Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T19:49:13.606Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Rare-earth element distribution in the metabasic rocks of the Land's End granite aureole, SW England

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

P. Mitropoulos*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Ano Ilisia, Athens 15771, Greece

Abstract

Rock samples from the various metabasic hornfelses of the Land's End granite aureole were analysed for major elements by X-ray fluorescence analysis and for rare-earth elements (REE) by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The REE patterns of the unaltered dolerites of the area seem to be analogous to those of the alkali basalts, taking into account a slight mobilization of the light REE during low-grade metamorphism.

The REE content of the metabasic rocks of the aureole has increased relative to that of the unaltered dolerites due to the introduction of REE, along with K, from the granite by the action of hydrothermal solutions. The parallel increase in REE with the increase in K is demonstrated.

The metasomatic hornfelses of igneous origin form two groups showing slightly different REE patterns and different rates of increase in REE content. The REE patterns of the two groups show a Eu anomaly increasing with the increase in REE content for the first group and decreasing with the increase in REE content for the second group, A qualitative model of the distribution of the REE in the metabasic aureole rocks is given.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1984

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

Curtis, C. D., and Brown, P. E. (1969) Contrib. Mineral. Petrol.. 24, 275–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Curtis, C. D., and Brown, P. E. (1971) Ibid. 31, 8793.Google Scholar
Czamanske, G. K., and Mihalik, P. (1972) J. Petrol. 13, 493509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Deer, W. A., Howie, R. A., and Zussman, J. (1962) Rock Forming Minerals, 3. Longmans, London.Google Scholar
Dodson, M. H., and Rex, D. C. (1971) Q.J. Geol. Soc. London. 126, 465–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ernst, W. G. (1968) Amphiboles. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flett, J. S. (1903) Petrography of West Cornwall. G.B. Geol. Surv. Sum. Prog. pp. 150-62.Google Scholar
Floyd, P. A. (1972) Proc. Geol. Assoc. 83, 385404.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Floyd, P. A. (1976) J. Petrol. 17, 522-45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frey, F. A., Haskin, M. A., Poetz, J. A., and Haskin, L. A. (1968) J. Geophys. Res. 73, 6085–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gast, P. W. (1968) Geochim. Cosmochim Acta. 32, 1057–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gordon, G. E., Randle, K., Goles, G. G., Corliss, J. B., Beeson, M. H., and Oxley, S. S. (1968) Ibid. 32, 369–96.Google Scholar
Hanson, G. N. (1978) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 38, 26–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herrmann, A. G. (1970) Yttrium and Lanthanides. In Handbook of Geochemistry II/5. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.Google Scholar
Hertogen, J., and Gijbels, R. (1971) Anal. Chim. Acta. 56, 6182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jacobs, J. W., Korotev, R. L., Blanchard, D. P., and Haskin, L. A. (1977) J. Radioanal. Chem. 40, 93114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kay, R. W., and Hubbard, N. J. (1978) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 38, 95116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khan, I. H. (1972) Geochemistry of the aureole of the Land's End granite. Ph.D. thesis, University of Birmingham (unpubl.).Google Scholar
Leake, B. H., Hendry, G. L., Kemp, A., Plant, A. G., Harvey, P. K., Wilson, J. R., Coats, J. S., Aucott, J. W., Lunel, T., and Howarth, R. J. (1969) Chem. Geol. 5, 786.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitropoulos, P. (1979) A contribution to the REE and trace element geochemistry of the Land's End granite aureole, SIF England. Ph.D. thesis, University of Birmingham (unpubl.).Google Scholar
Mitropoulos, P. (1982) Chem. Geol. 35, 265–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plant, J., Goode, G. C., and Herrington, J. (1976) J. Geochem. Explor. 6, 299319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sun, S. S., and Hanson, G. N. (1975) Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 52, 77106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood, D. A., Gibson, I. L., and Thompson, R. N. (1976) Ibid. 55, 241–54.Google Scholar