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The discovery of kimberlites in Antarctica extends the vast Gondwanan Cretaceous province

Author

Listed:
  • Gregory M. Yaxley

    (Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University)

  • Vadim S. Kamenetsky

    (ARC Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits, University of Tasmania
    Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania)

  • Geoffrey T. Nichols

    (GEMOC, Macquarie University)

  • Roland Maas

    (School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne)

  • Elena Belousova

    (GEMOC, Macquarie University)

  • Anja Rosenthal

    (Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University
    Bayerisches Geoinstitut, University of Bayreuth)

  • Marc Norman

    (Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University)

Abstract

Kimberlites are a volumetrically minor component of the Earth’s volcanic record, but are very important as the major commercial source of diamonds and as the deepest samples of the Earth’s mantle. They were predominantly emplaced from ≈2,100 Ma to ≈10 ka ago, into ancient, stable regions of continental crust (cratons), but are also known from continental rifts and mobile belts. Kimberlites have been reported from almost all major cratons on all continents except for Antarctica. Here we report the first bona fide Antarctic kimberlite occurrence, from the northern Prince Charles Mountains, emplaced during the reactivation of the Lambert Graben associated with rifting of India from Australia-Antarctica. The samples are texturally, mineralogically and geochemically typical of Group I kimberlites from more classical localities. Their ≈120 Ma ages overlap with those of many kimberlites from other world-wide localities, extending a vast Cretaceous, Gondwanan kimberlite province, for the first time, into Antarctica.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory M. Yaxley & Vadim S. Kamenetsky & Geoffrey T. Nichols & Roland Maas & Elena Belousova & Anja Rosenthal & Marc Norman, 2013. "The discovery of kimberlites in Antarctica extends the vast Gondwanan Cretaceous province," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3921
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3921
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