Elżbieta Dubińska

Dolerites of Svalbard, north-west Barents Sea Shelf: age, tectonic setting and significance for geotectonic interpretation of the High-Arctic Large Igneous Province

The dolerites of Svalbard are mineralogically and geochemically homogeneous with geochemical features typical of continental within-plate tholeiites. Their geochemistry is similar to tholeiites belonging to a bimodal suite defined as the High-Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP). K–Ar dating of numerous dolerites sampled from many locations across Svalbard define a narrow time span of this magmatism from 125.5±3.6 to 78.3±2.6 Mya. Discrete peaks of intensive activity occurred at 115.3, 100.8, 91.3 and 78.5 Mya corresponding to (1) breakup of the continental crust and formation of an initial rift as a result of mantle plume activity, located in the southern part of the Alpha Ridge; (2) magmatic activity related to spreading along the Alpha Ridge that led to the development of the initial oceanic crust and (3) continuation of spreading along the Alpha Ridge and termination of magmatic activity related to HALIP (last two peaks at 91.3 and 78.5 Mya).

Layer silicates from serpentinite-pegmatite contact (Wiry, Lower Silesia, Poland)

Highly tectonized contact between serpentinite and younger pegmatite in the magnesite mine of Wiry contains various layer silicates. Vermiculite, chlorite, smectite, and interstratified mica-vermiculite were recognized by means of routine XRD examination. Two three component interstratifications of mica-vermiculite-chlorite and chlorite-swelling chlorite-smectite were identified by a combined procedure of deconvolution of the XRD patterns and simulation of XRD tracings. A mineral with large diffraction maxima, displaying “chlorite intergrade” characteristics, appeared to be a mixture of chlorite, mixed layer chlorite-smectite, and vermiculite. Polytypes of phyllosilicates were determined by the X-ray transmission method. Due to the heritage of parent mineral polytype structure by transitional products of alteration, two distinct sequences of layer silicates were observed: one formed from trioctahedral mica (vermiculite, mixed layer mica-vermiculite); and one evolved from chlorite (e.g., mixed layer chlorite-swelling chloritesmectite). A tentative scheme of the primary contact zone structure, not obscured by subsequent brittle tectonics either by transformation of layer silicates, is proposed.

Layer silicates from a rodingite and its blackwall from Przemiłów (Lower Silesia, Poland): Mineralogical record of metasomatic processes during serpentinization and serpentinite recrystallization

SummaryMinute inclusions of phlogopite and a chlorite-vermiculite intergrade mineral occur in the vesuvianite from rodingite at Przemiłów (Lower Silesia). The same inclusions were found in its blackwall, i.e. outer metasomatic zone formed at the expense of adjacent ultrabasic rock. These findings demonstrate that potassium was released from the rodingite protolith during the Ca-metasomatism that accompanied low-temperature serpentinization and was consumed by phlogopite formed in the rodingite blackwall. Fresh phlogopite persists as small inclusions in vesuvianite. The abundant phlogopite-derived intergrade chlorite-vermiculite in the blackwall documents the potassium-rich composition of the protolith of the rodingite, though its primary chemistry is highly modified during metasomatic processes. The rodingite blackwall can be useful as tracer of the metamorphic and tectonic episodes obscured during complex geological evolution of the ophiolite.ZusammenfassungWinzige Einschlüsse von Phlogopit und einem K-führenden Chlorit-Vermiculit Mineral wurden in Vesuvian aus Rodingiten von Przemiłów (Niederschlesien) gefunden. Dieselben Minerale treten in der sogenannten “Blackwall”, i.e. der äußeren metasomatischen Zone, die sich auf Kosten der angrenzenden Ultrabasite gebildet hat, auf. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, daß Kalium aus dem Rodingit-Protolith während der Ca-Metasomatose, die die Niedrig-Temperatur 5erpentinisierung begleitete, freigesetzt wurde und von Phlogopit, der sich in der Blackwall bildete, konsumiert wurde. Frische kleine Phlogopite sind als Einschlüsse in Vesuvian erhalten geblieben. Das aus dem Phlogopit entstandene verbreitete Chlorit-Vermiculit Mineral belegt eine Kaliumreiche Zusammensetzung des Rodingit-Protoliths, obwohl die primäre Chemie durch metasomatische Prozesse stark verändert wurde.

Corrensite from Nasławice (Lower Silesia, Poland) : some problems of mineral identification and origin

The corrensite from a chlorite vein-like rodingite blackwall in serpentinites has been studied. The proper identification of swelling layers in corrensite using heating at 500°C was ambiguous because of the spontaneous rehydration. Even K+-saturated samples heated to 500°C readily rehydrated after being cooled. This can be prevented if XRD patterns are recorded at 300°C, without cooling the sample. A standard heating at 500°C can result in partial decomposition of brucite-like sheet as evidenced by ASN simulation.The ASN-calculated XRD patterns of contracted corrensite proved that an inhomogeneous distribution of heavy atoms (Fe, Ni, Mn, Cr etc.) between brucite-like sheet and talc-like layers and between two adjacent corrensite units in the interstratified mineral may result in the disappearance of low angle reflections (24 Å and 12 Å), which can lead to miscellaneous interpretation if distribution of heavy cations is not checked.The corrensite occurred together with regular chlorite. However, it is assumed to be formed due to direct crystallization from late hydrothermal solutions as deduced from comparison of the Mg/(Mg + Fe) ratio in the corrensite, serpentinite and chlorite.

Origin of minerals with intermediate chlorite-vermiculite structure (Szklary, Poland)

Abstract The vermiculite-like minerals show varied relative intensities of basal reflections and do not collapse fully when saturated with K and heated up to 700°C. Transmission oblique texture X-ray diffraction patterns were used to determine a continuous series of the vermiculite-chlorite intermediate structures. Relative diffraction intensities in the region (060) were correlated with the amount of water released at 500–700°C to show that the investigated samples belong to two structurally distinctive series: vermiculitic and chloritic types. The structural premises indicate that the parent mineral for the chloritic intergrades should be chlorite and that for the vermiculitic series phlogopite.

Geochemistry and mineralogy of Rotliegend metavolcanic mafic rocks from Poland: pervasive low-grade metamorphism versus parent rock signature

Abstract Permian volcanic rocks from the Gorzów Wielkopolski region (NW Poland), although pervasively altered by low-grade metamorphism, still preserve the geochemical characteristics of continental mafic volcanic rocks formed by partial melting of an enriched mantle source. The metamorphic assemblage comprises corrensite, pumpellyite, laumontite, quartz and chalcedony, albite, calcite and solid bitumen (major components). Petrological studies combined with microthermometric determinations indicate a low-pressure zeolite-greenschist-facies transitional zone metamorphic grade with a clockwise (pressure-temperature) P-T path: earliest event 140–210 °C and 630–760 bar; metamorphic peak 220–300 °C and 950 bar; youngest episode: T ⩾ 130 °C and 630–760 bar. The metamorphism of the Rotliegend volcanic rocks is generally ascribed to penetration of upwelling fluids released from clastic rocks underlying the extrusive Permian unit. However, the ubiquitous occurrence of anhydrite in the altered volcanic rocks suggests an influence of pore water from the overlying Zechstein evaporite sequence. The source of metamorphic heat can be tentatively assigned to abnormal heat flow and/or exothermic reactions during magmatic mineral alteration processes. Dating of metamorphism in neighbouring areas suggests an Upper Jurassic thermal event related to the upwelling of a mantle diapir during the initiation and early evolution of the North Atlantic rift.