Perovskite, loparite and Ba-Fe hollandite from the Schryburt Lake carbonatite complex, northwestern Ontario, Canada

Abstract

AbstractWithin a suite of felsic-free, mica-rich alkaline ultramafic rocks of the Schryburt Lake carbonatite complex of northwestern Ontario, loparite and Ba-Fe hollandite occur in intimate association with perovskite. The host rocks have variable modal proportions of Mg-olivine, phlogopite, magnetite, ilmenite, apatite and carbonate (generally calcite) with minor Mg-salite. Thus, they correspond to ultramafic lamprophyres (i.e. aillikites), in the sense of Rock (1990) or the lamprophyric facies of the melilitite clan, in the sense of Mitchell (1993).Perovskite is the principal titanate phase, forming both euhedral and anhedral grains, the latter showing evidence of marginal resorption. It exhibits complex zonal patterns due principally to variations in the light rare earth elements, Na and Nb. In the nomenclature suggested, they may be termed perovskite and cerian perovskite. Loparite forms as small euhedral overgrowths on corroded perovskite cores. Chemically they are essentially solid solutions of loparite, lueshite and perovskite. Consequently, they may be termed calcian-loparite, calcian niobian loparite, niobian calcian loparite, loparite and niobian loparite. Titanates of the hollandite group are rare accessory minerals whose composition closely approach that of the septatitanate BaFe2+Ti7O16.The complex zoning of the perovskite grains has been attributed to the periodic introduction of carbonatite-derived fluids enriched in REE, Na and Nb into the silicate system during perovskite crystallization. Subsequent reaction of the early perovskite with F-bearing fluids leads to a localized environment enriched in Ti, Na, Nb and REE derived from both the fluid phase and the unstable perovskite. Loparite subsequently crystallizes from these micro-chemical environments.