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Petrogenesis of ultramafic and mafic xenoliths from Mesozoic basanites in southern Sweden: constraints from mineral chemistry

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Abstract

Jurassic basanite necks occurring at the junction of two major fault zones in Scania contain ultramafic (peridotites, pyroxenites) and mafic xenoliths, which together indicate a diversity of upper mantle and lower crustal assemblages beneath this region. The peridotites can be subdivided into lherzolites, dunites and harzburgites. Most lherzolites are porphyroclastic, containing orthopyroxene and olivine porphyroclasts. They consist of Mg-rich silicates (Mg# = Mg/(Mg + Fetot) × 100; 88–94) and vermicular spinel. Calculated equilibration temperatures are lower in porphyroclastic lherzolites (975–1,007°C) than in equigranular lherzolite (1,079°C), indicating an origin from different parts of the upper mantle. According to the spinel composition the lherzolites represent residues of 8–13% fractional melting. They are similar in texture, mineralogy and major element composition to mantle xenoliths from Cenozoic Central European volcanic fields. Dunitic and harzburgitic peridotites are equigranular and only slightly deformed. Silicate minerals have lower to similar Mg# (83–92) as lherzolites and lack primary spinel. Resorbed patches in dunite and harzburgite xenoliths might be the remnants of metasomatic processes that changed the upper mantle composition. Pyroxenites are coarse, undeformed and have silicate minerals with partly lower Mg# than peridotites (70–91). Pyroxenitic oxides are pleonaste spinels. According to two-pyroxene thermometry pyroxenites show a large range of equilibration temperatures (919–1,280°C). In contrast, mafic xenoliths, which are mostly layered gabbronorites with pyroxene- and plagioclase-rich layers, have a narrow range of equilibration temperatures (828–890°C). These temperature ranges, together with geochemical evidence, indicate that pyroxenites and gabbroic xenoliths represent mafic intrusions within the Fennoscandian crust.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Zoltan Solyom (University of Lund) for logistical help during several field trips for collecting samples in Scania. Thanks to Andreas Kronz and Silke Triebold, who assisted the microprobe measurements at the Centre for Earth Sciences (Universität Göttingen). The manuscript has benefited from discussions with Dorrit Jacob, Matthias Barth, Sebastian Tappe, Dejan Prelević (Universität Mainz) and Vladica Cvetković (University of Salzburg). Thanks to Hillary Downes (University of London) and Thor H. Hansteen (Geomar Kiel) for constructive reviews. This project has been financially supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (OB 114/6–1).

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  1. Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Mainz, Becherweg 21, Mainz, 55099, Germany

    Tatjana Rehfeldt

  2. Geologischer Dienst, LUNG M-V, Goldberger Str. 12, Güstrow, 18273, Germany

    Karsten Obst

  3. GeoBiosphere Science Centre, University of Lund, Sölvegatan 12, Lund, 223 62, Sweden

    Leif Johansson

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Rehfeldt, T., Obst, K. & Johansson, L. Petrogenesis of ultramafic and mafic xenoliths from Mesozoic basanites in southern Sweden: constraints from mineral chemistry. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 96, 433–450 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-006-0116-4

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