Upper-mantle volatile chemistry at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano and the origin of carbonatites

T. P. Fischer (), P. Burnard, B. Marty, D. R. Hilton, E. Füri, F. Palhol, Z. D. Sharp and F. Mangasini
Additional contact information
T. P. Fischer: MSC03 2040, 1 University of New Mexico, New Mexico 87131-0001, USA
P. Burnard: Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, Nancy-Université, CNRS-INSU, BP 20, 54501 Vandoeuvre Lès Nancy Cedex, France
B. Marty: Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, Nancy-Université, CNRS-INSU, BP 20, 54501 Vandoeuvre Lès Nancy Cedex, France
D. R. Hilton: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California 92093-0244, USA
E. Füri: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California 92093-0244, USA
F. Palhol: Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, Nancy-Université, CNRS-INSU, BP 20, 54501 Vandoeuvre Lès Nancy Cedex, France
Z. D. Sharp: MSC03 2040, 1 University of New Mexico, New Mexico 87131-0001, USA
F. Mangasini: University of Dar Es Salaam, PO Box 35131, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Nature, 2009, vol. 459, issue 7243, 77-80

Abstract: An exotic volcano Oldoinyo Lengai in northern Tanzania is the world's only active volcano producing carbonatite lavas. These exotic lavas are unusual in they contain more than 50% carbonate minerals and almost no silicate. Fischer et al. show that volcanic gases captured during an eruptive episode at Oldoinyo Lengai are surprisingly indistinguishable from those emitted along mid-ocean ridges, despite the fact that these carbonatites occur in a setting far removed from oceanic spreading centres. This argues against an unusually carbon-rich mantle as the source of carbonatite magma at Oldoinyo Lengai. Instead, these carbonatites seem to be formed in the shallow crust by immiscibility from silicate magmas and are stable under eruption conditions due to their high sodium contents.

Date: 2009
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DOI: 10.1038/nature07977

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