Petrology and oxygen-isotope geochemistry of the Yamba Lake kimberlite rocks, N.W.T.

The Torrie, Sputnik, and Eddie kimberlite rocks, located near Yamba Lake, central Slave province, N.W.T., are volcaniclastic, macrocrystic, heterolithic, olivine-rich tuff, and olivine-rich tuff breccia. Torrie and Sputnik kimberlite rocks contain pyroxene and garnet xenocrysts and megacrysts with major-element compositions consistent with derivation mostly from disaggregated garnet lherzolite, with subordinate contributions from eclogite, spinel lherzolite, garnet harzburgite, and websterite. The presence of primary groundmass phlogopite and compositionally evolved spinel, and the absence of mantle xenocrysts, xenoliths, and megacrystic ilmenite distinguish the Eddie kimberlite pipe from the other two kimberlite pipes. Large variations in δ18O of garnet and clinopyroxene in xenocrysts and xenoliths (+3.98 to +6.36‰), nonequilibrium intermineral isotopic fractionation, and major-element heterogeneity are interpreted as resulting from infiltration of fluids or melts produced by dehydration or melting of su...