Andesite–Basaltic Dike Magmatism in the Paleoproterozoic Rift System of the Kola Craton, Baltic Shield

Abstract

New structural and petrogeochemical data are obtained on poorly known dikes composed of quartz dolerites of andesite–basaltic composition and located at the northwestern termination of the Murmansk block (Kola Craton). These data allowed us to compare the studied dikes with more well-known units from the dike swarm in the area of the settlement of Liinakhamari and the volcanics of the Pechenga structure, and to discuss their joint geodynamic position. Dolerite dikes are 2.3 Ga in age and intrude granites and plagiogranites of 2.4 and 2.8 Ga in age, respectively. The specificity of the composition of the rocks of andesite–basaltic composition from the dike series, as well as that of the volcanics from the first (Akhmalakhti) formation of the Pechenga structure, is determined by their structural position in the marginal part of the “fading” Sumian plume and in the zone of dynamic influence of regional strike–slip fault zones.