|
Department of Geology, University of Leicester, Leicester, U.K.
Carbonatites found in strongly alkaline intra-plate petrographic volcanic provinces are associated with olivine-poor nephelinites and with phonolites. Olivine-rich nephelinites occur in basanitic and alkali basalt provinces, normally without carbonatites. These igneous provinces are marked by epeirogenic crustal uplift.
Nephelinites, ijolites and carbonatites form discrete magmatic events within individual complexes and correspond to the silicate-carbonate conjugate immiscible liquids observed in the laboratory. Carbonate liquids of variable alkali content can separate from both nephelinitic and phonolitic liquids. The silicate liquids give rise to pyroxenites, ijolites, nepheline syenites and nephelinitic pyroclast-rich strato-volcanoes. The carbonate liquids lose alkalis and fractionate to sövite, alvikite and ferrocarbonatite, each with increasing incompatible-element content. Further fractionation of carbonatite magma can produce mineralizing fluids rich in rare-earth elements, F, Ba, U and Th. Dolomite carbonatite forms only in the deeper parts of carbonatitic complexes, perhaps at depths greater than 2 km. Explosive carbonatite volcanism can occur giving widespread carbonate tuffs, rarely with lavas.
Fenitization characterizes ijolite-carbonatite intrusive complexes. Syenitic fenites containing alkali feldspars, sometimes perthitic, are formed as aureoles 500 m wide around ijolites in granitic terranes, with nepheline syenite commonly formed as a contact-reaction rock. The feldspar-rich syneitic fenite aureoles which develop around the early carbonatites usually contain pure orthoclase or pure albite.
