Tschermak's substitution in antigorite and consequences for phase relations and water liberation in high-grade serpentinites

José Alberto Padrón-Navarta*, Vicente López Sánchez-Vizcaíno, Joerg Hermann, James A.D. Connolly, Carlos J. Garrido, María Teresa Gómez-Pugnaire, Claudio Marchesi

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    169 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    A model for the incorporation of alumina in FeO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O (FMASH) serpentinites has been developed by considering ideal Tschermak (Al2Mg-1Si-1) solid solution in antigorite. The antigorite model has been calibrated by fitting the experimental conditions for the decomposition of antigorite to chlorite+olivine+orthopyroxene+fluid in the FMASH system. The antigorite Al-contents predicted with this model are in agreement with natural observations and suggest a maximum alumina solubility in antigorite of 3.6wt.% Al2O3 at 20kbar-650°C and of 4.5wt.% Al2O3 at 3kbar-560°C. In the assemblage antigorite-olivine-chlorite-fluid, the Al-content of antigorite is buffered and temperature sensitive. This temperature sensitivity is the basis for a serpentinite geothermometer at greenschist, amphibolite and eclogite facies conditions. The buffered assemblage is stable in harzburgite compositions for relatively moderate amounts of Al2O3 (>1.8wt.%) and is widespread in lherzolites, where it occurs together with diopside or, in a narrow temperature field, with tremolite.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)186-196
    Number of pages11
    JournalLithos
    Volume178
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 5 Sept 2013

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