Chrome-spinel in progressive metamorphism—a preliminary analysis

Abstract

Progressive metamorphism of serpentinite and allied rocks causes systematic changes in the composition of the chrome-spinel phase, when the latter is in equilibrium with chlorite and two magnesium silicate minerals. The stable spinel in antigorite-serpentinites is Al-poor magnetite, Cr-magnetite, or ferrit-chromite, depending on the local Cr Fe 3+ ratio in the rock. With increasing metamorphic grade up to middle amphibolite facies conditions (talc + olivine, or Ca-poor amphibole + olivine stable) more chromiferous spinels (chromites) are encountered, containing modest amounts of Al. Further increase in grade (enstatite + olivine stable) extends the range of possible spinel compositions to green MgAl 2O 4-rich spinel. The Al-content is governed by P-, T-, and ƒ H 2O -sensitive equilibria involving chlorite. Mg Fe 2+ ratios in the spinel are a function of Cr, Al and Fe 3+ in the spinel, and the ratio Mg Fe 2+ in coexisting silicates. Solid solution in natural chromites on the magnetite-chromite join is complete at ≈500°C, and close to the join chromite-Al spinel (with variable Fe/Mg) it is complete at ≈700°C. The temperature dependence of K D , the olivine-spinel Fe-Mg partition coefficient, is greater than implied by the jackson (1969) geothermometer. A tentative, revised, graphical calibration is offered, based on microprobe-analyzed high-grade metamorphic pairs and pairs from basaltic pumice. This new plot gives results which are broadly consistent with relative temperatures of equilibration inferred from other geothermometers, for alpine peridotites, peridotite nodules and meteorites.