Calcium amphibole exsolution lamellae in chromite from the Semail ophiolite: Evidence for a high-pressure origin

We report here for the first time aluminous Ca-amphibole exsolution lamellae in an anhydrous chromite host of podiform chromitite from the Nakhl massif of the Semail Ophiolite. Transmission electron microscopy observations show that the Ca-amphibole lamellae have a crystallographic to potaxy and d-spacing relationship with the host chromite, i.e., [103](am)//[118](chr,) (020)(am)//(220)(chr) and d(060am) approximate to d(220chr), that indicate an exsolution origin. The presence of Ca-amphibole exsolution implies the incorporation of Si4+ and Ca2+ cations and hydroxyl in the host precursor chromite. The reconstructed precursor chromite had SiO2 concentrations of 033-0.58 wt%, suggesting upwelling from a minimum pressure of 8 GPa (depth of similar to 250 km). Hydroxyl groups occupy octahedral vacancies, which can be introduced in high-pressure chromite by substituting 4 Cr3+ by 3 Si4+ and a vacancy. During upwelling, vacancies decrease when Si4+ cations exsolve stepwise from chromite. It leads to a coupled decrease of OH occupied vacancies and exsolution of Ca-amphibole lamellae at pressures below 3 GPa. Our results provide new evidence for a deep origin of the chromitite-bearing mantle section of the Semail ophiolite. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.