Abstract
The Central Iapetus Magmatic Province (CIMP) is a large igneous province (LIP) emplaced in the Baltican and Laurentian paleocontinents that marks the onset of the Caledonian Wilson Cycle. Paleozoic magmatism of the CIMP is preserved in both northeastern America and northern Europe. This study investigates rocks belonging to the hyper-extended margin of Baltica currently found in the Seve Nappe Complex of the Scandinavian Caledonides. Specifically, U-Pb zircon geochronology and whole-rock geochemistry are applied to a migmatitic variety of the Vierručohkka amphibolite of the Mårma Terrane, to the Aurek gabbro, and amphibolite of the Aurek Assemblage exposed in the Seve Nappe Complex in the Kebnekaise region, northern Swedish Caledonides. U-Pb zircon geochronology yields crystallization ages of 626 ± 7 Ma for the protolith of the Vierručohkka amphibolite, and 614 ± 2 Ma and 609 ± 1 Ma for the emplacement of the Aurek gabbro and amphibolite protolith, respectively. A younger age of 599 ± 3 Ma is recorded in the Vierručohkka amphibolite and is interpreted as the age of partial melting and migmatization. The geochemical signatures of the rocks demonstrate crustal assimilation during the emplacement of their protoliths and modification due to prograde metamorphic processes during Caledonian subduction. The Vierručohkka amphibolite and the Aurek Assemblage samples display upper and lower crustal assimilation, respectively. Trace elements (Dy, Sm, Lu, and Y) record the growth of metamorphic garnet, while elevated TiO2 contents record the crystallization of metamorphic rutile. Nevertheless, high field strength elements (HSFE) and ∆Nb suggest a depleted mantle source for the magmas of the protoliths of the investigated rocks. Altogether, geochemical data indicate that the igneous activity recorded in the Vierručohkka amphibolite and the Aurek Assemblage between c. 626–609 Ma is related to continental rifting processes associated with the opening of the Iapetus Ocean.
1 Introduction
Understanding continental rifting processes is fundamental to better comprehend the emplacement and the geochemical signatures of large igneous provinces (LIPs) which are extensively studied because of the connection with large scale geological processes (i.e., continental break-up) and their impact on the environment (i.e., mass extension; e.g., ; Wignall, 2001). This study focuses on the geochemical signatures of meta-igneous rocks that potentially record a part of the Neoproterozoic continental rifting due to break-up of Rodinia. The break-up of the supercontinent Rodinia was followed by the opening of the Iapetus, Rheic and Tornquist oceans (e.g., ; McKerrow and Ziegler, 1972). The opening of the Iapetus Ocean is associated with the emplacement of the Central Iapetus Magmatic Province (CIMP), a large igneous province (LIP) which is exposed in northwestern Europe and northeastern America (; Tegner et al., 2019). In Laurentia, the oldest magmatism related to the CIMP ranges between c. 615–590 Ma (e.g., Kamo et al., 1989; Kamo et al., 1995). A younger event c. 565–550 Ma shows affinities with enriched mantle and depleted upper mantle which is interpreted as being indicative of deep melts of a mantle plume and a second stage of rifting (e.g., ; Puffer, 2002; ). In northern Europe, metamorphosed igneous and volcanic rocks belonging to the CIMP are found within imbricated nappes of the Scandinavian Caledonides (e.g., ; ; ; ). Geochronology of these Neoproterozoic mafic dykes yields ages between 616–595 Ma (e.g., ; Svenningsen, 2001; ; ; Kumpulainen et al., 2016; Kjøll et al., 2019; Tegner et al., 2019). Evidence of the Rodinia break-up and the emplacement of the CIMP are well preserved in the northern part of the Seve Nappe Complex of the Middle Allochthon in the Scandinavia Caledonides (e.g., Tegner et al., 2019). Specifically, this nappe is defined as the outermost Baltica margin representing an ideal region to investigate break-up and CIMP related processes. Moreover, emplacement of the dyke swarm into the hyper-extended Baltoscandian margin triggered a poorly understood high temperature metamorphism which caused partial melting of different lithologies (e.g., ; Kjøll et al., 2019; Walczak et al., 2022). In this study, U-Pb zircon geochronology and bulk-rock geochemistry are applied to a range of lithologies belonging to a migmatitic variety of the Vierručohkka amphibolite and to the Aurek Assemblage of the Mårma Terrane in the Seve Nappe Complex (Figure 1, 2). The main goals are to characterize the crystallization age of the mafic protoliths and to understand their source, crustal assimilation signature, and metamorphism. Furthermore, this work aims to compare the geochemical data obtained for the central-north Scandinavian Caledonides with the Laurentian equivalents, such as mafic dykes in Appalachia (United States; ; ; ) and a Cenozoic rifting example from the Basin and Range Province of the USA (). These new data are fundamental for the reconstruction of the still poorly-understood mantle-driven rifting process and subsequent opening of the Iapetus Ocean and offer a means by which to understand not only the source composition of magmatism, but also the heterogeneity of the mantle source that characterizes the dyke swarms in the Scandinavian Caledonides related to the emplacement of the CIMP.
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2

Geological map of the Kebnekaise Mts. area (after
2 Geological setting
The Scandinavian Caledonides preserve a record of the opening, then closure, of the Iapetus Ocean, leading to continental collision between Laurentia and Baltica in the Silurian (e.g.,
2.1 The Seve Nappe Complex in the Scandinavian Caledonides
The Seve Nappe Complex (SNC) of the Middle Allochthon is comprised of metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks representing the hyper-extended passive margin of Baltica that was subducted to mantle depths during Iapetus Ocean closure (e.g., Stephens and Gee, 1989;
2.1.1 The Neoproterozoic dyke swarm in the Middle Allochthon
Late Neoproterozoic dykes are exposed in southwestern Norway (Egersund area; e.g.,
2.2 The Seve Nappe Complex in the Kebnekaise region
The Seve Nappe Complex in the studied area includes the Kebnekaise and Mårma terranes. The Kebnekaise Terrane is composed of the Kebne Dyke Complex (
3 Methods
3.1 Mineral chemistry
Mineral chemistry in the samples was determined using wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS) with a Jeol JXA8530F Hyperprobe Field Emission Electron Probe Microanalyzer (EPMA) at the Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden and with a Jeol JXA-8230 SuperProbe EPMA at the Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environment Protection, AGH University of Krakow, Poland. Natural and synthetic standards were used for calibration. Operating conditions used for WDS were as follows: 10 nA beam current, 15 kV accelerating voltage, and counting times of 10 s on peak and 5 s for background positions at Uppsala University, and 15 nA beam current, 15 kV accelerating voltage, and counting times of 20 s on peak and 10 s for each offset at AGH University of Krakow. The EPMA was also used to obtain X-ray maps for the composition of garnet for Si, Ti, Al, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ca, Na, K, Y, P and Ce with an accelerating voltage of 15 kV, a beam current of 100 nA, a dwell time of 100 ms and pixel size of 2 μm. Maps were processed using the XMapTools 3 software (Lanari et al., 2019).
3.2 Bulk rock geochemistry
Bulk rock geochemistry was conducted for the banded amphibolite and Aurek Assemblage rocks. Bulk rock analysis was performed at Mineral Laboratories (Bureau Veritas) in Canada. The rocks were pulverized and fused with lithium metaborate [LiBO2] and lithium tetraborate [Li2B4O7]. Major elemental concentrations were measured via inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP-ES). Trace element concentrations were measured via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The internal standard used for major elements analysis is SO-19, (n = 4), with record reproducibility of <3% (2 s.d.), while for trace element analysis the standard is OREA30A with a reproducibility of 10%–20% (2 s.d.). The detection limits (wt%) of all major oxides are 0.01, except for Cr2O3 at 0.002 and Fe2O3 with 0.04. Detection limits for trace elements are as follows: V: 8.0 ppm; Ba, Be, Sn and Sc: 1.0 ppm; Ga, Sr and W: 0.5 ppm; Nd: 0.3 ppm; Co. and Th: 0.2 ppm; Cs, Hf, Nb, Rb, Ta, U, Zr, Y, La and Ce: 0.1 ppm; Sm, Gd, Dy and Yb: 0.05 ppm; Er: 0.03 ppm; Ho, Pr and Eu: 0.02 ppm; Tb, Tm and Lu: 0.01 ppm. The software package GCDkit 6.0 was used to plot the geochemical diagrams (
3.3 Zircon U/Pb geochronology and trace elements
Zircon grains were dated both in situ in thin section for sample GUO1 and as separates mounted in epoxy for samples ARK13 and ARK11. For in situ analysis, back-scattered electron (BSE) images were acquired using the JEOL Superprobe EPMA at AGH University of Krakow. For epoxy mounts, the zircon grains were hand-picked after crushing, sieving, and Frantz magnetic separation at the Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków, Poland. Zircons were mounted at the Vegacenter, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden, and imaged with BSE and cathodoluminescence (CL) using the Jeol JXA8530F EPMA at Uppsala University. Obtained images were used for the selection of the analytical spots for both dating and rare earth element (REE) analyses. U-Pb isotope analyses and REE analyses for both the in situ grains and zircon separates were conducted using an ESI NWR193 ArF excimer laser ablation system at the Vegacenter. A Nu Plasma II multi collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) connected to the laser ablation system was adopted for in situ U-Pb geochronology. The mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) corresponding to masses 202, 204, 206, 207 and 208 were measured on ion counters and those corresponding to 232, 235, 238 were measured on Faraday collectors. The beam diameter ranged from 15 to 20 µm for ablation with a frequency of 7 Hz and a laser fluence of 2 J/cm2. Helium was used as a sample carrier gas (0.45 L/min) mixed with argon (mixed flow rate 0.8 L/min). Analytical runs had a washout time of 20 s, ablation time of 20 s, and integration time of 0.5 s.
REE, Zr, U, and Th were collected using an AttoM high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (HR-ICP-MS). The laser had a beam diameter of 20 µm for ablation with a frequency of 8 Hz and a laser fluence of 3.7 J/cm2. Helium was used as a sample carrier gas (0.45 L/min) mixed with argon (mixed flow rate 0.9 L/min). The adopted primary reference, both for U-Pb geochronology and trace elements, was 91500 zircon (1,065 Ma; Wiedenbeck et al., 2004). The GJ-1 zircon (609 Ma;
4 Results
4.1 Petrography and mineral chemistry
This study focuses on three subunits of the Mårma terrane of the Seve Nappe Complex in the Kebnekaise region: banded amphibolites of the Vierručohkka amphibolite, the Aurek gabbro, and Aurek amphibolite (Figure 2). Fourteen samples were selected for petrographic description and geochemical analysis; of the fourteen samples, based on petrography and microstructures three were selected for U-Pb zircon geochronology. For the Vierručohkka amphibolite, a sample of the banded amphibolite was selected. Two representative samples of the Aurek metagabbro were chosen for the petrographic description and mineral characterization, one of which was chosen for U-Pb zircon geochronology. Two Aurek amphibolite samples were selected for the petrographic description and mineral characterization, one of which was selected for U-Pb zircon geochronology. The complete list of all the samples can be found in Supplementary Table S1. All mineral abbreviation are after Whitney and Evans (2010).
4.1.1 Vierručohkka banded amphibolite
At the outcrop scale, the Vierručohkka banded amphibolites have a migmatitic fabric with alternating melanocratic and leucocratic layers (Supplementary Figure S1). The melanocratic layers are composed of amphibole + titanite + quartz + plagioclase ± muscovite ± biotite (Figure 3A). The leucocratic layers consist of garnet + plagioclase + quartz + titanite + epidote group minerals (Figure 3B). Zircon is present as an accessory phase. Amphibole is calcic according to the classification of
FIGURE 3

Photomicrographs and BSE images of the Vierručohkka banded amphibolite rock (GUO1). (A) Amphibole-bearing layer composed of amphibole + quartz + biotite + titanite; PPL. (B) Garnet-bearing layer composed of garnet + quartz + plagioclase + titanite + clinozoisite; PPL. (C, D) BSE images of symplectite at the amphibole boundary; (C) plagioclase + clinozoisite, (D) quartz + zoisite. (E) Magnification of garnet grain; CPL. (F) Garnet hosts quartz inclusions; PPL. (G) Auxiliary quartz-plate CPL photomicrograph of melt film around garnet (yellow arrows). (H) Melt pods indicated by yellow arrows. CPL, cross polarized light; PPL, plane polarized light; BSE, electron backscattered.
TABLE 1
| GUO1 | Grt core | Grt core | Grt rim | Grt rim | Prg | Prg | Fe-Prg | Pl | Pl | Bt | Ms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SiO2 | 37.92 | 38.35 | 38.42 | 38.48 | 43.43 | 43.83 | 42.55 | 62.48 | 64.03 | 37.26 | 47.23 |
| TiO2 | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.14 | 0.77 | 0.75 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 1.65 | 1.15 |
| Al2O3 | 20.81 | 21.37 | 21.33 | 21.27 | 13.82 | 13.92 | 14.03 | 23.88 | 23.18 | 16.84 | 31.75 |
| Cr2O3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.19 | 0.22 |
| FeO | 22.85 | 22.83 | 21.69 | 21.90 | 16.34 | 15.73 | 16.50 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 15.58 | 1.57 |
| MnO | 3.81 | 3.76 | 3.15 | 3.54 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.21 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.12 | 0.02 |
| MgO | 1.94 | 2.01 | 1.94 | 1.95 | 9.24 | 9.41 | 8.77 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 12.77 | 1.66 |
| CaO | 12.50 | 12.38 | 13.41 | 13.79 | 11.45 | 11.47 | 11.66 | 5.36 | 4.50 | 0.13 | 0.06 |
| BaO | nd | nd | nd | nd | nd | nd | nd | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.46 | 1.20 |
| Na2O | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.07 | 0.00 | 1.72 | 1.72 | 1.77 | 8.26 | 8.31 | 0.05 | 0.63 |
| K2O | 0.03 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.91 | 0.97 | 1.02 | 0.14 | 0.06 | 9.12 | 9.64 |
| Total | 100.03 | 100.87 | 100.06 | 101.09 | 97.29 | 98.14 | 97.34 | 100.13 | 100.14 | 94.16 | 95.14 |
| Si | 3.003 | 3.003 | 3.018 | 2.999 | 6.465 | 6.483 | 6.395 | 2.814 | 2.746 | 2.820 | 3.174 |
| Ti | 0.009 | 0.008 | 0.003 | 0.006 | 0.079 | 0.086 | 0.085 | 0.001 | 0.000 | 0.094 | 0.058 |
| Al | 1.942 | 1.972 | 1.974 | 1.954 | 2.424 | 2.427 | 2.485 | 1.201 | 1.237 | 1.502 | 2.515 |
| Cr | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.009 | 0.008 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.011 | 0.012 |
| Fe2+ | 1.513 | 1.495 | 1.425 | 1.428 | 2.034 | 1.946 | 2.074 | 0.001 | 0.000 | 0.986 | 0.088 |
| Mn | 0.256 | 0.249 | 0.210 | 0.234 | 0.031 | 0.031 | 0.027 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.007 | 0.001 |
| Mg | 0.229 | 0.235 | 0.227 | 0.227 | 2.050 | 2.075 | 1.965 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 1.441 | 0.166 |
| Ca | 1.060 | 1.039 | 1.128 | 1.152 | 1.826 | 1.818 | 1.878 | 0.212 | 0.252 | 0.011 | 0.005 |
| Ba | nd | nd | nd | nd | nd | nd | nd | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.014 | 0.032 |
| Na | 0.001 | 0.004 | 0.011 | 0.000 | 0.496 | 0.493 | 0.515 | 0.708 | 0.704 | 0.007 | 0.082 |
| K | 0.003 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.172 | 0.183 | 0.195 | 0.003 | 0.008 | 0.881 | 0.826 |
| Total | 8.016 | 8.005 | 7.995 | 8.003 | 15.577 | 15.551 | 15.627 | 4.940 | 4.948 | 7.773 | 6.959 |
| XAlm | 0.495 | 0.495 | 0.477 | 0.470 | |||||||
| XPrp | 0.075 | 0.078 | 0.076 | 0.075 | |||||||
| XSps | 0.084 | 0.083 | 0.070 | 0.077 | |||||||
| XGrs | 0.347 | 0.344 | 0.377 | 0.379 | |||||||
| XFe | 0.498 | 0.484 | 0.513 | 0.406 | |||||||
| XAb | 0.579 | 0.624 | |||||||||
| XAn | 0.415 | 0.373 | |||||||||
| XOr | 0.006 | 0.003 |
Representative EPMA data of the banded amphibolite (GUO1). Formulae based on 12 oxygens (garnet), 24 oxygens (amphibole), 11 oxygens (micas) and 8 oxygens (plagioclase). Oxides are expressed in wt%, cations in a.p.f.u.
4.1.2 Aurek gabbro
The representative mineral composition of the Aurek gabbro is garnet + orthopyroxene + clinopyroxene + amphibole + plagioclase + rutile + kyanite ± zoisite. Zircon is present as an accessory phase. Clinopyroxene is classified as augite with a representative composition of XEn (Mg/(Mg +Fe2+ + Ca + Mn)) = 0.37, XWo (Ca/(Ca + Mn + Mg + Fe2+)) = 0.28, XFs ((Fe2+ + Mn)/(Fe2+ + Mn + Ca + Mg)) = 0.34, XAc (Na/(Na + Fe2+ + Mn + Mg + Ca)) = 0.01 (Table 2), and is replaced by amphibole and orthopyroxene (Morimoto et al., 1988). Orthopyroxene is surrounded by amphibole and coronitic garnet (Figure 4A). Amphibole classification varies from Mg-hornblende (Si = 7.13) to pargasite (Si = 6.89) (
TABLE 2
| ARK6 | Opx | Opx | Pl | Amph | Grt rim | Grt core | ARK8 | Cpx | Pl | Amph | Grt rim | Grt core |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SiO2 | 55.92 | 55.06 | 50.10 | 48.80 | 38.75 | 38.98 | SiO2 | 53.01 | 59.96 | 49.15 | 37.87 | 37.76 |
| TiO2 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.03 | TiO2 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.68 | 0.01 | 0.11 |
| Al2O3 | 0.36 | 0.71 | 32.77 | 10.84 | 21.99 | 22.23 | Al2O3 | 1.98 | 25.09 | 7.66 | 21.69 | 21.33 |
| Cr2O3 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 1.05 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.03 | Cr2O3 | 0.09 | 0.13 | 0.05 | 0.06 | 0.24 |
| FeO | 15.18 | 15.35 | 0.16 | 0.03 | 21.55 | 20.67 | FeO | 19.06 | 0.00 | 13.7 | 26.14 | 27.46 |
| MnO | 0.11 | 0.07 | 0.00 | 6.49 | 0.59 | 0.69 | MnO | 0.10 | 0.00 | 0.11 | 0.81 | 1.56 |
| MgO | 28.62 | 28.14 | 0.11 | 17.47 | 6.34 | 5.80 | MgO | 11.82 | 0.01 | 13.44 | 4.01 | 3.85 |
| CaO | 0.33 | 0.23 | 8.10 | 11.92 | 11.27 | 11.79 | CaO | 12.64 | 7.12 | 11.65 | 9.74 | 8.11 |
| K2O | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.26 | 1.50 | 0.00 | 0.03 | K2O | 0.19 | 0.07 | 0.35 | 0.02 | 0.03 |
| Na2O | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.71 | 0.21 | 0.02 | 0.01 | Na2O | 0.22 | 7.34 | 1.36 | 0.01 | 0.07 |
| Total | 100.54 | 99.59 | 99.26 | 97.38 | 100.51 | 100.25 | Total | 99.13 | 99.72 | 98.15 | 100.37 | 100.52 |
| Si | 1.991 | 1.980 | 2.263 | 6.895 | 2.972 | 2.987 | Si | 2.023 | 2.663 | 7.131 | 2.966 | 2.967 |
| Ti | 0.000 | 0.001 | 0.000 | 0.008 | 0.000 | 0.002 | Ti | 0.001 | 0.000 | 0.074 | 0.001 | 0.007 |
| Al | 0.015 | 0.030 | 1.737 | 1.605 | 1.988 | 2.007 | Al | 0.089 | 1.313 | 1.309 | 2.002 | 1.975 |
| Cr | 0.001 | 0.000 | 0.037 | 0.005 | 0.000 | 0.002 | Cr | 0.003 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.015 |
| Fe2+ | 0.452 | 0.462 | 0.006 | 0.872 | 1.382 | 1.324 | Fe2+ | 0.609 | 0.000 | 1.662 | 1.712 | 1.804 |
| Mn | 0.003 | 0.002 | 0.000 | 0.006 | 0.038 | 0.045 | Mn | 0.003 | 0.000 | 0.014 | 0.054 | 0.104 |
| Mg | 1.519 | 1.509 | 0.007 | 3.680 | 0.725 | 0.663 | Mg | 0.673 | 0.001 | 2.907 | 0.468 | 0.451 |
| Ca | 0.013 | 0.009 | 0.390 | 1.805 | 0.926 | 0.968 | Ca | 0.517 | 0.339 | 1.811 | 0.817 | 0.683 |
| K | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.015 | 0.038 | 0.000 | 0.002 | K | 0.009 | 0.004 | 0.065 | 0.002 | 0.003 |
| Na | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.498 | 0.411 | 0.003 | 0.001 | Na | 0.016 | 0.632 | 0.382 | 0.002 | 0.010 |
| Total | 3.995 | 3.993 | 4.954 | 15.325 | 8.034 | 8.001 | Total | 3.943 | 4.957 | 15.361 | 8.027 | 8.018 |
| XFe | 0.229 | 0.234 | 0.192 | 0.656 | 0.667 | XFe | 0.475 | 0.364 | 0.785 | 0.800 | ||
| XEn | 0.765 | 0.761 | XEn | 0.373 | ||||||||
| XWo | 0.006 | 0.004 | XWo | 0.287 | ||||||||
| XFs | 0.229 | 0.234 | XFs | 0.340 | ||||||||
| XAc | 0.000 | 0.000 | XAc | 0.009 | ||||||||
| XAb | 0.385 | XAb | 0.481 | |||||||||
| XAn | 0.604 | XAn | 0.516 | |||||||||
| XOr | 0.016 | XOr | 0.004 | |||||||||
| XAlm | 0.450 | 0.442 | XAlm | 0.561 | 0.593 | |||||||
| XPrp | 0.236 | 0.221 | XPrp | 0.153 | 0.148 | |||||||
| XGrs | 0.302 | 0.323 | XGrs | 0.268 | 0.224 | |||||||
| XSps | 0.012 | 0.015 | XSps | 0.018 | 0.034 |
Representative EPMA data of the Aurek metagabbro (ARK6; ARK8). Formulae based on 12 oxygens (garnet), 24 oxygens (amphibole), 6 oxygens (pyroxene), 11 oxygens (micas) and 8 oxygens (plagioclase). Oxides are expressed in wt%, cations in a.p.f.u.
FIGURE 4

Photomicrographs of the Aurek metagabbro (A, B) and the Aurek amphibolite (C, D). (A) orthopyroxene + amphibole surrounded by coronitic garnet. Kyanite lamellae replacing plagioclase. (B) Kyanite and zoisite lamellae replacing plagioclase and rutile crystals. (C) Representative photomicrograph of the Aurek amphibolite: amphibole + garnet + plagioclase + titanite + rutile. (D) Coronitic garnet surrounding clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene grain. Kyanite lamellae replacing plagioclase. All photomicrographs taken in plane polarized light.
4.1.3 Aurek amphibolite
The representative mineral assemblage of the Aurek amphibolite is amphibole + clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + garnet + plagioclase + quartz + kyanite ± rutile ± zoisite. Rare ilmenite and calcite are also present. Zircon is present as an accessory phase. The amphibole composition varies between pargasite (Si = 6.13 apfu) and Mg-hornblende (Si = 7.55 apfu) according to the classification of
TABLE 3
| ARK14 | Cpx | Cpx | Pl | Amph | Grt rim | Grt core | ARK11 | Cpx | Opx | Pl | Amph | Grt rim | Grt core |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SiO2 | 53.82 | 53.96 | 55.66 | 52.26 | 39.08 | 38.55 | SiO2 | 53.82 | 54.60 | 52.83 | 41.80 | 34.27 | 38.70 |
| TiO2 | 0.33 | 0.22 | 0.03 | 0.35 | 0.01 | 0.00 | TiO2 | 0.76 | 0.94 | 0.00 | 0.91 | 0.00 | 0.06 |
| Al2O3 | 2.05 | 1.87 | 28.39 | 6.16 | 22.25 | 22.12 | Al2O3 | 2.57 | 0.95 | 30.38 | 16.97 | 19.18 | 21.21 |
| Cr2O3 | 0.72 | 0.59 | 0.02 | 0.76 | 0.42 | 1.74 | Cr2O3 | 0.38 | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.31 | 13.46 | 1.90 |
| FeO | 4.06 | 4.07 | 0.12 | 7.41 | 22.19 | 21.23 | FeO | 4.73 | 18.17 | 0.00 | 11.08 | 17.41 | 25.83 |
| MnO | 0.10 | 0.06 | 0.03 | 0.05 | 0.62 | 0.67 | MnO | 0.06 | 0.28 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.52 | 0.82 |
| MgO | 14.62 | 14.86 | 0.03 | 17.48 | 7.62 | 7.19 | MgO | 15.23 | 24.49 | 0.01 | 11.27 | 5.95 | 5.11 |
| CaO | 23.55 | 23.56 | 10.38 | 12.72 | 8.04 | 8.94 | CaO | 22.25 | 1.98 | 12.94 | 11.84 | 8.26 | 6.90 |
| K2O | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.09 | 0.03 | 0.01 | K2O | 0.58 | 0.02 | 0.05 | 1.060 | 0.04 | 0.00 |
| Na2O | 0.80 | 0.65 | 5.33 | 0.66 | 0.02 | 0.10 | Na2O | 0.03 | 0.04 | 3.86 | 2.25 | 0.11 | 0.08 |
| Total | 100.04 | 99.87 | 100.01 | 97.95 | 100.27 | 100.55 | Total | 100.41 | 101.54 | 100.15 | 97.51 | 99.20 | 100.61 |
| Si | 1.970 | 1.977 | 2.493 | 7.553 | 2.985 | 2.946 | Si | 1.960 | 1.968 | 2.375 | 6.125 | 2.718 | 3.003 |
| Ti | 0.009 | 0.006 | 0.001 | 0.037 | 0.000 | 0.000 | Ti | 0.021 | 0.026 | 0.000 | 0.101 | 0.000 | 0.003 |
| Al | 0.088 | 0.081 | 1.493 | 0.647 | 2.003 | 1.992 | Al | 0.110 | 0.040 | 1.609 | 2.931 | 1.793 | 1.939 |
| Cr | 0.021 | 0.017 | 0.001 | 0.085 | 0.026 | 0.105 | Cr | 0.011 | 0.002 | 0.002 | 0.036 | 0.844 | 0.117 |
| Fe2+ | 0.124 | 0.125 | 0.005 | 0.872 | 1.417 | 1.357 | Fe2+ | 0.144 | 0.548 | 0.000 | 1.358 | 1.155 | 1.676 |
| Mn | 0.003 | 0.002 | 0.001 | 0.006 | 0.040 | 0.043 | Mn | 0.002 | 0.009 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.035 | 0.054 |
| Mg | 0.798 | 0.812 | 0.002 | 3.666 | 0.868 | 0.819 | Mg | 0.827 | 1.316 | 0.001 | 2.462 | 0.703 | 0.591 |
| Ca | 0.924 | 0.925 | 0.496 | 1.918 | 0.658 | 0.732 | Ca | 0.868 | 0.076 | 0.623 | 1.859 | 0.702 | 0.574 |
| K | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.001 | 0.017 | 0.003 | 0.000 | K | 0.027 | 0.002 | 0.003 | 0.198 | 0.004 | 0.000 |
| Na | 0.057 | 0.046 | 0.470 | 0.181 | 0.002 | 0.015 | Na | 0.001 | 0.002 | 0.336 | 0.640 | 0.017 | 0.012 |
| Total | 3.994 | 3.992 | 4.962 | 14.982 | 8.002 | 8.010 | Total | 3.972 | 3.989 | 4.950 | 15.712 | 7.970 | 7.969 |
| XFe | 0.135 | 0.133 | 0.192 | 0.620 | XFe | 0.148 | 0.294 | 0.355 | 0.621 | 0.739 | |||
| XEn | 0.432 | 0.436 | XEn | 0.449 | 0.675 | ||||||||
| XWo | 0.500 | 0.496 | XWo | 0.472 | 0.039 | ||||||||
| XFs | 0.069 | 0.068 | XFs | 0.079 | 0.285 | ||||||||
| XAc | 0.030 | 0.024 | XAc | 0.001 | 0.001 | ||||||||
| XAb | 0.317 | XAb | 0.212 | ||||||||||
| XAn | 0.682 | XAn | 0.786 | ||||||||||
| XOr | 0.001 | XOr | 0.003 | ||||||||||
| XAlm | 0.475 | 0.460 | XAlm | 0.445 | 0.579 | ||||||||
| XPrp | 0.291 | 0.278 | XPrp | 0.271 | 0.204 | ||||||||
| XGrs | 0.221 | 0.248 | XGrs | 0.271 | 0.198 | ||||||||
| XSps | 0.013 | 0.015 | XSps | 0.013 | 0.019 |
Representative EPMA data of the Aurek amphibolite (ARK14; ARK11). Formulae based on 12 oxygens (garnet), 24 oxygens (amphibole), 6 oxygens (pyroxene), 11 oxygens (micas) and 8 oxygens (plagioclase). Oxides are expressed in wt%, cations in a.p.f.u.
4.2 Bulk rock geochemistry
All the studied samples, despite belonging to different units, show similar trends for major elements (all the analyses are reported in Supplementary Table S2). Trace element geochemistry for the banded amphibolite, Aurek metagabbro and Aurek amphibolite shows elevated and scattered patterns for large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) such as Rb, Ba, and Sr (Figures 5A–C). Rb values range from 1 to 19 ppm, Ba values from 21 to 79 ppm, and Sr shows values between 160 and 291 ppm. The Aurek gabbro and amphibolite display similar LILE contents (Figures 5A–C). Notably, the banded amphibolite records the highest value for Ba (79 ppm), and Y (41 ppm) compositions (Figures 5B, C). In terms of Nd, the majority of the samples plot between 4 and 0.1 ppm, with the two highest values of 7 ppm and 9 ppm recorded by the Aurek gabbro and the banded amphibolite, respectively (Figure 5D). Thorium values range mostly between 0.1 and 2 ppm, although the banded amphibolite does record a high value of 10 ppm (Figure 5E). Scattered La values are present for the Aurek gabbro and amphibolite ranging from 1 to 5 ppm, with the banded amphibolite showing the highest value of 17 ppm (Figure 5F). Dy, Sm, Lu and Y are positively correlated (Figures 6A–C) and TiO2 shows a positive trend with Y, where three samples from the Aurek gabbro and amphibolite record elevated TiO2 content (Figure 6D). The primitive mantle normalized multi-elements diagram (Figure 7A) generally shows low values of LILE compared to the lower and upper crust values (Rudnick and Gao, 2003; Figure 7A). The Aurek gabbro and amphibolite, although with a lower concentration of LILE and HFSE, display pronounced peaks of K and Sr, characteristic of a lower crust signature (Figure 7A). The Aurek sample suites have variably pronounced positive Ti anomalies (Figure 7A). The banded amphibolite shows affinity with upper crust values for both LILE and HFSE (Figure 7A). The chondrite normalized REE diagram (Figure 7B) compares the studied samples with MORB values of Kelley et al. (2013), and N-MORB and E-MORB (Sun and McDonough, 1989). The Aurek sample suite displays flat REE patterns with positive Eu anomalies; they are depleted compared to N-MORB and E-MORB (Figure 7B). Moreover, they show comparable values and trends to the depleted MORB from Kelley et al. (2013). The banded amphibolite shows enriched values in all the REE spectra and a negative Eu anomaly (Figure 7B). Specifically, it displays higher values than the N-MORB and E-MORB of Sun and McDonough (1989). Nevertheless, it still plots in the MORB range of Kelley et al. (2013) although in with the more enriched compositions (Figure 7B).
FIGURE 5

Trace element geochemistry for the banded amphibolite, Aurek gabbro and Aurek amphibolite. (A) Rb, (B) Ba, (C) Sr, (D) Nd, (E) Th, (F) La are plotted versus Y. Units are part per million (ppm).
FIGURE 6

Trace element geochemistry tracing the metamorphic signature of the banded amphibolite, Aurek gabbro and Aurek amphibolite. (A) Dy, (B) Sm, (C) Lu, and (D) TiO2 are plotted versus Y.
FIGURE 7

Spider diagram normalized to the primitive mantle and chondrite values of Sun and McDonough (1989). (A) Multi-elements diagram of the studied samples; (B) chondrite-normalized REE diagram of the studied rocks. For comparison average upper and lower crust values (Rudnick and Gao, 2003), MORB values (Kelley et al., 2013), and N-MORB and E-MORB (Sun and McDonough, 1989).
4.3 Zircon U/Pb geochronology and rare earth element composition
The results of the U-Pb zircon geochronology are reported in Supplementary Table S3. Representative high-contrast BSE images of zircon grains are shown in the Supplementary Material (Supplementary Figure S3, S4). The Wetherill Concordia diagram and chondrite-normalized REE patterns for the analyzed zircons are displayed in Figure 8.
FIGURE 8

Analytical results for U–Pb zircon geochronology. (A) Wetherill concordia diagram for zircons of GUO1. Blue ellipses correspond to concordant analysis. (B) Magnification of the grey box in (A) representing concordant analyses of zircon cores and rims. (C) Chondrite-normalized REE patterns for sample GUO1. (D) Wetherill concordia diagram for zircons of ARK-13. (E) Magnification of the grey box in (D) representing concordant analyses of zircon rims. (F) Chondrite-normalized REE patterns for sample ARK13. (G) Wetherill concordia diagram for zircons of ARK-11. (H) Magnification of the grey box in (G) representing concordant analyses of zircon rims. (I) Chondrite-normalized REE patterns for sample ARK-11.
4.3.1 Vierručohkka banded amphibolite
Zircon is located in both melanocratic and leucocratic layers of the banded amphibolite (GUO1). They exhibit core-rim textures, predominantly characterized by oscillatory zoning (Supplementary Figure S3). Forty-nine U-Pb analyses were performed on a total of thirty-two zircon grains. Fifteen results with <10% discordance were accepted from the analyses. Five U-Pb analyses of zircon cores yield a Concordia age of 626.3 ± 6.9 Ma (MSWD = 0.75; Figures 8A, B). Seven analyses of zircon rims define a Concordia age of 598.8 ± 2.8 Ma (MSWD = 1.2; Figures 8A, B). Two analyses from zircon rims gave a younger Concordia age of 469 ± 2.1 Ma (MSWD = 0.62). Forty-seven trace element analyses were obtained from the same thirty-two zircons; LREE were typically below the detection limits. Thirty-two Eu anomalies were calculated (Eu/Eu*= EuN/√(SmN*GdN)) ranging from 0.24 to 0.57. The slope of HREE is steep with LuN/GdN values ranging from 10.99–49.18 (an extreme value is excluded from the calculation; Figure 8C). The Th/U ratios range from 0.33–0.83.
4.3.2 Aurek Assemblage
Zircon from the Aurek gabbro (ARK13) predominantly display sector zoning (Supplementary Figure S4). A total of thirteen U-Pb analyses were performed on eleven zircon grains. All results were accepted as they were <10% discordant. One U-Pb analysis yielded a Concordia age of 670.2 ± 7.7 Ma (MSWD = 0.56; Figure 8D). Nine core measurements indicate a Concordia age of 614.4 ± 2.0 Ma (MSWD = 0.36; Figures 8D, E). Two rim analyses yielded a Concordia age of 600.6 ± 4.3 Ma (MSWD = 2.1; Figure 8D). Nine trace element analyses were obtained from nine zircon cores. Five Eu anomalies were calculated to range from 0.11–0.70. The slope of HREE is steep with LuN/GdN values ranging from 3.49–25.28 (Figure 8F). The Th/U ratios range from 0.05–0.64. Zircon from the Aurek amphibolite (ARK11) shows core-rim textures (Supplementary Figure S4). A total of forty-eight U-Pb analyses were performed on twenty-two zircon grains. Thirty-eight results showed <10% discordance and were accepted for further statistical treatment. Thirty-five U-Pb cores analyses yield Concordia age of 609.3 ± 1.6 Ma (MSWD = 0.92; Figures 8G, H). Results from two rim measurements indicate a Concordia age of 523.1 ± 7.4 Ma (MSWD = 0.15; Figure 8G). Two more rim analyses defined a Concordia age of 424.9 ± 8.5 Ma (MSWD = 0.09; Figure 8G). Thirteen trace elements analyses were obtained from thirteen zircon grains. Seven Eu anomalies were calculated from 0.09 to 0.36. The slope of HREE is steep with LuN/GdN values ranging from 15.60 to 38.15 (Figure 8I). The Th/U ratios range from 0.28 to 0.62.
5 Discussion
5.1 Protolith crystallization age
Efforts to determine the timing of emplacement of the Baltoscandian dyke swarm related to Neoproterozoic rifting have yielded a range of ages in different sections of the northern Caledonides. For example, the Sarek Dyke Swarm yielded a207Pb/206Pb age of 608 ± 1 Ma (Svenningsen, 2001), while in the Kebnekaise region the U-Pb zircon ages range between 608 and 596 Ma (e.g., Paulson and Andréasson, 2002; Root and Corfu, 2012;
5.2 The metamorphic signature
In order to understand and recover the magmatic source signature of the studied samples, all other influences such as the metamorphic contribution and the crustal assimilation need to be discussed and the corresponding geochemical signatures omitted from further discussion.
All the studied samples showed petrographic evidence of high-grade metamorphism. Specifically, the garnet of the banded amphibolite, which based on its textural position, shape, and zonation of the grossular component, is interpreted as peritectic garnet. Together with the melt pseudomorphs, and symplectite at the boundary of the amphibole grains, the garnet records that metamorphism in the melt stability field occurred at c. 599 Ma (Figures 3C, D, F–H; Supplementary Figure S2). Regarding the Aurek Assemblage rocks, the high-pressure metamorphism is apparent from the presence of coronitic garnet, and from the exsolution of kyanite and zoisite at the expense of plagioclase and amphibole (Figures 4A, B, D; e.g., Wayte et al., 1989; Schorn and Diener, 2017). This high-pressure event is interpreted as the progressive subduction during the Caledonian orogeny (e.g.,
The high-grade metamorphic signature affects the whole-rock compositions, in particular, the Dy, Sm, Lu, and Y contents record the growth of metamorphic/peritectic garnet, with the highest value recorded by the banded amphibolite (Figures 6A–C). The high-pressure metamorphism is also traced in the Aurek gabbro by elevated TiO2 attributed to the crystallization of metamorphic rutile (Figure 6D). LILE are commonly mobilized in fluids associated with metamorphism (e.g., Ridley, 2012), and for this reason Rb and Ba are expected to be depleted during high-pressure metamorphism due to metamorphic dehydration reactions (e.g., Zack and John, 2007). However, Rb and Ba are not depleted as expected, plotting within the range of MORB values (Figures 9A, B). Furthermore, Sr shows scattered enrichment relative to MORB values (Figure 9C). This is interpreted as a result of crustal assimilation rather than extensive fluid-rock interaction between the protolith and the surrounding sediments, since the latter should lead to a relative loss of Sr (e.g.,
FIGURE 9

LILE geochemistry of the Aurek gabbro and Aurek amphibolite. All the units are in ppm. (A) Rb, (B) Ba, (C) Sr are plotted versus Zr. For comparison MORB (Kelley et al., 2013), Sarek, Corrovarre, and Torneträsk metavolcanic samples (without crustal assimilation signature; Tegner et al., 2019).
5.3 Crustal assimilation of the banded amphibolite and Aurek assemblage magmas
The banded Vierručohkka amphibolite and the Aurek Assemblage were located at the outermost Baltica margin prior to the rifting event (
It is widely accepted that the Appalachians record the rifting of Laurentia following the break-up of Rodinia and opening of the Iapetus Ocean (e.g.,
FIGURE 10

Trace element ratios for the banded amphibolite, Aurek gabbro and Aurek amphibolite. (A) La/Nb vs. Th/Nb, (B) Nb/Yb vs. Th/Yb, (C) Th vs. Th/La, (D) Zr/Y vs. Nb/Y. For comparison MORB (Kelley et al., 2013), E-MORB (
5.4 Continental rifting and source recorded by the banded amphibolite and Aurek Assemblage
Having determined the signature of the metamorphism and the crustal assimilation in the geochemical dataset, the Th, U, La, Nd, Nb, and Zr contents as well as ratios are used to determine the source of the magmas and the origin of the continental magmatism between c. 625 Ma and c. 610 Ma. From the presented dataset, samples with Th/Nb values higher than 0.15 have not been considered in order to exclude samples affected by crustal assimilation. The same approach is used for the samples from Sarek, Corrovarre and Torneträsk by Tegner et al. (2019). The HFSE (Th, U, Zr, Nb, La, Nd) show trends of fractional crystallization, which is evidence that they can be used to trace the magmatic source since the ratios of these elements are not affected by metamorphism or crustal assimilation (Figures 11A–C). The studied samples do not show any differences in the composition of Th, U, La, Nd, and Zr between Aurek metagabbro and amphibolite suggesting a common magmatic source for the protoliths of these two sample suites (Figure 11). Generally, Th, U, and Nd versus Zr plot toward low concentrations with respect to the more enriched dyke samples from Sarek, Corrovarre, and Torneträsk presented by Tegner et al. (2019) (Figures 11A–C). The trace element geochemistry of the Aurek gabbro and Aurek amphibolite correspond to a MORB affinity (Figures 10A–C). The samples often display near MORB values and extend to higher Th/Nb, La/Nb, Th/Yb, and Nb/Yb reaching more precisely the field of E-MORB (Figures 10A, B). These observations are confirmed by ∆Nb (
FIGURE 11

HFSE geochemistry indicating the source signature of the Aurek gabbro and Aurek amphibolite. All the units are in ppm. (A) Th, (B) U, (C) Nd, and (D) La are plotted versus Zr. For comparison MORB (Kelley et al., 2013), E-MORB (
Altogether, the REE pattern (Figure 6), trace element geochemistry, and the ∆Nb values suggest magmatism tapping into a depleted mantle source beneath the continental crust which indicates continental rift as the mechanism for the formation of the banded amphibolite and Aurek Assemblage magmas.
6 Conclusion
The Neoproterozoic continental rifting recorded in the Seve Nappe Complex in the northern Scandinavian Caledonides is revealed by new U-Pb zircon geochronology to commence at c. 625 Ma, which is recorded by the Vierručohkka amphibolite, and by the c. 614 Ma and c. 609 Ma crystallization of the Aurek gabbro and Aurek amphibolite, respectively. A partial melting event at c. 599 Ma is also recorded in the banded amphibolite. This confirms the southerly extension of the c. 600 Ma partial melting event already recognized in the Váivančohkka-Salmmečohkat region. Evidence of upper crust and lower crust assimilation are recorded in the banded amphibolite and the Aurek Assemblage, respectively. Similar geochemical signatures are recorded in the samples from the Appalachians, suggesting a similar assimilation and source history. The HFSE together with ∆Nb indicate a depleted mantle source for the Vierručohkka amphibolite and the Aurek Assemblage magmas, similar to the Appalachian dykes. Values of Dy, Sm, Lu, and Y are used to trace the crystallization of metamorphic garnet. Enriched TiO2 content implies the crystallization of metamorphic rutile. The geochemical variations of Dy, Sm, Lu, Y and TiO2 indicate prograde metamorphism probably occurring in the subducting slab during the Caledonian orogeny. U-Pb zircon geochronology coupled with geochemical analysis indicate that the magmatism responsible for igneous lithologies present in the Kebnekaise region is related to the mantle-plume driven continental rifting of Rodinia between c. 625 and c. 609 Ma, responsible for the emplacement of the Central Iapetus Magmatic Province.
Statements
Data availability statement
The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary Material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.
Author contributions
RC: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Software, Visualization, Writing–original draft. AB: Conceptualization, Data curation, Investigation, Supervision, Writing–review and editing. CB: Investigation, Supervision, Validation, Writing–review and editing. KW: Validation, Writing–review and editing. GZ: Validation, Writing–review and editing. IK: Validation, Writing–review and editing. EK: Formal Analysis, Methodology, Validation, Writing–review and editing. SR: Validation, Writing–review and editing. KK: Formal Analysis, Supervision, Validation, Writing–review and editing. JM: Conceptualization, Formal Analysis, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Writing–review and editing.
Funding
The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was funded by the National Science Centre (Poland), IAPETUS project no. 2019/33/B/ST10/01728 to JM.
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to Editor Zhaochong Zhang, Junhong Zhao, and Veronica Peverelli for their suggestions and comments, which guided the manuscript revisions. We acknowledge the Vetenskapsrådet-funded NordSIMS-Vegacenter infrastructure (Dnr. 2021-00276) for provisioning of facilities and we would like to thank M. Kielman-Schmitt for sample preparation and analytical assistance. This is Vegacenter publication #079.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.
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Supplementary material
The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2024.1426525/full#supplementary-material
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Summary
Keywords
continental rifting, Iapetus Ocean opening, depleted mantle source, crustal assimilation, metamorphic signature
Citation
Callegari R, Barker AK, Barnes CJ, Walczak K, Ziemniak G, Klonowska I, Kooijman E, Rousku S, Kośmińska K and Majka J (2024) A depleted mantle source for Neoproterozoic continental rifting in the Seve Nappe Complex, Kebnekaise region, northern Swedish Caledonides. Front. Earth Sci. 12:1426525. doi: 10.3389/feart.2024.1426525
Received
01 May 2024
Accepted
26 July 2024
Published
26 August 2024
Volume
12 - 2024
Edited by
Zhaochong Zhang, China University of Geosciences, China
Reviewed by
Junhong Zhao, China University of Geosciences Wuhan, China
Veronica Peverelli, University of Bologna, Italy
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© 2024 Callegari, Barker, Barnes, Walczak, Ziemniak, Klonowska, Kooijman, Rousku, Kośmińska and Majka.
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*Correspondence: Riccardo Callegari, riccardo.callegari@geo.uu.se
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