Eclogite facies metarodingites – phase relations in the system SiO2-Al2O3-Fe2O3-FeO-MgO-CaO-CO2-H2O: an example from the Zermatt-Saas ophiolite

Eclogite facies metarodingites occur as deformed dykes in serpentinites of the Zermatt‐Saas ophiolite (Western Alps). They formed during the subduction of the Tethys oceanic lithosphere in the Early Tertiary. The metarodingites developed as a consequence of serpentinization of the oceanic mantle. Three major types of metarodingites (R1, R2 & R3) can be distinguished on the basis of their mineralogical composition. All metarodingites contain vesuvianite, chlorite and hydrogrossular in high modal amounts. In addition they contain: R1 – diopside, tremolite, clinozoisite, calcite; R2 – hydroandradite, diopside, epidote, calcite; and R3 – hydroandradite. Both garnets contain a small but persistent amount of hydrogarnet component. The different metarodingites reflect different original dyke rocks in the mantle. In each group of metarodingite, textural relations suggest that reactions adjusted the assemblages along the P–T path travelled by the ophiolite during subduction and exhumation. Reactions and phase relations derived from local textures in metarodingite can be modelled in the eight‐component system: SiO₂‐Al₂O₃‐Fe₂O₃‐FeO‐MgO‐CaO‐CO₂‐H₂O. This permits the analysis of redox reactions in the presence of andradite garnet and epidote in many of the rocks. Within this system, the phase relations in eclogite facies metarodingites have been explored in terms of T–X_CO2, T–μ(SiO₂), μ(Cal)–μ(SiO₂) and P–T sections. It was found that rodingite assemblages are characterized by low μ(SiO₂) and low X_CO2 conditions. The low SiO₂ potential is externally imposed onto the rodingites by the large volume of antigorite‐forsterite serpentinites enclosing them. Moreover, μ(SiO₂) decreases consistently from metarodingite R1 to R3. The low μ(SiO₂) enforced by the serpentinites favours the formation of hydrogarnet and vesuvianite. Rodingite formation is commonly associated with hydrothermal alteration of oceanic lithosphere at the ocean floor, in particular to ocean floor serpentinization. Our analysis, however, suggests that the metarodingite assemblages may have formed at high‐pressure conditions in the subduction zone as a result of serpentinization of oceanic mantle by subduction zone fluids.     

蛇绿岩套中超基性岩体的岩石组合:蛇纹岩、异剥钙榴岩和蛇绿碳酸岩——以西阿尔卑斯Zermatt-Saas蛇绿岩为例

蛇纹岩、异剥钙榴岩和蛇绿碳酸岩是蛇绿岩套中超基性单元特有的3类岩石组合,该套岩石组合的形成过程复杂,经历了从地幔岩浆结晶分异、洋脊变质作用改造和俯冲-仰冲构造过程,记录了从地幔岩浆侵位到造山带形成、演化的全程信息。蛇纹岩由方辉橄榄岩、二辉橄榄岩和纯橄岩通过水化和氧化过程而形成;异剥钙榴岩由含水石榴石、符山石、绿帘石族矿物、透辉石和绿泥石等含水和含钙的硅酸盐矿物组成,是由基性岩经历钙交代和水化作用而形成;蛇绿碳酸岩则由高度破碎变形的蛇纹岩角砾和碳酸岩基质(方解石、白云石或菱镁矿)共同组成,碳酸钙主要来自海水参与蛇纹岩化过程产生的富钙热液。阿尔卑斯西部的Zermatt-Saas蛇绿岩体中这3种岩石的组合研究表明:蛇纹岩化过程发生在大洋变质时期,超基性岩体在海水的作用下形成蛇纹岩。蛇纹岩化过程中释放出主要来自斜方辉石和单斜辉石的钙,与水共同作用交代超基性岩体中的基性岩脉,从而形成异剥钙榴岩。蛇绿碳酸岩形成于俯冲变质之前或俯冲变质的早期。这3类岩石一经形成,都经历了其后的叠加变质作用,进而表明Zermatt-Saas蛇绿岩经历了大洋变质、与俯冲、折返和抬升有关的高压变质和区域变质、绿片岩相变质和晚期热液变质作用的pT轨迹演化,代表着西阿尔卑斯从洋脊变质作用到俯?     

Serpentinites of the Zermatt-Saas ophiolite complex and their texture evolution

The Zermatt‐Saas serpentinite complex is an integral member of the Penninic ophiolites of the Central Alps and represents the mantle part of the oceanic lithosphere of the Tethys. Metamorphic textures of the serpentinite preserve the complex mineralogical evolution from primary abyssal peridotite through ocean‐floor hydration, subduction‐related high‐pressure overprint, meso‐Alpine greenschist facies metamorphism, and late‐stage hydrothermal alteration. The early ocean floor hydration of the spinel harzburgites is still visible in relic pseudomorphic bastite and locally preserved mesh textures. The primary serpentine minerals were completely replaced by antigorite. The stable assemblage in subduction‐related mylonitic serpentinites is antigorite–olivine–magnetite ± diopside. The mid‐Tertiary greenschist facies overprint is characterized by minor antigorite recrystallization. Textural and mineral composition data of this study prove that the hydrated mineral assemblages remained stable during high‐pressure metamorphism of up to 2.5 GPa and 650 °C. The Zermatt‐Saas serpentinites thus provide a well documented example for the lack of dehydration of a mantle fragment during subduction to 75 km depth.