| Title | Classification of distinct eruptive phases of the diamondiferous Star Kimberlite, Saskatchewan, Canada based on statistical treatment of whole-rock geochemical analyses |
| Author | Grunsky, E C; Kjarsgaard, B A |
| Source | Applied Geochemistry 2008, 38 pages, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.04.027 |
| Year | 2008 |
| Alt Series | Earth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20080330 |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| NTS | 73H/07 |
| Area | Fort à la Corne |
| Lat/Long WENS | -105.0000 -104.5000 53.5000 53.2500 |
| Subjects | geochemistry; kimberlites; diamond; whole rock geochemistry; trace element geochemistry; major element analyses; analytical methods; Fort à la Corne field; Star kimberlite; Joli Fou kimberlite;
Paleozoic |
| Illustrations | sketch maps; geochemical plots |
| |
| Abstract | (unpublished)
Discrete eruptive events of the Star kimberlite, Saskatchewan, Canada have been classified into 5 distinctive clusters using statistical methods applied to whole rock geochemical
data. The data set consists of 270 kimberlite samples from 38 drill holes that were analysed for whole rock major- and trace-element geochemistry. The data set was analysed by multivariate statistical techniques after a log-ratio transformation,
including principal component analysis, cluster analysis and linear discriminant analysis. Data analysis using principal component and k-means clustering methods recognized 5 distinct classes, confirmed by petrographic study, which correspond to
unique mineralogical compositions. Based on relationships from detailed drill core logging results, these 5 geochemical clusters or classes are the Cantuar, Pense, early Joli Fou (eJF), mid Joli Fou (mJF) and late Joli Fou (lJF) equivalent age
eruptive phases of the Star kimberlite. Subsequent statistical analysis utilizing linear discriminant analysis supports the distinction between the classes. For the 4 kimberlite eruptive phases (Pense, early Joli Fou, mid Joli Fou and late Joli Fou)
for which there is macrodiamond data from bulk sampling, there is an excellent correlation between the amount of lithospheric mantle contamination (as defined by the geochemistry) and the diamond grade. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 225711 |
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