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A Phreatomagmatic Kimberlite: The A418 Kimberlite Pipe, Northwest Territories, Canada

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Proceedings of 10th International Kimberlite Conference

Abstract

The A418 kimberlite pipe, Northwest Territories, Canada, has a typical downward tapering morphology, has been explored to a depth of ~600 m where the pipe has a diameter of ~50 m, and is infilled by volcaniclastic deposits. The pipe-filling volcanic succession has a minimum volume of ~6 × 106 m3 and comprises structurally diverse deposits including finely bedded, variably bedded and massive. The finely bedded volcaniclastic deposits are dominated by surge-like beds containing abundant ash aggregates. Petrographic and geochemical characteristics of the volcaniclastic deposits indicate little contamination by the country rock granite; thus, the pipe excavation phase of the eruption is not recorded by the infill. The lack of preserved within-pipe deposits associated with the excavation of the pipe requires an initial highly energetic explosive eruptive phase that completely cleared the pipe and dispersed material away from the vent. Subsequently, the eruption intensity waned allowing the pipe to progressively infill over time; the character of the pyroclastic deposits requires phreatomagmatic eruptive activity. In the upper reaches of the pipe, a massive poorly sorted deposit cross-cuts and buries the surge deposits with intercalated or gradational contacts between the two facies. The surge beds all dip inwards towards the massive deposit. Repetition of these lithological units at depth indicates a recurring sequence of phreatomagmatic surge deposits cross-cut and overlain by massive pyroclastic or debris-flow deposits, the latter forming during lulls in the phreatomagmatic eruptive activity.

An erratum to this chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-1173-0_20

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Acknowledgments

We thank the staff at Diavik Diamond Mine for all their logistical and geological help. The research was carried out with funds from an NSERC CRD grant. LP acknowledges the support of funding from the Canadian Bureau of International Education and a Marie Curie Outgoing Fellowship. We also thank Rich Brown, Stephen Sparks and Jenny Gilbert for their constructive reviews which have greatly improved this contribution.

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Author notes

  1. Lucy Anne Porritt

    Present address: School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Vancouver, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of British Columbia, 6339 Stores Road, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada

    Lucy Anne Porritt & James Kelly Russell

  2. Diavik Diamond Mine, Yellowknife, NWT, Canada

    Hayley McLean, Gus Fomradas & David Eichenberg

Authors
  1. Lucy Anne Porritt
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  2. James Kelly Russell
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  3. Hayley McLean
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  4. Gus Fomradas
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  5. David Eichenberg
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lucy Anne Porritt .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    D Graham Pearson

  2. Dept of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Herman S Grütter

  3. School of Geographical & Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom

    Jeff W Harris

  4. Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Bruce A Kjarsgaard

  5. Finland Isotope Geosciences Laboratory, Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), Espoo, Finland

    Hugh O’Brien

  6. Department of Geology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

    N V Chalapathi Rao

  7. School of Earth Sciences, Bristol University, Bristol, United Kingdom

    Steven Sparks

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© 2013 Geological Society of India

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Porritt, L.A., Russell, J.K., McLean, H., Fomradas, G., Eichenberg, D. (2013). A Phreatomagmatic Kimberlite: The A418 Kimberlite Pipe, Northwest Territories, Canada. In: Pearson, D., et al. Proceedings of 10th International Kimberlite Conference. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-1173-0_7

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