Abstract
FROM the study of rare earth elements (REE) in basalts, spilites and hydrothermally altered basalts in the ocean floor1–5, ophiolites6,7, geosynclines3,8 and low-grade to greenschist facies regions9 it has come to be accepted that the REE are immobile during rock alteration. This conclusion has led to the use of certain abundance ratios, particularly La/Sm and La/Yb, as indicators of parent magma type and genesis. Despite some suggestions2,10 that REE, such as La and Ce, may be mobile during sea-water/rock interaction, hydrothermal alteration or spilitisation of igneous rocks, the REE continue to be treated (e.g. refs 6 and 7) in an analgous fashion to Ti, Y and Zr (ref. 11). Here we show from analyses of a variably altered tholeiite flow that spilitisation may, in some circumstances, affect the REE abundances and their chondrite normalised pattern.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bence, A. E., Papike, J. J. & Ayuso, R. A. J. geophys. Res. 80, 4775–4803 (1975).
Frey, F. A., Bryan, W. B. & Thompson, G. J. geophys. Res. 79, 5507–5527 (1974).
Herrmann, A. G., Potts, M. J. & Knake, D. Contr. Mineral. Petrol. 44, 1–16 (1974).
Schilling, J.-G., J. geophys. Res. 80, 1459–1472 (1975).
Schilling, J.-G. & Ridley, W. I. Init. Reps Deep Sea Drilling Project, Vol. XXIX, 1103–1107 (1975).
Ferrara, G., Innocenti, F., Ricci, C. A. & Serri, G. Chem. Geol. 17, 101–111 (1976).
Menzies, M. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 28, 427–438 (1976).
Tanaka, T. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 52, 233–246 (1975).
Furnes, H. & Faerseth, R. B. Norsk. Geol. Tidsskr. 55, 157–169 (1975).
Wood, D. A., Gibson, I. L. & Thompson, R. N. Contrib. Mineral Petrol. 55, 241–254 (1976).
Pearce, J. A. & Cann, J. R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 19, 290–300 (1973).
Sukheswala, R. N. In Spilites and Spilitic Rocks (eds Amstutz, G. C. et al.) 229–250, Springer Verlag, Heidelberg (1974).
Sukheswala, R. N. & Poldervaart, A. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 69, 1475–94 (1958).
Vallance, T. G. J. Petrol. 15, 79–96 (1974).
Vallance, T. G. In Spilites and Spilitic Rocks (eds Amstutz, G. C. et al.), 59–68 Springer-Verlag Heidelberg, (1974).
Henderson, P., Fishlock, S. J., Laul, J. C., Cooper, T. D., Conard, R. L., Boynton, W. V. & Schmitt, R. A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 30, 37–49 (1976).
Masuda, A. Geochem. J. 1, 11–26 (1966).
Price, R. C. & Taylor, S. R. Contr. Mineral. Petrol. 40, 195–205 (1973).
Shimokawa, T. & Masuda, A. Contr. Mineral. Petrol. 37, 39–46 (1972).
Roaldset, E. Norsk Geol. Tidsskr. 52, 335–369 (1972).
Roaldset, E. & Rosenquist, I.Th. Bull. Groupe Franc. Argiles, 191–194 (1971).
Roaldset, E. & Rosenquist, I.Th. Nature 231, 153–154 (1971).
Jakes, P. & Gill, J. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 9, 17–28 (1970).
Haskin, L. A., Frey, F. A. & Wildeman, T. R. In Origin and Distribution of the Elements (ed. L. H. Ahrens) Int. Ser. Monographs Earth Sci. 30, 889–912 (1968).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
HELLMAN, P., HENDERSON, P. Are rare earth elements mobile during spilitisation?. Nature 267, 38–40 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/267038a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/267038a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Eclogites and garnet pyroxenites from Kimberley, Kaapvaal craton, South Africa: their diverse origins and complex metasomatic signatures
Mineralogy and Petrology (2018)
-
Sr isotopic evidence on the spilitic degradation of the Deccan basalt
Journal of Earth System Science (2000)
-
Geochemistry and petrogenesis of the Palampur metavolcanics, Lesser Himachal Himalaya, India
Mineralogy and Petrology (1997)
-
The mobility of rare-earth elements during hydrothermal activity: A review
Chinese Journal of Geochemistry (1991)
-
Rare earth element mobility in the Roffna Gneiss, Switzerland
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (1987)