Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T18:50:00.315Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A geochemical study of Lewisian metasedimentary granulites and gneisses in the Scourie-Laxford area of the north-west Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

P. O. Okeke
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of Benin, Private Bag 1154, Benin CityNigeria
G. D. Borley
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Imperial College, Prince Consort Road, London SW7
J. Watson
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Imperial College, Prince Consort Road, London SW7

Abstract

Major element, trace element, and REE data for metasedimentary granulites and their retrogressed derivatives formed from Archaean parent-rocks at two localities in the Lewisian complex of north-west Scotland are presented.

The metasedimentary rocks are enclosed in and intruded by metatonalites and related calc-alkaline rocks and have been highly deformed and metamorphosed along with these rocks. They are geochemically distinct from this meta-igneous suite and range from highly aluminous to highly siliceous types. Comparisons of major and trace element data with those for unmetamorphosed Archaean and post-Archaean sediments suggest that they are derived from a detrital shale-greywacke assemblage, which may have included a volcaniclastic component. High ΣREE and ΣLREE suggest that the source-rocks included fractionated felsic igneous rocks.

Evidence that depletion in the large ion lithophile elements K, Rb, Th accompanied high-pressure granulite metamorphism supports the view, based on data derived from the associated meta-igneous rocks, that depletion was effected by active fluids rather than by abstraction of a partial melt and suggests that removal of K and Th began only when a considerable reduction of Rb had taken place.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abbey, S. (1973) Geol. Surv. Can. Paper, 73–125.Google Scholar
Barooah, B.C. (1970) Scott. J. Geol. 6, 221–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beach, A. (1973) J. Petrol. 14, 231–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beach, A. Coward, M.P., and Graham, R.H. (1974) Scott. J. Geol. 9, 297308.Google Scholar
Bowes, D.R., Hopgood, A.M., and Pidgeon, R.T. (1976) Geol. Mag. 113, 545–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Condie, K.C. (1976) Earth Sci. Rev. 12, 393–417.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coward, M.P., Francis, P.W., Graham, R.H., Myers, J. S. and Watson, J.V. (1969) Proc. Geol. Assoc. Lond. 80, 387408.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davies, F.B. (1974) J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 130, 279–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davies, F.B. and Watson, J.V. (1977) Ibid. 133, 123–31.Google Scholar
Flanagan, F.J. (1973) Geochim. Cosmochim. Ada, 37, 1189–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haskin, L.A., Frey, F.A., Schmitt, R.A., and Smith, R.H. (1966) Phys. Chem. Earth, 1, 167–330.Google Scholar
Jehu, T.J., and Craig, R.M. (1927) Trans. R. Soc. Edinb. 35, 457–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lambert, R. St, J., and Holland, J.G. (1974) Geochim. Cosmochim. Ada, 38, 1393–414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leake, B.E. (1964) J. Petrol. 5, 238–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moorbath, S., Welke, H., and Gale, N.H. (1969) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 6, 245–56.Google Scholar
Nakamura, N. (1974) Geochim. Cosmochim. Ada, 38, 757–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nance, W.B., and Taylor, S.R. (1977) Ibid. 41, 225–31.Google Scholar
O'Hara, M. J., and Yarwood, G. (1978) Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A288, 441–58Google Scholar
Okeke, P.O. (1978) Unpubl. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of London.Google Scholar
Park, R.G. (1970) Scott. J. Geol. 6, 379–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parker, R.J. (1980) Technical Report XRF-4, Dept. of Geology, Imperial College, London, 61 pp.Google Scholar
Peach, B.N., Home, J., Clough, C.T., and Hinxman, L.W. (1907) Mem. Geol. Surv. Scotland.Google Scholar
Rollinson, H.R. (1981) Lithos, 14, 225–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rollinson, H.R. and Windley, B.F. (1980a) Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 72, 265–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rollinson, H.R. and Windley, B.F. (1980b) Ibid. 72, 257–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sheraton, J.W., Skinner, A. C. and Tarney, J. (1973) In Early Precambrian of Scotland and related rocks of Greenland. Park, R. G. and Tarney, J. (eds.), Univ. of Keele.Google Scholar
Sutton, J., and Watson, J. (1951) J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 106, 241–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tarney, J., and Windley, B.F. (1977) Ibid. 134, 157–72.Google Scholar
Taylor, S.R. (1977) Island arcs, deep sea trenches and back-arc basins. Am. Geophys. Union, Monograph, 325–35.Google Scholar
Weaver, B.L., and Tarney, J. (1981) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 55, 171–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wedepohl, K.H. (1971) Phys. Chem. Earth, 8, 305–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar