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Chromian spinel neomineralisations and the microstructure of plastically deformed ophiolitic peridotites (Kraka massifs, Southern Urals, Russia)

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Abstract

Results of a microstructural study of spinel peridotite samples obtained from the Kraka massif in the Southern Urals, involving findings of Cr-spinel neomineralisations within intensive ductile deformed silicates (olivine and orthopyroxene), are presented. The new-formed Cr-spinel grains show different stages of syn-deformation growth as evidenced by investigations combining petrography, decorated dislocation structure analysis, scanning electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Initial precipitations appearing as rods or lamellae are observed to form around structural defects of host silicate grains (olivine and orthopyroxene) by means of impurity segregation or heterogeneous nucleation in the most distorted lattice regions (i.e., in the predominant recrystallisation zones). Syn-deformational crystal growth leads to a complication and coarsening of the grain morphology by coalescence due to a reduction in grain boundary (interfacial) energy. While in the process of growing, the Cr-spinel grains capture fragments of silicate matrix in the solid-state process. The final stage of Cr-spinel growth involves a change in morphology resulting in their characteristic crystallographic forms (spheroidisation). The presence of euhedral Cr-spinel grains, typical for ophiolitic dunite bodies, is a result of interfacial energy reduction in areas of grain boundaries of the hardest phase. The general trend of the observed stages relates closely with the localisation of deformation zones in the upwelling upper mantle (diapir), which are composed by the weakest phase of olivine (dunites). The concentration of the weakest olivine phase in the mobile zones, which is energetically beneficial, explains why dunite bodies having euhedral chromite grains comprise the dynamic equilibrium rocks in the plastic flow localisation zones in upper mantle diapirs. Conversely, assemblages having pyroxene phases, which are stronger and larger in size compared to olivine, are not stable in these zones.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to S. Misra, A. K. Sen, V.S. Kamenetsky and the Editor-in-Chief Maarten A.T.M. Broekmans for their useful comments. This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant #16-17-10145, also it was performed as part of government contract #0246–2019–0078. Analytical studies were carried out using the equipment of the resource centers “Geomodel” and “Nanophotonics” of the Science Park of St. Petersburg State University and the Center for Collective Use of the IMSP RAS “Structural and physical-mechanical research of materials”.

Funding

This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant #16-17-10145, also it was performed as part of government contract #0246–2019–0078.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geology - Subdivision of the Ufa Federal Research Centre RAS, Karl Marks Str., 16/2, 450077, Ufa, Russian Federation

    Dmitry E. Saveliev

  2. South Urals Research Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology UB RAS, Ilmensky Reserve area, 456317, Miass, Russian Federation

    Vladimir V. Shilovskikh

  3. Geomodel Center, Saint-Petersburg State University, Ulyanovskaya str., 1, 198504, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation

    Vladimir V. Shilovskikh

  4. Institute for Metals Superplasticity Problems RAS, Khalturina str., 39, 450001, Ufa, Russian Federation

    Semen N. Sergeev

  5. Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Far Eas Branch RAS, Piip Boulevard, 9, 683006, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russian Federation

    Anton V. Kutyrev

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  1. Dmitry E. Saveliev
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  2. Vladimir V. Shilovskikh
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Contributions

Saveliev D.E. – field work, sample preparation, optical microscope study, SEM/EMPA study, manuscript writing; Shilovskikh V.V. – sample preparation, EBSD study and interpretation, Sergeev S.N. - SEM/EMPA study, interpretation of EBSD data; Kutyrev A.V. – SEM study, manuscript writing.

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Correspondence to Dmitry E. Saveliev.

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Saveliev, D.E., Shilovskikh, V.V., Sergeev, S.N. et al. Chromian spinel neomineralisations and the microstructure of plastically deformed ophiolitic peridotites (Kraka massifs, Southern Urals, Russia). Miner Petrol 115, 411–430 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00710-021-00748-w

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