Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Nyerereite from calcite carbonatite at the Kerimasi Volcano, Northern Tanzania

  • Minerals and Parageneses of Minerals
  • Published:
Geology of Ore Deposits Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The extinct Quaternary Kerimasi volcano located in the southern part of the Gregory Rift, northern Tanzania, contains both intrusive and extrusive calciocarbonatites. One carbonate mineral with a high content of Na and Ca has been found in a sample of volcanic carbonatite, which is probably a cumulate rock. On the basis of Raman spectroscopy and SEM/EDS, this mineral was identified as nyerereite, ideally Na2Ca(CO3)2. It occurs as solid inclusions up to 300 × 200 μm in size in magnetite and contains (wt. %) 25.4–27.4 Na2O, 26.0–26.8 CaO, 1.6–1.9 K2O, 0.6–1.8 FeO, 0.3–0.6 SrO, <0.4 BaO, 1.4–2.3 SO3, and 0.6–0.9 P2O5. The average mineral formula is (Na1.84K0.08)Σ1.92(Ca1.00Fe0.03Sr0.01)Σ1.04[(CO3)1.91(SO4)0.05(PO4)0.02]Σ1.98. A few inclusions in magnetite also contain calcite, which is considered here to be a late-stage, subsolidus mineral. The occurrence of nyerereite in carbonatite supports Hay’s (1983) idea that some of the extrusive carbonatites at the Kerimasi volcano were originally alkaline rich and contained both calcite and nyerereite as primary minerals.

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

  1. J. A. Aspden, “The Composition of Solid Inclusions and the Occurrence of Shortite in Apatites from the Tororo Carbonatite Complex of Eastern Uganda,” Mineral. Mag. 44, 201–204 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. D. S. Barker and P. H. Nixon, “High-Ca, Low-Alkali Carbonatite Volcanism at Fort Portal, Uganda,” Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 103, 166–177 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. V. V. Belousov, V. I. Gerasimovsky, A. V. Goryachev, et al., East African Rift System, Vol. 1: Main Structural Features. Stratigraphy (Nauka, Moscow, 1974) [in Russian].

    Google Scholar 

  4. M. E. Böttcher and C. Reutel, “The Raman Spectrum of α-Na2Ca(CO3)2,” J. Raman Spec. 27, 859–861 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. B. Bühn, F. Wall, and M. J. Le Bas, “Rare-Earth Element Systematic of Carbonatitic Fluorapatites and Their Significance of Carbonatite Magma Evolution,” Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 141, 572–591 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. B. Bühn, A. H. Rankin, M. Radtke, et al., “Burbankite, a (Sr, REE, Na, Co)-Carbonate in Fluid Inclusions from Carbonatite-Derived Fluids: Identification and Characterization Using Laser Raman Spectroscopy, SEM-EDX, and Synchrotron Micro-XRF Analysis,” Am. Mineral. 84, 1117–1125 (1999).

    Google Scholar 

  7. A. R. Chakhmouradian and A. N. Zaitsev, “Afrikanda: An Association of Ultramafic, Alkaline and Alkali-Silica-Rich Carbonatitic Rocks from Mantle-Derived Melts,” in Phoscorites and Carbonatites from Mantle to Mine: the Key Example of the Kola Alkaline Province (Miner. Soc, London, 2004), Ser. 10, pp. 247–291.

    Google Scholar 

  8. A. A. Church, The Petrology of the Kerimasi Carbonatite Volcano and the Carbonatites of Oldoinyo Lengai with a Review of Other Occurrences of Extrusive Carbonatites. PhD Thesis (University of London, London, 1995).

    Google Scholar 

  9. A. A. Church and P. Jones, “Silicate-Carbonate Immiscibility at Oldoinyo Lengai,” J. Petrol. 36, 869–889 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  10. M. G. C. Clarke and B. Roberts, “Carbonated Melilitites and Calcitized Alkali Carbonatites from Homa Mountain, Western Kenya; a Reinterpretation,” Geol. Mag 123, 683–692 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. A. F. Cooper, J. Gittins, and O. F. Tuttle, “The System Na2CO3-K2CO3-CaCO3 at 1 Kilobar and Its Significance in Carbonatite Petrogenesis,” Amer. J. Sci. 275, 534–560 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. J. B. Dawson, “Oldoinyo Lengai — Active Volcano with Lava Flows of Natrocarbonatites,” in Carbonatites (Wiley, New York, 1966; Mir, Moscow, 1969) [in Russian].

    Google Scholar 

  13. J. B. Dawson, “A Supposed Sövite from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania: Result of Extreme Alteration of Alkali Carbonatite Lava,” Mineral. Mag. 57, 93–101 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. J. B. Dawson, “Carbonatitic Volcanic Ashes in Northern Tanganyika,” Bull. Volcanol. 27, 81–92 (1964).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. J. B. Dawson and D. G. Powell, “The Natron-Engaruka Explosion Crater Area, Northern Tanzania,” Bull. Volcanol. 33, 791–817 (1969).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. J. B. Dawson, M. S. Carson, and B. Roberts, “Altered Former Alkali Carbonatite Lava from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania: Inferences for Calcite Carbonatite Lavas,” Geology 15, 765–768 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. T. Deans and B. Roberts, “Carbonatite Tuffs and Lava Clasts of the Tinderet Foothills, Western Kenya: a Study of Calcified Natrocarbonatites,” J. Geol. Soc. London 141, pp. 563–580 (1984).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. K. N. Egorov, Z. F. Ushchapovskaya, A. A. Kashaev, et al., “Zemkorite, a New Carbonate from Yakutian Kimberlite,” Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 301(1), 188–193 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  19. V. I. Gerasimovsky, Yu. A. Balashov, and V. A. Karpushina, “Geochemistry of Rare Earth Elements in Volcanic Rocks from Rift Zones of East Afrika,” Geokhimiya 10(5), 515–530 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  20. J. Gittins and R. E. Harmer, “Dawson’s Oldoinyo Lengai Calciocarbonatite: a Magmataic Sövite or an Extremely Altered Natrocarbonatite?,” Mineral. Mag. 61, 351–355 (1997).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. A. V. Golovin, V. V. Sharygin, and N. P. Pokhilenko, “Melt Inclusions in Olivine Phenocrysts in Unaltered Kimberlites from the Udachnaya-East Pipe, Yakutia: Some Aspects of Kimberlite Magma Evolution during Late Crystallization Stages Petrologiya,” 15(2), 178–195 (2007) [Petrology 15 (2), 168–183, (2007)].

    Google Scholar 

  22. R. L. Hay, “Natrocarbonatite Tephra of Kerimasi Volcano, Tanzania,” Geology 11, 599–602 (1983).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. R. L. Hay, Geology of the Olduvai Gorge (University of California Press, Berkeley, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  24. D. R. Johnson and W. A. Robb, “Gaylussite: Thermal Properties by Simultaneous Thermal Analysis,” Am. Mineral. 58, 778–784 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  25. V. S. Kamenetsky, V. V. Sharygin, M. B. Kamenetskaya, and A. V. Golovin, “Chloride-Carbonate Nodules in Kimberlites from the Udachnaya Pipe: Alternative Approach to the Evolution of Kimberlite Magmas,” Geokhimiya 44(9), 1006–1012 (2006) [Geochem. Int. 44 (9), 935–940 (2006)].

    Google Scholar 

  26. V. S. Kamenetsky, M. B. Kamenetsky, V. V. Sharygin, et al., “Chloride and Carbonate Immiscible Liquids at the Closure of the Kimberlite Magma Evolution (Udachnaya-East Kimberlite, Siberia),” Chem. Geology 237, 384–400 (2007).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Yu. L. Kapustin and A. I. Polyakov, “Carbonatite Volcanoes of East Africa and Origin of Carbonatites,” Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Geol., No. 3, 30–43 (1985).

  28. Yu. L. Kapustin and A. I. Polyakov, “Volcanic Carbonatites of East Africa,” Zap. Vsesoyuzn. Mineral. O-va 111(6), 639–655 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  29. J. Keller, “Extrusive Carbonatites and Their Significance,” in Carbonatites: Genesis and Evolution (Unwin Hyman, london, 1989), pp. 70–88.

    Google Scholar 

  30. J. Keller and M. Krafft, “Effusive Natrocarbonatite Activity of Oldonyo Lengai, June 1988,” Bull. Volcanol. 52, 629–645 (1990).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. J. Keller and A. N. Zaitsev, “Calciocarbonatite Dykes at Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania: the Fate of Natrocarbonatite,” Can. Mineral. 44, 857–876 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. U. Koberski and J. Keller, “Cathodoluminescence Observations of Natrocarbonatites and Related Peralkaline Nephelinites at Oldoinyo Lengai,” in Carbonatite Volcanism. Oldoinyo Lengai and the Petrogenesis of Natrocarbonatites (Springer, Berlin, 1995), pp. 87–99.

    Google Scholar 

  33. L. N. Kogarko, D. A. Plant, C. M. B. Henderson, and B. A. Kjarsguard, “Na-Rich Carbonate Inclusions in Perovskite and Calzirtite from the Guli Instrusive Ca-Carbonatite, Polar Siberia,” Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 109, 124–129 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. G. Lavecchia, F. Stoppa, and N. Creati, “Carbonatites and Kamafugites in Italy: Mantle-Derived Rocks That Challenge Subduction,” Ann. Geophys. 49(1), 389–402 (2006).

    Google Scholar 

  35. M.J. Le Bas, “Nephelimites and Carbonatites,” in Alkaline Jgneous Rocks (Geol. Soc. Spec. Publ., 1987), Vol. 30, pp. 53–83.

    Google Scholar 

  36. M. J. Le Bas and J. A. Aspden, “The Comparability of Carbonatitic Fluid Inclusions in Ijolites with Natrocarbonatite Lava,” Bull. Volcanol. 44, 429–438 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. R. M. Macintyre, J. G. Mitchell, and J. B. Dawson, “Age of Fault Movements in Tanzanian Sector of East African Rift System,” Nature 247, 354–356 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. A. N. Mariano and P. L. Roeder, “Kerimasi: a Neglected Carbonatite Volcano,” J. Geology 91, 449–455 (1983).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. D. McKie and E. J. Frankis, “Nyerereite: a New Volcanic Carbonate Mineral from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania,” Zschr. Krist. 145, 73–95 (1977).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. R. H. Mitchell, “Mineralogy of Stalactites Formed by Subaerial Weathering of Natrocarbonatite Hornitos at Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania,” Mineral. Mag. 70, 437–444 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. T. F. D. Nielsen, L. P. Solovova, and I. V. Veksler, “Parental Melts of Melilitolite and Origin of Alkaline Carbonatite: Evidence from Crystallized Melt Inclusions, Gardiner Complex,” Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 126, 331–344.

  42. T. D. Peterson, “Petrology and Genesis of Natrocarbonatite,” Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 105, 143–155 (1990).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. A. H. Rankin and M.J. Le Bas, Nahcolite (NaHC3) in Inclusions in Apatites from Some Eastern Africans Ijolites and Carbonatites,” Mineral. Mag. 39, 564–570 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. E. P. Reguir, A. R. Chakhmouradian, N. M. Nalden, et al., “Early Magmatic and Reaction-Induced Trends in Magnetite from the Carbonatites of Kerimasi, Tanzania,” Can. Mineral. 46, 879–900 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. V. V. Sharygin, V. S. Kamenetsky, M. B. Kamenetsky, and D. V. Kuzmin, “Alkali Carbonates in the Kimberlite-Hosted Chloride-Carbonate Nodules (Udachnaya-East Pipe, Russia),” in Proceedings of GAC-MAC Annual Meeting, Montreal 31, 138–139 (2006).

    Google Scholar 

  46. S. V. Sokolov, S. A. Yarmishko, and N. I. Chistyakova, “Inclusions in Chrysolite from the Kovdor Massif: Genetic and Gemmological Significance,” Geokhimiya 44(6), 633–642 (2006) [Geochem. Int. 44 (6), 581–590 (2006)].

    Google Scholar 

  47. F. Stoppa, V. V. Sharygin, and A. P. Jones, “Mantle Metasomatism and Alkali Carbonatite Silicate Phase Reaction As Inferred by Nyerereite Inclusions in Vulture Volcano Carbonatite Rocks,” in Proceedings of the 9th International Kimberlite Conference (2008), 91KC-A-00068.

  48. D. C. Turner, “Volcanic Carbonatites of the Kaluwe Complex, Zambia,” J. Geol. Soc. London 145, 95–106 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. I. V. Veksler, T. F. D. Nielsen, and S. V. Sokolov, “Mineralogyof Crystallized Melt Inclusions from Gardiner and Kovdor Ultramafic Alkaline Complexes: Implications for Carbonatite Genesis,” J. Petrol. 39, 2015–2031 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. A. R. Woolley, Alkaline Rocks and Carbonatites of the World. Part 3: Africa (Geol. Soc., London, 2001).

    Google Scholar 

  51. A. N. Zaitsev and A. R. Chakhmouradian, “Calcite-Amphibole-Clinopyroxene Rock from the Afrikanda Complex, Kola Peninsula, Russia: Mineralogy and a Possible Link to Carbonatites. II. Oxysalt Minerals,” Can. Mineral. 40, 103–120 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. A. N. Zaitsev and J. Keller, “Mineralogical and Chemical Transformation of Oldoinyo Lengai Natrocarbonatites, Tanzania,” Lithos 91, 191–207 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. A. N. Zaitsev, J. Keller, J. Spratt, et al., “Chemical Composition of Nyerereite and Gregoryite from Natrocarbonatites of Oldoinyo Lengai Volcano, Tanzania,” Zap. Ross. Mineral. O-va 137(4), 101–111 (2008) [Geol. Ore Deposits, Zap. Russian Mineral. Soc. 51 (7), 608–616 (2009)].

    Google Scholar 

  54. A. V. Zaitsev, J. Keller, J. Spratt, et al., “Nyerereite-Pirssonite-Calcite-Shortite Relationships in Altered Natrocarbonatites, Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania,” Can. Mineral. 46, 843–860 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. A. N. Zaitsev, M. A. Sitnikova, V. V. Subbotin, et al., “Sallanlatvi Complex — a Rare Example of Magnesite and Siderite Carbonatites,” in Phoscorites and Carbonatites from Mantle To Mine: the Key Example of the Kola Alkaline Province (Miner. Soc, London, 2004) Ser. 10, pp. 201–245.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mineralogy, Faculty of Geology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia

    A. N. Zaitsev

Authors
  1. A. N. Zaitsev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. N. Zaitsev.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © A.N. Zaitsev, 2009, published in Zapiski RMO (Proceedings of the Russian Mineralogical Society), 2009, No. 5, pp. 63–77.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zaitsev, A.N. Nyerereite from calcite carbonatite at the Kerimasi Volcano, Northern Tanzania. Geol. Ore Deposits 52, 630–640 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1075701510070159

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1075701510070159

Keywords

Search

Navigation