Late Paleoproterozoic basites of the northern Baikal area: composition and melt sources

Abstract

Abstract We present results of isotope-geochemical studies of Late Paleoproterozoic basites from intrusions located in different parts of a dike swarm traceable for more than 200 km within the Baikal marginal salient of the Siberian craton basement (northern Baikal area). The basites of the southern (Khibelen site) and northern (Chaya site) parts of the dike swarm show both similarity and difference in their sources and formation conditions. For example, the Khibelen basites correspond in chemical composition to basalts and trachybasalts, and the Chaya basites, to basalts and andesite-basalts. Based on petrographic and petrochemical data, the basites of both sites can be referred to as medium-alkali (subalkalic) series. All analyzed basites show distinct negative Nb–Ta and Ti anomalies on element spidergrams, negative εNd(t) values, and indicative geochemical ratios Th/Nbpm, La/Nbpm, and La/Smn > 1. All this points to the formation of basites of both sites from mantle sources contaminated with continental crust. Contamination might have occurred in intermediate magma chambers localized in crust. Differentiated basic varieties of both sites resulted from fractionation of clinopyroxene. For the Khibelen basites, the mantle source (probably, with geochemical parameters close to those of IAB) might have been initially contaminated with middle-crust rocks and then, with lower/upper-crust material. The source of the Chaya basites was probably produced during the interaction of mantle components similar in composition to IAB and N-MORB with a crustal component. The performed studies testify to the heterogeneous composition of the upper mantle beneath different sites of the Siberian craton basement.