Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Field setting, mineralogy, chemistry, and genesis of arc picrites, New Georgia, Solomon Islands

  • Published:
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The field setting, petrography, mineralogy, and geochemistry of a suite of picrite basalts and related magnesian olivine tholeiites (New Georgia arc picrites) from the New Georgia Volcanics, Kolo caldera in the active ensimatic Solomon Islands arc are presented. These lavas, with an areal extent in the order of 1002 km and almost 1 km thick in places, are located close to the intersection of the Woodlark spreading zone with the Pacific plate margin. They contain abundant olivine (Fo94-75) and diopside (Cr2O3 1.1-0.4%, Al2O3 1–3%), and spinels characterised by a large range in Cr/(Cr+Al) (0.85–0.46) and Mg/(Mg+ Fe++) (0.65−0.1). The spinels are Fe+++ rich, with Fe+++/ (Fe++++Cr+Al) varying from 0.06 to 1.0. A discrete group of spinels with the highest Cr/(Cr+Al) (0.83–0.86) and lowest Fe+++ contents are included in the most Mg-rich olivine (Fo91–94) and both may be xenocrystal in origin.

The lavas, which range between 10–28% MgO, define linear trends on oxide (element) — MgO diagrams and these trends are interpreted as olivine (∼0.9) clinopyroxene (∼0.1) control lines. For the reconstructed parent magma composition of these arc picrites, ratios involving CaO, Al2O3, TiO2, Zr, V and Sc are very close to chondritic. REE patterns are slightly LREE — enriched ((La/Sm)N 1.3–1.43) and HREE are flat. All lavas show marked enrichments in K, Rb, Sr, Ba, and LREE relative to MORB with similar MgO contents, but the TiO2 content of the proposed parent magma is close to those of postulated primary MORB liquids. It is proposed that the arc parent magma was produced by partial melting of sub-oceanic upper mantle induced by the introduction of LILE — enriched hydrous fluids derived by dehydration and/or partial melting of subducted ocean crust and possibly minor sediments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson AT (1974) Evidence for a picritic, volatile — rich magma beneath Mt Shasta, California. J Petrol 15:243–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Arculus RJ (1978) Mineralogy and petrology of Grenada, Lesser Antilles Island arc. Contrib Mineral Petrol 65:413–424

    Google Scholar 

  • Arculus RJ, Johnson RW (1981) Island-arc magma sources: a geochemical assessment of the roles of slab-derived components and crustal contamination. Geochem J 15:109–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Arndt NT (1976) Melting relations of ultramafic lavas (Komatiites) at 1 atm and high pressure. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearb 75:555–562

    Google Scholar 

  • Basaltic Volcanism Study Project (1981) Basaltic Volcanism on the Terrestrial Planets. Pergamon Press Inc, New York, pp 1286

    Google Scholar 

  • Bender JF, Hodges FN, Bence AE (1978) Petrogenesis of basalts from the project FAMOUS area: Experimental study from 0–15 kbars. Earth Planet Sci Lett 41:277–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Bickle MJ (1978) Melting experiments on peridotitic komatiites. In: Ford CE (ed) Progress in Experimental Petrology 18:187–195

  • Biggar GM, Kadik A (1980) Phase relations of two ocean basalts at atmospheric pressure. In: Ford CE (ed) Progress in Experimental Petrology 19:122–123

  • Blanchard DP, Rhodes JM, Dungan MA, Rodgers KV, Donaldson CH, Brannon JC, Jacobs JW, Gibson EK (1976) The chemistry and petrology of basalts from Leg 37 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project. J Geophys Res 81:4231–4246

    Google Scholar 

  • Bloch S, Bischoff J (1979) The effect of low-temperature alteration of basalt on the oceanic budget of potassium. Geology 7:193–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown GM, Schairer JF (1968) Melting relations of some calcalkaline volcanic rocks. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearb 1966–1967:460–467

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown GM, Schairer JF (1971) Chemical and melting relations of some calcalkaline volcanic rocks. Geol Soc Am Mem 130:139–157

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryan WB, Thompson G, Frey FA, Dickey JS (1976) Inferred geologic settings and differentiation in basalts from Deep-Sea Drilling Project. J Geophys Res 81:4285–4304

    Google Scholar 

  • Challis GA (1969) Discussion on the paper “The origin of ultramafic and ultrabasic rocks” by PJ Wyllie. Tectonophysics 7:495–505

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen C-Y, Frey FA (1983) Origin of Hawaiian tholeiite and alkalic basalt. Nature 302:785–789

    Google Scholar 

  • Chivas AR, McDougall I (1978) Geochronology of the Koloula porphyry copper prospect, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Econ Geol 73:678–689

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke DB (1970) Tertiary basalts of Baffin Bay: possible primary magma from the mantle. Contrib Mineral Petrol 25:203–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke DB, O'Hara MJ (1979) Nickel and the existence of high-MgO liquids in nature. Earth Planet Sci Lett 44:153–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman PJ (1966) The Solomon Islands as an island arc. Nature 211:1249–1251

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman PJ, McGowran B, Ramsay WRH (1978) New, Early Tertiary, ages for basal pelagites, northeast Santa Isabel, Solomon Islands (central southwest flank, Ontong. Java Plateau). Bull Aust Soc Explor Geophys 9:110–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Colley H, Warden AJ (1974) Petrology of the New Hebrides. Geol Soc Am Bull 85:1635–1646

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox KG, Bell JD (1972) A crystal fractionation model for the basaltic rocks of the New Georgia Group, British Solomon Islands. Contrib Mineral Petrol 37:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford AJ, Beccaluva L, Serri G (1981) Tectono-magmatic evolution of the West Philippine-Mariana region and the origin of boninites. Earth Planet Sci Lett 54:346–356

    Google Scholar 

  • DeLong SE, Hodges FN, Arculus RJ (1975) Ultramafic and mafic inclusions, Kanaga Island, Alaska, and the occurrence of alkaline rocks in island arcs. J Geol 83:721–736

    Google Scholar 

  • DeLong SE, Fox PJ, McDowell FW (1978) Subduction of the Kula Ridge at the Aleutian Trench. Geol Soc Amer Bull 89:83–95

    Google Scholar 

  • De Paolo D, Johnson RW (1979) Magma genesis in the New Britain island-arc: constraints from Nd and Sr isotopes and trace element patterns. Contrib Mineral Petrol 70:367–379

    Google Scholar 

  • Dietrich VJ, Gansser A, Sommerauer J, Cameron WE (1981) Palaeogene komatiites from Gorgona Island, East Pacific — a primary magma for ocean floor basalts. Geochem J 15:141–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Dupuy C, Dostal J, Marcelot G, Bougault H, Joron JL, Treuil M (1982) Geochemistry of basalts from central and southern New Hebrides arc: implications for their source rock composition. Earth Planet Sci Lett 60:207–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Eichelberger JC (1975) Origin of andesite and dacite: evidence of mixing at Glass Mountain in California and at other circum Pacific volcanoes. Geol Soc Amer Bull 86:1381–1391

    Google Scholar 

  • Elthon D, Scarfe CM (1980) High-pressure phase equilibria of a high-magnesia basalt: implications for the origin of mid-ocean ridge basalts. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearb 79:277–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Escheverria LM (1980) Tertiary or Mesozoic komatiites from Gorgona Island, Columbia: field relations and geochemistry. Contrib Mineral Petrol 73:253–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans BW, Wright TL (1972) Composition of liquidus chromite from the 1959 (Kilauea iKi) and 1965 (Makaopuhi) eruptions of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. Amer Mineral 57:217–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisk MR, Bence AE (1980) Experimental crystallization of chrome spinel in FAMOUS basalt 527-1-1. Earth Planet Sci Lett 48:111–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Foden J (1983) The petrology of the calcalkaline lavas of Rindjani Volcano, East Sunda Arc; a model for island arc petrogenesis. J Petrol 24:98–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Frey FA, Green DH, Roy SD (1978) Integrated models of basalt petrogenesis: A study of quartz tholeiites to olivine melilitites from south eastern Australia utilizing geochemical and experimental petrological data. J Petrol 19:463–513

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujii T, Bougault H (1983) Melting relations of a magnesian abyssal tholeiite and the origin of MORB's. Earth Planet Sci Lett 62:283–295

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill J, Compston W (1973) Strontium isotopes in island arc volcanic rocks. In: Coleman PJ (ed) The Western Pacific: Island Arcs, Marginal Seas, Geochemistry:483–494

  • Gorton MP (1974) The geochemistry and geochronology of the New Hebrides. Unpubl PhD thesis ANU, pp 300

  • Gorton MP (1977) The geochemistry and origin of Quaternary volcanism in the New Hebrides. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 41:1257–1270

    Google Scholar 

  • Green DH (1981) Petrogenesis of Archaean ultramafic magmas and implications for Archaean tectonics. In: Kroner A (ed) Precambrian Plate Tectonics, Elsevier:469–489

  • Green DH, Ringwood AE (1967) The genesis of basaltic magmas. Contrib Mineral Petrol 15:103–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Green DH, Hibberson WO, Jaques AL (1979) Petrogenesis of midocean ridge basalts. In: McElhinny MW (ed) The Earth: Its Origins, Structure and Evolution. Academic Press London:265–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunn BM (1971) Trace element partition during olivine fractionation of Hawaiian basalts. Chem Geol 8:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Hackman BD (1980) The geology of Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Overseas Mem Inst Geol Sci 6:p 115

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart SR (1969) K, Rb, Cs, contents and K/Rb, K/Cs ratios of fresh and altered submarine basalts. Earth Planet Sci Lett 6:295–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawkesworth C, O'Nions R, Pankhurst R, Hamilton P, Evensen N (1977) A geochemical study of island arc and backarc tholeiites from the Scotia Sea. Earth Planet Sci Lett 36:253–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Helz RT (1980) Crystallization history of Kilauea Iki lava lake as seen in drill core recovered in 1967–1979. Bull Volcanol 43:675–701

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson P, Dale IM (1969) The partitioning of selected transition element ions between olivine and groundmass of oceanic basalts. Chem Geol 5:267–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickey RL, Frey FA (1982) Geochemical characteristics of boninite series volcanics: implications for their source. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 46:2099–2115

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes GW, Turner CC (1977) Upraised Pacific Ocean floor, southern Malaita, Solomon Islands. Geol Soc Amer Bull 88:412–424

    Google Scholar 

  • Irvine TN (1967) Chromian spinel as a petrogenetic indicator — part 2. Petrologic applications. Can J Earth Sci 4:71–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Irvine TN (1973) Bridget Cove volcanics, Juneau area, Alaska: possible parental magma of Alaskan-type ultramafic complexes. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearb 72:478–491

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakobsson SP, Jónsson J, Shido F (1978) Petrology of the Western Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland. J Petrol 19:669–705

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaques AL (1981) Petrology and petrogenesis of cumulate peridotites and gabbros from the Marum ophiolite complex, northern Papua New Guinea. J Petrol 22:1–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenner GA (1981) Geochemistry of high — Mg andesites from Cape Vogel, Papua New Guinea. Chem Geol 33:307–332

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson T, Molnar P (1972) Focal mechanisms and plate tectonics of the southwest Pacific. J Geophys Res 77:5000–5032

    Google Scholar 

  • Kay RW (1977) Geochemical constraints on the origin of Aleutian magmas. In: Island Arcs, Deep Sea Trenches and Backarc Basins, Maurice Ewing series 1, Am Geophys Union:229–242

  • Kay RW (1980) Volcanic arc magmas; implications of a meltingmixing model for element recycling in the crust — upper mantle system. J Geol 88:497–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Kay S, Kay RW, Citron GP (1982) Tectonic controls on tholeiitic and calc-alkaline magmatism in the Aleutian arc. J Geophys Res 87:4051–4072

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnamurthy P, Cox KG (1977) Picrite basalts and related lavas from the Deccan Traps of western India. Contrib Mineral Petrol 62:53–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Langmuir CH, Bender JF, Bence AE, Hanson GN, Taylor SR (1977) Petrogenesis of basalts from the FAMOUS area, mid-Atlantic Ridge. Earth Planet Sci Lett 36:133–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Pichon X, Francheteau J, Bonnin J (1973) Plate tectonics. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 300

    Google Scholar 

  • Longhi J, Walker D, Hays JF (1978) The distribution of Fe and Mg between olivine and lunar basaltic liquids. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 42:1545–1558

    Google Scholar 

  • Ludden J, Thompson G (1979) An evaluation of the behaviour of the rare earth elements during the weathering of sea-floor basalt. Earth Planet Sci Lett 43:85–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Luyendyk BP, MacDonald KC, Bryan WB (1973) Rifting history of the Woodlark Basin in the southwest Pacific. Bull Geol Soc Amer 84:1125–1134

    Google Scholar 

  • Maaloe S, Hansen B (1982) Olivine phenocrysts of Hawaiian olivine tholeiite and oceanite. Contrib Mineral Petrol 81:203–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Maaloe S, Jakobsson SP (1980) The P-T phase relations of a primary oceanite from the Reykjanes peninsula, Iceland. Lithos 13:237–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Maillet P, Monzier M, Selo M, Storzer D (1983) The D'Entrecasteaux Zone (southwest Pacific). A petrological and geochronological reappraisal. Marine Geology 53:179–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshak RS, Karig DE (1977) Triple junction as a cause for anomalous near-trench igneous activity between the trench and volcanic arc. Geology 5:233–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Meijer A (1976) Pb and Sr isotopic data bearing on the origin of volcanic rocks from the Mariana island arc system. Geol Soc Amer Bull 87:1358–1369

    Google Scholar 

  • Milsom JS (1970) Woodlark Basin, a minor centre of sea-floor spreading in Melanesia. J Geophys Res 75:7335–7339

    Google Scholar 

  • Murata KJ, Richter DH (1966) The settling of olivine in Kilauean magma as shown by lavas of the 1959 eruption. Amer J Sci 264:194–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Neef G, McDougall I (1976) Potassium — argon ages on rocks from small Nggela Island, British Solomon Islands, S.W. Pacific. Pacific Geol 11:81–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Nesbitt RW, Sun S-S (1980) Geochemical features of some Archaean and post-Archaean high-magnesian — low-alkali liquids. Phil Trans R Soc Lond A 297:365–381

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholls IA, Ringwood AE (1973) Effect of water on olivine stability in tholeiites and the production of silica — saturated magmas in the island — arc environment. J Geol 81:285–300

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholls IA, Whitford DJ, Harris KL, Taylor SR (1980) Variation in the geochemistry of mantle sources for tholeiitic and calc-alkaline mafic magmas, western Sunda volcanic arc, Indonesia. Chem Geol 30:177–199

    Google Scholar 

  • Nickel KG (1983) Petrogenesis of garnet and spinel lherzolite: A study with reference to the role of Cr in geothermometry and geobarometry. Unpubl PhD thesis, Univ Tasmania:p 294

  • O'Hara MJ (1968) The bearing of phase equilibria studies in synthetic and natural systems on the origin and evolution of basic and ultrabasic rocks. Earth Sci Rev 4:69–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearce TH (1968) A contribution to the theory of variation diagrams. Contrib Mineral Petrol 19:142–157

    Google Scholar 

  • Perfit M, Gust DA, Bence AE, Arculus RJ, Taylor SR (1980) Chemical characteristics of island arc basalts: Implications for mantle sources. Chem Geol 30:227–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramsay WRH (1981) Structural and igneous evolution of part of an ensimatic island arc, Solomon Islands, and its potential as an ore forming environment. Unpubl PhD Thesis, Univ New England:p 264

  • Ramsay WRH (1982) Crustal strain phenomena in the Solomon Islands, constraints from field evidence, and relationship to the India-Pacific plates boundary. Tectonophysics 87:109–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed SJB, Ware NG (1975) Quantitative electron microprobe analysis of silicates using energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry. J Petrol 16:499–519

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid M, Nye C (1981) Geochemistry of least fractionated basalts from Okmok Volcano Central Aleutians. EOS (abst) 62:1092

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards JR, Cooper JA, Webb AW, Coleman PJ (1966) Potassium-argon measurements of the age of basal schists in the British Solomon Islands. Nature 211:1251–1252

    Google Scholar 

  • Ringwood AE (1974) The petrological evolution of island arc systems. J Geol Soc London 130:183–204

    Google Scholar 

  • Ripper ID (1975) Seismicity and earthquake focal mechanisms in the New Guinea, Solomon Islands region. Bull Aust Soc Expl Geophysicists 6:80–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Roeder PL (1974) Activity of iron and olivine solubility in basaltic liquids. Earth Planet Sci Lett 23:397–410

    Google Scholar 

  • Roeder PL, Emslie RF (1970) Olivine — liquid equilibrium. Contrib Mineral Petrol 29:275–289

    Google Scholar 

  • Sato H (1977) Nickel content of basaltic magmas: identification of primary magmas and a measure of the degree of olivine fractionation. Lithos 10:113–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Saunders AD, Tarney J, Weaver SD (1980) Transverse geochemical variations across the Antarctic Peninsula: Implications for the genesis of calc-alkaline magmas. Earth Planet Sci Lett 46:344–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Simkin T, Smith JV (1970) Minor-element distribution in olivine. J Geol 78:304–325

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanton RL, Bell JD (1969) Volcanic and associated rocks of the New Georgia group, British Solomon Islands Protectorate. Overseas Geol Min Resources 10:113–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Staudigel H, Hart SR, Richardson SH (1981) Alteration of the oceanic crust: processes and timing. Earth Planet Sci Lett 52:311–327

    Google Scholar 

  • Stormer JC (1973) Calcium zoning in olivine and its relationship to silica activity and pressure. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 57:1815–1821

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun S-S (1980) Lead isotope study of young volcanic rocks from mid-ocean ridges, ocean islands and island arcs. Phil Trans R Soc London Ser A 297:409–445

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun S-S (1982) Chemical composition of the earth's primitive mantle. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 46:179–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun S-S, Nesbitt RW (1978) Petrogenesis of Archaean ultrabasic and basic volcanics: Evidence from rare earth elements. Contrib Mineral Petrol 65:301–325

    Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi E (1980) Melting relations of an alkali-olivine basalt to 30 kb, and their bearing on the origin of alkali basalt magmas. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearb 79:271–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor B, Exon N, and others (1983) Shipboard party ANZUSSOPAC Cruise KK 820316-4, forearc volcanism and subduction without a trench: peculiarities of ridge subduction in the Woodlark — Solomons region. Abstracts 15th Pacific Sci. Congress, Dunedin 2:233

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson RN, Flower MFJ (1971) One-atmosphere melting and crystallization relations of lavas from Anjouan, Comores Archipelago, Western Indian Ocean. Earth Planet Sci Lett 12:97–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson RN, Tilley CE (1969) Melting and crystallisation relations of Kilauean basalts of Hawaii. The lavas of the 1959–60 Kilauea eruption. Earth Planet Sci Lett 5:469–477

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilley CE, Yoder HS, Schairer JF (1963) Melting relations of basalts. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearb 62:77–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilley CE, Yoder HS, Schairer JF (1964) New relations on melting of basalts. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearb 63:92–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilley CE, Yoder HS, Schairer JF (1965) Melting relations of volcanic tholeiite and alkali rock series. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearb 64:69–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilley CE, Yoder HS, Schairer JF (1967) Melting relations of volcanic rock series. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearb 65:260–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilley CE, Yoder HS, Schairer JF (1968) Melting relations of igneous rock series. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearb 66:450–457

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilley CE, Thompson RN, Wadsworth WJ, Upton BGJ (1971) Melting relations of some lavas of Reunion Island, Indian Ocean. Mineral Mag 38:344–352

    Google Scholar 

  • Warden AJ (1970) Evolution of Aoba Caldera Volcano, New Hebrides. Bull Volcanol 34:107–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Weissel JK, Taylor B, Karner GD (1982) The opening of the Woodlark Basin, subduction of the Woodlark spreading system, and the evolution of northern Melanesia since Mid-Pliocene time. Tectonophysics 87:253–277

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood DA (1979) A variably veined suboceanic upper mantle — genetic significance for mid-ocean ridge basalts from geochemical evidence. Geology 7:499–503

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright PC (1968) The pyroxene diorite intrusion of Mt Kanekolo, central east New Georgia. Brit Solomon Is Geol Rec 3:41–46

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Survey of Victoria, GPO Box 1683P, 3001, Melbourne, Australia

    W. R. H. Ramsay

  2. Department of Geology, University of Tasmania, GPO Box 252C, 7001, Hobart, Australia

    A. J. Crawford

  3. Department of Geology, University of Adelaide, GPO Box 498, 5001, Adelaide, Australia

    J. D. Foden

Authors
  1. W. R. H. Ramsay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. J. Crawford
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. D. Foden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ramsay, W.R.H., Crawford, A.J. & Foden, J.D. Field setting, mineralogy, chemistry, and genesis of arc picrites, New Georgia, Solomon Islands. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 88, 386–402 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376763

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376763

Keywords

Search

Navigation