P–T–fO2 controls on a partly inverse chromite-bearing ultramafic intrusive: an evaluation from the Sukinda Massif, India

Abstract

The chromites from the alpine type ultramafic intrusive of Sukinda, India, display a typical partly inverse spinel form and occur in two distinct zones: Brown Ore Zone (BOZ) and Grey Ore Zone (GOZ). The host ultramafites are mostly altered and are represented by the serpentinite, tremolite-talc(chlorite) schist, talc-serpentine schist and chlorite rock. The less altered variants are dunite, harzburgite and websterite. A dyke of orthopyroxenite runs through the main ultramafic body.The composition of olivine (Fo92), orthopyroxene (En92–89) and Al2O3 contents of the parental liquid (10.40–11.45%) determined from chromites, suggest that the parent melt is of boninitic affinity. The chemical plot of TiO2 content against cr# of chromites corroborates a boninitic parental melt. The Fe–Mg partitioning in olivine and chromite depicts the temperature for chromitites as 1200 °C. A compositional plot of mg# and cr# suggests crystallization at high pressure conditions, corresponding to the kimberlite xenolith field. From the P–T diagram of pyrolite melting and mineral assemblage, the pressure of crystallization is stipulated to be ≥1.2 GPa. The fO2 values estimated from Fe3+/Cr+Al+Fe3+ ratios range from 10−8.3 to 10−9.3 for the GOZ and 10−7.1 to 10−7.3 for the BOZ. The fO2 values together with the pressure range suggest crystallization at upper mantle conditions. The heterogeneity in chemical composition and fO2 conditions for the GOZ and BOZ could be linked to heterogeneity in the upper mantle.