Pertrology of ringwoodite-bearing pumice in the El Gasco area, Western Spain

The mineralogy and petrology of pumice exposed in two small outcrops at the top of two hills in western Spain suggest that these rocks are of impact genesis. Ringwoodite, which was identified in the rocks, can crystallize from melt under pressures of 10?C11 GPa in static regime or at the relief of pressure of a shock wave under pressures of 15?C17 GPa and more. The other minerals crystallizing from the melt at a pressure decrease are ferrous hortonolite (unit cell parameters of ringwoodite and hortonolite are reported), minerals belonging to the spinel group and having variable Fe mole fractions, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, anorthite, and corundum. Hollow, skeleton, dendritic, and whisker crystals of these minerals suggest that they crystallized at the cooling and strong undercooling of the melt. The crystallization temperature of the hercynite is 1780°C. The temperature of the melt that produced the pumice is estimated at 1900?C2700°C. Our find of ringwoodite is the first discovery of this mineral in natural impact rocks.