The Purang ultramafic massif, located in the Yarlung-Zangbo Suture Zone (YZSZ) of the Tibetan Plateau, consists mainly of harzburgites and minor lherzolites. The spinel-bearing lherzolites of the NW part of the massif display a granular texture, consisting of large olivine and pyroxene crystals with curvilinear grain boundaries. These lherzolites contain chromian spinel (Cr-spinel) of low Cr# [100 × Cr/(Cr +Al) = 24.7–30.2], enstatite with high Mg# [100 × Mg/(Mg + Fe2+) = 90.0–91.2] and relatively high Al2O3 content (3.3–4.1 wt%), and diopside with high Mg# (90.2–93.3) and Al2O3 content (4.6–5.0 wt%). These compositions are analogous to those of spinel and pyroxenes from residual peridotites. However, the Purang lherzolites show U-shaped primitive mantle (PM)- normalized rare earth element (REE)-profiles, which are not consistent with a potential origin as melting residues. The high LREE contents and positive Ti anomalies shown by the investigated lherzolites coupled with the low TiO2 content of their mineral constituents imply that these rocks possibly stored LREE- and Ti-bearing arc-related melts/fluids in their groundmass. A mineral assemblage composed of diamond, super-reduced [(SuR) moissanite, native Cr] and crustal-derived minerals (zircon, corundum, rutile), has been separated from the Purang lherzolites. Uranium-Pb geochronological dating of zircons yielded an age range between 1718 and 465 Ma, indicating that they represent ancient crustal material delivered into the upper mantle via previous subduction events. Diamonds and old zircons (± crustal minerals) were carried to shallow mantle levels by asthenospheric magmas produced during a slab rollback-induced decompression melting process. The recovery of SuR minerals is consistent with fluid percolation and crystallization of alteration-related minerals in the lithospheric parts of a (hydrated) mantle wedge, resulting in the formation of highly reduced micro-environments.

Petrogenesis of lherzolites from the Purang ophiolite, Yarlung-Zangbo Suture Zone, Tibet: origin and significance of ultra-high pressure and other 'unusual' minerals in the Neo-Tethyan lithospheric mantle

Davide Lenaz
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;
2019-01-01

Abstract

The Purang ultramafic massif, located in the Yarlung-Zangbo Suture Zone (YZSZ) of the Tibetan Plateau, consists mainly of harzburgites and minor lherzolites. The spinel-bearing lherzolites of the NW part of the massif display a granular texture, consisting of large olivine and pyroxene crystals with curvilinear grain boundaries. These lherzolites contain chromian spinel (Cr-spinel) of low Cr# [100 × Cr/(Cr +Al) = 24.7–30.2], enstatite with high Mg# [100 × Mg/(Mg + Fe2+) = 90.0–91.2] and relatively high Al2O3 content (3.3–4.1 wt%), and diopside with high Mg# (90.2–93.3) and Al2O3 content (4.6–5.0 wt%). These compositions are analogous to those of spinel and pyroxenes from residual peridotites. However, the Purang lherzolites show U-shaped primitive mantle (PM)- normalized rare earth element (REE)-profiles, which are not consistent with a potential origin as melting residues. The high LREE contents and positive Ti anomalies shown by the investigated lherzolites coupled with the low TiO2 content of their mineral constituents imply that these rocks possibly stored LREE- and Ti-bearing arc-related melts/fluids in their groundmass. A mineral assemblage composed of diamond, super-reduced [(SuR) moissanite, native Cr] and crustal-derived minerals (zircon, corundum, rutile), has been separated from the Purang lherzolites. Uranium-Pb geochronological dating of zircons yielded an age range between 1718 and 465 Ma, indicating that they represent ancient crustal material delivered into the upper mantle via previous subduction events. Diamonds and old zircons (± crustal minerals) were carried to shallow mantle levels by asthenospheric magmas produced during a slab rollback-induced decompression melting process. The recovery of SuR minerals is consistent with fluid percolation and crystallization of alteration-related minerals in the lithospheric parts of a (hydrated) mantle wedge, resulting in the formation of highly reduced micro-environments.
2019
4-mar-2019
Pubblicato
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.1080/00206814.2019.1584771
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2019 Xiong et al Lherzolites from Purang ophiolites IGR.pdf

Accesso chiuso

Descrizione: versione editoriale
Tipologia: Documento in Versione Editoriale
Licenza: Copyright Editore
Dimensione 4.78 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
4.78 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11368/2936342
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 22
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 18
social impact