The chromite deposits associated with ophiolite complexes, Southeastern Desert, Egypt： Petrological and geochemical characteristics and mineralization

1 Introduction The association of massive Fe-Ni-Cu sulfides andchromite is a very unusual feature of podiformchromitites occurring in mantle tectonites of ophioliticcomplexes. It has only been described in theSoutheastern Desert, Egypt, where sulfides a…     

Chemical homogeneity of high-Cr chromitites as indicator for widespread invasion of boninitic melt in mantle peridotite of Bir Tuluha ophiolite,Northern Arabian Shield,Saudi Arabia

The Bir Tuluha ophiolite is one of the most famous chromitite-bearing occurrences in the Arabian Shield of Saudi Arabia, where chromitite bodies are widely distributed as lensoidal pods of variable sizes surrounded by dunite envelopes, and are both enclosed within the harzburgite host. The bulk-rock geochemistry of harzburgites and dunites is predominately characterized by extreme depletion in compatible trace elements that are not fluid mobile (e.g., Sr, Nb, Ta, Hf, Zr and heavy REE), but variable enrichment in the fluid-mobile elements (Rb and Ba). Harzburgites and dunites are also enriched in elements that have strong affinity for Mg and Cr such as Ni, Co and V. Chromian spinels in all the studied chromitite pods are of high-Cr variety; Cr-ratio (Cr/(Cr + Al) atomic ratio) show restricted range between 0.73 and 0.81. Chromian spinels of the dunite envelopes also show high Cr-ratio, but slightly lower than those in the chromitite pods (0.73–0.78). Chromian spinels in the harzburgite host show fairly lower Cr-ratio (0.49–0.57) than those in dunites and chromitites. Platinum-group elements (PGE) in chromitite pods generally exhibit steep negative slopes of typical ophiolitic chromitite PGE patterns; showing enrichment in IPGE (Os, Ir and Ru), over PPGE (Rh, Pt and Pd). The Bir Tuluha ophiolite is a unimodal type in terms of the presence of Ru-rich laurite, as the sole primary platinum-group minerals (PGM) in chromitite pods. These petrological features indicates that the Bir Tuluha ophiolite was initially generated from a mid-ocean ridge environment that produced the moderately refractory harzburgite, thereafter covered by a widespread homogeneous boninitic melt above supra-subduction zone setting, that produced the high-Cr chromitites and associated dunite envelopes. The Bir Tuluha ophiolite belt is mostly similar to the mantle section of the Proterozoic and Phanerozoic ophiolites, but it is a “unimodal” type in terms of high-Cr chromitites and PGE-PGM distribution.     

Podiform chromitite in the arc mantle: chromitite xenoliths from the Takashima alkali basalt,Southwest Japan arc

Chromitite xenoliths from the Takashima alkali basalt in the Southwest Japan arc are classified into two types: Type 1 chromitite in thin layers in dunite or wehrlite xenoliths; and Type 2 chromitite in discrete xenoliths which has an orbicular texture, previously documented only from podiform chromitites in ophiolites. Type 1 may be equivalent to layered chromitites in ophiolitic cumulates and Type 2 to podiform chromitites in the transition zone of ophiolites. This example of podiform chromitite from the Southwest Japan arc suggest that these podiform chromitites may exist in the upper mantle beneath an arc, where their formation is favored.     

Chromite deposits in China and their origin

The major chromite resources of China occur in ophiolites and continental intrusions. Podiform chromite deposits are mainly developed in the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic ophiolitic mantle sequences. They occur as tabular, lenticular, or irregular masses hosted by dunite lithologies, or dunite lenses, or harzburgite associated with dunite lenses. Main stratiform deposits occur within the Archean Northern China craton and are named as the Gaosi-type deposits, which are contained in intrusions similar to their Alaskan-type counterparts and are characterised by their ring-shaped ores. Stratiform deposits are also found in Phanerozoic ophiolites. Chromites in the ophiolites are chemically divided into high-A1 and high-Cr types, both of which plot in the alpine type field. Chromites from the Gaosi-type deposits belong to high-Fe type, possessing uniform Al contents. The podiform chromitites were generated from magmatic pockets in the mantle sequences, whereas those deposits (such as the Dadao deposit) in cumulate sequences had a similar origin but crystallized at shallower depths. Stratiform Gaosi-type deposits should have formed by accumulation of chromites which were in equilibrium with an ultramafic magma with a uniform Al content.     

西昆仑库地蛇绿岩富Al型豆荚状铬铁矿床成因

西昆仑库地蛇绿岩发育小规模的铬铁矿床,矿体呈豆荚状和层状、似层状,均与纯橄岩紧密伴生。这些纯橄岩主要由橄榄石和副矿物尖晶石组成,与方辉橄榄岩相比,橄榄岩中的橄榄石粒径粗(平均2.5mm),Mg#(88~90)低,这与它们全岩低Mg#(90)值,富Al_2O_3、TiO_2、Cr_2O_3、Fe_2O_3相吻合,与熔融残余成因的纯橄岩明显不同,反映了其很可能是由熔体与方辉橄榄岩反应而成。矿体主要由块状、浸染状及脉状铬铁矿石组成;铬铁矿石中的尖晶石具有低而相对稳定的Cr#(43~56),低于富铬型铬铁矿矿床中的铬铁矿(Cr#60)。块状矿石与纯橄岩呈突变接触,矿石中的尖晶石呈浑圆状,包裹有较多橄榄石、辉石等硅酸盐矿物及角闪石等含水硅酸盐矿物;浸染状铬铁矿石中的尖晶石与橄榄石颗粒构成交织结构,或呈云朵状,沿橄榄石颗粒边界相互连接,矿石的结构构造显示了熔/岩反应成因特征。通过计算分析,我们认为该区富铝型铬铁矿石是由拉斑玄武质熔体与地幔橄榄岩反应而成,由于熔体中含有较高的H_2O,参与反应的熔体可能源于弧后扩张脊环境。     

Platinum‐Group Elements Geochemistry and Chromian Spinel Composition in Podiform Chromitites and Associated Peridotites from the Cheshmeh‐Bid Deposit,Neyriz, Southern Iran: Implications for Geotectonic Setting

Dunite and serpentinized harzburgite in the Cheshmeh-Bid area, northwest of the Neyriz ophiolite in Iran, host podiform chromitite that occur as schlieren-type, tabular and aligned massive lenses of various sizes. The most important chromitite ore textures in the Cheshmeh-Bid deposit are massive, nodular and disseminated. Massive chromitite, dunite, and harzburgite host rocks were analyzed for trace and platinum-group elements geochemistry. Chromian spinel in chromitite is characterized by high Cr~#(0.72-0.78), high Mg~#(0.62–0.68) and low TiO_2(0.12 wt%-0.2 wt%) content. These data are similar to those of chromitites deposited from high degrees of mantle partial melting. The Cr~# of chromian spinel ranges from 0.73 to 0.8 in dunite, similar to the high-Cr chromitite, whereas it ranges from 0.56 to 0.65 in harzburgite. The calculated melt composition of the high-Cr chromitites of the Cheshmeh-Bid is 11.53 wt%–12.94 wt% Al_2O_3, 0.21 wt%–0.33 wt% TiO_2 with FeO/MgO ratios of 0.69-0.97, which are interpreted as more refractory melts akin to boninitic compositions. The total PGE content of the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitite, dunite and harzburgite are very low(average of 220.4, 34.5 and 47.3 ppb, respectively). The Pd/Ir ratio, which is an indicator of PGE fractionation, is very low(0.05–0.18) in the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitites and show that these rocks derived from a depleted mantle. The chromitites are characterized by high-Cr~#, low Pd + Pt(4–14 ppb) and high IPGE/PPGE ratios(8.2–22.25), resulting in a general negatively patterns, suggesting a high-degree of partial melting is responsible for the formation of the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitites. Therefore parent magma probably experiences a very low fractionation and was derived by an increasing partial melting. These geochemical characteristics show that the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitites have been probably derived from a boninitic melts in a supra-subduction setting that reacted with depleted peridotites. The high-Cr chromitite has relatively uniform mantle-normalized PGE patterns, with a steep slope, positive Ru and negative Pt, Pd anomalies, and enrichment of PGE relative to the chondrite. The dunite(total PGE = 47.25 ppb) and harzburgite(total PGE =3 4.5 ppb) are highly depleted in PGE and show slightly positive slopes PGE spidergrams, accompanied by a small positive Ru, Pt and Pd anomalies and their Pdn/Irn ratio ranges between 1.55–1.7 and 1.36-1.94, respectively. Trace element contents of the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitites, such as Ga, V, Zn, Co, Ni, and Mn, are low and vary between 13–26, 466–842, 22-84, 115–179, 826–-1210, and 697–1136 ppm, respectively. These contents are compatible with other boninitic chromitites worldwide. The chromian spinel and bulk PGE geochemistry for the Cheshmeh-Bid chromitites suggest that high-Cr chromitites were generated from Cr-rich and, Ti-and Al-poor boninitic melts, most probably in a fore-arc tectonic setting related with a supra-subduction zone, similarly to other ophiolites in the outer Zagros ophiolitic belt.     

Alteration Mechanisms of Chromian-Spinel during Serpentinization at Wadi Sifein Area, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Wadi Sifein podiform chromite deposits, Central Eastern Desert of Egypt, are hosted by fully serpentinized peridotite that is a part of the dismembered Pan‐African ophiolite complexes. Relics of primary minerals and the chemical characters indicate that the ophiolitic rocks were derived from depleted mantle peridotite of harzburgite and subordinate dunite compositions. The mantle rocks were initially formed at a mid‐oceanic ridge and subsequently thrust at a supra‐subduction zone. The chromite mineralization at Wadi Sifein area displays either pod‐shaped bodies with massive and lumpy chromitite appearance or dissemination of chromian‐spinel in serpentinite matrix. The podiform chromitite exhibits a very limited compositional range in terms of Cr# [Cr/(Cr + Al) atomic ratio] and Mg# [Mg/(Mg + Fe) atomic ratio]. The chromian‐spinel, however, frequently displays optical and geochemical zoning. Four zones can be identified from core to edge: inner core representing the original composition of the chromian‐spinel; narrow Cr‐rich ferritchromit zone; wide ferritchromit zone; and outer Cr‐magnetite/magnetite zone. The zonation of chromian‐spinel is interpreted to be a result of serpentinization rather than magmatic or metamorphic processes. The geochemical data obtained from the chromitite and chromian‐spinel was statistically processed using discriminant and R‐mode factor analyses. Two trends, minor and major, were achieved considering the formation of ferritchromit. The minor trend is controlled by the redistribution of trivalent cations, where Cr₂O₃ increased on the expense mainly of Al₂O₃ and to less extent Fe₂O₃ to form zone II during the peak of serpentinization. The major trend of alteration, however, is explained by the exchange between Mg‐Fe²⁺ rather than Cr, Al, and Fe³⁺ to form zone III. Kammererite formation was accompanied the formation of zones III and IV at a 314°C temperature of formation.     

元古代蛇绿岩及铬铁矿

本文总结了国外典型元古代蛇绿岩的岩石组合、野外产状、地球化学资料以及成矿特征,并与显生宙蛇绿岩进行了对比,继而探讨元古代板块构造演化和铬铁矿成因。资料表明,早元古代和中-新元古代均有蛇绿岩的存在,但前者较少,仅见于Canadian地盾的Cape Smith Belt中的Prutuniq蛇绿岩（2.05~2.0Ga）和芬兰Fennoscandian地盾的Outokumpu和Jormua蛇绿岩（时代为1.97~1.96Ga）,而中-新元古代的蛇绿岩则见于世界许多地区,如埃及东部沙漠区（~750Ma）和非洲东北部地区（ca.900~800Ma）等。与显生宙蛇绿岩相比,这些老蛇绿岩具如下特征：（1）它们均为被肢解的蛇绿岩,大多与"弧火山岩"和（或）混杂岩伴生,经历不同程度的变形和变质（具绿片岩相-角闪岩相组合）;（2）岩石组合大多较齐全,壳层组合发育,以镁铁-超镁铁岩（堆晶岩）、辉长岩、镁铁质席状岩床（墙）杂岩、火山岩为代表;层状镁铁-超镁铁岩的韵律层以及矿物的隐晶变化等均提示了岩浆多期次活动及开放岩浆房的特征;（3）元古代蛇绿岩中既有高铝型铬铁矿,也有高铬型铬铁矿,且主要寄主于纯橄岩（或蛇纹岩）中;高铝型和高铬型直接受控于熔体的熔融程度及含水流体的参与,反映了铬铁矿形成于俯冲带演化的不同阶段;铬铁矿规模均较小,且均以低TiO2为特征,均为岩浆分异作用的产物,明显区别于显生宙熔融残余成因的豆荚状铬铁矿;（4）元古代蛇绿岩常伴有硫化物Cu-Co-Zn-Au矿,且铬铁矿含Zn较高（Zn=0.11%~0.18%）（如芬兰Outokumpu蛇绿岩）;橄榄岩及铬铁矿中常含较高的MnO（高达1.79%,如埃及东部的Wizer蛇绿岩）;（5）元古代蛇绿岩具多种成因：主要为俯冲带成因（如埃及蛇绿岩、北东非蛇绿岩、芬兰Outokumpu蛇绿岩）,少量为洋中脊成因（加拿大Purtuniq蛇绿岩）及裂谷成因（芬兰Jormua蛇绿岩）等。     

豆荚状铬铁矿铂族元素地球化学研究进展

豆荚状铬铁矿是蛇绿岩中特有的一类矿产，按其化学成分可分为高Cr型和高Al型两种。其中的PGE主要以RuS2和Os、Ir、Ru合金等包体形式存在，或以类质同像形式进入铬铁矿晶格。两种类型的铬铁矿均表现出负倾斜型PGE配分模式，其Pt、Pd含量相近；与高Al型铬铁矿相比，高Cr型铬铁矿有更高的Os、Ir、Ru含量，部分豆荚状铬铁矿表现出Pt、Pd相对富集的平坦到正倾斜型PGE配分模式。目前对豆荚状铬铁矿PGE含量及配分模式还缺少一个统一的解释，但其PGE地球化学可为豆荚状铬铁矿的成因及构造背景解释提供更多的信息。     

Platinum-group elements distribution and spinel composition in podiform chromitites and associated rocks from the upper mantle section of the Neoproterozoic Bou Azzer ophiolite, Anti-Atlas, Morocco

The distribution of platinum-group elements (PGEs), together with spinel composition, of podiform chromitites and serpentinized peridotites were examined to elucidate the nature of the upper mantle of the Neoproterozoic Bou Azzer ophiolite, Anti-Atlas, Morocco. The mantle section is dominated by harzburgite with less abundant dunite. Chromitite pods are also found as small lenses not exceeding a few meters in size. Almost all primary silicates have been altered, and chromian spinel is the only primary mineral that survived alteration. Chromian spinel of chromitites is less affected by hydrothermal alteration than that of mantle peridotites. All chromitite samples of the Bou Azzer ophiolite display a steep negative slope of PGE spidergrams, being enriched in Os, Ir and Ru, and extremely depleted in Pt and Pd. Harzburgites and dunites usually have intermediate to low PGE contents showing more or less unfractionated PGE patterns with conspicuous positive anomalies of Ru and Rh. Two types of magnetite veins in serpentinized peridotite, type I (fibrous) and type II (octahedral), have relatively low PGE contents, displaying a generally positive slope from Os to Pd in the former type, and positive slope from Os to Rh then negative from Rh to Pd in the latter type. These magnetite patterns demonstrate their early and late hydrothermal origin, respectively. Chromian spinel composition of chromitites, dunites and harzburgites reflects their highly depleted nature with little variations; the Cr# is, on average, 0.71, 0.68 and 0.71, respectively. The TiO₂ content is extremely low in chromian spinels, <0.10, of all rock types. The strong PGE fractionation of podiform chromitites and the high-Cr, low-Ti character of spinel of all rock types imply that the chromitites of the Bou Azzer ophiolite were formed either from a high-degree partial melting of primitive mantle, or from melting of already depleted mantle peridotites. This kind of melting is most easily accomplished in the supra-subduction zone environment, indicating a genetic link with supra-subduction zone magma, such as high-Mg andesite or arc tholeiite. This is a general feature in the Neoproterozoic upper mantle.     

雅鲁藏布江缝合带西段达机翁地幔橄榄岩及铬铁矿的铂族元素特征

达机翁蛇绿岩位于雅鲁藏布江缝合带的西段北亚带,该蛇绿岩主要由地幔橄榄岩、玄武岩以及硅质岩组成,其中地幔橄榄岩以方辉橄榄岩为主,同时含有少量的纯橄榄岩,纯橄岩主要呈不规则透镜状或团块状分布于方辉橄榄岩中。在达机翁地幔橄榄岩中产出有3种不同类型的铬铁矿,分别为块状,豆状以及浸染状铬铁矿。文章主要对达机翁地幔橄榄岩的方辉橄榄岩及豆荚状铬铁矿进行了研究,结合岩石的主量元素和铂族元素,对地幔橄榄岩和豆荚状铬铁矿的成因以及雅鲁藏布江缝合带的找矿远景进行了探讨。达机翁地幔橄榄岩具有较高的Mg O含量以及较低的Al2O3和Ca O等含量,这种亏损的全岩成分指示了达机翁地幔橄榄岩经历了较高的部分熔融作用,同时方辉橄榄岩的PGEs的总量为23.68×10-9~31.02×10-9,高于原始地幔的值,Pd和Cu 2个元素的含量较为分散明显偏离部分熔融曲线,指示了达机翁方辉橄榄岩可能遭受了熔体的改造,在熔体-岩石反应的过程中,导致了富含PPGE的硫化物的加入。达机翁豆荚状铬铁矿为高Cr型铬铁矿,具有IPGE和Rh明显富集以及Pt,Pd明显亏损的特征,不同类型的铬铁矿之间具有一致的PGEs的分配模式。雅鲁藏布江缝合带内大量分布的超镁铁岩体在岩石组合、地球化学特征、成因以及形成时代等方面,均具有相似性,是中国铬铁矿找矿的有利远景区。     

Textural Evidence for the Chromite‐Oversaturated Character of the Melt Involved in Podiform Chromitite Formation

Well‐preserved oval‐shaped dunite clots occur within the exceptionally fresh massive podiform chromitites from the Coto Block of the Zambales Ophiolite Complex, the Philippines. The dunite/chromitite boundary shows an interlocking texture; olivine inclusions in chromites in the podiform chromitites show the same optical extinction with larger adjacent olivines in the dunite clots. This texture was formed by the reaction between chromite‐oversaturated melt and its dunite inclusions. The existence of such type of melt was previously only hypothesized to explain the origin of layered and podiform chromitites but is now confirmed by this discovery.     

西藏雅鲁藏布江缝合带西段发现高铬型和高铝型豆荚状铬铁矿体

豆英状铬铁矿按其矿物化学组分分为高铝型(Cr#值为20～ 60)和高铬型(Cr#值为60～80)两类(Thayer,1970),在全球已报道的豆英状铬铁矿中普遍为在一岩体内只存一种类型的矿体,而在同一岩体内发现两种类型的铬铁矿体较少见.位于雅鲁藏布江缝合带西段普兰岩体中首次发现同时存在高铬型和高铝型铬铁矿,岩体由地幔橄榄岩、辉长辉绿岩、火山岩等组成.地幔橄榄岩主要为方辉橄榄岩、纯橄岩和少量二辉橄榄岩.在方辉橄榄岩中发现7处透镜状的铬铁矿矿体露头,矿石类型主要有致密块状、稠密浸染状和稀疏浸染状等.矿体长2～6m,厚0.5～2m,矿体的最大延伸方向为北西-南东向,与岩体的展布方向一致,矿石的Cr#=52～88,高铬型铬铁矿包括Cr-2～5矿体,Cr#值为63～89,高铝型铬铁矿有Cr-1和Cr-6矿体,Cr#=52 ～55.矿石中脉石矿物主要为橄榄石、角闪石、蛇纹石等.普兰地幔橄榄岩的矿物结构显示,岩体经历了强烈的部分熔融以及塑性变形作用,地幔橄榄岩的地球化学特征显示岩体形成于MOR,后受到SSZ环境的改造.并且依据铬尖晶石-橄榄石/单斜辉石的矿物化学成分,识别出普兰地幔橄榄岩至少经历了3次不同的部分熔融,包括早期部分熔融(～10％)、晚期部分熔融(20％～30％)和局部的减压部分熔融作用(～15％).对比其他铬铁矿矿体和地幔橄榄岩的矿物组合,矿物化学和地球化学等,显示普兰豆荚状铬铁矿矿体与典型高铬型、高铝型铬铁矿具相似性,并存在较大的找矿空间.     

Podiform Chromitites in the Luobusa Ophiolite (Southern Tibet): Implications for Melt-Rock Interaction and Chromite Segregation in the Upper Mantle

The Luobusa ophiolite in the Indus—Yarlung Zangbo sutureof southern Tibet hosts the largest known chromite deposit inChina. The podiform chromitites occur in a well-preserved mantlesequence consisting of harzburgite with abundant lenses of dunite.The harzburgites have relatively uniform bulk-rock compositionswith mg-numbers [100 Mg/(Mg + Fe)] ranging from 89 to 91 andshow flat, unfractionated, chondrite-normalized platinum groupelement (PGE) patterns. Their accessory chromite varies widelyin cr-number [100Cr/(Cr + Al)] (18–66). These rocks areessentially residua left after extraction of mid-ocean ridgebasalt (MORB)-type magmas. The podiform chromitites displaynodular, massive, disseminated and banded textures and typicallyhave dunite envelopes that grade into the surrounding harzburgiteand diopsidic harzburgite with increasing pyroxene contents.They consist of relatively uniform chromite with high cr-numbers(74–82), have strongly fractionated, chondrite-normalizedPGE patterns with enrichment in Os, Ir and Ru relative to Rh,Pt and Pt, and are believed to have formed from a boniniticmagma produced by a second stage of melting. Dunites containaccessory chromite intermediate in composition between thoseof harzburgite and chromitite and are believed to be the productsof reaction between new boninitic magmas and old MORB-type peridotites.The melt-rock reaction removed pyroxene from the peridotitesand precipitated oli-vine, forming dunite envelopes around thechromitite pods. The melts thus became more boninitic in compositionand chromite saturated, leading to precipitation of chromitealone. The interplay of melt-rock interaction, chromite fractionationand magma mixing should lead to many fluctuations in melt composition,producing both massive and disseminated chromitites and phaselayering within individual podiform bodies observed in the Luobusaophiolite. KEY WORDS: boninitic magmas; dunite envelope; melt—rock interaction; MORB peridotities; podiform chromitites ^*Corresponding author. Present address: Department of Geology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ont, Canada P3E 2C6.     

Upper crustal podiform chromitite from the northern Oman ophiolite as the stratigraphically shallowest chromitite in ophiolite and its implication for Cr concentration

A new type of podiform chromitite was found at Wadi Hilti in the northern Oman ophiolite. It is within a late-intrusive dunite body, possibly derived from olivine-rich crystal mush, between the sheeted dike complex and upper gabbro. This chromitite forms small (<30 cm in thickness) pods with irregular to lenticular shapes. Neither layering nor graded bedding is observed within the pods. The chromitite is in the upper crust, by far shallower in ophiolite stratigraphy than the other podiform chromitites that have ever been found in the Moho transition zone to the upper mantle. It is distributed along a small felsic to gabbroic melt pool within the dunite body, which was formed by melting of gabbroic blocks captured by the mush. Chromian spinel was precipitated due to mixing of two kinds of melt, a basaltic interstitial melt from the mush and an evolved, possibly felsic, melt formed by the melting of gabbro blocks. The podiform chromitite reported here is strikingly similar in petrography and spinel chemistry to the stratiform chromitite from layered intrusions. The former contains plagioclase and clinopyroxene as matrix silicates instead of olivine as well as includes euhedral and fine spinel with solid mineral inclusions. Chromian spinel of the upper crustal podiform chromitite from Oman has relatively low content of (Cr₂O₃ + Al₂O₃), the Cr/(Cr + Al) atomic ratio of around 0.6, and the relatively high TiO₂ content ranging from 1 to 3 wt%. We conclude that assimilation of relatively Si-rich materials (crustal rocks or mantle orthopyroxene) by olivine-spinel saturated melts can explain the genesis of any type of chromitite.Editorial responsibility: V. Trommsdorff     

Multi‐stage Melting Processes of Ophiolitic Chromitites from Purang Peridotite,the Western Yarlung‐Zangbo Suture Zone,Tibet

The Purang ophiolite, which crops out over an area of about 600 km2 in the western Yarlung‐Zangbo suture zone, consists chiefly of mantle peridotite, pyroxenite and gabbro. The mantle peridotites are mostly harzburgite and minor lherzolite that locally host small pods of dunite. Some pyroxenite and gabbro veins of variable size occur in the peridotites, and most of them strike NW. On the basis of their mineral chemistry podiform chromitites are divided into high‐alumina (Cr# = 20‐60) (Cr# = 100*Cr/(Cr+Al)) and high‐chromium (Cr# = 60‐80) varieties (Thayer, 1970). Typically, only one type occurs in a given peridotite massif, although some ophiolites contain several massifs which can have different chromitite compositions. However, the Purang massif contains both high chrome and high alumina chromitites within a single mafic‐ultramafic body. Seven small, lenticular bodies of chromitite ore have been found in the harzburgite, with ore textures ranging from massive to disseminated to sparsely disseminated; no nodular ore has been observed. Individual ore bodies are 2‐6 m long, 0.5‐2 m wide and strike NW, parallel to the main structure of the ophiolite. Ore bodies 1 and 6 consist of Al‐rich chromitite (Cr# = 52‐55), whereas orebodies 2, 3, 4 and 5 are Cr‐rich varieties (Cr # = 63 to 89). In addition to magnesiochromite, all of the orebodies contain minor olivine, amphibole and serpentine. Mineral structures show that the peridotites experienced plastic deformation and partial melting. On the basis of magnesiochromite and olivine/clinopyroxene compositions two stages of partial melting are identified in the Purang peridotites, an early low‐partial melting event (about 8%), and a later high‐partial melting event (about 40%). We interpret the Al‐rich chromitites as the products of early MORB magmas, whereas the Cr‐rich varieties are thought to have been generated by the later SSZ melts..     

阿尔巴尼亚布尔齐泽壳-幔过渡带豆荚状铬铁矿成因及其对富Ti熔体交代作用的记录

豆荚状铬铁矿是关键金属铬的重要来源之一,尽管豆荚状铬铁矿的研究取得了诸多进展,但对于发育于蛇绿岩壳-幔过渡带的铬铁矿成因却涉及较少。阿尔巴尼亚布尔齐泽岩体壳-幔过渡带中产出的Cerruja豆荚状铬铁矿矿床,其矿体及纯橄岩围岩普遍被辉石岩脉穿切,辉石岩脉与矿体接触带以及辉石岩脉中的铬尖晶石强烈破碎,在铬尖晶石的裂隙和包裹体中发育大量富Ti矿物相,如金红石、钛铁矿和榍石等,是研究壳-幔过渡带铬铁矿成因的理想对象。Cerruja豆荚状铬铁矿及纯橄岩围岩中铬尖晶石Cr#分别为0.56~0.58和0.52~0.55,属于高铝型铬铁矿。接触带及辉石岩脉中的铬尖晶石Cr#明显升高（分别为0.57~0.67和0.72~0.83）,且Ti、V、Mn、Sc、Co、Zn和Ga含量也升高。本文依据铬尖晶石的结构及矿物化学成分变化特征,提出布尔齐泽壳-幔过渡带铬铁矿经历多阶段演化叠加：首先,Mirdita-Pindos洋盆在侏罗纪（约165 Ma）发生洋内初始俯冲,软流圈物质上涌生成的MORB-like弧前玄武质熔体随着俯冲的进行逐渐向玻安质熔体演变,期间产生的过渡型熔体与地幔橄榄岩反应生成高铝型铬铁矿;然后,部分MORB-like弧前玄武质熔体随着堆晶间隙分离结晶往富Fe和Ti的方向演化,改造早期形成的高铝型铬铁矿并结晶高铬型铬铁矿,同时生成金红石、钛铁矿和榍石等富Ti矿物相。     

Petrology,geochemistry and tectonic significance of serpentinized ultramafic rocks from the South Arm of Sulawesi,Indonesia

Serpentinized ultramafic rocks occur in two separate basement complexes in the South Arm of Sulawesi, the Bantimala and Barru Blocks. We present petrographic, mineral chemical and geochemical data for these rocks, and interpret them in terms of petrogenesis and tectonic setting. The rocks of both blocks show strong serpentinization of original anhydrous silicates. The Bantimala ultramafics consist mainly of peridotite (harzburgite and dunite) and clinopyroxenite, with lenses of podiform chromitite. Metamorphism is evidenced by the occurrence of amphibolite-facies tremolite schist. In contrast, the Barru ultramafics consist of harzburgite peridotite and podiform chromitite, which also show an amphibolite-facies overprint that in this case may be related to intrusion by a large dacite/granodiorite body. Whole-rock trace element analyses and spinel compositions show that the Barru harzburgite is depleted relative to primitive mantle, and has had some melt extracted. In contrast, the Bantimala dunite, harzburgite and clinopyroxenite are cumulates. Both are derived from a supra-subduction zone environment, and were obducted during the closure of small back-arc basins. If there has been no rotation of the blocks, then the Bantimala ultramafics were emplaced from an ENE direction, while the Barru ultramafics were emplaced from the WNW. The ultramafic suites from these two blocks are juxtaposed with metamorphic assemblages, which were later intruded by younger volcanics, particularly in the Barru Block.     

Podiform chromitite formation in a low-Cr/high-Al system: An example from the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR)

Recent reassessment of abyssal peridotites obtained during the dredging of the oblique supersegment and the easternmost subsection of the Southwest Indian Ridge by the R/V Knorr Cruise 162 and the R/V Yokosuka YK98-07 revealed the occurrence of dunites containing podiform chromitites and dunites with variable chromite concentration closely associated with lherzolite and harzburgite. The size of the chromitite pods varies from a few mm to 2 cm in width. Chromites in the podifom chromitites have very low Cr# (=0.22–0.23) and low TiO₂ (<0.17 wt%). They are almost free of silicate inclusions except for a few euhedral sulfide grains which occur far from cracks and lamellae and are considered primary in origin. The lherzolite which possibly represents the wallrock hosting the dunites with podiform chromitites also show low spinel Cr#(=0.16) and low Cr# in the clinopyroxenes (=0.09–0.10) and orthopyroxenes (=0.07–0.09). The small size of the SWIR podiform chromitites is strongly controlled by the low Cr/Al available in the wallrock and the invading melt. The presence of sulfide inclusions and the absence of PGEs further attest to the low Cr/Al (i.e. low refractoriness) in the system involved in the genesis of the SWIR podiform chromitites. Lastly, the discovery of podiform chromitites in the SWIR implies that the formation of podiform chromitite at mid-oceanic ridges, regardless of its spreading rate, is highly possible.     

藏北蛇绿岩中尖晶石类矿物的化学成分

本文根据东巧蛇绿岩中镁铁质-超镁铁质杂岩的尖晶石化学成分特征,讨论了该区变质橄榄岩产生的构造位置、上地幔部分熔融程度等。东巧蛇绿岩组合代表一种过渡型岩石圈物质,这已为岩石学和地球化学的研究所支持。本文从矿物学方面又提供了新的论据。