Exsolutions of Diopside and Magnetite in Olivine from Mantle Dunite,Luobusa Ophiolite,Tibet,China

The exsolutious of diopside and magnetite occur as intergrowth and orient within olivine from the mantle dunite, Luobusa ophiolite, Tibet. The dunite is very fresh with a mineral assemblage of olivine （〉95%） ＋ chromite （1%-4%） ＋ diopside （〈1%）. Two types of olivine are found in thin sections： one （Fo = 94） is coarse-grained, elongated with development of kink bands, wavy extinction and irregular margins; and the other （Fo = 96） is fine-grained and poly-angied. Some of the olivine grains contain minor Ca, Cr and Ni. Besides the exsolutions in olivine, three micron-size inclusions are also discovered. Analyzed through energy dispersive system （EDS） with unitary analytical method, the average compositions of the inclusions are： Na20, 3.12%-3.84%; MgO, 19.51%-23.79%; Al2O3, 9.33%-11.31%; SiO2, 44.89%-46.29%; CaO, 11.46%-12.90%; Cr2O3, 0.74%-2.29%; FeO, 4.26%- 5.27%, which is quite similar to those of amphibole. Diopside is anhedral f＇dling between olivines, or as micro-inclusions oriented in olivines. Chromite appears euhedral distributed between olivines, sometimes with apparent compositional zone. From core to rim of the chromite, Fe content increases and Cr decreases; and A! and Mg drop greatly on the rim. There is always incomplete magnetite zone around the chromite. Compared with the nodular chromite in the same section, the euhedral chromite has higher Fe3O4 and lower MgCr2O4 and MgAI2O4 end member contents, which means it formed under higher oxygen fugacity environment. With a geothermometer estimation, the equilibrium crystalline temperature is 820℃-960℃ for olivine and nodular chromite, 630℃-770℃ for olivine and euhedral chromite, and 350℃-550℃ for olivine and exsoluted magnetite, showing that the exsolutions occurred late at low temperature. Thus we propose that previously depleted mantle harzburgite reacted with the melt containing Na, Al and Ca, and produced an olivine solid solution added with Na^＋, Al^3＋, Ca^2＋, Fe^3＋, Cr^3＋. With temperature decreasing, the olivine solid solution decomposed; and Fe^3＋, Cr^3＋ diffused into magnetite and Ca^2＋ and Na^＋ into clinopyroxene, both of which formed intergrowth textures. A few Fe^3＋ and Cr^3＋ entered interstitial chromite. Through later tectonism, the peridotite recrystallized and formed deformational coarse grained olivine, fine grained and poly-angled olivine, and euhedral grained chromite. Due to the fast cooling rate of the rock or rapid tectonic emplacement, the exsolution textures in olivine and compositional zones of chromite are preserved.

Exsolution Lamellae in Olivine Grains of Dunite Units from Different Types of Mafic-Ultramafic Complexes

Exsolution microstructures in olivine grains from dunite units in a few selected tectonic environments are reported here. They include lamellae of clinopyroxene and clinopyroxene-magnetite intergrowth in the Gaositai and Yellow Hill Alaskan-type complexes, clinopyroxene-magnetite intergrowth in the Klzildag ophiolite, and chromite lamellae in the Hongshishan mafic-ultramafic intrusive complex. These lamellae commonly occur as needle- or rod-like features and are oriented in olivine grains. The host olivine grains have Fo contents of 92.5-92.6 in the Gaositai complex, 86.5-90.1 in the Yellow Hill complex, 93.2-93.4 in the Klzlldag ophiolite and 86.9-88.3 in the Hongshishan complex. Clinopyroxene in the rod-like intergrowth exsolved in olivine grains in the Gaositai and Yellow Hill is diopside with similar major element compositions of CaO （23.6-24.3wt%）, SiO2 （52.2-54.0wt%）, A1203 （0.67-2.15wt%）, Cr203 （0.10-0.42wt%） and Na20 （0.14-0.26wt%）. It falls into the compositional field of hydrothermal clinopyroxene and its origin is thus probably related to reaction between dunite and fluids. The enrichment of the fluids in Ca2＋, Fe3＋, Cr3＋ and Na＋, resulted in elevated concentrations of these cations in olivine solid solutions via the reaction. With decreasing temperature, the olivine solid solutions altered to an intergrowth of magnetite and clinopyroxene. The Fe3＋ and Cr3＋ preferentially partitioned into magnetite, while Ca2＋ and Na＋ entered clinopyroxene. Since the studied Alaskan-type complexes and ophiolite formed in a subduction environment, the fluids were probably released from the subducted slab. In contrast, the exsolved chromite in olivine grains from the Hongshishan complex that formed in post-orogenic extension setting can be related to olivine equilibrated with Cr-bearing liquid. Similarly, these lamellae have all been observed in serpentine surrounding olivine grains, indicating genetic relations with serpentinization.

Thermal properties of harzburgite and dunite at 0.8–3 GPa and 300–823 K and implications for the thermal evolution of Tibet

Thermal diffusivity(D)and thermal conductivity(κ)of harzburgite and dunite from Luobusha ophiolite were simultaneously measured up to 3 GPa and 823 K using the transient plane-source method in a multi anvil apparatus.The results show that the values of D andκof both samples systematically decrease with increasing temperature and increase with increasing pressure.By combination of the thermal physical data of rocks and minerals and geophysical constraints,we performed numerical simulation on the thermal evolution of Tibet vary over depth,distance and geologic ages.The present results provide new constraints on occurrence of partial melting and its geophysical significance beneath Tibetan crust.

The Discovery and Study of Mantle-Derived Dunite Inclusions in Hornblende-Diorite in the Handan-Xingtai Area,Hebei

Phlogopiie-and diopside-bearing dunite occurs as rounded inclusions in hornblende-diorite. Thepetrofabrics, mineral composition and abundances of the trace elements in the dunite indicate that the inclu-sions were derived from the upper mantle and are the residues of high-degree partial melting of mantlepeirdotite. The study of trace elements in the inclusions and their host rocks shows that the magma was origi-nated from the mantle which was enriched in incompatible elements by mantle metasomatism prior to the par-tial melting.

Sulfide Aggregation in Ophiolitic Dunite Channels Explains Os-Isotope Mismatch between Oceanic Crust and Mantle

The osmium-isotope mismatch commonly reported between mid-ocean-ridge basalts(MORBs) and residual mantle might reflect evolution of the MORB Re-Os system after extraction from the asthenosphere, or preferential contribution of radiogenic Os components from mantle. However, in a MOR system, the role of dunite melt channels from the upper mantle and Moho transition zone in regulating isotopic systems between mantle and crust has rarely been evaluated. We report new Re-Os isotopic compositions of base-metal sulfides(BMS), chromites and dunites from dunite lenses with low spinel Cr# [Cr3+/(Cr3++Al3+) ≤ 0.66](products of interaction between MORB-like melts and upper-mantle harzburgites) from the Zedang ophiolite(South Tibet). Re-Os isotopic compositions of low-Cr# dunites from the Oman ophiolite are also shown for comparison. Mineralogical evidence suggests that the Zedang sulfides were originally precipitated as monosulfide solid solutions. The highly variable 187Os/188Os initial ratios(0.1191-0.1702) and low 187Re/188Os(<0.22) of the sulfides suggest that the chromite acted as a sink for Os-bearing sulfides, aggregating discrete Os components with heterogeneous isotopic signatures from asthenospheric or lithospheric mantle into dunite channels. The Zedang chromites and dunites show 187Os/188Os ratios similar to the primitive upper mantle(PUM), except for two dunites with sub-PUM ratios, reflecting the contribution of Os balanced by smaller volumes of Os-rich, unradiogenic sulfides(likely nucleating on Os nanoparticles) and larger volumes of Os-poor radiogenic BMS. Such isotopic heterogeneity, despite with less variation, has been observed in dunite channels from the Oman ophiolite and present-day mid-ocean ridges. Formation of dunite channels in the upper mantle thus can aggregate Os-bearing sulfides with chromite, leaving high Re/Os components into the residual melts. Once such channel systems were built up at the crust-mantle transition zone, the newly incoming MOR magmas would preferentially melt and dissolve the volumetrically abundant radiogenic BMS and retain Os-rich nanoparticles in the channels, further amplifying the Os-isotope mismatch between oceanic crust and mantle. This study sheds new light on the multistage evolution and small-scale behaviors of chalcophile and siderophile elements(e.g., Re-Os) and their isotopes(e.g., 187Re-187Os) with sulfides and chromites in a silicate-dominated melt plumbing system beneath mid-ocean ridges.

Thermophysical properties of dunite rocks as a function of temperature along with the prediction of effective thermal conductivity

The thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and heat capacity per unit volume of dunite rocks taken from Chillas near Gilgit, Pakistan have been measured simultaneously using transient plane source technique. The temperature dependence of thermal transport properties is studied in the temperature range 83-303 K. Different relations for the estimation of thermal conductivity are also tested. Thermal conductivity data obey the modified Eucken’s law in the temperature range of measurements.

Dunite Xenoliths and Olivine Xenocrysts in Gabbro from Taihang Mountains: Characteristics of Mesozoic Lithospheric Mantle in Central China

This article reports the petrography and mineral chemistry of dunite xenoliths and olivine xenocrysts entrained by the Early Cretaceous Xi＇anli （西安里） hornblende （Hb）-gahbros from the southern Taihang （太行） Mountains, with the aim of constraining the nature of the Mesozoic lithospheric mantle in Central China. Rounded dunite xenoliths are 1-3 cm3 in size and display porphyroelastic, tabular, and protogranular textures. Chromite with Cr#=60-89 is common in the xenoliths. Oilvine xenocrysts of 4-6 mm in size are also found in the Hb-gabbros. Orthopyroxene reaction rims are commonly observed around olivine xenocrysts or between dunite xenoliths and host rocks. The porphyroclastic olivines within dunite xenoliths and olivine xenoerysts have kink bands and Mg#=83-94. The Mg# of olivine cores and rims are 89-94 （average, 90） and 83-86 （average, 84.4）, respectively. The CaO contents of all olivines from the xenoliths and xenocrysts are less than 0.1 wt.%, suggesting a Hthospheric mantle origin. The Ca content （214 ppm-818 ppm） and Ti content （15 ppm-137 ppm） in the xenoliths and xenocrysts are similar to those of olivines from the dunite xenoliths, but are much higher than those of olivines from harzburgite and lherzolite xenoliths in the Fushan （符山） intrusion. This finding implies that the xenoliths and xenocrysts may have originated from harzburgites or lherzolites that were intensively modified by silica-rich melts. This result, combined with high Mg# （92-94） of olivine cores from the dunite xenoliths and xenocrysts, indicates that these ofivine xenocrysts and dunite xenoliths could represent the residue of ancient （Archean or Paleopro. terozoic） lithospheric mantle and might have experienced the same intensive modification by silica-rich melts as the host magma, resulting in enrichment in MgO and SiO2.

Petrogenesis of Songshugou dunite body in the Qinling orogenic belt, Central China: Constraints from geochemistry and melt inclusions

The Songshugou dunite body, which occupies an area of about 20 km2, is the largest ultramafic massif in the eastern Qinling orogenic belt, Central China. The major compo-nent of this body is dunitic rocks including mylonitic dunite and coarse-grained dunite; they oc-cupy about 95 vol% of the total body. Petrography, mineral composition, major and trace ele-ments and primitive melt inclusions have been investigated in this paper; all revealed that this dunite body is the product of melt-rock interaction by porous percolation flow. In comparison with dunite sills or veins in harzburgite from the basal part of Oman ophiolite, this dunite body is characterized by lower contents of Al2O3, CaO and HREE but higher content of highly incom-patible elements and Zr and Hf. The LREE enriched patterns and primitive mantle normalized spidergrams of trace elements are also different from the Oman dunite. Combining with melt in-clusions observed in olivines, we conclude that this dunite body is the product of large- scale porous percolation flow of high-MgO melts within depleted mantle peridotites. The high-MgO magma, in essence, was most probably produced at the hot head of an upwelling mantle plume. The occurrence of the Songshugou dunite body is closely associated with the activity of mantle super-plume in Neo-Proterozoic era in the Yangtze Craton.

Experimental study on electrical conductivity of dunite at high temperature and pressure——The evidence of electrical conductivity of cold mantle in the Gaize-Lugu area

The electrical conductivities of the dunite from the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau were measured with the impedance spectra method at 1.0-4.0 GPa and 643-1093 K. The experimental results indicated that activation enthalpies of the dunite are smaller than 0.9 eV, the conduction mechanism in dunite may be attributed to the mixed electrical conduction involving grain interiors and boundaries. On the basis of the results of this experiment, we can deduce that there exists cold mantle in the area of Gaize-Lugu in the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau by reverse methods from the magnetotelluric sounding data (conductivity-depths profile) available for western Tibet. The result provides the present cold mantle viewpoint with strong proof on the basis of high temperature and pressure experiments.

Highly refractory Archaean peridotite cumulates:Petrology and geochemistry of the Seqi Ultramafic Complex,SW Greenland

This paper investigates the petrogenesis of the Seqi Ultramafic Complex, which covers a total area of approximately 0.5 km^2. The ultramafic rocks are hosted by tonalitic orthogneiss of the ca. 3000 Ma Akia terrane with crosscutting granitoid sheets providing an absolute minimum age of 2978 ± 8 Ma for the Seqi Ultramafic Complex. The Seqi rocks represent a broad range of olivine-dominated plutonic rocks with varying modal amounts of chromite, orthopyroxene and amphibole, i.e. various types of dunite(s.s.),peridotite(s.l.), as well as chromitite. The Seqi Ultramafic Complex is characterised primarily by refractory dunite, with highly forsteritic olivine with core compositions having Mg# ranging from about 91 to 93. The overall high modal contents, as well as the specific compositions, of chromite rule out that these rocks represent a fragment of Earth's mantle. The occurrence of stratiform chromitite bands in peridotite, thin chromite layers in dunite and poikilitic orthopyroxene in peridotite instead supports the interpretation that the Seqi Ultramafic Complex represents the remnant of a fragmented layered complex or a magma conduit, which was subsequently broken up and entrained during the formation of the regional continental crust.Integrating all of the characteristics of the Seqi Ultramafic Complex points to formation of these highly refractory peridotites from an extremely magnesian(Mg# ~ 80), near-anhydrous magma, as olivinedominated cumulates with high modal contents of chromite. It is noted that the Seqi cumulates were derived from a mantle source by extreme degrees of partial melting(>40%). This mantle source could potentially represent the precursor for the sub-continental lithospheric mantle(SCLM) in this region,which has previously been shown to be ultra-depleted. The Seqi Ultramafic Complex, as well as similar peridotite bodies in the Fiskefjord region, may thus constitute the earliest cumulates that formed during the large-scale melting event(s), which resulted in the ultra-depleted cratonic keel under the North Atlantic Craton. Hence, a better understanding of such Archaean ultramafic complexes may provide constraints on the geodynamic setting of Earth's first continents and the corresponding SCLM.

Ultramafic Zoned Complexes of the Urals and Siberia: New Geochemical Evidence of Magmatic Origin

Ultramafic(dunite-clinopyroxenite) complexes with platinum mineralization are common in different tectonic settings. Among them are zoned complexes of the Ural-Alaskan type, zoned complexes of platforms(Konder massif, Siberia), as well as layered intrusion complexes(Gulin massif, Siberia). In determining the genesis of these formations, an important role belongs to the study of melt inclusions and rock-forming minerals, including clinopyroxene. Clinopyroxenes of the ultramafic complexes exhibit a general trend of evolution, expressed as a decrease in magnesium content(Mg# = 0.95 to 0.7) and an increase in the contents of titanium and aluminum oxide(0–4.5% and 0.5–7.0%, respectively) in the dunite-clinopyroxenite series. In the coordinates of Ti-AL(IV) the clinopyroxenes of the Ural-Alaskan complexes of the Platinum belt form a linear trend of compositions with a slight increase(0–0.03 f.u.) in the titanium contents. In comparison with them the clinopyroxenes of the zoned platform complexes(Konder massif) demonstrate a shift in the trend of compositions, due to an increase in the titanium content to the moderate(0.05 f.u.) values. For the layered intrusions(Gulin pluton), it is typical another trend of clinopyroxene compositions with significantly higher titanium contents(0.04–0.12 f.u.) at the similar level of aluminum. Clinopyroxene compositions of zoned complexes of the Platinum belt are "controlled" by the area of boninites and tholeites of island arcs, and the zoned complexes of platforms by the areas of island arc tholeites and sub-alkaline intraplate basalts. Clinopyroxenes of the layered intrusions are located in the field of compositions of alkaline intraplate or MORB basalts. The geochemical study of clinopyroxenes, performed by laser ablation method(LA-ICP-MS) at the University of Kanazawa(Japan) and the Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of the UB RAS(Zaitseva et al., 2018), established the following features:(1) In ultrabasites of zoned complexes of the Urals and Siberia(Konder massif), clinopyroxene is characterized by an arcshaped distribution of rare earth elements with increasing contents from dunites to pyroxenites at a relative deficit of heavy REE(LaN/YbN = 1.2–5.4). In magnetite clinopyroxenites(enriched REE), its composition is close or identical to that in orthoclase-bearing pyroxenites(tylaites). Negative anomalies of lead, zirconium, hafnium, and titanium, as well as positive anomalies of strontium, are typical for clinopyroxene zoned complexes.(2) In ultrabasites of layered intrusions(Gulin massif) clinopyroxene is characterized by higher level of light lanthanides with a steeper slope of the REE distribution spectra(LaN/YbN = 8–13). Lead, zirconium and hafnium anomalies are also inherent in the compositions;unlike the zoned complexes a weak negative anomaly of strontium and a positive anomaly of titanium are observed. Using the partition coefficients between clinopyroxene and the melt, the compositions of parental melts for ultramafic complexes were calculated. In general, these model melts are characterized by oblique spectra of compositions typical of island arc and intraplate environments(Fig. 1). Model melts corresponding to the Ural-Alaskan-type zoned complexes(Platinum belt) show low levels of REE with a noticeable deficiency of heavy lanthanides(LaN/YbN = 8–25). By their high(≥ 2) CaO/Al2O3 ratio, they are close to ankaramite type island arc melts, differing by a steeper slope of the REE distribution spectra. Model melts corresponding to the zoned platform complexes(Konder massif) demonstrate a higher level of REE content and a deficit of heavy REE(LaN/YbN = 38), with a similar distribution pattern. At a lower Ca/Al ratio(0.4–1.9), they are close to melts of the picritic type. In comparison with them, model melts corresponding to the layered intrusions(Gulin massif) demonstrate a significantly higher level of REE and a steeper slope of the distribution spectra(LaN/YbN = 67–103), typical of alkaline mechmitic melts. In general, the results of the mineralogical and geochemical study of clinopyroxenes of ultramafic complexes correlate well with the data on melt inclusions in spinels from dunites(Simonov et al., 2017).

DUnit——Delphi的终极测试工具

DUnit是一个类框架,目的是要支持XP的软件测试方法。它支持Delphi 4以后的版本。本文对DUnit做了全面的介绍,并教给读者用DUnit进行单元测试的方法。

Experimental studies of melt-peridotite reactions at 1–2 GPa and 1250–1400°C and their implications for transforming the nature of lithospheric mantle and for high-Mg signatures in adakitic rocks

Experiments of the melt-peridotite reaction at pressures of 1 and 2 GPa and temperatures of 1250–1400°C have been carried out to understand the nature of the peridotite xenoliths in the Mesozoic high-Mg diorites and basalts of the North China Craton,and further to elucidate the processes in which the Mesozoic lithospheric mantle in this region was transformed.We used Fuxin alkali basalt,Feixian alkali basalt,and Xu-Huai hornblende-garnet pyroxenite as starting materials for the reacting melts,and lherzolite xenoliths and synthesized harzburgite as starting materials for the lithospheric mantle.The experimental results indicate that:(1)the reactions between basaltic melts and lherzolite and harzburgite at 1–2 GPa and 1300–1400°C tended to dissolve pyroxene and precipitate low-Mg#olivine(Mg#=83.6–89.3),forming sequences of dunite-lherzolite(D-L)and duniteharzburgite(D-H),respectively;(2)reactions between hornblende-garnet pyroxenite and lherzolite at 1 GPa and 1250°C formed a D-H sequence,whereas reactions at 2 GPa and 1350°C formed orthopyroxenite layers and lherzolite;and(3)the reaction between a partial melt of hornblende-garnet pyroxenite and harzburgite resulted in a layer of orthopyroxenite at the boundary of the pyroxenite and harzburgite.The reacted melts have higher MgO abundances than the starting melts,demonstrating that the melt-peridotite reactions are responsible for the high-Mg#signatures of andesites or adakitic rocks.Our experimental results support the proposition that the abundant peridotite and pyroxenite xenoliths in western Shandong and the southern Taihang Mountains might have experienced multiple modifications in reaction to a variety of melts.We suggest that melt-peridotite reactions played important roles in transforming the nature of the Mesozoic lithospheric mantle in the region of the North China Craton.