This project is to study new xenolith localities recently found in the late Cenozoic Camargo basalt field, and to continue research on mid-Cenozoic volcanic rocks. Some of the new sites have crustal xenolith suites containing mafic hornblende granulites and mafic igneous cumulates, that may represent different levels of the crust. The objective is to construct the best constrained model possible for the evolution of continental volcanic rocks. This model will be based on the volcanic rocks, contemporaneous cumulates, wall rocks, and mantle xenoliths. This project will test how successful current mathematical models are in reproducing the isotopic, major-element, and trace-element chemistries of the various rock types.
