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Nelsonite (Fe-Ti oxide-apatite rock) devoid of silicates offers a rare opportunity to investigate the magma processes for the formation of magmatic Fe-Ti oxide deposits. Both fractional crystallization and silicate liquid immiscibility have been put forward, but the lack of robust evidence has hindered unambiguously distinguishing the role of these two processes in Fe-Ti mineralization. The nelsonite and associated Fe-Ti-P-rich rocks hosted in the Proterozoic Damiao anorthosite complex represent a typical example for studying Fe-Ti ore-forming processes. We recognized a new type of nelsonite (type-I) in the Damiao complex, which is distinct from the two known types of nelsonite (type-II and type-III) from the same complex. The type-I nelsonite is characterized by its coexistence with oxide-apatite gabbronorite and granite in the same dike, and all these rocks have identical emplacement ages (1740 ± 7 Ma), subparallel REE patterns, and major-element compositions lacking intermediate compositions, suggesting derivation from conjugate Fe- and Si-rich melts generated by silicate liquid immiscibility. The large type-II nelsonite bodies form irregular dikes along fractures in anorthosite and constitute the major ore type. The type-III nelsonite occurs as conformable layers or pods within oxide-apatite gabbronorite and pyroxenite, and occupies the end part of the type-II dike. The latter two types of nelsonites formed by extensive fractional crystallization of residual magma with crystal accumulation and subsequent hydrothermal replacement. During residual magma evolution, silicate liquid immiscibility was crucial for Fe-Ti-P enrichment, fractional crystallization was responsible for enhancing oxide-apatite concentrations, and hydrothermal replacement was effective for mobilizing oxide-apatite concentrations. Our newly recognized nelsonite provides an unambiguous, outcrop-scale, field evidence for the operation of silicate liquid immiscibility process. We show that giant magmatic Fe-Ti oxide orebodies can form by a combination of processes involving silicate liquid immiscibility, fractional crystallization and hydrothermal mobilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ∼1.7 Ga Damiao anorthosite complex (DAC) in the North China Craton contains abundant Ti–magnetite-dominated ore deposits. Both the Fe–Ti–P-rich silicate rocks and massive Fe–Ti–(P) ores occur as discordant late-stage dikes cross-cutting early-stage anorthosites with irregular but sharp boundaries. Field and petrographic observations indicate that some late-stage dikes are composed of unique oxide–apatite gabbronorites (OAGNs), whereas others comprise well-developed alternating late-stage anorthosites and Fe–Ti–P-rich pyroxenites defining rhythmic layers. Massive Fe–Ti–(P) ores are closely related to the Fe–Ti–P-rich pyroxenites. Plagioclase and whole-rock compositions of different rock types were analyzed to constrain the late-stage magma evolution and genesis of the Fe–Ti oxide ores. The similar mineralogical assemblages, REE and HFSE patterns suggest that the different rock types formed by differentiation from a common parental magma. Early-stage anorthosites are characterized by positive Eu anomalies and low REE contents, whereas the late-stage dike-like rocks display no significant Eu anomalies and high REE contents. Plagioclase compositions in the late-stage rocks show a decrease of An contents when compared to that of the early-stage rocks. Based on field relations, petrography and well-defined linear compositional trends, the sequence of crystallization is inferred as: early-stage anorthosites + leuconorites + norites, OAGNs, late-stage anorthosites + Fe–Ti–P-rich pyroxenites + massive Fe–Ti–(P) ores, and massive Fe–Ti–(P) ores. The OAGNs which underwent relatively rapid crystallization represent an early phase during the residual magma evolution after anorthosite separation, whereas the rhythmic layers formed by slow but extensive fractional crystallization of interstitial melt. High solubility of phosphorous played an important role in the formation of rhythmic layering. Massive Fe–Ti–(P) ores crystallized and segregated directly from the magma of Fe–Ti–P-rich pyroxenites, thus representing the most evolved products of the residual magma. Progressive and extensive fractional crystallization of residual ferrobasaltic magma is probably responsible for the formation of large-scale massive Fe–Ti–(P) ores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fe–Ti–P mineralization evolved from a hydrous melt. • Apatite formed throughout the whole magmatic–hydrothermal history. • Hydrothermal processes were responsible for the distribution of apatite in orebodies. The Damiao Fe–Ti–P deposit offers a rare opportunity for studying late-stage Fe–Ti ore-forming processes in Proterozoic anorthosites. The orebodies are hosted in anorthosite and commonly show chlorite-dominated alteration in the contact zone on both sides, but the nature and origin of fluids in Fe-Ti-P mineralization remains contentious. Baddeleyite is a common accessory mineral in anorthosites and Fe–Ti–P orebodies, and typically occurs as blebs and lamellae in primary ilmenite reflecting decreasing solubility of Zr in ilmenite during slow cooling and consequent exsolution of ZrO 2. Two types of zircon are identified in the Fe–Ti–P orebodies and altered anorthosite at Damiao, and both are related to hydrothermal replacement of baddeleyite by Si-rich fluids. The type-I zircon shows subhedral to anhedral shapes with variable sizes (5–50 μm) in Fe–Ti–P orebodies, and coexists with magnetite–rutile symplectite formed by ilmenite breakdown. In contrast, the type-II zircon typically occurs as tiny aggregates in chlorite–quartz–titanite replacement fronts of altered anorthosite, indicative of a hydrothermal origin. The type-I zircon yielded an age of 1739 ± 16 Ma, similar to the age of baddeleyite previously reported for the orebodies. Formation of the type-I zircon is related to the replacement of baddeleyite in the presence of Si-enriched hydrothermal fluids evolved from magma. Ti-in-zircon geothermometry indicates a fluid temperature of >700 °C for the formation of the type-I zircon. However, homogenization temperature of fluid inclusions in co-precipitated apatite suggests that the type-II zircon in altered anorthosite may have formed by later hydrothermal fluids at temperature of ~350 °C. Our results indicate that the Fe–Ti–P mineralization of the Damiao anorthosite complex involved hydrous melts and magmatic–hydrothermal processes, with the Fe–Ti oxides being formed at the magmatic stage and apatite at the hydrothermal stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mafic–ultramafic intrusions comagmatic with Proterozoic massif-type anorthosites can provide insights into the parental magma from which large volumes of hyper-feldspathic rocks are produced. Recent deep drilling has unveiled a large olivine–Ti-magnetite-rich layered intrusion (named Dawusunangou) beneath the Damiao massif-type anorthosite complex in the North China Craton. The layered intrusion is composed of alternating olivine–Ti-magnetite-rich dark layers and plagioclase-rich light layers (ca. 35–80% plagioclase), with the latter also containing pod- or lens-shaped pyroxene–Ti-magnetite-rich aggregates. This layered intrusion shows low Mg# and REE patterns similar to the overlying Damiao anorthosite complex. Baddeleyite Pb–Pb geochronology yielded indistinguishable crystallization ages of ca. 1735 Ma for both the Dawusunangou layered intrusion and the Damiao anorthosite complex, suggesting coeval emplacement. Using the average bulk compositions of the two intrusions, mass balance calculations assuming 30–40% Dawusunangou and 70–60% Damiao would give a composition similar to high-Al basaltic magma. Collectively, these features indicate that the Dawusunangou layered intrusion represents the mafic residues after the segregation of the Damiao anorthosites from high-Al basaltic parental magma. A short-lived magma chamber is thought to have supplied the two intrusions. In situ crystallization with variable nucleation rates for plagioclase combined with the mafic minerals crystallizing in equilibrium proportions resulted in the formation of repeated dark and light layers of the Dawusunangou layered intrusion. The two intrusions are interpreted to have formed by multiple magma injections, instead of continuous differentiation of one melt. The parental magma was derived from a depleted mantle source with significant crustal contribution during magma evolution. The large Nd–Hf isotopic variations suggest contamination by Paleoarchean to Neoarchean crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]