|
|||||
|
|
Cyclicity in the Main and Upper Zones of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa: Crystallization from a Zoned Magma Sheet |
|
| Authors: | TEGNER CHRISTIAN; CAWTHORN R GRANT; KRUGER F JOHAN |
| Institution: | 1 DEPARTMENT OF EARTH SCIENCES, AARHUS UNIVERSITY C. F. MØLLERS ALLÉ 110, DK-8000 AARHUS C, DENMARK 2 SCHOOL OF GEOSCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND P.O. WITS 2050, SOUTH AFRICA 3 MORUO MINERALOGICAL SERVICES P.O. BOX 1368, KRUGERSDORP, 1740, SOUTH AFRICA |
| Abstract: | The major element composition of plagioclase, pyroxene, olivine,and magnetite, and whole-rock 87Sr/86Sr data are presented forthe uppermost 2·1 km of the layered mafic rocks (upperMain Zone and Upper Zone) at Bierkraal in the western BushveldComplex. Initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios are near-constant (0·7073± 0·0001) for 24 samples and imply crystallizationfrom a homogeneous magma sheet without major magma rechargeor assimilation. The 2125 m thick section investigated in drillcore comprises 26 magnetitite and six nelsonite (magnetite–ilmenite–apatite)layers and changes up-section from gabbronorite (An72 plagioclase;Mg# 74 clinopyroxene) to magnetite–ilmenite–apatite–fayaliteferrodiorite (An43; Mg# 5 clinopyroxene; Fo1 olivine). The overallfractionation trend is, however, interrupted by reversals characterizedby higher An% of plagioclase, higher Mg# of pyroxene and olivine,and higher V2O5 of magnetite. In the upper half of the successionthere is also the intermittent presence of cumulus olivine andapatite. These reversals in normal fractionation trends definethe bases of at least nine major cycles. We have calculateda plausible composition for the magma from which this entiresuccession formed. Forward fractional crystallization modelingof this composition predicts an initial increase in total iron,near-constant SiO2 and an increasing density of the residualmagma before magnetite crystallizes. After magnetite beginsto crystallize the residual magma shows a near-constant totaliron, an increase in SiO2 and decrease in density. We explainthe observed cyclicity by bottom crystallization. Initiallymagma stratification developed during crystallization of thebasal gabbronorites. Once magnetite began to crystallize, periodicdensity inversion led to mixing with the overlying magma layer,producing mineralogical breaks between fractionation cycles.The magnetitite and nelsonite layers mainly occur within fractionationcycles, not at their bases. In at least two cases, crystallizationof thick magnetitite layers may have lowered the density ofthe basal layer of melt dramatically, and triggered the proposeddensity inversion, resulting in close, but not perfect, coincidenceof mineralogical breaks and packages of magnetitite layers. KEY WORDS: layered intrusion; mineral chemistry; isotopes; magma; convection; differentiation |
| Keywords: | : layered intrusion mineral chemistry isotopes magma convection differentiation |
| 本文献已被 Oxford 等数据库收录！ | |