Garnets from diamond deposits in China and in the Arkhangelsk diamondiferous province

Abstract

The morphology and chemical composition of garnets from principal deposits in China and in the Arkhangelsk Province consisting of kimberlites of various mineral types have been examined. The morphology of garnets (300 specimens) from the V. Grib pipe was examined, in which crystal fragments and irregular grains predominate, and dissolution traces are common. Distribution of types of garnet coloration is typical of kimberlites: lilac-violet and red garnets of ultramafic rock association are preponderant, and the proportion of yellow-orange garnets is rather high, while brown garnets are very rare. The garnet preservation degree is very low, which is related to their high primary fracturing due to cataclasis. Grains with finely matted surfaces are preponderant (90%) reflecting their high corrosion alterations. The chemical composition was determined in 56 garnet speciments from the Grib pipe. Garnets from lherzolitic and eclogitic rock types were found and garnets from magnesium and ilmenite ultramafics are present; there are no garnets from eclogites, but garnets from diamondiferous rock associations occur. The investigations demonstrated that garnets from lherzolite rock association are preponderant in kimberlites from China, as well as from other regions, while garnets from the harzburgite-dunite and from diamondiferous rock associations are rare. Garnets belonging to the graphitepyrope depth facies were also found.