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Geochemical constraints on the petrogenesis of arc picrites and basalts, New Georgia Group, Solomon Islands

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Abstract

Island arc picrites are restricted to a few localities including the Lesser Antilles, Japan, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. The picrite occurrences appear to be linked to the subduction of young, hot oceanic crust and anomalous geotherms. At the Solomon arc, the Australian plate is presently subducted beneath the Pacific plate. A particular feature of the Solomon arc is the subduction of a spreading center (Woodlark Ridge). In the Solomon Islands, picrites only occur in the New Georgia archipelago, located above or close to the subducting Woodlark Ridge. These picrites contain between 12 and 30 wt% MgO, the associated primitive basalts show MgO contents from 11.5 to 13.6 wt%. Linear trends defined by Cr, Ni and other trace elements vs. MgO indicate that the picritic bulk compositions originate from mixing between a basaltic-picritic melt and a Mg- and Cr-rich endmember, rather than from fractional crystallization of extremely Mg-rich magmas. Major and trace element modeling identify mantle wedge peridotite as the most likely mixing endmember. Trace element abundances in the Solomon arc picrites indicate a mantle source enrichment by subduction components and a large depletion of Nb and Ta that is typical for island arc volcanic rocks. Most incompatible trace element patterns of the New Georgia picrites and basalts are parallel, supporting a cogenetic evolution of these rocks by mixing processes. 87Sr/86Sr and ɛNd values in the basalts and picrites range from 0.7033 to 0.7043 and +5.8 to +8.0, respectively. These values partially overlap with compositions of the Indian MORB field. Alternatively, subducted sediment and fluids from altered MORB may have displaced the Sr isotope composition to more radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr. ɛHf values range from +12.2 to +14.6 and show in combination with ɛNd that the picrites were most likely generated within the Indian mantle domain.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the DFG (German Research Foundation, project “Inselbogenpikrite” MU 1406/2-1). Oliver Nebel is thanked for comments and Heidi Baier for lab support. We thank Markus Klein from the Universität Köln for XRF analyses. Stanley Basi and Andrew Mason provided support in organizing the field campaign in the Solomon Islands. We are thankful for detailed and constructive journal reviews by Marlina Elburg and David Peate.

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  1. Institut für Mineralogie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Corrensstraße 24, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Stephan Schuth, Arno Rohrbach, Carsten Münker & Chris Ballhaus

  2. Institut für Geowissenschaften, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Olshausenstraße 40, 24118, Kiel, Germany

    Dieter Garbe-Schönberg

  3. Department of Mines and Energy, Ministry of Natural Resources, Lengakiki Road, Honiara, Solomon Islands

    Cromwell Qopoto

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  1. Stephan Schuth
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Schuth, S., Rohrbach, A., Münker, C. et al. Geochemical constraints on the petrogenesis of arc picrites and basalts, New Georgia Group, Solomon Islands. Contrib Mineral Petrol 148, 288–304 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-004-0604-0

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