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The geochemistry of Middle Jurassic dykes associated with the Straumsvola-Tvora alkaline plutons, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica and their association with the Karoo large igneous province

¹ British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Madingley Road, High Cross, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
² NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK

^* E-mail: t.riley{at}bas.ac.uk

Jurassic dykes of western Dronning Maud Land (Antarctica) form a minor component of the Karoo large igneous province. An extensive local dyke swarm intrudes Neoproterozoic gneisses and Jurassic syenite plutons on the margins of the Jutulstraumen palaeo rift in the Svedrupfjella region. The dykes were intruded in three distinct episodes (204, 176 and 170 Ma). The 204 Ma dykes are overwhelmingly low-Ti, olivine tholeiites including some primitive (picritic) compositions (MgO >12 wt.%; Fe₂O₃ >12 wt.%; Cr >1000 ppm; Ni >600 ppm). This 204 Ma event precedes the main Karoo volcanic event by 25 Ma, so any correlations to the wider province are difficult to make. However, it may record the earliest phase of rift activity along the Jutulstraumen. The 176 Ma dyke event is more intimately associated with the two syenite plutons. The dykes are alkaline (basanite/tephrite) and were small-degree melts from an enriched, locally derived source and underwent at least some degree of interaction with a syenitic contaminant. This 176 Ma dyke event is widespread elsewhere in the Karoo (southern Africa and Dronning Maud Land). Later-stage (170 Ma) felsic (phonolite-comendite) dykes intrude the 176 Ma basanite-tephrite suite and represent the last phase of magmatic activity in the region.

KEYWORDS: Gondwana, basanite, tephrite, phonolite, syenite, rift