Abstract:

Mineral textures and zoning provide a way to investigate the evolution process of an open magmatic system. In this study, petrographic and EMPA mineral analysis have been taken in the pyroxene phenocrysts from Holocene Ruapehu andesite. These pyroxenes are augite and enstatite, and can be divided into three types based on their texture and compositional features, including homogeneous pyroxenes (HP), green-core pyroxenes (GCP) and skeletal pyroxenes (SP). HP pyroxenes are crystallizing in a steady, showing homogeneous composition from core to rim, and lacking any dissolution texture. GCP exhibit the core-mantle-rim texture. Comparing with the core and the rim, the mantle zones show higher En, Mg#, CaO, MgO and Cr2O3 contents, while lower FeOT, TiO2 contents, displaying clearly reverse zoning. Broken cellular core of SP show similar compositions to the crustal meta-igneous xenolith,indicating a xenocrystic origin for the SP and crustal contamination during magma ascent. The reverse zoning of pyroxenes and other petrographic features suggest that the mixing mainly take place in the rigid and mush zone of shallow magma chamber, and just prior to the eruption.

Key words:  magmamixing;reversezoning;pyroxenes;andesite;Ruapehu;NewZealand