You are on page 1of 36

R. W. LE MAITRE Dept. Mineralogy, British Museum (Natural History}, Cromwell Road, London, S.W.

7, England

Petrology of Volcanic Rocks, Gough Island, South Atlantic

Abstract: Gough Island, one of the most southerly islands on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, consists of rocks of the alkali basalt trachyte association. Representative rock types, ranging from picritc basalt, olivine basalt, trachybasalt, trachyandcsite to trachyte have been analyzed for major and minor

constituents. Crystallization trends have been determined for the olivines, pyroxenes, feldspars, and iron-titanium ores using optical, chemical, and X-ray methods. Strong evidence is given for differentiation bv crystal fractionation.

CONTENTS Introduction Acknowledgments Petrography Introduction Classification a n d nomenclature . . . . Picritc basalts Olivine basalts Trachybasalts Trachyandcsitcs Trachytes Aegirine-augite trachytes Mineralogy Methods and techniques Olivines Pyroxenes Feldspars Iron-titanium ores Micas Amphibolcs Apatite Sodalite Nephclinc Petrochemistry Introduction Variation of major and minor elements . Differentiation Comparison with other oceanic provinces . References cited
Figure

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. 1310 . 1310 . 1311 . 1311 . 1311 . 1311 . 1312 . 1313 . 1313 . 1314 . 1315 . 1316 . 1316 . 1316 . 1316 . 1319 . 1324 . 1325 . 1326 . 1326 . 1327 . 1327 . 1327 . 1327 . 1328 . 1333 . 1336 . 1339

7. Variation diagram of Si, O, Al, and Ga in Gough rocks 1330 8. Variation diagram of Cr, Li, Mg, Ni, Co, Fe, and V in Gough rocks 1331 9. Variation diagram of Zr, Ca, Sr, Ba, Na, Rb, and K in Gough rocks 1332 10. Plot of late differentiates from Gough Island in system NaAlSiO4 - KAlSiO4 - SiO2 1334 11. MgO-FeO-Alk. triangular variation diagram for six islands on Mid-Atlantic Ridge. . . 1337 12. CaO-Na2O-K.2O triangular variation diagram for six islands on Mid-Atlantic Ridge . . 1338 Plate Facing 1. Photomicrographs of Gough Island lavas . . . 1314 2. Photomicrographs of Gough Island lavas . . . 1315 Table 1. Characteristic minerals of various rock types 1312 2. Optical properties of olivines 1315 3. Optical properties of phenocrystal pyroxenes 1317 4. Chemical analyses of pyroxenes 1318 5. Optical properties of feldspars 1320 6. Chemical analyses of feldspars 1321 7. Cell dimensions of some magnetites 1326 8. Average composition of typical rock types . . 1328 9. Localities and names of analyzed rocks . . . 1329 Facing 10. Chemical analyses of rocks 1330 11. Spectrographic analyses of rocks 1331 12. Composition of materials, which, when removed from average olivine basalt, produce rocks later in series 1333 13. Composition of some average basalts and late differentiates from oceanic islands . . . 1335

1. Geological sketch map of Gough Island, South Atlantic 1310 2. Composition plot of analyzed pyroxenes. . . 1319 3. Composition plot of crystallizing feldspars . 1322 4. Composition plot of iron-titanium ores . . . 1325 5. Total alkalisilica plot of Gough rocks . . . 1327 6. Combined triangular variation diagram of Ca-Na-K and Mg-Fe-Alk. in Gough rocks 1330

Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 73, p. 1309-1340, 12 figs., 2 pis., November 1962 1309

1310

R. W. LE MAITREPETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND is mainly petrographical and was summarized by the author in a previous paper (Le Maitre, 1960). ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work was conducted at the Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, Cambridge Uni-

INTRODUCTION Gough Island in the South Atlantic (Fig. 1) consists of rocks of five rhythmic volcanic phases. The oldest exposed rocks found along the eastern side of the island are basaltic and are invaded by dike swarms. Following an ex-

Figure 1. Geological sketch map of Gough Island, South Atlantic plosion trachytic flows overlapped the remains of the earlier basalts; these flows now form most of the western half of the island. Basaltic flows overlay both these phases. These were followed by partial extrusion of trachytic plugs and domes on which rests the final basaltic capping to the islandEdinburgh Peak (Le Maitre, 1960). The previous work on Gough Island by L. V. Pirsson (1893), R. Campbell (1914), W. Campbell Smith (1930), and T. F. W. Earth (1942) versity, under the supervision of Professor C. E. Tilley, to whom I am greatly indebted for many valuable discussions. I also thank Dr. S. R. Nockolds and Mr. R. Allen for the trace element determinations, Dr. P. Gay for help with the X-ray data, Mr. K. Rickson for taking some of the X-ray photographs, and the technical staff of King's College, London, for their help in the preparation of the diagrams. The Department of Scientific and Industrial

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Research awarded a maintenance grant for this study at Cambridge. PETROGRAPHY Introduction The volcanic rocks of Gough Island form a continuous series in the alkali basalt -> trachyte association. The rocks are alkaline and the presence of interstitial alkali feldspar even in the mafic rocks indicates definite potassic affinities. Abundant gabbroic xenoliths occur in many of the more mafic flows and dikes and will be described in a later paper. Typical analyzed specimens are described and essential mineralogical features of various rock types are summarized in Table 1. Classification and Nomenclature Classifications based on modal analyses are impractical with fine-grained rocks. It is difficult to obtain an accurate mode, and abundant zoning, "ternary" feldspars, and the possibility of occult alkali feldspar in the interstitial material make the estimation of the proportion and composition of the plagioclase and alkali feldsparthe data required by the classic ' "pigeon-hole" classificationsunreliable. The rocks are, therefore, named on a basis of their alkali contentsarbitrary limits defined as follows: Total alkalis Soda (per cent) (per cent) Picrite basalt less than 33/2 Olivine basalt 33^-5 Trachybasalt 5-8J/2 Trachyandesite 83/2-103/2 Trachyte over 10J/2 5-534 Aegirine-augite trachyte over 103/2 over 53-12 These limits apply only to rocks from Gough Island and must not be applied to other volcanic provinces. The rock names chosen bear an obvious relationship to their immediate neighbors, thereby emphasizing the gradational nature of the rock series. The terms picrite basalt, olivine basalt, and trachyte are used in the sense of Macdonald (1949, p. 1544). Trachybasalt implies a basalt in which the "orthoclase" or alkali feldspar content exceeds 10 per cent by volume (Williams and others, 1954, p. 57) or 5 per cent of the total feldspar (Johannsen, 1937, p. 128). The norm of the average trachybasalt (Table 8) contains 18.9 per cent orthoclase, so that both conditions are satisfied. Also the normative

1311

feldspar, Or2sAb48An27, can be represented by equal amounts of plagioclase more calcic than Arise and alkali feldspar, a criterion by which Hatch and others (1949, p. 328) define trachybasalts. The Committee of British Petrographic Nomenclature (Mineralog. Mag., 1921, p. 144) defines trachybasalt as an "intermediate potash-rich rock containing basic plagioclase together with orthoclase" but do not limit the relative proportions of these minerals. The term trachyandesite has been chosen to bridge the gap between trachybasalt and trachyte in preference to oligoclase andesite and hawaiite (Macdonald, 1960), as it best preserves the gradational nature of the series. Theoretically the difference between trachybasalt and trachyandesite is obvious; trachybasalt should contain plagioclase more calcic and trachyandesite less calcic than An^o, together with alkali feldspar. Williams and others (1954, p. 97) define trachyandesite as the finegrained equivalent of monzonite but include in the term all andesites with more than 10 per cent modal or normative potassium feldspar. The norm of the average trachyandesite (Table 8) contains 27.8 per cent orthoclase, and the molecular composition of the feldspar, OrssAbaiAnie, can be expressed as equal amounts of alkali feldspar and plagioclase less calcic than Anso. Picrite Basalts Picrite basalts are relatively rare on Gough Island and have been found only at three localities. Picrite basalt, G121, in'hand specimen, is strongly porphyritic with a few vesicles up to 5 mm in diameter. The phenocrysts consist of black, euhedral to subhedral pyroxene crystals up to 20 mm across and slightly rounded, yellow-green olivines up to 5 mm across set in a light speckled gray groundmass. In thin section the phenocrysts of pale graygreen diopsidic augite (Table 4, analysis 1) are slightly zoned especially at the margins, where it becomes a pale purple brown similar to that in the groundmass. Inclusions of olivine and iron ore are numerous. The phenocrystal olivine, Fais, is colorless, and a few crystals show signs of strain. Some grains are rimmed by iddingsite. The intergranular groundmass consists of pyroxene, feldspar, and iron ore in order of abundance. The purple-brown pyroxene occurs as small subhedral crystals. The multiply twinned plagioclase laths, Aner, are slightly

1312

R. W. LE MAITREPETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND simple, but they range texturally from porphyritic to aphyric, vesicular to nonvesicular, and aphanitic to crystalline. The porphyritic types commonly occur as flows, and the more massive types as dikes and veins. Porphyritic olivine basalt, Gill, in hand

zoned at the margins toward andesine. Both magnetite and ilmenite are presentmagnetite as equidimensional grains and ilmenite as laths slightly smaller than the plagioclasemany in remarkable parallel alignment. All these are set in a matrix of alkali feldspar, crowded with

TABLE 1. CHARACTERISTIC MINERALS OF VARIOUS ROCK TYPES Rock type Picritc basalt Olivine basalt Phenocrysts Olivine Diopsidic augite Olivine Titanaugitc Labradorite Ilmenite Magnetite Groundmass Same as olivine basalt Labradorite zoned to andesine Titanaugite Olivine Ilmenite Magnetite Alkali feldspar Apatite Labradorite zoned to andesine or oligoclase Alkali feldspar Titanaugite Olivine Ilmenite Magnetite Biotite Apatite Andesine zoned to oligoclase Alkali feldspar Titanaugite Olivine Magnetite Ilmenite Alkali feldspar Magnetite Olivine Alkali feldspar Magnetite Aegirine-augite Olivine Sodalite Nepheline (?) specimen, consists of black, subhedral, pyroxene phenocrysts up to 5 mm across, yellow-brown olivine up to 2 mm across, and a few colorless phenocrysts of plagioclase set in a speckled light-gray groundmass. In thin section, the phenocrystal pyroxene is very pale purple brown and is probably slightly titaniferous augite. Inclusions of iron ore and olivine partially altered to iddingsite also occur. A few xenocrysts of pyroxene occur,

Increasing: Salic constituents Amount of alkali feldspar Na content of plagioclase Iron content of ferromagnesian minerals

Trachybasalt

Labradorite Olivine Titanaugite Ilmenite Magnetite Apatite

Trachyandesite

Labradorite Olivine Titanaugite Magnetite Ilmenite Apatite Alkali feldspar Oligoclase Biotite Olivine Magnetite Aegirine-augite Olivine Alkali feldspar Oligoclase

Trachyte

Aegirine-augite trachyte

minute acicular needles of apatite and exhibiting a characteristic curved extinction. Residual trachytic patches line some of the vesicles. These consist of zoned blocky crystals of alkali feldspar, with granular magnetite and a little green pyroxene with a texture very similar to that of the analyzed trachyte, G107. Olivine Basalts Mineralogically olivine basalts are relatively

PETROGRAPHY which are similar optically but differ from the phenocrysts in that they have granulated margins and contain small inclusions of iron ore. The plagioclase phenocrysts are twinned according to albite, Carlsbad, and, occasionally, pericline laws and are strongly zoned from Ans? in the core to andesine at the edges. The olivine, Fa23, is rounded and is partially altered to iddingsite in the cores and along concentric zones in the crystal. The groundmass consists of feldspar, pyroxene, iron ore, and olivine. The plagioclase laths are multiply twinned and strongly zoned from An 5 7 to Ansg. The pyroxene occurs as pale, purple-brown, subhedral crystals. Equidimensional grains of magnetite and ilmenite laths occur in about equal amounts. The olivine is rounded and partially altered to iddingsite at the margins. Alkali feldspar is interstitial and is crowded with minute acicular needles of apatite. A few flakes of biotite are also present. Olivine-poor basalt, G132, in hand specimen is a finely vesicular rock with a few yellowgreen "phenocrysts" of ferromagnesian minerals set in a dark-gray groundmass. In thin section the "phenocrysts" are glomerocrysts of up to 50 microphenocrysts. The pale, graygreen, euhedral to subhedral pyroxene is moderately zoned and exhibits hourglass structure. The plagioclase laths, An 6 v, are multiply twinned on albite, Carlsbad, and pericline laws. There are also a few larger corroded phenocrysts of plagioclase with orelike inclusions. There are no inclusions in either the pyroxene or plagioclase glomerocrysts. The olivine, Fa2i, which is not very abundant, occurs as anhedral, colorless crystals. The groundmass consists of plagioclase and pyroxene set in a rather glassy iron ore-bearing matrix. The plagioclase laths are multiply twinned and range from Anse to An47. The pyroxene occurs as small pale purple-brown subhedral grains, darker than the phenocrysts. These two minerals are set in a glassy matrix crowded with minute grains of iron ore. Iron ore occurs as grains and as long thin rods arranged in an intricate three-dimensional network. Trachybasalts Trachybasalts are probably the most abundant mafic rock on Gough Island and occur as dikes and flows. Like the olivine basalts, they vary considerably in texture. Porphyritic trachybasalt, G97, in hand specimen, is porphyritic and vesicular, consisting of phenocrysts of black pyroxene, yellowgreen olivine, and a few white laths of plagio-

1313

clase set in a medium-gray, crystalline groundmass. The vesicles are large and elongated but not abundant. In thin section, the subhedral, slightly zoned pyroxene phenocrysts are pale gray green to purple gray. Many have a sievelike appearance caused by abundant inclusions of groundmass material, olivine, and magnetite. The olivine phenocrysts, Fa23, are euhedral to subhedral and show only slight traces of "iddingsitization" at the margins. The plagioclase phenocrysts range from anhedral to euhedral; tabular crystals show complex twinning and zoning from An54 in the cores to andesine at the edges. Inclusions of iron ore and "dust" are common. The groundmass is intergranular and consists of iron ore, pyroxene, and olivine set in interlocking plagioclase laths and interstitial alkali feldspar. Equidimensional magnetite and lathlike ilmenite occur with subhedral pyroxene grains of the same color as the phenocrysts. The olivine occurs as small, slightly iddingsitized1, colorless crystals. The tabular plagioclase, zoned from Anss to Ansg, is completely twinned. The alkali feldspar occurs interstitially, has a marked undulatory extinction, and contains highly acicular needles of apatite. A few flakes of purple-brown mineral (pseudobrookite?) occur in the groundmass. Trachyandesites Like the trachybasalts, trachyandesites have a considerable texture range. Porphyritic trachyandesite, G15, in hand specimen, contains abundant small phenocrysts of white plagioclase, black pyroxene, and yellow-brown olivine set in a light-gray groundmass. In parts the rock is vesicular. In thin section the complexly twinned plagioclase phenocrysts are euhedral to subhedral and zoned from An62 in the cores to andesine or oligoclase in the outer portions often with a thin rim of alkali feldspar. The subhedral to anhedral phenocrystal pyroxene (Table 4, analysis 3) is pale gray green and commonly contains inclusions of iron ore, apatite, and olivine. The euhedral to subhedral olivine phenocrysts, Fa as, are very pale straw in color and are commonly slightly altered to iddingsite. Both ilmenite and magnetite occur as equidimensional phenocrysts, often closely associated with euhedral phenocrysts of colorless apatite. The intergranular groundmass consists of Editor's note: "Iddingsitized" is author's prefcrenc for phrase, "altered to iddingsite."
1

1314

R. W. LE MAITREPETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND erocrysts, consisting of interlocking, anhedral crystals of alkali feldspar and plagioclase. The alkali feldspar occurs as highly embayed crystals with patchy extinction and shows no signs of unmixing. The plagioclase, Anse, also occurs as highly embayed crystals, which are slightly zoned and partially replaced by alkali feldspar. Associated with these glomerocrysts are occasional highly resorbed crystals of dark-brown biotite, which are completely replaced by granular iron ore. Small phenocrysts of euhedral to subhedral, unzoned, colorless olivine, Fa44, are also common. Magnetite and colorless apatite, often in close association, also occur as euhedral microphenocrysts. The groundmass, which is orthophyric to trachytic, consists of alkali feldspar, magnetite, unidentifiable ferromagnesian material, and olivine. The alkali feldspar occurs as both blocky simply twinned crystals and as interstitial, simply twinned laths. Magnetite occurs as equidimensional euhedral crystals. The interstices are filled with a yellow-brown unidentifiable material and small grains of olivine. Biotite trachyte, G24, is porphyritic in hand specimen with abundant phenocrysts of white feldspar, biotite, and an occasional black crystal of pyroxene set in a light, greenishgray, aphanitic groundmass. In thin section the phenocrysts consist of alkali feldspar, biotite, plagioclase, iron ore, olivine, and pyroxene. The alkali feldspar has a very patchy extinction, and mantling most of the crystals is a thin zone of a different, but optically continuous, alkali feldspar crowded with inclusions of iron ore. The plagioclase, approximately An 3 o, is strongly zoned with very fine lamellar twinning and is partially replaced by alkali feldspar. The alkali feldspar and plagioclase phenocrysts are commonly interlocked. Strongly pleochroic biotite occurs as euhedral to subhedral flakes and is separated from the groundmass but not from other phenocrysts by a reaction rim of granular magnetite. The flakes

plagioclase, alkali feldspar, pyroxene, olivine, iron ore, and apatite. The slightly zoned plagioclase (Table 6, analysis 1) occurs as a felted mass of ill-defined laths. The pale purple-brown pyroxene (Table 4, analysis 4) occurs as small, euhedral to subhedral, slightly zoned crystals. The equidimensional grains of magnetite and ilmenite have been partially analyzed. (See section on iron-titanium ores.) Colorless olivine also occurs. The alkali feldspar (Table 6, analysis 2), crowded with minute acicular needles of apatite, occurs interstitially and has a marked undulatory extinction. A few small purple-brown flakes occur in the groundmass and may be pseudobrookite. Lining most of the larger vesicles is material of trachytic composition and texture consisting of blocky crystals of simply twinned alkali feldspar, with marked undulatory extinction and a few, long, acicular, apatite needles. Small flakes of brown pleochroic biotite occur, commonly with pale-green pyroxene and in some cases with what may be a pale-brown amphibole. Small iron ore grains also occur, and the interstices are usually filled with unidentifiable ferromagnesian material. Trachytes Trachytes can be subdivided into two mineralogical groups which are chemically almost identical, i.e., trachytes and biotite trachytes. Trachytes occur as highly vesicular flows, whereas biotite trachytes commonly occur as porphyritic dikes; the different mineralogy undoubtedly reflects the conditions of crystallization. On the basis of bulk composition the alkali feldspar is probably more potassic than in the aegirine-augite trachytes. Vesicular Trachyte, G114, in hand specimen, is highly vesicular with some sporadic ' 'phenocrysts" of white feldspar set in a light, greenishgray, aphanitic groundmass. The abundant vesicles are elongated, flattened, and arcuate. In thin section the "phenocrysts" are glom-

PLATE 1. PHOTOMICROGRAPHS OF GOUGH ISLAND LAVAS White line scale corresponds to J^ rnm on thin section. Crossed nicols Figure 1. Picrite basalt, G121. Phenocrysts of pyroxene and olivine; olivine exhibits good (010) cleavage. In top center is trachytic patch of blocky alkali feldspar crystals lining a vesicle. Figure 2. Porphyritic olivine basalt, Gill. Phenocrysts of olivine and sieve-like augite set in groundmass of plagioclase, pyroxene, iron ore, and olivine, with a little alkali feldspar Figure 3. Olivine-poor basalt, G132. Glomerocryst consists of pyroxene and plagioclase laths set in matrix of pyroxene, iron ore, and glass Figure 4. Porphyritic trachybasalt, G97. Phenocrysts of olivine, pyroxene, and strongly zoned plagioclase set in groundmass of pyroxene, olivine, iron ore, plagioclase, and interstitial alkali feldspar

E. H

2^ H > w CO c

I-

------ - --

------ - --

------ - -- ----------------PHOTOMICROGRAPHS OF GOUGH ISLAND LAVAS

--

-* > o c
"*> H > W
3 K,

cd

------ - --

------ - --

------ - -- ----------------PHOTOMICROGRAPHS OF GOUGH ISLAND LAVAS

--

PETROGRAPHY

1315

TABLE 2. OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF OLIVINES Accuracy of measurements: 0 = 0.002, 2V = 1 -2; specimen localities and names given in Table 9. Rock
(3

Mol per cent Fa from /3


15 19 23 21 24 23 28 21 27 24 30 24 38 44 42 62

2V

Mol per cent Fa from 2V


15 13 21

Remarks Zoned /3 1.683-1.686

G121 G71 Gill G13 G38 G97 G50 X10 G22 G132 G8 G2A G164 G29 G5 G4A G86 G15 G1H Gil G107 G24 G16 G19D G18 G159 G3 G149

1.683 1.692 1.701 1.695 1.703 1.700 1.710 1.695 1.709 1.702 1.715 1.702 1.732 1.745 1.740 1.785

88 89 86

Completely altered to iddingsite Zoned /3 = 1.710-1.717 Very rare Very rare

84 82

26 31

Groundmass: no phenocrysts None: tachylite None

76 78 56 52 57

45 40 95
100

None None Extremely small grains Extremely small grains X-ray method; Fa 100 per cent

1.865

100

92

show no signs of distortion and many contain inclusions of apatite. Euhedral crystals of magnetite and colorless apatite commonly occur together. A few phenocrysts of pale strawcolored olivine slightly altered to iddingsite with inclusions of apatite and magnetite, and a pale gray-green pyroxene also occur. The trachytic-textured groundmass consists mainly of abundant laths of simply twinned alkali feldspar. Between the laths are small granules of magnetite and olivine and irregular patches of alkali feldspar, distinct from the

laths. A few crystals of pale yellow-brown amphibole (?) also occur. Aegirine-Augite Trachytes Aegirine-augite trachytes differ from trachytes in that they contain aegirine-augite, which, in some cases, is accompanied by sodalite. They are the sole rock type of the trachytic plugs and domes and also occur as flows. Aegirine-augite trachyte, G149, in hand specimen, is a hard compact rock, consisting of minute black crystals set in a mottled light

PLATE 2. PHOTOMICROGRAPHS OF GOUGH ISLAND LAVAS White line scale corresponds to Yi rnm on thin section. Crossed nicols Figure 1. Porphyritic trachyandesite, G15. Phenocrysts of plagioclase, pyroxene, and olivine set in groundmass of plagioclase, alkali feldspar, iron ore, pyroxene, and olivine. Large crystal of apatite in left center Figure 2. Biotite trachyte, G24. Biotite phenocryst, mantled by reaction rim of granular magnetite, accompanied by two alkali feldspar phenocrysts exhibiting typical patchy extinction Figure 3. Vesicular trachyte, Gl 14. Phenocryst of iron-rich olivine set in groundmass of blocky and lathlike alkali feldspar crystals Figure 4. Aegirine-augite trachyte, G149. Large fayalite crystal set in mass of alkali feldspar laths. In bottom left is "skeletal" crystal of aegirine-augite intergrown with alkali feldspar laths.

1316

R. W. LE MAITREPETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND the olivines are wholly or partially altered to iddingsite (Gay and Le Maitre, 1961). Only in a few cases is it altered to a serpentine-like mineral. In some of the lavas the ohvmes have exsolved an ore phase as granules and hair-like rods, and these commonly appear slightly pleochroic from yellow brown to brown. Single crystal X-ray examinations show the ore phase to be mainly magnetitewith minor hematite oriented with the (100) close-packed oxygen planes of the olivine parallel to the (111) closepacked oxygen planes of the magnetite, and the (001) close-packed direction of the olivine parallel to the (110) close-packed direction of the magnetite. This effect can be reproduced in the laboratory by heating olivine in air for a few hours above 600C (Dr. P. Gay, personal communication), when either magnetite or hematite (depending on the time and temperature) is exsolved. In two cases of rocks containing the anomolous olivine, the field evidence also indicates reheating. OPTICAL PROPERTIES AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: None of the olivine was analyzed chemically, as the /3 refractive index gives sufficiently accurate determination of the composition (Table 2); an error of + 0.002 in (3 corresponds to an error of + 1 per cent in the Fa content (Kennedy, 1947, p. 567). An error of + 1 in 2V, however, corresponds to an error of + 2j^2 percent in the Fa content; thus, 2V measurements were only used as a last resort. The X-ray method for the determination of the composition of olivine (Yoder and Sahama, 1957) was used for specimen G149 as an additional check on the /J determination. The average of five runs on an X-ray diffractometer, using CuK.a radiation, gave a value of diso = 2.832 A, corresponding to practically pure fayalite. CRYSTALLIZATION TRENDS: The iron content of the olivine increases toward the felsic end of the series. Initially the increase is gradual, but it becomes extremely rapid at the end of the seriesfrom just under Fa45 in the trachytes to Faioo in the aegirine-augite trachytes. The compositional scattering of some of the olivine in the earlier rocks indicates that not all the phenocrysts crystallized in situ. Pyroxenes GENERAL FEATURES: The pyroxene ranges from diopsidic augite and titanaugite in the mafic and intermediate rocks to aegirine-augite in the late differentiates. No hypersthene oc-

greenish-gray groundmass. In thin section it has a trachytic to bostonitic texture and consists of abundant alkali feldspar, with aegirineaugite, olivine, and magnetite. The alkali feldspar (Table 6, analysis 3) occurs as euhedral, simply twinned, subparallel laths. Some of the larger crystals show very slight signs of unmixing. The aegirine-augite (Table 4, analysis 5) is medium to deep green and slightly zoned. It occurs as anhedral, almost "skeletal" crystals, filling the interstices between the alkali feldspar and commonly partially enclosing them. In some cases, however, it occurs as discrete, "nonskeletal" crystals. The olivine, which is almost pure fayalite, is less abundant than the aegirine-augite but has an identical habit. Equidimensional anhedral grains of magnetite are abundant; small rounded grains and acicular needles of apatite also occur. Zircon occurs in very minor amounts. Sodalite is locally abundant in the groundmass of some of the aegirine-augite trachytes, e.g., G159 and G19D. In these, the colorless sodalite occurs mainly as discrete crystals in small vesicles commonly rimmed with aegirine. MINERALOGY Methods and Techniques Refractive indices were determined in sodium light by the immersion methodusually on grains of predetermined orientation removed from uncovered thin sections. The 2V measurements were made on a Leitz four-axis universal stage by direct orthoscopic and conoscopic methods. For large 2V's and sections with only one optic axis visible, the method of Joel and Muir (1958) was used. In Tables 2, 3, and 5, the rocks have been arranged in order of increasing molecular per cent SiO2. Olivinei GENERAL FEATURES: Olivine occurs throughout the series and ranges from colorless forsterite to nearly pure, straw-colored fayalite. Zoning was observed on a small scale in two specimens, G121 and X10 (Table 2). In the more mafic rocks the olivine occurs in the groundmass and as phenocrysts; in the trachytes it occurs only as phenocrysts and microphenocrysts, the latter often in poikilitic intergrowth with the groundmass alkali feldspar. A good (010) cleavage is common in the phenocrysts but is rare in the groundmass. ALTERATION AND ExsoLUTioN: Frequently

MINERALOGY curs in any of the lavas except as xenocrysts derived from gabbroic xenoliths. The diopsidic augite (Table 4, analysis 1) is pale green brown and confined mainly to the accumulative rocks. Slight zoning to pale purple-brown titanaugite occurs but strong TABLE 3. OPTICAL PROPERTIES orPHENOCRYSTAL PYROXENES Accuracy of measurements: /3 = +0.002; 2V = + 1~2; specimen localities and names given in Table 9. Rock
2V

1317

Remarks Analyzed Hypersthene xenocrysts Rare Hypersthene xenocrysts Analyzed; 2V increases at margins Rare microphenocrvsts Very rare Considerable variation in 2V Groundmass Rare Glass Very fine-grained Groundmass, /3 = 1.710 * 0.003; Both analyzed Rare Rare Confined to groundmass Confined to groundmass Rare, mainly groundmass Confined to groundmass Confined to groundmass Analyzed; confined to groundmass

G121 G71 Gill G13 G38 G97 G50


X10 G22 G132 G8 G2A G164 G29 G95 G4A G86 G15

1.698 1.698 1.702 1.695 1.700 1.700 1.700 1.705 1.701 1.697 1.696 1.708 1.702 n.d. 1.702 none none 1.702
none n.d. none 1.70? n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. 1.735

54 53-57 49 47 55 52 56 48 54 54 51 n.d. 52 54 50 none none 52

G114 Gil G107 G24 G16 G19D G18 G159 G3 G149

none n.d. none n.d. n.d. 60 n.d. n.d. n.d. 59-64

zoning is absent. Inclusions of olivine, magnetite, and ilmenite are also common. The titanaugite is pale gray green to purple brown and occurs in many of the mafic and intermediate lavas (Table 4, analyses 2, 3, 4). Although slight zoning is common, strong zoning is rare, and hour-glass structure, which is common in many monoclinic pyroxenes, has been observed in only a few basalts, e.g., G8 and G132, both of which contain glomerocrysts. The groundmass pyroxene is invariably extremely fine grained (less than O.lmm), and, apart from one chemical analysis (Table 4, analysis 4), very little is known about its composition. In the late differentiates, the pyroxene is a

pale-green aegirine-augite (Table 4, analysis 5). Pyroxene approaching aegirine is rare but does occur in the sodalite-bearing aegirine-augite trachytes near patches of sodalite, where it is strongly pleochroic from a bright green to y brown green; the extinction angle, 7 A c, is approximately 80. OPTICAL PROPERTIES: The poor correlation between /3, 2V, and the stage of differentiation probably indicates that many of the phenocrysts are xenocrysts (Table 3). In view of the complex nature of the ionic substitutions that can take place in the mono clinic pyroxenes, attempts at correlating the optical properties with chemical compositions have not been entirely satisfactory (cf. Muir, 1951, p. 713; Brown, 1957, p. 537). Therefore, no attempt has been made to deduce the composition of the pyroxenes from their optics. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: In order to determine the trend of crystallization, five pyroxenes, ranging from diopsidic pyroxene, through titanaugite, to aegirine-augite, have been analyzed (Table 4). FeO increases and MgO decreases in the pyroxenes toward the felsic end of the series. A^Oa and Fe2Oa, which are approximately constant in the early pyroxenes, are definitely concentrated in the later pyroxenes. TiO2, which is concentrated in the titanaugite, is variable. CaO decreases markedly, whereas Na2O and K^O increase in the late pyroxenes. The trace elements also show definite variations. Gallium, which increases from 5 ppm in the diopsidic augite to 20 ppm in the aegirineaugite, appears to replace aluminum; the ratio of Ga:Al increases steadily throughout the series. Chromium is markedly concentrated in the early diopsidic augite, which may account tor its slight green color as opposed to the slight purple color of the titanaugite. Vanadium is practically constant in the early and intermediate pyroxenes but drops to zero in the late stage aegirine-augite. Of interest is the fact that chromium, which drops below the limit of sensitivity in the rock series before vanadium is still present in the aegirine-augite, whereas vanadium is not. Molybdenum, lithium, and lanthanum are concentrated in the late-stage o aegirine-augite. Nickel behaves rather irregularly, but, like scandium, it tends to concentrate in the early pyroxenes. Cobalt is practically constant in the early and intermediate pyroxenes but decreases in the aegirine-augite. Zirconium, which is below the limit of sensitivity in the early pyroxenes, increases in the

1318

R. W. LE MAITRE-PETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND were recalculated in terms of atomic per cent of Ca, Mg, and Fe, where Fe = Fe+3 + Fe+2 + Mn+2 (Fig. 2). The trend of crystallization of the pyroxenes in the Gough Island lavas (Fig, 2, points 1-2-3-4) is one initially of iron enrichment approximately parallel to the DiHd join, followed by enrichment in the aegirine and jadeite molecules. Similar trends of iron enrichment approximately parallel to the DiHd join are also found in the alkali pyroxenes from the Black Jack teschenite sill (Wilkinson, 1957, p. 124, trend W-W), the Garbh Eilean crinanite sill, Shiant Isles (Murray, 1954, p. 22-23, trend M-M'), and in the more basic alkali rocks of the Morotu district, Sakhalin (Yagi, 1953, p. 780-782 trend Y-Y'). According to Wilkinson (1956, p. 727), one of the most notable features of these alkali pyroxenes is their relatively small range in composition as compared with the associated minerals. Although this is true of the Black Jack and Garbh Eilean sills, which have no extreme differentiates, it is not true of the Gough and Morotu rocks, in which differentiation has proceeded much further. These late differentiates, which are trachytes and syentites, respectively, contain aegirine-augite and aegirine; this represents a considerable change in composition from the original diopsidic or titanaugite. The pyroxenes of an alkali rock series, therefore, exhibit as great a range of composition as do those from tholeiitic rocks but in a different direction. The alkali pyroxenes enter the aegirine and jadeite field and cannot adequately be represented in Figure 2 (see Yagi, 1953, p. 799), whereas those of the tholeiitic rocks remain essentially in the field represented in Figure 2. It is also interesting to compare the differences of the initial trends of crystallization of the alkali and tholeiitic pyroxenes. The initial trend of crystallization of the alkali pyroxenes is one of iron enrichment approximately parallel to the Di-Hd join. This can clearly be seen in the trend lines 1-2-3-4, W-W', M-M', Y-Y' in Figure 2. The initial tholeiitic trend appears to be one of impoverishment of Ca as well as enrichment of Fe and is represented by the trend line T-T' in Figure 2, taken from the phenocryst and groundmass monoclinic pyroxene, respectively, from the tholeiitic picrite basalt flow at Nanawale Bay, Hawaii (Muir and others, 1957, p. 244). Wilkinson (1956) feels that the differences between the crystallization of the pyroxenes in tholeiitic and alkali magmas are partially

intermediate ones to more than 1000 ppm in the aegirine-augite. Yttrium increases regularly from early- to late-formed pyroxenes; strontium concentrates in the early pyroxenes. CRYSTALLIZATION TRENDS: Except for the aegirine-augite, G149, the analyzed pyroxenes TABLE 4. CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF PYROXENES Weight per cent Si02 A1203 Ti02 Fe203 FeO MnO MgO CaO Na20 K20 H 2 O*
1 2 3 4 5

51.05 4.46 1.30 1.28 4.87 n.d. 15.89 21.04 0.44 0.09

49.74 4.12 2.02 1.14 6.17 0.15 14.83 21.34 0.54 0.07

49.53 4.29 1.78 1.43 6.71 0.16 14.66 20.52 0.55 0.06

50.55 5.29 2.25 1.95 7.51 0.20 11.76 18.27 1.22 0.74

49.79 7.15 0.37 3.33 15.83 n.d. 3.80 16.81 2.21 0.75

100.42 100.12 99.69 99.74 100.04 Cations on a basis of 6 oxygens


Si Al Ti Fe+3 Fe+2 Mn Mg Ca Na K
Ppm

1.865 0.193 0.035 0.035 0.149


0.870 0.822 0.031 0.004 4.004

1.843 0.178 0.056 0.031 0.191 0.004 0.825 0.847 0.040 0.004 4.019
5 4000 550 450 45 180

1.844 0.188 0.049 0.040 0,208 0.004 0.820 0.818 0.040 0.004 4.015
10 1000 340
160 32 100 100 45

1.879 0.232 0.065 0.054 0.232 0.007 0.656 0.727 0.090 0.036
3.978
15 220 400 58 40 100 850 100

1.914 0.323 0.012 0.097 0.507 0.219 0.692 0.161 0.037


3.962
20 46
5 35 120 5 100 1000 200 280

Ga Cr V Mo Li Ni Co Sc Zr Y La Sr Ba

5 7000 250 3 350 45 120

15
110 50

25
100

10 43 44 13 43 39 18

Atomic Ca per Mg cent Fe

44 46 10

45 43 12

1. Diopsidic augite phenocrysts: picrite basalt, G121 2. Titanaugite phenocrysts: trachybasalt, G50 3. Titanaugite phenocrysts: trachyandesite, G15 4. Titanaugite groundmass: trachyandesite, G15 5. Aegirine-augite: aegirine-augite trachyte, G149 (Specimen types and localities given in Table 9)

MINERALOGY caused by the reaction between olivine and the liquid which produces orthorhombic pyroxene. In tholeiitic rocks this reaction is thought to produce "hypersthene molecules," some of which combine with the primitive diopsidic pyroxene, common to both magma types, to produce an augite or even a subcalcic augite. In the alkali rocks, however, the olivine is supposed to crystallize in abundance, which would impoverish the liquid in Mg and Fe considera-

1319

Fe+2 in the liquid to enrich the monoclinic pyroxene slightly in iron, but most of the Fe+2 will go into the crystallizing olivine; Fe+2 markedly prefers orthosilicates rather than metasilicates (Ramberg, 1952, p. 340). Therefore, only during the late stages of differentiation when the liquid has built up a sufficient concentration of Na+1 will the Fe+3 be able to enter the pyroxene structure by the simultaneous replacement of Fe+2 by Fe+3 and Ca+2 by

At.% Mg Fe Figure 2',. Composition plot of analyzed pyroxenes. Alkali pyroxenes: 1-2-3-4, Gough Island; W-W, Black lack Sill; M-M', Garbh Eilean Sill; Y-Y', Morotu, Sakhalin. Tholeiitic pyroxenes: T-T', Hawaii

bly more than the crystallization of hypersthene, causing the primitive diopsidic pyroxene to remain near the Di-Hd join. Although this explains the common occurrence of two pyroxenes in the tholeiitic rocks and olivine and diopsidic pyroxene in the alkali rocks, it does not explain the subsequent trends of crystallization followed by the monoclinic pyroxenes in the two cases. However, the following hypothesis is advanced to explain the trend of crystallization followed by the alkali pyroxenes. It is well known that the Fe2Os:FeO ratio is higher in alkali basalts than in tholeiitic basalts (Nockolds, 1954, p. 1021; Kennedy, 1955, p. 501502); in the alkali rocks, therefore, the liquid, which will be impoverished in Mg+2 and Fe+2 by the abundant crystallization of olivine, will contain much of its iron in the ferric state, Fe+3; this will not be able to enter the monoclinic pyroxenes structure at the early stages. There will, however, probably be sufficient

Na+1. The monoclinic pyroxene will then move from the augite field toward the field of aegirine. In the tholeiitic rocks more of the iron will be in the ferrous state, Fe+2, and will be able to enter the monoclinic and orthorhombic pyroxenes with equal easethey are both metasilicates with very similar structuresthus leading to an iron enriched pyroxene trend with no tendency to leave the system CaSiCV MgSiO3-FeSiO3. X-RAY STUDIES: An X-ray examination of the pyroxenes by single-crystal methods (Bown and Gay, 1959) has shown the pyroxenes to be homogeneous with no exsolution of other pyroxene phases, a feature noted by Wilkinson (1956, p. 740). In this respect, they differ from the similar looking pyroxenes in the xenoliths, which invariably show exsolution phenomena. Feldspars GENERAL FEATURES: Feldspar increases in abundance throughout the series, until in the

1320

R. W. LE MAITRE-PETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND Small amounts of alkali feldspar occur interstitially. In the intermediate rocks the plagioclase also occurs as phenocrysts and in the groundmass. However, the phenocrysts are more abundant

trachytes it forms nearly 90 per cent of the rock. In the accumulative rocks plagioclase occurs only as laths in the groundmass. It is strongly zoned from labradorite in the core to andesine or oligoclase at the edges and is usually

TABLE 5. OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF FELDSPARS Accuracy of measurements: 0 + 0.002; 2V + 2; maximum extinction + l-2; localities and names given in Table 9. Plagioclase phenocrysts Rock
/3
Mol per cent An ft 1.567 n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. 1.562 n.d. none n.d. 1.545 none none none none none none none none none none

Alkali feldspar Plagioclase groundmass


Mol per cent An

phenocrysts
Mol per cent An" 53 57-38 53 44 57-36 59-42 fl

groundmass
ft 2V

Max. cxt.* n.d. 32 35-23 32 27 35-22 36-25 n.d. 32-20 34-28 34 n.d. n.d. n.d. 30-25
0 0

G121 G71 Gill G13 G38 G97 G50 X10 G22 G132 G8 G2A G164 G29 G95 G4A G86 G15 G114 Gil G107 G24 G16 G19D G18 G159 G3 G149

none 1.566 1.562 none 1.564 1.560 1.565 1.557 1.570 1.567 1.563 1.560 1.560 none 1.560 none 1.560 1.559 1.545 n.d. none n.d. none none none none 1.541 none

65 57 61 54 63 48 72 67 59 54 54 54 54 52 26 40t
30* 'st

67

53-34 56-47 56 _ 50-42


20 20

57 25

18

none none none none none none none none none none i none none none none none none none none 1.536 n.d. 1.536 1.530 none 1.531 1.534 1.531 n.d. 1.531

n.d. none n.d. n.d. none n.d. rare n.d. rare rare rare n.d. n.d. rare 1.531 none n.d. 1.531 1.531 n.d. 1.526 n.d. n.d. 1.528 1.530 1.530 1.532 1.530

n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. 36-60 n.d. 45-60 45-66 n.d. 49-54 n.d. 45-51 n.d. 53

Maximum extinction angle in zone perpendicular to (010) In deriving composition from maximum extinction angle plagioclase assumed to be in intermediate state. f Composition derived from maximum extinction angle measurements which are not given in Table. multiply twinned according to the albite and Carlsbad laws. The alkali feldspar, which exhibits undulatory extinction, occurs interstitially. In the mafic rocks the plagioclase occurs as phenocrysts and in the groundmass. The phenocrysts are zoned from labradorite in the core to andesine at the edges. They are multiply twinned and are commonly rimmed with alkali feldspar. In the groundmass, the plagioclase laths are slightly more sodic and are also zoned. than in the mafic rocks and are zoned from labradorite in the core to andesine or oligoclase. Many are sharply rimmed with a zone of alkali feldspar about 0.02 mm thick. The groundmass plagioclase laths are also slightly more sodic than those in the mafic rocks and are set in a matrix of alkali feldspar, which increases in abundance toward the felsic end of the series. In the late differentiates plagioclase is subordinate to alkali feldspar and occurs only as sporadic phenocrysts of andesine and oligo-

MINERALOGY clase, many of which are replaced by alkali feldspar. The alkali feldspar forms the groundmass and occurs as phenocrysts, some of which are unmixed to microperthites. In the groundmass the alkali feldspar laths commonly have a distinct trachyte or bostonitic texture. They TABLE 6. CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF FELDSPARS Weight per cent SiO2 TiO2 A1203 Fe2Os MgO CaO Na2O K2O H2O
1 2

1321

3
65.48 tr 19.90 0.76 nil 0.76 7.20 6.26 nil 100.36

59.37 24.79
nil 7.41 5.26 3.17

64.87 20.22 0.33 nil 1.91 5.44 7.23 100.00t

100.00*

Cations on a basis of 8 oxygens


Si Al Fe+;) Mg Ca Na K.
2 676] 2 921 2.933] 1 313 1-3.989 1 068 4.000 1.048 [-4 003 1 0 Oil 0.022 1 0 093 0 359 0.038 0 458 0.999 0 474 '0.987 0.624 1 022 0 420 0 182 0.360J

Molecular composition OrisAb-inAnse Or4sAb4sAn9 0 1.545 0.004 1.531*0.004 1.530 0.002

1. Groundmass plagioclase; trachyandesite, G15 2. Groundmass alkali feldspar; trachyandesite, G15 3. Alkali feldspar; aegirine-augite trachyte, G149 * Analysis recalculated after subtracting 1.24 per cent ilmemte t Analysis recalculated after subtracting 0.57 per cent ilmenite (Specimen types and localities given in Table 9) rarely show signs of unmixing and, like the phenocrysts, are usually only Carlsbad twinned. In the mafic and intermediate rocks, the interstitial alkali feldspar commonly exhibits a peculiar type of extinction, in which the crystal extinguishes along a curved zone, which may or may not move as the crystal is rotated. OPTICAL PROPERTIES AXD CHEMICAL COMPOSITION1: In the plagioclase series the /3 refractive index was used to determine the composition where ever possible, as, like a, it is practically independent of the structural state of the

feldspar in the range studied (Smith, J. R., 1958, p. 1191). Toward the sodic end of the series, however, the interpretation of j3 becomes difficult, as the plagioclase contains potassium feldspar in solid solution (Table 5). In most cases the groundmass plagioclase was too fine grained to determine /3, so the Rittmann zonal method (Rittmann, 1929, p. 14) was used with a univeral stage. The interpretation of the extinction angle is again difficult, as it varies with the structural state of the feldspar (Troger, 1956, p. Ill), the effect of potassium feldspar in solid solution not being known. For the alkali feldspars, the /3 refractive index was measured, but owing to the uncertainty of the effect of the anorthite molecule on their optics, it is only useful in distinguishing trends in compositional changes. 2V was measured in a number of specimens and was found to vary by as much as 20 in some cases, even in the same crystal. Coombs (1954, p. 421), Tuttle and Keith (1954, p. 69), and MacKenzie and Smith (1956, p. 419) attribute the change in 2V in the alkali feldspars they studied to the presence of a series of transitional structural states and not to differences in chemical composition. This could be true of some of these alkali feldspars but not of all; e.g., G114 has a variation in 2V from 36 to 60, yet an X-ray examination of this material shows it to be structurally homogeneous. This variation in 2V is undoubtedly responsible for much of the undulatory extinction commonly exhibited by the alkali feldspars. In all the cases studied, the optic axial plane is approximately perpendicular to (010), thus placing the feldspar in the anorthoclase-sanidine series of MacKenzie and Smith (1956, p. 406). An alkali determination on the phenocrystal plagioclase from a trachybasalt, G95, gave Na2O = 4.70 per cent and K2O = 0.74 per cent, indicating a molecular composition of Or4Ab42An54, which agrees with the optical determination based on j3, i.e., Ans4 (Table 5). The groundmass plagioclase and alkali feldspar were also analyzed from a trachyandesite, G15, (Table 6, analyses 1, 2) and were found to have molecular compositions of Or 18 Ab4eAn36 and Or 43 Ab48An 9 , respectively; both analyses fit the structural formula for feldspars within experimental limits. Owing to the extremely small gram size of these two feldspars, it was not possible to measure j3 more accurately than 1.545 + 0.004 and 1.531 0.004, respectively. The bulk of feldspar from another trachy-

1322

R. W. LE MAITRE-PETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND seen. Finally, the alkali feldspar from the nonporphyritic aegirine-augite trachyte, G149, was analyzed; it has a molecular composition of Or36Ab6iAn4 (Table 6, analysis 3). CRYSTALLIZATION TRENDS: The three analyzed and two partially analyzed feldspars have been plotted in Figure 3a, together with the normative feldspars (Ne being included with Ab) of the six average rock types given in Table 10. It is not possible to examine the crystalliza-

andesite, G86, was also partially analyzed and gave Na2O = 5.21 per cent and K2O = 4.99 per cent, corresponding to a molecular composition of Or28Ab46An26. It is interesting to note that the bulk feldspar plots on a line joining the compositions of the plagioclase, G15p, and alkali feldspar, G15a, from the other trachyandesite, G15 (Figure 3a). The material from G86 could, therefore, consist of two feldspars similar in composition to G15p and G15a, although microscopically only one feldspar was

Ab

An

Ab

Mol %
(b)

An

Figure 3. Composition plot of crystallizing feldspars, (a) Analyzed and normative feldspars from Gough Island; (b) theoretical course of crystallization after Tuttle and Bowen (1958)

MINERALOGY tion trend of the feldspars in detail, but some deductions can be made by considering the feldspars of the trachyandesite, G15, the bulk feldspar of which is reasonably represented by the normative composition of the feldspar of the average trachyandesite (Figure 3a, point 4). The actual bulk composition of the feldspar will, however, be less sodic than point 4, for soda enters the pyroxene in small amounts. The first feldspar to crystallize from this rock was a plagioclase, Ansa (Table 5), similar to that from G95. Subsequent crystallization, however, did not follow an equilibrium course as is evident by the zoning, and, upon eruption at the surface, another plagioclase of composition G15p crystallized in the groundmass. This was followed by the crystallization of an alkali feldspar of composition G15a (cf., Yagi, 1953, p. 795). It is interesting to compare this course of crystallization with that deduced by Tuttle and Bowen (1958, p. 130) for feldspars in the system, Or-Ab-An. Under equilibrium conditions, a liquid of composition Y (Figure 3b) will initially crystallize a plagioclase more anorthitic than C'. As the temperature falls, this plagioclase reacts with the liquid and changes in composition toward C'; the liquid changes in composition toward CL. When the liquid reaches C L on the field boundary, the plagioclase, now of composition C', is joined by an alkali feldspar of composition C. On further cooling the liquid moves down the field boundary to BL where the last drop of liquid is used up just as the composition of the plagioclase and alkali feldspar reach B' and B, respectively. Under nonequilibrium conditions, however, if the early formed plagioclase does not react with the liquid, i.e., by zoning, the liquid will leave the field boundary Ki,D and move toward the minimum in the system, Or-Ab (Figure 3b, point M), thus precipitating during final crystallization a single alkali feldspar. This seems to fit exactly the course of crystallization of the feldspars in the trachyandesite, G15, except that it is difficult to assess from the textural relations whether or not the composition of the liquid ever reached the field boundary KiJ), where two feldspars exist in equilibrium with a liquid. If, therefore, the rock series is derived by crystal fractionation, the plagioclase and alkali feldspar should be less calcic and less potassic, respectively, in successive rocks in the differentiation series; these variations can be seen in the optical data. However, the interpretation

1323

of the /3 refractive index of alkali feldspars is complicated by the fact that the earlier ones will probably be more calcic as well as more potassic than the later ones. This tends to reduce any variation in /3, as the effects of these two components on /3 will be in opposition. In fact, (3 for the early alkali feldspars appears to be slightly greater than that for the later ones (Table 5). According to prediction the ft index of the phenocryst and groundmass plagioclase should be lower in the intermediate rocks than in the mafic ones, and this appears to be so (Table 5). The irregularities in (3 for the phenocrysts are attributed to the presence of some xenocrysts. The general decrease in extinction angle, measured by Rittman's method, of the groundmass plagioclase probably indicates a decreasing anorthite content, even though they contain potassium feldspar in solid solution. As pointed out by Tuttle and Bowen (1958, p. 134) to account for the occurrence of sodic plagioclase as phenocrysts in trachytes, it is not necessary to postulate that they are xenocrysts derived from more mafic magmas; as for compositions in the area, K.LKsF (Fig. 3b), the early formed plagioclase under nonequilibrium conditions will not react completely with the liquid to give alkali feldspar and liquid. In the Gough Island trachytes, most of the sodic plagioclase phenocrysts show definite signs of incomplete reaction with the liquid to produce alkali feldspar. X-RAY STUDIES: For the plagioclase series, the powder method of Smith and Gay (1958) was used. As the composition of the plagioclase must be known before its structural state can be determined, the partially analyzed specimen from G95 (58 weight per cent An/An + Ab) was chosen to represent the phenocrystal plagioclase. The average of four runs on an X-ray diffractometer gave values of 0.84 for [26 (131) + 29 (220) - 4(9 (131)} and 0.84 for 120 (111) - 2d (201)}, indicating an intermediate to high structural state. The alkali feldspars were investigated by single crystal X-ray methods (Smith and MacKenzie, 1955), i.e., b-axis oscillation photographs with the X-ray beam parallel to (001) in the center of a 15 oscillation range using CuKa radiation. The alkali feldspars from G19D, G149, and G159 (aegirine-augite trachyte plugs) are unmixed into a triclinic, albite, and pericline twinned sodium phase and a monoclinic potassium phase. The composition of the sodium

1324

R. W. LE MAITREPETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND termed "ilmenite." It was, however, realized that these two ores would probably not be pure phases. In the accumulative rocks, ilmenite and magnetite occur in about equal amounts. The magnetite occurs as equidimensional grains up to 0.5 mm across, commonly with fine lamellae of ilmenite. In some cases the magnetite grains are embayed and skeletal. The ilmenite, which generally occurs as long ragged rods and needles, is usually optically homogeneous. Both the ores also occur as inclusions in the olivine and pyroxene phenocrysts. In the mafic and intermediate rocks, the ilmenite occurs as microphenocrysts and in the groundmass. It varies in habit from long needleshaped crystals in the groundmass to equidimensional or even skeletal crystals as microphenocrysts. Invariably it exhibits lamellae of magnetite and is also commonly rimmed with magnetite. Magnetite also occurs as equidimensional or skeletal crystals in the groundmass and as microphenocrysts and is usually optically homogeneous, only rarely exhibiting lamellae of ilmenite. In the trachyandesite, G15, a few small flakes of a purple-brown transparent mineral, which may be pseudobrookite, Fe2TiOj, are present. In the late differentiates, magnetite is the only ore phase present and occurs as small equidimensional crystals up to 0.5 mm in diameter. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: Both the magnetite and ilmenite from the trachyandesite, G15, were partially analyzed, mainly for FeO, Fe2O3, and TiC>2. It was not possible to obtain perfectly pure samples, but as the impurities were mainly feldspar, the ratio of FeO-Fe2O3TiO2 in the ores was preserved in the bulk analysis. The partial analyses gave: for magnetite, TiC>2 = 17.25 per cent, A12O3 = 8.46 per cent, Fe2O3 = 29.55 per cent, FeO = 38.59 per cent, and MnO = 0.41 per cent; for ilmenite, TiO2 = 47.32 per cent, A12O3 = 2.50 per cent, Fe2O3 = 10.46 per cent, FeO = 36.20 per cent, and MnO = 0.40 per cent. These have been plotted in Figure 4, with some of the iron-titanium ores from the Skaergaard intrusion (Vincent and Phillips, 1954, p. 12, 15) and the Black Jack Sill (Wilkinson, 1959, p. 132). The ores fall into two groups with the magnetites scattered about the central portion of the Fe3O4 FeTiO3 join and the ilmenites confined to the FeTiO3 end of the FeTiO3 Fe2O3 j oin. Although none of the magnetites approach the ideal magnetite composition, Fe3O4, all give a cubic powder pattern. This

phase was calculated (Smith and MacKanzie, 1955, p. 471) to be Or16Ab86 10 per cent. Optically, this unmixing was rarely seen. Unmixing was seen in some of the large alkali feldspar phenocrysts from the aegirineaugite trachyte domes, G3 and G18, but unfortunately all the crystals chosen for X-ray examination proved to be homogeneous with signs of having inverted from the monoclinic to triclinic phase. The first stage in this inversion is the elongation of the main reflections into streaks along the layer lines, with just discernible maxima on either side of the main reflection indicating the formation of triclinic pericline twinning. At a later stage there is well-developed albite and pericline twinning but no signs of separate sodium and potassium phases. The groundmass alkali feldspar from G18 also shows albite and pericline twinning, but in G3 it is untwinned. The alkali feldspar from the biotite trachyte dike, G24, is unmixed into a monoclinic potassium phase and a triclinic albite and pericline twinned sodium phase; the calculated composition of the latter is Ori 8 Ab 8 2 + 10 per cent. This unmixing is visible optically. Alkali feldspars from two of the trachyte flows, G107 and G114, are homogeneous; G107 is albite twinned, and G114 is untwinned. The alkali feldspar from the trachytic patches in the trachyandesite, G15, is homogeneous, with albite and pericline twinning indicating its inversion from the high-temperature monoclinic form to the low-temperature triclinic form. The analyzed groundmass alkali feldspar from the same trachyandesite is also homogeneous, with albite and pericline twinning. The amount of unmixing in these alkali feldspars can be correlated with the rate of cooling and perhaps also with the water content of the magma. In the relatively slowly cooled plugs, the alkali feldspars are all unmixed; in the relatively quickly cooled flows they are all homogeneous; in the domes some are unmixed, and some are homogeneous. The unmixing of the alkali feldspar in the biotitebearing dike may be caused by the higher water content of the magma rather than to the slow cooling. Iron-Titanium Ores GENERAL FEATURES: For preliminary examination the ores were divided into two groups on the basis of their optical properties in reflected light. The isotropic ores were termed "magnetite," and the anisotropic ores were

MINERALOGY indicates the extreme flexibility of the spinel structure, as several of the analyses are a considerable distance from the line joining the two phases in the system which have the spinel structure, i.e., FeaC^ and Fe2TiC>4. As would be expected, the quickly cooled volcanic ilmenite from G15 contains more Fc2Os in solid solution than the slowly cooled plutonic ilmenites from the Skaergaard intrusion. X-RAY STUDIES: X-ray powder photographs

1325

gests that the material has unmixed slightly, a fact borne out by optical examination which shows the presence of extremely fine exsolution lamellae of an unidentifiable substance. However, the reason this ore is unmixed is rRrt-'dfiar.TRENDS OF CRYSTALLIZATION: From the limited amount of data available it is impossible to make definite conclusions about the trend of crystallization other than that the latest formed magnetite, i.e., in G149, G159, and

Fe2O

Magnetite

Fe,Q

Pseudobrookite ' Fe2Ti05

FeO

Fe2TiO, Ulvospinel

FeTiOs I Imenire

TiO 2

Figure 4. Composition plot of iron-titanium ores. Molecular per cent, o, Gough Island; , Skaergaard; +, Black lack Sill. MnO included with FeO were taken with a 9 cm camera and FeKa radiation of the magnetites from several of the analyzed rocks (Table 7). The magnetites from the aegirine-augite trachytes, G149, G159, and G19D, gave diffuse ppwder patterns with cell dimensions of 8.40A, 8.41A, and 8.39A, respectively, indicating nearly pure magnetite. The diffuseness, therefore, is probably caused by internal strain in the structure due to excessive cation replacement. With the exception of G16, which shows a doubling of the lines, the other magnetites from the trachytic rocks have sharp powder lines andocell dimensions ranging from 8.442A to 8.458A, probably indicating TiO2 in solid solution. These cell dimensions are also similar to that of the magnetite from G15 which has been partially analyzed. The magnetite from G16 apparently contains two similar cubic phases with cell dimensions of approximately 8.40A and 8.44A (see Vincent and Phillips, 1954, p. 11). This sugG19D, appears to be nearer to FejC^ in composition than the earlier magnetites. Micas GENERAL FEATURES: Biotite, which is the only mica recorded from Gough Island, occurs in a few of the xenoliths and in some of the intermediate and late-stage rocks; but except in the biotite trachytes, it never achieves the status of an essential mineral. In the intermediate rock, X10, biotite occurs as subhedral flakes growing into the vesicles and less frequently as ragged flakes in the groundmass, indicating that it was one of the last minerals to crystallize. In the biotite trachytes, however, it crystallizes early, as it occurs as phenocrysts. These are usually partly resorbed and are frequently breaking down to granular magnetite, at first around the edges and at a later stage along cleavage cracks, until, in the final stages of breakdown, all that remains is a network of magnetite grains.

1326

R. W. LE MAITREPETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND in a few instances has amphibole been seen in the lavas and then only as xenocrysts similar to the brown pleochroic amphibole occasionally seen in the xenoliths. All the xenocrysts show a distinct reaction rim of opaque materialprobably iron oreagainst the lava. No alkali amphiboles were positively identified in any of the trachytes and therefore differ from the late differentiates of the Azores, Ascension, and Bouvet, which contain riebeckite, arfvedsonite, and barkervikite. This absence of amphiboles could be caused by a deficiency or an excess of water. The first reason is perfectly obvious; the second is based on experimental evidence which has shown that many amphiboles are unstable in the presence of excess water (Tuttle and Bowen, 1958, p. 92). However, it is difficult to conclude whether either applies in the case of Gough Island. The absence of biotite in many of the rocks suggests a deficiency of waterbiotite being stable in the presence of excess water (Tuttle and Bowen, 1958, p. 93)but the presence of abundant vesicles in the lavas suggests abundant volatiles. Apatite Apatite is a common accessory mineral in the lavas and is particularly abundant in some of the intermediate rocks and late differentiates, where it occurs as phenocrysts frequently associated with granular iron ores. Occasionally it occurs as inclusions in titanaugite phenocrysts. In the groundmass it nearly always occurs as fine acicular needles in the interstitial alkali feldspar. In many of the trachytes, the phenocrystal apatite is full of rodlike inclusions of an opaque mineral which, for reasons unknown, gives it a slight pseudodichroism with o, pale red brown, and e, medium brown. The rods are parallel to the c axis of the apatite and a single crystal X-ray oscillation photograph confirmed that the inclusions were probably magnetite with a distinct preferred orientation; the (110) of the magnetite is parallel to the c axis of the apatite. As there are no obvious closepacked oxygen planes in the apatite structure (Naray-Szabo, 1930), it is difficult to see why the magnetite should be oriented in the manner found. Similar, brown, dichroic, turbid apatites crowded with ore inclusions are also present in an andesine-andesite from Mauna Kea, Hawaii (Cambridge Harker collection No. 60457), and have also been reported in some of the lavas from Tristan da Cunha

TABLE 7. CELL DIMENSIONS OF SOME MAGNETITES Accuracy of measurements: on sharp lines + 0.005 A: on diffuse lines + 0.01 A; specimen localities and names given in Table 9. Rock
G15 G16 G18 G24 G107 G114 G149 G159 G19D a in A

Nature of powder lines Sharp to diffuse Doubling of lines Sharp Sharp Sharp Sharp Diffuse Diffuse Diffuse

8.433 8.44 8.40 8.442 8.458 8.448 8.443 8.40 8.41 8.39

OPTICAL PROPERTIES: As spurious multiple reflections conceal the true Becke line, the accuracy of the following measurements is not better than +0.005. For comparison, the optics of a titanbiotite in a dolerite from Morotu Cape, Sakhalin (Yagi, 1953, p. 787), are also given. Rock type ft Trachybasalt Biotite trachyte Dolerite Pleochroism a X10 Very pale straw G24 Pale straw Yagi Pale straw yellow
X10 G24 Yagi X10 G24 Yagi

1.628 1.690 1.659

0 Medium red brown Dark red brown to green black Dark reddish brown

Without chemical analyses it is impossible to depict the trend of crystallization in detail, but the increasing value of /3 from the trachybasalt to the biotite trachyte suggests that the iron content of the biotite increases with differentiation (Troger, 1956, p. 84). This agrees with Nockolds (1947, p. 409), who found that biotites associated with pyroxenes and olivine (e.g., in the trachybasalt) were less iron-rich than the biotites unaccompanied by any other mafic minerals (e.g., in the trachytes). Amfhiboles The amphibole group of minerals are characteristically rare in the Gough Island lavas. Only

MINERALOGY

1327

(Dunne, 1941, p. 54), where they are described PETROCHEMISTRY as xenocrysts from the mafic xenoliths. Introduction Sodalite The weight per cent analyses of some typical Sodalite is found only in the extreme late lavas are given in Table 10, together with the differentiates. It occurs either in small ir- norms. The localities are given in Table 9. The rocks are generally undersaturated with regular areas as a thin interstitial coating on the alkali feldspar laths or as discrete irregular to respect to silica. The abnormally large amount
15 r

o o
10

Na2O
K,0

OQO

Alk.
-K

/O O

Thol.

45

50

55

bO

65

W t . % SiO 2
Figure 5. Total alkali-silica plot of Gough rocks. Alk., area of Hawaiian alkali rocks; Thol., area of Hawaiian tholeiitic rocks of normative hypersthene in G38 is probably present in the glassy matrix, as hypersthene xenocrysts are not abundant in the rock. The normative hematite present in G50, G2A, and Gil is caused by the high Fe2O3, which in the case of G2A and Gil is due to slight alteration and in G50 to the presence of olivine comNepheline pletely altered to iddingsite. The Cl and F A mineral thought to be nepheline was seen which have been determined on some of the in one of the sodalite trachytes, G19D, where rocks have not been calculated in the norms. it occurs as infrequent, euhedral to subhedral, The 11 previous analyses of rocks from tabular crystals closely associated with sodalite. Gough Island are given by Earth (1942, Optical determination was difficult, but it is Tables 1, 3, 5). probably uniaxial negative. The rock also conThere are no tholeiitic tendencies in any of tains 7.95 per cent normative nepheline. the rocks examined so far as can be seen in equidimensional patches up to 1 mm across. Many of these patches are rimmed with darkgreen aegirine, and some completely enclose alkali feldspar laths. It has a refractive index of n = 1.483 + 0.002 and a cell dimension of a = 8.84A + 0.04.

1328

R. W. LE MAITRE-PETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND and mugearites. Two of the exceptions, G8 and G1322, lie at 51 per cent SiOa and have slightly more than 5 per cent total alkalis, as compared with the normal 7 per cent8 per cent for that silica percentage. The other exception, represented by a cross, is G121. This, however, is a picrite basalt, and these normally fall outside the area marked Alk. (Tilley, 1950, p. 42). Although the rocks series is gradational, it was divided into six groups whose averages are given in Table 8. The chemical variation of the series is best seen in the normative minerals of these averages. Neglecting the picrite basalt which is an accumulative type, normative orthoclase and albite increase steadily throughout the series, whereas normative anorthite, diopside, olivine, and ilmenite decrease steadily. The percentage of salic minerals, i.e., orthoclase, albite, anorthite, and nepheline, increases rapidly at first and then more slowly; the iron content of the olivine increases slowly at first and then more rapidly toward the end of the series. The ilmenite content of the total ore minerals also decreases. The molecular composition of the bulk feldspars (Ne being calculated with Ab) plot on a gently curved line across the triangular diagram, Or-Ab-An (Fig. 3a), except for the feldspar from the aegirine-augite trachyte which is nearer the albite apex of the triangle. Variation of Major and Minor Elements The trace elements were determined spectrographically for all the analyzed rocks (Table 11). The diagrams and descriptive scheme follows that given in a series of papers by Nockolds and Allen (1953, 1954 and 1956), and unless otherwise stated the comparisons are all of other alkali provinces taken from Nockolds and Allen (1954). The triangular variation diagram is given in Figure 6. The Fe-Mg-Alk. curve is a gentle arc but is nearer the Alk.-Mg base at the beginning of the series than similar curves from the Scottish Tertiary, Hawaiian, and Polynesian series. The late differentiates are not, however, as close to the Alk. apex as the three previously mentioned series. The Ca-Na-K curve is virtually straight for most of the series but at the end abruptly changes direction toward the Na apex. This type of trend is not depicted in any

Figure 5. Tilley (1950, p. 42) used this type of diagram to distinguish the alkali and tholeiitic trends in the Hawaiian rocks; the two areas enclosed by dashed lines are the areas outlined by him for the Mauna Loa and Kilauea tholeiitic basalts (Thol.) and the Hualalai and Mauna Kea olivine basalts and mugearites (Alk.). All but three of the mafic rocks fall in the upper half of the region of alkali basalts TABLE 8. AVERAGE COMPOSITION OF TYPICAL ROCK TYPES Weight per cent Si02 TiO2 A12O3 Fe203 FeO MgO CaO Na2O K20
1 2 3 4 5 6

46.8 47.7 51.1 56.3 59.5 61.5 1.9 3.2 2.8 1.8 0.9 0.3 8.2 15.2 17.6 17.8 19.4 18.3 1.2 2.3 2.8 2.9 1.7 2.6 9.8 8.7 6.8 4.7 3.6 2.8 19.8 9.7 4.8 2.3 1.0 0.2 9.5 8.9 6.9 4.7 2.0 1.5 1.6 2.7 4.0 4.8 5.2 7.0 1.2 1.6 3.2 4.7 6.7 5.8
Norms

Or Ab An Ne Di 01 Ilm Mt Per cent salic

7.2 9.5 18.9 27.8 39.5 34.5 9.8 21.9 28.3 38.4 39.1 48.9 11.4 24.5 20.5 13.3 9.7 1.1 2.0 0.6 3.1 1.1 2.6 5.6 8.1 0.3 5.5 28.6 15.8 11.0 35.5 18.4 8.7 3.6 4.5 0.1 3.6 6.1 5.3 3.5 1.7 0.6 1.9 3.2 4.2 4.2 2.6 3.7

30.4 56.5

70.8

80.6

90.9 90.1

Molecular composition feldspar Or Ab An Mol per cent Fa in olivine Mol per cent ilmenite in ore

22 44 34 17

16 42 42 22

25 48 27 25

33 51 16 29

41 49 10 53

35 64 1 79

75

74

66

56

50

20

1. Picrite basalt (G121) 2. Olivine basalt (G71 and Gill) 3. Trachybasalt (G97, X10, G164, G95 and G29) 4. Trachyandesite (G15, G86, and G4A) 5. Trachyte (G107 and G114) 2 6. Aegirine-augite trachyte (G19D, G149 and G159) These two rocks are olivine-poor basalts, i.e., a (The numbers in parentheses refer to rocks in Table 10 "deficiency type," and like accumulative rocks do not used in compiling averages.) fall on the normal trend lines.

PETROCHEMISTRY of the alkali provinces studied by Nockolds and Allen. SILICON AND OXYGEN: Both increase slowly, but steadily, throughout series (Fig. 7). At mafic end ratio of Si to 0 is 1:2; at felsic end ratio is 1:1:65, cf., Hawaiian series. ALUMINUM AND GALLIUM: Aluminum curve increases slightly at beginning but is almost horizontal at felsic end (Fig. 7), cf., Polynesian alkali basalt > trachyte series. Gallium is constant throughout

1329

and Cr+s geochemically behave similarly. Co/Mg ratio almost constant, but Cr/Mg ratio decreases irregularly, Ni/Mg ratio increases at felsic end, after passing through minimum in intermediate rocksa feature absent in Hawaiian, Polynesian and Scottish Tertiary trends. The cobalt curve is always below nickel curve; only rarely is cobalt greater than nickel. The iron curve resembles Polynesian alkali basalt > phonolite series and decreases linearly with no absolute iron enrichment, unlike curves for

TABLE 9. LOCALITIES AND NAMES OF ALL ANALYZED ROCKS Rock Name Picrite basalt Porphyritic olivine basalt Porphyritic olivine basalt Olivine basalt Porphyritic basalt Olivine-poor basalt Olivme-poor basalt Porphyritic trachybasalt Porphyritic trachybasalt Porphyritic trachybasalt Trachybasalt Vesicular trachybasalt Trachybasalt Trachybasalt Porphyritic trachybasalt Porphyritic trachyandesite Trachyandesite Trachyandesite glass Vesicular trachyte Vesicular trachyte Biotite trachyte Biotite trachyte Aegirine-augite trachyte Aegirine-augite trachyte Aegirine-augite trachyte Aegirine-augite trachyte Sodalite aegirine-augite trachyte Sodalite aegirine-augite trachyte Type Dike Vein Dike Flow ? Dike Dike Flow Flow ? Dike Flow Flow Dike Dike Dike ? Dike Flow Flow Dike Dike Flow Dome Dome Plug Plug Plug Locality Mouth of Deep Glen West side of Archway Rock South side of Archway Rock 3^ mile up The Glen stream Boulder base of cliffs west of Buttress Rock The Glen stream, 70 feet above sea level The Glen stream, 240 feet above sea level Waterfall Point, under trachyte flows North shoulder of Mount Rowett Boulder on beach south of Buttress Rock Cliffs north of The Glen beach Summit of Edinburgh Peak Edge of plateau, head of Deep Glen Cliffs at mouth of The Glen North slopes of The Glen, 150 feet above sea level Wall dike, The Glen Block from Tuff, Penguin Island Selvage to dike opposite to G8 % mile south of South Peak 1 14, miles south west of South Peak Mouth of The Glen The Glen stream, 240 feet above sea level %, mile south east Waterfall Point J* mile north-north-west Edinburgh Peak J4 rnile east Expedition Peak The Hag's Tooth Head of Deep Glen M mile east Nigel's Cap Hawaiian and Scottish Tertiary series. Vanadium is unique with no maximum in curve, although few high values at mafic end. V/Mg ratio, has maximum value in intermediate rocks. Steady decrease of Cr/Fe ratio, compared with irregular decrease of Cr/Mg ratio, suggests chromium associated with iron rather than magnesium. V/Fe ratio generally decreases but like V/Mg ratio behaves erratically. Co/Mg and Co/Fe ratios decrease toward felsic end; more regular trend of Co/Fe suggests association of cobalt with iron rather than magnesium. In Polynesian and Scottish Tertiary trends, Co/Mg and Co/Fe ratios almost constant, but in Hawaiian series they decrease. Chromium is first element to reach lower limit of sensitivity, closely followed by cobalt and vanadium. Nickel is detectable throughout. CALCIUM AND STRONTIUM: Calcium curve shows

G121 G71 Gill G13 G38 G132 G8 G97 G50 X10 G22 G2A G164 G29 G95 G15 G86 G4A G114 G107 G24 Gil G16 G3 G18 G149 G159 G19D

series, a feature typical of many rock series {see Nockolds and Allen, 1953: 1956). Average ratio of Ga X 1000/A1 is 0.20 as compared with 0.19 and 0.24 for Polynesian and Hawaiian trends, respectively. MAGNESIUM, NICKEL, LITHIUM, IRON, COBALT, CHROMIUM, VANADIUM: Magnesium decreases steadily toward felsic end, where it is almost zero (Fig. 8). Lithium, just detectable in mafic rocks, increases toward felsic end, causing increase in Li/Mg ratio as differentiation proceeds. Some scatter at felsic end; trachytes having lower ratios than aegirine-augite trachytes. Chromium, nickel, and cobalt spread considerably at mafic end, but all decrease toward felsic end; chromium and nickel decrease more rapidly than cobalt. High chromium in G50 possibly related to excessive amount of Fe2Oj in rock; Fe+3

1330

R. W. LE MAITREPETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND

Alk [Na]

Wt %

Mq [Ca]

Figure 6. Combined triangular variation diagram of Ca-Na-K and Mg-Fe-Alk. in Gough rocks. A o, MgFe-Alk.; A +, Ca-Na-K. Triangular symbols refer to accumulative picrite basalt.

30

5O

Si

Si

20

1O'

AI:
5

Ga

Ga o
+5
-HQ

-5

+ 15

jSi + K-Ca-Mg
Figure 7, Variation diagram of Si, O, Al, and Ga in Gough rocks

PETROCHEMISTRY almost linear decrease at first (Fig. 9) but this becomes more rapid toward felsic end, unlike Hawaiian, Polynesian, and Scottish Tertiary trends, which are almost linear at felsic end. Strontium curve, after passing through shallow maximum decreases steadily to just below limit of sensitivity at felsic end. This resembles strontium behavior in Scottish Tertiary series, but there is much less
40

1331

strontium enrichment in intermediate rocks than in Hawaiian and Polynesian series, probably because strontium enters early fraction of potassiumbearing minerals, notably potassium feldspar (Goldschmidt, 1954, p. 224). In series where potassium feldspar is component even in most mafic rocks, strontium would never be greatly enriched in residual liquids. Sr/Ca and Sr/Ca + K ratios are

2O

Cr 10

IO

o
IO

Mq

Li o

IO

Ni 'Co

10
20

rSi + K-Ca-Mg
Figure 8. Variation diagram of Cr, Li, Mg, Ni, Co, Fe, and V in Gough rocks

1332

R. W. LE MAITREPETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND most constant in mafic rocks but increases slightly in felsic members. Unlike Hawaiian, Polynesian, and Scottish Tertiary series, it is detectable in mafic rocks and shows slight enrichment in late differentiates. SODIUM: Increases almost linearly throughout

irregular but show poor maximum in intermediate rocks. YTTRIUM: Constant almost throughout series but increases slightly at felsic end. Y/Ca ratio decreases steadily with differentiation. LANTHANUM: Behaves similarly to yttrium; al-

-t++ 4-

- IO

Zr Zr

20

10

Co

Sr

10

Ba o

Na
5

o
5

Rb

K o
-5
+5 + IO

+ 15

iSi + K-Ca-Mq
Figure 9. Variation diagram of Zr, Ca, Sr, Ba, Na, Rb, and K in Gough rocks

TABLE 10. CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF ROCKS Localities and names given in Table 9 Weight per cent SiO2 Ti02 A12O3 Fe203 FeO MnO MgO CaO Na2O K2O P205 H20 + H20F Cl less

G121
46.57 1.85 8.20 1.20 9.75 0.14 19.65 9.43 1.56 1.18 0.26 0.11 0.12 0.04 n.d. 100.06 0.02 100.04

G71

Gill 47.73 3.30 15.53 2.02 8.95 0.14 8.37 8.71 2.89 1.70 0.29 0.18 0.06 n.d. n.d. 99.87 99.87

G13

G38

G97

G50

X10

G22

G132
51.16 2.91 15.90 2.76 5.84 0.12 4.89 9.39 2.91 2.25 0.36 1.19 0.27 n.d. n.d.
99.95 99.95

G8

G2A

G164
51.46 2.69 17.12 2.96 6.05 0.15 4.03 5.94 4.06 3.69 0.26 1.09 0.26 n.d. n.d.
99.76 99.76

G29

G95

G4A

G86

G15

G114
58.17 1.00 19.31 1.98 3.45 tr 1.05 1.84 5.05 6.55 0.36 0.84 0.50 0.07 n.d.
100.17 0.03 100.14

Gil

G107
59.17 0.85 18.83 1.46 3.65 0.14 0.93 2.08 5.13 6.60 0.15 0.66 0.28 n.d. n.d.
99.93 99.93

G24

G16

G19D
60.17 0.15 18.45 3.32 2.53 0.23 0.04 1.44 7.52 5.43 0.04 0.31 0.30 n.d. 0.38
100.31 0.08 100.23

G18

G159
60.48 0.30 18.02 2.46 2.76 0.26 0.26 1.86 6.71 5.70 0.07 0.90 0.26 0.05 0.17 100.26 0.06 100.20

G3

G149
62.45 0.38 17.92 2.06 3.11 0.16 0.09 1.17 6.47 6.14 0.09 0.16 0.27 n.d. 0.03 100.50 0.01 100.49

46.04 2.97 14.16 2.53 8.23 0.12 10.71 8.88 2.46 1.45 0.04 1.16 0.94 0.08 0.06 99.83 0.04 99.79

47.85 3.40 15.05 3.44 7.23 0.10 8.51 8.00 2.90 1.97 0.29 0.59 0.47 n.d. n.d. 99.80 99.80

46.72 3.29 16.36 3.43 7.63 0.13 7.00 7.92 2.73 1.29 0.08 2.00 1.15 0.01 0.09 99.83 0.02

48.89 3.07 16.15 1.53 8.15 0.13 7.25 7.58 3.35 2.61 0.15 0.42 0.44 n.d. n.d. 99.72 99.72

45.90 3.25 17.25 7.62 4.32 0.16 5.06 7.63 2.80 2.50 0.39 1.87 1.58 0.07 n.d. 100.40 0.03 100.37

48.82 3.09 17.25 3.68 7.06 0.08 6.26 6.75 3.68 2.52 0.31 0.19 0.25 0.15 n.d. 100.09 0.07 100.02

48.79 3.18 17.39 2.48 7.39 0.10 4.00 8.97 3.28 2.28 0.26 0.98 0.76 n.d. n.d. 99.86 99.86

51.05 2.55 16.79 3.85 5.26 0.12 4.30 8.97 3.26 2.37 0.34 0.84 0.66 n.d. n.d.
100.36 100.36

49.21 2.62 18.26 6.82 2.32 0.13 4.24 5.37 3.75 3.88 0.54 1.66 1.00 n.d. n.d.
99.80 99.80

51.68 2.68 17.50 3.41 6.30 0.12 2.90 6.92 3.91 3.70 0.19 0.54 0.43 n.d. n.d.
100.28 100.28 NORMS

52.01 2.11 18.76 2.46 5.99 0.05 3.11 6.60 4.34 3.38 0.44 0.34 0.14 0.16 n.d.
99.89 0.07 99.82

55.89 1.60 16.90 1.41 6.71 0.13 2.26 4.48 4.44 4.58 0.34 0.99 0.26 0.04 0.04 100.07 0.03 100.04

54.41 1.67 17.37 4.02 3.29 0.12 2.27 4.36 4.94 4.69 0.46 0.86 1.50 0.13 n.d.
100.09 0.05 100.04

55.80 1.87 18.41 3.07 3.78 0.09 2.13 5.07 4.57 4.30 0.23 0.34 0.26 n.d. n.d. 99.92 99.92

57.54 1.22 18.76 4.54 1.56 0.25 1.08 2.42 5.01 5.66 0.15 0.89 0.54 0.21 0.07 99.90 0.10 99.80

59.88 0.90 18.21 1.68 3.54 0.12 0.97 2.50 5.35 6.19 0.29 0.21 0.10 n.d. 0.02 99.96 0.01 99.95

60.52 0.45 18.72 2.67 2.85 0.19 0.52 1.87 5.83 5.77 0.19 0.32 0.07 n.d. n.d. 99.97 99.97

60.90 0.37 18.76 1.30 3.67 0.21 0.23 1.66 6.30 6.03 0.10 0.25 0.07 n.d. n.d. 99.85 99.85

61.14 0.52 18.27 2.48 2.53 0.15 0.57 1.72 5.78 6.00 0.17 0.24 0.18 n.d. n.d.
99.75 99.75

99.81

Qtz Or Ab An Ne C Di 01 Hy Ilm Mt Ap Hm Wo Remainder

7.23 11.00 11.68 1.14


26.84 36.11

8.90 19.65 23.07 0.69


16.22 19.53

10.01 24.10 24.46 13.69 16.57 0.86 6.23 3.02 0.67

11.68 24.63 22.24 12.36 11.20 4.49 6.54 5.10 0.67

7.78 23.06 28.63 7.78 4.70 13.23 6.23 4.87 0.34 3.23
99.85

15.57 22.93 21.13 2.91 12.58 15.03

15.01 23.58 27.24

15.01 29.34 23.07 0.85

13.34 27.77 26.13 13.57 6.99

1.68 13.34 24.63 23.63


17.12

0.96 13.90 27.77 24.19


14.78

22.80 31.05 21.41 0.50

21.68 31.05 17.51 1.91

21.68 30.39 19.46 1.42 11.31 4.57

20.02 33.54 21.68 1.70

27.24 37.73 12.51

27.80 39.30 11.40 1.42

25.58 38,77 16.68

3.50 1.86 0.67 0.25


100.28

5.62 3.71 0.34 2.20


99.93

5.78 2.32 0.34 0.86


99.45

6.26 2.66 6.00 6.23 4.87 1.01 4.32 3.49


100.67

7.10 12.32 5.93 5.34 0.67 0.52


100.15

6.08 3.71 0.67 1.74


100.00

7.97 5.47 3.97 0.67 1.46


99.94

6.18 4.86 5.57 0.67 1.50


100.38

1.30 7.00 6.88 1.34 5.02 2.66


99.96

8.51 7.40 5.17 4.41 0.67 1.35


99.66

6.74 6.06 3.95 3.48 1.01 0.57


98.75

5.17 4.87 0.34 0.97


100.18

6.77 6.26 2.58 3.04 2.09 0.67 1.30


100.19

5.19 2.40 3.19 5.80 1.34 2.44


100.28

5.96 3.79 3.65 4.41 0.34 0.60


99.78

38.92 41.65 6.39 0.43 1.53

33.92 42.44 11.12

0.20 2.70 2.28 2.55 0.34 2.72 1.61


99.88

38.92 39.82 8.62 1.99

36.70 43.74 7.23 0.71

34.47 48.86 7.51 0.21

32.25 48.73 0.56 7.95

35.58 46.37 5.00 3.83

33.92 47.50 1.95 4.90

35.58 49.25 5.84

36.14 52.00 1.39 1.63

4.06 1.98 3.02 1.01 1.38


100.37

0.94 4.76 1.52 2.09 0.34 0.94


99.94

2.80 3.49 1.67 2.55 0.67 0.32


99.88

0.70 2.86 0.91 3.71 0.34 0.39


99.96

3.94 0.30 4.87 0.34 0.58 0.91


100.43

2.20 3.69 0.76 1.86 0.34 0.32


99.95

5.56 0.59 0.61 3.71 0.34 1.32


100.40

1.40 0.96 1.38 0.91 3.71 0.34 0.42


99.79

3.24 1.57 0.76 3.02 0.34 0.45


100.54

0.24
99.85

1.06
99.97

LE MAITRE, TABLE 10 Geological Society of America Bulletin, volume 73

TABLE 11. SPF.CTROGRAPHIC ANALYSES OF ROCKS Major elementsparts per thousand by weight, water-free bases; minor elementsparts per million by weight. Localities and names given in Table 9.
c* Si Al Ti Fe Mg Fe Na Ca K Ga Cr V Li Ni Co Sc Zr Y La Sr Pb Ba Rb +4 +3 +4 +3 +2 +2 +1 +2 +1 +3 +3 +3 +1 +2 +2 +3 +4 +3 +3 +2 +2 +2 +1 rt

G121
218 43 11 8 118 76 12 68 10

G71 220 77 18 18 66 65 19 65 12
20 270 180 15 320 46 22 120 20 40 800

Gill
224 83 20 14 50 70 22 62 14
15 220 140 16 100 22 15 125 12

G13 226 80 20 25 52 57 22 58 17
15 220 90 10 100 22

G38 226 89 20 25 43 61 21 59 11
20 150 100 5 140 45 10 140 20 40 700

G97 231 86 19 11 44 64 25 55 22
20 100 100 5 100 27

G132
242 85 17 20 30 46 22 68 19
15 80 90 6 22 14 15 125 12

G22 232 94 19 18 25 58 24 65 19
22 100 250 5 30 100

G50
221 94 20 55 31 35 22 56 22
20 400 100 5 100 27 10 180 20 40 700

X10 229 92 19 26 38 55 27 49 21
20 100 120 5 100 32

G8

G95 244 100 13 18 19 47 33 47 28


20 8 100 5 8 15

G164
244 92 16 21 25 47 30 43 31
20 45 100 5 45 22

G29 243 93 16 24 17 49 29 50 31
20

G2A 237 100 16 49 26 19 29 39 33


15 40 80 16 22 12

G15 262 98 11 22 13 30 34 36 36
15 5 80 16 6 5

G4A 264 91 10 10 14 52 33 32 38
20 50 15 8 10

G86 260 94 10 29 14 26 38 32 42
20 80 7 2

G24 280 97 5 12 6 28 40 18 51
20 10 15 2

Gil 274 101

G114
275 104 6 14 7 27 38 14 55
20

G16
284 100 3 19 3 23 43 14 48

G159
286 96 2 18 2 22 50 14 48
20 24 2
1000

G107

G19D

G3

G18 286 100 2 9 2 29 47 12 51


30 22 30 8 45
1000

G149

0.42 0.51 0.68 0.64 0.66 0.74 0.97 0.99 1.33 0.62 0.63 0.74 0.68 0.69 0.72 0.81 0.79 0.92 1.14 1.12 1.20 1.34 1.47

241 90 16 27 26 41 24 64 20
22 100 200 5 90 60 22 220 25

7
32 7 12 38 18 48 20 20 12 8 5

279 101 5 11 5 29 39 15 56
20

282 98 1 23 1 19 56 10 46
40 40 5
1000

287 97 3 18 4 19 43 12 50
20 2 10 24 8 10

292 95 2 15 1 24 48 9 51
20 35 3
1000

5 1250 100 3 465 100 22 100 10


450 340 30
42 58

15
25 5

220 5 8 22 220 25 50 900

5 2
220 20 50 250 600 100
85

io
3
450 80 120 300 650 100
89 H

5
450 45 100 850 450 20 50 750

650 800 100


63 37

125 12 20 650 650 100


61 39

180 20 40 850 750 55


63 37

220 25

1000
550 100
69 31

1000
700 40

140 20 40 950 900 100


68 32

1000
700 55
72 28

220 20 40 1250

220 20 40 1100

125 12 20 1000

250 18 35 1100

270 20 50 850

460 20 50 850

400 12 45 100 140 1000


93

55 130 45 20

55 220 20

900 30
56 44

500 30
67 33

900 55
74 26

1100 100
77 23

1200 100
73 27

1150 45
81 19

1200 320
72 28

1200 320
80 20

1450 180
82 18

1400 100
80 20

2000 180
87 13

1500 300
86 14

300
95 5

320
98 2

450 20 40 120 20 200 300


90 10

100 280
20 10 300 95 5

20 100 20

300
97 3

Fe (per cent) Mg (per cent)

75 25

15

Position MSi +K-Ca-Mg Ga x 1000/A1 Cr X 1000/Mg V x 1000/Mg Li x 1000/Mg Ni x 1000/Mg Co X 1000/Mg Fe/Mg Cr X 1000/Fe V X 1000/Fe Co X 1000/Fe Y X 1000/Ca Sr X 100/Ca Sr X 100/Ca + K
Ba x 100/K Rb x 100/K

-10.3

-4.6 0.26
4.1 2.7 0.23 4.9 0.70 1.3 3.2 2.2 0.55

-2.3 0.18
4.4 2.8 0.32 2.0 0.44 1.7 2.6 1.7 0.26

-1.8 0.19
4.2 1.7 0.19 1.9 0.42 1.6 2.7 1.1 0.27

-1.6 0.22
2.3 2.3 0.12 3.3 1.0 2.0 1.2 1.2 0.52

0.0

+0.2 0.18
2.7 3.0 0.20 0.74 0.47 1.7 1.2 1.4 0.21

+0.6 0.23
4.0 10.0 0.20 1.2 4.0 3.0 1.3 3.3 1.3

+0.9 0.21
7.1 3.2 0.16 3.2 0.87 2.9 2.4 1.1 0.30

+1.0 0.22
2.6 3.1 0.13 2.6 0.84 2.1 1.2 1.5 0.39

+1.0 0.24
3.8 7.7 0.19 3.5 2.3 2.6 1.5 2.9 0.88

+4.3 0.20 0.42 5.3 0.26 0.42 0.79 3.4 0.12 1.5 0.23 0.43 2.7 1.7
3.9 0.36

+4.4 0.22
1.8 4.0 0.20 1.8 0.88 2.7

+4.5 0.23 13.0 0.30 0.47 1.3 4.3


3.0 0.30

+4.7 0.15
1.5 3.1 0.61 0.85 0.46 2.6

+7.4 0.15 0.38 6.2 1.2 0.46 0.38 4.0 0.10 1.5 0.10 0.50 3.1 1.5
3.3 0.89

+8.0 0.22
3.6 1.1 0.57 0.72 4.4

+8.3 0.21
5.7 0.50 0.14 0.36 3.9 1.5 0.09 1.4 2.7 1.1 3.3 0.24

+9.7 0.21
1.7 2.5 0.33 6.7

+11.4

+12.6

+12.6

+12.7

+12.9

+12.9

+13.0

+13.2

+13.8

0.12 10.6 0.85 0.03 3.9 0.85 0.71 14.9 1.2 1.2 0.15 0.66 0.58
3.4 0.30

0.23
2.3 2.3 0.11 2.3 0.61 1.7 1.3 1.3 0.36

0.20
2.9 1.7 1.3 0.72 6.3

0.19 0.72 0.29


5.9

0.15
8.4 1.7

0.21 12.0 1.0 20.0

0.20
2.0 0.60 8.0

0.41 40.0 5.0 42.0

0.21 0.50 2.5 6.0 2.0 2.5 9.3 0.05 0.27 0.27

0.30 11.0 15.0 4.0 22.5 19.0 0.58


1.2 8.3

0.21 35.0 3.0 39.0

14.4

0.66 1.5 0.32 0.46 2.6 1.5


3.9 0.32

0.59 1.2 0.18 0.31 2.6 1.4


3.6 0.97

0.81 0.16 0.63 2.7 1.2


3.8 0.47

0.25
1.1 4.2 1.1 3.9 0.35

0.45 0.11
1.1 4.7 1.3 3.1 0.63 1.4 1.8 0.39 1.1 0.18

0.31 1.2 1.0


7.5 0.25

0.20 1.0 0.85


5.7 0.72

0.21 1.1 0.87


3.8 0.59

0.34 1.2 1.0


4.5 0.27

0.36 1.5 1.1


3.4 0.25

0.18 1.5 1.1


2.9 0.53

0.38 1.5 1.2


3.7 0.21

0.36 1.3 0.90


4.1 0.25

0.41 1.9 1.4


4.3 0.48

0.39 1.6 1.2


3.5 0.27

0.50 1.8 1.1


3.7 0.15

0.86 0.72 0.16


2.9 2.1

3.9 0.32 0.07

5.3 2.0 0.42 1.2 0.18

5.5

1.7 1.0 0.19

2.2

0.63

0.70

0.40 0.60

0.02 0.59

0.59

* charge

t ionic radii

LE MAITRE, TABLE 11 Geological Society of America Bulletin, volume 73

PETROCHEMISTRY series but scatters somewhat at felsic end (Fig. 9). Higher values belong to aegirine-augite trachytes and lower to trachytes, cf., Polynesian alkali basalt > phonolite series and Polynesian alkali basalt > tachyte series. POTASSIUM, BARIUM, RUBIDIUM, LEAD: Potassium increases almost linearly, with slight spread at felsic end; lower values belong to aegirine-augite trachytes and higher values to trachytes, cf., two Polynesian trends (Fig. 9). Barium increases slightly to end of intermediate rocks, then decreases rapidly to felsic rocks; the aegirine-augite trachytes are below limit of sensitivity. Two biotite trachytes, Gil and G24, have higher values of barium than assumed liquid line of descent, probably due to the concentration of barium in biotite (Goldschmidt, 1954, p. 253). Rubidium scatters in intermediate and late-stage rocks, but generally increases steadily resembling Hawaiian series. Low points on rubidium curve at felsic end belong to trachytes. Lead detected in small amounts in aegirine-augite trachytes. Ba/K ratio is constant almost to felsic end, where it drops to zero. Rb/K ratio virtually constant throughout series, with average value of 0.4, which is lower than that for Hawaiian and Polynesian series but similar to Scottish Tertiary series. ZIRCONIUM: Increases steadily toward felsic end, where points scatter considerably (Fig. 9). Aegirineaugite trachytes have much higher zirconium values than trachytes, a feature absent in two Polynesian end members. Hawaiian series is only one in which zirconium in late differentiates is comparable with aegirine-augite trachytes. Zirconium is especially concentrated in residual magmas rich in alkali minerals (Goldschmidt, 1954, p. 424). ACCUMULATIVE ROCK: Only one has been analyzed; this shows marked increase in chromium, nickel, and cobalt and decrease in gallium, zirconium, yttrium, strontium, and barium. Typical of many accumulative rocks of other igneous rock DIFFERENTIATION Three lines of evidence strongly support the view that the rocks exposed on Gough Island were derived from an alkali olivine basalt magma, by a process of crystal differentiation. DIRECT EVIDENCE: Many of the rock types have residual trachytic patches frequently lining vesicles, e.g., the picrite basalt, G121, and the trachyandesite, G15. This material represents the last fraction of liquid to crystallize; the high volatile content near the vesicle lowers the liquid's melting point. These patches are trachytic in both composition and texture and consist of small rectangular, simply twinned, alkali feldspar crystals, occasionally with small flakes of biotite and a pale-green sodic pyroxene. Less obvious evidence is

1333

afforded by the interstitial alkali feldspar, present in most of the rocks; this again indicates that the last liquid to crystallize is essentially of trachytic composition. CHEMICAL EVIDENCE: Table 12 gives the TABLE 12. COMPOSITION OF MATERIALS, WHICH, WHEN REMOVED FROM AVERAGE OLIVINE BASALT, PRODUCE ROCKS LATER IN SERIES Weight per cent SiO2 TiO2 A12O3 Fe203 FeO MgO CaO Na2O K20
1 2 3 4

44.4 44.1 3.6 3.8 12.9 14.1 1.8 2.0 10.5 10.4 14.5 12.8 10.8 10.7 1.4 1.8 0.1 0.3
Norms

44.5 44.5 3.8 3.9 14.1 14.5 2.5 2.3 10.1 10.0 12.1 11.9 10.7 10.6 2.0 1.7 0.2 0.6

Or Ab An Di 01 Hy Ilm Mt Per cent salic Molecular Or composition Ab of feldspar An Mol per cent Fa in olivine Mol per cent ilmenite in ore Per cent removed

0.6 12.1 28.4 20.2 23.2 6.2 6.8 2.5 41.1 1 31 68

1.7 1.1 15.2 16.8 29.5 28.9 18.9 19.3 24.0 20.7 0.4 2.2 7.3 7.3 3.0 3.7 46.4 46.8 4 2 34 37 62 61

3.3 14.2 30.3 17.8 19.6 4.1 7.5 3.2 47.8 7 31 62

20 80 51

20

20

20 78 81

79 75 70 78.5

1. Material to be removed to produce trachybasalt 2. Material to be removed to produce trachyandesite 3. Material to be removed to produce trachyte 4. Material to be removed to produce aegirine-augite trachyte compositions of four materials, which, when subtracted from the average olivine basalt (Table 8) in appropriate amounts, produce the average trachybasalt, trachyandesite, trachyte, and aegirine-augite trachyte. The compositions of the materials were determined graphically, using the addition and subtraction diagram (Bowen, 1928, p. 76). However, there is no unique solution to this type of problem. The compositions have been chosen so that the material to be subtracted contains very

1334

R. W. LE MAITRE-PETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND are thus remarkably similar. Therefore, by removing the early formed phenocrysts, the liquid could change successively in composition from olivine basalt to aegirine-augite trachyte. Another chemical line of evidence is that of "petrogeny's residual system" (Bowen, 1937, p. 11). The normative salic constituents of all the trachyte rocks have been recalculated in terms of NaAlSiO4, KAlSiOs, and SiO2 and plotted in Figure 10. If the rocks are a sequence

little K.2O and so that the percentage of material to be subtracted from the olivine basalt to produce a particular rock is less than that to produce rocks further along the series. The mineral phases in the norm are of almost constant composition, and the differences in bulk composition are caused mainly by the differing proportions of the minerals present. The percentage of the normative salic constituents increases from material 1 to 4, whereas

.990420

Sodium
Feldspar,

Potassium feldspar

leucite

Figure 10. Plot of late differentiates from Gough Island in system, NaAlSiC>4 KAlSiC>4 SiOa. After Schairer (1950) the normative diopside and olivine decrease. The molecular percentage of iron in the normative olivine and pyroxene is constant at 20 per cent. The molecular compositions of the feldspar and iron ore are also reasonably constant. Hypersthene appears in all the norms, as the average olivine basalt is slightly more silica saturated than the more felsic types. The compositions of the olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase phenocrysts in the rocks change slowly in the mafic and intermediate lavas (Tables 2, 3, 5). The average phenocrystal olivine and plagioclase compositions are approximately Faas and An^g, respectively. Ilmenite also predominates over magnetite in the phenocrystal ores. The pyroxenes show little change in their composition; their Fe X 100/Fe + Mg ratio is approximately 20 per cent. The pyroxenes also contain hypersthene in solid solution. The phenocrysts and the normative minerals of materials 1-4 of residual liquids derived from a common source, they should not only lie in the lowtemperature part of the system but should show a definite trend, with the earlier liquids at a higher temperature than the later ones. The trachytes, G107 and G114, lie almost on the potassium feldspar-sodium feldspar join at just below 1100 C. Also on this join and just below 1075 C lie the two biotite trachytes, Gil and G24. These are followed by the aegirine-augite trachytes, G2, G16, G18, and G149, and finally by the sodalite-bearing aegirine-augite trachytes, G159 and G19D, which cascade down the side of the temperature col toward the nepheline eutectic at 1020 C, and phonolitic late differentiates. It is evident that a small change in the composition of the early trachytes, G107 and G114, would send the later differentiates cascading down the other side of the temperature col toward the silica eutectic and rhyolitic

DIFFERENTIATION differentiates (Fig. 10). This probably accounts for the random distribution of phonolites and rhyolites as the end products of the differentiation of alkali olivine basalts. MINERALOGICAL EVIDENCE: In Figure 3a the normative compositions of the feldspars from the six average rock types have been plotted; the numbers correspond to those in Table 8. Points 2-5, i.e., the normative feldspars from

1335

the olivine basalt to trachyte, lie on a smooth curve, convex side toward the Ab apex. Point 5, which represents the normative feldspar from the average aegirine-augite trachyte, lies off this curve toward the Ab apex. If the rocks belong to a series in which crystal differentiation has played a major role, points 2-6 will approximately represent the composition of the feldspathic component of

TABLE 13. COMPOSITION OF SOME AVERAGE BASALTS AND LATE DIFFERENTIATES FROM OCEANIC ISLANDS Area 1 2 3 4 Basalts SiO2 TiO2 A12O3 Fe2O3 FeO MgO CaO Na2O K2O Number of analyses in average 5 6 7 8 9

45.7 2.3 14.1 4.8 7.4 10.3 12.4 2.4 0.6


4

50.1 2.8 16.3 4.1 7.5 5.4 8.8 3.7 1.3


3

47.9 3.6 16.4 3.9 8.2 6.4 8.7 3.8 1.1


4

47.5 3.8 16.7 3.2 7.4 5.1 9.7 4.0 2.6


4

47.7 3.2 15.2 2.3 8.7 9.7 8.9 2.7 1.6


2

50.3 2.6 18.1 4.4 5.8 4.3 10.4 3.2 0.9


2

48.7 4.3 13.4 4.1 8.3 8.3 7.8 3.5 1.6


5

46.9 3.0 15.4 3.8 8.2 8.5 10.6 2.6 1.0


1

46.5 3.0 14.8 3.3 9.6 8.6 10.6 2.7 0.9


H

Late differentiates Si02 TiO2 A12O3 Fe2O3 FeO MgO CaO Na20 K2O Number of analyses in average

64.5 0.8 17.2 2.4 2.1 0.3 1.4 6.3 5.0


3

66.6 0.4 15.6 3.5 1.1 0.3 1.1 6.4 5.0


5

61.3 0.4 18.1 2.5 2.9 0.2 2.0 7.6 5.0


5

61.2 0.8 19.7 2.1 0.8 0.3 1.9 7.0 6.2


3

61.5 0.3 18.3 2.6 2.8 0.2 1.5 7.0 5.8


3

70.2 0.3 13.5 1.9 3.1 0.1 0.6 5.4 4.9


3

66.9 0.7 17.2 2.1 1.3 0.3 1.6 5.4 4.5


2

64.2 0.5 17.7 3.2 1.3 0.7 1.4 6.8 4.2


4

62.8 0.2 18.7 2.6 2.0 0.4 1.5 6.9 4.9


6

1. Azores (Esenwein, 1929. Basalt average: p. 151, analysis 15; p. 152, analyses 14, 16; p. 156, analysis 20. Late differentiate average: p. 130, analysis 1; p. 131, analysis 4; p. 133, analysis 2) 2. Ascension (Daly, 1927. Basalt average: p. 71, Table 5, analysis 2. Late differentiate average: p. 73, Table 6, analysis 2) 3. St. Helena (Daly, 1927. Basalt average: p. 71, Table 5, analysis 1. Late differentiate average: p. 73, Table 6, analysis 1) 4. Tristan da Cunha (Dunne, 1941. Basalt average: p. 64, Table 7, analyses 1, 2, 3, 4. Late differentiate average: p. 86, Table 11, analyses 3, 4, 5) 5. GOUGH (This paper. Basalt average: Table 8, analyses G71, Gill. Late differentiate average: Table 8, analyses G19D, G149, G159) 6. Bouvet (Broch, 1946. Basalt average: p. 24, analyses 1, 2. Late differentiate average: p. 24, analyses 6, 7, 8) 7. Tutuila, Samoa (Daly, 1927. Basalt average: p. 71, Table 5, analysis 3. Late differentiate average: p. 73, Table 6, analysis 3) 8. Hawaii (Nockolds and Allen, 1954. Basalt average: p. 282, Table 17, analysis 2; Walker and Nicolaysen, 1954. Late differentiate average: p. 24, Table 3, analysis 17) 9. Mauritius (Walker and Nicolaysen, 1954. Basalt average: p. 24, Table 3, analyses 1, 18, 21. Late differentiate average: p. 24, Table 3, analysis 15)

1336

R. W. LE MAITREPETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND and Hawaii; the only marked differences are lower MgO in St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha and higher CaO in Hawaii. The similarity between the Gough Island lavas and those of St. Helena and Tristan is further borne out in the averages of their late differentiates; the three averages are almost identical. In comparing late differentiates, however, it must be remembered that they should all tend toward two compositions in "petrogeny's residual system"rhyolites or phonolites; examples of both tendencies can be found on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The late differentiates in the Azores, Ascension, and Bouvet are quartztrachytes and rhyolites; those of St. Helena are phonolitic trachytes containing up to 12 per cent by weight of nepheline (Daly, 1927, p. 66). Those on Gough and Tristan have slight phonolitic tendencies but are not as extreme as those on St. Helena. Figures 11 and 12 give the weight per cent triangular variation diagrams of all published analyses of the lavas from the six islands on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, except Gough Island, for which only the author's analyses have been used. Although these types of diagrams are useful in distinguishing major differences between rock series, e.g., alkali or tholeiitic, they can be very deceptive in a detailed comparison of similar provinces. In the MgO-FeO-Alk diagram (Fig. 11), the Azores is apparently very similar to Gough, but, as demonstrated, there are marked differences between the two. Similarly, the Tristan da Cunha and St. Helena series do not appear to be very similar to those of Gough; chemically, however, they are the closest. In the CaO-Na2O-K.2O triangular diagram (Fig. 12), Ascension, Azores, and Tristan appear to be most similar to Gough, but only Tristan is closely similar. However, in spite of these minor dissimilarities, it can be seen that Gough Island has much in common with other oceanic islands, and it is hoped that this study will help to contribute to a better understanding of basaltic petrogenesis throughout the world.

successive liquids in the crystallizing melt. Figure 3b shows the theoretical composition of a liquid crystallizing in the system, Or-AbAn. The crystallization of a liquid of composition Y has already been described; however, a previously unemphasized fact is that the liquid will not move from Y to C L along a straight line but along a curved path with its convex side toward the Ab apex, as the initial plagioclase to crystallize will be more anorthitic than C'. On reaching CL, the liquid changes course abruptly and moves down the field boundary toward K L . The similarity between the curved paths, Y-CL and 2-3-4-5, and the field boundary, CL-KL and 5-6, is striking. COMPARISON WITH OTHER OCEANIC PROVINCES The average chemical analyses of alkali basalts and late differentiates from the six large islands on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and those from Hawaii, Samoa, and Mauritius are given in Table 13. All the averages have been recalculated to 100 per cent on an H2O, MnO, and P2Oj free basis. Although the averages are all of alkali basalts, there is a remarkable composition range among them. The Gough Island basalts are characterized by relatively high K^O, low Na2O, and MgO greater than CaO. The high MgO, which is probably caused by the abundance of olivine, is not common and occurs only in the averages of two other provinces Tutuila, Samoa, and Huahine, Society Islands (Green and Poldervaart, 1955, Table 1, area 8). However, the Samoan basalts differ from those of Gough in having much lower A^Os and higher TiO2, Na2O, and total iron. Similarly, the average Ascension and Bouvet basalts, which resemble each other, differ from the Gough basalts, in having higher SiO2, A12O3, Fe2O3, and Na2O and lower TiO2, FeO, K2O, and MgO. The Azores and Mauritius basalts differ in their low SiO2 and K2O and high CaO content. The only averages which are reasonably similar to the Gough basalts in composition are those of St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha,

COMPARISON WITH OTHER OCEANIC PROVINCES


FeO FeO

1337

Alk.

Wt %

MqO

Alk.

Wt %
FeO

MqO

FeO

FeO = Total Iron as FeO Alk. = Na,C

MqO

Alk.

MqO

FeO

FeO

Alk.

Wt % MqO Alk. Wt % MqO Figure 11. MgO-FeO-Alk. triangular variation diagram for six islands on Mid-Atlantic Ridge

1338

R. W. LE MAITRE-PETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND


K,O

Wt %
'2

CaO

Na 2 O

Wt %

Co

KO

K2O A

/
/ BOUVET

Wt %

CaO

CaO

K,O

Figure 12. CaO-Na2O-K.2O triangular variation diagram for six islands on Mid-Atlantic Ridge

REFERENCES CITED REFERENCES CITED

1339

Earth, T. F. W., 1942, Lavas of Gough Island: Sci. Results Norwegian Antarctic Expedition 19271928: Oslo, Norske Videnskaps Akademi, no. 20, p. 1-20 Bowen, N. L., 1928, The evolution of the igneous rocks: Princeton, N. J., Princeton Univ. Press, 332 p. 1937, Recent high temperature research on silicates and its significance in igneous geology: Am. Jour. Sci., v. 33, p. 1-21 Bown, M. G., and Gay, P., 1959, The identification of oriented inclusions in pyroxene crystals: Am. Mineralogist, v. 44, p. 592-602 Broch, O. A., 1946, Two contributions to Antarctic petrography. I. The lavas of Bouvet Island: Sci. Results Norwegian Antarctic Expedition 1927-1928: Oslo, Norske Videnskaps Akademi, no. 25, p. 3-26 Brown, G. M., 1957, Pyroxenes from the early and middle stages of fractionation of the Skaergaard intrusion, East Greenland: Mmeralog. Mag., v. 31, p. 511-543 Campbell, R., 1914, Rocks from Gough Island, South Atlantic: Royal Soc. Edinburgh Trans., v. 50, pt. 2, no. 13, p. 397-404 Coombs, D. S., 1954, Ferriferous orthoclase from Madagascar: Mmeralog. Mag., v. 30, p. 409-427 Daly, R. A., 1927, The geology of St. Helena Island: Am. Acad. Arts and Sci. Proc., v. 62, no. 2, p. 31-92 Dunne, J. C., 1941, Volcanology of the Tristan da Cunha group: Results Norwegian Sci. Expedition to Tristan da Cunha, 1937-1938: Oslo, Norske Videnskaps Akademi, no. 2, p. 1-145 Esenwein, P., 1929, Zur petrographie der Azorcn: Zeitschrift fiir Vulkanologie, v. 12, p. 108-227 Gay, P., and Le Maitre, R. W., 1961, Some observations on "iddingsite": Am. Mineralogist, v. 46, p. 92-111 Goldschmidt, V. M., 1954, Geochemistry: Oxford, Clarendon Press, 730 p. Green, J., and Poldervaart, A., 1955, Some basaltic provinces: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 7, p. 177-188 Hatch, F. H., Wells, A. K., and Wells, M. K., 1949, The petrology of the igneous rocks: London, Thomas Murby and Co., 469 p. Joel, N., and Muir, I. D., 1958, New techniques for the universal stage. 2. The determination of 2V when only one optic axis is accessible: Mineralog. Mag., v. 31, p. 878-882 Johannsen, A., 1937, A descriptive petrography of the igneous rocks. 3. The intermediate rocks: Chicago, 111., Univ. Chicago Press, 360 p. Kennedy, G. C., 1947, Charts for correlation of optical properties with chemical composition of some common rock-forming minerals: Am. Mineralogist, v. 32, p. 561-573 1955, Some aspects of the role of water in rock melts: Geol. Soc. America Special Paper 62, p. 489-504 Le Maitre, R. W., 1960, The geology of Gough Island, South Atlantic: Overseas Geol. and Min. Resources, v. 7, no. 4, p. 371-380 Macdonald, G. A., 1949. Hawaiian petrographie province: Geol. Soc. America Bull, v. 60, p. 1541-1596 1960, Dissimilarity of continental and oceanic rock types: Jour. Petrology, v. 1, no. 2, p. 172-177 MacKenzie, W. S., and Smith, J. V., 1956, The alkali felspars. 3. An optical and X-ray study of hightemperature felspars: Am. Mineralogist, v. 41, p. 405-427 Muir, I. D., 1951, The clinopyroxenes of the Skaergaard intrusion, eastern Greenland: Mineralog. Mag., v. 29, p. 690-714 Muir, I. D., Tilley, C. E., and Scoon, J. H., 1957, Contributions to the petrology of Hawaiian basalts. 1. The picrite basalts of Kilauea: Am. Jour. Sci., 255, p. 241-253 Murray, R. J., 1954, The clinopyroxenes of the Garbh Eilean sill, Shiant Isles: Geol. Mag., v. 91, p. 17-31 Naray-Szabo, St., 1930, The structure of apatite: Zeitschrift fiir Kristallographie, v. 75, p. 387-398 Nockolds, S. R., 1947, The relation between chemical composition and paragenesis in the biotite micas of igneous rocks: Am. Jour. Sci., v. 245, p. 401-420 1954, Average composition of some igneous rocks: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 65, p. 1007-1032 Nockolds, S. R., and Allen, R., 1953, The geochemistry of some igneous rock series: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 4, p. 105-142 1954, The geochemistry of some igneous rock series: Part 2: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 5, p. 245-285 1956, The geochemistry of some igneous rock series: Part 3: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 9, p. 34-77

1340

R. W. LE MAITREPETROLOGY OF VOLCANIC ROCKS, GOUGH ISLAND

Pirsson, L. V., 1893, Notes on some volcanic rocks from Gough Island, South Atlantic: Am. Jour. Sci., v. 45, p. 380-384 Ramberg, H., 1952, Chemical bonds and distribution of cations i'n silicates: Jour. Geology, v. 60, p. 331355 Rittman, A., 1929, Die zonermethode zur plagioklasbestimmung: Schweizer. Mineralogische Petrographische Mitt., v. 9, p. 1-46 Schairer, J. F., 1950, The alkali felspar join in the system NaAlSiOvKAlSidi-SiO^: Jour. Geology, v. 58, p. 512-517 Smith, J. R., 1958, The optical properties of heated plagioclases: Am. Mineralogist, v. 43, p. 1179-1194 Smith, J. V., and Gay, P., 1958, The powder patterns and lattice parameters of plagioclase felspars. 2: Mineralog. Mag., v. 31, p. 744-762 Smith, J. V., and MacKenzie, W. S., 1955, The alkali felspars. 2. A simple X-ray technique for the study of alkali felspars: Am. Mineralogist, v. 40, p. 733-747 Smith, W. Campbell, 1930, Diego Alvarez or Gough Island: Report on the geological collection made during the voyage of the "Quest" on the Shackleton-Rowett expedition, 1921-1922: British Mus. (Nat. History), chap. 8, p. 22-38 Tilley, C. E., 1950, Some aspects of magmatic evolution: Geol. Soc. London Quart. Jour., v. 106, p. 37-62 Trbger, W. E., 1956, Optische bestimmung der gestemsbildenden minerale. Part 1. Bestimmungstabellen: Stuttgart, E. Schweizerbart. Verlagsbuch-handlung, 147 p. Tuttle, O. F., and Bowen, N. L., 1958, Origin of granite in the light of experimental studies in the system NaAlSisOg-KAlSisOs-SiCVr^O: Geol. Soc. America Mem. 74, 153 p. Tuttle, O. F., and Keith, M. L., 1954, The granite problem: Evidence from the quartz and felspar of a Tertiary granite: Geol. Mag., v. 91, p. 61-72 Vincent, E. A., and Phillips, R., 1954, Iron-titanium oxide minerals in layered gabbros of the Skaergaard intrusion, Eastern Greenland. Part 1, Chemistry and ore-microscopy: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 6, p. 1-26 Walker, F., and Nicolaysen, L. O., 1954, The petrology of Mauritius: Colonial Geology and Mineral Resources, v. 4, p. 3-43 Wilkinson, J. F. G., 1956, Clinopyroxenes of alkali olivine-basalt magma: Am. Mineralogist, v. 41, p. 724-743 1957, The clinopyroxenes of a differentiated teschenite sill, near Gunnedah, New South Wales: Geol. Mag., v. 94, p. 123-134 1959, The geochemistry of a differentiated teschenite sill, near Gunnedah, New South Wales: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 16, p. 123-150 Williams, H., Turner, F. J., and Gilbert, C. M., 1954, Petrography. An introduction to the study of rocks in thin section: San Francisco, W. H. Freeman Company. 406 p. Yagi, K., 1953, Petrochemical studies on the alkalic rocks of the Morotu district, Sakhalin: Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 64, p. 769-810 Yoder, H. S., and Sahama, Th. G., 1957, Olivine X-ray determinative curve: Am. Mineralogist, v. 42, p. 475-491 MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED BY THE SOCIETY, MAY 31, 1961

You might also like