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Forsterite reprecipitation and carbon dioxide entrapment in the lithospheric mantle during its interaction with carbonatitic melt: a case study from the Sung Valley ultramafic–alkaline–carbonatite complex, Meghalaya, NE India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 August 2020

Shubham Choudhary ,
Koushik Sen Open the ORCID record for Koushik Sen [Opens in a new window] ,
Santosh Kumar Open the ORCID record for Santosh Kumar [Opens in a new window] ,
Shruti Rana  and
Swakangkha Ghosh
Shubham Choudhary
Affiliation:
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, 33 GMS Road, Dehradun-248001, India
Koushik Sen*
Affiliation:
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, 33 GMS Road, Dehradun-248001, India
Santosh Kumar
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Centre of Advanced Study, Kumaun University, Nainital, India
Shruti Rana
Affiliation:
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, 33 GMS Road, Dehradun-248001, India
Swakangkha Ghosh
Affiliation:
North Eastern Space Applications Centre, Umiam, Meghalaya, India
*
Author for correspondence: Koushik Sen, Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Carbonatite melts derived from the mantle are enriched in CO2- and H2O-bearing fluids. This melt can metasomatize the peridotitic lithosphere and liberate a considerable amount of CO2. Experimental studies have also shown that a CO2–H2O-rich fluid can form Fe- and Mg-rich carbonate by reacting with olivine. The Sung Valley carbonatite of NE India is related to the Kerguelen plume and is characterized by rare occurrences of olivine. Our study shows that this olivine is resorbed forsterite of xenocrystic nature. This olivine bears inclusions of Fe-rich magnesite. Accessory apatite in the host carbonatite contains CO2–H2O fluid inclusions. Carbon and oxygen isotopic analyses indicate that the carbonatites are primary igneous carbonatites and are devoid of any alteration or fractionation. We envisage that the forsterite is a part of the lithospheric mantle that was reprecipitated in a carbonatite reservoir through dissolution–precipitation. Carbonation of this forsterite, during interaction between the lithospheric mantle and carbonatite melt, formed Fe-rich magnesite. CO2–H2O-rich fluid derived from the carbonatite magma and detected within accessory apatite caused this carbonation. Our study suggests that a significant amount of CO2 degassed from the mantle by carbonatitic magma can become entrapped in the lithosphere by forming Fe- and Mg-rich carbonates.

Keywords

Fe-rich magnesitemetasomatismforsteritecarbonatiteRaman spectroscopyKerguelen plume
Type
Original Article
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 158 , Issue 3 , March 2021 , pp. 475 - 486
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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