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Perovskite from the Dutoitspan kimberlite, Kimberley, South Africa: implications for magmatic processes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

R. C. Ogilvie-Harris ,
M. Field ,
R. S. J. Sparks  and
M. J. Walter
R. C. Ogilvie-Harris*
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Science, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
M. Field
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Science, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
R. S. J. Sparks
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Science, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
M. J. Walter
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Science, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
*
* E-mail: R.C.Ogilvie-Harris@bristol.ac.uk
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Abstract

Perovskite compositions are used to investigate the relationship between the minor components (i.e. LREE, Fe3+ and Nb) and the oxygen fugacity (fo2) of perovskite in four different kimberlite lithofacies from the Dutoitspan pipe, Kimberley, South Africa, which range from diamondiferous to barren. The perovskite textures and chemical variations provide insight into magmatic and eruptive processes. Some crystals display cores with rims separated by a sharp boundary. The cores contain larger Na and LREE contents relative to the rims, which show a large increase in Fe3+ and Al. The mid-grade and barren kimberlites have bi-modal cores, reflected in the mineral chemistry, signifying multiple batches of magma and magma mixing. The fo2 of the magma is determined by an Fe-Nb oxygen barometer. The most diamondiferous kimberlite has the greatest Fe3+ content and highest fo2 (NNO –3.6 to –1.1). The kimberlite containing large diamonds has the smallest Fe3+ content and lowest fo2 (NNO –5.2 to –3.0). The barren and mid-grade kimberlites display a wide range of fo2,(NNO –5.3 to –1.5) as a result of perovskites forming in different melts and subsequently mixing together. Chemical and petrological evidence suggests that the volatile content, degassing, decompression and rate of crystallization can influence the rate at which the magma is erupted. One possibility is that the most oxidized magma, containing the highest volatile content, is therefore erupted much more rapidly, preserving diamond as a consequence.

Keywords

perovskiteoxygen fugacitykimberliteferric irondiamondiferousDutoitspan
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 73 , Issue 6 , December 2009 , pp. 915 - 928
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2009

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