Technically ultrapotassic rocks and melilitic rocks are considered a separate gr

oup, based on melting model criteria, but there are ultrapotassic and highly sil
ica-under-saturated rocks with >18% MgO which can be considered "ultramafic".
Ultrapotassic, ultramafic igneous rocks such as lamprophyre, lamproite and kimbe
rlite are known to have reached the surface of the Earth. Although no modern eru
ptions have been observed, analogues are preserved.
Most of these rocks occur as dikes, diatremes, lopoliths or laccoliths, and very
rarely, intrusions. Most kimberlite and lampproite occurrences occur as volcani
c and subvolcanic diatremes and maars; lavas are virtually unknown.
Vents of Proterozoic lamproite (Argyle diamond mine), and Cenozoic lamproite (Ga
ussberg, Antarctica) are known, as are vents of Devonian lamprophyre (Scotland).
Kimberlite pipes in Canada, Russia and South Africa have incompletely preserved
tephra and agglomerate facies.
These are generally diatreme events and as such are not lava flows although teph
ra and ash deposits are partially preserved. These represent low-volume volatile
melts and attain their ultramafic chemistry via a different process to typical
ultramafic rocks