Evidence of subduction-related components in sapphirine-bearing gabbroic dykes (Finero phlogopite-peridotite): Insights into the source of the Triassic-Jurassic magmatism at the Europe-Africa boundary
Academic Article
Publication Date:
2020
abstract:
A gabbroic dyke swarmcontaining magmatic sapphirine occurs in the Finero phlogopite-peridotite (FPP), one of
themajor mantle massifs in the Ivrea-Verbano Zone (IVZ;western Southern Alps). Sapphirine is part of a particular
mineral assemblage, including plagioclase, titanian pargasite, titanian phlogopite, and Cl-rich apatite; the latter
mineral hosts calcite inclusions. The dykes cut the mantle foliation at a high angle, are bounded by
orthopyroxenite layers, and show symmetric internal banding, represented by two outer hornblendite selvages
and an inner leucogabbro band. The sapphirine occurs in up to 3 cm-thick irregular patches in both hornblendite
salvages, along with Al-rich amphibole and green spinel.
Wepresentmajor and trace elements of minerals and bulk rock, aswell as mineral O, Sr, and Nd isotopic compositions
of dykes and the host peridotite from two different outcrops in the FPP area.
Our data show that early melt migration developed through porous flow within cm-thick channels and was
characterised by orthopyroxene dissolution. Following progressive percolation and reaction, the melt became silica
saturated with segregation of orthopyroxenite in the centres of the channels. The banded internal structure of
the dykes was caused by three different evolutionary stages, involving opening and enlargement of the conduits.
The sapphirine and green spinel segregation took place at T N 1000 °C, in the presence ofmeltwith transient composition,
which interstitially migrated and reacted with the cumulus minerals to form the hornblendite layers.
The mineral chemistry of the newly-formed amphiboles indicates that the sapphirine parental melt was Alrich,
depleted to strongly depleted in Hf, Zr, Nb, Ta, Ti, Sc, V, and middle and heavy rare earth elements, and
characterised by a positive Eu anomaly and (Zr/Hf)N b 1. These data suggest a parental melt with a significant
amount of normative plagioclase. However, the studied veins do not show evidence of plagioclase assimilation,
andwe argue that this process could have occurred inmagmatic bodies that are not outcropping today to the surface
or in the melt source.
The ?18O values of vein amphiboles and plagioclases vary from6.9 to 8.6?SMOW,which iswell above themantle
range, even when considering fractionation upon cooling. Given that orthopyroxene from the wall has "normal"
mantle ?18O values (5.8?), reaction with the hostmetasomatised peridotite cannot be responsible for the heavy
?18O signature, and the lattermust have been imparted by crustal components deeper in the mantle.
Our petrographic and geochemical evidence demonstrates that the northern IVZ records an extremely prolonged
release, from the Variscan orogenic cycle to the Mesozoic exhumation, of K-H2O-rich mantle-derived melts,
mixed with subduction-related components. This finding provides valuable insights into the Triassic-Jurassic
magmatism and the geodynamic environment at the Europe-Africa boundary.
Iris type:
01.01 Articolo in rivista
Keywords:
sapphirine; Finero; mantle peridotite; dykes; Ivrea Verbano
List of contributors:
Mazzucchelli, Maurizio; Zanetti, Alberto; Dallai, Luigi
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