age and geochemical characteristics of the alkalic igneous rocks near Litchfield are consistent with a model that invokes the generation of a small volume of alkalic magma beneath south-central Maine during a period of Carboniferous transcurrent tectonism in the northern Appalachian orogen.

Mantle heterogeneity controls on small-volume basaltic volcanism: REPLY

Eruptions of basaltic material in small-scale volcanic fields located in intraplate settings display a very diverse range in physical and chemical characteristics. Despite its relevance to the understanding of volcanic hazards, the relationship between physical properties of eruptions (explosivity, volume, location) and chemical composition of erupted products has, to date, not been investigated. Here we present a relationship between mantle heterogeneity and extents of partial melting, and both erupted volumes and eruptive style from the Auckland Volcanic Field (New Zealand), and we suggest that this provides a general model for small-scale “monogenetic” magmatic systems globally. Small volcanic centers consistently take the form of nephelinitic tuff rings and scoria cones, whereas larger centers are produced from effusive eruptions of less alkalic magmas. Nephelinitic melts are generated by melting of a deep, carbonated source, whereas less alkalic melts are the products of melting of a shallower, noncarbonated source. U-Th-Ra isotope data from eruptions closely paired in space and time show that mixing between magmas is extremely limited as a consequence of different ascent mechanisms due to differential segregation of melts from varying sources (early, carbonated melts ascending by higher porosity channels, and later, uncarbonated melts by a more diffusive regime). This suggests that extraction of melt is nearly instantaneous in these environments. Our results stress the importance of melting and magma dynamics in determining the size and style of eruptions in small volcanic fields, and suggest that mantle controls should be an important consideration in volcanic hazard assessment.

Pleistocene to Holocene offshore tephrostratigraphy of highly explosive eruptions from the southwestern Cape Verde Archipelago

Thirteen sediment gravity cores from the seafloor around the southern Cape Verdean islands Fogo and Brava as well as the Cadamosto seamount recovered 43 mafic and 5 phonolitic Pleistocene to Holocene primary ash layers. Twelve of these layers could be identified in several cores; they evidently cover areas of at least 6200–17,650km2 corresponding to minimum tephra volumes of ~1km3 (Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) 5), and thus are attributed to eruptions of sub-Plinian to Plinian dimensions. Provenance analyses based on geochemical compositions and geological evidence link the mafic tephras to eruptions on Fogo island. The detailed foraminiferal δ18O stratigraphy of one core yields a high-resolution age scale that can be applied to other cores via correlated ash beds and background sediment intervals. Sedimentation rates of the background sediment then constrain ages of other ash beds in the cores. The resulting temporal distribution of the marine tephras indicates that relatively large magnitude, highly explosive eruptions occurred about every 3000years on Fogo during the last 150kyrs; during the past 30kyrs the rate has increased to one in 2000years. In addition, we identified a 117kyr old thick turbidite sequence containing both mafic and phonolitic ash. We interpret this as the deposit of density currents generated by the Monte Amarelo flank collapse on Fogo and its associated tsunami.On the other hand, only a single widespread phonolitic tephra layer (145kyrs old) could be correlated to Brava island indicating that highly explosive activity, producing deposits spread widely beyond the island's shores, did not occur anymore over the last 145kyrs. No equivalents of the caldera filling ignimbrites on Brava could be found in the cores and therefore we infer that the caldera formed earlier than the 155ka reached by coring. Two widespread phonolitic tephra layers, 17ka and 40ka old, are correlated to the Cadamosto seamount and thus derived from eruptions that occurred at >1380m water depths where thermal granulation producing blocky glass shards was a major fragmentation process. We interpret that these eruptions produced huge submarine volcanic ash-water plumes that spread widely across the seafloor.In conclusion, our marine tephrostratigraphy provides the first evidence of frequent highly explosive volcanic eruptions at the southwestern part of the Cape Verdes during the past 155kyrs. A somewhat surprising result is that such large eruptions occurred much more frequently from mafic alkalic magmas at Fogo than from highly evolved phonolitic magmas on Brava.

Mantle heterogeneity controls on small-volume basaltic volcanism

Eruptions of basaltic material in small-scale volcanic fields located in intraplate settings display a very diverse range in physical and chemical characteristics. Despite its relevance to the understanding of volcanic hazards, the relationship between physical properties of eruptions (explosivity, volume, location) and chemical composition of erupted products has, to date, not been investigated. Here we present a relationship between mantle heterogeneity and extents of partial melting, and both erupted volumes and eruptive style from the Auckland Volcanic Field (New Zealand), and we suggest that this provides a general model for small-scale “monogenetic” magmatic systems globally. Small volcanic centers consistently take the form of nephelinitic tuff rings and scoria cones, whereas larger centers are produced from effusive eruptions of less alkalic magmas. Nephelinitic melts are generated by melting of a deep, carbonated source, whereas less alkalic melts are the products of melting of a shallower, noncarbonated source. U-Th-Ra isotope data from eruptions closely paired in space and time show that mixing between magmas is extremely limited as a consequence of different ascent mechanisms due to differential segregation of melts from varying sources (early, carbonated melts ascending by higher porosity channels, and later, uncarbonated melts by a more diffusive regime). This suggests that extraction of melt is nearly instantaneous in these environments. Our results stress the importance of melting and magma dynamics in determining the size and style of eruptions in small volcanic fields, and suggest that mantle controls should be an important consideration in volcanic hazard assessment.

Geologic history of Siletzia, a large igneous province in the Oregon and Washington Coast Range: Correlation to the geomagnetic polarity time scale and implications for a long-lived Yellowstone hotspot

Siletzia is a basaltic Paleocene and Eocene large igneous province in coastal Oregon, Washington, and southern Vancouver Island that was accreted to North America in the early Eocene. New U-Pb magmatic, detrital zircon, and 40Ar/39Ar ages constrained by detailed field mapping, global nannoplankton zones, and magnetic polarities allow correlation of the volcanics with the 2012 geologic time scale. The data show that Siletzia was rapidly erupted 56–49 Ma, during the Chron 25–22 plate reorganization in the northeast Pacific basin. Accretion was completed between 51 and 49 Ma in Oregon, based on CP11 (CP—Coccolith Paleogene zone) coccoliths in strata overlying onlapping continental sediments. Magmatism continued in the northern Oregon Coast Range until ca. 46 Ma with the emplacement of a regional sill complex during or shortly after accretion. Isotopic signatures similar to early Columbia River basalts, the great crustal thickness of Siletzia in Oregon, rapid eruption, and timing of accretion are consistent with offshore formation as an oceanic plateau. Approximately 8 m.y. after accretion, margin parallel extension of the forearc, emplacement of regional dike swarms, and renewed magmatism of the Tillamook episode peaked at 41.6 Ma (CP zone 14a; Chron 19r). We examine the origin of Siletzia and consider the possible role of a long-lived Yellowstone hotspot using the reconstruction in GPlates, an open source plate model. In most hotspot reference frames, the Yellowstone hotspot (YHS) is on or near an inferred northeast-striking Kula-Farallon and/or Resurrection-Farallon ridge between 60 and 50 Ma. In this configuration, the YHS could have provided a 56–49 Ma source on the Farallon plate for Siletzia, which accreted to North America by 50 Ma. A sister plateau, the Eocene basalt basement of the Yakutat terrane, now in Alaska, formed contemporaneously on the adjacent Kula (or Resurrection) plate and accreted to coastal British Columbia at about the same time. Following accretion of Siletzia, the leading edge of North America overrode the YHS ca. 42 Ma. The voluminous high-Ti basaltic to alkalic magmatism of the 42–35 Ma Tillamook episode and extension in the forearc may be related to the encounter with an active YHS. Clockwise rotation of western Oregon about a pole in the backarc has since moved the Tillamook center and underlying Siletzia northward ∼250 km from the probable hotspot track on North America. In the reference frames we examined, the YHS arrives in the backarc ∼5 m.y. too early to match the 17 Ma magmatic flare-up commonly attributed to the YHS. We suggest that interaction with the subducting slab may have delayed arrival of the plume beneath the backarc.

Continent-scale linearity of kimberlite–carbonatite magmatism, mid-continent North America

Cretaceous–Tertiary kimberlite–carbonatite magmatism in mid-continent North America extends along a N40°W linear trend from Louisiana to Alberta, and occurs in at least four different pulses (∼109–85, 67–64, 55–52, and less than 50 Ma). The lack of spatial age progressions of magmatism consistent with motion of North America over a fixed hot spot, the presence of Sr–Nd–Hf–Pb isotopic and trace-element compositions that show a temporal evolution from lithospheric to asthenospheric melt-sources, and the orientation of the magmatic belt parallel to the western subduction margin of the North American plate, suggest that this linear zone is the surface expression of mantle melting related to the subduction system. We propose that fragmentation of Farallon and Kula plates opened slab windows perpendicular to their convergence direction. In this model, sheet-like mantle upwellings were induced along slab-window margins, and these upwellings underwent low-degree partial melting to produce highly alkalic magmas along the trend parallel to, but ∼2000km east of, the convergent margin. The N40°W trend may reflect melting associated with penetration of the mantle transition-zone by the downgoing oceanic plate(s).

Mineralization, U-Pb Geochronology, and Stable Isotope Geochemistry of the Lower Main Zone of the Lorraine Deposit, North-Central British Columbia: A Replacement-Style Alkalic Cu-Au Porphyry

The Lower Main zone of the Lorraine alkalic porphyry Cu-Au district, BC, Canada, is hosted in an intrusive complex that comprises pre- and late mineral biotite pyroxenites, monzonites, and syenites. Some of the biotite pyroxenites have interstitial sulfides, which appear similar to net-textured sulfides in magmatic ore deposits; however, the pyroxenites have undergone several stages of hydrothermal alteration. Main-stage mineralization produced sulfide zonation patterns consisting of a bornite-chalcocite or bornite-chalcopyrite core grading outward to domains of chalcopyrite, chalcopyrite > pyrite, and a peripheral domain of pyrite with minor chalcopyrite. Syenite in the inner bornite-chalcopyrite zone typically contains abundant turbid K-feldspar (>70%), whereas syenite marginal to the bornite-chalcopyrite core contains less K-feldspar (50–70%), indicating an increase in K metasomatism of syenites toward the core of the deposit. Main-stage mineralization predominantly occurs as fine-grained disseminated sulfides in syenite, biotite pyroxenite, and fine-grained K-feldspar biotite rock. Textural analyses have shown that (1) primary magmatic diopside in contact with sulfides has corroded and actinolite-altered margins, suggesting alteration of primary minerals, (2) scalloped relicts of biotite and diopside occur as inclusions in sulfides, implying that sulfides have replaced primary minerals, and (3) the deposit-scale sulfide zonation patterns overprinted numerous rock types, including the biotite pyroxenites that contain interstitial sulfides. These results provide evidence for replacement-style mineralization at Lorraine, where primary magmatic biotite and diopside were totally or partially replaced by sulfide minerals during main-stage alteration. U-Pb zircon dates from pre- and late mineral syenite dikes show that the timing of main-stage mineralization occurred between 178.8 and 176.0 Ma. Lorraine is hosted within the Quesnel island arc terrane, and mineralization and magmatism at Lorraine postdate accretion of the Quesnel terrane to ancestral North America by approximately 7 to 10 m.y. The Lorraine deposit represents the youngest known alkalic Cu-Au porphyry deposit within the Quesnel terrane, and appears to coincide with the last gasp of alkalic magmatism within the Quesnel terrane during the Mesozoic.

Seismicity observed under Snæfellsjökull volcano

The Snæfellsnes peninsula in western Iceland is characterized by Pleistocene volcanism dominated by alkalic magmatism across an extinct (&gt;6 Ma) axial rift zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Although Iceland has an extensive seismic coverage, no systematic seismic monitoring is in place on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. In this paper, we present results of a three months field campaign in the Snæfellsnes peninsula and show for the first time that the region is (micro) seismically active in the depth range of 8–15 km. We identified and located a total of 29 seismic events that occurred in close proximity of the Snæfellsjökull volcano, with most events clustering beneath the volcano in swarm sequences. We propose that seismicity is associated with fluid-induced fracturing related to one or more magmatic reservoir(s), which may be elucidated in future seismic campaigns. Our observations are the first step towards the understanding of the plumbing system of the Snæfellsjökull volcano.

Reactive Infiltration of MORB-Eclogite-Derived Carbonated Silicate Melt into Fertile Peridotite at 3 GPa and Genesis of Alkalic Magmas

We performed experiments between two different carbonated eclogite-derived melts and lherzolite at 1375°C and 3 GPa by varying the reacting melt fraction from 8 to 50 wt %. The two starting melt compositions were (1) alkalic basalt with 11·7 wt % dissolved CO2 (ABC), (2) basaltic andesite with 2·6 wt % dissolved CO2 (BAC). The starting melts were mixed homogeneously with peridotite to simulate porous reactive infiltration of melt in the Earth’s mantle. All the experiments produced an assemblage of melt + orthopyroxene + clinopyroxene + garnet ± olivine; olivine was absent for a reacting melt fraction of 50 wt % for ABC and 40 wt % for BAC. Basanitic ABC evolved to melilitites (on a CO2-free basis, SiO2 ∼27–39 wt %, TiO2 ∼2·8–6·3 wt %, Al2O3 ∼4·1–9·1 wt %, FeO* ∼11–16 wt %, MgO ∼17–21 wt %, CaO ∼13–21 wt %, Na2O ∼4–7 wt %, CO2 ∼10–25 wt %) upon melt–rock reaction and the degree of alkalinity of the reacted melts is positively correlated with melt–rock ratio. On the other hand, reacted melts derived from BAC (on a CO2-free basis SiO2 ∼42–53 wt %, TiO2 ∼6·4–8·7 wt %, Al2O3 ∼10·5–12·3 wt %, FeO* ∼6·5–10·5 wt %, MgO ∼7·9–15·4 wt %, CaO ∼7·3–10·3 wt %, Na2O ∼3·4–4 wt %, CO2 ∼6·2–11·7 wt %) increase in alkalinity with decreasing melt–rock ratio. We demonstrate that owing to the presence of only 0·65 wt % of CO2 in the bulk melt–rock mixture (corresponding to 25 wt % BAC + lherzolite mixture), nephelinitic-basanite melts can be generated by partial reactive crystallization of basaltic andesite as opposed to basanites produced in volatile-free conditions. Post 20% olivine fractionation, the reacted melts derived from ABC at low to intermediate melt–rock ratios match with 20–40% of the population of natural nephelinites and melilitites in terms of SiO2 and CaO/Al2O3, 60–80% in terms of TiO2, Al2O3 and FeO, and <20% in terms of CaO and Na2O. The reacted melts from BAC, at intermediate melt–rock ratios, are excellent matches for some of the Mg-rich (MgO >15 wt %) natural nephelinites in terms of SiO2, Al2O3, FeO*, CaO, Na2O and CaO/Al2O3. Not only can these reacted melts erupt by themselves, they can also act as metasomatizing agents in the Earth’s mantle. Our study suggests that a combination of subducted, silica-saturated crust–peridotite interaction and the presence of CO2 in the mantle source region are sufficient to produce a large range of primitive alkalic basalts. Also, mantle potential temperatures of 1330–1350°C appear sufficient to produce high-MgO, primitive basanite–nephelinite if carbonated eclogite melt and peridotite interaction is taken into account.

Did Kahoolawe Volcano, Hawaii, Evolve to Alkalic Composition Magmatism?

Uncertainty remains about whether Kahoolawe, the smallest of the main Hawaiian Islands, evolved to alkalic magmatism. To determine the compositional extent to which Kahoolawe volcano evolved, we examined eight new samples as candidates for hawaiite, an unequivocally alkalic rock type. Petrography (e.g., commonly aphyric) and major- and trace-element and mineral compositions (e.g., ∼49.5 wt% SiO2 at ∼6 wt% Na2O+K2O; An∼50–60) document that four are hawaiites and two are mugearites (the other two are basalts). These six samples have compositions that overlap or are similar to those of known Hawaiian hawaiites and mugearites. Some trace-element differences (e.g., the highest Ni and lowest Sr) probably represent particular source characteristics for Kahoolawe hawaiites. Mass balancing and MELTS modeling suggest that these Kahoolawe lavas represent ∼58%–65% residual liquids from alkalic basalt clinopyroxene-dominated crystallization at pressures approaching that of the crust-mantle boundary. These models are similar to those for Mauna Kea and Haleakala hawaiites. Therefore, on the basis of overall composition and compositional models for origins of the new samples, Kahoolawe can be considered with certainty as a Hawaiian volcano that achieved alkalic magmatism. As best determined by field relationships, the alkalic magmatism occurred during the transition from the shield stage to the postshield stage.

Mantle to surface degassing of alkalic magmas at Erebus volcano, Antarctica

Continental intraplate volcanoes, such as Erebus volcano, Antarctica, are associated with extensional tectonics, mantle upwelling and high heat flow. Typically, erupted magmas are alkaline and rich in volatiles (especially CO 2), inherited from low degrees of partial melting of mantle sources. We examine the degassing of the magmatic system at Erebus volcano using melt inclusion data and high temporal resolution open-path Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic measurements of gas emissions from the active lava lake. Remarkably different gas signatures are associated with passive and explosive gas emissions, representative of volatile contents and redox conditions that reveal contrasting shallow and deep degassing sources. We show that this unexpected degassing signature provides a unique probe for magma differentiation and transfer of CO 2-rich oxidised fluids from the mantle to the surface, and evaluate how these processes operate in time and space. Extensive crystallisation driven by CO 2 fluxing is responsible for isobaric fractionation of parental basanite magmas close to their source depth. Magma deeper than 4 kbar equilibrates under vapour-buffered conditions. At shallower depths, CO 2-rich fluids accumulate and are then released either via convection-driven, open-system gas loss or as closed-system slugs that ascend and result in Strombolian eruptions in the lava lake. The open-system gases have a reduced state (below the QFM buffer) whereas the closed-system gases preserve their deep oxidised signatures (close to the NNO buffer).