Comparative geochemistry of West African kimberlites: Evidence for a micaceous kimberlite endmember of sublithospheric origin

Taylor, W. Rowland; Tompkins, Linda A.; Haggerty, Stephen E.

doi:10.1016/0016-7037(94)90264-x

Cited by 126 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Kimberlites exhibiting such transitional characteristics are also reported from the Koidu province in West Africa (e.g., Taylor et al 1994), the Arkhangelsk region on the Kola-Kuloi craton (e.g., Beard et al 2000) and Nukyan region, Siberia (e.g., Aghashev et al 2001) in Russia, the São Fransisco craton in Brazil (e.g., Gibson et al 1995), the Kimberley craton in northwestern Australia (e.g., Edwards et al 1992), the Aravalli-Bundelkhand craton in northeastern India (e.g., Chalapathi Rao 2005, Masun et al 2009), the Northwest Territories in Canada (e.g., Dowall et al 2000), and the Guyana craton in Venezuela (Kaminsky et al 2004). Their emplacement ages range from Proterozoic to Mesozoic, thereby implying their global occurrence in space as well as time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

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Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Kimberlites Nk-2 and Kk-6, Narayanpet Kimberlite Field, Eastern Dharwar Craton, Southern India: Evidence for a Transitional Kimberlite Signature

Rao

Dongre²

2009

The Canadian Mineralogist

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We have carried out a mineralogical and geochemical study on two previously uncharacterized kimberlites of coherent facies, NK-2 and KK-6, from the Narayanpet kimberlite field (NKF), Eastern Dharwar craton (EDC), southern India. Both these kimberlites have a distinct inequigranular texture resulting from two generations of variously sized olivine macrocrysts and groundmass microphenocrysts. Other groundmass phases include clinopyroxene (diopside), serpentine, phlogopite, calcite, spinel, perovskite and apatite. Electron-microprobe analyses of various groundmass minerals support their kimberlitic affinity. Primitive Mg-numbers, Ni and Cr contents and high enrichment in incompatible trace elements are hallmarks of these kimberlites. From major-and trace-element geochemistry, crustal contamination seems to be minimal. The LILE and HFSE display excellent correlations amongst themselves and also with each other, thereby implying limited effects of post-emplacement hydrothermal alteration. Ratios of highly mobile and immobile incompatible trace elements (e.g., La, Ce, Nb, Ba, Pb and Th) strongly resemble those of transitional kimberlites of southern Africa and are confined to the arrays of mixing lines between Group-I and Group-II kimberlites. The REE abundances of NK-2 and KK-6 kimberlites suggest variable degrees of partial melting. Petrogenetic modeling depicts them to be products of a greater degree of melting. A mixed Group-I and Group-II "southern African" kimberlite source is inferred for the generation of NK-2 and KK-6 magmas, as well as for several other EDC kimberlites. This can explain several overlapping petrological and geochemical characters of Group-I and Group-II kimberlites displayed by the kimberlites of southern India. Lower whole-rock Ti and Fe contents in the NK-2 and KK-6, compared to those in other non-diamondiferous kimberlites from the NKF, suggests that they are promising diamond prospects; we recommend their bulk processing.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…The Ilmenite Index (Ilm. I) value of Taylor et al (1994) is also widely used to identify kimberlites that may have accumulated ilmenite megacrysts and xenocrysts. This index is defined as: Ilm.…”

Section: Whole-rock Geochemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Kimberlites Nk-2 and Kk-6, Narayanpet Kimberlite Field, Eastern Dharwar Craton, Southern India: Evidence for a Transitional Kimberlite Signature

Rao

Dongre²

2009

The Canadian Mineralogist

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“…To assess any contamination or alteration effects, we first used the Ilmenite Index of 245 Taylor et al (1994), which identifies kimberlites and lamproites that may have 246 accumulated or assimilated ilmenite megacrysts and xenocrysts. We also used loss on 247 ignition (LOI) data as a proxy for alteration (Chalapathi Rao et al, 2004) ferro-magnesian minerals -olivine, phlogopite) of Clement (1982) was used in this 255 study, where a CI value of <1.5 is considered uncontaminated for kimberlites 256 (Mitchell, 1986).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

New Ar–Ar ages of southern Indian kimberlites and a lamproite and their geochemical evolution

Osborne

Sherlock

Anand

et al. 2011

Precambrian Research

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“…The Jurassic kimberlites form part of a single kimberlite province that extends into neighbouring Sierra Leone and Guinea. Further evidence for the existence of a single kimberlite province is given by Taylor et al (1994) who suggest, on geochemical grounds, that Jurassic kimberlites from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea are all type-A, non-micaceous kimberlites.…”

Section: Kimberlite-hosted Diamond Depositsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…on-craton, basaltic kimberlites) and typically occur as small pipes and abundant dykes (Taylor et al, 1994). Liberian kimberlites have been described as occurring in three distinct clusters, two of which are Jurassic in age (Kumgbor and Mano Godua) and one older, Neoproterozoic-age, cluster (Weasua) (Skinner et al, 2004).…”

Section: Kimberlite-hosted Diamond Depositsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of the mineral potential of Liberia

Gunn

Dorbor

Mankelow

et al. 2018

Ore Geology Reviews

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The Republic of Liberia in West Africa is underlain mostly by Precambrian rocks of Archaean (Liberian) age in the west and of Proterozoic (Eburnean) age in the east. By analogy with similar terranes elsewhere in the world, and in West Africa in particular, the geology of Liberia is favourable for the occurrence of deposits of a wide range of metals and industrial minerals, including gold, iron ore, diamonds, base metals, bauxite, manganese, fluorspar, kyanite and phosphate.Known gold deposits, mostly orogenic in style, occur widely and are commonly associated with north-easttrending regional shear zones. Gold mining commenced at the New Liberty deposit in western Liberia in 2015, while significant gold resources have also been identified at several other sites in both Archaean and Proterozoic terranes. Liberia has large resources of itabirite-type iron ores, most of which are located in the Liberian terrane, and was the largest producer in Africa prior to the onset of civil war in 1989. Production of iron ore is currently restricted to a single mine, Yekepa, in the Nimba Range. Other important deposits, some of them previously mined, include Bong, the Western Cluster, Putu and Goe Fantro. There is a long history of alluvial diamond production in western and central Liberia, together with more than 160 known occurrences of kimberlite. Most of the known kimberlites occur in three clusters of small pipes and abundant dykes, located at Kumgbor, Mano Godua and Weasua, close to the border with Sierra Leone. Many of these are considered to be part of a single province that includes Jurassic age diamondiferous kimberlites in Sierra Leone and Guinea.Deposits and occurrences of a wide range of other metals and industrial minerals are also known. Several of these have been worked on a small scale in the past, mainly by artisanal miners, but most are poorly known in detail with sub-surface information available at only a few localities. By comparison with most other countries in West Africa, the geology of Liberia is poorly known and there has been very little systematic exploration carried out for most commodities other than gold, iron ore and diamonds since the 1960s and 1970s. Further detailed field and laboratory investigations using modern techniques are required to properly evaluate the potential for the occurrence of economic deposits of many minerals and metals in a variety of geological settings. Digital geological, geochemical, geophysical and mineral occurrence datasets, including new national airborne geophysical survey data, provide a sound basis for the identification of new exploration targets, but in almost every part of the country there is a need for new and more detailed geological surveys to underpin mineral exploration.

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Comparative geochemistry of West African kimberlites: Evidence for a micaceous kimberlite endmember of sublithospheric origin

Cited by 126 publications

References 45 publications

Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Kimberlites Nk-2 and Kk-6, Narayanpet Kimberlite Field, Eastern Dharwar Craton, Southern India: Evidence for a Transitional Kimberlite Signature

Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Kimberlites Nk-2 and Kk-6, Narayanpet Kimberlite Field, Eastern Dharwar Craton, Southern India: Evidence for a Transitional Kimberlite Signature

New Ar–Ar ages of southern Indian kimberlites and a lamproite and their geochemical evolution

A review of the mineral potential of Liberia

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