Lamprophyres, lamproites and related rocks as tracers to supercontinent cycles and metallogenesis

Abstract

Abstract Proterozoic to Cenozoic lamprophyres, lamproites and related rock types hold a unique potential for the investigation of processes affecting mantle reservoirs. They originated from primary mantle-derived melts that intruded both cratons and off-craton regions, which were parts of former supercontinents – Columbia, Rodinia and Gondwana–Pangaea. Well known for hosting economic minerals and elements such as diamonds, base metals, platinum-group elements and Au, they are also significant for our understanding of deep-mantle processes, such as mantle metasomatism and mantle plume–lithosphere interactions, as well as large-scale geodynamic processes, including subduction-related tectonics and supercontinent amalgamation and break-up. This Special Publication presents an overview of the state of the art and recent advances as achieved by individual research groups from different parts of the world, and outlines future research directions. Mineralogical, geochemical, geochronological and isotope analyses are used to decipher the complex petrogenetic and metallogenetic evolution of these extraordinary rocks and unravel a complete history of tectonic events related to individual supercontinent cycles. The Special Publication including this introductory chapter also deals with some issues related to the classification of these rocks.