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Frontiers in Earth Science
Frontiers
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Abstract: |
Continental basaltic volcanism in the Arabian Shield of Saudi Arabia has
distinctive mineralogical and geochemical features important for
understanding the composition of its mantle source and melting conditions.
The studied Cenozoic basaltic rocks (19.3–15 Ma) occur at Jabal Al Gharib and
Jabal Al Ghuraybayn areas within the Al Qasr quadrangle and southwest of Hail
City in Saudi Arabia. They show similar chondrite-normalized REE patterns,
suggesting that they were derived from a common mantle source. Their OIBlike
features, silica undersaturated nature, and incompatible trace element
ratios all reveal an asthenospheric mantle source and argue against crustal
contamination process, subduction contribution, and interaction with a
lithospheric mantle. Moreover, the elevated compatible trace element
concentrations of Ni, Cr, and Co and the low and relatively narrow range of
FeOtotal/MgO ratios argue for their nearly primitive nature and indicate that the
role of crystal fractionation processes was minor during the evolution of the
studied rocks. The estimated temperatures indicate that the sequence of
crystallization likely began with olivine at 1,378–1,475°C, then clinopyroxene
at 1,137–1,214°C, and soon after followed by plagioclase at 1,096–1,108°C.
Plagioclase geo-hygrometers reveal 0.63–1.41 wt% water contents, suggesting
crystallization under hydrous conditions. The basalts have geochemical
features such as high (K2O + Na2
O)/TiO2, Zr/Hf, and Nb/Ta ratios and
negative K anomalies which suggest a carbonated peridotite mantle source.
Their bulk-rock compositions are consistent with <5% CO2 in their peridotite
melts. Highly incompatible elemental ratios supported by REE modeling
indicate that they were generated by low degrees (4–10%) of partial melting
of a garnet-bearing lherzolite mantle source. The garnet signature in the source
region suggests a deeper origin exceeding ~85 km. The basanite compositions
fall within the range of alkaline OIB and intracontinental basalts formed in the
rifted region. Moreover, they show geochemical characteristics typical of
Cenozoic rift-related Oman basanites and other Arabian intraplate volcanic
rocks. The basaltic volcanism in Saudi Arabia seems to be the result of melting
asthenospheric mantle source in response to the lithospheric extension that is spatially and temporally linked to Red Sea rifting and triggered anorogenic mafic
magmatism due to passive mantle upwelling beneath the Arabian Shield.
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