High-alumina Basalt Research Articles

Estimates of olivine–basaltic melt electrical conductivity using a digital rock physics approach

Estimates of melt content beneath fast-spreading mid-ocean ridges inferred from magnetotelluric tomography (MT) vary between 0.01 and 0.10. Much of this variation may stem from a lack of understanding of how the grain-scale melt geometry influences the bulk electrical conductivity of a partially molten rock, especially at low melt fraction. We compute bulk electrical conductivity of olivine–basalt aggregates over 0.02 to 0.20 melt fraction by simulating electric current in experimentally obtained partially molten geometries. Olivine–basalt aggregates were synthesized by hot-pressing San Carlos olivine and high-alumina basalt in a solid–medium piston-cylinder apparatus. Run conditions for experimental charges were 1.5 GPa and 1350 °C. Upon completion, charges were quenched and cored. Samples were imaged using synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT). The resulting high-resolution, 3-dimensional (3-D) image of the melt distribution constitutes a digital rock sample, on which numerical simulations were conducted to estimate material properties. To compute bulk electrical conductivity, we simulated a direct current measurement by solving the current continuity equation, assuming electrical conductivities for olivine and melt. An application of Ohm's Law yields the bulk electrical conductivity of the partially molten region. The bulk electrical conductivity values for nominally dry materials follow a power-law relationship σbulk=Cσmeltϕm with fit parameters m=1.3±0.3 and C=0.66±0.06. Laminar fluid flow simulations were conducted on the same partially molten geometries to obtain permeability, and the respective pathways for electrical current and fluid flow over the same melt geometry were compared. Our results indicate that the pathways for flow fluid are different from those for electric current. Electrical tortuosity is lower than fluid flow tortuosity. The simulation results are compared to existing experimental data, and the potential influence of volatiles and melt films on electrical conductivity of partially molten rocks is discussed.

Experimental Evidence for Polybaric Differentiation of Primitive Arc Basalt beneath St. Vincent, Lesser Antilles

Equilibrium crystallization experiments have been performed on a primitive high-MgO basalt (HMB) from Soufriere, St. Vincent, with three initial H2O contents (0·6, 2·3 and 4·5 wt %), at pressures of 0·4, 0·7, 1·0 and 1·3 GPa and temperatures from 1350 to 950°C. Redox conditions, as determined by µXANES analysis of Fe3+ in experimental glasses, were 1–4 log units above the nickel–nickel oxide (NNO) buffer. The aim of the study was to explore the differentiation conditions that gave rise to the observed geochemical variation in lavas and plutonic (cumulate) xenoliths from St. Vincent. An experiment with 4·5 wt % initial H2O is multiply saturated close to its liquidus (1180°C and 1·3 GPa) with a spinel lherzolite assemblage, which is consistent with a primary origin for HMB in the mantle wedge. Multiple saturation of HMB with 2·3 wt % H2O was not observed, but is inferred to occur at pressures >1·3 GPa. The experimental results show that initial H2O content has significant influence on differentiation paths of primary HMB magma, with different lava varieties generated under discrete, well-constrained P–T–H2O conditions. Low-magnesian basalts (LMB) can be generated from HMB with 2·3–4·5 wt % H2O at pressures of 1·0–1·3 GPa, corresponding to Moho depths beneath St. Vincent. The CaO contents of LMB are sensitive to differentiation pressure: high-CaO LMB are produced at pressures >0·5 GPa. Basaltic andesites (BA) can be generated at 0·7–1·0 GPa from HMB with 0·6–2·3 wt % H2O. High-alumina basalts (HAB) are produced at mid- to upper-crustal conditions (≤0·4 GPa) by differentiation of HMB with high initial H2O (≥4 wt %) through delay of plagioclase crystallization and dominant fractionation of olivine, clinopyroxene and spinel. St. Vincent andesites could be produced from relatively dry (≤0·6 wt % H2O) HMB only at lower-crustal conditions. This is suggestive of a partial melting origin from precursor HMB that had solidified at depth to produce gabbros with ∼30% hornblende (i.e. ∼0·6 wt % structurally bound H2O). The experimentally determined differentiation conditions are consistent with polybaric differentiation within a hot zone that extends from the Moho and uppermost mantle to the mid- or upper crust. Within the hot zone differentiation occurs by a combination of crystallization of HMB with 2–5 wt % H2O and partial melting of ancestral HMB gabbros. Although the experimental melts provide an excellent match to erupted lava compositions, experimental crystal compositions do not match either phenocrysts or cumulate crystals, as preserved in xenoliths. The failure to reproduce natural crystal compositions suggests that these are formed as differentiated magmas ascend and attain their H2O-saturated liquidi at shallower pressures. Thus there is a disconnect between the high-pressure phase compositions and assemblages that generate liquid compositional diversity and the low-pressure composition and assemblages that occur as phenocrysts and in cumulate xenoliths. This finding lends support to the idea of cryptic fractionation in the generation of arc magmas.

Northward subduction of Bangong–Nujiang Tethys: Insight from Late Jurassic intrusive rocks from Bangong Tso in western Tibet

New zircon LA-ICPMS U–Pb age data, whole-rock major and trace elements, and zircon Hf isotopic data of intrusive rocks from Larelaxin and Caima plutons in the southern margin of the Western Qiangtang subterrane provide important evidence of northward subduction of the Bangong–Nujiang Tethyan Ocean lithosphere. Host granitoids including quartz diorites, granodiorites, and syenogranites and associated mafic varieties including gabbroic enclaves, dioritic dikes and enclaves, and quartz dioritic enclaves are investigated in this study. Five host granitoid samples are dated at 163–160 Ma, and one dioritic dike and three dioritic enclave samples are dated at 162–158 Ma, which indicates that these rocks were contemporaneous. The quartz diorites and granodiorites are normal calc-alkaline I-type granitoids. The syenogranites are characterized by high SiO2 (74–77 wt.%) and differentiation index (DI = 92–97) and marked depletion in Ba, Nb, Ta, Sr, P, Ti, and Eu, thus indicating that they are highly fractionated I-type granitoids. The host granitoids exhibit uniform zircon εHf(t) values (− 1.4 to + 1.9). Considering the current data and their negative whole-rock εNd(t) values (− 4.7 to − 3.5) reported in recent studies, these rocks can be interpreted to have resulted from the partial melting of ancient mafic lower crust with varying contributions from mantle-derived or juvenile crust-derived components. One gabbroic enclave sample exhibits high Al2O3 (18.3 wt.%), low MgO (3.3 wt.%), high TiO2 (1.4 wt.%), and high Nb (24 ppm) and is geochemically similar to high-alumina basalt (HAB) and high-Nb basalt (HNB). This indicates that the gabbroic enclave originated from the partial melting of mantle wedge peridotite that was metasomatized by slab melting and subsequently experienced significant fractional crystallization of olivine and clinopyroxene. The dioritic dike and enclave samples yield εHf(t) values (− 1.6 to + 3.1) similar to those of the host granitoids. They most likely originated from magma mixing between mantle-derived and crust-derived melts at or close to the Moho. The intrusive rocks with geochemical diversity of the Larelaxin and Caima plutons from Bangong Tso in western Tibet can be interpreted to have resulted from melting, assimilation, storage, and homogenization (a MASH process) above subduction zones, thus indicating that the Bangong–Nujiang Tethyan Ocean lithosphere was subducted northward beneath the Western Qiangtang subterrane during the Late Jurassic.

Quaternary Sanukitoid-like Andesites Generated by Intracrustal Processes (Chacana Caldera Complex, Ecuador): Implications for Archean Sanukitoids

High-Mg diorites enriched in incompatible elements and their extrusive equivalents are rare subduction-related rock types that have been found in modern arc settings and in Late Archean sequences, where they are associated with trondhjemite–tonalite–granodiorite (TTG) suites. Archean rocks with these geochemical features are known as sanukitoids and, despite their limited abundance, are considered to be the indicators of the onset of modern plate tectonics because of their similarities to modern subduction-related high-Mg andesites and diorites. Understanding the genesis of sanukitoid rocks is thus an essential step towards understanding crustal growth processes. The accepted petrogenetic models for modern, enriched, high-Mg andesites and their Archean equivalents, the sanukitoids, consist of metasomatic enrichment of the mantle wedge by slab components and its subsequent partial melting, or the modification of siliceous slab components through continuous reaction with mantle peridotite during their ascent through the mantle wedge. We present new data on the petrography, mineral chemistry and whole-rock geochemistry (major and trace elements and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopes) of andesitic rocks from an ∼30 ka lava flow (Yuyos flow) from the Chacana Caldera Complex, Eastern Cordillera of Ecuador. These rocks show a remarkable geochemical affinity with Archean sanukitoids, including high magnesium numbers (0·58–0·63) accompanied by high contents of incompatible elements (e.g. Th 17–23 ppm, U 6–7·5 ppm, Ba 1600–1800 ppm, Sr 1430–1565 ppm, La 74–94 ppm). Additionally, the sanukitoid-like andesites of Yuyos are associated with predominant silica-rich (adakite-like) andesites, which are widespread throughout the Quaternary arc of Ecuador. This makes the Quaternary Ecuadorian magmatic province a close equivalent of the Archean TTG–sanukitoid association. The bulk-rock geochemistry, petrography and mineral chemistry data indicate that the sanukitoid-like features of the andesites of the Yuyos flow derive from intracrustal recycling of the felsic–intermediate to mafic–ultramafic roots of the Quaternary volcanic arc of Ecuador by ‘normal’ mantle-derived basaltic magmas with the geochemical characteristics of continental arc basalts or high-alumina basalts. In view of the similarities between the Yuyos andesites and Archean sanukitoids in terms of geochemistry and lithological association, we suggest that genetic models should consider the possibility of intracrustal recycling as a process responsible for the peculiar signatures of both Archean sanukitoids and modern enriched high-Mg andesites.

Experimental quantification of permeability of partially molten mantle rock

Melt percolation in mantle rocks is currently poorly constrained, especially at low melt fractions. At mid-ocean ridges, for example, geochemical and geophysical observations produce divergent estimates of how much melt is present in the mantle and how quickly it moves. Accurate estimates of permeability and grain-scale melt distribution in mantle rock are necessary to reconcile these observations. We present three-dimensional (3-D), 700 nm-resolution images of olivine–basalt aggregates, containing nominal melt fractions (ϕn) between 0.02 and 0.20. Samples were prepared from a powdered mixture of San Carlos olivine and high-alumina basalt and hot-pressed in a solid-medium piston–cylinder apparatus at 1350 °C and 1.5 GPa. Images were obtained using synchrotron X-ray microtomography (SXμT) from the Advance Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Stokes flow simulations, conducted using the digital melt volume as the numerical domain, determine that the permeabilities of experimental charges range from 2×10−16 to 5×10−13 m2 for ϕn=0.02 to 0.20, respectively. The simulation results are well represented by the power-law relation between permeability (k) and melt fraction (ϕ), k=ϕnd2/C, where n=2.6±0.2, and assuming a grain size of 35 μm in the experiments, C=58−22+36. These results place important new constraints on rates of melt migration and melt extraction within partially molten regions of the mantle.

Decoding crystal fractionation in calc-alkaline magmas from the Bezymianny Volcano (Kamchatka, Russia) using mineral and bulk rock compositions

We present a new dataset for whole-rock major, trace, isotopic, and phenocryst compositions indicating a genetic link between andesites of the Holocene eruptions of the Bezymianny stratovolcano (the Bezymianny stage), the andesitic to dacitic Late Pleistocene lava dome complex (the pre-Bezymianny stage), and the magnesian to high-alumina basalts of the adjacent Kliuchevskoi Volcano. We demonstrate that volcanic products from the Bezymianny stage of volcano evolution are most likely the products of magma mixing between silicic products of the earliest stages of magma fractionation and the less evolved basaltic andesite parental melts periodically injected into the magma reservoir. In contrast, the intermediate and silicic magmas of the pre-Bezymianny stage together with basalts from Kliuchevskoi much more closely resemble the liquid line of descent and may represent a unique prolonged and continuous calc-alkaline trend of magma evolution from high-magnesian basalt to dacite. As a result of the geothermobarometry, we recognize variable conditions of magma fractionation and magma storage beneath Bezymianny for different magma types during its evolution since the Late Pleistocene: (1) 1100–1150°C, 500–640MPa, 1–2.5wt.% H2O for parental basaltic andesite; (2) 1130–1050°C, 700–600MPa, 2.5–5wt.% H2O for two-pyroxene andesites; (3) 1040–990°C, 560–470MPa, 5–6.5wt.% H2O for orthopyroxene-bearing andesites; (4) 950–1000°C, 450–150MPa, 3.5–5.5wt.% H2O for hornblende-bearing andesites; and (5) 950–900°C, 410–250MPa, 6–7wt.% H2O for dacites. Repeated basalt injections and magma fractionation combined with internal mixing in the magma chamber are the main processes responsible for both the complex petrography and the geochemical trends observed in the lavas of Bezymianny Volcano.

Island arc-type bimodal magmatism in the eastern Tianshan Belt, Northwest China: Geochemistry, zircon U–Pb geochronology and implications for the Paleozoic crustal evolution in Central Asia

The bimodal association of basalts and rhyolites in the Hongshankou area of the East Tianshan area (NW China) provides an important suite to investigate magma petrogenesis and tectonics evolution in a convergent margin setting. In this study we present petrological, geochemical and zircon U–Pb geochronological data from the basalts and rhyolites. Zircons from the basalts yield crystallization ages of 347.1±3.9Ma whereas those from the rhyolites are dated as 344.4±1.9 and 345.0±2.5Ma. The major and trace element signatures of basalts suggest high alumina basalt (HAB) as the source magma which was generated from metasomatised asthenosphere mantle. Both the mafic and felsic rocks are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREE) and large ion lithophile elements (LILE), and are depleted in high field strength elements (HFSE). Broadly homogenous Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd isotopic compositions of mafic and felsic rocks are also characteristic. The basalts display a distinct enrichment in incompatible elements and positive εNd(345Ma) (from +5.87 to +8.25). We envisage a subduction-related origin to account for the LILE enrichment with arc-like melts (enriched in Th and LREE and depleted in Nb, with εNd(345Ma)>+6) produced through the partial melting of a depleted-mantle source, and the involvement of minor crustal component. The rhyolites also display high εNd(345Ma) (from +6.35 to +8.53). Consequently, we suggest a mixing process between a source similar to mid-ocean ridge basalt (depleted end-member mantle) and arc-like magmas for the petrogenesis of the mafic rocks, whereas the rhyolites are best interpreted to have formed by fractional crystallization from the parental magma of the basalts. Several lines of evidence from elemental and isotopic geochemistry suggest a close genetic relationship between the mafic and felsic rocks in the Hongshankou bimodal suites. We propose that the essentially bimodal character of this complex reflects the features of back-arc extensional magmatism, induced by the subduction of the Junggar plate during the Late Paleozoic.

Petrogenesis of Sierra Nevada plutons inferred from the Sr, Nd, and O isotopic signatures of mafic igneous complexes in Yosemite Valley, California

Mafic complexes in the central Sierra Nevada batholith record valuable geochemical information regarding the role mafic magmas play in arc magmatism and the generation of continental crust. In the intrusive suite of Yosemite Valley, major and trace element compositions of the hornblende-bearing gabbroic rocks from the Rockslides mafic complex and of the mafic dikes in the North America Wall are compositionally similar to high-alumina basalt. Of these rocks, two samples have higher Ni and Cr abundances as well as higher eNd values than previously recognized for the intrusive suite. Plagioclase crystals in rocks from the North America Wall and the Rockslides have prominent calcic cores and sharply defined sodic rims, a texture commonly associated with mixing of mafic and felsic magmas. In situ analyses of 87Sr/86Sr in plagioclase show no significant isotopic difference from the cores to the rims of these grains. We propose that the high 87Sr/86Sr (~0.7067) and low eNd (~−3.4) of bulk rocks, the homogeneity of 87Sr/86Sr in plagioclase, and the high δ18O values of bulk rocks (6.6–7.3 ‰) and zircon (Lackey et al. in J Petrol 49:1397–1426, 2008) demonstrate that continental crust was assimilated into the sublithospheric mantle-derived basaltic precursors of the mafic rocks in Yosemite Valley. Contamination (20–40 %) likely occurred in the lower crust as the magma differentiated to high-alumina basalt prior to plagioclase (and zircon) crystallization. As a consequence, the isotopic signatures recorded by whole rocks, plagioclase, and zircon do not represent the composition of the underlying lithospheric mantle. We conclude that the mafic and associated felsic members of the intrusive suite of Yosemite Valley represent 60–80 % new additions to the crust and include significant quantities of recycled ancient crust.

Experimental calibration of the effect of H2O on plagioclase crystallization in basaltic melt at 200 MPa

Crystallization experiments were conducted at 200 MPa to determine the effect of small amounts of H 2 O on the liquidus temperature of basaltic melts in which plagioclase is the liquidus phase. The H 2 O concentrations in the quenched glasses, determined by infrared spectroscopy and Karl-Fischer titration, ranged from 0.02 to 4.2 wt% H 2 O. The dry liquidus temperature at 200 MPa was estimated from experiments at 1 atm (H 2 O-free) and from the known pressure dependence of plagioclase crystallization temperature. The effect of water (expressed as wt% H 2 O) on the plagioclase liquidus temperature is nonlinear and diminishing with increasing melt H 2 O concentrations. According to our new experimental data, it can be empirically predicted with following equation: ( T DRY - T WET ) = 76.99 · C H 2 O 0.71 where C H 2 O is the water concentration in the melt (wt%), T DRY , and T WET are plagioclase crystallization temperatures in water-free and water-bearing systems, respectively. The relationship between C H 2 O and liquidus temperature worked out in this study is valid for a range of basaltic compositions, ranging from high-alumina basalts to basaltic andesites. The combination of the empirical equation predicting the liquidus depression of plagioclase with previous models predicting the olivine liquidus curve is useful to determine the liquidus temperature in various H 2 O-bearing basaltic systems in which either plagioclase or olivine is the liquidus phase.

Recent explosive eruptions and volcano hazards at Soputan volcano—a basalt stratovolcano in north Sulawesi, Indonesia

Soputan is a high-alumina basalt stratovolcano located in the active North Sulawesi-Sangihe Islands magmatic arc. Although immediately adjacent to the still geothermally active Quaternary Tondono Caldera, Soputan’s magmas are geochemically distinct from those of the caldera and from other magmas in the arc. Unusual for a basalt volcano, Soputan produces summit lava domes and explosive eruptions with high-altitude ash plumes and pyroclastic flows—eight explosive eruptions during the period 2003–2011. Our field observations, remote sensing, gas emission, seismic, and petrologic analyses indicate that Soputan is an open-vent-type volcano that taps basalt magma derived from the arc-mantle wedge, accumulated and fractionated in a deep-crustal reservoir and transported slowly or staged at shallow levels prior to eruption. A combination of high phenocryst content, extensive microlite crystallization and separation of a gas phase at shallow levels results in a highly viscous basalt magma and explosive eruptive style. The open-vent structure and frequent eruptions indicate that Soputan will likely erupt again in the next decade, perhaps repeatedly. Explosive eruptions in the Volcano Explosivity Index (VEI) 2–3 range and lava dome growth are most probable, with a small chance of larger VEI 4 eruptions. A rapid ramp up in seismicity preceding the recent eruptions suggests that future eruptions may have no more than a few days of seismic warning. Risk to population in the region is currently greatest for villages located on the southern and western flanks of the volcano where flow deposits are directed by topography. In addition, Soputan’s explosive eruptions produce high-altitude ash clouds that pose a risk to air traffic in the region.

Neoarchean suprasubduction zone arc magmatism in southern India: Geochemistry, zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotopes of the Sittampundi Anorthosite Complex

The Sittampundi Anorthosite Complex (SAC) in southern India is one of the well exposed Archean layered anorthosite-gabbro-ultramafic rock associations. Here we present high precision geochemical data for the various units of SAC, coupled with zircon U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotopic data for the anorthosite. The zircon ages define two populations, the older yield a concordia age of 2541±13Ma, which is interpreted as the best estimate of the magmatic crystallization age for the Sittampundi anorthosite. A high-grade metamorphic event at 2461±15Ma is suggested by the upper intercept age of the younger zircon population. A Neoproterozoic event at 715±180Ma resulted in Pb loss from some of the metamorphic zircons. The magmatic age of the anorthosite correlates well with the timing of crystallization of the arc-related~2530Ma magmatic charnockites in the adjacent Salem Block, while the metamorphic age is synchronous with the regional metamorphic event. The geochemical data suggest that the rocks were derived from a depleted mantle source. Sub-arc mantle metasomatism of slab derived fluids and subsequent partial melting produced hydrous, aluminous basalt magma. The magma fractionated at depth to produce a variety of high-alumina basalt compositions, from which the anorthositic complex with its chromite-rich and amphibole-rich layers formed as cumulates within the magma chamber of a supra-subduction zone arc. The coherent initial176Hf/177Hf ratios and positive εHf values (1.7 – 4.5) of the magmatic zircons in the anorthosite are consistent with derivation of a rather homogeneous juvenile parent magma from a depleted mantle source. Our study further confirms that the southern part of the Dharwar Craton was an active convergent margin during the Neoarchean with the generation and emplacement of suprasubduction zone arc magmas which played a significant role in continental growth.

Chromite–silicate chemistry of the Neoarchean Sittampundi Complex, southern India: Implications for subduction-related arc magmatism

The Neoarchean layered anorthositic complex at Sittampundi in southern India is known for its chromitite layers that are mostly associated with anorthosite (An90–100). The chromitites contain FeAl-rich chromites concentrated in layers between amphibole-rich layers with a dominant mineralogy of amphibole–spinel–plagiocase±sapphirine. The chromite-rich layers contain only amphibole and plagioclase. Mineral compositions illustrated by X-ray composition maps and profiles show subtle chemical differences. The chrome spinels are of refractory grade with Cr2O3 and Al2O3 contents varying between 34–40wt.% and 23–28wt.%. The chromite compositions are noticeably different from those in layered igneous intrusions of the Bushveld-Stillwater type. The existence of original highly calcic plagioclase, FeAl-rich chromite, and magmatic amphibole is consistent with derivation from a parental magma of hydrous tholeiitic composition that was most likely generated in a supra-subduction zone arc setting. In terms of mineralogy and field relations, the Sittampundi chromitites are remarkably similar to anorthosite-hosted chromitites in the Neoarchean Fiskenæsset anorthositic complex, Greenland. We propose that the Sittampundi chromitites formed by partial melting of unusually aluminous harzburgite in a hydrated mantle wedge above a subduction zone. This melting process produced hydrous, aluminous basalt, which fractionated at depth to give rise to a variety of high-alumina basalt compositions from which the anorthositic complex with its cumulate chromite-rich and amphibole-rich layers formed within the magma chamber of a supra-subduction zone arc.

Zircon U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopic systematics of the Daping plutonic rocks: Implications for the Neoproterozoic tectonic evolution of the northeastern margin of the Indochina block, Southwest China

The Daping Neoproterozoic plutonic rocks at the northeastern margin of Indochina block in southwest China provide an ideal opportunity for studying the tectonic setting and relationship between the Indochina and Yangtze Blocks. LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating on the zircon cores and rims of a hornblende-gabbro yield 206Pb/ 238U weighted means ages of 873 ± 9.1 Ma and 769 ± 7 Ma, respectively, and that for cores, mantles and rims of a granodiorite yield 206Pb/ 238U weighted means ages of 981–987 Ma, 829 ± 10 Ma and 761 ± 11 Ma, respectively. The zircon cores and mantles are interpreted as inherited from their source region. The zircon rims are magmatic, their ages represent the emplacement timing. The zircon cores and rims from the hornblende-gabbro have ε Hf ( t) values ranging from − 5.0 to − 5.8 and + 0.6 to + 6.4. Corresponding single-stage model ages range from 1626 to 1662 Ma and 1094 to 1311 Ma, respectively. For the granodiorite, the inherited mantles (including cores) show two groups: (1) ε Hf ( t) values of + 3.3 to + 12.3 with single-stage Hf model ages of 897 to 1235 Ma; and (2) ε Hf ( t) values of − 1.9 to − 7.8 with single stage model ages of 1470–1667 Ma. The zircon rims are characterized by positive ε Hf ( t) values (+ 5.4 to + 8.2) with single-stage model ages ranging from 977 to 1108 Ma. Whole-rock geochemical data for the hornblende-gabbro, such as enrichment of LILE and LREE, negative anomaly of Nb and Ta, and high Mg # (52.1–65.4), suggest magma generation in a subduction-related setting. An island-arc affinity is strongly supported by the features of high-alumina basalt and abundant hornblende in a large hornblende-gabbro sill. The granodiorites are characterized by high Sr contents and Sr/Y ratios, strong enrichment of LILE and LREE, and negative anomaly of Nb, Ta, P and Ti, comparable with the features of subduction-related plutonic rocks. These data show that the hornblende-gabbro was generated by the partial melting of a metasomatized mantle wedge peridotite with contribution from aqueous fluids derived from a subducted slab. The granodiorite magma is a product of the mixing of mafic magma produced by partial melting of a slab-fluid-enriched metasomatized mantle wedge peridotite and felsic magma formed by the partial melting of crustal materials. The emplacement ages and geochemical features of subduction-related Daping plutonic rocks are the same as those reported from the western margin of the Yangtze block, suggesting the presence of an oceanic crust in between, with subduction to either side generating island-arc magmatism in the Neoproterozoic.

Petrogenesis of the anorthosite-chromitite association: crystal-chemical and petrological insights from the Rum Layered Suite, NW Scotland

Thirteen Cr-bearing spinels from major horizons of magma replenishment in the open-system Rum Layered Suite have been analysed by X-ray single crystal diffraction and electron microprobe analyses. On the basis of the structural parameters and the chemistry of these spinels the so-called Rum trend, in which Al-content increases at the expense of Cr and Fe3+, has been easily recognised. In addition, natural spinels with Fe3+ content similar to synthetic spinels on the MgCr2O4–MgFe2O4 join have been analysed for the first time. Layers of chromitite, anorthosite and peridotite situated within several cm of one another have yielded different intracrystalline exchange temperatures using an intercrystalline spinel-olivine thermometer. The Rum anorthosite Cr-spinels are interpreted as having crystallised within the cumulus pile following rejuvenation of the crystal mush. Their low Al-content is a function of simultaneous plagioclase crystallisation, reducing the amount of Al3+ present for the Cr-spinel. By contrast, Cr-spinels in well-known Archean anorthosites (e.g. Ujaragssuit nunât and Fiskenaesset, western Greenland) and Sittampundi (southern India) are very aluminous in composition, attributed to crystallisation of Cr-spinel from high-alumina basalts in lower crustal magma chambers and linked to the control exerted by plagioclase crystallisation on Al content of the melt, in the absence of clinopyroxene crystallisation. The compositional differences between the Rum anorthosite Cr-spinels and the Fiskenaesset and Sittampundi Cr-spinels suggest that postcumulus reaction of Cr-spinel and melt to low (800–900°C) temperatures, as invoked for the Rum crystals, may not have been as important a process in the Archean anorthosites.

Deep inside a neoproterozoic intra-oceanic arc: growth, differentiation and exhumation of the Amalaoulaou complex (Gourma, Mali)

We show here that the Amalaoulaou complex, in the Pan-African belt of West Africa (Gourma, Mali), corresponds to the lower and middle sections of a Neoproterozoic intra-oceanic arc. This complex records a 90–130-Ma-long evolution of magmatic inputs and differentiation above a subducting oceanic slab. Early c. 793 Ma-old metagabbros crystallised at lower crustal or uppermost mantle depths (25–30 km) and have geochemical characteristic of high-alumina basalts extracted from a depleted mantle source slightly enriched by slab-derived sedimentary components ((La/Sm)N < 1; eNd: +5.4–6.2; 87Sr/86Sr: 0.7027–0.7029). In response to crustal thickening, these mafic rocks were recrystallised into garnet-granulites (850–1,000°C; 10–12 kbar) and subject to local dehydration–melting reactions, forming trondhjemititic leucosomes with garnet–clinopyroxene–rutile residues. Slightly after the granulitic event, the arc root was subject to strong HT shearing during partial exhumation (detachment faults/rifting or thrusting), coeval with the emplacement of spinel- and garnet-pyroxenite dykes crystallised from a high-Mg andesitic parental magma. Quartz and hornblende-gabbros (700–660 Ma) with composition typical of hydrous volcanic rocks from mature arcs ((La/Sm)N: 0.9–1.8; eNd: +4.6 to +5.2; 87Sr/86Sr: 0.7028–0.7031) were subsequently emplaced at mid-arc crust levels (~15 km). Trace element and isotopic data indicate that magmas tapped a depleted mantle source significantly more enriched in oceanic sedimentary components (0.2%). Exhumation occurred either in two stages (700–660 and 623 Ma) or in one stage (623 Ma) with a final exhumation of the arc root along cold P-T path (550°C, 6–9 kbar; epidote–amphibolite and greenschist facies conditions) during the main Pan-African collision event (620–580 Ma). The composition of magmas forming the Cryogenian Amalaoulaou arc and the processes leading to intra-arc differentiation are strikingly comparable to those observed in the deep section of exposed Mezosoic oceanic arcs, namely the Kohistan and Talkeetna complex. This evolution of the Amalaoulaou oceanic arc and its accretion towards the West African craton belong to the life and closure of the Pharusian Ocean that eventually led to the formation of the Greater Gondwana supercontinent, a similar story having occurred on the other side of the Sahara with the Mozambique Ocean.

Polybaric Fractional Crystallization of High-alumina Basalt Parental Magmas in the Egersund–Ogna Massif-type Anorthosite (Rogaland, SW Norway) Constrained by Plagioclase and High-alumina Orthopyroxene Megacrysts

Bulk analyses of plagioclase and high-alumina orthopyroxene megacrysts (decimetreto metre-sized crystals with plagioclase lamellae) from the late Proterozoic Egersund^Ogna massif-type anorthosite (Rogaland anorthosite province, SWNorway) are used to constrain the parental magma compositions and differentiation processes within this 30 km diameter diapir. Spatial compositional variations show that two types of anorthosite occur: high-Sr (720^1090 ppm) andesine anorthosite (An48 4) in the centre of the intrusion and low-Sr (320^620 ppm) labradorite anorthosite (An59 6) in the margin. Two populations of orthopyroxene megacrysts are clearly discriminated by their Mn and Cr contents, but display similar ranges of Mg-number (55^79). Interpretation of trace element data and comparison with inversion models suggest that the two types of anorthosite result from crystallization of different parental magma compositions with high-alumina basalt affinities and similar Mg-numbers, but different wollastonite, Sr, Mn and Cr contents. A Rayleigh fractional crystallization model of the trace element concentrations vs MgO content in orthopyroxene constrains the cotectic orthopyroxene:plagioclase proportions to 0·33:0·67 in both magma types before the appearance of Fe^Ti oxide minerals on the liquidus at F 0·7 (where F is melt fraction). Polybaric crystallization is recorded by variable alumina contents in the orthopyroxene megacrysts (2·3^8·5 wt %), corresponding to crystallization pressures in the 3^13 kbar range as shown by experimental data. This implies that the high-alumina orthopyroxene megacrysts mainly crystallized en route during diapiric rise of the anorthositic mush. Modelling the plagioclase compositions with experimentally determined partition coefficients for Ca, K, Sr and Ba confirms that pressure variation during polybaric crystallization is the main controlling factor on compositional variations in the anorthosite pluton.

The effect of tetrahedral Al 3+ on the partitioning of water between clinopyroxene and silicate melt

This experimental study examines the influence of tetrahedrally coordinated Al 3+ ( IVAl 3+) on the partitioning of H + between high-Ca clinopyroxene and silicate melt. Experiments were carried out at 1.5 GPa and 1275 to 1350 °C on a natural high-alumina basalt and a compositionally similar synthetic basalt that is nominally alumina free. The results extend the compositional range of clinopyroxene for which partitioning has been determined experimentally to both higher and lower IVAl 3+, thereby clarifying its role in maintaining charge neutrality during H + incorporation. Clinopyroxene-melt partition coefficients for H + ( D H 2 O Cpx − Melt ) determined for the high-alumina basalt are among largest ever reported ( D H 2 O Cpx − Melt = 0.0228 to 0.0477), while those determined for the nominally alumina-free starting composition are the smallest ( D H 2 O Cpx − Melt = 0.00445 to 0.0071). Our results confirm that H + is incorporated into clinopyroxene through two independent mechanisms: (1) the creation of metal vacancies and coupled hydroxyl defects and (2) a coupled substitution involving IVAl 3+ that creates isolated hydroxyl defects. The relative importance of each of these incorporation mechanisms was quantified by formulating D H 2 O Cpx − Melt as the sum of a metal vacancy-related partition coefficient ( D H 2 O V Me ) and an Al-coupled substitution-related partition coefficient ( D H 2 O Al ) and fitting the resulting expression to all available experimental data. The contribution of D H 2 O V Me to D H 2 O Cpx − Melt is relatively constant at 0.006 ± 0.002, but is sensitive to pressure, temperature, H 2O fugacity and pyroxene composition. The contribution of D H 2 O Al varies from ∼ 0 to 0.038 and is strongly dependent on phase composition, but insensitive to pressure and temperature. Two parameterizations of D H 2 O Cpx − Melt that account for the potential effects of temperature, pressure and phase composition were calibrated using our data and experimentally determined partition coefficients from the literature. The first parameterization considers only compositional effects and can be used to estimate D H 2 O Cpx − Melt in cases where pressure and/or temperature are unknown. This equation was used to demonstrate that the pre-eruptive H 2O contents of arc lavas calculated on the basis of H + in clinopyroxene phenocrysts are systematically higher than those inferred from olivine-hosted melt inclusions, so that the former provide a record that is closer to primary (undegassed) values. The second parameterization considers the effects of pressure and temperature in addition to phase composition and provides a moderately better fit to the experimental data. This equation was used to re-evaluate the influence of H 2O on the depth at which peridotite partial melting begins beneath oceanic spreading centers. Our calculations indicate that partial melting begins at depths that are shallower than suggested by previous estimates. For a potential temperature of 1350 °C, peridotite containing 50, 100, 150, and 200 ppm H 2O dissolved in nominally anhydrous minerals begins melting at depths of 75, 79, 83, and 87 km, respectively.

Presence of Permian extension- and arc-type magmatism in southern Tibet: Paleogeographic implications

The geographical location of the Lhasa terrane in the Permian remains a subject of debate. The recognition of the Permian basalts in the Tethyan Himalaya and the Permian volcanic rocks in the Lhasa terrane in southern Tibet together with the geochemistry of these rocks offer some new insights. The Permian basalts in the Tethyan Himalaya show a geochemical affi nity with tholeiitic continental fl ood basalts, and are interpreted to have formed in an extensional setting. The new geochemical data and the geographical distribution of these basalts indicate that they probably represent the easternmost extent of the Panjal continental fl ood basalt province. All of the Permian basalts in the Lhasa terrane show a calcalkaline , high-alumina basalt affi nity, with signifi cant negative Nb-Ta-Ti anomalies. These geochemical features, combined with the recent documentation of the Permian Songdo eclogite and sedimentological observations, indicate the existence of a subduction system beneath the central Lhasa subterrane in the Permian. The presence of both extension- and arc-type magmatism of Permian age in present-day southern Tibet is inconsistent with the general view that the Lhasa terrane did not rift away from the northern margin of the Greater India until the Late Permian or Triassic. Instead, we suggest that the central Lhasa subterrane may have been a microcontinent isolated in the Paleo-Tethyan Ocean basin, at least during the Carboniferous‐Middle Permian time.

Plagioclase twin associations from the basic volcanic rocks of the Kamchatka, Russia: growth conditions and formation mechanisms

The plagioclase twin associations found as crystal-lapilli in tephra and megacrysts in high-alumina basalt erupted from volcanoes of the Klyuchevskoy group (Kamchatka, Russia) reveal at least eight twin laws (Albite, Carlsbad, Albite-Carlsbad, Pericline, Baveno- d , - l , Prismatic- d , - l , and Periclinic twins), whose development and hierarchy can be described with the triad theory of L.A. Vardanianz. There are two genetic types of twins: (1) post-growth twins resulted from the thermal stress (Pericline twins and small twins of Albite-Carlsbad triad) and (2) growth twins (large twins of Albite-Carlsbad triad, Baveno and Prismatic twins), whose origin is explained by the action of the autodeformation mechanism. This mechanism implies deformation or stress-induced nucleation of small twin subunits in the subsurface layer of the growing crystal. The high level of stress is provided by the lattice mismatch on the zoning boundaries. Once nucleated, twin subunits grow independently of the original crystal that is favoured by the high growth-rate anisotropy.

Chromitites from the Fiskenæsset anorthositic complex, West Greenland: clues to late Archaean mantle processes

Abstract Chromitites in the late Archaean Fiskenæsset anorthosite complex are characterized by a most unusual mineral assemblage: highly calcic plagioclase, iron-rich aluminous chromites and primary amphibole. In particular, the chromite compositions are atypical of chromitites in layered igneous intrusions. However, rare occurrences of this mineral assemblage are found in modern arcs and it is proposed here that the late Archaean calcic anorthositic chromitites formed by the partial melting of unusually aluminous harzburgite in a mantle wedge above a subduction zone. This melting process produced a hydrous, aluminous basalt, which fractionated at depth in the crust to produce a variety of high-alumina basalt compositions, from which the anorthosite complex with its chromitite horizons formed as a cumulate within the continental crust. The principal trigger for the late precipitation of chromite is thought to have been the removal of Al from the basaltic melt through plagioclase crystallization, and the build-up of Cr through an absence of clinopyroxene. It is proposed that the aluminous mantle source of the parent magma was produced by the melting of a harzburgitic mantle refertilized by small-volume, aluminous slab melts. This process ceased at the end of the Archaean because the dominant mechanism of crust generation changed such that melt production shifted from the slab into the mantle wedge, thus explaining why highly calcic anorthosites are almost totally restricted to the Archaean.