Search

The Macau Volcanic Field (MVF) in the Borborema Province, NE Brazil, contains multiple centres of volcanic activity of Early to Late Cenozoic ages. We present element and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope geochemical data for four of the few most prominent basalt types of this volcanic field: Serrote Preto-type, Serra Aguda-type, Pico do Cabugi-type and Serra Preta-type, in order to assess their magmatic history from source to crystallization and the evolution of the mantle beneath the Borborema Province. The basalts are basically sodic nephelinitic–basanitic–alkali olivine basalts enriched in LILE and in Nb–Ta. The Serra Preta, Cabugi and Serra Aguda types demonstrate compositions close to primitive characteristics with 10%

Crustal assimilation plus crystal fractionation processes of different basanite magma batches control the evolution of the Ponte Nova cretaceous alkaline mafic–ultramafic massif in SE Brazil. This massif is composed of several intrusions, the main ones with a cumulate character. Disequilibrium features in the early-crystallized phases (e.g., corrosion and sieve textures in cores of clinopyroxene crystals, spongy-cellular-textured plagioclase crystals, gulf corrosion texture in olivine crystals) and classical hybridization textures (e.g., blade biotite and acicular apatite crystals) provide strong evidence of open-system behavior. All samples are olivine- and nepheline-normative rocks with basic–ultrabasic and potassic characters and variable incompatible element enrichments. The wide ranges of whole-rock 87 Sr/ 86 Sr i and 143 Nd/ 144 Nd i ratios (0.70432–0.70641 and 0.512216–0.512555, respectively) are indicative of crustal contribution from the Precambrian basement host rocks. Plagioclase and apatite 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (0.70422–0.70927) obtained for the most primitive samples of each intrusion indicate disequilibrium conditions from early- to principal-crystallization stages. Isotope mixing-model curves between the least contaminated alkaline basic magma and heterogeneous local crustal components indicate that each intrusion of the massif is differentiated from the others by varied degrees of crustal contribution. The primary mechanisms of crustal contribution to the Ponte Nova massif involve the assimilation of host rock xenoliths during the development of the chamber environment and the assimilation of partial melts from the surrounding host rocks. Thermodynamic models using the melts algorithm indicate that parental alkaline basic magmas can be strongly affected by contamination processes subsequently to their initial stages of crystallization when there is sufficient energy to assimilate partial melts of crustal host rocks. The assimilation processes are considered to be responsible for the increse in the K 2 O/Na 2 O, Ba/Sr and Rb/Sr ratios. This enrichment was associated with the relevant role of biotite breakdown in the assimilated host rock partial melts. The petrological model for the Ponte Nova massif is explained as repeated influxes of antecryst-laden basanite magmas that deposited most of their suspended crystals on the floor of the upper-crust magma chamber. Each intrusion is representative of relatively primitive olivine- and clinopyroxene-phyric basanites that had assimilated different degrees of partial melts of heterogeneous host rocks. This study reveals the relevant role of crustal assimilation processes in the magmatic evolution of nepheline-normative rocks, especially in upper-crust chamber environments.

The Niquelândia Complex, Brazil, is one of the world's largest mafic–ultramafic plutonic complexes. Like the Mafic Complex of the Ivrea-Verbano Zone, it is affected by a pervasive high-T foliation and shows hypersolidus deformation structures, contains significant inclusions of country-rock paragneiss, and is subdivided into a Lower and an Upper Complex. In this paper, we present new SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages that provide compelling evidence that the Upper and the Lower Niquelândia Complexes formed during the same igneous event at ca. 790 Ma. Coexistence of syn-magmatic and high-T subsolidus deformation structures indicates that both complexes grew incrementally as large crystal mush bodies which were continuously stretched while fed by pulses of fresh magma. Syn-magmatic recrystallization during this deformation resulted in textures and structures which, although appearing metamorphic, are not ascribable to post-magmatic metamorphic event(s), but are instead characteristic of the growth process in huge and deep mafic intrusions such as both the Niquelândia and Ivrea Complexes. Melting of incorporated country-rock paragneiss continued producing hybrid rocks during the last, vanishing stages of magmatic crystallization. This resulted in the formation of minor, late-stage hybrid rocks, whose presence obscures the record of the main processes of interaction between mantle magmas and crustal components, which may be active at the peak of the igneous events and lead to the generation of eruptible hybrid magmas.