Magmatic

'metasomatism' in
peridotites from the
Zambales ophiolite
Cynthia A. Evans
 Introduction
• The Zambales Ophiolite
Complex, an east-dipping
complete sequence of
oceanic crust and mantle
material, is located at the
western portion of Central
Luzon
• Coto and Acoje block
• Residual (upper mantle)
• Transition zone (base of
crust)
• Volcanic (Oceanic crust)
FIELD AND PETROGRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS
• Dike frequency increases towards the gabbro contact and
tends to occur at deeper structural levels in the peridotite
• 50% serpentinite
• Olivine has been deformed and recrystallized.
• Pyroxene occurs in clumps. Clinopyroxene occurs in two
distinct morphologies.
• magmatic origin - crystallized from trapped droplets or veins
of mafic liquid
• Pseudo-cumulate texture
 Geochemistry
• Modal analysis and estimation of bulk-rock
compositions are done
• The dike has unrealistic MgO and &Cr2O3
abundances due to large amounts of ol and chr
• This suggests that the dike includes some of the
host peridotite, but the chr and some of the ol
may be cumulate grains.
 Geochemistry
• The compositional progressions of ol
and opx from unmodified
harzburgite through a reaction zone
to the dike
Results and Discussion

o Mafic Liquids have infiltrated the grain boundaries of surrounding

peridotites causing a reaction (metasomatism)
o The texture, mineral abundances, and mineral compositions of the
peridotite change progressively from unaffected peridotite (about 1 m
from dike) to the margin of the dike
o The steep chemical gradient in mineral composition away from the dike at
Luz 397 implies that the magma which impregnated the peridotite was not
in chemical equilibrium with the surrounding harzburgite
Conclusion

• Mafic liquid may not be well contained in magma conduits in the upper
mantle. It may infiltrate surrounding rock along grain boundaries and act
as a metasomatic agent, especially near the top of the peridotite where
temperatures are elevated by proximity to a magma chamber.
• Due to the reaction on the mafic liquids, a wall rock depletion or a host
rock liquid re equilibriation may occur. A process in producing small scale
heterogeneities in upper mantle peridotite-a process common in the
upper mantle.
References

• Magmatic 'metasomatism' in peridotites from the Zambales ophiolite,

Cynthia A. Evans