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Origin of Ross Island basanitoids and limitations upon the heterogeneity of mantle sources for alkali basalts and nephelinites

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Abstract

Primary basanitoids from Ross Island, Antarctica have REE patterns and Pb isotope ratios similar to those for primary alkali basalts and nephelinites on ocean islands. The lead data from all volcanics on Ross Island have a spread of 4% in the 206/204 ratio and give a two-stage model lead age of 1500 m.y. The age is interpreted to be the time since the development of the chemical heterogeneity of the mantle source, presumably during an earlier melting process.

Comparison of REE, K, Rb, Sr, Ba and P2O5 concentrations for alkali basalts and nephelinites shows that the chondrite normalized mantle source is enriched in light REE with average La/Sm=3.4, Ce/Sm=2.6, Nd/Sm=1.6. Assuming a mantle source with heavy REE abundances of three times chondrites, nephelinites require 3 to 7% partial melting of the mantle source and alkali basalts require 7 to 15% partial melting. The patterns of K, Cu, V and Ti abundances suggest that phlogopite is a residual mineral for most nephelinite, but not alkali basalt mantle sources, and that a sulfide phase and a titanium-rich mineral are in the residual mantle source for both alkali basalts and nephelinites. Small positive Eu anomalies (2–5%) in near primary alkali basalts and nephelinites suggest that the xxx of the mantle sources is 10−6 to 10−9 atm.

The progressive enrichment of light REE and incompatible elements in the mantle sources for nephelinites and alkali basalts is proposed to result by intrusion of veins of basaltic melt due to very low percentages of melting 1 000 to 3 000 m.y. ago when this part of the deeper mantle was previously involved in convection and partial melting.

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  1. Shine Soon Sun

    Present address: Dept. of Geology and Mineralogy, The University of Adelaide, Box 498, GPO, 5001, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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  1. Department of Earth and Space Sciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 11794, New York

    Shine Soon Sun & Gilbert N. Hanson

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Sun, S.S., Hanson, G.N. Origin of Ross Island basanitoids and limitations upon the heterogeneity of mantle sources for alkali basalts and nephelinites. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 52, 77–106 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00395006

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