Geochemistry on rocks from the eastern Weddell Sea

From northeast to southwest five provinces with different petrographic and geochemical properties could be distinguished: The northeastern Province I is characterized by volcanic rocks, mainly basalts (>90 %). 0nly a small portion of clastic sedimentary rocks was recognized while metamorphic and plutonic rocks are almost lacking.

Province II is still dominated by basaltic rocks (60 %), but there is a considerable increase in metamorphic (15 %) and clastic seedimentary rocks (25 %). Province III is typified by a variation in the occurrence of medium to high grade metamorphics (36 %) and a variety of different plutonic rocks (30 %). The portion of volcanic rocks decrease to 20 % whereas sedimentary rocks form a portion of 13 %.