Extremely large fractionation of Li isotopes in a chromitite-bearing mantle sequence
نویسندگان
چکیده
We report Li isotopic compositions of olivine from the mantle sequence of the Luobusa ophiolite, southern Tibet. The olivine in the Luobusa ophiolite has Li concentrations from ~0.1 to 0.9 ppm and a broad range of δ(7)Li (+14 to -20‰). An inverse correlation of Li concentration and δ(7)Li in olivine from harzburgite suggests recent diffusive ingress of Li into the rock. Olivine from dunite enveloping podiform chromitites shows positive δ(7)Li values higher than those of MORB, whereas olivine from the chromitite has negative δ(7)Li values. Such variations are difficult to reconcile by diffusive fractionation and are thought to record the nature of the magma sources. Our results clearly indicate that the Luobusa chromitites formed from magmas with light Li isotopic compositions and that the dunites are products of melt-rock interaction. The isotopically light magmas originated by partial melting of a subducted slab after high degrees of dehydration and then penetrated the overlying mantle wedge. This study provides evidence for Li isotope heterogeneity in the mantle that resulted from subduction of a recycled oceanic component.
منابع مشابه
Review of the Lithium Isotope System as a Geochemical Tracer
Lithium isotopes have many advantageous characteristics as geochemical tracers for a wide range of geological processes, covering fluid/melt-mineral interactions from the Earth’s surface to the mantle. The latest developments in Li isotope geochemistry, in terms of measuring techniques, major geochemical reservoirs, the contrasting behaviors during near-surface weathering, and crust/ mantle cyc...
متن کاملTracking the lithium isotopic evolution of the mantle using carbonatites
Carbonatites are mantle-derived, intraplate magmas that provide a means of documenting isotopic variations of the Earth's mantle through time. To investigate the secular Li isotopic evolution of the mantle and to test whether Li isotopes document systematic recycling of material processed at or near the Earth's surface into the mantle, we analyzed the Li isotopic compositions of carbonatites an...
متن کاملSimple Models for Trace Element Fractionation during Melting and Melt Migration in an Upwelling Heterogeneous Lunar Mantle
Introduction: It has long been recognized that lunar mantle is chemically, isotopically, and lithologically heterogeneous. The heterogeneities are ancient and were formed during large-scale differentiation events, such as the solidification of a globally distributed lunar magma ocean (LMO) and subsequent lunar cumulate mantle overturn [1-3]. Mixing of distinct early and late LMO cumulates resul...
متن کاملPlatinum-group Minerals in Podiform Chromitites of the Oman Ophiolite
Chromitite lenses rich in the platinum-group elements (PGE) have recently been discovered in the deeper part of the mantle section of the northern part of the Oman ophiolite. In terms of stratigraphic level, there are two types of chromitite: Moho transition zone (MTZ) and mantle types. The mantle type can be further classified into two subtypes: PGE-poor and PGE-rich. Platinum-group minerals (...
متن کاملPetrogenesis of mantle peridotites from the South of Jazmourian, Makran accretionary prism, Iran
Mantle peridotites exposed in south Jazmourian comprise of lherzolite and porphyroclastic Cpx-bearing harzburgite in the lower part with chromitite lenses in the upper parts. Petrography and microprobe studies shows evidence of melt-peridotite interactions; post melting processes and subsolidus interactions, which has been associated with appearance of two generations of deformed primary pyroxe...
متن کامل