Petrology of Spinel lherzolite from South Korea: Implication for P/T Estimate

Mantle xenoliths in alkali basalt at Boun, the Gansung area and Baegryung Island in South Korea are spinel lherzolites composed of olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and spinel. Minerals show homogeneous compositions. Olivine compositions have Fo$_{89.0}$ to Fo$_{90.2}$, low CaO (0.03 to 0.12 wt%), and NiO of 0.34 to 0.40 wt%; the orthopyroxene is enstatite with En$_{89.0}$ to En$_{90.0}$ and Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$ of 4 to 5 wt%; the clinopyroxene is diopside with En$_{47.2}$ to En$_{49.1}$ and Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$ of 7.42 to 7.64 wt% from Boun and 4.70 to 4.91 wt% from Baegryung. Spinel chemistry shows a distinct negative trend, with increaeing Al corresponding with decreasing Cr, and Mg$^{#}$ (100Mg/Mg+Fe) and Cr$^{#}$ (100Cr/Cr+Al) of 75.1 to 81.9 and 8.5 to 12.6, respectively. The equilibrium temperatures of these xenoliths, taken as the average obtained from those of Mercier (1980) and Sachtleben and Seck (1981), lie between 970 and 1020$^{\circ}$C, and equilibrium pressures derived from Mercier (1980) fall within the range of 12 to 19 kbar (i.e., 42 to 63 km). These temperatures and pressures are reinforced by considerations of the Al-isopleths in the MAS system (Lane and Ganguly, 1980), as adjusted for the Fe effect on Al solubility in orthopyroxene (Lee and Ganguly, 1988). The equilibrium temperatures and pressures of xenoliths, as considered in P/T space, belong to the oceanic geotherm, based upon the various mantle geotherms presented by Mercier (1980). This geotherm is completely different from continental geotherms, e.g., from South Africa (Lesotho) and southern India. Mineral compositions of spinel-lherzolites in South Korea and eastern China are primitive; paleo-geotherms of both are quite similar, but degrees of depletion of the upper mantle could vary locally. This is demonstrated by eastern China, which has various depleted xenoliths caused by different degrees of partial melting.