Carbonate xenoliths in La Palma: Carbonatite or alteration product?

Demény, Attila, Casillas, Ramón, Ahijado, Agustina, de La Nuez, Julio, Milton, J. Andrew and Nagy, Géza (2008) Carbonate xenoliths in La Palma: Carbonatite or alteration product? Chemie der Erde - Geochemistry, 68 (4), 369-381. (doi:10.1016/j.chemer.2008.05.002).

Abstract

Carbonate xenoliths containing olivine and rimmed by kaersutitic amphibole were collected in basaltic rocks of the Basal Complex of La Palma. The mineralogical composition and microscopic appearance may suggest a relationship with carbonatites in general, thus a major element, trace element and stable isotope study was conducted to investigate the origin of the carbonate formation. Based on electron microprobe analyses, the carbonate is calcite with up to 6.3 wt% MgO and 7.2 wt% SiO2. The elevated SiO2 content may suggest a melt origin for the carbonate. However, the C and O isotope compositions of the carbonate xenoliths (?13C and ?18O around ?1‰ and 13‰, respectively) are similar to those of calcite veins and amygdales in basaltic rocks of the Basal Complexes of La Palma and Fuerteventura and are interpreted as produced by fluid degassing and metasomatism by CO2–H2O fluid derived from mobilization of sedimentary material. Trace element contents determined by laser-ablation ICP-MS analyses support the assumed origin, thus, the relationship with carbonatitic melts can be excluded. Based on trace element compositions, the amphibole surrounding the xenoliths is not related genetically to the carbonate. The elevated SiO2 content of the calcite can be attributed to submicron relics of pyroxene, thus, the use of this feature as an evidence for melt origin is questionable.

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Contributors

Author: J. Andrew Milton

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