Mineralogical and Geochemical Constraints on Magma Evolution and Late-Stage Crystallization History of the Breivikbotn Silicocarbonatite, Seiland Igneous Province in Northern Norway: Prerequisites for Zeolite Deposits in Carbonatite Complexes

Abstract

The present work reports on new mineralogical and whole-rock geochemical data from the Breivikbotn silicocarbonatite (Seiland igneous province, North Norway), allowing conclusions to be drawn concerning its origin and the role of late fluid alteration. The rock shows a rare mineral association: calcite + pyroxene + amphibole + zeolite group minerals + garnet + titanite, with apatite, allanite, magnetite and zircon as minor and accessory minerals, and it is classified as silicocarbonatite. Calcite, titanite and pyroxene (Di36–46 Acm22–37 Hd14–21) are primarily magmatic minerals. Amphibole of mainly hastingsitic composition has formed after pyroxene at a late-magmatic stage. Zeolite group minerals (natrolite, gonnardite, Sr-rich thomsonite-(Ca)) were formed during hydrothermal alteration of primary nepheline by fluids/solutions with high Si-Al-Ca activities. Poikilitic garnet (Ti-bearing andradite) has inclusions of all primary minerals, amphibole and zeolites, and presumably crystallized metasomatically during a late metamorphic event (Caledonian orogeny). Whole-rock chemical compositions of the silicocarbonatite differs from the global average of calciocarbonatites by elevated silica, aluminium, sodium and iron, but show comparable contents of trace elements (REE, Sr, Ba). Trace element distributions and abundances indicate within-plate tectonic setting of the carbonatite. The spatial proximity of carbonatite and alkaline ultramafic rock (melteigite), the presence of “primary nepheline” in carbonatite together with the trace element distributions indicate that the carbonatite was derived by crystal fractionation of a parental carbonated foidite magma. The main prerequisites for the extensive formation of zeolite group minerals in silicocarbonatite are revealed.

Making a synthetic zeolite from a residue of bauxite washing

“…Zeolite is a group of minerals produced from hydrothermal processes in igneous rock (Zozulya et al, 2018). The mineral is usually found to fill the gaps or fractures from the rock (Saputra, 2006).…”

Editorial for Special Issue “Arctic Mineral Resources: Science and Technology”

“…Kogarko [9] reports on the results of detailed chemical studies of apatite in the Khibiny apatite-nepheline deposits, which prompted her to conclude that the main mechanism for their formation was the gravitational settling of large nepheline crystals in the lower part of the magma chamber, while small apatite crystals were concentrated in its upper part. The formation mechanisms of zeolite deposits in carbonatites and their geochemical and mineralogical constraints are examined by Zozulya et al [10] using the Breivikbotn deposit (Northern Norway) as an example. Three following papers of the issue [11][12][13] are devoted to 3-D mineralogical mapping of the Kovdor phoscorite-carbonatite complex (Kola peninsula, Russia).…”