Evidence for rhenium enrichment in the mantle wedge from submarine arc–like volcanic glasses (Papua New Guinea)
- Weidong Sun*1,
- Richard J. Arculus*2,
- Vickie C. Bennett*3,
- Stephen M. Eggins*3 and
- Raymond A. Binns*4
- 1Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- 2Department of Geology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- 3Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- 4Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Exploration and Mining, North Ryde, NSW 1670, Australia
Abstract
The low Re abundance in arc-type volcanic rocks characterized by high 187Os/188Os ratios is an unsolved puzzle of the 187Re-187Os isotope system, leaving a significant gap in our understanding of the evolution of the upper mantle–continental crust system. Here we report new observations of high Re concentrations in fresh, submarine-erupted—i.e., relatively undegassed—island arc–like volcanic glasses dredged from the eastern Manus Basin, offshore Papua New Guinea. These observations, together with previously published reports of high Re concentrations in arc-type melt inclusions, indicate that undegassed arc-type volcanic rocks and the mantle wedge are enriched in Re. Consequently, the Re concentration in the continental crust is likely to be as high as ∼2 ppb, much higher than previously estimated. The low Re concentrations in subaerial arc-type volcanic rocks are probably due to Re loss during magma degassing.
- rhenium enrichment
- Yb/Re
- Cu/Re
- submarine arc–type volcanic glasses
- Manus Basin
- continental-crust composition
Footnotes
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↵*Present address: Max-Planck Institut für Chemie, Mainz, Postfach 3060, Mainz, 55020, Germany
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- Accepted June 17, 2003.
- Received May 15, 2003.
- Revision received June 9, 2003.
- Geological Society of America
