The lithospheric mantle beneath Devès volcanic field – case study of mantle xenoliths from Mt. Briançon (Massif Central, France)

The 3.5-0.5 Ma Devès volcanic field is located in the “southern” mantle domain of the French Massif Central (MC), which originated by partial melting, likely followed by refertilization by melts from the upwelling asthenosphere [1, 2]. However, the extent of melting versus degree of refertilization remains unclear. In order to obtain new insights into this fundamental question, we studied a large mantle xenolith population (n – 21) from a cinder cone in the NW of Devès, the Mt. Briançon nepheline basanite. Extensive use of EMPA and LA-ICP-MS allowed us to gather a comprehensive and representative dataset. Here, we present preliminary interpretations. Ongoing EBSD analyses will provide further data to confirm or correct our hypothesis.

The lithospheric mantle (LM) beneath the Devès is heterogeneous. It contains lherzolite with clinopyroxene (cpx) exhibiting REE patterns with relatively flat Lu-Eu and variable LREE-depletion. The coexisting spinel (spl) is highly aluminous (Cr# 0.09-0.15). By analogy with prior work [2], we suggest that cpx and spl were added to the rock by a MORB-type melt [2]. Those lherzolites probably represent refertilized LM similar to the Lherz massif [3], which obscures the original degree of depletion.

A distinct mantle region below the Devès is represented by harzburgites and cpx-poor lherzolites containing cpx with REE patterns that show moderately increasing Lu-Sm and steeply increasing towards La. The coexisting spl has medium to high Cr# (0.17-0.28). We suggest that this lithology was not refertilized by MORB-like melts, but records some other metasomatic event(s).

A single harzburgite xenolith contains LREE-enriched cpx similar to those described above, but of significantly lower element abundances. This harzburgite is the most magnesian in the entire suite, with olivine Fo ~91.2% and Mg# in pyroxenes ~0.92 (vs Fo 88.5-90.4% and Mg# 0.88-0.91 for other peridotites). Pyroxenes have the lowest Al, Fe, Ti, Na contents in the whole suite and spinel is the most chromian (Cr# ~0.43). This rock resembles harzburgites from the northern domain of the MC, interpreted as a relatively depleted residue of partial melting [4].

This study was funded by Polish National Science Centre to MZM (UMO-2018/29/N/ST10/00259).

References:

[1] Lenoir et al. (2000). EPSL 181, 359-375.

[2] Puziewicz et al. (2020). Lithos 362–363, 105467.

[3] Le Roux et al. (2007). EPSL 259, 599–612.

[4] Downes et al. (2003). Chem Geol 200, 71–87.