Plate Boundaries and Igneous Rock Formation

Magma composition depends on three factors:

1. Composition of source material (deep crustal rock, mantle rock or combination of both)
2. Source melting (parent rock rarely completely melts – partial melting determines magma composition)
3. Magma chamber processes (mainly removal of low silica minerals which increases silica content)

Igneous activity is can be simply

classified as:

1. Intra-plate vulcanism (far from

boundaries)
2. Plate boundary vulcanism
(divergent/convergent
boundaries)
Plate Boundaries and Igneous Rock Formation
DIVERGENT BOUNDARIES

• Largest volume of igneous rock

• Upwelling in mantle raises the temperature at all depths
• Asthenosphere is found at shallower depths
• Rising ultramafic (peridotite) mantle begins to melt as pressure decreases. MAINLY OLIVINE
• This results in decompression partial melting . 
• Partial melting always results in magma that that is more felsic than parent rock
• Partial melting of peridotite produces magmas of mafic composition.
Plate Boundaries and Igneous Rock Formation
DIVERGENT BOUNDARIES

Crust structure of divergent boundaries:

• surface layer of extruded pillow basalts

• layer of basaltic dikes (solidification of magma in vertical
conduits)
• Layers of gabbros representing solidification of material from
the magma chamber and accumulation of crystals on the
bottom of the magma chamber.
• As lithosphere moves away from the ridge, it thickens by a
process of underplating (asthenosphere solidifies onto the
underside of the plate)

Slow cooled basalt

Plate Boundaries and Igneous Rock Formation
DIVERGENT BOUNDARIES

Continental rifts:

• Produce some mafic magmas (produced by partial melting of the peridotite)

• Felsic magmas are produced by heating of the continental crust which can rise and erupt
forming rhyolite.
• This mixture of mafic and felsic volcanism is called bimodal volcanism.
Plate Boundaries and Igneous Rock Formation
HOT SPOTS

Beneath oceanic crust

• basaltic volcanism occurs
• large shield volcanoes like Hawaii form

Beneath continental crust

• basaltic and felsic volcanism occurs
• felsic magmas form as the rising basaltic
magma melts some of the continental crust  quartz, plagioclase, hornblende, biotite. 
• felsic magmas erupt forming rhyolite
• basaltic magmas also erupt
• bimodal volcanism
Plate Boundaries and Igneous Rock Formation
CONVERGENT BOUNDARIES
• Water is released from melting ocean crust
• Water reduces melting temperature of asthenosphere leading to formation of basaltic magmas
(dewatering)
• Arc volcanoes on continental crust erupt predominantly intermediate (andesitic) magmas, but mafic
magmas are also erupted.
• When the overriding plate in a subduction zone is a continental plate, rising mafic magmas incorporate
some continental crust through assimilation.
• These lavas build stratovolcanoes through alternating eruption of lavas and pyroclastic materials. Some
magmas do not erupt, but solidify beneath the surface forming batholiths 
• Arc volcanoes on ocean crust erupt mafic and intermediate magmas
• magmas are thus primarily basaltic
Plate Boundaries and Igneous Rock Formation
CONVERGENT BOUNDARIES

Continental Collisions
• Continental plate cannot subduct
• Collisions thicken continental crust
• Felsic and intermediate rocks
undergo partial melting due to
heating and compression
• The resulting felsic magma cannot
move quickly due to its viscosity
• As it rises, it loses water content,
solidifies deep in the crust forming
granite batholiths