Enstatite nodules in the harzburgites of the Southern Urals

Abstract

Research subject. At two points on the northern shore of Lake Uvil’dy in the Southern Urals, two outcrops of unique rocks – nodular harzburgites – were discovered in the tectonic lenses of serpentinite melange among garnet-biotite gneisses of the Ilmenogorsko-Vishnevogorsky Сomplex. These outcrops form a body of about 9 m in thickness among amphibolized orthopyroxenites.Results. The fine-grained serpentinized enstatite-olivine matrix of the harzburgites under study contains numerous spherical formations (nodules) 2–7 cm in diameter, composed of large enstatite crystals and rare forsterite grains. The composition and structure of these spheroids are highly similar to the enstatite chondrules from stony meteorites, although differing in size (ten times larger).Conclusions. Such structures are very rare in hyperbasites and occur in slightly altered varieties. Judging by the microstructural features and relationships of the main minerals, it is concluded that these minerals were crystallized from a magmatic melt.