scholarly journals Occurrence of Felsic Rocks in Oceanic Gabbros from IODP Hole U1473A: Implications for Evolved Melt Migration in the Lower Oceanic Crust

Minerals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Du Nguyen ◽  
Tomoaki Morishita ◽  
Yusuke Soda ◽  
Akihiro Tamura ◽  
Biswajit Ghosh ◽  
...  

Felsic rocks are minor in abundance but occur ubiquitously in International Ocean Discovery Program Hole U1473A, Southwest Indian Ridge. The trace element abundances of high-Ti brown amphibole, plagioclase, and zircon in veins, as well as the presence of myrmekitic texture in the studied felsic rocks support crystallization origin from highly-evolved melts, probably controlled by fractional crystallization. Based on geochemical criteria and texture of the mineral assemblage in felsic rocks and their relationship with host gabbros, they can be divided into three types: (1) Felsic rock with sharp boundaries is formed when felsic melt intrudes into fractures of host gabbros, resulting in minimal interaction between the melt and the wall minerals. (2) Replacive felsic rock, which is characterized by a pseudomorphic replacement of minerals in the host gabbro. This vein type is caused by the replacement of the host mineralogy by minerals in equilibrium with the felsic melts. (3) Felsic rock with diffused boundaries is formed either by infiltration of felsic melt into the solidifying gabbro body or crystallization of interstitial melts. Infiltration modes of felsic melts are likely controlled by the temperature condition of the cooling host gabbros.

1991 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 1429-1443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luc Harnois ◽  
John M. Moore

Samples of two subalkaline metavolcanic suites, the Tudor formation (ca. 1.28 Ga) and the overlying Kashwakamak formation, have been analysed for major elements and 27 trace elements (including rare-earth elements). The Tudor formation is tholeiitic and contains mainly basaltic flows, whereas the Kashwakamak formation is calc-alkaline and contains mainly andesitic rocks with minor felsic rocks. The succession has been regionally metamorphosed to upper greenschist – lower amphibolite facies. Trace-element abundances and ratios indicate that rocks of the Tudor and Kashwakamak formations are island-arc type. Geochemical modelling using rare-earth elements, Zr, Ti, and Y indicates that the Tudor volcanic rocks are not derived from a single parental magma through simple fractional crystallization. Equilibrium partial melting of a heterogeneous Proterozoic upper mantle can explain the trace-element abundances and ratios of Tudor formation volcanic rocks. The intermediate to felsic rocks of the Kashwakamak formation appear to have been derived from a separate partial melting event. The data are consistent with an origin of the arc either on oceanic crust or on thinned continental crust, and with accretion of the arc to a continental margin between the time of extrusion of Tudor volcanic rocks and that of Kashwakamak volcanic rocks.


2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 67-74
Author(s):  
Du Khac Nguyen ◽  
Tomoaki Morishita ◽  

IODP-Hole U1473A was drilled on the summit of Atlantis bank, Southwest Indian Ridge recovered large amounts of gabbroic rocks including mainly olivine gabbro. Felsic rocks are minor, approximately 1,5% of the total volume, which are comprising significant amount of quartz in some samples. The Ti concentrations and the estimated temperatures of the quartz in veins are relatively high, ranging from 30÷130 ppm and 540÷7000C, coupled with the myrmekitic textures in some veins are unambigeous evidence for the late magmatic origin. In addition to the crystallization mechanism in free spaces, such as crack/ fracture systems during the penetration of SiO2 - saturated magmas; the quartz is also formed by re-precipitation process at the same location leaving behind after the previous olivine in the host gabro has been dissolved.


Author(s):  
R. J. Sewell ◽  
D. P. F. Darbyshire ◽  
R. L. Langford ◽  
P. J. Strange

ABSTRACTThe granites of Hong Kong comprise a variety of assemblages dominated by chemically evolved compositions. They are divided into two suites based on petrographic, geochemical, and age criteria. The oldest and most primitive intrusive units are deformed biotite-hornblende granodiorites and monzogranites of the Lamma Suite. These rocks are characterised by high CaO (1·4-2·7%), and low Nb and Y contents. The Lion Rock Suite (LRS) is dominated by relatively undeformed monzogranite with subordinate quartz syenite and comprises three subgroups. Granites of subgroup I are separated into coarse- and fine- to medium-grained lithologies. The fine- to medium-grained granites are predominantly fluorite-bearing with silica contents ranging from 75·5-78%. They are characterised by high total REE, Ga, F, Rb, Nb, and Y contents and yield a Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron age of 155 ± 6 Ma with an initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0·7101 ± 0·0060 (MSWD = 4·6). Granites of subgroup II comprise a diverse range of compositions (SiO2 = 63–77%) and are characterised by highly variable trace element abundances. Coarse-grained granites yield an age of 148 ± 9 Ma with an initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0·7060 ± 0·0006 (MSWD = 0·1). Granites of subgroup III are moderately to highly evolved (SiO2 = 72·5-77·9%) and the silica-rich compositions are marked by enrichment in Y, Nb, Rb and depletion in Ba and Sr. Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron ages for individual plutons vary from 138 ± 1 to 136 ± 1 and corresponding initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios are 0·7080 ± 0·0002 (MSWD = 1·2) and 0·7092 ± 0·0006 (MSWD = 0·4). Granites of the Lamma Suite and coarse-grained granites of LRS subgroup I are interpreted as synorogenic I-types, whereas those of LRS subgroups II and III are interpreted as late-orogenic to postorogenic, fractionated I-types. Fineto medium-grained granites of LRS subgroup I have distinctive A-type affinities and together with their association with quartz syenite indicate a transition from compressional to tensional tectonics.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S J Piercey ◽  
J -L Pilote

New high precision lithogeochemistry and Nd and Hf isotopic data were collected on felsic rocks of the Rambler Rhyolite formation from the Ming volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit, Baie Verte Peninsula, Newfoundland. The Rambler Rhyolite formation consists of intermediate to felsic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks with U-shaped primitive mantle normalized trace element patterns with negative Nb anomalies, light rare earth element-enrichment (high La/Sm), and distinctively positive Zr and Hf anomalies relative to surrounding middle rare earth elements (high Zr-Hf/Sm). The Rambler Rhyolite samples have epsilon-Ndt = -2.5 to -1.1 and epsilon-Hft = +3.6 to +6.6; depleted mantle model ages are TDM(Nd) = 1.3-1.5 Ga and TDM(Hf) = 0.9-1.1Ga. The decoupling of the Nd and Hf isotopic data is reflected in epsilon-Hft isotopic data that lies above the mantle array in epsilon-Ndt -epsilon-Hft space with positive ?epsilon-Hft values (+2.3 to +6.2). These Hf-Nd isotopic attributes, and high Zr-Hf/Sm and U-shaped trace element patterns, are consistent with these rocks having formed as slab melts, consistent with previous studies. The association of these slab melt rocks with Au-bearing VMS mineralization, and their FI-FII trace element signatures that are similar to rhyolites in Au-rich VMS deposits in other belts (e.g., Abitibi), suggests that assuming that FI-FII felsic rocks are less prospective is invalid and highlights the importance of having an integrated, full understanding of the tectono-magmatic history of a given belt before assigning whether or not it is prospective for VMS mineralization.


1985 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 1556-1559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Higgins ◽  
John M. Allen

High Ni abundances (420–500 ppm) and Mg* values (100 × Mg/(Mg + Fe2+) = 69–71) and the presence of mantle-derived xenoliths indicate that a subvolcanic nephelinite intrusion in northwestern British Columbia represents an unmodified primary magma. A separate, closely associated nephelinite intrusion shows evidence of minor olivine fractionation from a similar composition. Only three other occurrences of primary nephelinite have been described. This new occurrence suggests that these magmas may not be so rare as previously supposed. The trace-element abundances closely resemble those of primary nephelinites of similar La content from Freemans Cove, Canada. Such compositions are usually taken as evidence of intraplate rifting and doming. Therefore, these rocks are further evidence of late Tertiary or Quaternary rifting in the Stikine volcanic belt.


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