Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Stable Isotope Characteristics of Recent Natrocarbonatites from Oldoinyo Lengai

  • Chapter
Carbonatite Volcanism

Part of the book series: IAVCEI Proceedings in Volcanology ((VOLCANOLOGY,volume 4))

Abstract

Carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions of nyerereite and gregoryite phenocrysts and wholerock samples of natrocarbonatite lavas from the June 1988 eruption of Oldoinyo Lengai lie within restricted ranges of δ13C −6.3 to −7.1 and 5.8 to 6.7 for δ18O. These δ18O and δ13C values from unaltered natrocarbonatites and their carbonate phenocrysts support the conclusion that the carbonatitic magma was derived from the mantle and that their isotope composition was not changed by secondary isotopic exchange. Exposure to alteration under atmospheric conditions, weathering and hydration of the alkali carbonates at the surface produce distinctly higher δ18O, and also heavier δ13C values. A recent natrocarbonatite exposed to weathering for only several weeks shows δ18O and δ13C values of 17.4 and −3.3‰, respectively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bell K, Blenkinsop J (1989) Neodymium and strontium isotope geochemistry of carbonatites. In: Bell K (ed) Carbonatites — genesis and evolution. Unwin Hyman London, pp 278-300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bottinga Y (1968) Calculation of fractionation factors for carbon and oxygen isotopic exchange in the system calcite-carbon dioxide-water. J Phys Chem 72:800–808.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper AF, Gittins J, Tuttle OF (1975) The system Na2CO3-K2CO3-CaCO3 at 1 kilobar and its significance in carbonatite petrogenesis. Am J Sci 275:534–560..

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson JB (1962) Sodium carbonate lavas from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanganyika. Nature 195:1075–1076.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson JB (1989) Sodium carbonate lavas from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania: implications for carbonatite complex genesis. In: Bell K (ed) Carbonatites — genesis and evolution. Unwin Hyman, London, pp 255–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson JB, Garson MS, Roberts B (1987) Altered former alkalic carbonatite lava from Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania: inferences for calcite carbonatite lavas. Geology 15:765–768.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson JB, Pinkerton H, Norton GE, Pyle DM (1990) Physicochemical properties of alkali carbonatite lavas: data from the 1988 eruption of Oldoinyo Lengai. Geology 18:260–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deines P (1989) Stable isotope variations in carbonatites. In: Bell K (ed) Carbonatites — genesis and evolution. Unwin Hyman, London, pp 301–359.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deines P, Gold DP (1973) The isotopic composition of carbonatite and kimberlite carbonates and their bearing on the isotopic composition of deep-seated carbon. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 37:1709–1733.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denaeyer ME (1970) Rapports isotopiques δO et δC et conditions d’affleurement des carbonatites de l’Afrique Central. C R Acad Sci 270D:2155–2158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Des Marais DJ, Moore JG (1984) Carbon and its isotopes in mid-oceanic basaltic glasses. Earth Planet Sci Lett 69:43–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eugster H (1970) Chemistry and origin of the brines of Lake Magadi, Kenya. Mineral Soc Am Spec Pap 3:215–236.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hay RL (1989) Holocene carbonatitie-nephelinite tephra deposits of Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 37:77–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoefs J (1987) Stable isotope geochemistry. 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 241 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hubberten HW, Katz-Lehnert K, Keller J (1988) Carbon and oxygen isotope investigations in carbonatites and related rocks from the Kaiserstuhl, Germany. Chem Geol 70:257–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Javoy M, Pineau F, Delorme H (1986) Carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the mantle. Chem Geol 57:41–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Javoy M, Pineau F, Staudacher T, Cheminée JL, Krafft M (1989) Mantle volatiles sampled from a continental rift: the 1988 eruption of Oldoinyo Lengai. TERRA Abstr 1:324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller J, Krafft M (1989) Composition of natrocarbonatite lavas, Oldoinyo Lengai 1988. TERRA Abstr 1:286.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller J, Krafft M (1990) Effusive natrocarbonatite activity of Oldoinyo Lengai, June 1988. Bull Volcanol 52:629–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krafft M, Keller J (1989) Temperature measurements in carbonatite lava-lakes and flows: Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania. Science 245:168–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kyser TK (1986) Stable isotope variations in the mantle. In: Valley JW et al. (eds) Stable Isotopes in high temperature geological processes. Rev Mineral 16:141–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kyser TK, O’Neil JR, Carmichael ISE (1982) Genetic relations among basic lavas and ultramafic nodules: evidence from oxygen isotopic compositions. Contrib Mineral Petrol 81:88–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKie D, Frankis EJ (1977) Nyerereite: a new volcanic carbonate mineral from Oldoinyo Lengai. Z Kristallogr 145:73–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milton C (1968) The “Natro-Carbonatite Lava” of Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania. Geol Soc Am Program with Abstr, 202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milton C (1989) The Oldoinyo Lengai natrocarbonatite. Int Geol Congr Washington 1989, Abstr.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson DR, Chivas AR, Chappell BW, McCulloch MT (1988) Geochemical and isotopic systematics in carbonatites and implications for the evolution of ocean-island sources. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 52:1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nyamweru C (1988) Activity of Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania, 1983–1987. J Afr Earth Sci 7:603–610.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Neil JR, Hay RL (1973) 18O/16O ratios in cherts associated with the saline lake deposits of East Africa. Earth Planet Sci Lett 19:257–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson TD (1990) Petrology and genesis of natrocarbonatite. Contrib Mineral Petrol 105:143–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheppard SMF, Dawson JB (1973) 13C/12C and D/H isotope variations in “primary igneous carbonatites”. Fortschr Mineral 50:128–129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suwa K, Oana S, Wada H, Osaki S (1975) Isotope geochemistry and petrology of African carbonatites. Phys Chem Earth 9:735–745.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor HP Jr, Frechen J, Degens ET (1967) Oxygen and carbon isotope studies of carbonatites from the Laacher See district, West Germany and the Alnö district, Sweden. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 31:407–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vinogradov AP, Kropotova OI, Gerasimovsky VI (1970) Carbon isotope composition for carbonatites from East Africa. Geokhimiya 1970:643–646.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinogradov AP, Dontsova El, Gerasimovsky VI, Kuznetsova LD (1971) Oxygen isotopic composition of carbonatites in the rift zones of East Africa. Geochemistry Int 8:307–313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyllie PJ, Baker MB, White BS (1990) Experimental boundaries for the origin and evolution of carbonatites. Lithos 26:3–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Mineralogie, Petrologie und Geochemie, Universität Freiburg, Albertstr. 23b, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    J. Keller

  2. Geochemisches Institut der Universität, Goldschmidtstr. 1, 37077, Göttingen, Germany

    J. Hoefs

Authors
  1. J. Keller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. Hoefs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre, Dept. of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 5B6

    Keith Bell

  2. Institut für Mineralogie, Petrologie und Geochemie, Universität Freiburg, Albertstr. 23b, 79104, Freiburg, Germany

    Jörg Keller

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Keller, J., Hoefs, J. (1995). Stable Isotope Characteristics of Recent Natrocarbonatites from Oldoinyo Lengai. In: Bell, K., Keller, J. (eds) Carbonatite Volcanism. IAVCEI Proceedings in Volcanology, vol 4. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79182-6_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79182-6_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-79184-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-79182-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation