18.10 Flood Basalts

5/20/2017 10. Flood basalt compositions (2.
5 hours) | Week 18: Mantle plumes | S309 Courseware | Open University
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10. Flood basalt compositions

Study session length = 2 hours 30 minutes
Having explored the tectonic context of the Ethiopian ߄ood basalts, in space and time, we turn to their composition. What aspects
of their geochemistry will help us investigate their origins?
Total alkalis plotted against silica for the Ethiopian ߄ood TiO2 abundances in Ethiopian ߄ood basalts, plotted against Mg#.
basalts. Line A–B is the alkaline–subalkaline divide.
Source: The Open University
Source: Pik, R., et al. (1998)
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A good place to start with any basalt province is with the total alkalis versus silica diagram (above left). The analyses reveal that the
bulk of the basalts plot close to (but generally below) the alkaline–tholeiitic divide — hence their designation as transitional.
However, more systematic variations emerge from variations in other parameters. The most useful of these is a plot of TiO2
against Mg# (above right), which divides the analyses into three distinct groups. These have been classi߄ed as low-Ti (LT) and two
high-Ti (HT1, HT2) groups as shown.
https://openedx.open.ac.uk/courses/coursev1:OU+S309+2016J/courseware/8ea4512c12904b7cb15152ab11739889/f36659698fc647b0b5c44250b31612f6/ 1/8
5/20/2017 10. Flood basalt compositions (2.5 hours) | Week 18: Mantle plumes | S309 Courseware | Open University
Q: Close relations? (1/1 point)
Could the HT2 and LT groups be related to each other through fractional crystallization? (Yes or No)
No 
You have used 1 of 2 submissions
Ancestral magmas?
The LT and HT2 groups thus represent distinct magmatic lineages derived from di߄erent parental primary magmas.
Q: Might any of the samples on the TiO2 versus Mg# plot represent primary magma compositions in the LT and HT2 magma
groups?
Show/Hide Answer
The graph below shows how SiO2 varies with Mg# in the LT magma group. You will ߄nd similar data for the HT2 magma group in
the EthiopianBasalts Excel spreadsheet, on a separate tab to the LT data. You will also ߄nd a copy of the same graph in the LT
worksheet, with the LT data already plotted. Plot the HT2 data onto that SiO2 versus Mg# graph in the spreadsheet, so that you can
directly compare the two datasets. Once you have plotted the HT2 data on the graph, check your plot against the solution ߄gure
revealed by clicking the 'View Answers to Questions' button.
View Answers to Questions
Plot of SiO2 against Mg# in the LT magma group from the Ethiopian continental ߄ood basalt province.
Source: Tom Argles
The LT and HT2 groups plot as two distinct groups in SiO2–Mg# space, though as is often the case with geochemical data from
natural samples the separation is not perfect: there are some data which overlap. However, the two groups are certainly distinct
enough that we can ask the question: what do these data suggest about the relative depths of origin of the two magma types LT
and HT2?
The most magnesian basalts from the LT lavas have silica contents of 47–49 wt % whereas those of the HT2 basalts have 44–
46 wt %. As the graphs below illustrate, primary magmas with lower SiO2 are derived from greater depths (greater pressures) than
more silica-rich melts. Hence the HT2 magmas must have been derived from greater depths than the LT magmas. Magmas with
47–49 wt % SiO2 are generated at pressures of 1.5–2 GPa, equivalent to depths of 45–60 km, whereas silica contents of 44–46 wt %
imply melting pressures of about 3 GPa, equivalent to depths in excess of 90 km.
Experimental data on partial melts of peridotite. (a) SiO2 contents in melts formed by partially melting a spinel lherzolite, plotted against
pressure. (These data were obtained at various temperatures.) (b) MgO contents in melts formed by partially melting a spinel lherzolite,
plotted against temperature. (These data were obtained at various pressures.)
Source: The Open University
The discovery that two groups of Ethiopian basalts, LT and HT2, formed from partial melts at di߄erent depths raises the question
of their mantle source: were the basalts derived from the same source or from di߄erent types of mantle?
Q: What geochemical components of basalts can be used to investigate their mantle source?
Show/Hide Answer
Before considering the patterns of trace element concentrations in these Ethiopian basalts, try the activity below, which will help
you investigate the key trace element characteristics of basalts from di߄erent settings: MORBs, OIBs and IABs.
Activity: Disentangling spidergrams (3/3 points)
You may need about an hour to complete this activity.
In this activity, you will plot 'spidergram' patterns of trace element concentrations for three di߄erent basalts and use these
patterns to classify them as mid-ocean ridge, island arc or ocean island basalts (MORB, IAB, or OIB). You will need to download the
'Spidergrams' workbook for this activity. The spreadsheet contains raw concentrations of several trace elements in three basalt
samples with similar MgO contents, as well as concentration values for the same elements in a (hypothetical) primitive mantle.
First, normalise the raw concentrations of all the elements for each sample to primitive mantle by entering a simple formula
into the array of cells headed 'Normalised concentrations'. The formula will be of the form: =C6/C$3, where C6 is the cell
containing the raw concentration of an element in one of the basalts, while C3 is the cell containing the concentration of that
element in primitve mantle. (The dollar sign ($) allows this formula to be copied down into other rows but still refer to cell C3 in
the formula.) You can now copy this formula across to the other elements (in columns) and down to the other basalt samples
(in rows).
Now, using the normalised values, plot a 'Spidergram' graph (like the example included in the Charts worksheet of the
Spidergrams workbook) for all the samples together, so you can compare them. Plot the elements along the horizontal axis in
the same order as in the spreadsheet. Choose a logarithmic scale (Base 10) for the y-axis, using the 'Axis options' settings. To

set the x-axis labels to the elements, select the chart, choose 'Select data', and then edit the 'Horizontal (Category) Axis Labels'
list. (Unfortunately this may vary depending on your spreadsheet program and/or version; Microsoft seem to delight in
changing where to ߄nd the most useful options at every update...) You may ߄nd it helpful to plot (or copy) your spidergram
into the 'Charts' worksheet, to compare directly with the example patterns.
Consider how the trace element pro߄les of the di߄erent series of lavas compare in the following aspects:
overall form and slope of pro߄le
the highly incompatible elements (Cs to K)
the LILEs (Cs, Rb, Ba, K, Sr)
the HREE (Dy, Er, Yv, Lu) and Y
Use these features to discriminate between the spidergrams you have plotted and then answer the three questions below,
which ask you to categorize each pattern as a MORB, an IAB or an OIB.
Q: Tracing types of basalts
Which spidergram pattern represents a MORB?
A003 
Correct: Pattern A003 is smooth, not depleted in the HREE and slightly depleted in the incompatible elements, which is typical for a MORB pattern.
Which spidergram pattern represents an OIB?
J022 
Correct: Pattern J022 is smooth and is somewhat depleted in the HREE, which is typical for an OIB pattern.
Which spidergram pattern represents an IAB?
S001 
Correct: Pattern S001 is generally spiky, which is typical for an IAB pattern. It also has a marked depletion in Nb and Ta, characteristic of many IABs.
You have used 1 of 2 submissions
Q. If you would like to compare your spreadsheet calculations for the spidergrams activity with a model spreadsheet, click the
'Show Answer' button.
Show/Hide Answer
Now we can return to consider trace elements in the two groups of Ethiopian basalts, LT and HT2. Trace element data for the LT
and HT2 groups are shown below. Within each group, the patterns are broadly parallel, indicating similar trace element
geochemistry and a common mantle source for the melts. However, there are a number of key di߄erences between the patterns
for the two groups.
Mantle-normalised concentrations of trace elements in LT and HT2 magmas from the Ethiopian ߄ood basalts.
Source: Tom Argles
Q: What three key di߄erences can you identify between the trace element patterns of the LT and HT2 groups?
Show/Hide Answer
High incompatible element abundances in the HT2 are either due to smaller melt fractions or higher abundances in their source
region. The smooth patterns of the HT2 group, with a strong depletion in Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE), are like those of many
ocean island basalts (OIB) and alkaline rocks from the Kenya Rift, suggesting derivation from a mantle plume source region. The
steep pro߄le from Ti to Yb in HT2 indicates that the HREE are fractionated, which suggests residual garnet in the source region for
the melts. The HREE tended not to enter the partial melt but were instead preferentially retained by the garnet in the residue left
after melting. For garnet to be stable in peridotite requires that the source region was at greater depths than the source regions of
either MORBs or IABs. (HREE depletion could be con߄rmed by analysing the full suite of Rare Earth Elements (REE).)
Q: Are the relative abundances of the Ti–Yb group of elements in the LT and HT2 magma types consistent with the evidence from
their SiO2 contents?
Show/Hide Answer
Variety in the Ethiopian ߄ood basalts

You have discovered that the HT2 magmas were derived from depth by small degrees of melting of a garnet-bearing source region
with trace element abundances similar to those of OIBs. The eruption rates and volumes involved in the generation of the
Ethiopian Traps imply that a mantle plume must have been responsible. We can reasonably deduce from this evidence that the
HT2 basalts were derived from melting of the mantle plume.
By contrast, the LT basalts are derived from possibly larger degrees of melting at shallower depths of a garnet-free source with
trace element abundances di߄erent from those of OIBs. Either their trace element abundances were modi߄ed before they reached
the surface, or they were derived from a source region distinct from any seen beneath the oceans. The debate concerning the
source region of the LT basalts in Ethiopia has yet to be resolved but a strong possibility is that that they were derived from the
mantle part of the continental lithosphere. This is based essentially on the di߄erence between the LT basalts and oceanic magmas.
The third group of basalts, the HT1 magma group, remains problematic. The TiO2 versus Mg# plot shows they have TiO2 contents
intermediate between those of the LT and HT2 magma types. So they could be a hybrid produced by mixing between the LT and
HT2 magma types, because their trace element abundance patterns are intermediate between the other two. Alternatively, it is
possible that they could represent a distinct magma type derived from yet another mantle source region. However, their Mg#
values are never greater than 50 and so there is no direct evidence that they have their own primary magma. Both of these
observations suggest a hybrid or mixed origin. For now it is enough to recognise that within the Ethiopian continental ߄ood
basalts there are basaltic magmas derived from two distinct source regions: one that can be identi߄ed with a mantle plume and
another that is distinct from oceanic source regions and probably lies within the continental mantle lithosphere.
Reference
The following journal article contains much of the data featured in this study session; it is included here to enrich your knowledge.
You are not required to read this paper unless you want to ߄nd out more and/or feel you have the time to spend:
Pik, R., Deniel, C., Coulon, C., Yirgu, G., Ho߄mann, C. and Ayalew, D. (1998) The northwestern Ethiopian Plateau ߄ood basalts:
Classi߄cation and spatial distribution of magma types, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, vol. 81, pp. 91–111.
Show copyright acknowledgements
Completed study session: Flood basalt compositions (1/1 point)
This question is so that you can keep a record of what you have completed. Once you select and then check 'yes' the question will
count towards your progress mark for Week 18: Mantle plumes.
I have completed the study session Flood basalt compositions:
yes
partially
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5/20/2017 10. Flood basalt compositions (2.

Show course content navigation

10. Flood basalt compositions

Show long description

Q: Close relations? (1/1 point)

You have used 1 of 2 submissions

View Answers to Questions

Show long description

Source: The Open University

Show long description

Activity: Disentangling spidergrams (3/3 points)

You may need about an hour to complete this activity.

overall form and slope of pro߄le

the highly incompatible elements (Cs to K)

the LILEs (Cs, Rb, Ba, K, Sr)

the HREE (Dy, Er, Yv, Lu) and Y

Q: Tracing types of basalts

Which spidergram pattern represents a MORB?

Which spidergram pattern represents an OIB?

Which spidergram pattern represents an IAB?

You have used 1 of 2 submissions

Source: Tom Argles

Show long description

Variety in the Ethiopian ߄ood basalts

Show copyright acknowledgements

Completed study session: Flood basalt compositions (1/1 point)

I have completed the study session Flood basalt compositions:

© 2017 Open University. All rights reserved.

StudentHome Help FAQ Conditions of Use Copyright

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