TITLE:
Petrological and Geochemical Studies on the Si-Undersaturated Rocks of the Mount Cameroon: Genesis of the Camptonite and Nephelinite at the Cameroon Hot Line
AUTHORS:
Ntoumbé Mama, Amaya Adama, Diguim Kepnamou Amadou, Mbowou Gambie Isaac Bertrand, Naimou Seguem, Ngounouno Ismaïla
KEYWORDS:
Nephelinite, Camptonite, Link, Source, Cameroon Hot Line
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.11 No.6,
June
25,
2021
ABSTRACT: The Cameroon hot line is dominated by magmatic rocks. The variations of magma and chemistry are generally due to the difference of physical conditions and chemistry in the magma source region during the ascent of magma. The Mt Etinde and the Mt Cameroon, both edifices belong to the Cameroon Hot line, have a particularity some rare rocks such as camptonite and nephelinite. The relationship between the silica undersaturated rocks in the both edifices is characterized by the lateral variation appear through the petrography of the different rocks. The concerned geochemical data allow to compare the Mount Etinde nephelinite and Mount Cameroon camptonite where the differentiation process reflects geochemical affinities from a basaltic magma source on the Cameroon hot line. The compatible elements between the Mount Etinde nephelinite and the Mount Cameroon camptonite and basalt correlate with the difference in modal compositions of mineral phases. The lateral variation of major and trace element contents in the Mount Cameroon camptonite and Mount Etinde nephelinite seem to be related to the difference in the fractional crystallization processes of mineral phases, the difference in the partial melting processes and the metasomatism source rich in volatile. The silica-undersaturated character of the camptonite and nephelinite could be attributed to assimilation of carbonate rocks within depth-level magma chambers. Trace element AFC modelling revealed that the parental magmas of both edifice volcanic rocks were mostly affected by fractional crystallisation coupled with metasomatism process in Ca rich source.