mineral may be dominant, and this, together with the two or three other major minerals present, suffices to determine the petrographic name. The presence of the following minerals precludes a rock from being classified as a lamproite: primary plagioclase, melilite, monticellite, kalsilite, nepheline, Na-rich alkali feldspar, sodalite, nosean, hauyne, melanite, schorlomite or kimzeyite. Geochemistry Lamproites conform to the following chemical characteristics: molar K2O/Na2O > 3, i.e., ultrapotassic molar K2O/Al2O3> 0.8 and commonly > 1 molar K2O + Na2O/ Al2O3 typically > 1 i.e., peralkaline typically <10 wt% each of FeO and CaO, TiO2 1-7 wt%, >2000 and commonly >5000 ppm Ba, >500 ppm Zr, >1000 ppm Sr and >200 ppm La. Economic importance The economic significance of lamproite became known with the discovery of Ellendale E4 and E9 lamproite pipes and better known 1979 discovery of the Argyle diamond pipe in Western Australia. This discovery led to the intense study and re-evaluation of other known lamproite occurrences worldwide; previously only kimberlite pipes were considered economically viable sources of diamonds. The Argyle diamond mine remains the only economically viable source of lamproite diamonds. This deposit differs markedly by having a high content of diamonds but low quality of most stones. Research at Argyle diamond have shown that most stones are of E-type; they originate from eclogite source rocks and were formed under high temperature ~. The Argyle diamond mine is the main source of rare pink diamonds. Olivine lamproite pyroclastic rocks and dikes are sometimes hosts for diamonds. The diamonds occur as xenocrysts that have been carried to the surface or to shallow depths by the lamproite diapiric intrusions. The diamonds of Crater of Diamonds State Park near Murfreesboro, Arkansas are found in a lamproite host. Nomenclature Lamproites, as a group, were known by a variety of localised names due to the fact their mineralogy is quite variable and because of their rarity often few examples of the following lamproite variants were known. Modern terminology classes all as lamproites but modifies this term with the mineral abundances as per the standard IUGS rules. Related rock types References Further reading Bergman, S. C.; 1987: Lamproites and other potassium-rich igneous rocks: a review of their occurrences, mineralogy and geochemistry. In: Alkaline Igneous rocks, Fitton, J.G. and Upton, B.G.J (Eds.), Geological Society of London special publication No. 30. pp. 103–19. Woolley, A.R., Bergman, S.C., Edgar, A.D, Le Bas, M.J., Mitchell, R.H., Rock, N.M.S. &