Timescales of Crystallization, Ore Formation, and

Tufts University, Medford MA

Investigators

Abstract

The thermal evolution of a magma chamber is the primary control on the geochemical evolution of a magma, its eruption potential, and the development of valuable PGE and hydrothermal ore bodies. Traditionally, large magma chambers are thought to cool and crystallize very slowly, allowing for significant physical and chemical reorganization to occur. New geochronologic age data from U-Pb in the mineral zircon and Ar-Ar in the minerals biotite and plagioclase from the world?s largest exposed magma chamber, the Bushveld Complex of South Africa, have recently challenged this long-standing assumption, and suggested that the Bushveld cooled very rapidly from its molten state (approximately 1200-1300°C) down to the ambient crustal temperature (between 150- 300°C). The work proposed here will specifically test several possible cooling paths from the liquid state to the point at which the magma is completely solidified (between 800-900°C) as well as cooling paths from the solid state down to the ambient crustal geotherm. The results will have major implications for two societally relevant issues. First, quantification of the timescale of solidification in large magma chambers will inform modern day volcanic hazard monitoring during magma recharge events and volcanic eruptions. Second, quantifying how fast magmas solidify and evolve will inform our understanding of when and how valuable and strategic metal deposits form (the Bushveld Complex of South Africa contains over 70% of the world?s proven Platinum reserves and numerous other important and strategic metals). In addition, the mid-low temperature cooling rate results will also provide an estimate of the rate of paleo-magnetic reversals (of which there are 7 in the Bushveld Complex) over 2 billion years ago. The rate of magnetic reversals is related to the dynamics of inner core solidification and formation of the geodynamo, which is not well understood beyond the last 500 million years. The proposed work will employ a combination of six separate geothermometers and geochronometers with a range of closure temperatures (Tc). The PI and students will quantify the liquidus temperature at each level of stratigraphy using the plagioclase-pyroxene and/or pyroxene-pyroxene REE thermometer (Study 1). The high-temperature cooling rate will be determined using the Ca in orthopyroxene and Ca-Mg exchange in two pyroxenes thermometers (Study 2). The solidus temperature and absolute age of the solidus will be quantified by U-Pb zircon thermochronology already in progress, and the Ti-in-zircon thermometer (Study 3). The mid-low temperature cooling history will be quantified by Ca diffusion in olivine (Study 4) and Fe-Ti oxides (Study 5). The low-temperature cooling ages will be determined by Ar-Ar thermochronology in plagioclase, biotite, and hornblende mineral pairs (Study 6). The advantage of this approach is that the cooling rates determined by diffusion and solvus thermometry will be bracketed at high and low temperature by absolute ages from U-Pb and Ar-Ar thermochronology. Additional implications not mentioned above include: quantification of the evolution of oxygen fugacity during fractional crystallization; and, investigation of the rates and processes of hydrothermal ore formation (specifically Zn, F, Sn) during mid-low temperature hydrothermal circulation and contact metamorphism.