Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
9535331 | Journal of African Earth Sciences | 2005 | 23 Pages |
Abstract
Major, trace and rare earth element (REE) compositions of upper Proterozoic metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks from the Tsaliet and Tembien Groups in the Werri district of northern Ethiopia were determined to examine their tectonic setting of eruption, provenance and source area weathering conditions. Tsaliet Group metavolcanic rocks in the Werri area have sub-alkaline chemistry characterized by low to intermediate SiO2 contents, high Al2O3, low MgO and very low Cr and Ni. High field strength element (HFSE) abundances are highly variable. âREE abundances vary from 66.7 to 161.3 ppm, and chondrite-normalized REE patterns are moderately fractionated, with LaN/YbN values of between 3.1 and 9.0. Europium anomalies are variable (Eu/Eu* 0.80-1.21) but are generally positive (average Eu/Eu* 1.06). On tectonic discrimination diagrams, most samples have either volcanic-arc chemistry or fall in the overlap field with mid-oceanic ridge basalt (MORB). However, primitive mantle-normalized trace element abundances are comparable with sub-alkaline basalts from developed island arcs. 147Sm/144Nd ratios range from 0.1167 to 0.1269 (n = 3), yielding initial εNd(800 Ma) of +3.8 to +4.9 and mean TDM model age of 0.96 Ga, indicative of derivation from juvenile Neoproterozoic mantle. Metasediments from three locations (Werri1, Werri2 and Tsedia) in the Werri and Tsedia Slates have similar Al2O3, TiO2 and HFSE contents but variable and low Na2O, CaO and K2O. Cr and Ni are slightly enriched in the Werri2 and Tsedia suites. SiO2 is very variable, with average values of 70.75, 72.2 and 66.4 wt.% in the Werri1, Werri2 and Tsedia suites, respectively. âREE abundances in the metasediments (14.74-108.1) are lower than in the metavolcanics, and are slightly less fractionated, with LaN/YbN ratios of 0.8-5.9. Europium anomalies vary (Eu/Eu* 0.80-1.21) but are insignificant on average (Eu/Eu* 0.96). High values for the Chemical Index of Alteration (generally 70-90), and Plagioclase Index of Alteration (>75) in the Werri metasediments indicate moderate to severe chemical weathering in their source. Average major and trace element compositions of the metasediments and their REE patterns are comparable with the metavolcanics. 147Sm/144Nd ratios of the metasediments range from 0.1056 to 0.1398 (n = 4), with initial εNd(800 Ma) of +3.4 to +5.0 and mean TDM model age of 0.97 Ga, indicating derivation from juvenile Neoproterozoic crust similar to the underlying metavolcanics, with minimal (4-10%) contribution from older crust. The most sensitive tectonic setting discriminators indicate the Werri metasediments represent developed oceanic island arc sediments. The chemical similarity of the Werri metavolcanics to the nearby Adwa metavolcanics, Nakfa terrane in Eritrea, and volcanic units in central Saudi Arabia imply that juvenile Neoproterozoic Arabian Nubian Shield crust extended south at least as far as the Werri area of northern Ethiopia. The comparable geochemistry of the metasediments and their underlying lithologies attests to their derivation from this juvenile crustal material.
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Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Geology
Authors
K. Sifeta, B.P. Roser, J.-I. Kimura,