Evolution of Low-Al Orthopyroxene in the Horoman Peridotite, Japan: an Unusual Indicator of Metasomatizing Fluids

Unusually alumina-poor orthopyroxene is found in a spinel peridotitefrom the Horoman Peridotite Complex, Japan. Al₂O₃, Cr₂O₃ andCaO contents in the low-Al orthopyroxene (named Low-Al OPX hereafter)are <0·25 wt %, <0·04 wt % and <0·3wt %, respectively, and are distinctively lower than those inorthopyroxene porphyroclasts. The Low-Al OPX occurs in two modes,both at the margin of olivine. The first mode of occurrenceis as the rim of a large orthopyroxene porphyroclast in contactwith olivine. This type of Low-Al OPX occurs only locally (15µm x 45 µm), and the orthopyroxene rim in contactwith olivine more commonly has normal Al₂O₃ contents (>2wt %). In the second mode of occurrence, the Low-Al OPX occursas a thin film, 5 µm x 50 µm in dimension, at agrain boundary between olivine and clinopyroxene. Trace elementcompositions of porphyroclast clinopyroxene in the sample indicatethat the sample having the Low-Al OPX underwent metasomatismalthough there are no hydrous minerals around the Low-Al OPX.Petrographic observations and trace element compositions ofclinopyroxene combined with an inferred P–T history ofthe Horoman peridotite suggest that the Low-Al OPX was formedthrough a very local reaction between peridotite and invasivefluids, probably formed by dehydration of a subducted slab,in a late stage of the history of the Horoman peridotite. Crystallizationof orthopyroxene, representing addition of silica to mantlelherzolite via a CO₂ + H₂O-bearing fluid phase, is a mechanismfor metasomatic alteration of mantle wedge peridotite. KEY WORDS: Horoman Peridotite Complex; low-Al orthopyroxene; metasomatism; mantle wedge     

Three–Dimensional Isotopic Characteristics of Crystalline Limestone around the Sakonishi Zn Ore Bodies in the Kamioka Mining District, Japan

Abstract: Predominant Zn-rich ore bodies were found to a deep part of the Sakonishi area in the Kamioka mining district, Japan. The ore mineralization was recognized at 230 to 300m above sea level in the Sakonishi area. Since crystalline limestone is broadly distributed over the area, and the variation in isotopic composition is easily detected, the isotopic prospecting should be powerful in surveying of the extent of the ore bodies and the related hydrothermal system. Although isotopic anomalies have been extracted two-dimensionally so far, three-dimensional information is possibly more powerful. In this paper, Zn-rich ore bodies in the Sakonishi area are treated as hydrothermal ore deposits, and the importance of the activity of hydrothermal fluids during mineralization is emphasized. Oxygen and carbon isotopic ‘iso–surfaces’ are three-dimensionally calculated for the Sakonishi area. The δ¹⁸O values of crystalline limestone from the surface and from the drill holes range from +8. 1 to +21. 1% and from –2. 7 to +20. 4%, respectively. The δ¹³C values of crystalline limestone from the surface and from the drill holes range from –1. 0 to +5. 3% and from –7. 7 to +4. 6%, respectively. The oxygen and carbon iso-topic ratios at the mineralization level are extremely low, but there are exceptions as to carbon isotopes. The oxygen isotopic ratios of crystalline limestone may decrease by isotopic exchange reaction with a hydrothermal fluid, while the carbon isotopic ratios slightly change. Since the precipitated calcite from a hydrothermal fluid has low carbon isotopic ratio and various oxygen isotopic ratio depending on the formation temperature, the bulk sample of crystalline limestone containing the precipitated calcite has oxygen and carbon isotopic ratios of relatively low values accordingly. Thus the decrease mechanism for carbon isotopic ratio of crystalline limestone is different from that for oxygen isotopic ratio. Samples with the carbon isotopic ratio of –4 to –8% are considered to be crystallized from hydrothermal fluids. Since the oxygen and carbon isotopic ratios of crystalline limestone at the ore mineralization level are low, the ore bodies are considered to have formed by a prominent hydrothermal activity. Thus oxygen and carbon isotopic ratios of crystalline limestone can be used as an indicator of the related hydrothermal activity. The alteration such as chloritization is intense near fractures in the Sakonishi area, showing that the hydrothermal system is controlled by a fracture system. It is assumed that the decreased isotopic ratios indicate the high degree of reactivity with hydrothermal fluids, and the depleted zone in oxygen and carbon isotopes may correspond to the conduit of the hydrothermal fluids.     

Petrogenesis of Corundum-Bearing Mafic Rock in the Horoman Peridotite Complex, Japan

A corundum-bearing Type II mafic rock, within the Horoman peridotite,Japan, was petrologically examined in detail to obtain the P–Tpaths of the mafic rock as well as of the host peridotite. Ofall the mafic rocks documented from the Horoman complex, onlythe corundum-bearing mafic rock has preserved, at least partly,its high-pressure mineralogy; all of the others have been completelyrecrystallized at low pressures. The Type II mafic rocks wereinitially formed at <1·0 GPa as cumulates of olivine,plagioclase and clinopyroxene. Corundum was then formed by metamorphismand/or partial melting of the Type II protolith at higher pressures(>1·5 GPa) than the initial condition of formation.Corundum reacted with clinopyroxene during exhumation of theHoroman peridotite down to the plagioclase stability field.The field and petrographical observations of the Type II maficrocks (± corundum) coupled with published isotopic datasuggest a complicated spiral-like P–T trajectory for theHoroman peridotite. The Type II protolith was formed at lowpressure within the peridotite at the time of initial formationof the Horoman peridotite as a residue from primitive mantleat     

Possible Non-melted Remnants of Subducted Lithosphere: Experimental and Geochemical Evidence from Corundum-Bearing Mafic Rocks in the Horoman Peridotite Complex, Japan

We report experimental results and whole-rock trace-elementcharacteristics of a corundum-bearing mafic rock from the Horomanperidotite complex, Japan. Coronitic textures around corundumin the sample suggest that corundum was not stable in maficrock compositions during the late-stage P–T conditionsrecorded in the complex (P < 1 GPa, T < 800°C). Basedon the experimental results, corundum is stable in aluminousmafic compositions at pressures of 2–3 GPa under dry conditions,suggesting that the corundum-bearing mineral assemblages developedunder upper-mantle conditions, probably within the surroundingperidotite. Variations in the trace-element compositions ofthe corundum-bearing mafic rock and related rocks can be controlledby modal variations of plagioclase, clinopyroxene and olivine,suggesting that they formed as gabbroic rocks at low-pressureconditions, and that the corundum-bearing mafic rock was derivedfrom a plagioclase-rich protolith. A complex P–T trajectory,involving metamorphism of the plagioclase-rich protolith ata pressure higher than that at which it was first formed, isneeded to explain the origin of the corundum-bearing mafic rocks.They show no evidence for partial melting after their formationas low-pressure cumulates. The Horoman complex is an exampleof a large peridotite body containing possible remnants of subductedoceanic lithosphere still retaining their original geochemicalsignatures without chemical modification during subduction andexhumation. KEY WORDS: Horoman; mafic rock; corundum; experiment; P–T history; recycling     

The effect of pyridine treatment on phase Q: Orgueil and Allende

Marrocchi et al. (2005) reported that low‐temperature fractions of heavy noble gases were largely removed upon pyridine treatment of the Orgueil CI meteorite. As pyridine is known to induce the swelling of the macromolecular network of organic matter, they concluded that the low‐temperature phase Q is macromolecular organic carbon. However, Busemann et al. (2008) showed that pyridine had no significant effect on the noble gas contents for other very primitive meteorites, such as CM and CR. Therefore, we prepared an HF–HCl residue and the pyridine‐treated residue of Orgueil, and re‐examined the results of Marrocchi et al. (2005) by analyzing all noble gases. We confirmed that heavy noble gases are surely removed by the pyridine treatment, but the degree of the loss of heavy noble gases is generally small, and is even smaller for the lighter noble gases. Furthermore, we could not observe the evidence of Xe isotopic ratios by removing only phase Q after the pyridine treatment. We further prepared the HF–HCl residue and the pyridine‐treated residue of the Allende CV3 meteorite and performed noble gas analyses. For Allende, there is no significant change in the elemental abundances after the pyridine treatment. These results suggest that only Orgueil is special, and it is likely that the gas loss of the Orgueil residue is due to the loss of some kind of organic matter that was formed and that adsorbed the fractionated Q and HL gases during the aqueous alteration within the parent body of Orgueil.     

Detrital chromian spinels from beach placers of Andaman Islands,India: A perspective view of petrological characteristics and variations of the Andaman ophiolite

Along the east coast of the Andaman Islands, abundant detrital chromian spinels frequently occur in black sands at the confluence of streams meeting the Andaman Sea. The mineral chemistry of these detrital chromian spinels has been used in reconstructing the evolutionary history of the Andaman ophiolite. The chromian spinels show wide variation in compositional parameters such as Cr# [= Cr/(Cr + A1) atomic ratio] (0.13–0.91), Mg# [= Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺) atomic ratio] (0.23–0.76), and TiO₂ (<0.05–3.9 wt%). The YFe³⁺[= 100Fe³⁺/(Cr + A1 + Fe³⁺) atomic ratio] is remarkably low (usually <10 except for south Andaman). The ranges of chemical composition of chromian spinels are different in each locality. The spinel compositions show very depleted signatures over the entire island, which suggests that all massifs in the Andaman ophiolite were affected under island‐arc conditions. Although the degree of depletion varies in different parts of the island, a directional change in composition of the detrital chromian spinels from south to north is evident. Towards the north the detrital chromian spinels point to less‐depleted source rocks in contrast to relatively more depleted towards the south. The possibilities to explain this directional change are critically discussed in the context of the evolution of Andaman ophiolite.