Mantle-Derived Magmas on the Continents

Gelia Shield Volcano, East African Rift

 Oxygen Fugacity

Fayalite + free oxygen = magnetite + quartz

3Fe2+SiO4 + O2-2 = 2(Fe2+O.Fe3+2O3) + SiO2

Oxidation (increase in valence state)

Reduction (decrease in valence state)

Redox Reactions
Oxygen Fugacity
Oxygen Fugacity

buffer
 Metal-bearing Basalts

C (wood) + O2 (melt) = CO2 (gas)

 Disko Island

Assimilation of coal reduces basalts

 Disko Island

Iron metal droplets in basalt

Disko Island
 Continental Magmatism (Mantle-Derived)

• Usually associated with continental rifting

• Some in stable cratonic areas
Magma-types
• Qtz Tholeiites, Tholeiites + Alkali Basalts
• Alkaline (Na2O+K2O+CaO>SiO2) , SiO2-
undersaturated. Basanites, phonolites, tephrites.
• Peralkaline (Na2O+K2O>Al2O3). These can be SiO2-
undersaturated (nephelinites, leucitites, phonolites)
or oversaturated (e.g. Peralkaline rhyolites, alkali
granites)
• Ultrabasic (e.g. kimberlites, lamproites)
 Continental Magmatism (Mantle-Derived)

Doming and lithospheric thinning by ductile flow

Large scale melting of lithosphere producing flood basalts
 Flood Basalts

• Mg-contents 5-8% are too-low to be directly

derived from the mantle
• Probably stored in magma chambers
• Also contain few phenocrysts
 Flood Basalts

Extrusion rates of up to 1 M m3 s-1

 Flood Basalts

Columnar jointing in flood basalt

Flood Basalts

• Enrichments similar
to E-morb
• Mainly fertile
mantle.
• Some distinct
depletions due to
crystal fractionation.
• Not Mg-rich enough
to be direct melts of
the mantle.
• Accumulation in
large magma
chambers.
Flood Basalts

Flood basalts
Continental Magmatism: Rift Stage
• Extends 3,700 km

• Rifting began in the

early Tertiary around the
Ethiopian dome.

• Rifting in the Miocene

in Kenya and Tanzania.
 • Lies on a series of
crustal domes.

• Rift triple junctions

occur on the domes

rrr-junction
 Continental Magmatism: Rift Stage

Motnick Shombole Gelia Shield Volcano

Nephelinite/Carbonatite Nephelinite/Carbonatite (alkali basalt)

Oldoinyo Lengai (Nephelinite/Carbonatite)

Continental Magmatism: Rift Stage
Continental Magmatism: Rift Stage
Continental Magmatism: Alkaline Series in Rift Stage
Continental Magmatism: Rift Stage

Two main alkaline series:

• Silica-undersaturated
• Silica-saturated
Carbonatite-Nephelinite Association

• Most commonly in rift

settings but occasionally
cratonic

• Carbonatites have the

highest REE concentrations of
any rock type.
 Carbonatite-Nephelinite Association

Intrusive carbonatites are

always emplaced after
alkaline silicate magmas.

Fenite generated by metasomatism and contains aegirine-augite

Carbonatite-Nephelinite Association

Ca-carbonatite lava
Kerimasi

Oldoinyo Lengai
Natrocarbonatite lavas
• Carbonatites plot
on the mantle array.

• Carbon isotopes
are also mantle
values.
Continental Magmatism: Rift Stage

Enriched in incompatibles
relative to E-MORB.

Similar enrichment to OIB

= plume like enrichment.
 Continental Magmatism: Rift Stage

Some melting in
lithosphere

Some contamination by crust

 Continental Magmatism: Afar Stage

Qtz tholeiites, alkali basalts further from plume.

N-MORB-like signatures
• Extends 3,700 km

• Rifting began in the

early Tertiary around the
Ethiopian dome.

• Rifting in the Miocene

in Kenya and Tanzania.
Pre-rifting
Flood basalts

Rifting-stage
Alkaline volcanics

Afar
Alkali basalts and
quartz tholeiites
Cratons: Kimberlites

Potassic ultrabasic rocks

dominated by xenocrysts of
olivine, Cr-diopside, phlogopite
etc.
Matrices consist of serpentine,
phlogopite(mica), carbonates,
perovskite.
More a clan of related rocks
rather than specific rock types.
Carbonate rich – basaltic
kimberlites
Mica rich - Orangeites
Cratons: Kimberlites
Cratons: Kimberlites
 Cratons: Kimberlites

Basaltic kimberlites
CO2-rich

Micaceous Kimberlites (Orangeites)

 Cratons: Kimberlites

Increasing enrichment in
incompatibles:

Basaltic kimberlites<
Micaceous kimberlites<
Lamproites

Suggests plume
involvement.

Depletions in HREE due

to garnet in source
region.
Small degrees of
partial-melting of
CO2-H2O bearing
mantle
Cratons: Kimberlites

Group 2 micaceous Group 1 basaltic

Kimberlites and Mantle Metasomatism?