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Origin of zoned spinel by coupled dissolution–precipitation and inter-crystalline diffusion: evidence from serpentinized wehrlite, Bangriposi, Eastern India

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Abstract

Textural and mineral–chemical characteristics in the Bangriposi wehrlites (Eastern India) provide insight into metamorphic processes that morphologically and chemically modified magmatic spinel during serpentinization of wehrlite. Aluminous chromite included in unaltered magmatic olivine is chemically homogenous. In sub-cm to 10s-of-micron-wide veins, magnetite associated with antigorite and clinochlore comprising the serpentine matrix is near-stoichiometric. But Al–Cr–Fe3+ spinels in the chlorite–magnetite veins are invariably zoned, e.g., chemically homogenous Al-rich chromite interior successively mantled by ferritchromite/Cr-rich magnetite zone and magnetite continuous with vein magnetite in the serpentine matrix. In aluminous chromite, ferritchromite/Cr-rich magnetite zones are symmetrically disposed adjacent to fracture-controlled magnetite veins that are physically continuous with magnetite rim. The morphology of ferritchromite–Cr-rich magnetite mimics the morphology of aluminous chromite interior but is incongruous with the exterior margin of magnetite mantle. Micropores are abundant in magnetite veins, but are fewer in and do not appear to be integral to the adjacent ferritchromite–Cr-rich magnetite zones. Sandwiched between chemically homogenous aluminous chromite interior and magnetite mantle, ferritchromite–Cr-rich magnetite zones show rim-ward decrease in Cr2O3, Al2O3 and MgO and complementary increase in Fe2O3 at constant FeO. In diffusion profiles, Fe2O3–Cr2O3 crossover coincides with Al2O3 decrease to values <0.5 wt% in ferritchromite zone, with Cr2O3 continuing to decrease within magnetite mantle. Following fluid-mediated (hydrous) dissolution of magmatic olivine and olivine + Al–chromite aggregates, antigorite + magnetite and chlorite + magnetite were transported in 10s-of-microns to sub-cm-wide veins and precipitated along porosity networks during serpentinization (T: 550–600 °C, f(O2): −19 to −22 log units). These veins acted as conduits for precipitation of magnetite as mantles and veins apophytic in chemically/morphologically modified magmatic Al-rich chromite. Inter-crystalline diffusion induced by chemical gradient at interfaces separating aluminous chromite interiors and magnetite mantles/veins led to the growth of ferritchromite/Cr-rich magnetite zones, mimicking the morphology of chemically modified Al–Cr–Fe–Mg spinel interiors. Inter-crystalline diffusion outlasted fluid-mediated aluminous chromite dissolution, mass transfer and magnetite precipitation.

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Acknowledgments

The present work is the part of the doctoral dissertation of the first author. P.N. acknowledges the financial support from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (India) during his tenure as research fellow. A.B. is thankful to the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (India) for providing CPDA funds during field work. Mineral analyses were performed in the DST-IRHPA funded Electron Probe Micro-analytical Facility, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. We thank Prof. B. Mishra for assisting with laser Raman analyses. P.N. acknowledge Suresh Telu for his help with XRD analyses. We thank two anonymous journal reviewers for their thoughtful and inspired comments in earlier version of the manuscript. Their comments improved both the style of presentation and the scientific content of the manuscript. However, we are responsible for any errors that may have persisted in spite of our best efforts. T. L. Grove is thanked for his editorial handling of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, 721302, India

    N. Prabhakar & A. Bhattacharya

Authors
  1. N. Prabhakar
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  2. A. Bhattacharya
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Bhattacharya.

Additional information

Communicated by T. L. Grove.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

410_2013_909_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Data Repository1: Laser Raman spectra of serpentine in matrix (replacing olivine) and in veins in AL-24 (details in text and Fig. 8b) in the right panel are compared with reference antigorite, lizardite and chrysotile (http://www.rruff.info) in left panel

Appendix: Analytical procedure

Appendix: Analytical procedure

Quantitative mineral analyses were carried out using 4-channel WDS CAMECA SX-100 electron probe microanalyzer. The analytical conditions were 20-kV accelerating voltage, 30-nA beam current and 1-um-beam diameter. Both natural and synthetic standards were used for calibrating Si, Al, Mg, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Na, Ca and Zn, whereas V, Co and Ni were quantified using pure metal standards. The counting for time peak and background analysis was between 10 s and 20 s depending on elements, with half the peak time allocated for background analyses. Spectral interference of Na K a on Zn L b , V K a on Ti K b , Zn K b and Cr K a on V K b were corrected, and X-PHI method (Merlet 1992, 1994) was used for matrix correction. Detailed calibration setting is tabulated below.

Calibration setting for all mineral analyses

Element line

Crystal

Peak time (s)

Background (−ve)

Background (+ve)

Slope/IBg

Background time (s)

Standard

Standard intensity (cps/nA)

PHA control mode

Na K a

TAP

10

···

600

1.1

5

Jadeite

123

Integral

Mg K a

TAP

10

···

1,200

1.16

5

MgO

1,535

Integral

Al K a

TAP

10

···

600

1.1

5

Al2O3

1,796

Integral

Si K a

TAP

10

···

600

1.1

5

CsGlass

800

Integral

Ca K a

PET

10

···

500

1.1

5

Diopside

205

Integral

Ti K a

LPET

20

···

500

1.1

10

TiO2

2,701

Integral

V K a

LPET

20

−650

650

···

10

V

5,294

Integral

Cr K a

LIF

10

···

500

1.1

5

Cr2O3

177

Integral

Mn K a

LIF

10

···

500

1.1

5

Rhodonite

82

Integral

Fe K a

LIF

10

···

500

1.1

5

Fe2O3

187

Integral

Co K a

LIF

20

−1,300

500

···

10

Co

277

Integral

Ni K a

LIF

20

···

600

1.05

10

Ni

257

Integral

Zn K a

LIF

20

···

500

1.1

10

ZnS

121

Integral

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Prabhakar, N., Bhattacharya, A. Origin of zoned spinel by coupled dissolution–precipitation and inter-crystalline diffusion: evidence from serpentinized wehrlite, Bangriposi, Eastern India. Contrib Mineral Petrol 166, 1047–1066 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-013-0909-y

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