A shallow origin for diamonds in ophiolitic chromitites


Por: Farre-de-Pablo, Julia, Proenza, Joaquin A., Maria Gonzalez-Jimenez, Jose, Garcia-Casco, Antonio, Colas, Vanessa, Roque-Rossell, Josep, Camprubi, Antoni, Sanchez-Navas, Antonio

Publicada: 1 ene 2019
Categoría: Geology

Resumen:
Recent findings of diamonds in ophiolitic peridotites and chromitites challenge our traditional notion of Earth mantle dynamics. Models attempting to explain these findings involve incorporation of diamonds into chromite near the mantle transition zone. However, the occurrence of metastable diamonds in this context has not been considered. Here, we report for the first time in situ microdiamonds in chromite from ophiolitic chromitite pods hosted in the Tehuitzingo serpentinite (southern Mexico). Here, diamonds occur as fracture-filling inclusions along with quartz, clinochlore, serpentine, and amorphous carbon, thus indicating a secondary origin during the shallow hydration of chromitite. Chromite chemical variations across the diamond-bearing healed fractures indicate formation during the retrograde evolution of chromitite at temperatures between 670 degrees C and 515 degrees C. During this stage, diamond precipitated metastably at low pressure from reduced C-O-H fluids that infiltrated from the host peridotite at the onset of serpentinization processes. Diamond was preserved as a result of fracture healing at the same temperature interval in which the chromite alteration began. These mechanisms of diamond formation challenge the idea that the occurrence of diamond in ophiolitic rocks constitutes an unequivocal indicator of ultrahigh-pressure conditions.

Filiaciones:
Farre-de-Pablo, Julia:
 Univ Barcelona, Dept Mineral Petrol & Appl Geol, Marti i Franques S-N, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain

Proenza, Joaquin A.:
 Univ Barcelona, Dept Mineral Petrol & Appl Geol, Marti i Franques S-N, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain

Maria Gonzalez-Jimenez, Jose:
 Univ Granada, Fac Sci, Dept Mineral & Petrol, Ave Fuentenueva S-N, Granada 18002, Spain

Garcia-Casco, Antonio:
 Univ Granada, Fac Sci, Dept Mineral & Petrol, Ave Fuentenueva S-N, Granada 18002, Spain

 Univ Granada, CSIC, Spanish Res Council, Andalusian Earth Sci Inst IACT, Ave Palmeras 4, Granada 18100, Spain

Colas, Vanessa:
 Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Geol, Ciudad Univ, Mexico City 04510, DF, Mexico

Roque-Rossell, Josep:
 Univ Barcelona, Dept Mineral Petrol & Appl Geol, Marti i Franques S-N, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain

Camprubi, Antoni:
 Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Geol, Ciudad Univ, Mexico City 04510, DF, Mexico

Sanchez-Navas, Antonio:
 Univ Granada, Fac Sci, Dept Mineral & Petrol, Ave Fuentenueva S-N, Granada 18002, Spain

 Univ Granada, CSIC, Spanish Res Council, Andalusian Earth Sci Inst IACT, Ave Palmeras 4, Granada 18100, Spain
ISSN: 00917613
Editorial
Geological Society of America, PO BOX 9140, BOULDER, CO 80301-9140 USA, Estados Unidos America
Tipo de documento: Article
Volumen: 47 Número: 1
Páginas: 75-78
WOS Id: 000454902700021

MÉTRICAS