THE ROLE OF FLUORINE IN THE EVOLUTION OF ULTRAPOTASSIC MAGMAS

The distribution of F and, to a lesser extent, Cl between phlogopite, amphibole, apatite, and glass in kamafugites from the West Eifel, Germany, and South-West Uganda, and from lamprophyres (minettes) from Hopi-Navajo, Arizona has been determined. In addition, these elements have been analyzed in the same phases from mantle-derived xenoliths from the kamafugitic rocks. All halogen determinations were made using a JEOL 8600 electron microprobe. The F contents and trends in the minerals and glass in the kamafugites and lamprophyres are very similar to those reported for lamproites (Edgar and Charbonneau, 1991). The results indicate that F in the minerals of ultrapotassic magmas is much greater then that found in the xenoliths that are believed to represent likely source regions for such magmas. Chlorine is present in much lower amounts and in the same phases. The discrepancy between F in the xenoliths and in the lavas, and the preference for F to be incorporated in solid phases suggest that F is insufficient to account for the F found in ultrapotassic magmas or to provide for the reduced fluid conditions proposed by Foley (1988) for the genesis of such magmas. Based on these results, the genesis of ultrapotassic magmas may occur if they are partial melts of a mantle source that has been further enriched in F by repeated partial melting of mantle-derived xenoliths such as those of southwest Uganda. Alternatively the slightly higher Clin the minerals of the xenoliths relative to the magmas suggests that Cl has been lost during degassing of the ascending magma. This may enrich the magmas in F by a dilution effect that may take place prior to the formation of phenocrystal F-rich phlogopites that are often present in ultrapotassic magmas.