Fe-rich Dunite Xenoliths from South African Kimberlites: Cumulates from Karoo Flood Basalts

2007

Fe-rich dunite xenoliths within the Kimberley kimberlites comprise olivine neoblasts with minor elongated, parallel-oriented ilmenite, and rarely olivine porphyroclasts and spinel. Compared with typical mantle peridotites, olivines in the Fe-rich dunites have lower forsterite (Fo87^89) and NiOcontents (1300^2800 ppm), which precludes a restitic origin for the dunites. Chrome-rich spinels are remnants of a metasomatic reaction that produced ilmenite and phlogopite.Trace element compositions differ between porphyroclastic and neoblastic olivine, the latter having higherTi, V, Cr and Ni and lower Zn, Zr and Nb contents, documenting their different origins.The dunites have high Os/Os ratios (0 …

Contrasting types of metasomatism in dunite, wehrlite and websterite xenoliths from Kimberley, South Africa

2008

Abstract Dunite, wehrlite and websterite are rare members of the mantle xenolith suite in the Kimberley kimberlites of the Kaapvaal Craton in southern Africa. All three types were originally residues of extensive melt extraction and experienced varying amounts and types of melt re-enrichment. The melt depletion event, dated by Re–Os isotope systematics at 2.9 Ga or older, is evidenced by the high Mg# (Mg/(Mg + Fe)) of silicate minerals (olivine (0.89–0.93); pyroxene (0.88–0.93); garnet (0.72–0.85)), high Cr# (Cr/(Cr + Al)) of spinel (0.53–0.84) and mostly low whole-rock SiO2, CaO and Al2O3 contents. Shortly after melt depletion, websterites were formed by reaction between depleted peridotit…

Goldschmidt Abstracts 2010 – R

2010

Restoration of premetasomatic protolith compositions in mantle xenoliths

2006

Minor and trace elements in olivines as probes into early igneous and mantle melting processes

2013

Abstract The trace element composition of olivine is a rapidly growing research area that has several applications of great potential. Mantle olivines can be distinguished from volcanic olivines by lower concentrations of Ca (