Pegmatites of the Larvik Plutonic Complex, Oslo Rift, Norway: field relations and characterisation

Abstract

The Larvik Plutonic Complex (LPC) contains pegmatites with a wide array of mineral assemblages and morphological features. The pegmatites have traditionally been described as nepheline syenite and syenite pegmatites which carry agpaitic or miaskitic mineral assemblages, respectively. However, several pegmatites fall outside this simple characterisation due to ‘agpaitic-like’ late magmatic mineral assemblages such as hiortdahlite and eudialyte group minerals. Morphological and mineralogical differences between pegmatites are not unique to, or related with, specific areas of the LPC. Compositional variation and deformation features of the host pluton are the main mechanisms for differing morphology and mineral assemblages between LPC pegmatites. Natrolite replacement of feldspathoid is the most common alteration feature in the nepheline syenite pegmatites. The extent of alteration is closely associated with crystallisation of saccharoidal albite and aegirine. Detailed description of a nepheline syenite pegmatite situated in the Sagåsen quarry provides new insights into the internal evolution and mineral distribution of a large representative pegmatite body. The most important mechanism driving hydrous alteration is the crystallisation of anhydrous primary minerals which leads to an immiscible hydrous fluid driving in situ alterations of primary mineral assemblages.