Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255

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Tectonophysics

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Geochemistry of accreted metavolcanic rocks from the Neoproterozoic

Gwna Group of Anglesey–Lleyn, NW Wales, U.K.: MORB and OIB in the
Iapetus Ocean
Takuya Saito a,⁎, Masaoki Uno b, Tomohiko Sato a, Wataru Fujisaki c, Satoru Haraguchi d, Yi-bing Li e,
Yusuke Sawaki c, Shinji Yamamoto f, Shigenori Maruyama a
a
Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
b
Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
c
Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, O-okayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
d
Department of Solid Earth Geochemistry, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
e
State Key Laboratory for Continental Tectonics and Dynamics, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
f
Department of Earth Science and Astronomy, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The Gwna Group in Anglesey–Lleyn, NW Wales, UK, is a Neoproterozoic accretionary complex that consists of ba-
Received 25 December 2014 salt, bedded chert, red claystone, and trench turbidite that have been intercalated in coherent and incoherent mé-
Received in revised form 29 July 2015 langes that are considered typical Ocean plate stratigraphy (OPS). The sediments in the OPS can be useful for
Accepted 3 August 2015
constraining the geological environment in the Iapetus Ocean. Most basalts in this area have undergone hydro-
Available online 8 September 2015
thermal alteration, greenschist facies regional metamorphism, and surface oxidation. This indicates that immo-
Keywords:
bile elements such as Al2O3 and TiO2, Rare Earth Elements (REE) and High Field Strength Elements (HSFE) are
Anglesey–Lleyn region appropriate for discriminating the origin of the basalts in the Gwna Group.
Gwna Group Most basalts showing light REE-enriched pattern in CI chondrite-normalized spider diagrams in within-plate ba-
Meta-basalt salt (WPB) fields, and some have flat patterns in spider diagrams in mid-oceanic ridge basalt (MORB) fields. In
LA–ICP–MS view of these relations, we conclude that the former erupted in an oceanic island. Oceanic island basalts (OIB)
Neoproterozoic are common in Phanerozoic accretionary complexes, and this study presents the first evidence of OIB in a
Neoproterozoic accretionary complex of the Gwna Group in Anglesey–Llyen and Llyen area. The OIB-like basalts
are locally capped by red hematite-rich claystones. This indicates that a fully oxic pelagic condition was present
around the oceanic island in the Iapetus Ocean in the Neoproterozoic, which is consistent with the redox condi-
tion estimated from contemporaneous shallow marine sediments. On the other hand, the presence of black mud-
stones on top of MORB-like meta-basalts suggests that deep-sea anoxia conditions were prevalent during the
end-Proterozoic.
© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction and green chert, red claystone, mudstone and sandstone, which togeth-
er have been interpreted as a classic, albeit imbricated, ocean plate stra-
The end-Proterozoic rocks in the Lleyn Peninsula and Anglesey tigraphy (OPS) (Maruyama et al., 2010; Asanuma et al., 2015). Maltman
Island in NW Wales provide important lithological and structural con- (1975, 1977) suggested that serpentinites and gabbros in the New Har-
straints for deciphering the history of the Iapetus Ocean between the bour Group on Anglesey were intrusive, but Thorpe (1978) proposed
Laurentian and Gondwanan continents. The volcano-sedimentary that they belong to an ophiolite suite. Following Wood (1974), Barber
rocks belong to the Monian Supergroup or Mona Complex, which is di- and Max (1979) re-evaluated the Mona Complex as a modern subduc-
visible into 3 Groups; the Gwna, New Harbour, and South Stack (Barber tion–accretion complex. Gibbons (1983a, b) and Gibbons and Gyopari
and Max, 1979; Greenly, 1919; McIlroy and Horák, 2006; Shackleton, (1986) applied the terrane concept to the Mona Complex in terms of
1954). These Groups were deformed and metamorphosed in the latest the strike-slip juxtaposition of tectonic blocks. Glaucophane schist in
Proterozoic (e.g. Gibbons and Horák, 1990; Kawai et al., 2006, 2007). the Blueschist–Schist Unit, which is chemically similar to modern
The Gwna and New Harbour Groups include pillow basalt, jasper, red ocean floor basalt (Thorpe, 1972a), was exhumed by wedge extrusion
during formation of a subduction–accretion complex on the western ac-
⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +81 3 5734 2618; fax: +81 3 5734 3538. tive margin of Avalonia during the closure of the Iapetus Ocean (Kawai
E-mail address: [email protected] (T. Saito). et al., 2006, 2007).

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2015.08.015
0040-1951/© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
244 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255

The geochemistry of pre-Mesozoic basalts has long been compared equipment, and a much better evaluation can now be made of their tec-
with that of modern basalts in terms of their origins in different plate tonic settings.
tectonic settings (e.g. Cabanis and Lecolle, 1989; Meschede, 1986; We collected basalts from the whole Anglesey–Lleyn region
Pearce, 1980, 2008; Pearce and Cann, 1973; Wood, 1980). In order to (Figs. 1–4). The aim of this paper is to use the chemical composition
understand the origin of Troodos basalts, Pearce (1975) used discrimi- of basalts mostly from the Gwna Group and partly from the New Har-
nation diagrams of immobile elements that were able to survive low- bour Group to discriminate OIB from MORB settings, and to discuss
grade metamorphism and weathering (e.g. Ti, Rare Earth elements their roles during closure of the Iapetus Ocean in the latest Proterozoic.
(REE), and high strength field elements (HSFE)). Pearce and Cann
(1973) used Ti/Y and Zr/Y ratios to differentiate intra-plate ocean island
basalts (OIB) from mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB). Wood et al. (1979) 2. Geological setting
discriminated island arc basalts, OIB from MORB according to their Th–
Ta–Hf variations, and Th/Ta ratios are useful to detect crustal contami- The Gwna Group is dominated by ocean floor volcano-sedimentary
nation in OIB and MORB (Wood, 1980). Meschede (1986) separated rocks including basaltic greenstone, chert, claystone, and alternations
plume-influenced MORB (“P-MORB” or “E-MORB”) from tholeiitic OIB of greywacke and mudstone. The maximum depositional age of the
largely on the basis of their lower Zr/Y ratios. Recently, Pearce (2008) Gwna Group is constrained by U–Pb analyses of detrital zircons in sand-
recommended Th–Nb and Ti/Yb ratios as proxies to evaluate crustal stones, which range from ca. 608 to 539 Ma (Asanuma et al., 2015).
input and melting depth, respectively. Finally, using immobile trace The olistostromal New Harbour Group mainly consists of basaltic
elements Matsuda and Ogawa (1993), Ogawa (1998), and Ueda et al. greenstone, pelitic/psammitic schists, and serpentinite and gabbro.
(2000) distinguished island arc basalts, and OIB from MORB in Japan The passive margin sediments of the South Stack Group in NW Anglesey
and Scotland. Vermeesch (2006) statistically processed the chemical include thick quartzites separated by thin chlorite schists, the maximum
compositions of modern MORB, OIB and IAB, and proposed a new dis- depositional age of which is constrained by a U–Pb age of detrital zir-
criminant method using Ti–Sm–V ternary diagram for separating tec- cons of ca. 501 Ma (Collins and Buchan, 2004). The Coedana granite in
tonic settings. central Anglesey that has a magmatic age of ~ 613 Ma (Tucker and
The origin of basalts in the Monian Supergroup has long been Pharaoh, 1991) intruded the Coedana Schist that contains detrital
discussed in terms of their chemical composition. Thorpe (1993) used zircons that date from Neoarchaean with younger clusters at ~1.8 and
major and trace elements to demonstrate that meta-basalts in the ~ 1.1 Ga to 666 +/− 7 Ma (Strachan et al., 2007). The NNE–SSW-
Gwna Group have the geochemical signature of ocean floor basalts, trending Blueschist–Schist Unit that extends from eastern Anglesey
whereas meta-basalts in the New Harbour Group have more affinity Island to the southwestern end of the Lleyn Peninsula is mainly com-
with arc basalts. However, the geochemical analyses and discrimina- posed of glaucophane schists, chlorite schists, mica schists and minor
tions of the Gwna and New Harbour basalts performed in 1993 could metabasic lenses. The blueschists, which have a peak 40Ar-39Ar age
be much improved with modern technology such as laser ablation on phengite of 550–560 Ma (Dallmeyer and Gibbons, 1987), were

Long 4˚40’ W 30’ 20’ 10’ 4˚00’

N
ANG105

Lat
53˚20’ N 10km UK
AMW102

Phanerozoic
sedimentary cover
Arfon Group
10’

ANG24 Coedana granite & hornfels

Coedana gneisses

Gwna Group

Blueschist-Schist Unit
53˚00’
Fig. 2
Central Anglesey schist Unit

New Harbour Group

South Stack Group

Fig. 3
Sample locality

This study

Fig. 4 Thorpe, 1993

Fig. 1. Simplified geological map of Anglesey Island and Lleyn Peninsula showing the main tectonic units and the sample localities (modified after British Geological Survey, 1980; Kawai
et al., 2007). The positions of Fig. 2–4 are also shown. Yellow circles represent localities of basalts sampled by Thorpe et al. (1984) and Thorpe (1993).
 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255 245

Fig. 2. Geological map of the Porth Dinllaen Peninsula near Nefyn (modified after Kawai et al., 2007). Localities of basalts used for chemical analyses are marked by blue circles, whereas
white circles represent positions of basalts collected for microscopic observations. Position marked on Fig. 1.

exhumed in a wedge-extruded sub-horizontal slab (Kawai et al., 2006, One of the best outcrops of the Gwna Group is at Porth Felen (Sato
2007). et al., 2015) in SW Lleyn Peninsula (Fig. 4), where the OPS includes ba-
The Gwna Group, which is well-exposed along the western coast of salt–chert–dolostone–claystone, repeated by layer-parallel faults. Fresh
Lleyn Peninsula (Figs. 1–4), is composed of basalt (greenstone), bedded pillow basalts occur at two localities (Fig. 5e, f), and some basalts con-
red chert-claystone, black shale and sandstone-mudstone, which tain many carbonate veins and inter-pillow red jasper. The pillow ba-
together constitute the lithologies found in ocean-plate stratigraphy salts are capped by bedded dolostones, and in places by bedded red
(OPS) (Kusky et al., 2013). In SW Lleyn, the structural top of the Gwna cherts (Fig. 5g). Basalts for analyses were sampled from 2 separate ba-
Group, which includes basalt–dolostone–bedded chert, is underlain by saltic blocks.
the extruded Blueschist–Schist Unit (Kawai et al., 2007). In addition, we collected basalts from Anglesey Island (Fig. 1).
West of Penrhyn Nefyn the Gwna Group consists of a 1 km-thick pile ANG105 is from the New Harbour Group, and ANG24 and AMW102
of almost undeformed pillow lavas (Fig. 5a), massive basaltic flows and are from the Gwna Group on the southern and eastern coasts, respec-
minor pillow breccias (Fig. 2). Between pillows in the basalts are inter- tively. AMW102 is close to the basalt analyzed by Thorpe (1993).
pillow red jasper and carbonate lenses (Fig. 5b), as well as drain-cavities
in the carbonates and jaspers (Fig. 5c) that are indicative of a hydrother- 3. Mineralogy
mal origin in a mid-oceanic ridge vent (Grenne and Slack, 2003). We
collected pillow basalts from 3 localities for geochemical analyses. Petrographic studies of thin sections demonstrate that the basalts
The Gwna Group in Porth Oer and Porthorion (both included as contain the following minerals: plagioclase, clinopyroxene, olivine,
“Porthorion” below) is composed predominantly of pillow basalt, red chlorite, magnetite, biotite, epidote, calcite, quartz, muscovite, pyrite,
claystone, dolostone, and clastic sandstone and turbidite (Fig. 3), hematite, and sphene. The constituent minerals in each sample are
which is interpreted to make-up OPS that has been thrust-imbricated listed in Table 1, and representative photomicrographs are shown in
(Asanuma et al., 2015). The Porthorion basalts do not contain jasper- Fig. 6.
carbonate lenses like those in Penrhyn Nefyn (Fig. 5d). Basalts were Basalts with ophitic texture from the Nefyn area (AMW66, 67, 70,
collected from four different mélange blocks shown in Fig. 3, and 78, and A255) are mainly composed of plagioclase and chlorite, minor
LLY154b from near Porth Iago (GPS position: N52°50′39.4″, W4°43′ clinopyroxene phenocrysts, and rare carbonate and magnetite.
31.8″). AMW66 is a sub-ophitic chlorite-rich basalt that locally contains biotite
246 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255

Fig. 3. Geological map of the Porthorion area (modified after Asanuma et al., 2015). Red circles indicate localities of basalts for chemical analyses. White circles mark basalts collected only
for identification of mineral assemblages. Location of the figure marked on Fig. 1.

(Fig. 6a). AMW70 and A255 have prominent ophitic and sub-ophitic plagioclase phenocrysts and chlorite (Fig. 6g), as well as calcite and
textures, respectively (Fig. 6b). AMW78 contains pseudomorphed quartz, and they are traversed by many carbonate veins; LLZ387 is an al-
phenocrysts (up to 1 cm) replaced by plagioclase. tered basalt with mm-sized plagioclase megacrysts and pseudo-
Basalts from NE Porthorion (LLY04, 15, 24, 27, 37A, 37B, 37C and 81) morphed clinopyroxenes (Fig. 6h). LLZ391 is an altered doleritic basalt
mainly consist of plagioclase, chlorite and minor magnetite; only a few with a sub-ophitic texture and coarse-grained plagioclase, and SLW2
retain their olivine and clinopyroxene (LLY16, 18 and 27; Fig. 6c). and SLW3 are altered doleritic basalts with clinopyroxene pseudo-
Carbonate minerals are minor in basalts in this area, except for LLY81. morphs. Some samples from Porth Felen have similar constituent
LLY24 is an altered basalt with patchy magnetite and biotite. LLY27 minerals and textures as those from Penrhyn Nefyn, as pointed out by
is a fine-grained basalt containing an assemblage of epidote–chlorite– Kawai et al. (2007).
plagioclase, indicating greenschist facies metamorphism. Red altered Meta-basalts in the New Harbour Group (ANG105) from Anglesey
basalts like LLY37A-C contain quartz and muscovite. consist of plagioclase, chlorite, epidote and minor calcite and magnetite.
Altered basalts, SW of Porthorion are mainly composed of plagio- They have undergone greenschist facies metamorphism and mainly
clase and chlorite; some contain many carbonate minerals and veins, consist of chlorite with minor magnetite and calcite (ANG24 and
which are possibly formed by hydrothermal alteration on the seafloor, AMW102); ANG24 also contains plagioclase and biotite.
but some that contain quartz and hematite are highly altered and oxi-
dized (LLY168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 175, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 4. Analytical methods
182; Fig. 6f). Mineral assemblages in LLY LLY165 and 167 indicate
greenschist facies metamorphism (Table 1). Coarse-grained basalt 4.1. XRF analysis
(LLY123; Fig. 6d), fine-grained basalts (LLY164 and 166; Fig. 6e), and
altered basalt (LLY172 and 175) were selected for chemical analyses. Major and trace elements were analyzed as glass beads. The collect-
Most basalts from Porth Felen (LLZ386, 387, 389, 391, SLW2, 3, and ed rock samples were cut into slabs, washed by distilled water several
A325) are more or less altered. They contain relatively coarse-grained times, and finely grounded in an agate ball mill. One gram of powdered
 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255 247

Fig. 4. Geological map of the Porth Felen area showing localities of basalts analyzed in this study (modified after Sato et al., 2015). Location marked on Fig. 1.

sample was dried at 110 °C for about 10 h and weighed to obtain H2O−. by Uno et al. (2014). The samples were cut into approximately 20–
The dried samples were then ignited at 950 °C for over 24 h and 40 g chips with a rock-saw and the surfaces were polished with a silicon
weighed to obtain loss on ignition (LOI). Fused disks were prepared carbide powder to avoid contamination from the saw blade. After wash-
with a lithium tetraborate flux (Li2B4O7) with a dilution ratio of 1:10. ing in an ultrasonic bath with distilled water and heated to dryness, the
Major and trace element compositions were determined with a chips were crushed into fragments less than 1 mm3 across with a tung-
RIGAKU ZSX Primus II X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer at the At- sten carbide mortar. The fragments were then milled into a fine powder
mosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo (Table 2). with an agate mortar.
The accelerating voltage was 50 kV and current was 50 mA during the Bulk compositions of trace elements were determined by pellet
XRF analysis. Calibration methods using GSJ standards are after analysis with a LA–ICP–MS for Ca, Ti, Y, Zr, Nb, REE, Hf, Ta, Th and U. Pel-
Machida et al. (2008). Repeated analyses with the same standard indi- let analysis with a LA–ICP–MS minimizes the procedure of sample prep-
cate reproducibility of analysis was better than 1%, except for Na and P aration. Moreover, the method does not require any chemical digestion,
(b5%). which is essential in order to measure insoluble elements such as HFSE.
Approximately 30 mg of rock powder were put into a 3 mm-diameter
4.2. LA–ICP–MS analysis polyvinyl chloride ring and pressed under approximately 20 kN with
an oil pressure press. The resultant pellets were 3 mm in diameter,
Trace element abundances of the basalts were determined by pellet and a 2 × 2 mm area of the pellet was analyzed with a LA–ICP–MS.
analysis with a laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spec- Laser ablation was conducted with a Ti-sapphire Femtosecond Laser
trometry (LA–ICP–MS). The detailed analytical procedures are given system (Cyber IFRIT, Wavelength: 260 nm converted from 780 ±
248 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255

(a) (b)
Red jasper

(c) (d)

Quartz in
inter-pillow

(e) (f) (g)

Dolostone

Red chert

Basalt

Fig. 5. Field photos of lithologies in the Lleyn Peninsula. (a) Weakly deformed pillow basalt at Penrhyn Nefyn (b) Red jasper in inter-pillow and (c) white quartz in drain-cavity in basalt at
Penrhyn Nefyn. (d) Representative pillow basalt at Porthorion. (e) Fresh pillow basalt at Porth Felen. (f) Pillow basalt with quartz in drain-cavity at Porth Felen. (g) Red bedded chert
between underlying basalt and overlying brown dolostone with many carbonate veins at Porth Felen.

20 nm, Pulse Length: 200 fs), coupled with ICP–MS (Thermo-fisher 5. Results
Scientific X-series 2), equipped in Tokyo Institute of Technology. The
calibration line was obtained for 4 standard samples; NIST SRM 612 5.1. Chemical compositions of the meta-basalts
(glass), JGb1, JB3 and JA3 (powder pellet). 43Ca was used as an internal
standard and normalized using the Ca content determined by XRF anal- The results obtained with the XRF and LA–ICP–MS analyses are sum-
ysis. The relative standard deviation (RSD) estimated from repeated marized in Tables 2 and 3. As mentioned later, adjacent meta-basalts
analyses of basalt and metabasalt was less than 10% (Uno et al., 2014). show wide variations in Fe2O3, MgO, CaO, K2O and Na2O. Because
The RSD in this study is less than 40% for LLY18, less than 20% for meta-basalts in the Anglesey–Lleyn region suffered from seafloor hy-
LLY386, LLY192 and LLY81, less than 10% for the others. drothermal alteration, subduction-related regional metamorphism
 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255 249

Table 1
The table showing mineral assemblage in metabasalts collected at Anglesey–Lleyn region.

Sample Locality Rock type Pl Cpx Ol Chl Mag Bt Epi Cal Qz Mus Py Hem Sph Memo
ID

AMW66 Nefyn Basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Sub-ophitic texture, Chl-rich

AMW67 Nefyn Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ Fine grained, very highly weatherd, with Qz and Cal
veins
AMW70 Nefyn Basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Ophitic texture
AMW78 Nefyn Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Pl megacryst, highly altered, secondary Pl,
sub-ophitic texture
A255 Nefyn Basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Sub-ophitic texture
LLY04 NE Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ Fine grained, highly altered, volcanic texture
LLY15 NE Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ Fine grained, highly altered, volcanic texture
LLY16 NE Porthorion Basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Fine grained, highly weatherd
LLY18 NE Porthorion Basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Fine grained, highly weatherd
LLY24 NE Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Fine grained, highly weatherd, clear weathered
margin
LLY27 NE Porthorion Basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Fine grained, ophitic texture
LLY37a NE Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY37b NE Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY37c NE Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY81 NE Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯
LLY123 NE Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Coarse grained
LLY146b NE Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ Ophitic texture
LLY163 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ △ Fine grained, Cal vein
LLY164 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Fine grained, Qz vein
LLY165 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ △ Fine grained
LLY166 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Fine grained, highly altered, Qz vein
LLY167 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Fine grained
LLY168 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered, pseudomorph of Sph
LLY169 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY170 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY171 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered, fine grained, Qz and Cal veins
LLY172 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered, fine grained
LLY173 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY174 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY175 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered, fine grained
LLY177 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ △ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY178 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY179 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY180 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ △ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY181 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY182 SW Porthorion Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Red, highly altered
LLY386 Porth Felen Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ △ Sub-ophitic texture, Cal and Chl-rich
LLY387 Porth Felen Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ mm-sized megacryst of Pl, pseudomorph of Cpx
LLY389 Porth Felen Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ Highly weathered
LLY391 Porth Felen Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Highly weathered, sub-ophitic texture, Chl-rich
SLW2 Porth Felen Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ △ Psuedomorph of large Pl and Cpx
SLW3 Porth Felen Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ Altered Cpx, with psuedomorph of Cpx, Qz and Cal
veins
A325 Porth Felen Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ △ White
ANG24 Meta-basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯
AMW102 Altered basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ Very highly weatherd
ANG105 Meta-basalt ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯

Pl; plagioclase. Cpx; clinopyroxene. Ol; olivine. Chl; chlorite. Mag; magnetite. Bt; biotite. Epi; epidote. Cal; calcite. Qz; quartz. Mus; muscovite. Py; pyrite. Hem; hematite. Sph; sphene.
“△” represents possible existence of the mineral.

and later more or less altered (see Section 3), it is likely that these pro- and the trace elements have weak light Rare Earth Element (LREE)-
cesses modified their K2O, Na2O, SiO2, MgO, FeO contents. On the other enriched signatures (Fig. 13). The chemical compositions of these ba-
hand, nearby meta-basalts show small variations in Al2O3 and TiO2. It is salts plot in the within-plate basalt (WPB) field in a Nb–Zr–Y diagram
well known from the analyses of seafloor basalts that Al2O3 and TiO2, (Fig. 7) and in a Hf–Th–Ta diagram (Fig. 8), but all samples plot in the
REE and HSFE are resistant to the above alteration processes (Cann, MORB area in the Ti–Sm–V diagram (Fig. 11) and two samples plot in
1969; Hart, 1970; Matthews, 1971; Melson and van Andel, 1966; the volcanic arc basalt (VAB) field in the Ti–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 10)
Pearce, 1975). Accordingly, we will evaluate the origin of the meta- and in the MORB area in TiO2/Yb–Nb/Yb space (Fig. 12b). In the Ti–
basalts using these elements that are not susceptible to alteration. Dis- Sm–V diagram many modern OIB samples plot in the MORB field
crimination diagrams based on these elements are shown in Figs. 7 (Vermeesch, 2006), suggesting a possibility that these basalts originated
to 12. Almost all basalts plot on or near the oceanic basalt field in an oceanic island. A typical arc basalt is characterized by depletion of
(Fig. 9). The MORB–OIB array in Fig. 12a indicates that the basalts Ta and Nb, but these samples show no depletion of these elements. The
have suffered minor crustal input. Spider diagrams for the meta- discrimination diagram using TiO2/Yb is in general used for estimation
basalts are shown in Fig. 13. of melting temperature rather than tectonic setting (Fig. 12b). Therefore
The major element compositions of samples from the Penrhyn we tentatively suggest that the pillow basalts in this area erupted in an
Nefyn area are tightly confined as 43.0–47.2 wt.% for SiO2, 5.8– ocean island setting, and similar geochemical signatures from basalts in
7.1 wt.% for MgO, 8.3–14.1 wt.% for Fe2O3, and 3.9–8.7 wt.% for CaO, an accretionary complex were also assigned to an ocean island setting
250 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

(e) (f)

(g) (h)

Fig. 6. Thin-section photos of representative basalt samples; (a) AMW66 and (b) AMW70 from Penrhyn Nefyn containing coarse minerals with ophitic to subophitic texture, (c) LLY16
from Porth Oer including lath shaped plagioclase, (d) LLY123 showing mesh shaped chlorite with coarse grained plagioclase, (e) LLY164 consisting of many fine grained opaque and
(f) LLY173 showing lath shaped fine feldspar with opaque from Porth Orion, (g) LLY386 containing coarse grained plagioclase and (h) LLY387 showing clinopyroxene phenocryst replaced
by plagioclase from Porth Felen. Scale bar is 1 mm in each figure. Pl = plagioclase. Chl = chlorite. Mag = magnetite.

(Matsuda and Ogawa, 1993). In the Penrhyn Nefyn area, the top of the trace element contents of the basalts in these areas have weak LREE-
Gwna Group is cut off by a fault, so sedimentary rocks above the pillow depleted signatures, but two basalts (LLY37B and LLY81) show weak
basalt are not seen (Fig. 2). LREE-enriched signatures (Fig. 13). The majority of basalts plot in or
The major element compositions of samples from NE of Porthorion near the N-MORB field in a Nb–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 7), in a Hf–Th–Ta di-
are in the following ranges (with the exception of LLY37b): 47.4– agram (Fig. 8), a Y–La–Nb diagram (Fig. 9), a TiO2/Yb–Nb/Yb diagram
48.4 wt.% for SiO2, 6.2–7.9 wt.% for MgO, 9.4–12.4 wt.% for Fe2O3, and (Fig. 12b) and in the Ti–Sm–V diagram (Fig. 11), and in the MORB and
3.4–9.6 wt.% for CaO, whereas the major element abundances of basalts VAB fields in a Ti–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 10). On the other hand, LREE-
from SW of Porthorion are 42.3–50.4 wt.% for SiO2, 8.1–11.3 wt.% for enriched basalts (LLY37B and LLY81) plot in or near the WPB field in
MgO, 9.4–14.4 wt.% for Fe2O3, and 1.1–8.5 wt.% for CaO. The major ele- the Nb–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 7), the Hf–Th–Ta diagram (Fig. 8), and in
ments composition of LLY37B is significantly different from the other the Ti–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 10), and in the OIB area in the TiO2/Yb–Nb/
samples in the area; higher Al2O3, K2O and P2O5 and lower MgO. The Yb diagram (Fig. 12b). These two basalts were collected from
 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255 251

Table 2
Chemical compositions of metabasalts from Anglesey–Lleyn region by XRF analysis.

Sample ID SiO2 TiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 MnO MgO CaO Na2O K2O P2O5 LOI Total FeO* FeO*/MgO
wt.% wt.% wt.% wt.% wt.% wt.% wt.% wt.% wt.% wt.% wt.% wt.% wt.%

Nefyn
AMW70 46.8 2.3 14.7 13.0 0.2 7.1 3.9 3.5 0.1 0.3 6.2 97.6 11.7 1.7
AMW78 47.2 1.0 17.5 8.3 0.1 6.2 8.7 4.0 0.5 0.1 4.3 97.9 7.5 1.2
A255 43.0 3.0 13.5 14.1 0.2 5.8 7.3 2.4 0.7 0.4 5.8 95.9 12.7 2.2
NE Porthorion
LLY16 47.5 1.9 17.3 9.4 0.2 6.2 8.3 4.3 0.0 0.2 4.8 99.8 8.5 1.4
LLY18 48.4 1.6 16.9 9.6 0.2 7.0 7.5 3.4 0.0 0.1 5.3 99.8 8.7 1.2
LLY27 47.8 1.6 16.7 9.6 0.1 6.2 9.6 3.1 0.0 0.1 5.0 99.7 8.7 1.4
LLY37B 47.4 2.3 21.5 8.3 0.2 3.4 3.3 2.2 4.2 1.0 6.4 99.8 7.4 2.2
LLY81 47.4 2.5 15.8 12.4 0.2 7.9 3.4 3.4 0.0 0.3 7.5 100.3 11.2 1.4
SW Porthorion
LLY123 42.3 1.2 16.3 9.4 0.2 10.2 6.8 3.9 0.1 0.1 10.2 99.7 8.4 0.8
LLY146 50.4 1.3 13.1 11.7 0.2 8.1 8.5 4.2 0.1 0.1 2.5 100.0 10.5 1.3
LLY164 47.5 2.0 14.9 14.4 0.2 8.9 3.8 3.5 0.0 0.1 5.0 100.1 13.0 1.5
LLY166 45.1 2.1 17.0 14.2 0.3 10.5 1.6 3.9 0.0 0.1 6.1 100.4 12.8 1.2
LLY175 45.4 1.9 15.8 14.1 0.1 11.3 1.1 4.2 0.0 0.2 6.2 100.0 12.7 1.1
LLY172 47.3 1.8 14.8 13.1 0.2 9.9 2.8 4.1 0.0 0.1 6.0 100.0 11.8 1.2
Porth Felen
LLY386 45.7 2.2 14.2 13.5 0.3 6.4 5.0 3.8 0.1 0.3 9.6 100.3 12.1 1.9
LLY387 55.0 2.5 15.9 10.0 0.1 3.4 2.4 6.4 0.3 0.4 3.9 100.0 9.0 2.6
LLY389 48.1 2.2 15.0 9.5 0.2 4.1 6.4 4.7 0.7 0.3 9.7 100.0 8.6 2.1
LLY391 48.8 2.1 14.3 13.6 0.2 7.2 4.9 3.5 0.0 0.2 5.4 100.1 12.2 1.7
SLW2 44.1 3.2 15.0 14.6 0.2 6.6 6.0 2.2 1.7 0.4 4.0 97.9 13.2 2.0
SLW3 50.1 2.8 12.4 14.5 0.4 6.7 2.9 3.5 1.1 0.6 4.1 99.0 13.0 1.9
A325 45.9 2.6 15.0 15.1 0.1 5.4 1.9 3.8 0.0 0.2 6.0 95.6 13.5 2.5
Anglesey Island
ANG24 47.0 3.7 13.5 14.9 0.3 4.4 7.0 4.6 0.7 1.7 2.4 100.1 13.4 3.1
AMW102 47.2 2.4 15.8 13.4 0.2 5.9 4.1 4.2 0.3 0.3 5.6 99.1 12.0 2.0
ANG105 50.9 1.9 16.5 13.2 0.2 7.2 0.5 3.6 0.4 0.2 5.6 100.1 11.8 1.6

FeO*: total iron as FeO.

northeastern Porthorion, and are conformably overlain by red claystone, The major elements concentrations of basalts from northernmost
suggesting that they erupted in a hemipelagic or pelagic environment Porth Felen are: 44.1–55.0 wt.% for SiO2, 3.4–7.2 wt.% for MgO, 9.5–
around an oceanic island. The other basalts in the Porthorion area erupted 14.6 wt.% for Fe2O3, and 2.4–6.4 wt.% for CaO. Their trace element con-
in a mid-oceanic ridge, and thus are similar to the MORB-like basalt in the centrations show LREE-enriched signatures (Fig. 13), relatively discrete
Gwna Group reported by Thorpe (1993). distribution around MORB field in Ti–Sm–V diagram (Fig. 11), and plot

Table 3
Trace elements abundances in metabasalts from Anglesey–Lleyn region by pellet analysis.

Ti Y Zr Nb La Ce Pr Nd Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Hf Ta Th U

Nefyn
AMW70 10900 33.0 152.0 26.3 12.8 31.2 4.2 19.9 5.3 1.8 6.4 1.1 6.8 1.4 3.9 0.6 3.6 0.5 3.5 1.5 1.5 0.5
AMW78 5460 16.7 61.3 4.2 3.1 8.6 1.3 7.0 2.2 0.9 2.9 0.5 3.2 0.7 1.9 0.3 1.8 0.3 1.4 0.2 0.2 0.1
A255 13200 31.2 209.0 16.8 16.6 43.0 5.8 27.6 6.7 2.3 7.6 1.2 7.0 1.4 3.7 0.5 3.1 0.4 4.7 1.1 1.0 0.3
NE Porthorion
LLY16 9130 24.7 115.0 6.2 4.2 12.4 2.1 11.8 3.8 1.4 4.9 0.8 5.4 1.1 3.1 0.4 2.8 0.4 2.8 0.4 0.4 0.2
LLY18 8890 26.5 101.0 6.4 5.3 15.7 2.5 13.5 4.2 1.6 5.3 0.9 5.6 1.2 3.2 0.5 2.9 0.4 2.6 0.4 0.4 0.1
LLY27 7940 24.3 99.3 5.5 3.7 11.6 2.0 11.0 3.6 1.4 4.7 0.8 5.3 1.1 3.0 0.4 2.7 0.4 2.5 0.3 0.3 0.2
LLY37B 11100 28.7 135.0 66.9 50.4 80.0 8.8 38.7 7.7 2.5 7.9 1.1 5.9 1.2 3.4 0.5 3.2 0.5 2.6 3.9 3.9 1.2
LLY81 11600 20.5 148.0 30.0 16.6 38.8 5.0 23.1 5.4 1.7 5.6 0.8 4.4 0.9 2.5 0.4 2.5 0.4 3.6 2.0 1.7 0.5
SW Porthorion
LLY123 4830 16.1 51.0 0.9 1.1 3.9 0.8 4.7 1.9 0.8 2.6 0.5 3.1 0.7 1.9 0.3 1.9 0.3 1.4 0.1 0.1 0.0
LLY146 7710 26.6 69.9 2.6 2.2 7.8 1.4 8.1 3.0 1.3 4.2 0.8 5.2 1.1 3.2 0.4 3.0 0.4 1.9 0.1 0.1 0.1
LLY164 9490 31.0 102.0 4.5 3.1 9.8 1.7 10.0 3.6 1.2 4.9 0.9 6.1 1.3 3.6 0.5 3.5 0.5 2.5 0.2 0.2 0.1
LLY166 12100 19.9 100.0 3.9 1.7 5.7 1.0 5.7 2.1 0.8 2.9 0.5 3.6 0.8 2.5 0.4 2.6 0.4 2.7 0.2 0.2 0.1
LLY175 8690 27.2 84.0 4.2 3.7 11.5 1.8 9.8 3.3 1.3 4.8 0.9 5.7 1.2 3.5 0.5 3.1 0.5 2.0 0.3 0.2 0.1
LLY172 9410 28.9 88.8 3.4 3.7 11.3 1.9 10.9 3.7 1.4 5.2 0.9 6.0 1.2 3.4 0.5 2.9 0.4 2.4 0.2 0.2 0.1
Porth Felen
LLY386 8280 28.3 123.0 20.8 14.0 32.3 4.3 20.0 5.0 1.7 5.8 0.9 5.6 1.1 3.2 0.5 3.0 0.4 3.0 1.3 1.4 0.4
LLY387 7290 25.0 138.0 23.9 12.8 29.1 3.7 17.3 4.1 0.9 5.0 0.8 5.1 1.1 3.3 0.5 3.0 0.4 3.2 1.5 1.6 1.9
LLY389 10200 28.7 127.0 20.7 12.0 24.8 3.4 15.8 4.2 1.7 5.0 0.8 5.5 1.2 3.1 0.4 2.8 0.4 3.0 1.2 1.4 0.5
LLY391 16200 31.7 131.0 19.9 11.7 28.3 3.9 18.3 4.9 1.7 6.0 1.0 6.3 1.3 3.6 0.5 3.3 0.5 3.3 1.2 1.4 0.4
SLW2 16200 26.1 253.0 30.9 18.9 45.3 5.9 26.8 6.2 2.2 6.8 1.0 5.9 1.1 3.0 0.4 2.5 0.4 5.7 2.1 1.7 0.5
SLW3 13800 41.1 182.0 91.5 62.9 86.3 12.4 43.9 8.7 2.9 10.3 1.4 8.1 1.5 3.8 0.5 2.8 0.4 3.9 4.8 4.7 1.4
A325 20800 45.4 127.0 8.7 3.3 9.3 1.5 8.1 3.0 1.1 5.5 1.1 8.3 1.8 5.2 0.8 5.1 0.7 3.4 0.5 0.5 0.3
Anglesey Island
ANG24 20500 58.7 260.0 36.5 39.6 106.0 15.9 64.2 14.2 5.0 15.1 2.1 11.6 2.2 5.7 0.7 4.5 0.6 5.0 1.9 2.3 1.0
AMW102 12000 35.1 153.0 24.4 12.6 31.9 4.4 21.2 5.7 1.9 6.9 1.1 7.3 1.5 4.1 0.6 3.7 0.5 3.8 1.6 1.5 0.4
ANG105 10800 31.5 113.0 25.3 14.4 26.5 3.6 14.9 3.6 1.1 5.2 1.0 6.5 1.3 3.4 0.4 2.5 0.3 2.8 1.8 1.5 0.8

Units for elemental concentrations are “ppm” for all elements.

252 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255

Fig. 9. Plot of Y/15-La/10-Nb/8 showing fields of individual types of basalts (Cabanis and
Lecolle, 1989). This discrimination diagram is often used for monitoring abundance of
Fig. 7. Plot of 2Nb–Zr/4-Y showing fields of individual types of basalts (Meschede, 1986). Nb, which reflects effect of dehydration process. MORB, mid-ocean ridge basalt.
WPB, within-plate basalt. MORB, mid-ocean ridge basalt. VAB, volcanic arc basalt.

in or near the WPB area in the Nb–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 7), in the Hf–Th– northernmost OIB basalts were erupted in an ocean island like Hawaii,
Ta diagram (Fig. 8) and Ti–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 10) and in the OIB field in and that A325 MORB was erupted at or near a mid-oceanic ridge.
the TiO2/Yb–Nb/Yb diagram (Fig. 12b). However, basalt sample A325 The chemical compositions of meta-basalts (ANG24 and AMW102)
from a block in the middle of the area has 45.9 wt.% for SiO2, 5.4 wt.% from the Gwna Group in Anglesey are: 47.0–50.9 wt.% for SiO2, 4.4–
for MgO, and 15.1 wt.% for Fe2O3; the last is slightly higher in Fe2O3 7.2 wt.% for MgO, 13.2–14.9 wt.% for Fe2O3, and 0.5–7.0 wt.% for CaO.
than the basalts from northernmost Porth Felen. A325 has a LREE- Their trace elements have weak LREE-enriched signatures (Fig. 13),
depleted signature, and plots in the OIB area in the Ti–Sm–V diagram and plot near the boundary between the WPB and E-MORB fields in a
(Fig. 11) and in the N-MORB area in the Nb–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 7), the Nb–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 7), in the E-MORB-and-WPB fields in a Hf–Th–
Hf–Th–Ta diagram (Fig. 8), the Y–La–Nb diagram (Fig. 9) and in the Ta diagram (Fig. 8), near the WPB field in a Ti–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 10)
TiO2/Yb discrimination diagram (Fig. 12b). Basalts at Porth Felen are and in the MORB and OIB area in a Ti–Sm–V diagram (Fig. 11). The
conformably overlain by bedded dolostone or bedded red claystone, meta-basalt from New Harbour Group (ANG105) has a weak LREE-
suggesting that they erupted in a wide ocean distant from a continent. enriched signature (Fig. 13), and plots in the WPB areas in the Nb–Zr–
The combined chemical and geological evidence suggests that the Y diagram (Fig. 7), in the Hf–Th–Ta diagram (Fig. 8), and in the OIB

Fig. 8. Plot of Th–Ta–Hf/3 showing fields of individual types of basalts (Pearce and Cann,
1973; Wood, 1980). This diagram is for evaluating depletion of Ta, which is a characteristic Fig. 10. Plot of Ti/100-Zr–3Y showing fields of individual types of basalts (Pearce and Cann,
of arc basalt. WPB, within-plate basalt. MORB, mid ocean-ridge basalt. 1973). WPB, within-plate basalt. MORB, mid-ocean ridge basalt. VAB, volcanic arc basalt.
 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255 253

10

y
ra
2314/256

ar
IB
Anglesey

O
-
Nefyn

RB
O
Porthorion

M
Porth Felen
1

IB
Thorpe, 1993

O
New Harbour Gp.
Anglesey

Th/Yb

RB
O
M
0.1

E-
RB
O
M
(a)

N-
0.01
0.1 1 10 100
Nb/Yb
Fig. 11. Plot of Ti/50–50Sm–V showing fields of individual types of basalts (Vermeesch, 10
2006). OIB, oceanic island basalt. MORB, mid-ocean ridge basalt. IAB, island arc basalt.

area in the TiO2/Yb–Nb/Yb diagram (Fig. 12b), but in the MORB area in
the Ti–Zr–Y diagram (Fig. 10) and Ti–Sm–V diagram (Fig. 11).
Thorpe et al. (1984) and Thorpe (1993) determined the major and tholeiitic alkalic
trace element contents of meta-basalts in the Gwna Group and the IOB array
TiO2/Yb
New Harbour Group, and suggested that the former erupted at a mid-
ocean ridge, and the latter in a suprasubduction zone arc. Our chemical 1
data also demonstrate that Gwna Group basalts with MORB-like
geochemistry occur especially southwest of Porthorion and middle of
Porth Felen. However, Gwna Group basalts at Penrhyn Nefyn, NE of
MORB array
Porthorion, and northernmost Porth Felen have faint LREE-enriched
patterns and mostly plot in the WPB fields (Figs. 7, 8, 10 and 12b).
These basalts are often associated with carbonate lenses, layered car- N-MORB E-MORB
bonate and red jasper. The chemical signatures and field relations of
the basalts indicate that they were formed in an ocean island setting,
(b)
0.1
which is the first evidence of OIB in the Gwna Group. As mentioned
0.1 1 10 100
above, both MORB and OIB are typically present in Phanerozoic accre-
Nb/Yb
tionary complexes in the eastern Mediterranean region (Collins and
Robertson, 1997) and especially western Pacific (e.g. Matsuda and
Fig. 12. Elemental cross-plots of (a) Th/Yb vs. Nb/Yb and (b) TiO2/Yb vs. Nb/Yb for meta-
Ogawa, 1993; Ogawa, 1998; Ueda et al., 2000; Wakita et al., 2013). basalts from Anglesey–Lleyn (Pearce, 2008). Most basalts erupted in oceanic environment
The maximum depositional age of red claystones overlying the basalts without minor crustal input are plotted on the MORB-OIB array in (a). The TiO2/Yb proxy
is ca. 570 Ma (Asanuma et al., 2015). is used for evaluating melting depth of the basalt, and OIBs are often plotted above the
The meta-basalt in the New Harbour Group analyzed in this study MORBs in (b). MORB, mid-ocean ridge basalt. OIB, ocean island basalt.

has MORB-like geochemistry, which is inconsistent with Thorpe et al.

(1984) and Thorpe (1993). Because we analyzed only one sample
from the New Harbour Group, further chemical analyses of more rocks
with detailed geological descriptions are necessary in the future. alteration, greenschist facies regional metamorphism, and later alter-
ation and oxidation at the surface. Accordingly, the immobile elements
5.2. Discussion such as Al2O3 and TiO2, REE and HSFE are most appropriate for deter-
mining the origin of basalts in the Monian Supergroup. Discrimination
Sedimentary rocks in an accretionary complex are useful to aid diagrams using immobile elements show that ocean island basalts are
reconstruction of an ancient pelagic environment within OPS, which present in the Gwna Group (Figs. 7–13). Therefore, sedimentary rocks
records the history of an oceanic plate from a mid-oceanic ridge to a in the Gwna Group can be used to estimate the oceanic environments
trench (e.g. Isozaki, 1997; Kusky et al., 2013; Wakita and Metcalfe, not only around mid-oceanic ridges, but also ocean islands. Sato et al.
2005). Southeastward subduction in the Iapetus Ocean during the latest (2015) reconstructed the OPS in the Porth Felen area and discovered
Proterozoic was also proposed by previous works (Thorpe, 1972b; black mudstones in the Gwna Group, which are covered by clastic sed-
Asanuma et al., 2015), suggesting that sediments in the Gwna Group iments whose maximum depositional age is ca. 564 Ma (detrital zircon
formed during progressive accretion and are useful to constrain the tec- age, Asanuma et al., 2015). They also discovered an abundance of fer-
tonic environments in the Iapetus Ocean. For an evaluation of an rous iron as in pyrite grains in the black mudstone (Sato et al., 2015),
oceanic-arc environment, the most fundamental information is the tec- which qualitatively implies an anoxic condition in the seawater. Basalts
tonic setting. near these black mudstone have MORB-like geochemistry (A325 in this
Petrographic observations in this study demonstrate that some ba- study). These lines of evidence imply that the deep-sea was qualitative-
salts preserve their original igneous minerals such as olivine and ly anoxic in the latest Proterozoic Iapetus Ocean. On the other hand,
clinopyroxene, but most basalts were affected by hydrothermal OIB-like meta-basalts are locally capped by red hematite-rich claystones
254 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255

Fig. 13. The C1 chondrite-normalized spider diagram of basalts from the four areas sampled. The C1 chondrite-normalizing composition is after McDonough and Sun (1995). In general, OIB
shows LREE-enriched pattern in this diagram, whereas MORB represent a flat pattern.

(Sato et al., 2015); we speculate that a relatively oxidized pelagic condi- (3) Trace element compositions of the basalts indicate that both MORB
tion was present in the shallower seawater around the oceanic island in and OIB are present in the Monian Supergroup.
the Iapetus Ocean, which is consistent with the redox evolution pre-
served in contemporaneous shallow marine sediments (e.g. Canfield
et al., 2007, 2008).
Acknowledgements
6. Conclusions
We thank Hitomi Nakamura and Tetsuya Yokoyama for their techni-
cal advice and assistance in data acquisition with the ICP–MS at Tokyo
(1) Petrographic observations demonstrate that the basalts of the Tech. We also thank Kazumasa Aoki, Tatsuyuki Arai, Hisashi Asanuma,
Gwna and New Harbour Groups were altered by hydrothermal cir- Kazue Suzuki, Hiroaki Suzuki and Brian Windley for their assistance
culation in an ocean, and metamorphosed to the greenschist facies. during the fieldwork in Wales. We also thank Brian Windley for
(2) Immobile elements such as Al2O3 and TiO2, REE and HSFE of basalts correcting our English and for providing many fruitful comments, and
in the Gwna Group were used to discriminate their origin and we are grateful to Alan Collins and an anonymous reviewer for their
plate tectonic setting. constructive advice that improved the paper. This work was partly
 T. Saito et al. / Tectonophysics 662 (2015) 243–255 255

supported by grants for “Growth of the Second Continent and Mantle Matthews, D.H., 1971. Altered basalts from Swallow Bank, an abyssal hill in the NE
Atlantic, and from a nearby seamount. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
Dynamics: Insights from a History of Continental Growth and Tectonic of London. Series A. J. Math. Phys. Sci. 268, 551–571.
Erosion (No. 23224012)” from the Ministry of Education, Culture, McDonough, W.F., Sun, S.S., 1995. The composition of the Earth. Chem. Geol. 120,
Sports, Science and Technology, Japan. 223–253.
McIlroy, D., Horák, J., 2006. Neoproterozoic: the late Precambrian terranes that formed East-
ern Avalonia. The Geology of England and Wales. Geological Society of London, pp. 9–23.
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