Genesis of a Calcalkaline Picrite-to-dacite Suite, New Georgia Group, Solomon Islands, and implications regarding ore genesis in volcanic arcs

Magmas of the New Georgia Group (NGG) of the Solomon Islands have erupted over the subducting Woodlark Ridge-Transform system. Subduction is the fate of all such systems, but few examples exist globally where supra-subduction zone effects can be studied. Primary aims for our NGG study are to determine the genetic relationships of rock types (andesites and dacites) to some of the most primitive, mantle-derived, basaltic (including picrites) magma suites, and identifying processes by which base (Cu, Zn, Pb) and noble metals are concentrated in and lost from evolving magma systems. This has global significance for occurrence of volcanic-related ore deposits.