Abstract
The effect of low grade hydrous burial metamorphism (prehnite-pumpellyite facies) upon the rare earth elements (REE) has been studied by using samples from the Cliefden Outcrop, New South Wales. The REE, together with other reputedly ‘immobile’ elements, have been mobilised during the metamorphism. Although mobile, the REE have behaved remarkably coherently with little light rare earth (LREE) fractionation. This is reflected in the chondrite normalised patterns which are sub-parallel to parallel in shape. High correlations of REE with other elements can be used to predict the maximum likely variation of these elements in the studied outcrop. The high correlations do not necessarily mean that, for similarly metamorphosed terrains, crystallisation-differentiation processes have operated but may rather have resulted from strong geochemical coherence during post-crystallisation elemental redistribution. The REE do not appear to be strongly domain controlled within the Cliefden Outcrop.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Eby, G.N.: Abundance and distribution of the rare-earth elements and yttrium in the rocks and minerals of the Oka carbonatite complex, Quebec. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 39, 597–620 (1975)
Flanagan, F.J.: 1972 values for international geochemical reference samples. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 37, 1189–1200 (1973)
Frey, F.A., Bryan, W.B., Thompson, G.: Atlantic Ocean floor: geochemistry and petrology of basalts from Legs 2 and 3 of the Deep-Sea Drilling Project. J. Geophys. Res. 79, 5507–5527 (1974)
Green, T.H.: Island arc and continent-building magmatism — a review of key geochemical parameters and genetic processes. Tectonophysics (in press)
Haskin, L.A., Frey, F.A., Wildeman, T.R.: Relative and absolute terrestrial abundances of the rare earths. In: Origin and distribution of the elements (L.H. Ahrens, ed.). Intern. Ser. Monographs Earth Sci. 30, 889–912 (1968)
Hellman, P.L., Henderson, P.: Are rare earths mobile during spilitization? Nature 267, 38–40 (1977)
Henderson, P., Fishlock, S.J., Laul, J.C., Cooper, T.D., Conard, R.L., Boynton, W.V., Schmitt, R.A.: Rare earth element abundances in rocks and minerals from the Fiskenaesset complex, West Greenland. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 30, 37–49 (1976)
Jakeš, P., Gill, J.: Rare earth elements and the island arc tholeiitic series. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 9, 17–28 (1970)
Jolly, W.T., Smith, R.E.: Degradation and metamorphic differentiation of the Keweenawan tholeiitic lavas of northern Michigan, U.S.A. J. Petrol. 13, 273–309 (1972)
Lambert, R. StJ., Holland, J.G.: Yttrium geochemistry applied to petrogenesis utilizing calcium-yttrium relationships in minerals and rocks. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 38, 1393–1414 (1974)
Lopez-Escobar, L., Frey, F.A., Vergara, M.: Andesites from central-south Chile: trace element abundances and petrogenesis. Bull. Volcanol. (in press)
Masuda, A., Nagasawa, S.: Rocks with negative cerium anomalies, dredged from Shatsky Rise. Geochem. J. 9, 227–233 (1975)
Miyashiro, A.: The Troodos ophiolitic complex was probably formed in an island arc. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 19, 218–224 (1973)
Miyashiro, A.: Volcanic rock series in island arcs and active continental margins. Am. J. Sci. 274, 321–355 (1974)
Miyashiro, A.: Origin of the Troodos and other ophiolites; a reply to Moores. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 25, 227–235 (1975)
Moores, E.M.: Discussion of “Origin of Troodos and other ophiolites: a reply to Hynes”, by Akiho Miyashiro. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 25, 223–226 (1975)
Paster, T.P., Schauwecher, D.S., Haskin, L.A.: The behaviour of some trace elements during solidification of the Skaergaard layered series. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 38, 1549–1577 (1974)
Pearce, J.A., Cann, J.R.: Ophiolite origin investigated by discriminant analysis using Ti, Zr and Y. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 12, 333–349 (1971)
Robertson, A.H.F., Fleet, A.J.: The origins of rare earths in metalliferous sediments of the Troodos Massif, Cyprus. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 28, 385–394 (1976)
Smith, R.E.: Redistribution of major elements in the alteration of some basic lavas during burial metamorphism. J. Petrol. 9, 191–219 (1968)
Smith, R.E.: The production of spilitic lithologies by burial metamorphism of flood basalts from the Canadian Keweenawan, Lake Superior. In: Spilites and spilitic Rocks (G.C. Amstutz, ed.), pp. 403–416. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1974
Smith, R.E.: Exploration guides for Keweenawan type copper deposits in the Proterozoic Fortescue group of Western Australia. Preliminary Report. CSIRO Report No. FP.8 (1975a)
Smith, R.E.: Metamorphism of the Proterozoic Fortescue Group Western Australia —a reconnaissance study. CSIRO Report No. FP.9 (1975b)
Smith, R.E., Smith, S.E.: Comments on the use of Ti, Zr, Y, Sr, K, P and Nb in classification of basaltic magmas. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 32, 114–120 (1976)
Sukheswala, R.N., Avasia, R.K., Gangopadhyay, M.: Observations on the occurrence of secondary minerals in the Deccan traps of western India. Indian Mineral. 13, 50–68 (1972)
Sukheswala, R.N., Avasia, R.K., Gangopadhyay, M.: Zeolites and associated secondary minerals in the Deccan traps of western India. Mineral. Mag. 39, 658–671 (1974)
Sun, S-S., Nesbitt, R.W.: Petrogenesis of Archaean ultrabasic and basic volcanics: evidence from rare earth elements. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. (in press)
Thompson, G.: A geochemical study of the low-temperature interaction of sea water and oceanic igneous rocks. EOS Trans. AGU 54, 1015–1018 (1973)
Vallance, T.G.: Spilitic degradation of a tholeiitic basalt. J. Petrol. 15, 79–96 (1974)
Whitford, D.J., Nicholls, I.A.: Potassium variation in lavas across the Sunda arc in Java and Bali. In: Volcanism in Australasia (R.W. Johnson, ed.), pp. 63–75. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1976
Wilkinson, J.F.G.: The magmatic affinities of some volcanic rocks from the Tweed shield volcano, S.E. Queensland, N.E. New South Wales. Geol. Mag. 105, 275–289 (1968)
Wood, D.A., Gibson, I.L., Thompson, R.N.: Elemental mobility during zeolite facies metamorphism of the Tertiary basalts of Eastern Iceland. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 55, 241–254 (1976)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hellman, P.L., Smith, R.E. & Henderson, P. Rare earth element investigation of the Cliefden Outcrop, N.S.W., Australia. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 65, 155–164 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00371055
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00371055