Anorthosite formation by plagioclase flotation in ferrobasalt and implications for the lunar crust

The Sept Iles layered intrusion (Quebec, Canada) is dominated by a basal Layered Series made up of troctolites and gabbros, and by anorthosites occurring (1) at the roof of the magma chamber (100-500m-thick) and (2) as cm- to m-size blocks in gabbros of the Layered Series. Anorthosite rocks are made up of plagioclase, with minor clinopyroxene, olivine and Fe-Ti oxide minerals. Plagioclase displays a very restricted range of compositions for major elements (An68-An60), trace elements (Sr: 1023-1071ppm; Ba: 132-172ppm) and Sr isotopic ratios (87Sr/86Sri: 0.70356-0.70379). This compositional range is identical to that observed in troctolites, the most primitive cumulates of the Layered Series, whereas plagioclase in layered gabbros is more evolved (An60-An38). The origin of Sept Iles anorthosites has been investigated by calculating the density of plagioclase and that of the evolving melts. The density of the FeO-rich tholeiitic basalt parent magma first increased from 2.70 to 2.75g/cm3 during early fractionation of troctolites and then decreased continuously to 2.16g/cm3 with fractionation of Fe-Ti oxide-bearing gabbros. Plagioclase (An69-An60) was initially positively buoyant and partly accumulated at the top of the magma chamber to form the roof anorthosite. With further differentiation, plagioclase (