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Rare earth element mobility in vesicular lava during low-grade metamorphism

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Abstract

A geochemical comparison of basaltic relicts and spilitic domains from two burial metamorphosed flows in central Chile, of similar original composition and rich and poor in amygdules, respectively, demonstrates a relationship between initial vesicularity and rare earth element (REE) mobility. During spilitization the REE were partly leached from permeable parts of the flows and precipitated in voids, now amygdules and veinlets. The REE (excluding Eu) moved coherently in the highly amygdaloidal flow: spilitic domains and amygdules inherited the basaltic REE pattern. Besides being characterized by a positive Eu anomaly, epidotes separated from amygdules have a REE distribution which mimics that of the basalt; the absolute contents range widely, suggesting local and/or temporal REE variations in the metamorphic fluids. Pumpellyite differs by being strongly enriched in heavy REE. Similar ratios of Th, Hf and Ta in samples as contrasting as relict basalt and a geode are consistent with coherent leaching. Coherent mobility, when established for a rock system, can be used to elucidate, for example, whether minerals in cross-cutting veins were formed by local redistribution or from introduced material.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Stockholm, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden

    Jan Olov Nyström

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  1. Jan Olov Nyström
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Nyström, J.O. Rare earth element mobility in vesicular lava during low-grade metamorphism. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 88, 328–331 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376757

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