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Petrogenesis of the Swartruggens and Star Group II kimberlite dyke swarms, South Africa: constraints from whole rock geochemistry

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Abstract

Thirty-seven samples from the Swartruggens and Star Group II kimberlite dyke swarms, emplaced through the Kaapvaal craton, have been analysed for their major and trace element and Sr, Nd and Hf isotope compositions. The samples are all MgO-rich (~12–35 wt%) with high Mg# (0.72–0.90) and Ni (~610–2700 ppm) contents. The kimberlites are strongly enriched in incompatible elements (Zr = 140–668 ppm; La = 124–300 ppm; Nb = 68–227 ppm; Ba = 1500–7000), and have high and variable chondrite normalised La/Yb ratios (Swartruggens = 94 ± 21; Star = 202 ± 36). 87Sr/86Sr (0.70718–0.71050) ratios are elevated, whereas εNd (−11.95 to −7.84) and 176Hf/177Hf ratios (0.282160–0.282564) are low. Inter- and intra-dyke compositional variation is significant, and there are systematic differences between the kimberlites found at the two localities. Intra-locality differences can largely be attributed to a combination of the effects of alteration, crustal contamination, macrocryst entrainment and phenocryst fractionation. There is some evidence for distinct parental magmas formed through variable and low degrees (0.5–2%) of partial melting, as illustrated by crossing rare earth element patterns. The Star kimberlites have derived from a less radiogenic source, with higher LREE enrichment than the Swartruggens kimberlites. Inferred primary magmas at each locality have high Mg# (~0.83), are Ni-rich (850–1220 ppm) and are strongly enriched in incompatible elements. Calculated mantle source compositions are strongly enriched in incompatible elements (La/Ybn ~ 10–50), but refractory in terms of Mg# and Ni contents. Incompatible element ratios such as Ba/Nb (>13.5), La/Nb (> 1.1) and Ce/Pb (< 22) are unlike those characteristic of Group I kimberlites or ocean island basalts, but indistinguishable from calc-alkaline magmas. Taken together with extremely low εNd and εHf, these compositional characteristics are used to argue for derivation of these Group II kimberlite magmas from the deep subcontinental lithospheric mantle, metasomatised during the Proterozoic by calc-alkaline fluids/melts.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge financial support from the University of Cape Town, the National Research Foundation and logistic support and hospitality by Jim Davidson and Helam Mining (AlR, NC, JJG). Isotope analyses were undertaken in the Arthur Holmes Isotope Geosciences Laboratory, Durham University, supported by HEFCE-NERC JREI grant number JRDUPEEQ (GP). Comments by anonymous reviewers contributed to improving the manuscript and are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa

    Nancy Coe, Anton le Roex & John Gurney

  2. Arthur Holmes Isotope Geology Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Durham, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK

    D. Graham Pearson & Geoff Nowell

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  1. Nancy Coe
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  2. Anton le Roex
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  3. John Gurney
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  4. D. Graham Pearson
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Correspondence to Anton le Roex.

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Communicated by T.L. Grove.

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Coe, N., le Roex, A., Gurney, J. et al. Petrogenesis of the Swartruggens and Star Group II kimberlite dyke swarms, South Africa: constraints from whole rock geochemistry. Contrib Mineral Petrol 156, 627–652 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-008-0305-1

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