Mineralogy and genesis of pyrochlore apatitite from The Good Hope Carbonatite, Ontario: A potential niobium deposit

2019 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger H. Mitchell ◽  
Rudy Wahl ◽  
Anthony Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Magma Mixing ◽  
Alkaline Rock ◽  
Potassium Feldspar ◽  
Oscillatory Zoning ◽  
Scattered Electron ◽  
Carbonatite Complex ◽  
Northwestern Ontario ◽  
Compositional Zonation ◽  
Phase Relationships

AbstractThe Good Hope carbonatite is located adjacent to the Prairie Lake alkaline rock and carbonatite complex in northwestern Ontario. The occurrence is a heterolithic breccia consisting of diverse calcite, dolomite and ferrodolomite carbonatites containing clasts of magnesio-arfvedsonite + potassium feldspar, phlogopite + potassium feldspar together with pyrochlore-bearing apatitite clasts. The apatitite occurs as angular, boudinaged and schlieren clasts up to 5 cm in maximum dimensions. In these pyrochlore occurs principally as euhedral single crystals (0.1–1.5 cm) and can comprise up to 25 vol.% of the clasts. Individual clasts contain compositionally- and texturally-distinct suites of pyrochlore. The pyrochlores are hosted by small prismatic crystals of apatite (~100–500 μm × 10–25 μm) that are commonly flow-aligned and in some instances occur as folds. Allotriogranular cumulate textures are not evident in the apatitites. The fluorapatite does not exhibit compositional zonation under back-scattered electron spectroscopy, although ultraviolet and cathodoluminescence imagery shows distinct cores with thin (<50 μm) overgrowths. Apatite lacks fluid or solid inclusions of other minerals. The apatite is rich in Sr (7030–13,000 ppm) and rare earth elements and exhibits depletions in La, Ce, Pr and Nd (La/NdCN ratios (0.73–1.14) relative to apatite in cumulate apatitites (La/NdCN > 1.5) in the adjacent Prairie Lake complex. The pyrochlore are primarily Na–Ca pyrochlore of relatively uniform composition and minor Sr contents (<2 wt.% SrO). Irregular resorbed cores of some pyrochlores are A-site deficient (>50%) and enriched in Sr (6–10 wt.% SrO), BaO (0.5–3.5 wt.%), Ta2O5 (1–2 wt.%) and UO2 (0.5–2 wt.%). Many of the pyrochlores exhibit oscillatory zoning. Experimental data on the phase relationships of haplocarbonatite melts predicts the formation of apatite and pyrochlore as the initial liquidus phases in such systems. However, the texture of the clasts indicates that pyrochlore and apatite did not crystallise together and it is concluded that pyrochlores formed in one magma have been mechanically mixed with a different apatite-rich magma. Segregation of the apatite–pyrochlore assemblage followed by lithification resulted in the apatitites, which were disrupted and fragmented by subsequent batches of diverse carbonatites. The genesis of the pyrochlore apatitites is considered to be a process of magma mixing and not simple in situ crystallisation.

Periodic Mixing of Magmas Recorded by Oscillatory Zoning of the Clinopyroxene Macrocrysts from an Ultrapotassic Lamprophyre Dyke

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang-Ming Xing ◽  
Christina Yan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Magma Mixing ◽  
High Amplitude ◽  
Oscillatory Zoning ◽  
High Frequency Oscillation ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
Magmatic System ◽  
Scattered Electron ◽  
Magma Reservoirs ◽  
Sector Zoning ◽  
Low Degrees

Abstract Ultrapotassic rocks are volumetrically minor, but widely distributed in different geological settings. Extensive studies have concerned mantle melting processes that generated these rocks. However, crustal processes that they may have involved are poorly known. In this paper, we describe complex oscillatory zoning patterns of clinopyroxene (Cpx) macrocrysts from an ultrapotassic lamprophyre dyke in the Kyrgyz North Tianshan orogen. These macrocrysts commonly have a corroded or patchy-zoned core surrounded by a mantle with distinct oscillatory zoning, which is, in turn, surrounded by a euhedral rim. The oscillatory zoning of the mantle is composed of alternating coarse and fine layers with a clear resorption surface, or closely packed layers with a straight or wavy boundary in back-scattered electron images. High-amplitude oscillation of Mg#, Ti, Al, Cr and Sr across the layers of the mantle is attributed to magma mixing. Low-amplitude, high-frequency oscillation of Mg# across the closely packed layers was probably developed as a result of kinetic effects or crystal movement under thermal and chemical gradients. In addition, cryptic sector zoning of some macrocrysts clearly shows a Si- and Mg-rich hourglass sector and an Al- and Ti-rich prism sector. The sector zoning indicates crystallization of these macrocrysts under low degrees of undercooling, and the presence of concentric Cr-rich and Cr-poor layers within the same grain indicates that the growth process was disrupted by multiple magma recharging events. The cores of the macrocrysts have Mg# with three distinctive ranges: &lt;84–90 (Core I), 74–84 (Core II) and 60–70 (Core III). The mantles have Mg# ranging from 64 to 90 without a distinct gap. The rims have a narrow range of Mg# from 76 to 80. The cores and mantles with high Mg# (≥85) have variable La/Yb from 1·8 to 5·0 and Dy/Yb from 2·3 to 4·6. The macrocrysts overall have variable 87Sr/86Sr from 0·7072 to 0·7084. Highly variable trace elements and 87Sr/86Sr within a single grain indicate that both primary and evolved magmas with different compositions were periodically recharged into the crustal magma reservoirs. Modelling results reveal that the melts in equilibrium with the Cpx macrocrysts may have been derived from the magma reservoirs at three different depths equivalent to crystallization pressures of ∼5·4, ∼3·3 and ∼1·6 kbar, respectively, making up a transcrustal magmatic system. The Cpx-laden melts in deep magma reservoirs may have been frequently transported to shallower reservoirs. Magma mixing in the shallower reservoirs led to heterogeneous magmas with different cooling rates and chemical compositions. Early crystallized Cpx crystals were overprinted with diverse zoning patterns during overgrowth and accumulation. Thus, the complex zoning patterns and compositions of the Cpx macrocrysts have important implications for a transcrustal magmatic system in the formation of ultrapotassic rocks.

Texture and composition of magnetite in the Duotoushan deposit, NW China: implications for ore genesis of Fe–Cu deposits

2020 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 398-411
Author(s):  
Xia Hu ◽  
Huayong Chen ◽  
Xiaowen Huang ◽  
Weifeng Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Process ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Periodic Variation ◽  
Oscillatory Zoning ◽  
Fluid Composition ◽  
Scattered Electron ◽  
Ore Genesis ◽  
Ionic Radii ◽  
Nw China

AbstractThe Duotoushan deposit is an important Fe–Cu deposit in the Aqishan–Yamansu metallogenic belt of eastern Tianshan, NW China. Magnetite occurs in two main habits which are common in many Fe–Cu deposits, i.e. platy (TD1 Mag) and granular magnetite (TD2 Mag) have been identified at Duotoushan. Platy magnetite shows two different zones (bright and dark) based on the observations by scanning electron microscopy. The bright part (TD1-L) is the main part of TD1 magnetite and lacks inclusions. The dark part (TD1-D) is very porous and has abundant tiny silicate inclusions. Granular magnetite is usually anhedral with obvious oscillatory zoning in back-scattered electron images. In general, the dark zones of magnetite are characterised by greater Si, Ca, Al and lesser Fe contents than the bright zones. In situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that the lattice parameter of TD1 magnetite is approximately equal to that of standard magnetite and slightly higher than that of TD2 magnetite, indicating that some cations with ionic radii smaller than those of Fe2+ or Fe3+ entered the magnetite lattice by simple or coupled substitution mechanisms in TD2 magnetite.The results in the present study show that the effects of temperature and $f_{{\rm O}_ 2}$ on platy magnetite are very limited and the changing fluid composition might be the major controlling factor for the formation of Duotoushan platy magnetite. Although the possibility that mushketovite transformed from hematite cannot be excluded entirely, evidence from in situ XRD data, pore-volume ratio calculation and the growth habit of intergrown minerals indicates that platy magnetite (TD1) coexisting with amphibole was more likely to have been precipitated originally from hydrothermal fluid. This was then affected by changes in the fluid composition which consequently led to dissolution of primary magnetite (TD1-L) and re-precipitation of TD1-D magnetite (with abundant porosity and mineral inclusions). Meanwhile, granular magnetite (TD2) with oscillatory zoning, and coexisting with epidote and quartz, was precipitated from fluid with periodic variation in temperature. These oscillatory zones are characterised by bands enriched in Si, Al and Ca alternating with bands depleted in these elements. The present investigation revealed a complex evolutionary process for magnetite formation in the Duotoushan deposit. The importance of combined investigation of texture and compositional characterisation of magnetite for study of the ore genesis and evolution of Fe–Cu deposits is highlighted.

scholarly journals Crystal Specific Constraints on  Subvolcanic Processes Preceding  Eruptions at Mt Taranaki, New  Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sarah Alicia Martin
Keyword(s):  
Trace Element ◽  
Lower Crust ◽  
Magma Mixing ◽  
Oscillatory Zoning ◽  
Residence Times ◽  
Trace Element Data ◽  
Element Data ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Crystal Residence

<p>Andesitic magmas are the product of a complex interplay of processes including fractional crystallisation, crystal accumulation, magma mixing and crustal assimilation. Recent studies have suggested that andesitic rocks are in many cases a complex mixture of a crystal cargo and melts with more silicic compositions than andesite. In situ glass- and mineral-specific geochemical techniques are therefore key to unravelling the processes and timescales over which andesitic magmas are produced, assembled and transported to the surface. To this end, this thesis presents a detailed in situ glass- and mineral-specific study of six Holocene eruptions (Kaupokonui, Maketawa, Inglewood a and b, and Korito) at Mt Taranaki to investigate the petrogenetic processes responsible for producing these sub-plinian eruptions at this long-lived (130 000 yr) andesitic volcano. Mt Taranaki is an andesitic stratovolcano located on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island and as such it is distinct from the main subduction related volcanism. Crystal-specific major and trace element data were combined with textural analysis and quantitative modelling of intensive magmatic parameters and crystal residence times to identify distinct mineral populations and constrain the magmatic histories of the crystal populations. Least-squares mixing modelling of glass and phenocryst compositions demonstrates that the andesitic compositions of bulk rock Mt Taranaki eruptives results from mixing of a daciticrhyolitic melt and a complex crystal cargo (plagioclase, pyroxene, amphibole) that crystallised from multiple melts under a wide range of crustal conditions. Magma mixing of compositionally similar end members that mix efficiently also occurred beneath Mt Taranaki, and as such only produced prominent disequilibrium textures in a small proportion of the minerals in the crystal cargo. The chemistry of the earliest crystallising amphibole indicates crystallisation from an andesitic-dacitic melt at depths of ca. 20-25 km, within the lower crust. Magmas then ascended through the crust relatively slowly via a complex magmatic plumbing system. However, most of the crystal cargo formed by decompression-driven crystallisation at depth so 6-10 km, as is indicated by the dominance of oscillatory zoning and the equilibrium obtained between mineral rims and the host glasses. Taranaki magmas recharge on timescales of 1000-2000 yrs. The eruptions investigated here provide a snapshot of the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. The younger Kaupokonui and Maketawa eruptions (ca. 2890 - <1950 yr BP) are the least evolved magmas, record a stronger mixing signal in the crystal cargo, and are volumetrically smaller than the earlier Inglewood a and b and Korito eruptions (ca. 4150-3580 yr BP). The Kaupokonui and Maketawa eruptions may reflect arrival of a new pulse of magma from the lower crust, or that these are early eruptions within a recharge sequence, which have not had as much time to further differentiate and evolve as the earlier Inglewood a and b and Korito eruptions that represent the end of a magma recharge cycle. One of the six investigated eruptions was identified to come from Fantham’s Peak on the basis of its distinctive glass and mineral chemistry and petrology. Glass trace element data indicate that this eurption’s magmatic system was distinct from that of the other main vent Holocene eruptions investigated in this study. Crystal residence times were investigated using Fe-Mg interdiffusion in clinopyroxene and indicate that magma bodies stall in upper crustal storage chambers for timescales of a few months to years. The younger eruptions of the least evolved magmas with the strongest mixing signal return the shortest residence times, which may indicate that magma mixing events occurring a few months before eruption may have been the trigger for these eruptions at Mt Taranaki. Amphibole geospeedometry for these eruptives reveal rapid magma transport from depths of 6-10 km to the surface on timescales of < 1 week.</p>

scholarly journals Crystal Specific Constraints on  Subvolcanic Processes Preceding  Eruptions at Mt Taranaki, New  Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sarah Alicia Martin
Keyword(s):  
Trace Element ◽  
Lower Crust ◽  
Magma Mixing ◽  
Oscillatory Zoning ◽  
Residence Times ◽  
Trace Element Data ◽  
Element Data ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Crystal Residence

<p>Andesitic magmas are the product of a complex interplay of processes including fractional crystallisation, crystal accumulation, magma mixing and crustal assimilation. Recent studies have suggested that andesitic rocks are in many cases a complex mixture of a crystal cargo and melts with more silicic compositions than andesite. In situ glass- and mineral-specific geochemical techniques are therefore key to unravelling the processes and timescales over which andesitic magmas are produced, assembled and transported to the surface. To this end, this thesis presents a detailed in situ glass- and mineral-specific study of six Holocene eruptions (Kaupokonui, Maketawa, Inglewood a and b, and Korito) at Mt Taranaki to investigate the petrogenetic processes responsible for producing these sub-plinian eruptions at this long-lived (130 000 yr) andesitic volcano. Mt Taranaki is an andesitic stratovolcano located on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island and as such it is distinct from the main subduction related volcanism. Crystal-specific major and trace element data were combined with textural analysis and quantitative modelling of intensive magmatic parameters and crystal residence times to identify distinct mineral populations and constrain the magmatic histories of the crystal populations. Least-squares mixing modelling of glass and phenocryst compositions demonstrates that the andesitic compositions of bulk rock Mt Taranaki eruptives results from mixing of a daciticrhyolitic melt and a complex crystal cargo (plagioclase, pyroxene, amphibole) that crystallised from multiple melts under a wide range of crustal conditions. Magma mixing of compositionally similar end members that mix efficiently also occurred beneath Mt Taranaki, and as such only produced prominent disequilibrium textures in a small proportion of the minerals in the crystal cargo. The chemistry of the earliest crystallising amphibole indicates crystallisation from an andesitic-dacitic melt at depths of ca. 20-25 km, within the lower crust. Magmas then ascended through the crust relatively slowly via a complex magmatic plumbing system. However, most of the crystal cargo formed by decompression-driven crystallisation at depth so 6-10 km, as is indicated by the dominance of oscillatory zoning and the equilibrium obtained between mineral rims and the host glasses. Taranaki magmas recharge on timescales of 1000-2000 yrs. The eruptions investigated here provide a snapshot of the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. The younger Kaupokonui and Maketawa eruptions (ca. 2890 - <1950 yr BP) are the least evolved magmas, record a stronger mixing signal in the crystal cargo, and are volumetrically smaller than the earlier Inglewood a and b and Korito eruptions (ca. 4150-3580 yr BP). The Kaupokonui and Maketawa eruptions may reflect arrival of a new pulse of magma from the lower crust, or that these are early eruptions within a recharge sequence, which have not had as much time to further differentiate and evolve as the earlier Inglewood a and b and Korito eruptions that represent the end of a magma recharge cycle. One of the six investigated eruptions was identified to come from Fantham’s Peak on the basis of its distinctive glass and mineral chemistry and petrology. Glass trace element data indicate that this eurption’s magmatic system was distinct from that of the other main vent Holocene eruptions investigated in this study. Crystal residence times were investigated using Fe-Mg interdiffusion in clinopyroxene and indicate that magma bodies stall in upper crustal storage chambers for timescales of a few months to years. The younger eruptions of the least evolved magmas with the strongest mixing signal return the shortest residence times, which may indicate that magma mixing events occurring a few months before eruption may have been the trigger for these eruptions at Mt Taranaki. Amphibole geospeedometry for these eruptives reveal rapid magma transport from depths of 6-10 km to the surface on timescales of < 1 week.</p>

Emplacement age and isotopic composition of the Prairie Lake carbonatite complex, Northwestern Ontario, Canada

2016 ◽  
Vol 154 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
FU-YUAN WU ◽  
ROGER H. MITCHELL ◽  
QIU-LI LI ◽  
CHANG ZHANG ◽  
YUE-HENG YANG
Keyword(s):  
Nepheline Syenite ◽  
Lake Superior ◽  
Alkaline Rock ◽  
Main Stage ◽  
Carbonatite Complex ◽  
Midcontinent Rift ◽  
Northwestern Ontario ◽  
Depleted Mantle ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Age Determinations

AbstractAlkaline rock and carbonatite complexes, including the Prairie Lake complex (NW Ontario), are widely distributed in the Canadian region of the Midcontinent Rift in North America. It has been suggested that these complexes were emplaced during the main stage of rifting magmatism and are related to a mantle plume. The Prairie Lake complex is composed of carbonatite, ijolite and potassic nepheline syenite. Two samples of baddeleyite from the carbonatite yield U–Pb ages of 1157.2±2.3 and 1158.2±3.8 Ma, identical to the age of 1163.6±3.6 Ma obtained for baddeleyite from the ijolite. Apatite from the carbonatite yields the same U–Pb age of ~1160 Ma using TIMS, SIMS and laser ablation techniques. These ages indicate that the various rocks within the complex were synchronously emplaced at about 1160 Ma. The carbonatite, ijolite and syenite have identical Sr, Nd and Hf isotopic compositions with a 87Sr/86Sr ratio of ~0.70254, and positive εNd(t)1160 and εHf(t)1160 values of ~+3.5 and ~+4.6, respectively, indicating that the silicate and carbonatitic rocks are co-genetic and related by simple fractional crystallization from a magma derived from a weakly depleted mantle. These age determinations extend the period of magmatism in the Midcontinent Rift in the Lake Superior area to 1160 Ma, but do not indicate whether the magmatism is associated with passive continental rifting or the initial stages of plume-induced rifting.

Phase relationships in Nb - 18.7 a/o Si in-situ composite

1991 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 2109-2114 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Cockeram ◽  
H.A. Lipsitt ◽  
R. Srinivasan ◽  
I. Weiss
Keyword(s):  
In Situ Composite ◽  
Phase Relationships

scholarly journals Peran Kontaminasi Kerak pada Diferensiasi Magma Pembentuk Batuan Vulkanik Sungai Ampalas, Mamuju, Sulawesi Barat

EKSPLORIUM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Windi Anarta Draniswari ◽  
Sekar Indah Tri Kusuma ◽  
Tyto Baskara Adimedha ◽  
I Gde Sukadana
Keyword(s):  
Magma Mixing ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Geochemical Characteristics ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Radioactive Mineral ◽  
Alkaline Feldspar ◽  
High Alkalinity ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Xrf Analyses

ABSTRAK Anomali radiometri telah ditemukan di area Sungai Amplas pada bongkah batuan vulkanik. Nilai yang terukur dari spektrometer gama adalah 787 ppm eU dan 223 ppm eTh. Penemuan ini menarik untuk pengembangan eksplorasi. Studi lebih lanjut diperlukan untuk mengetahui karekteristik batuan pembawa mineral radioaktif dari sampel in-situ. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui karakteristik petrologi dan geokimia batuan vulkanik Ampalas sebagai studi awal untuk mengetahui proses akumulasi mineral radioaktif pada batuan vulkanik Ampalas. Metodologi yang digunakan meliputi pengamatan lapangan, pengambilan sampel batuan, analisis petrografi dan X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). Batuan vulkanik ampalas tersusun atas ponolit, foidit, dan foid-syenit. Tekstur batuannya terdiri dari porfiritik, aliran, rim piroksen, zoning, pseudo-leusit, korosi, inklusi mafik, dan sieve. Karakteristik geokimia menunjukkan alkalinitas tinggi dan indikasi pengayaan mineral radioaktif yang tersebar dalam batuan. Proses magmatis yang berperan dalam pembentukan batuan vulkanik adalah fraksionasi kristal (fraksionasi leusit dan alkali felspar), asimilasi kerak kontinen, dan pencampuran magma. Interaksi antara magma dan kerak menyebabkan diferensiasi magma berkelanjutan yang menghasilkan akumulasi uranium dan torium lebih tinggi.ABSTRACT Anomalous radiometry has been found in Ampalas River Area on volcanic rock boulder. The values measured from gamma spectrometer are 787 ppm eU and 223 ppm eTh. This discovery is promising for exploration development. Further study need to figure the radioactive mineral bearing rock characteristic from in-situ samples. The research aim is to determine the petrology and geochemical characteristics of Ampalas volcanic rocks as preliminary study to find radioactive mineral accumulation process of Ampalas volcanic rocks. The methodologies are field observation, rock sampling, petrography, and X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses. The Ampalas volcanic rocks consist of phonolite, phoidite, and phoid syenite. Their textures are porphyritic, flow, pyroxene rim, zoning, pseudo-leucite, corrosion, mafic inclusions, and sieve. The geochemical characteristics show high alkalinity and radioactive mineral enrichment disseminating on rock. The magmatic processes which play a significant role in radioactive mineral-bearing rocks formation are crystal fractionations (leucite and alkaline feldspar fractionations), continental crust assimilation, and magma mixing. Long interaction between magma and crust creates advanced magma differentiation causing higher uranium and thorium accumulation.  

scholarly journals The Tikiusaaq carbonatite: a new Mesozoic intrusive complex in southern West Greenland

2006 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 41-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnete Steenfelt ◽  
Julie A. Hollis ◽  
Karsten Secher
Keyword(s):  
Lithospheric Mantle ◽  
Chemical Elements ◽  
Country Rock ◽  
Alkaline Rock ◽  
Geological Mapping ◽  
Carbonatite Complex ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Alkaline Rocks ◽  
Kimberlite Indicator Minerals ◽  
Indicator Minerals

Ultrabasic alkaline magmatic rocks are products of melts generated deep within or at the base of the lithospheric mantle. The magmas may reach the surface to form lavas and pyroclastic deposits; alternatively they crystallise at depth to form dykes or central complexes. The rocks are chemically distinct and may contain high concentrations of economically interesting minerals and chemical elements, such as diamonds, niobium, tantalum, rare earth elements, phosphorus, iron, uranium, thorium, and zirconium. Ultrabasic alkaline rocks are known from several provinces in Greenland, but extrusive facies have only been preserved at a few places; e.g. at Qassiarsuk in South Greenland where pyroclastic rocks occur, and in the Maniitsoq region, where a small volcanic breccia (‘Fossilik’) contains fragments of Palaeozoic limestone. Ultramafic lamprophyre and kimberlite are mainly emplaced as dykes, whereas carbonatite forms large intrusive bodies as well as dykes. The ultrabasic alkaline magmas that have been emplaced at certain times during the geological evolution of Greenland can be related to major episodes of continental break-up (Larsen & Rex 1992). The oldest are Archaean and the youngest dated so far are Palaeogene. Figure 1 shows the distribution of known ultrabasic alkaline rocks in West Greenland. The large and well-exposed bodies of alkaline rocks and carbonatites in the Gardar Province were discovered already in the early 1800s (Ussing 1912), while less conspicuous bodies were discovered much later during geological mapping and mineral exploration. Many alkaline rock bodies, particularly dykes, are difficult to identify in the field because they weather more extensively than the country rock gneisses and form vegetated depressions in the landscape. However, their distinct chemistry and mineralogy render alkaline rocks identifiable in geochemical and geophysical survey data. Thus, the Sarfartôq carbonatite complex was discovered during regional airborne gamma-spectrometric surveying owing to its elevated uranium and thorium contents (Secher 1986). The use of kimberlite indicator minerals has led to the discovery of alkaline rocks such as kimberlites and ultramafic lamprophyres that carry fragments of deep lithospheric mantle. Such rocks may also contain diamonds. Kimberlite indicator minerals are high-pressure varieties of minerals, such as garnet, clinopyroxene, chromite and ilmenite that were formed in the lithospheric mantle. Exploration companies have processed thousands of till samples from southern West Greenland for kimberlite indicator minerals and found many new dykes.

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