Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : This study deals with the preliminary data of rare earth elements (REE) obtained on northeastern Algerian phosphorites from the Tébessa region. These phosphorites are located in two different basins: the northern basin represented by Dj. El Kouif, Dj. Dyr and Tazbant showings and the southern basin with the giant Dj. Onk phosphate deposit. The host sedimentary formation is Late Paleocene to Early Eocene. Twenty-six (26) samples from the four (4) localities were collected and analyzed for their REE contents using the ICP-MS technique. Phosphates from the southern basin (Dj. Onk deposit) show ∑REE contents ranging from 174.41 and 906.39 ppm (average ∑REE = 623.01 ppm), while the northern phosphorites have lower ∑REE contents (from 125.45 to 472.44 ppm; average = 265.57 ppm). PAAS-normalized REE patterns and binary Box plot of (Sm/Pr)N vs (Sm/Yb)N show HREE enrichments for samples from the northern localities while most samples from the southern basin are HREE depleted. Normalized (La/Yb)N vs (La/Sm)N plot shows that (La/Sm)N ratios of all samples are similar to those of modern seawater (from 0.83 to 1.55). However, the (La/Yb)N ratios of the two basins are significantly higher (from 0.67 to 1.18), which indicates an early diagenesis. The Ce/Ce* vs Pr/Pr* diagram shows that the observed Ce anomaly was not affected by diagenesis and more likely represents a proxy for redox conditions. The obtained results substantiate that the northern phosphorites were formed in more oxic environment with more pronounced negative Ce anomalies, whereas the southern phosphorites have lower Ce anomalies. Northern phosphorites are different from those from the south probably because the northern basin was more connected to an open sea as did the Sra Ouartan basin in northern Tunisia. These results have also been confirmed by statistical method studies, such as factorial discriminate analysis.
ISSN: 1877-7058

hal-01412572
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01412572
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01412572/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01412572/file/kechided2016.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.02.048

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The ultramafic rocks of the Collo region in northeastern Algeria crop out as “stratified” masses that cut across older metamorphic formations of the Petite Kabylie basement. Based on petrological compositions and mineralogical observations, these rocks are mainly peridotites and serpentinites. The peridotites are identified as lherzolites, but dunites may occur rarely. The lherzolites are composed of olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and chromian spinel. Their chemical composition shows high MgO (34.4–37.5 wt%), Cr (0.14–0.27 wt%), Ni (0.14–0.26 wt%) and Co (34–133 ppm) contents and low CaO and Al2O3 concentrations (0.02–2.2 wt% and 0.5 to 2.8 wt%, respectively). The chromite, which represents approximately 1–3% of the rock, is ubiquitous and shows two different generations: primary millimetric euhedral crystals and secondary fine xenomorphic grains and interstitial aggregates. The primary chromites are alumino-ferro-magnesian crystals that show high Al2O3 (25.77%–27.36%) and MgO (10.70%–13.36%). Cr# (100 × Cr/(Al + Cr)) ranges from 45 to 48, and Mg# (100 × Mg/(Mg + Fe2+)) from 49 to 59. The secondary interstitial grains are iron-rich chromites. They show low Al2O3 (4.67%–9.54%) and MgO (4.60%–4.65%). Cr# is relatively high (77–88), whereas Mg# shows relatively low values, ranging from 22 to 25. Primary chromite and whole-rock chemistry show that the Collo ultramafic rocks belong to Alpine-type peridotites that were emplaced within an orogenic setting. The oxygen isotopic composition of both peridotites and chromites is consistent with their derivation from a mantle source (δ18O ranges from +3.0 to +5.9‰). Low δ18O values (<+4.4‰) are recorded in serpentinites and are attributed to the effect of serpentinization processes through high-temperature metasomatic fluids. Magnesite-bearing serpentinites show the lowest δ18O values. These are interpreted as the result of surface water input.
ISSN: 0899-5362

hal-01468003
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01468003
DOI : 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2016.10.012

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Diamond-bearing UHP metamorphic rocks witness for subduction of lithospheric slabs into the mantle and their return to shallow levels. In this study we present U–Pb and trace elements analyses of zircon and rutile inclusions from a diamond-bearing garnet megacryst collected in a mélange unit exposed on the northern margin of Africa (Edough Massif, NE Algeria). Large rutile crystals (up to 300 μm in size) analyzed in situ provide a U–Pb age of interpreted as dating the prograde to peak subduction stage of the mafic protolith. Trace element analyses of minute zircons (≤30 μm) indicate that they formed in equilibrium with the garnet megacryst at a temperature of 740–810 °C, most likely during HP retrograde metamorphism. U–Pb analyses provide a significantly younger age of attributed to exhumation of the UHP units. This study allows bracketing the age of UHP metamorphism in the Western Mediterranean Orogen to the Oligocene/early Miocene, thus unambiguously relating UHP metamorphism to the Alpine history. Exhumation of these UHP units is coeval with the counterclockwise rotation of the Corsica–Sardinia block and most likely resulted from subduction rollback that was driven by slab pull.
ISSN: 0012-821X

hal-01622789
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01622789
DOI : 10.1016/j.epsl.2017.06.043