Mafic and felsic magmatism in the Wadi Kalalat area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt: mineralogy, geochemistry and geodynamic evolution during the Neoproterozoic in the Nubian Shield

In the south Eastern Desert of Egypt,two contrasting types of magmatism(mafic and felsic) are recorded in the Wadi Kalalat area,and form the Gabal El Motaghiarat and Gabal Batuga intrusions,respectively.The two intrusions post-dates ophiolitic and arc associations represented by serpentinite and metagabbro-diorite,respectively.The mafic intrusion has a basal ultramafic member represented by fresh peridotite,which is followed upward by olivine gabbro and anorthositic or leucogabbro.This mafic intrusion pertains to the Alaskan-type mafic-ultramafic intrusions in the Arabian-Nubian Shield(ANS)being of tholeiitic nature and emplaced in a typical arc setting.On the other hand,the Gabal Batuga intrusion comprises three varieties of fresh A-type granites of high K-calc alkaline nature,which is peraluminous and garnetbearing in parts.A narrow thermal aureole in the olivine gabbro of the mafic intrusion was developed due to the intrusion of the Batuga granites.This results in the development of a hornfelsic melagabbro variety in which the composition changed from tholeiitic to a calc-alkaline composition due to the addition of S_(i)O_(2),Al_(2)O_(3),alkalis,lithosphile elements(LILEs) such as Rb(70 ppm) and Y(28 ppm) from the felsic intrusion.Outside the thermal aureole,Rb amounts 2-8 ppm and Y lies in the range <2-6ppm.It is believed that the Gabal Batuga felsic intrusion started to emplace during the waning stage of an arc system,with transition from the pre-collisional(i.e.,arc setting) to post-collisional and within plate settings.Magma from which the Gabal Batuga granites were fractionated is high-K calc-alkaline giving rise to a typical post-collisional A-type granite(A_(2)-subtype) indicating an origin from an underplating crustal source.Accordingly,it is stressed here that the younger granites in the ANS are not exclusively post-collisional and within-plate but most likely they started to develop before closure of the arc system.The possible source(s) of mafic magmas that resulted in the formation of the two intrusions are discussed.Mineralogical and geochemical data of the post-intrusion dykes(mafic and felsic) suggest typical active continental rift/within-plate settings.

Subducting passive continental margins with crustal (ultra)mafic intrusions: An underappreciated mechanism for recycling water back into the mantle

It is well known that outer rise bending-assisted oceanic plate hydration is an important mechanism for transporting substantial amounts of water into the mantle.A key question is:Are there other equally or more important water transport mechanisms?Here we propose,for the first time,that subducting passive continental margins,particularly those with crustal(ultra)mafic intrusions,play a critical role in recycling water back into the mantle.Evidence for this mechanism is the exceptionally high outer rise seismicity observed in a subducting passive continental margin(i.e.,the northeastern South China Sea continental margin)near the northern Manila trench,characterized by a high-velocity lower crust that has been attributed to(ultra)mafic intrusions.Our interpretation of this correlation between high outer rise seismicity and lower crust(ultra)mafic intrusions is that(ultra)mafic intrusions alter the crustal rheology and increase brittle deformation in the lower crust in this region,thereby promoting lithospheric fracturing and plate hydration,which is evidenced by increased outer rise seismicity.

Geochemistry of Mafic Rocks from the Birimian Basement of Doropo (Northeast of Côte d’Ivoire): Petrogenetic and Geodynamic Implications

The northeastern region of Côte d’Ivoire is characterised by a granitic basement mainly composed of biotite granite rocks. According to mapping work in the Gbabédjou and Doropo areas, these Birimian granitoids are cut by gabbro dykes and amphibolite enclaves, which are the subject of this study. In order to better understand the role and the implication of mafic rocks in the Doropo basement emplacement, a multidisciplinary methodology integrating microscopic observations and geochemical analyses of major and trace elements was carried out on 4 samples considered representative of the outcrops studied. Green hornblende, clinopyroxene, and accessory sphene minerals are found in mafic mineral phases, according to petrographic research. Whole-rock analyses reveal that mafic samples with TiO2 contents 1.1 ratios giving them an orogenic granite nature (I-type). Their REE patterns are moderately fractionated (La/Sm)N = 2.66 - 6.13 and (La/Yb)N = 11.17 - 43.70) with a very negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* = 0.75 - 0.97). The multi-element diagrams are characterized by negative Nb-Ta anomalies and geotectonic studies have identified them as volcanic arc formations. All these characteristics allowed us to distinguish the Doropo mafic rocks as formations originating from the juvenile continental crust, emplaced under the Archean tectonics model with significant crustal contamination in the source. Magma driven by mantle diapir has been injected at the base of the continental crust and the heat induces the partial melting of the overlying crust giving rise to mixed liquids. This magma now enriched in LILE was immediately drained to the upper crust to form the mafic rocks from the studied area.

Final-stage Southward Subduction of the Eastern Paleo-Asian Ocean:Evidence from the Middle Permian Mafic Intrusions in the Northern Margin of the North China Craton

The northern margin of the North China Craton(NCC)contains widespread Permian magmatic rocks,but the origin of these rocks remains controversial.This uncertainty hampers us from better understanding of tectonic framework and evolution of the eastern Paleo-Asian Ocean,particularly with respect to its final-stage subduction and closure time.To address these questions,this study presents petrological,zircon U-Pb geochronological,whole-rock geochemical and in situ zircon Hf isotopic data for these Permian mafic intrusions in the northern margin of the NCC.Precise zircon U-Pb dating results indicate that these mafic intrusions were emplaced in the Middle Permian(ca.260 Ma).Geochemically,the studied mafic intrusions have high MgO and transition metals element contents,with high Mg^(#) values,indicating a mantle origin.These mafic intrusions are characterized by enrichments in large ion lithophile elements(LILEs;e.g.,Rb,Ba,and K)and light rare earth elements(LREEs),and depletions in high field strength elements(HFSEs;e.g.,Nb,Ta,and Ti)and heavy rare earth elements(HREEs),indicating that they were formed in a subduction-related setting.These geochemical features,together with zircon ε_(Hf)(t)values(-1.1 to+11.2),indicate that their parental magmas were derived from partial melting of heterogeneous mantle wedge metasomatized by subduction-related fluids,with the contributions of slab sediments.The studied mafic intrusions also show wide range of major and trace elements contents,and variable Mg^(#) values,Eu and Sr anomalies,suggesting that their parental magmas had undergone variable degrees of fractional crystallization.Together with the E-W trending Permian continental arc along the northern margin of the NCC,we confirm that the generation of the Middle Permian mafic intrusions was related to southward subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic lithosphere beneath the NCC and the Paleo-Asian Ocean had not closed prior to the Middle Permian.

Geochronology of Mafic Intrusions

Baddeleyite（ZrO2）is today recognized as a key mineral for dating the emplacement of mantle-derived rocks such as gabbros,alkaline（Si-poor）rocks and dolerite dykes and sills,but also in hydrothermally-driven

Late Paleoproterozoic Paleogeography of Baltica and Laurentia: New Paleomagnetic Data from 1.80–1.75 Ga Mafic Intrusions of Fennoscandia and Sarmatia

Tectonic evolution and paleogeography of the two major continental blocks Fennoscandia and VolgoSarmatia during their docking to form the East European Craton(Baltica)at 1.8–1.7 Ga represent important‘puzzle

Was the Panzhihua Large Fe-Ti Oxide Deposit,SW China,Formed by Silicate Immiscibility?

The Panzhihua mafic intrusion,which hosts a world-class Fe-Ti-V ore deposit,is in the western Emeishan region,SW China.The formation age(~260 Ma),and Sr and Nd isotopes indicate that the Panzhihua intrusion is part of the Emeishan large igneous province and has little crustal contamination.To assess ore genesis of the Panzhihua Fe-Ti-V ore deposit,two different models have been provided to explain the formation,namely silicate immiscibility and normal fractional crystallization.Silicate immiscibility occurring around 1,000℃at the late stage of basaltic magma evolution argues against the silicate immiscibility model.Apatite-hosted melt inclusion research indicates that silicate immiscibility occurred at the late stage of Panzhihua magma evolution,which may not have offered potential to form such large ore deposits as Panzhihua.Alternatively,continuous compositional variations of the Panzhihua intrusion and calculations using thermodynamic modelling software support the hypothesis that the Panzhihua deposit was formed by normal fractional crystallization.Reciprocal trace element patterns of the Panzhihua intrusion and nearby felsic rocks also coincide with the fractional crystallization model.Normal fractional crystallization of high-Ti basaltic magma played a key role in the formation of the Panzhihua Fe-Ti-V ore deposit.

Geochronologic Constraints on the Magmatic Underplating of the Gangdisê Belt in the India-Eurasia Collision: Evidence of SHRIMP II Zircon U-Pb Dating

Abundant small mafic intrusions occur associated with granitoids along the Gangdise^ magmatic belt. In addition to many discrete gabbro bodies within the granitoid plutons, a gabbro-pyroxenite zone occurs along the southern margin of the Gangdise^ belt to the north of the Yarlung Zangbo suture. The mafic intrusion zone spatially corresponds to a strong aeromagnetic anomaly, which extends -1400 km. The mafic intrusions consist of intermittently distributed small bodies and dikes of gabbro and dolerite with accumulates of pyroxenite, olivine pyroxenite, pegmatitic pyroxenite and amphibolite. Much evidence indicates that the Gangdise^ gabbro-pyroxenite assemblage is most likely a result of underplating of mantle-derived magma. Detailed field investigation and systematic sampling of the mafic rocks was conducted at six locations along the Lhasa-Xigaze^ segment of the mafic intrusive zone, and was followed by zircon SHRIMP Ⅱ U-Pb dating. In addition to the ages of two samples previously published （47.0±1 Ma and 48.9±1.1 Ma）, the isotopic ages of the remaining four gabbro samples are 51.6±1.3Ma, 52.5±3.0 Ma, 50.2±4.2Ma and 49.9±1.1Ma. The range of these ages （47-52.5 Ma） provide geochronologic constraints on the Eocene timing of magma underplating beneath the Gangdise^ belt at ca. 50 Ma. This underplating event post-dated the initiation of the India-Eurasia continental collision by 15 million years and was contemporaneous with a process of magma mixing. The SHRIMP Ⅱ U-Pb isotopic analysis also found several old ages from a few zircon grains, mostly in a range of 479-526 Ma （weighted average age 503±10 Ma）, thus yielding information about the pre-existing lower crust when underplating of mafic magma took place. It is believed that magma underplating was one of the major mechanisms for crustal growth during the Indian-Eurasia collision, possibly corresponding in time to the formation of the 14-16 km-thick ＂crnst-mantle transitional zone＂ characterized by Vp=6.85-6.9 km/s.

Ore Genesis of the Kalatongke Cu-Ni Sulfide Deposits, Western China: Constraints from Volatile Chemical and Carbon Isotopic Compositions

The Kalatongke Cu-Ni sulfide deposits located in the East Junggar terrane, northern Xinjiang, western China are the largest magmatic sulfide deposits in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt （CAOB）. The chemical and carbon isotopic compositions of the volatiles trapped in olivine, pyroxene and sulfide mineral separates were analyzed by vacuum stepwise-heating mass spectrometry. The results show that the released volatiles are concentrated at three temperature intervals of 200-400°C, 400-900°C and 900-1200°C. The released volatiles from silicate mineral separates at 400-900°C and 900-1200°C have similar chemical and carbon isotopic compositions, which are mainly composed of H2O （av. ~92 mol%） with minor H2, CO2, H2S and SO2, and they are likely associated with the ore-forming magmatic volatiles. Light δ13CCO2 values （from -20.86‰ to -12.85‰） of pyroxene indicate crustal contamination occurred prior to or synchronous with pyroxene crystallization of mantlederived ore-forming magma. The elevated contents of H2 and H2O in the olivine and pyroxene suggest a deep mantle-originated ore-forming volatile mixed with aqueous volatiles from recycled subducted slab. High contents of CO2 in the ore-forming magma volatiles led to an increase in oxygen fugacity, and thereby reduced the solubility of sulfur in the magma, then triggered sulfur saturation followed by sulfide melt segregation; CO2 contents correlated with Cu contents in the whole rocks suggest that a supercritical state of CO2 in the ore-forming magma system under high temperature and pressure conditions might play a key role in the assemblage of huge Cu and Ni elements. The volatiles released from constituent minerals of intrusion 1# have more CO2 and SO2 oxidized gases, higher CO2/CH4 and SO2/H2S ratios and lighter δ13CCO2 than those of intrusions 2# and 3#. This combination suggests that the higher oxidation state of the volatiles in intrusion 1# than intrusions 2# and 3#, which could be one of key ore-forming factors for large amounts of ores and high contents of Cu and Ni in intrusion 1#. The volatiles released at 200-400°C are dominated by H2O with minor CO2, N2＋CO and SO2, with δ13CCO2 values （-25.66‰ to -22.98‰） within the crustal ranges, and are considered to be related to secondary tectonic-hydrothermal activities.

Geochemistry and Geochronology of OIB-type Early Jurassic Magmatism in the Zhangguangcai Range, NE China, as a Result of Continental Back-arc Extension

The Zhangguangcai Range in the Xing’an(Hinggan) Mongolian Orogenic Belt, NE China, contains Early Jurassic(c. 188 Ma) Dabaizigou(DBZG) porphyritic dolerite. Compared with other island-arc mafic rocks, the DBZG dolerite is characterized by high trace-element contents, relatively weak Nb and Ta enrichments, and no Zr, Hf or Ti depletions, similar to OIB-type rocks. Analysed rocks have(87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.7033–0.7044, relatively uniform positive εNd(t) values of 2.3–3.2 and positive εHf(t) values of 8.5–17.1. Trace-element and isotopic modelling indicates that the DBZG mafic rocks were generated by partial melting of asthenospheric mantle under garnet-to spinel-facies conditions. The occurrence of OIB-like mafic intrusion suggests significant upwelling of the asthenosphere in response to lithospheric attenuation caused by continental rifting. These processes occurred in an incipient continental back-arc environment in the upper plate of a palaeo-Pacific slab subducting W–NW beneath East Asia.