Table Of ContentMinerals and Rocks 14
Editor in Chief
P. J. Wyllie, Chicago, IL
Editors
A. EI Goresy, Heidelberg
W von Engelhardt, Ttibingen . T. Hahn, Aachen
Alok K. Gupta Kenzo Yagi
Petrology and Genesis
of Leucite-Bearing Rocks
With 99 Figures and 43 Tables
Springer-Verlag
Berlin Heidelberg New York 1980
Dr. ALOK K. GUPTA
Department of Geology and Geophysics
University of Roorkee
Roorkee 247672, u.P., India
Professor Dr. KENZO YA GI
Department of Geology and Mineralogy
Hokkaido University
Sapporo, Japan
Volumes 1 to 9 in this series appeared under the title
Minerals, Rocks and Inorganic Materials
ISBN -13: 978-3-642-67552-2 e-ISBN -13: 978-3-642-67550-8
DOl: 10.1007/978-3-642-67550-8
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data. Gupta, Alok K, 1942-. Petrology
and genesis of leu cite-bearing rocks. (Minerals and rocks; v. 14). Includes bibliographi
cal references and index.!. Leucite. 2. Petrology. 1. Yagi, Kenzo, 1914-joint author. II.
Title. III. Series. QE462.L48G86 549'.68 79-27624.
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part
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© by Springer-Verlag Berlin· Heidelberg 1980.
Softcover reprint of the hardcover I st edition 1980
The use of registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply,
even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the
relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
2132/3130-543210
Preface
Many interesting and perplexing questions arise in
connection with the highly potassic volcanic associa
tion dominated by mafic and ultramafic rocks contain
ing leucite. Its occurrence is very restricted as compar
ed with the olivine-basalt trachyte kindred, but it is
distributed at widely scattered points on all the conti
nents, and its chemical and petrographic individuality is
both remarkable and constant. A considerable litera
ture is available related to the mineralogy, petrology,
geochemistry, phase chemistry, distribution, and origin
of this interesting suite of rocks. It seemed that there
was a genuine need for a review-synthesis of all these
data, which would be intelligible to a wide spectrum
of advanced students and professionals in the earth
sciences.
The monograph may be divided into two parts.
The first part consists of six chapters in which the
mineralogical and chemical peculiarities of leucite
bearing rocks and their nomenclature, petrology, min
eralogy, distribution, and physical and chemical condi
tions of formation are discussed. Phase equilibria stud
ies on many leucite-bearing ternary, pseudoternary,
quaternary, and pseudoquaternary joins and systems,
studied by different investigators at variable tempera
tures in air, are described in the second part in Chap
ters 7 to 12. Survival of leucite and formation of pseu
doleucite is discussed in Chapter 13. Leucite-bearing
synthetic and natural rock systems studied at different
temperatures under variable pressures in presence or
absence of water, are summarized in Chapters 14 and
15. Chemical affinity between leucite-bearing rocks
and kimberlites and some experimental investigations
VI Preface
to determine the possible genetic connection between
these two groups of rocks are described in Chapter 16.
Structural and tectonic control of alkali volcanism
with special reference to leu cite-bearing lavas is dis
cussed in Chapter 17. In the final chapter a critical re
view of various hypotheses on the origin of leucite
bearing rocks has been presented. In this chapter, there
is an attempt to utilize the knowledge of trace element
geochemistry, field and experimental data to elucidate
the origin of leucite-bearing magma. Explanation for
the abbreviations used in figures and the text is given
in the List of Abbreviations. Many figures were ob
tained directly from the papers of various workers,
hence in some cases two slightly different symbols
have been used to denote the same phase in two dif
ferent figures. The second symbol has been shown
within brackets in the appendix.
We are especially indebted to Dr. R.H. Grapes, Dr.
A. Cundari, Dr. R.W. Le Maitre, and Dr. P.J. Wyllie,
who read the entire manuscript and helped us to im
prove it. We are also grateful to Dr. H.S. Yoder, Dr.
A.L. Boettcher, Dr. J. Gittins, Dr. M.J. Le Bas, and
Dr. K. Aoki, who read specific chapters and offered
constructive comments. However, we take sole re
sponsibility for any errors or omissions. While reading
the Chapters 8, 9, and 13, it will be evident that their
contents are based on three papers, that one of us
(A.K.G.) wrote with Dr. E.G. Lidiak, Dr. A.D. Edgar,
and Dr. W.S. Fyfe. We are indebted to these authors
for their valuable contribution. We thank Dr. K.
Onuma and Dr. Y. Hariya for their help in some high
temperature and high-pressure experiments. Thanks
are also due to Dr. A.K. Dubey, Mr. R. Sreedhar, and
Mr. G.K. Bhatt for editing the manuscript. We are
grateful to Mrs. C. Gupta, who typed a significant
portion of the manuscript. We gratefully acknowledge
the help of Mr. S. Terada for his care in drafting many
diagrams.
One of us (A.K.G.) wishes to dedicate his contribu
tion of the manuscript to his father Mr. K.P. Gupta.
Preface VII
It is a pleasure to acknowledge the friendly rela
tionship which we have enjoyed with our patient ed
itor, Professor P.J. Wyllie. We set and passed many
deadlines without once being taken to task for the
delays in completing the manuscript.
Above all, we will be very happy if this volume
is useful to advanced students of the earth sciences
everywhere.
January 1980 ALOK K. GUPTA
KENZO YAGI
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction ...................... .
1.1 Basalt and its Relation to Leucite-Bearing Mafic
and Ultramafic Rocks ................... .
1.2 Mineralogical Composition and Other Geochemical
Peculiarities of Leucite-Bearing Rocks. . . . . . . . .. 5
1.3 A Brief Summary of the Hypotheses of Origin of
Leucite-Bearing Rocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6
1.4 Objective of This Study ...... . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7
Chapter 2 Nomenclature and Petrography of Leucite-
Bearing Rocks ...................... 9
2.1 Nomenclature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9
2.1.1 Italite............................... 9
2.1.2 Leucitite............................. 9
2.1.3 Olivine Leucitite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12
2.1.4 Melilite Leucitite ....................... 12
2.1.5 Katungite ............................ 13
2.1.6 Leucite Tephrite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 13
2.1.7 Leucite Basanite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 14
2.1.8 Melilite-Nepheline Leucitite ................ 15
2.1.9 Jumillite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 15
2.1.10 Verite ............................... 15
2.1.11 Wolgidite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 15
2.1.12 Fitzroyite ............................ 15
2.1.13 Mamilite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 15
2.1.14 Cedricite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16
2.1.15 Wyomingite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16
2.1.16 Orendite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16
2.1.17 Madupite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16
2.1.18 Potassium-Rich Ankaratrite ................ 16
2.1.19Mafurite ............................. 17
2.1.20 Shonkinite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17
2.1.21 Absarokite, Banakite, and Shoshonite. . . . . . . . .. 17
x Contents
Chapter 3 Mineralogical Composition of Leucite-Bearing
Rocks ............................ 18
3.1 Leucite .............................. 18
3.2 Nepheline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 20
3.3 Kalsilite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 21
3.4 Kaliophilite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 22
3.5 Sanidine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 23
3.6 Plagioclase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 23
3.7 Pyroxene. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 25
3.8 Olivine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 28
3.9 Mica ................................ 30
3.10 Potash Richterite ....................... 32
3.11 Melilite .............................. 32
3.12 Analcite ............................. 35
3.13 Accessory Minerals .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 36
3.13.1 Sodalite ............................. 36
3.13.2 Apatite .............................. 36
3.13.3 Priderite ........................... " 37
3.13.4 Wadeite .............................. 37
3.13.5 Other Minerals ........................ , 37
Chapter 4 Minor and Trace Element Geochemistry,
Initial 87Srj86Sr Ratios and Oxygen
Isotopic Ratios of Leucite-Bearing Rocks. . . .. 38
4.1 Trace Element Geochemistry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 38
4.2 The Initial 87Srj86Sr Ratios of Highly Potassic Lavas
and Other Rock Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 41
4.3 0 180-contents of Leucite-Bearing Rocks .... . . .. 44
Chapter 5 Distribution of Leuci te-Bearing Rocks. . . . . .. 47
5.1 Volcanic Fields, East and Southeast of Ru wenzori,
Uganda .............................. 49
5.2 Birunga Volcanic Province ................. 50
5.3 Leucite-Bearing Rocks of West Kimberley, Australia 55
5.4 Leucite-Bearing Rocks of New South Wales,
Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 58
5.5 Leucite-Bearing Rocks ofIndonesia ........... 59
5.6 Volcanic Fields of Highwood Mountains,
Montana (USA) ........................ 61
5.7 Potassic Rocks of N avaj o-Hopi Province (USA) . . .. 63
5.8 Leucite-Bearing Rocks of Leucite Hills,
Wyoming(USA) ........................ 64
5.9 Leucite-Bearing Rocks of Italy .............. 66
Contents XI
5.9.1 Monti Vulsini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 67
5.9.2 Vico Volcanic Complex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 68
5.9.3 Monti Sabatini ......................... 69
5.9.4 Colli Albani (Alban Hills) .................. 71
5.9.5 Phlegrean Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 71
5.9.6 Somma-Vesuvius ........................ 72
5.9.7 Roccamonfma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 75
5.9.8 Volcanic Activity in the Eolian Arc Region . . . . .. 76
5.1 0 Volcanic Provinces of Spain ................ 78
5.11 Leucite-Bearing Lamprophyres of Eastern India ... 78
5.12 Leucite-Bearing Rocks of the Laacher See and
Other Areas of West Germany ............... 80
5.13 Leucite-Bearing Rocks of the Tristan da Cunha
Islands .............................. 85
5.14 Leucite-Bearing Rocks of Manchuria, China . . . . .. 86
5.14.1 Wu-ta-lien-chih . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 86
5.14.2 Erh-Ko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 87
5.14.3Chi-hsingShan ......................... 88
5.15 Leucite Bearing Rocks of Utsuryo Island
(Ullung-do), Korea ...................... 88
Chapter 6 Conditions of Formation of Leucite-Bearing
Mafic and Ultramafic Rocks ............. 90
6.1 Chemical Conditions ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 90
6.2 Silica Activity in Leucite-Bearing Rocks ........ 90
6.3 Physical Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 92
Chapter 7 Leucite-Bearing Ternary Joins and Systems ... 94
7.1 The System Nepheline-Kalsilite-Si02 .......... 94
7.2 The System Diopside-Leucite-Si02 . . . . . . . . . . .. 96
7.3 The System Anorthite-Leucite-Si02 ........... 97
7.4 The System Diopside-Sanidine-Albite .......... 97
7.5 The System Diopside-Nepheline-Sanidine . . . . . . .. 98
7.6 The System Nepheline-Leucite-Anorthite ........ 100
Chapter 8 Leucite-Albite Incompatibility ............ 104
8.1 The Join Leucite-Albite ................... 105
8.1.1 Composition of Alkali Feldspars in the Leucite-
Albite-Join ............................ 106
8.2 The Join Leucite-Albite-Anorthite ............ 108
8.2.1 Compositions of Ternary Feldspars in the
Leucite-Albite-Anorthite Join ............... 109
8.3 Petrological Implications .................. 111
XII Contents
Chapter 9 Leucite-and Feldspar-Bearing Quaternary
Joins and Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
9.1 The System Forsterite-Diopside-Leucite-Anorthite . 113
9.1.1 The Join Forsterite-Diopside-Anorthite ......... 113
9.1.2 The Join Forsterite-Anorthite-Leucite .......... 113
9.1.3 The Join Diopside-Leucite-Anorthite .......... 114
9.1.4 Paragenesis............................ 115
9.2 The System Diopside-Leucite-Anorthite-Si02 •.••. 116
Chapter 10 The System Forsterite-Diopside-Akermanite-
Leucite .......................... 120
10.1 The Join Diopside-Akermanite-Leucite ......... 120
10.2 The Join Forsterite-Diopside-Leucite .......... 120
10.3 The Join Forsterite-Akermanite-Leucite ........ 121
10.4 The Join Forsterite-Diopside-Akermanite ....... 122
10.5 The Join Diopside-Akermanite-Leucite with
3% F orsterite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
10.6 Paragenesis ........................... 125
10.6.1 MeWite Leucitite ....................... 125
10.6.2 Olivine Leucitite ........................ 125
10.6.3 Katungite ............................ 125
10.6.4 Olivine MeWitite ........................ 126
10.7 Course of Crystallization of Liquid in the System
Forsterite-Diopside-Akermanite-Leucite ........ 126
Chapter 11 The System Diopside-Nepheline-Akermanite-
Leucite .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 128
11.1 The Join Diopside-Nepheline-Akermanite ....... 128
11.2 The Join Diopside-Nepheline-Leucite .......... 130
11.3 The Join N epheline-Akermanite-Leucite ..... ... 131
11.4 The Join (Di38AK3NeS9)100-x-Lcx ............ 132
11.5 Course of Crystallization of Liquid Within the
System Diopside-Nepheline-Akermanite-Leucite ... 134
11.6 Paragenesis ............................ 136
11. 7 Melilite-Plagioclase Incompatibility Problem in
Leucite-Bearing Lavas .................... 13 7
Chapter 12 Solubility ofKFe3+Si 0 in Leucite ....... 142
2 6
Chapter 13 Survival of Leucite ................... 147
13.1 Alteration of Leucite to Analcite ............. 147
13.2 Pseudoleucite and its Genesis ................ 149
