Document

Origin of spinel-free dunite veins from northern Oman ophiolite : possible involvement of a komatiitic melt.

Identifier
DOI: 10.2465/jmps.110301
Contributors
Publisher
SAGE Publications.
Gregorian
2011-10
Language
English
English abstract
Enigmatic dunitic veins and veinlets crosscutting a podiform chromitite ore body discovered in Wadi Rajmi, northern Oman ophiolite, display a peculiar characteristic of being almost or completely spinel-free. Olivines show an evolution trend from the spinel-free dunites (Fo93-94 and 0.4 wt% NiO) to the spinel-bearing dunites (Fo93-94 and 0.2-0.3 wt% NiO). The Cr/(Cr + Al) of chromian spinel grains increases from 0.6 to 0.8, accompanied by a slight increase in Fe3+ ratio, and the Fo content of olivine decreases in the spinel-bearing dunites. A high-Mg magma, initially undersaturated with chromian spinel, precipitated the spinel-free dunites. Once the spinel saturation of the melt was attained by fractionation, the spinel-bearing dunites precipitated. The initial magma was possibly komatiitic in nature, which was produced at an early stage of detachment of the oceanic lithosphere that formed the Oman ophiolite.
Member of
ISSN
1345-6296
Category
Journal articles

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