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The discovery of igneous xenoliths in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Igneous Complex and its implications on the model of emplacement of Upper Zone magmas

Dissertation (MSc (Geology))--University of Pretoria, 2023.

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Other Authors: Roberts, R.J. (James)
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2024
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Roberts, R.J. (James)
author_browse Roberts, R.J. (James)
author_facet Roberts, R.J. (James)
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MSc (Geology))--University of Pretoria, 2023.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/94947
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:38:19.968Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
publisher University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/94947 The discovery of igneous xenoliths in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Igneous Complex and its implications on the model of emplacement of Upper Zone magmas Roberts, R.J. (James) alberts.adriana@gmail.com Alberts, Adriana UCTD Xenoliths Bushveld Complex Ilmenite Trellis Exsolution Upper Zone Dissertation (MSc (Geology))--University of Pretoria, 2023. The Upper Zone is the uppermost portion of the Rustenburg Layered Suite of the Bushveld Igneous Complex and has long been interpreted to have formed from the differentiation of a single magma pulse through closed-system fractionation. This is in contrast to theories proposed for the formation of the lower portions of the Bushveld, which state that multiple cycles of new magma injections occurred. In this study, the discovery of rocks believed to be igneous xenoliths in Subzone C of the Upper Zone in the Eastern Limb of the Bushveld Complex is investigated. The study area has not been extensively investigated in the past and the outcrops referred to in this study will be properly described for the first time. The xenoliths feature remnant trellis ilmenite exsolution textures that have not been observed elsewhere before. Extensive field work was conducted, as well as petrographical and geochemical analyses, that led to the conclusion that these foreign blocks were xenoliths of igneous origin. Furthermore, when geochemical and SEM data are analysed, the xenoliths show strong evidence of hydrothermal alteration and contain highly altered minerals, which the host rock does not, further solidifying the idea that these samples are, in fact, xenoliths. The presence of remnant ilmenite suggest that the xenoliths originated from magnetite bearing units, and since the only magnetite-bearing units in the Bushveld Complex are found in the Upper Zone itself, this implies that the xenoliths originated from elsewhere in the Upper Zone. Therefore, it was concluded that they could be further classified as being autoliths. This directly challenges the single magma theory, since the presence of autoliths from the Upper Zone in subzone C suggests that at least one other magma pulse contributed to the formation of the Upper Zone, and thus the Upper Zone did not form in a closed system. NRF CSUR Grant 121267 Geology MSc (Geology) Unrestricted Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences 2024-02-26T13:15:44Z 2024-02-26T13:15:44Z 2024-04 2023-10-31 Dissertation Alberts, A. C. (2023). The discovery of igneous xenoliths in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Igneous Complex and its implications on the model of emplacement of Upper Zone magmas. [Master's thesis, University of Pretoria] A2024 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/94947 10.25403/UPresearchdata.25287433 en © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Xenoliths
Bushveld Complex
Ilmenite
Trellis Exsolution
Upper Zone
The discovery of igneous xenoliths in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Igneous Complex and its implications on the model of emplacement of Upper Zone magmas
title The discovery of igneous xenoliths in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Igneous Complex and its implications on the model of emplacement of Upper Zone magmas
title_full The discovery of igneous xenoliths in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Igneous Complex and its implications on the model of emplacement of Upper Zone magmas
title_fullStr The discovery of igneous xenoliths in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Igneous Complex and its implications on the model of emplacement of Upper Zone magmas
title_full_unstemmed The discovery of igneous xenoliths in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Igneous Complex and its implications on the model of emplacement of Upper Zone magmas
title_short The discovery of igneous xenoliths in the Upper Zone of the Bushveld Igneous Complex and its implications on the model of emplacement of Upper Zone magmas
title_sort discovery of igneous xenoliths in the upper zone of the bushveld igneous complex and its implications on the model of emplacement of upper zone magmas
topic UCTD
Xenoliths
Bushveld Complex
Ilmenite
Trellis Exsolution
Upper Zone
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/94947