Mean concentrations of volatile components, major and trace elements in magmatic melts in major geodynamic environments on Earth. I. Mafic melts

Abstract

Mean concentrations of major components, trace elements, and volatile components in magmatic melts from Earth’s major geodynamic environments are estimated using our database (which comprises more than 1200000 analyses for 75 chemical elements—state for the beginning of 2016) on melt inclusions and quench glasses of rocks). The geodynamic environments are classified into (I) environments of oceanic plate spreading (mid-oceanic ridges), (II) areas affected by mantle plumes in oceanic plates (oceanic islands and lava plateaus), (III and IV) subduction-related environments (III are magmatic zones in island arcs, and IV are magmatic zones in active continental margins, in which magma-generating processes involve the continental crust), (V) continental rifts in areas with continental hotspots, and (VI) backarc spreading zones. The distribution of SiO₂ concentrations (>71000 analyses) in natural magmatic melts in all geodynamic environments is obviously bimodal, with maxima at 50–52 and 72–76 wt % SiO₂. Herein we discuss only mafic melts (40–54 wt % SiO₂). Mean concentrations and confidence levels are calculated for each geodynamic environment for the first time in three variants: from melt inclusions in minerals, from quench glasses in rocks, and from all data. Systematic variations in the mean compositions of melt inclusions and glasses in rocks are detected for all geodynamic environments. Primitive mantle-normalized multielemental patterns for mean concentrations of elements are constructed for magmatic melts from all geodynamic environments, and the mean ratios and their variations are calculated for trace incompatible and volatile components (H₂O/Ce, K₂O/Cl, La/Y, Nb/U, Ba/Rb, Ce/Pb, etc.) in melts from all environments.