Differentiation of tholeiitic basalt to A-type granite in the Sept Iles layered intrusion, Canada

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Authors
Namur, O.
Charlier, B.
Toplis, M.J.
Higgins, M.D.
Hounsell, V.
Liégeois, J.P.
Vander Auwera, J.
Discipline
Earth and related Environmental sciences
Subject
Geodynamics and mineral resources
Audience
Scientific
Date
2011Metadata
Show full item recordDescription
The undeformed 564 Ma Sept Iles layered intrusion (Quebec,  Canada) is a large igneous body of c. 20 000km3. From the base to  the top, it consists of a Layered Series dominated by troctolite and  gabbro, an anorthositic Upper Border Series and a dominantly granitic  Upper Series. The parent magma of the Layered Series is  inferred to be an iron-rich tholeiitic basalt (48 wt % SiO2; 15wt  % FeOt).Whole-rock compositions from the chilled margin, dykes  cross-cutting the Layered Series and silicic rocks from the Upper  Series display continuous major and trace element geochemical  trends ranging from basalts to ferroan metaluminous A-type granites  (77 wt % SiO2). Initial 143Nd/144Nd (0·51201^0·51207) and  87Sr/86Sr (0·70353^0·70548) indicate a juvenile-mantle source and  minimal contamination by old crust (1^2%) during crystallization.  Geochemical modeling, using the MELTS thermodynamic calculator  combined with equations predicting mineral^melt equilibria  from experiments on tholeiitic basalts, indicate that basaltic to monzonitic  melt compositions are in equilibrium with the troctolites and  gabbros of the Layered Series. Fe^Ti oxides saturate early in the  Layered Series, after 14% fractionation of plagioclase^olivine  cumulates. Further fractionation of Fe^Ti oxide-bearing gabbros  drives the residual liquids toward silica enrichment and iron depletion.  Major and trace element modeling indicates that the A-type  granites from the Upper Series were produced by protracted fractional  crystallization of an iron-rich basaltic parent magma, at a fraction  of residual liquid of only 8%. The observed relative volumes of  mafic cumulates and silicic rocks in the intrusion are in agreement  with the calculations. Most of the intermediate compositions correspond  to magmatic mafic enclave-bearing granitoids and display  geochemical evidence of hybridization. Intermediate compositions  produced by fractional crystallization are scarce and a Daly gap  occurs from 57 to 67 wt % SiO2.This gap could result either from  the fractional crystallization process or from silicate^liquid immiscibility  during that compositional interval.
Citation
Namur, O.; Charlier, B.; Toplis, M.J.; Higgins, M.D.; Hounsell, V.; Liégeois, J.P.; Vander Auwera, J. (2011). Differentiation of tholeiitic basalt to A-type granite in the Sept Iles layered intrusion, Canada. , Journal of Petrology, Vol. 52, 487-539, DOI: 10.1093/petrology/egq088.Identifiers
Type
Article
Peer-Review
Yes
Language
eng
