Petrology, mineral chemistry and geochemistry of chloritite associated with Neoproterozoic ophiolitic ultramaficsin the Eastern Desert of Egypt, Arabian-Nubian Shield

Abstract

This study presents for the first time, the field observations, petrography, mineral chemistry and geochemistry of chloritite hosted in the Al-Barramiya Neoproterozoic ophiolite of the Eastern Desert of Egypt, Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS). The Al-Barramiya ophiolite is one of the most important ophiolitic sequences exposed in the ANS. It is affected by different types of alterations including carbonatization, listvenitization, chloritization and rodingitization. The Al-Barramiya chloritite occurs as thin layers associated with highly serpentinized peridotite. It is a fine-grained rock entirely composed of chlorite (85–95 vol.%) with minor talc and accessory minerals (epidote, rutile, titanite, corundum and opaque minerals). The chlorite minerals in the chloritite are represented mainly by diabantite, while those in the serpentinites include ripidolite. Depending on the chemical composition of the chlorites, the chlorite in chloritite formed at temperatures ranging between 200 and 250°C, which are lower than those of the disseminated chlorite in the serpentinite (310–345oC), indicating their formation in different hydrothermal stages. The chloritite samples are rich in total REE contents (17.9–27.3 ppm) compared with the associated serpentinites (0.69–0.87 ppm). They are characterized by slightly depleted LREE relative to HREE [(La/Lu)n = 0.8–0.9], with a moderately negative Eu-anomaly [(Eu/Eu*)n = 0.4–0.5]. The negative Eu-anomalies are derived from chloritization fluids or reflect the presence of talc in the chloritite. Based on field work, petrography, mineralogical and geochemical data, the studied chloritite has been interpreted as being derived from the associated serpentinized ultramafics by hydrothermal alterations. This is supported by an enrichment of chloritite in compatible trace elements (Cr = 2031–2534 ppm, Ni = 1264–1988 ppm, Co = 76–101 ppm) similar to that which is observed in the associate serpentinite.