Incompatible element

About: Incompatible element is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2420 publications have been published within this topic receiving 154052 citations.

Geochemistry of Ferrar Dolerite sills and dykes at Terra Cotta Mountain, south Victoria Land, Antarctica

Abstract: At Terra Cotta Mountain, in the Taylor Glacier region of south Victoria Land, a 237 m thick Ferrar Dolerite sill is intruded along the unconformity between basement granitoids and overlying Beacon Supergroup sedimentary rocks. Numerous Ferrar Dolerite dykes intrude the Beacon Supergroup and represent later phases of intrusion. Major and trace element data indicate variation both within and between the separate intrusions. Crystal fractionation accounts for much of the geochemical variation between the intrusive events. However, poor correlations between many trace elements require the additional involvement of open system processes. Chromium is decoupled from highly incompatible elements consistent with behaviour predicted for a periodically replenished, tapped and fractionating magma chamber. Large ion lithophile element-enrichment and depletion in Nb, Sr, P and Ti suggests the addition of a crustal component or an enriched mantle source. The trace element characteristics of the Dolerites from Terra Cotta Mountain are similar to those of other Ferrar Group rocks from the central Transantarctic Mountains and north Victoria Land, as well as with the Tasmanian Dolerites. This supports current ideas that the trace element signature of the Ferrar Group is inherited from a uniformly enriched mantle source region.

Ore geochemistry, zircon mineralogy, and genesis of the Sakharjok Y-Zr deposit, Kola Peninsula, Russia

Abstract: The Sakharjok Y-Zr deposit in Kola Peninsula is related to the fissure alkaline intrusion of the same name. The intrusion ∼7 km in extent and 4–5 km2 in area of its exposed part is composed of Neoarchean (2.68–2.61 Ma) alkali and nepheline syenites, which cut through the Archean alkali granite and gneissic granodiorite. Mineralization is localized in the nepheline syenite body as linear zones 200–1350 m in extent and 3–30 m in thickness, which strike conformably to primary magmatic banding and trachytoid texture of nepheline syenite. The ore is similar to the host rocks in petrography and chemistry and only differs from them in enrichment in zircon, britholite-(Y), and pyrochlore. Judging from geochemical attributes (high HSFE and some incompatible element contents (1000–5000 ppm Zr, 200–600 ppm Nb, 100–500 ppm Y, 0.1–0.3 wt % REE, 400–900 ppm Rb), REE pattern, Th/U, Y/Nb, and Yb/Ta ratios), nepheline syenite was derived from an enriched mantle source similar to that of contemporary OIB and was formed as an evolved product of long-term fractional crystallization of primary alkali basaltic melt. The ore concentrations are caused by unique composition of nepheline syenite magma (high Zr, Y, REE, Nb contents), which underwent subsequent intrachamber fractionation. Mineralogical features of zircon-the main ore mineral—demonstrate its long multistage crystallization. The inner zones of prismatic crystals with high ZrO2/HfO2 ratio (90, on average) grew during early magmatic stage at a temperature of 900–850°C. The inner zones of dipyramidal crystals with average ZrO2/HfO2 = 63 formed during late magmatic stage at a temperature of ∼500°C. The zircon pertaining to the postmagmatic hydrothermal stage is distinguished by the lowest ZrO2/HfO2 ratio (29, on average), porous fabric, abundant inclusions, and crystallization temperature below 500°C. The progressive decrease in ZrO2/HfO2 ratio was caused by evolution of melt and postmagmatic solution. The metamorphic zircon rims relics of earlier crystals and occurs as individual rhythmically zoned grains with an averaged ZrO2/HfO2 ratio (45, on average) similar to that of the bulk ore composition. The metamorphic zircon is depleted in uranium in comparison with magmatic zircon, owing to selective removal of U by aqueous metamorphic solutions. Zircon from the Sakharjok deposit is characterized by low concentrations of detrimental impurities, in particular, contains only 10–90 ppm U and 10–80 ppm Th, and thus can be used in various fields of application.

Enriched asthenosphere melting beneath the nascent North African margin: trace element and Nd isotope evidence in middle–late Triassic alkali basalts from central Sicily (Italy)

Abstract: During the dismembering of the Pangea supercontinent, middle–late Triassic sub-volcanic alkaline rocks were emplaced in central Sicily. These rocks have an alkali basaltic composition and show OIB-like incompatible element patterns in primitive mantle-normalized diagrams (e.g., enrichments in HFSE and LREE coupled with high HFSE/LILE ratios), as well as slightly positive $$ \varepsilon_{{{\text{Nd}} }} $$ values. Only subtle effects of crustal contamination at shallow depths emerge from geochemical data. These characteristics are very different compared with the Permian calcalkaline magmas from elsewhere in SW Europe still carrying the geochemical signature of modifications related to the Variscan orogeny. The mineralogical, geochemical and isotopic compositions of the investigated samples from central Sicily are also different from the coeval shoshonitic volcano-plutonic formations of Southern Alps (Dolomites). The incompatible element composition and Nd isotopic ratios are consistent with low-degree partial melting of a moderately depleted asthenospheric mantle source, with a negligible involvement of the thinned continental crust. The studied alkaline basalts represent the only known evidence of a segment of the Triassic rift system associated with early Pangea breakup in central Sicily. The close similarity of the central Sicily Triassic alkali basalts with coeval basalts emplaced along former orogenic sutures across the peri-Mediterranean area suggests a common origin related, at least partly, to asthenospheric passive upwelling following the tectonic collapse of the Variscan Belt. These rocks provide new constraints on the spatial–temporal distribution, magma source evolution and geodynamic meaning of the widespread Permo-Triassic basic magmatism developed after the end of the Variscan Orogeny in southwestern Europe.

Petrology, 40Ar/39Ar age, Sr-Nd isotope systematics, and geodynamic significance of an ultrapotassic (lamproitic) dyke with affinities to kamafugite from the easternmost margin of the Bastar Craton, India

Abstract: We report the mineralogy, bulk-rock geochemistry, 40Ar/39Ar (whole-rock) age and radiogenic (Sr and Nd) isotope composition of an ultrapotassic dyke from Sakri (Nuapada lamproite field) located at the tectonic contact between the easternmost margin of the Bastar craton and Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt, India. The Sakri dyke has a mineralogy which strongly resembles a lamproite sensu stricto (viz.,Ti-rich phlogopite, Na-poor diopside, Fe-rich sanidine, ulvospinel trend and Sr-rich apatite). However, its bulk-rock major element geochemical characteristics (viz., extreme silica-undersaturated nature) resemble sensu lato kamafugite from Toro Ankole, Uganda, East African Rift, and Alto Paranaiba Province, Brazil. The Sakri dyke also displays certain compositional peculiarities (viz., high degree of evolution of mica composition from phlogopite to biotite, elevated titanium and aluminum in clinopyroxene and significantly lower bulk Mg#) when compared to the ultrapotassic rocks from various Indian cratons. 40Ar/39Ar dating gave a plateau age of 1045 ± 9 Ma which is broadly similar to that of other Mesoproterozoic (i) lamproites from the Bastar and Bundelkhand cratons, and (ii) kimberlites from the Eastern Dharwar craton. Initial bulk-rock Sr (0.705865–0.709024) and Nd (0.511063–0.511154) isotopic ratios reveal involvement of an ‘enriched’ source region with long-term incompatible element enrichment and a depleted mantle (TDM) Nd model age of 2.56 Ga straddling the Archaean-Proterozoic chronostratigraphic boundary. The bulk-rock incompatible trace element ratios (Ta/Yb, Th/Yb, Rb/Ba and Ce/Y) of the Sakri ultrapotassic dyke negate any significant influence of crustal contamination. Small-degree melting (1 to 1.5 %) of a mixed garnet-facies and spinel-facies phlogopite lherzolite can account for its observed REE concentrations. Whereas the emplacement of the Sakri ultrapotassic dyke is related to the amalgamation of the supercontinent of Rodinia, its overlapping geochemical characteristics of lamproite and kamafugite (also displayed by two other lamproites of the Nuapada field at Amlidadar and Parkom) are linked to the emplacement in a unique geological setting at the craton-mobile belt contact and hence of geodynamic significance.

Geochemistry of mafic phenocrysts from alkaline lamprophyres of the Spanish Central System: implications on crystal fractionation, magma mixing and xenoliths entrapment within deep magma chambers

Abstract: The Permian alkaline lamprophyres from the Spanish Central System (SCS) are highly porphyritic rocks which carry a heterogeneous population of clinopyroxene and kaersutite zoned phernocrysts. Clinopyroxene phenocrysts may show 1) normal zoning (Cpx-I), 2) reverse zoning with Fe-rich green cores (Cpx-II), and 3) reverse zoning with colourless Al-poor, silica-rich cores (Cpx-III). Kaersutite phenocrysts also show a slight reverse zoning. Major and trace element composition of Cpx-I suggests that their compositional variation is related to a crystal fractionation process from melts similar to the host lamprophyres. The Cpx-II cores represent crystallization from highly evolved melts (low Mg-Cr contents and incompatible element enrichment), genetically related with the SCS alkaline magmatism, and the growth or surrounding Mg-rich inner rims points to a magma mixing process. The major and trace element composition of Cpx-III cores supports derivation from a magma which has fractionated plagioclase. This characteristic, together with their similarities when compared to clinopyroxenes from charnockite xenoliths, suggests that they might be xenocrysts from deep calc-alkaline cumulates. The composition of melts in equilibrium with clinopyroxene and amphibole phenocrysts supports a model in which Cpx-II and Cpx-III cores would have been incorporated into a more primitive lamprophyric magma stagnated at lower crustal levels. The low pressure composition of all phenocryst outer rims indicates that they crystallised directly from the host alkaline magma at their subvolcanic emplacement levels.