Journal
ELEMENTS
Volume 17, Issue 5, Pages 315-320Publisher
MINERALOGICAL SOC AMER
DOI: 10.2138/gselements.17.5.315
Keywords
carbonatite; partial mantle melts; liquid immiscibility; fractionation; SiO2-undersaturated melts
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The article discusses the characteristics of carbonatites, models for their petrogenesis, and interactions between carbonatites and mantle or crustal wall-rocks. It explores various mechanisms and reactions involved in the formation of carbonatites.
Carbonatites are the most silica-poor magmas known and are amongst Earth's most enigmatic igneous rocks. They crystallise to rocks dominated by the carbonate minerals calcite and dolomite. We review models for carbonatite petrogenesis, including direct partial melting of mantle lithologies, exsolution from silica-undersaturated alkali silicate melts, or direct fractionation of carbonated silicate melts to carbonate-rich residual melts. We also briefly discuss carbonatite-mantle wall-rock reactions and other processes at mid- to upper crustal depths, including fenitisation, overprinting by carbohydrothermal fluids, and reaction between carbonatite melt and crustal lithologies.
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