Journal article
Nickel-rich metasomatism of the lithospheric mantle by pre-kimberlitic alkali-S-Cl-rich C-O-H fluids
A Giuliani, VS Kamenetsky, MA Kendrick, D Phillips, K Goemann
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology | SPRINGER | Published : 2013
Abstract
Metasomatism of the lithospheric mantle sometimes produces unusual assemblages containing native metals and alloys, which provide important insight into metasomatic processes in the mantle. In this study, we describe the metasomatic enrichment of a refractory harzburgite xenolith in Ni, Fe and, to a lesser extent, Cu, Co, As and Sb. The xenolith (XM1/422) derives from the Bultfontein kimberlite (Kimberley, South Africa) and hosts Ni mineralisation that includes native nickel (Ni84. 5-98. 0), heazlewoodite (Ni3S2) and Ni-rich silicates (e. g. up to 37. 5 wt % NiO in olivine, and 22. 4 wt % NiO in phlogopite). The presence of several mineral phases enriched in alkali and volatile species (e. g..
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Funding Acknowledgements
We thank Chris Ballhaus for constructive discussions at the early stage of this study and for editorial handling; Fanus Viljoen, Michel Gregoire and Jean-Pierre Lorand for constructive reviews; Reid Keays, Sonja Aulbach and Antje Wildau for useful discussions during manuscript preparation; Alan Greig for help with LA-ICP-MS analyses, and Graham Hutchinson for support with the SEM imaging and EMP analyses at the University of Melbourne. Finally, we acknowledge De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd. for providing DP with the sample for this study. AG's PhD research is supported by an International Australian Postgraduate Award, the 2011 John Hodgson Scholarship and the 2012 AusIMM Bicentennial Gold Endowment.