A review of the composition and chemistry of peridotite mantle xenoliths in volcanic rocks from Antarctica and their relevance to petrological and geophysical models for the lithospheric mantle

This chapter reviews the geochemistry and petrology of mantle peridotite xenoliths from across Antarctica, including parameters that are of most relevance to geophysical studies. This Memoir is the first time such a complete overview of the chemistry of Antarctic mantle xenoliths has been available and Antarctica should no longer be the ignored continent in studies of mantle xenoliths in volcanic rocks. Xenoliths indicate that the chemistry, heat flow and water content of the Antarctic lithospheric mantle varies regionally at scales of one to thousands of kilometres. The prevalence of variability in xenoliths suggests that the Antarctic mantle is ubiquitously heterogeneous. This has important, yet unquantified, implications for interpreting geophysical data and for reference Earth models used in Antarctic geophysical studies. Information about and interpretations of Antarctic mantle xenoliths can be linked to studies from once adjacent continental blocks in Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand and South America. Together, this can improve understanding of the mantle contribution to glacial isostatic adjustment and geodynamic models to show how the Antarctic mantle fits with adjacent continents in the puzzle of lithospheric blocks. Numerous, fundamental and important research questions remain unanswered making further study of the Antarctic mantle an exciting prospect for future research.

Zr-Th-U MINERALS IN HIGH-MG DIORITE OF THE CHELYABINSK MASSIF (SOUTH URALS) – EVIDENCE FOR CRUST–MANTLE INTERACTION

Zr-Th-U minerals, namely baddeleyite, zircon and U-Th-oxide, were found in high-Mg diorite from the Late Devonian – Early Carboniferous synplutonic dyke in granodiorites of the Chelyabinsk massif, South Urals. Micron-sized minerals were investigated by electron microscopy and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. Their chemical compositions were determined by electron probe microanalysis that was optimized to ensure more precise measurements of the composition of minerals. Baddeleyite grains are found as inclusions in amphibole crystals and reside in intergranular areas. The former retain their composition and show no traces of corrosion or substitution. In the intergranular areas, baddeleyite grains were replaced by polycrystalline zircon due to the reaction with an acid melt, and the U-Th-oxide precipitated inside baddeleyite simultaneously, which suggests the restite origin of baddeleyite. The main features of the baddeleyite composition are extremely high concentrations of ThO2 and UO2 (to 0.03 wt. % and 1.0 wt. %, respectively), which may be due to the metasomatic interaction between the mantle peridotite and the crustal or carbonatite fluid or melt.

Origin of kimberlite from the base of the upper mantle

Kimberlite is characterized by explosive eruption powered by excess carbon dioxides (CO2)1 and water2. Given that diamond is the dominant stable phase of carbon in the upper mantle3, it is obscure where does the excess CO2 in kimberlite has come from. Here we show that ferric iron oxidizes diamond at 1900K, 20GPa and 2000K, 25GPa, forming CO2. The lower mantle is dominated by bridgmanite, which is rich in ferric iron4. Bridgmanite decomposes once it is brought to the upper mantle, releasing extra ferric iron. Therefore, the oxidation of diamond may have been popularly occurring at the base of the upper mantle, forming CO2-rich carbonated domains that are the main source of kimberlite. The rising kimberlitic magma reaches the lithosphere mantle of thick cratons before it crosses the solidus line of mantle peridotite, and thus keeps its volatile-rich nature that drives explosive eruptions. When the lithospheric mantle is thinner than ~140 km, kimberlite changes into much less explosive magmas due to partial melting of mantle peridotite, and, consequently, entrained diamond is mostly oxidized during the magma’s slower ascension.