Search Results (17)

This study considers the features of the chemical composition, internal structure, and oscillatory zoning of sulfosalts and sulfates in the epithermal high–intermediate-sulfidation-type Au-Ag-Te Emmy deposit (Khabarovsk Territory, Russia). In Emmy deposit, sulfosalts primarily represent goldfieldite, probably corresponding to a high-sulfidation (HS) mineral association replaced bytennantite–tetrahedrite group minerals. The latter is associated with tellurides and native tellurium, corresponding to an intermediate-sulfidation (IS)-type ore assemblage and suggesting an increasing influx of Te, Sb, and As in the system. Goldfieldite is replaced by native tellurium and tellurides along its growth zones, and is characterized by oscillatory zoning. The replacement of goldfieldite by mercury, nickel, lead, and copper tellurides indicate a new influx of native gold, native tellurium, and gold–silver tellurides into the open mineral-forming system. At deeper levels of the Emmy deposit, an advanced argillic alteration assemblage includes aluminum phosphate–sulfate (APS) minerals, represented by members of the svanbergite–woodhouseite series. Element mapping of the studied APS mineral grains indicated three distinct areas recording the evolution of the hydrothermal system in the Emmy: an oscillatory-zoned margin enriched in sulfur, lead, and barium, corresponding to the late influx of IS state fluids related to gold and tellurides; an intermediate part, which is leached and corresponds to the HS mineralization stage; and the central part of the grains, which is enriched in cerium, calcium, and strontium, resulting from a replacement of magmatic apatite in the pre-ore alteration stage. The leached zone between the core and rim of the APS grains is related to a change in crystallization conditions, possibly due to the mixing processes of the fluids with meteoric water. Barite, found in the upper level of the advanced argillic hypogene alteration assemblage, is also characterized by oscillatory zoning, associated with the enrichment of individual zones in lead. Micron gold particles associated with barite are confined to their lead-enriched zones. The study of fluid inclusions in quartz within the Emmy deposit showed the hydrothermal ore process at a temperature of 236–337 °C. Homogenization temperatures for quartz–pyrite–goldfieldite mineral association vary within 337–310 °C and salinity varies within 0–0.18 wt.%NaCl equivalent, and for gold–silver–telluride–polymetallic mineral association, they decrease and vary within 275–236 °C and salinity slightly increases from 0.18 to 0.35 wt.%NaCl equivalent. This study demonstrates that the nature of oscillatory zoning in sulfosalts and sulfates in the Emmy deposit results from an external process. Such a process is of fundamental importance from a genetic point of view. Full article

The formation of Fe-Ti oxides-rich layers is commonly associated with open-system magma chamber dynamics. These processes are widely discussed due to the economic importance of Fe-Ti-(V) deposits, although an alkaline-system approach to the matter is still scarce. In this study, we use petrography, mineral chemistry, X-ray diffraction and elemental geochemical analyses (whole-rock and Sr isotopes) to discuss the process associated with the formation of Fe-Ti-(V) oxide-rich clinopyroxenite (OCP, 7–15 vol.%) and magnetitite (MTT, 85 vol.%) from the Ponte Nova alkaline mafic–ultramafic massif (PN, K-Ar 87.6 Ma). Ilmenite and Ti-magnetite from both OCP and MTT exhibit higher MgO contents (MgO > 5.0 wt%) than other PN rocks. OCP shows high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_i ratios, equivalent to crustal-contaminated lithotypes of the PN Central Intrusion, while MTTs are less radiogenic. The oxide supersaturation in silicate mafic magmas is typically associated with the dislocation of the liquid cotectic evolution line, shifting to Fe-Ti-(V) oxide minerals stability field, mainly Ti-magnetite. Different magmatic processes can lead to these changes such as crustal contamination and magma recharge. For the PN massif, the OCP was formed by the assimilation of crustal contaminants in a mush region, near the magma chamber upper walls, which was associated with the evolution of the main pulse. Differently, the MTT would have its origin related to the interaction between magma chamber evolved liquids and more primitive liquids during a new episode of magma recharge. Lastly, post-magmatic events were superimposed on these rocks, generating sulfides. Full article

Greisenization is typically linked with highly fractionated granites and is often associated with hydrothermal vein systems. Late to postmagmatic metasomatic processes involve the enrichment of volatile components such as boron and halogens as well as several metallic elements. The purpose of this study is to reveal the main metasomatic effects and paragenetic sequences of the related mineralizations in Highiş granitoids, Romania. In a natural outcrop, more than 30 samples were collected from granitoids, felsic veins, and country rocks. We carried out a detailed mineralogical and petrological characterization of carefully selected samples using X-ray powder diffractometry, electron microprobe analysis, and microscopic methods together with K–Ar ages of whole rocks and K-bearing minerals. Several characteristic features of albitization, sericitization, tourmalinization, epidotization, and hematitization were recognized in the studied samples. Crystallization of quartz, K-feldspar, and magnetite represents the first stage during the magmatic-hydrothermal transition. The mineral assemblage of albite, sericite, schorl, and quartz originates from the early and main stages of greisenization. While the subsequent mineral assemblages, which predominantly include dravite, specular hematite, and epidote, are closely related to the late vein-depositing stage. We propose that the study area could belong to a boron-rich open greisen system in the apical portion of Guadalupian A-type granite. Based on a new hypothesis, the previously published Permian crystallization ages (between ~272 Ma and ~259 Ma) could be homogenized and/or partially rejuvenated during the hydrothermal mineralization processes due to uraniferous vein minerals. Additionally, the Highiș granite-related system suffered a Cretaceous thermal overprint (between ~100 Ma and ~96 Ma). The results may help to understand the evolution of highly evolved granite intrusions worldwide and improve our knowledge of the effect of hydrothermal mineralization processes on the emplacement ages. Full article

Copper mineralization in the Lower Paleozoic sedimentary cover of the Anti-Atlas (Morocco) is continually being revised not only to improve its mining capacity, but also to determine its origin, which remains a matter of debate. As evidenced by the various models proposed, the related research is fragmented, localized, and confusing. The origin of the Anti-Atlas Lower Paleozoic copper mineralization is shared between synergistic and epigenetic processes or a superposition of the two processes. Based on new tectono-magmatic data and a reinterpretation of the ore structural arrangement, we propose a link between the last concentration of copper deposits and the Late Triassic–Early Liassic CAMP (Central Atlantic Magmatic Province) tectono-thermal event, as evidenced by the significant concentration of copper mineralization in the three NE–SW corridors affected by extensional faults, some of which are filled with dolerite CAMP magma. The heat flow generated by the mafic dykes within these reactivated corridors causes mineralized fluids to up well into the sedimentary layers, depositing material rich in juvenile or leached copper, or even a mixture of the two. In some cases, these fluids are trapped by fracture systems that accompany passive folds initiated on normal faults. In other cases, these fluids can infiltrate bedding planes, and even karst caves, formed during carbonate exhumation. Notably, extensive NE–SW faults systematically cover the early Hercynian structures, suggesting that they belong to a post-Hercynian extensional episode. During the Late Triassic, the global fragmentation of the Pangaea supercontinent was manifested by the stretching of the continental crust at the margin of northwest Africa, with the simultaneous opening of the Central Atlantic Ocean and emplacement of CAMP magmatism. This last and often overlooked tectonothermal event must be considered in the remobilization and reconcentration of copper mineralization and other mineralization in Morocco. Full article

Somma-Vesuvius is one of the most dangerous active Italian volcanoes, due to the explosive character of its activity and because it is surrounded by an intensely urbanized area. For mitigating the volcanic risks, it is important to define how the Somma-Vesuvius magmatic system worked during the past activity and what processes took place. A continuous coring borehole drilled at Camaldoli della Torre, along the southern slopes of Somma-Vesuvius, allowed reconstructing its volcanic and magmatic history in a previous study. In this work, the wide range of chemical (Mg# = 92–69) and isotopic (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.70781–0.70681) compositions, collected on single clinopyroxene crystals separated from selected lava flow units of the Camaldoli della Torre sequence, have been integrated with the already available bulk geochemical and Sr-isotopic data. The detected chemical and isotopic signatures and their variation through time allow us to better constrain the behavior of the volcano magmatic feeding system, highlighting that mixing and/or assimilation processes occurred before a significant change in the eruptive dynamics at Somma-Vesuvius during a period of polycyclic caldera formation, starting with the Pomici di Base Plinian eruption (ca. 22 ka). Full article

Clinopyroxene and olivine primocrysts in the intrusions of the Ponte Nova mafic–ultramafic alkaline massif (SE Brazil) present several textures and zoning that indicate open-system processes. Important compositional differences were found in the clinopyroxene. Diopside relict cores (mostly partially corroded) present higher Mg, Cr and Ni and lower Ti, Na, Al, REE and Sr than Ti-augite mantling and rims. Subordinately, two types of olivine crystals were recognized, one related to very zoned crystals with high Mg (Fo up to 86 mol.%) and Ni cores (mostly with corroded rims), and other almost without clear zonation and with lower Mg contents. Relict cores of high-Mg clinopyroxene and olivine crystals are representative of antecrysts formed in deeper chamber environments. Temperature and pressure estimates based on clinopyroxene-liquid geothermobarometers indicate crystallization of the antecrysts at ~1171 ± 10 °C and ~5.7 ± 0.3 kbar, pointing to a deeper hidden magmatic chamber, whereas mantling and rim compositions indicate a shallow chamber environment. Clinopyroxenes of this hidden chamber have progressive enrichments of incompatible elements with the Mg# decrement and inflection points in Sr and REE due to the starting of co-precipitation of apatite. The evolution trend of clinopyroxene antecrysts indicates that the main intrusions in the Ponte Nova shallow chamber were fed by a single deeper hidden chamber mainly controlled by typical fractional crystallization processes. These antecrysts indicate the presence of a complex plumbing system, which is also supported by similar antecrysts found in the lamprophyre and alkali basalt dikes of this region. The preferred petrological model for the Ponte Nova massif could be summarized as repeated influxes of antecryst-laden basanite magmas that deposited most of their suspended crystals on the floor of the upper-crust magma chamber. Full article

The eruptions of Campi Flegrei (Southern Italy), one of the most studied and dangerous active volcanic areas of the world, are fed by mildly potassic alkaline magmas, from shoshonite to trachyte and phonotrachyte. Petrological investigations carried out in past decades on Campi Flegrei rocks provide crucial information for understanding differentiation processes in its magmatic system. However, the compositional features of rocks are a palimpsest of many processes acting over timescales of 10⁰–10⁴ years, including crystal entrapment from multiple reservoirs with different magmatic histories. In this work, olivine, clinopyroxene and feldspar crystals from volcanic rocks related to the entire period of Campi Flegrei’s volcanic activity are checked for equilibrium with combined and possibly more rigorous tests than those commonly used in previous works (e.g., Fe–Mg exchange between either olivine or clinopyroxene and melt), with the aim of obtaining more robust geothermobarometric estimations for the magmas these products represent. We applied several combinations of equilibrium tests and geothermometric and geobarometric methods to a suite of rocks and related minerals spanning the period from ~59 ka to 1538 A.D. and compared the obtained results with the inferred magma storage conditions estimated in previous works through different methods. This mineral-chemistry investigation suggests that two prevalent sets of T–P (temperature–pressure) conditions, here referred to as “magmatic environments”, characterized the magma storage over the entire period of Campi Flegrei activity investigated here. These magmatic environments are ascribable to either mafic or differentiated magmas, stationing in deep and shallow reservoirs, respectively, which interacted frequently, mostly during the last 12 ka of activity. In fact, open-system magmatic processes (mixing/mingling, crustal contamination, CO₂ flushing) hypothesized to have occurred before several Campi Flegrei eruptions could have removed earlier-grown crystals from their equilibrium melts. Moreover, our new results indicate that, in the case of complex systems such as Campi Flegrei’s, in which different pre-eruptive processes can modify the equilibrium composition of the crystals, one single geothermobarometric method offers little chance to constrain the magma storage conditions. Conversely, combined methods yield more robust results in agreement with estimates obtained in previous independent studies based on both petrological and geophysical methods. Full article

The Sanshui Basin is located at the northern continental margin of the South China Sea and characterized by a continental rift basin. The bimodal volcanic rocks in Sanshui Basin record the early Cenozoic magmatic activity in the South China Block, but the magmatic evolution that produced the bimodal volcanic rocks is poorly understood. Clinopyroxenes in bimodal volcanic rocks in the Sanshui Basin provide an opportunity to investigate magma during magma ascent. In this work, we classified nine types of clinopyroxene phenocrysts according to composition and texture in cogenetic basalt-trachyandesite-comenditic trachyte, while the composition of unzoned clinopyroxene have an evolution sequence of diopside-hedenbergite-aegirine along with an increase in trace element contents with a decrease of Mg^#, indicating that the genesis of clinopyroxene was dominated by fractional crystallization in a closed magma system. However, the clinopyroxenes with reversed zoning and multiple zoning record the process of magma mixing and recharge indicating an open magma system. While fractional crystallization is the dominant process, magma mixing, recharge, and crystal settling were also found to influence magma evolution. Thermobarometric calculations showed that clinopyroxene crystallized a several structural levels in the crust during magma ascent. In this study, we established a magma plumbing system that provides new constraints for the magma evolution in the Sanshui Basin. Full article

The Goiás Archean Block (GAB) in central Brazil is an important gold district that hosts several world-class orogenic gold deposits. A better comprehension of the crustal, tectono-magmatic, and metallogenic settings of the GAB is essential to accurately define its geological evolution, evaluate Archean crustal growth models, and target gold deposits. We present an overview of gold systems, regional whole-rock Sm-Nd analyses that have been used to constrain the geological evolution of the GAB, and augment this with new in situ zircon U-Pb and Hf-O isotope data. The orogenic gold deposits show variable host rocks, structural settings, hydrothermal alteration, and ore mineralogy, but they represent epigenetic deposits formed during the same regional hydrothermal event. The overprinting of metamorphic assemblages by ore mineralogy suggests the hydrothermal event is post-peak metamorphism. The metamorphic grade of the host rocks is predominantly greenschist, locally reaching amphibolite facies. Isotope-time trends support a Mesoarchean origin of the GAB, with ocean opening at 3000–2900 Ma, and reworking at 2800–2700 Ma. Crustal growth was dominated by subduction processes via in situ magmatic additions along lithospheric discontinuities and craton margins. This promoted a crustal architecture composed of young, juvenile intra-cratonic terranes and old, long-lived reworked crustal margins. This framework provided pathways for magmatism and fluids that drove the gold endowment of the GAB. Full article

In order to reveal the formation mechanism of different garnets and its implications for the fluid evolution in the Laoshankou Fe-Cu-Au deposit in the northern margin of East Junggar (NW China), three types of garnet have been investigated in detail in this study. (1) Type 1 grossular, formed at Ca-silicate stage (stage I, the pre-mineralization stage), was replaced by Type 2 garnet and magnetite, and displays a compositional range of Grs_44–53Adr_44–53, which has relatively lower total REE (rare earth elements) contents (8.14–32.8 ppm) and markedly depleted LREE (light rare earth elements) with distinctive positive Eu anomaly (1.36–9.61). (2) Type 2 Al-rich andradite, formed at the early sub-stage of amphibole-epidote-magnetite stage (stage II, the main magnetite mineralization stage), can be divided into two sub-types, i.e., Type 2a and Type 2b. Type 2a garnets exhibit polysynthetic twinning and relatively narrow compositional variations of Adr_63–66Grs_31–34 with HREE-(heavy rare-earth elements) enrichment and positive Eu anomalies (3.22–3.69). Type 2b garnets own wide compositional variations of Adr_55–77Grs_21–43 with relatively higher REE contents (49.1–124 ppm), markedly depleted LREE and a distinctive positive Eu anomaly (2.11–4.61). (3) Type 3 andradite (Adr_>91) associated with sulfide stage (stage III, the main copper-gold mineralization stage) is different from other types of garnets in Laoshankou, which are characterized by lowest total REE contents (1.66–91.1 ppm), flat HREE patterns, LREE-enrichment and the strongest positive Eu anomalies (3.31–45.48). Incorporation of REE into garnet is largely controlled by external factors, such as fluid chemistry, pH, ƒO₂ and water-rock ratios as well as its crystal chemistry. Type 1 and 2 garnets mainly follow the creation of X²⁺ (e.g., Ca²⁺) site vacancy, e.g., ${[X^{2+}]}_{-3}^{VIII}{[]}_{+1}^{VIII}{[RE{E}^{3+}]}_{+2}^{VIII}$. The REE³⁺ substitution mechanism for Type 3 garnet is the Na⁺-REE³⁺ coupled substitutions, e.g., ${[X^{2+}]}_{-2}^{VIII}{[X^{+}]}_{+1}^{VIII}{[RE{E}^{3+}]}_{+1}^{VIII}$, without the evaluation of the creation of site vacancy. The compositional variations from Type 1 to Type 3 garnet indicate significant differences of fluid compositions and physicochemical conditions, and can be used to trace the fluid–rock interaction and hydrothermal evolution of garnet. Type 1 grossular was formed by magmatic fluid under low water–rock ratios and ƒO₂, and neutral pH environment by diffusion metasomatism in a nearly closed system with the preferential incorporation into the grossular of HREE. As the long fluid pore residence and continuing infiltration metasomatism under nearly closed-system conditions, fluids with high water/rock ratios were characterized by increased ƒO₂, more active incorporation of Fe³⁺ and REE, and formed Type 2 Al-rich andradite. In contrast, Type 3 garnet formed by oxidizing magmatic fluid under a mildly acidic environment with highest ƒO₂ and water–rock ratios, and was influenced by externally derived high salinity and Ca-rich fluids in an open system. Thus, the geochemical features of different types and generations of garnets in the Laoshankou deposit can provide important information of fluid evolution, revealing a transition from neutral magmatic fluid to oxidizing magmatic fluid with addition of external non-magmatic Ca-rich fluid from the Ca-silicate stage to the sulfide stage. The above proved the fluid evolution process further indicates that the Laoshankou deposit prefers to be an IOCG-like (iron oxide-copper-gold) deposit rather than a typical skarn deposit. Full article

The Sangdong W (tungsten)-deposit is known as one of the world’s largest W-deposits, a magmatic–hydrothermal ore deposit including both skarn and hydrothermal alteration zones. The strata-bound characteristic of the deposit resulted in three major orebodies (hanging wall, main, footwall). The main ore mineral is a scheelite (CaWO₄)–powellite (CaMoO₄) solid solution. We examined the fluid evolution and scheelite formation process of the quartz–scheelite veins of the ore deposit, based on the microtextures and geochemical characteristics of the scheelite. After the initial magmatic–hydrothermal fluid release from the granitic body, prograde skarn is formed. In the later prograde stage, secondary fluid rises and precipitates stage I scheelite. Well-developed oscillatory zoning with the highest Mo content indicates continuous fluid infiltration under an open system. Pressure rises as mineralization occurs, generating the pressure release of the retrograde fluid. Fluid migrates downward by the gravitational backflow mechanism, forming stage II to IV scheelites. Dented oscillatory zoning of stage II scheelite is strong evidence of this pressure release. Stage III and IV scheelite do not show specific internal structures with pure scheelite composition. Retrograde scheelites are formed by fractional crystallization under a closed system. The observation of systematical fractional crystallization in the quartz–scheelite vein system is a meaningful result of our research. The geochemical characteristics and microtextural evidence imprinted in scheelites from each stage provide crucial evidence for the understanding of sequential scheelite mineralization of the quartz–scheelite vein system of the Sangdong W-deposit. Full article

The petrogenesis of the Pridoli to Early Lochkovian granites in the Miramichi Highlands of New Brunswick, Canada, is controversial. This study focuses on the Pridoli Nashwaak Granite (biotite granite and two-mica granite). In situ trace elements and O and Hf isotopes in zircon, coupled with O isotopes in quartz, are used to reveal its magmatic sources and evolution processes. In the biotite granite, inherited zircon cores have broadly homogenous δ¹⁸O_Zrc ranging from +6.7‰ to 7.4‰, whereas magmatic zircon rims have δ¹⁸O_Zrc of +6.3‰ to 7.2‰ and ε_Hf(t) of −0.39 to −5.10. The Hf and Yb/Gd increase with decreasing Th/U. Quartz is isotopically equilibrated with magmatic zircon rims. The biotite granite is interpreted to be solely derived by partial melting of old basement rocks of Ganderia and fractionally crystallized at the fO₂ of 10⁻²¹ to 10⁻¹⁰ bars. The two-mica granite has heterogeneous inherited zircon cores (δ¹⁸O_Zrc of +5.2‰ to 9.9‰) and rims (δ¹⁸O_Zrc of +6.2‰ to 8.7‰), and ε_Hf(t) of −11.7 to −1.01. The two-mica granite was derived from the same basement, but with supracrustal contamination. This open-system process is also recorded by Yb/Gd and Th/U ratios in zircon and isotopic disequilibrium between magmatic zircon rims and quartz (+10.3 ± 0.2‰). Full article

This paper presents an integrated major and trace element data and crystal size distribution analysis for zoned clinopyroxene phenocrysts hosted in variolitic and massive picrobasalts of the Suisaari Formation, Karelian Craton, Eastern Fennoscandian Shield. Clinopyroxenes in variolitic and massive lavas occur as unzoned, reverse, and normally zoned crystal. Oscillatory-zoned clinopyroxenes are only observed in variolitic lavas. The obtained data were examined in order to evaluate the contribution of magmatic processes such as magma mixing, contamination and fractional crystallization to the formation of various zoning patterns of clinopyroxene phenocrysts. Clinopyroxene phenocrysts in both variolitic and massive lavas originate from similar primary melts from a single magmatic source. The obtained data on composition and texture of clinopyroxene phenocrysts together with the crystal size distribution (CSD) analysis suggest that crystallization of the massive lavas mainly involves fractionation in a closed magmatic system, whereas the crystallization of the variolitic lavas is determined by processes in an open magmatic system. The results provide novel information on the evolution of Paleoproterozoic magmatic systems in the Karelian Craton. Full article

Fluid plays a key role in metamorphism and magmatism in subduction zones. Veins in high-pressure (HP) to ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) rocks are the products of fluid–rock interactions and can thus provide important constraints on fluid processes in subduction zones. In this study, we present an integrated study of zircon in situ U–Pb dating, trace element and mineral inclusion analysis for a complex vein and its host eclogite in the southwestern Tianshan UHP terrane, aiming to decipher the episodic fluid action during slab subduction and exhumation. Both zircon in eclogite and vein have euhedral, prismatic morphology similar to those crystallized from metamorphic fluid. Zircon in eclogite shows core–rim structures with distinct bounds and mineral inclusions. Zircon in the vein shows sector zoning or weak zoning, with bright rims around most zircon grains, which suggests recrystallization of the zircon crystals after their formation and multiple evolution of the vein. Eclogite zircon rims yield a weighted mean of 311 ± 3 Ma and cores yield a range from 413 ± 4 to 2326 ± 18 Ma, respectively. Vein zircon yields four groups of age (~355 Ma, ~337 Ma, ~315 Ma, and ~283 Ma), which date four episodes of fluid flow involving zircon growth. The first two groups of age may represent prograde epidote–amphibolite facies and amphibolite/blueschist facies metamorphism stage, respectively. The third group is similar to that of eclogite zircon rims, which is thought to date the eclogitic facie metamorphism (320–305 Ma), and the fourth group dates a later retrograde metamorphism after greenschist facies. The vein-forming fluid system was supposed to be an open system indicated by trace element of vein zircon and mineral assemblage of the vein. The coexistence of rutile, zircon, and garnet in prograde vein and the heavy rare earth elements (HREE) enrichment characteristic of vein zircon suggest that the vein-forming fluid are enriched in high field strength elements (HFSE) and HREE, and such fluid could be formed under low P–T conditions. Full article

We present a mineral chemical stratigraphy across the UG2 Unit, situated in the Upper Critical Zone of the Bushveld Complex. The magmatic evolution of the rocks hosting this world-class ore deposit for chromium and platinum group elements (PGEs) is still under debate. Orthopyroxene is a common phase across the magmatic stratigraphy of the unit. It hosts trace metals, whose relative contents can record information about magmatic processes. This study determined laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) trace element data for orthopyroxene and spot LA multi-collector ICP-MS Sr-isotope data for plagioclase. Mapping of trace element distributions revealed internal zoning in Cr, V, Y, and Th. Unlike in conventional spot analysis, quantitative trace element concentrations were extracted post-analysis from two-dimensional LA-ICP-MS maps. This approach offered advantages over spot analysis. The maps revealed internal complexities (e.g., inclusions, exsolved phases, zonations and diffusion halos) that could be avoided with suitable thresholds for chemical filter elements (i.e., 100 ppm < Cr < 4000 ppm, Y < 6 ppm), permitting fast, automated extraction of pure orthopyroxene data pixels from elemental maps covering noritic, troctolitic, anorthositic and chromititic mineral assemblages. Diffusive equilibration in orthopyroxene was evaluated by comparing zonations in elements with different known diffusivities. Magnesium and Ni are homogenously distributed, indicative of rapid diffusive processes, while Cr and V show zonations, interpreted to largely reflect primary distribution. Thorium and Y apparently diffused along discrete pathways, indicated by concentration anomalies following orthopyroxene lamellae. A systematic study of the trace element inventory of orthopyroxene across the succession of the UG2 Unit, complemented with Sr isotope signatures of plagioclase, revealed clear evidence for open-system processes: compatible elements (Cr, Ni) are decoupled from Mg# variations in orthopyroxene from specific UG2 subunits; distinct Mg# peaks coincide with negative V excursions in orthopyroxene from chromite-bearing subunits; towards the top of the unit, plagioclase shows a distinct ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_initial peak and orthopyroxene shows Cr-depleted and Th-enriched rims. These chemical features cannot be explained by crystal mixing alone and argue for the involvement of at least two chemically distinct melts in the formation of the studied UG2 section. Full article