Crystallization Temperatures of Komatiitic Basalts from the Vetrenyi Belt, Karelia Based on the Alumina Partition between Olivine and Chromite

The Archean–Proterozoic transition in the Earth’s history is marked by significant changes in the mantle dynamics and temperature regimes. A notable consequence is the disappearance of Al-depleted komatiites in the Late Archean and an almost complete absence of Archean-typical peridotitic komatiites since the Proterozoic. This work presents a study of the 2.41 Ga komatiitic basalts from the Vetrenyi Belt, dating back to the early Proterozoic. Unique data on the compositions of olivine and chromite, as well as on the crystallization temperatures based on Al-in-olivine geothermometry for komatiitic basalts from the Vetrenyi Belt are provided. The temperatures of the earliest stages of crystallization were approximately 1240 ± 25°C, which indicates the occurrence of water in the melt and is consistent with measured water contents of 0.4 ± 0.2 wt % H₂O in the melt inclusions. However, during crystallization, the komatiitic basalt melt underwent degassing, resulting in mass crystallization of the system and a temperature rise by ~20°C due to the release of the latent heat of crystallization. The degassing of water from the melt suggests crystallization under surface conditions.