Petrology and geochemistry

Boletín of Tehuitzingo serpentinites, Mexico

de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana
419
Volumen 61, núm. 3, 2009, p. 419-435 D GEOL
DA Ó

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CA
1904
2004
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I C AN A A
C i e n A ñ os

Petrology and geochemistry of Tehuitzingo

serpentinites (Acatlán Complex, SW Mexico)

Guillermina González-Mancera*1, Fernando Ortega-Gutiérrez2, Joaquín A.

Proenza3, Viorel Atudorei4
1
Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, México, D.F:
2
Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, México, D.F.
3
Departament de Cristallografia, Mineralogia i Dipòsits Minerals, Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Martí i
Franquès s/n 08028 Barcelona, Spain
4
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northrop Hall, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
*[email protected]

Abstract

Petrographic and geochemical studies of the serpentinites from the Tehuitzingo body, the main ophiolitic outcrop of the Paleozoic
Acatlán Complex of southern Mexico, provide new petrogenetic evidence and preliminary data on the nature of the fluids that
interacted with an original mantle peridotite. Textures of the studied serpentinites show the principal events of recrystallization and
metasomatism, but the diagnostic phases associated with the high pressure events related to subduction were erased. Preliminary H
and O isotope studies in serpentinite and chorite suggest the involvement of marine water, probably under oceanic conditions during
the first serpentinization event.
Accessory chromite in the serpentinites is characterized by #Cr ~0.6 and serpentinites display low abundances of Ti, Na, Nd, Sm, Lu
and Hf, which suggest that Tehuitzingo serpentinites represent relicts of a depleted mantle formed in a suprasubduction zone, probably
in a back-arc setting that experienced partial melting in excess of 18%. Normalized REE patterns of the studied serpentinite samples
are characteristic of peridotites from both suprasubduction (SSZ) and mid-ocean ridge (MOR) zones. This preliminary, but important,
result may be related to the probable presence of lithospheric mantle slivers tectonically juxtaposed on the Acatlán Complex.

Key words: Serpentinites, Cr-spinel, “Xayacatlán” ophiolites, trace elements, Tehuitzingo, Mexico.

Resumen

El estudio petrológico y geoquímico de las serpentinitas de la región de Tehuitzingo proporciona nuevas evidencias petrogenéticas y
datos preliminares de la naturaleza de los fluidos que interactuaron con el manto peridotítico que fue el protolito del cuerpo ultramáfico
de Tehuitzingo, el mayor cuerpo ofiolítico Paleozoico expuesto del Complejo Acatlán al sur de México. Las texturas de las serpentinitas
estudiadas muestran los principales eventos de recristalización y metasomatismo, pero las fases diagnósticas asociadas con eventos de
alta presión relacionados con subducción fueron borradas. Estudios preliminares de isótopos de H y O en serpentina y clorita sugieren
que agua marina fue involucrada probablemente durante el primer evento de serpentinización bajo condiciones oceánicas.
La cromita accesoria en las serpentinitas tiene un #Cr ∼0.6 y las serpentinitas presentan bajos contenidos de Ti, Na, Nd, Sm,
Lu y Hf, lo cual sugiere que las serpentinitas de Tehuitzingo representan relictos de un manto empobrecido formado en una zona
de suprasubducción, probablemente en un ambiente de tras-arco que experimentó una tasa de fusión parcial mayor al 18%. Los
patrones normalizados de REEs de las muestras de serpentinita estudiadas son característicos de peridotitas representativas de zonas
420 González-Mancera et al.

de suprasubducción (peridotitas tipo SSZ) y de dorsales oceánicas (peridotitas tipo MOR). Este resultado preeliminar podría estar
relacionado con la presencia de fragmentos de la cuña del manto litosférico y de la placa subducida, yuxtapuestos tectónicamente en
el Complejo Acatlán.

Palabras claves: Serpentinitas, Cr espinela, Ofiolita “Xayacatlán”, elementos traza, Tehuitzingo, México.

1. Introduction Gutiérrez et al., 1999; Malone et al., 2002; Elías-Herrera

and Ortega-Gutiérrrez, 2002; Meza-Figueroa et al., 2003).
Serpentinite bodies, up to 500 meters thick and 8 km According to Ortega-Gutiérrez (1978, 1993) the Acatlán
long, are present in the Tehuitzingo area of the Acatlán Complex formed essentially as a collisional orogen in
Complex, in Puebla State, SW Mexico (Figure 1a). The Cambro-Devonian times associated with closure of the
Acatlán Complex comprises a deformed and polymeta- Iapetus Ocean. However, recent views (e. g. Murphy et
morphic assemblage of Paleozoic metasedimentary and al., 2006; Nance et al., 2006) relate it to the opening and
metavolcanic rocks, granitoids and serpentinized ultrama- closure of the younger Rheic Ocean, and to Permo-Triassic
fic bodies (Figure 1b). The Tehuitzingo serpentinite body convergence of Pacific plates on the western margin of
(TUB) is by far the largest ultramafic body within the Pangea.
Acatlán Complex. The sequence extends from Tlachinola These serpentinite bodies are part of the Xayacatlán
to Atolpotitlan, about 10 km south of Tehuitzingo (Figure Formation (Ortega-Gutiérrez, 1978) and comprise greens-
2). The serpentinites are juxtaposed along a regional thrust chists, pelitic schists, gneisses, quartzites, amphibolites,
fault above low-grade metasedimentary rocks of the Co- metagabbros, mafic eclogitic and pelitic rocks, and the
soltepec lithodeme (Ortega-Gutiérrez, 1993). serpentinites studied in this work.
Previous studies of the Tehuitzingo serpentinites mainly The Tehuitzingo serpentinite bodies, containing chro-
focused on geology (Ortega-Gutiérrez, 1978; Carballido- mitite lenses, are in close relationship with eclogitic rocks
Sánchez and Delgado-Argote, 1989), mineralogy (Solís- embedded within a metasedimentary matrix rich in garnet,
Muñoz, 1978; González-Mancera, 2001), and associated rutile and phengite, suggesting that the entire assemblage
chromitite bodies (Proenza et al., 2004; Zaccarini et al., underwent a common high-pressure metamorphic history.
2005). However, the significance of Tehuitzingo serpen- The serpentinites elsewhere in the Acatlán Complex also
tinites is still a matter of debate. These serpentinites were form lenses associated with tabular units of ecloglitic
first interpreted as part of an ophiolite originated at a mid- metabasite and high pressure metapelitic rocks (Figure 2).
ocean ridge (Ortega-Gutiérrez, 1978). In contrast, Proenza They are frequently mylonitic and commonly display fo-
et al. (2004) suggested that Tehuitzingo serpentinites were liation defined by the preferred dimensional orientation of
formed at a convergent plate boundary as part of an island antigorite blades and spinels (Proenza et al., 2004).
arc structure, and were interpreted as a fragment of oceanic The Tehuitzingo ultramafic body can be interpreted as a
lithosphere (Xayacatlán Ophiolite) formed in an arc/back- completely serpentinized harzburgite, where the dominant
arc environment. In a more recent paper (e. g. Nance et al., occurrence of antigorite and interpenetrative and interloc-
2006 and references therein), the ultramafic bodies of the king (non-pseudomorphic) textures are in agreement with
Acatlán Complex have been interpreted as being associa- the geological history suggested for the Acatlán Complex
ted with the early stages (Ordovician) of the Rheic Ocean (Ortega-Gutiérrez, 1978). It forms the base of a dismem-
opening in the western margin of Gondwana. bered ophiolite consisting of eclogitized mafic metabasites
In this paper, we provide detailed petrographic and mi- and metapelites thrust over low grade phyllites and quar-
neral assemblages together with composition of bulk-rock tzites of the Cosoltepec Formation (Figure 1b). Talc rock,
(major and trace elements), minerals, and stable isotopes chloritites and other metasomatic monomineralic rocks
(D, O), which are used to assess the petrogenesis and tec- such as tremolitites and epidotites commonly occur in the
tonic setting of the Tehuitzingo serpentinites. sole of the thrust. However, because of the wide pressure
stability of serpentine (antigorite) and protracted retro-
2. Geological setting gression of the studied rocks, the high pressure regime that
affected the ultramafic rocks was only partially preserved
in the accompanying metabasites and metasediments.
The Acatlán Complex is a polymetamorphic unit of
Paleozoic age composed of metasediments, granitoids and
mafic-ultramafic rocks metamorphosed at high pressure/ 3. Sampling and analytical methods
low temperature (subduction event) and high temperatu-
re/oderate pressure (collision event) (Ortega-Gutiérrez, The serpentinites studied here were collected at Los
1978, 1993; Yañez et al., 1991; Weber et al., 1997; Ortega Venaditos Canyon and El Tigre Canyon at the Tehuitzin-
 Petrology and geochemistry of Tehuitzingo serpentinites, Mexico 421

99º 98º
Mexico City

190

Puebla
19º 19º
Atlixco

Cuautla
c
ya
Ato
Izucar de Río
Matamoros

Study area
0 25 50 Km Tehuitzingo

Río Acatlán
Ac
ate
co
Puebla

18º 18º

Río Mix
Guerrero

teco
Pa Puebla Gulf of
cif Oaxaca
ic Mexico
O
ce
an
98º
99º

98º 30´W 97º 30´W

r
ive
ac R

190
0 30 km
Atoy

Izúcar de Matamoros
Tehuacán
Patlanoaya
r

Calte
18º 30´N ve
Ri
a
pec
xap
Ne fault
Tehuitzingo zone

Fig. 2
Acatlán
Caltepec
er

s
Riv

lsa
Ba

Acatlán Complex
Post-Permian Devonian and Allochthonous Parautochthonous Oaxacan
cover Pennsylvanian upper group lower group Complex
Shallow-marine plutons Esperanza
Cosoltepec Fm.
and continental Tecomate Fm. and Granitoids
strata arc-related rocks Xayacatlán Fm. Chazumba Fm.
Magdalena
Migmatite

Figure 1. (a) Location of the study area in southern Mexico. (b) Geologic map of the Acatlán Complex showing the Tehuitzingo area as part of the ophio-
litic Xayacatlan Formation. Modified from Ortega-Gutiérrez et al., (1999).
422 González-Mancera et al.

Table 1. Coordinates of the studied serpentinite samples from TUB

A B
2000

Tlachinola
El Tigre
Canyon Sample Location Coordinate
Tecolutla 1500
Tehuitzingo

Ca
ny
on 1000 Ve03 BV 18°18’24” 98°19’66”
te
po
Ve06 BV 18°18’24” 98°19’66”
500
Za
El
0 m. a. s. l.
Escala V = H

Ve11 BV 18°18’24” 98°19’66”

EXPLANATION
Ca
ny
on
Post-Paleozoic Ve20 BV 18°18’37” 98°19’73”
A re
Tig cover
El
Granitoids Ve23 BV 18°18’37” 98°19’73”
and migmatite
18° 18´
Tecolutla
B Eclogitic mafic Ve38 BV 18°16’70” 98°19’73”
n
nyo

and pelitic rocks

a

Te0l BT 18°18’44” 98°19’38”

s C

Ultramafic
dito

rocks
a
Ven

Quartzite, schist Te02 BT 18°18’44” 98°19’38”

Los

and phyllite
Te03 BT 18°18’44” 98°19’38”
Te04 BT 18°18’44” 98°19’46”
N PUE

Te05 BT 18°18’44” 98°20’09”

Te06 BT 18°18’44” 98°20’09”
0 1 2 km Atopoltitlán

98° 20´

Fig. 2. Simplified map and cross section of the Tehuitzingo ultramafic trometer. Rare earth elements (REE), Sc, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr,
body (TUB), showing location of some representative samples (filled Nb, Sb, Cs, Ba, Th, U, Pb, Nb, Ta and Hf were analyzed
circles).
by a commercial laboratory (ACT-LABS) using lithium
metaborate/tetraborate fusion with inductively coupled
plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), except Sc and As
go ultramafic body in the Xayacatlán Formation of the that were analyzed by Instrumental Neutron Activation
Acatlán Complex in southern Mexico (Figure 1, Table 1). Analysis (INAA).
Petrographic, mineralogical and textural analyses of ser- Three serpentine and three chlorite separates from the
pentinitic rocks were determined first on six thin sections serpentinites were used for oxygen and hydrogen isotope
and then electron microprobe analyses were performed on analyses. Samples were grounded and disaggregated in dis-
selected samples. tilled water using an ultrasonic cleaner. The size fraction to
Mineral compositions were obtained in rock thin sec- mesh <80 was separated in order to remove contaminants.
tions by electron microprobe using a CAMECA SX 50 Then a magnet was used to separate magnetite from this
instrument at the Serveis Cientificotècnics of the Univer- fraction. These processes were repeated until no magnetic
sitat de Barcelona (Spain). Excitation voltage was 20 kV fraction remained in the separate. Purity of separates was
and beam current 15 nA, except for analyses of Cr-spinel checked by X-ray diffraction and is estimated to be better
for which a current of 20 nA was preferred. Most elements than 95%. Isotope stable analyses were carried out at the
were measured with a counting time of 10 s, except for University of New Mexico Department of Earth and Pla-
Ni, V and Zn (30 s). Calibrations were performed using netary Sciences. Oxygen isotope analyses were carried
natural and synthetic reference materials: chromite (Cr, out using the Sharp (1990) laser fluorination technique.
Al, Fe), periclase (Mg), rhodonite (Mn), rutile (Ti), NiO Silicate samples were reacted with BrF5 and heated with a
(Ni) and metallic V. The chemical data for Cr-spinels were 25-W Merchantek CO2 laser. Liberated O2 gas was purified
stoichiometrically recalculated in order to distinguish FeO and collected on a 13X molecular sieve. The δ18O values
from Fe2O3 according to the procedure described by Car- were performed with 1-2 mg of sample and measured on
michael (1967). a Finnigan MAT Delta XL mass spectrometer. Hydrogen
The serpentine polymorphs in twelve serpentinite isotopic analyses were performed with 2-4 mg of sample
samples were analyzed using X-ray diffractometry at the using the Sharp et al. (2001) method. The δD was measu-
Institute of Materials, and electronic transmission micros- red on a Finnigan MAT DeltaPlus XL mass spectrometer.
copy JEOL/2010 at the Faculty of Chemistry, both at the
National Autonomous University of Mexico, at 200 Kv 4. Results
operating conditions.
Bulk rock major and minor elements were measured by 4.1.  Petrography
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry at the University
Isotope Geochemistry Laboratory (LUGIS) in the Instituto
The studied samples (Table 1) consist essentially of
de Geología, UNAM, using a SIEMENS SRS 3000 spec-
100% serpentinized ultramafic bodies of antigorite serpen-
 Petrology and geochemistry of Tehuitzingo serpentinites, Mexico 423

tinites (Ve02) and occasional chloritites (Ve38) or tremo- present high-Al primary Cr-spinel altered before carbonate
litites (Ve11), indicating pervasive events of retrogression metasomatism. These secondary carbonates (calcite and
and metasomatism. The only preserved primary phase is dolomite) may form up to 20 % of the surface of the thin
Cr-spinel (Figure 3a). Some samples (Te03, Te04) show section area and they are usually very fine grained (10-20
a penetrative fabric defined by the preferred dimensional µm), dirty, and associated with very fine grained chrysoti-
and crystallographic orientation of antigorite blades with le, altering from the antigorite blades.
grain size between 100-500 µm, but many other lack any Deformation fabrics include textures with three pene-
foliation and the antigorite blades in some samples tend to trative phases of deformation, D1 represented by intrafolial
form radial aggregates. Clinochlore, rarely accompanied isoclinal folds (Te01), D2 by a mylonitic-phyllonitic (Te04)
by secondary tremolite and clinopyroxene (Ve06), is a superposed fabric, and D3 by crenulation of these early
common accessory phase in calcium-rich metasomatized folds. S1 is defined by coarse antigorite blades and large
serpentinites. Opaque phases consist of minor Ni-Fe-Cu (up to 2 cm; Te01) elongate porphyroclasts (Figure 3h),
sulphides, Cr-spinel, and magnetite (Figure 3b), the last whereas finer grained (0.5 mm) antigorite (blastomylo-
usually altered to hematite and goethite. Magnetite and nitic) is associated with the S2 and oriented subparallel to
its alteration products occur dispersed regularly or remo- S1. S3 is associated to a late crenulation cleavage and to
bilized along the foliated or blastomylonitic serpentinite the injection of carbonate-magnetite veins, which show an
matrix, although magnetite is more commonly associated irregular distribution, arrangements sub-parallel to S3, or
with secondary veins of carbonates (Figure 3c). Occasio- simple patches replacing the serpentine matrix. Only one
nally, the largest magnetite crystals (up to 1.5 mm) pre- carbonate vein traversed the entire thin section, showing in
served cores of red Cr-spinel, indicating that many grains this case a more complex mineralogy that includes a phase
may be the oxidation end product of primary Cr-spinel. In optically identified as prehnite, probably indicating inci-
other samples, it defines symplectitic patterns that suggest pient calcium metasomatism that ended locally with rodin-
a complex metamorphic origin and evolution. gite formation, where garnet and clinopyroxene replaced
Pseudomorphic textures include bastite (Ve26) in small patches of the serpentinite. Stylolitic folded surfaces
grains about 3-6 mm in size, mainly after orthopyroxene defined by concentrations of opaque oxides, phrenite and
(Figure 3d), and in some samples (Ve02) many crystals of probably stilpnomelane appear to be related to D2.
antigorite contain lamellar rods (Figure 3e) of a translucent
phase, probably hematites or ilmenite, exsolved along two 4.2.  Mineral chemistry
intersecting planes at 60º from an original iron-bearing
pyroxene. Carbonate pseudomorphs after olivine (Ve38) 4.2.1.  Serpentine
replaced the mesh texture (Figure 3f). In some cases
(Ve23), carbonates define pseudomorphic structures up to
The chemical compositions of serpentines from Te-
1 mm in size (Figure 3g), apparently after clinopyroxene
huitzingo are presented in Table 2. These results illustrate
cut by veins of deformed antigorite. Serpentinized olivine
that SiO2 exhibits contents from 40.2 to 43.4 wt.%, MgO
pseudomorphs that escaped late deformation were occa-
from 36.3 to 43.1 wt.%, FeO from 1.0 to 6.9 wt.%, Al2O3
sionally distinguished forming grains up to 850 µm long
from 0.01 to 2.5 wt.% and Cr2O3 from 0.03 to 1.9 wt.%.
(Te18).
The binary diagram Mg# vs. Si (Figure 4) shows the wide
Chloritites consist of two generations of chlorite and
chemical diversity of the Tehuitzingo serpentines, which
very fine-grained opaque oxides. Chlorite 1 (older and
also matches the field representing the compositional ran-
magnesian) is pleochroic from green to pale yellow (pro-
ge of serpentines described in the literature (D’Antonio
bably Cr-spinel rich), aligned in the foliation and kinked,
and Kristensen, 2004). The Si content of some serpentines
whereas chlorite 2 (younger and ferrian) fills spaces bet-
shows values slightly higher (>4 a.p.f.u) than commonly
ween Mg-chlorite grains and is not pleochroic. Fe-chlorite
reported (Figure 4), which could be explained by the
appears deformed and foliated inside deformed veins in-
occurrence of antigorite, as it has slightly higher SiO2
dicating syntectonic emplacement. Moreover, the oxide
(D’Antonio and Kristensen, 2004).
dust appears to have been formed by pressure-solution
The chemical composition related to different textures
phenomena during deformation because it is concentrated
of serpentine analyzed here show significant overlap (Ta-
in folded stylolitic surfaces in the chloritite.
ble 2, Figures 4-5). Nevertheless, Figure 5 shows that bas-
Irregular, discontinuous veins cutting or following
tite textures are different from mesh textures, the former
the foliated serpentine groundmass consist of carbonate
having significant amounts of Al and Cr. Serpentine after
and magnetite (Figure 3c), indicating late introduction or
olivine generally has an Al content below 0.04 and a Cr
remobilization of the oxide phase during vein formation.
content below 0.01 a.p.f.u (Table 2). Serpentine minerals
Some of the secondary carbonates replace the cores of
filling veins are similar in terms of Al and Cr content, to
many serpentine crystals (Figure 3f), and numerous opa-
those replacing olivine (mesh texture).
que grains show rims of clinochlore about 200 µm wide
Serpentines showing interpenetrative-blade texture
cut by the carbonate veins, further suggesting that they re-
have Si contents that are between 3.8 and 4.0 (a.p.f.u.),
424 González-Mancera et al.

Mgt

Fe-Chr
Sulphide
20 �m

c d
Mgt

Srp
Bastita
Srp
Mgt Srp
Cb vein 300 �m 800 �m

Figure 3. Representative serpentinite textures of TUB. (a) Photomicrograph of serpentine minerals rimming altered primary chromite (Ve44). (b) SEM
image of sulphide and ferritchromite inclusions in magnetite (Ve30). (c) Detail of the carbonate veins (Ve11). (d) Pseudomorph bastite after orthopyroxe-
ne (Ve26). (e) Lamellar oxide rods in serpentine matrix. (f) Mesh texture replaced in its core by carbonate (Ve38). (g) Carbonate replacing a pseudomorph
of serpentine. (h) Antigorite porphyroclast. Srp= serpentine, Cb = carbonate, Mgt = magnetite, Chr = Cr-espinel, Fe-Chr = Ferritchromite.
 Petrology and geochemistry of Tehuitzingo serpentinites, Mexico 425

Table 2. Representative electron microprobe analyses of serpentine of serpentine in TUB

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12
Sample Ve02 Ve02 Ve03 Ve03 Ve06 Ve06 Ve11 Ve11 Ve26 Ve26 Ve38 Ve38
SiO2 40.28 41.60 41.66 43.48 41.22 40.84 42.75 42.55 41.82 41.17 42.23 41.68
TiO2 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.04 0.02 0.03 0.00
AI2O3 2.37 1.74 2.08 1.28 2.47 2.42 0.01 0.05 1.52 1.87 0.14 0.15
V2O3 0.04 0.05 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01
Cr2O3 1.86 0.49 0.58 0.52 0.12 0.83 0.06 0.03 0.32 0.46 0.03 0.05
MgO 36.69 37.78 36.99 39 .08 36.61 36.32 43.14 42.25 41.30 40.38 40.12 39.81
CaO 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.02 0.03
MnO 0.06 0.04 0.05 0.08 0.04 0.05 0.05 0.00 0.09 0.08 0.00 0.00
FeO 6.00 6.21 4.10 2.69 6.94 6.95 1.12 1.03 2.59 1.86 1.33 1.38
NiO 0.03 0.13 0.16 0.12 0.20 0.17 0.27 0.30 0.09 0.09 0.79 0.67
Na2O 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
K2O 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.01
H2O 12.58 12.73 12.55 12.90 12.64 12.61 12.95 12.79 12.91 12.69 12.54 12.40
Total 99.93 100.78 98.21 100.26 100.25 100.26 100.38 99.04 100.71 98.64 97.23 96.19

Si 7.68 7.84 7.96 8.08 7.82 7.77 7.92 7.98 7.77 7.78 8.08 8.06
Ti 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00
Al 0.53 0.39 0.47 0.28 0.55 0.54 0.00 0.01 0.33 0.42 0.03 0.04
V 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Cr 0.28 0.07 0.09 0.08 0.02 0.12 0.01 0.00 0.05 0.07 0.00 0.01
Mg 10.43 10.61 10.54 10.83 10.35 10.30 11.91 11.81 11.44 11.38 11.44 11.48
Ca 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01
Mn 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00
Fe total 0.96 0.98 0.66 0.42 1.10 1.11 0.17 0.16 0.40 0.29 0.21 0.22
Ni 0.00 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.01 0.01 0.12 0.10
Na 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
K 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Total 19.91 19.93 19.76 19.73 19.89 19.89 20.07 20.02 20.03 19.97 19.90 19.92
Mg# 0.91 0.91 0.94 0.96 0.90 0.90 0.99 0.99 0.97 0.97 0.98 0.98

Textures: 1-6: interpenetrative-blade (lz, atg); 7-8: veins (ctl); 9-10: bastite; 11-12: mesh. Formulae calculated on the basis of 14 oxygens, assuming
Fe2+ and Fe3+ as Fe total. Mg# =Mg/(Mg+Fe). lz = lizardite, atg = antigorite, ctl = chrysotile

which overlaps with the other studied textures (Figure unaltered (primary) chromite, the intermediate zone (black
4). Some of their Mg# values (Figure 4) are similar to when viewed under plane polarized light) corresponds to
those textures but are generally lower (0.9). Al can enter chromite altered to “ferritchromite” and the outer zone
in serpentines by tschermak substitution (VIAlIVAlVIMg-1- is evolved magnetite. Chlorite also occurs as thin rims
IV
Si-1), which is characterized by increasing Al (and Fe) surrounding altered chromite. Only analyses performed
and decreasing Mg and Si (Li et al., 2004; Hajialioghli et in unaltered cores have been considered in the interpre-
al., 2007). tation of the primary chromite and used for petrogenetic
purposes.
4.2.2.  Accesory Cr-spinel The chemical composition of chromite cores in four
samples is listed in Table 3. The plots of Cr# (Cr/Cr+Al)
Ch-spinel (chromite) occurs in irregular to amoeboid vs. Mg# (Mg/Mg+Fe2+), and Cr# vs. TiO2 show that pri-
shapes. In the serpentine matrix, spinel grains display mary chromite compositions are uniform, and plot close to
three different zones: the core (deep red color in thin sec- the intermediate part of the SSZ field, near the depleted end
tion when viewed under plane polarized light) represents of the abyssal peridotite spinels (Figure 6a).
426 González-Mancera et al.

Texture serpentines TUB The Cr# ranges between 0.54-0.63 (Table 3), Mg# ran-
Fibrous vein
4.40
4.40 Bastite after opx ges from 0.33 to 0.51, and Fe+3# = [Fe+3/ (Fe+3+Cr+Al)] is
Mesh after ol lower than 0.03, corresponding to Fe2O3 contents between
Interpenetrative-blade
4.20
4.20
0.2 and 2.6 wt. %; TiO2 (<0.16 wt.%), MnO (<1 wt.%),
4.00
4.00
ZnO (<1 wt.%), V2O3 (<0.28 wt.%), and NiO (<0.12 wt.%)
Si (a.p.f.u)

concentrations are low.

3.80
3.80 In a Cr# vs. TiO2 diagram (Figure 6b) chromite com-
3.60
positions show an increase in TiO2 at practically constant
3.60
Cr#. This trend is probably the result of melt-mantle inte-
3.40
3.40 ractions (e. g. Kelemen et al., 1995; Dupuis et al., 2005;
Choi et al., 2008). On the other hand, chromite composi-
3.20
3.20
0.75
0.75 0.80
0.80 0.85
0.85 0.90
0.90 0.95
0.95 1.00
1.00
tions from Tehuitzingo serpentinites have Al2O3 and TiO2
# Mg contents similar to those from subduction related mantle
peridotites and highly depleted MOR peridotites (Kame-
Figure 4. Mg# vs. Si (a.p.f.u.) for serpentine minerals in TUB serpen-
netsky et al., 2001).
tinites. Marked field (ODP leg 196, site 1200) from D’Antonio and
Kristensen (2004).

Table 3. Representative electron microprobe analyses of accessory chromite cores in serpentinites from TUB.
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20
Sample Ve44 Ve44 Ve44 Ve44 Ve44 Ve20 Ve20 Ve20 Ve20 Ve20 Ve11 Ve11 Ve11 Ve11 Ve11 Ve38 Ve38 Ve38 Ve38 Ve38
SiO2 0.19 0.21 0.14 0.07 0.13 0.15 0.10 0.17 0.13 0.20 0.11 0.17 0.12 0.16 0.19 0.06 0.05 0.10 0.12 0.12
TiO2 0.02 0.04 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.07 0.11 0.16 0.13 0.08 0.00 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.06 0.03 0.04 0.0 I 0.00
AI2O3 18.51 20.38 20.27 20.12 19.78 21.89 22.01 22.02 22.05 22.95 21.33 21.67 21.50 21.40 21.46 23.56 23.18 23.77 24.32 24.28
V2O3 0.23 0.21 0.11 0.08 0.22 0.14 0.14 0.16 0.13 0.18 0.19 0.26 0.22 0.26 0.22 0.18 0.11 0.11 0.26 0.08
Cr2O3 46.50 46.94 47.65 47.58 47.72 45.20 45.37 45.11 44.90 44.87 48.20 48.13 48.13 48.12 48.26 44.51 44.15 44.18 43.17 43.78
Fe2O3 2.60 1.07 0.23 0.45 0.85 1.24 1.02 1.41 1.33 1.15 0.28 0.23 0.20 0.44 0.30 0.87 0.90 0.71 0.63 0.57
FeO 23.38 23.95 23.92 23.98 23.97 20.24 20.58 20.50 20.47 20.93 18.21 18.67 18.44 18.48 18.37 20.03 19.70 19.42 19.63 20.03
MgO 6.67 7.11 7.06 6.97 7.00 9.43 9.35 9.47 9.39 9.36 10.79 10.72 10.70 10.75 10.79 9.61 9.58 10.01 9.83 9.76
MnO 0.96 0.48 0.46 0.49 0.45 0.41 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.44 0.50 0.40 0.51 0.43 0.48 0.45 0.44 0.41 0.44 0.32
NiO 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.09 0.07 0.08 0.03 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.06 0. 12 0.04 0.06 0.03 0.09 0.03 0.08 0.10 0.08
ZnO 1.32 0.71 0.77 0.52 0.68 0.62 0.66 0.65 0.66 0.65 0.53 0.54 0.48 0.58 0.53 0.74 0.64 0.60 0.63 0.58
Total 100.39101.20100.65100.37100.89 99.47 99.76100.09 99.65100.88100.19100.94100.38100.70100.64100.16 98.81 99.43 99.14 99.60

Si 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.03 0.04 0.03 0.05 0.03 0.04 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.03 0.03
Ti 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.0 I 0.02 0.03 0.03 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00
Al 5.69 6.14 6.14 6.11 5.99 6.54 6.57 6.55 6.58 6.75 6.30 6.35 6.33 6.29 6.30 6.94 6.92 7.02 7.19 7.16
V 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.02 0.05 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.06 0.02
Cr 9.58 9.48 9.68 9.70 9.70 9.07 9.08 8.99 8.99 8.86 9.54 9.46 9.51 9.48 9.51 8.80 8.85 8.75 8.57 8.66
Fe 3+
0.51 0.21 0.05 0.09 0.16 0.24 0.19 0.27 0.25 0.22 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.08 0.06 0.17 0.18 0.14 0.12 0.10
Fe2+ 5.10 5.11 5.14 5.17 5.15 4.30 4.36 4.32 4.34 4.37 3.81 3.88 3.85 3.85 3.83 4.19 4.18 4.07 4.12 4.19
Mg 2.59 2.71 2.70 2.68 2.68 3.57 3.53 3.56 3.55 3.48 4.03 3.97 3.99 3.99 4.01 3.58 3.62 3.74 3.68 3.64
Mn 0.21 0.10 0.10 0.11 0.10 0.09 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.09 0.11 0.08 0.11 0.09 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.09 0.10 0.06
Ni 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.02
Zn 0.25 0.13 0.14 0.10 0.14 0.10 0.11 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.09 0.10 0.08 0.12 0.09 0.14 0.12 0.11 0.12 0.10

#Cr 0.63 0.61 0.61 0.61 0.62 0.58 0.58 0.58 0.58 0.57 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.56 0.56 0.55 0.54 0.55
#Mg 0.34 0.35 0.34 0.34 0.34 0.45 0.45 0.45 0.45 0.44 0.51 0.51 0.51 0.51 0.51 0.46 0.46 0.48 0.47 0.46
#Fe 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.0 I 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01
Cr# = Cr/(Cr + Al); Mg# =Mg/(Mg+Fe); Fe# = Fe /(Fe + Cr + Al). 3+ 3+
 Petrology and geochemistry of Tehuitzingo serpentinites, Mexico 427

0.60 a 0.9
a
0.50 SSZ
Al total (a.p.f.u.)

0.8
Peridotites
0.40

0.30
Texture serpentines TUB 0.7
0.20 Fibrous vein
x
xxxx
Bastite after opx
Mesh after ol
0.10
Interpenetrative-blade 0.6 XX
xxxxxx

Cr / (Cr + Al)
0.00
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50
0.5
0.12
b Abyssal
0.1
0.4 Dunites
Cr total (a.p.f.u.)

0.08
0.3
0.06 Abyssal
Peridotites
0.04 0.2
0.02

0 0.1
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50
Fe total (a.p.f.u.) 0.0
1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2
Figure 5. Chemical composition of serpentine minerals with different
textures in TUB. (a) Fe vs. Al. (b) Fe vs. Cr. The bladed and bastite textu- Mg / (Mg + Fe)
res in general show higher Al, Cr and Fe contents than fibrous and mesh
textures, which are almost devoid of Cr. 0.9
b
0.8 inites
ns bon
4.2.3.  Chlorite ctio
a
0.7 lt re
Me
Chlorite in the serpentinites is found associated with
Cr / (Cr + Al)

XXXXXX
serpentine, around altered chromite and in massive form.
0.6 X X XX X
According to the nomenclature proposed by Hey (1954), XXXX XXX
the first two types were classified as clinochlore with 0.5 B
MOR
smooth variations to pennine, whilst the last was classified ction
Me lt rea
as chamosite. The FeOtotal content in chamosite (6.7-7.2 0.4 15%
wt.%) is higher than in clinochlore (3.2-4.6 wt.%), whereas
its Cr2O3 content is lower (< 1 wt.%) than in the latter. 0.3 12% Abyssal
peridotites
4.3.  Whole rock geochemistry 0.2 8%

4.3.1.  Major elements 0.1 FMM

The whole rock major elements (Table 4) plotted in a 0.0

CaO-Al2O3-MgO ternary diagram (Figure 7) show that the 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
ultramafic serpentinized rocks of Tehuitzingo correspond TiO2 (wt%)
to a harzburgitic protolith. Because of the Tehuitzingo ser- Figure 6. Plots of accessory chromite in the Tehuitzingo serpentinites (a)
pentinite alteration and its lack of primary mineral phases, Cr# = Cr/(Cr + Al) vs. Mg# = Mg/(Mg + Fe+2). Abyssal peridotite and
it was impossible to calculate the normative values. dunite fields defined by Dick and Bullen (1984); supra-subduction zone
(SSZ) peridotites field from Choi et al. (2008). In (b), arrows: effect of
MORB melt reaction on refractory abyssal peridotite spinels, and of bo-
ninite melt reaction on refractory suprasubduction zone peridotite spinels
(Choi et al., 2008). FMM = Fertile MORB Mantle.
428 González-Mancera et al.

Table 4. Representative whole rock major elements of TUB serpentinites

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12
Sample Ve03 Ve11 Ve20 Ve23 Ve38 Te01 Te02 Te03 Te04 Te05 Te06 Te18
SiO2 39.93 37.11 39.73 38.82 37.82 40.35 40.16 41.95 40.89 41.11 37.80 40.40
Ti02 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.01 nd nd nd 0.04 0.04 0.02 0.01
AI2O3 2.25 0.46 1.46 2.01 0.79 0.46 0.39 0.80 1.92 1.97 0.58 0.33
Fe2O3 8.32 7.90 8.19 8.03 9.00 4.94 6.05 5.38 6.10 4.19 6.19 6.58
FeO 2.03 1.94 1.39 2.66 2.20 2.11 2.11 1.92 2.11 3.09 2.16 1.47
MgO 37.58 37.26 37.37 37.96 37.85 38.35 38.09 38.83 37.77 37.41 37.44 38.74
MnO 0.10 0.13 0.09 0.11 0.11 0.09 0.10 0.10 0.13 0.13 0.09 0.11
CaO 0.04 2.42 0.29 0.13 0.86 1.25 1.11 0.13 0.20 0.37 2.42 0.51
Na2O <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03
K 2O 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 nd nd nd nd nd
P2O5 0.01 0.01 0.0 1 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03
Total 90.31 87.27 88.55 89.76 88.65 87.58 88.06 89.14 89.19 88.34 86.73 88.18
*LOI 11.54 14.76 12.06 11.49 13.34 12.90 12.60 11.40 11.50 11.60 14.10 12.37
nd = not detected, *Loss on ignition (LOI).

Al2O3 100
100.000
Ve03
Ve06
Sample/Primitive mantle
Whole rock concentration /Primitive Mantle

Ve11
10
10.000 Ve20
Ve23 Ve03
Ve06
Ve11
1.0001
Ve20
30% Spinel-harzburgite Ve23
Ve38
0.1
0.100

Lherzolite and Harzburgite

spinel-lherzolite 0.01
0.010
0 Cs
1 2 Th
3 4 Nb
5 6 La
7 8 Pr Nd12 13
9 10 11 Hf14 Eu
15 16 Tb
17 18 Ho
19 20 Tm Lu24
21 22 23 25
Rb U Ta Ce Sr Zr Sm Gd Dy Er Yb
Dunite
Figure 8. Primitive mantle-normalized trace element patterns of Tehui-
CaO MgO tzingo ultramafic body serpentinites. Normalizing values from Sun and
McDonough (1989).
Figure 7. Relationship between serpentinites and their protoliths in a
MgO-Al2O3-CaO (wt.%) ternary diagram (fields from Li et al., 2004). Fi-
lled circles correspond to serpentinites (normalized to wt.%) from TUB.
pentinites show two groups: group 1 (Ve11 and Ve20) has
lower HREE abundances and display relatively flat REE
patterns (Ve20) (Figure 8), and group 2 (Ve03, Ve06, Ve23)
4.3.2.  Minor and trace elements is characterized by LREE-HREE profiles with positive slo-
pes (Figure 8). A characteristic feature of all REE patterns
Whole rock trace element data of six serpentinite is the negative Ce anomaly, which probably results from
samples from the Tehuitzingo ultramafic body are listed the mobility of the trivalent LREE during secondary altera-
in Table 5. tion (e. g. Gruau et al., 1998), such as, seafloor weathering
Figure 8 shows the distribution of lithophile trace ele- or serpentinization (Niu, 2004).
ments normalized to primitive upper mantle (McDonough The compositions of Tehuitzingo serpentinites indicate
and Sun, 1995) for the Tehuitzingo serpentinites. They are the enrichment of fluid mobile elements (As, Sb, Pb, Sr;
depleted in terms of lithophile trace elements. Neverthe- Figure 9). In this figure, fluid-mobile elements refer to
less, they show variable relative enrichment in the most of those with high solubilities in aqueous fluids, whereas
incompatible trace elements (Cs, U, and Nb), and exhibit fluid-immobile elements are listed in order of compatibili-
a positive Sr spike. The REE patterns of Tehuitzingo ser-
 Petrology and geochemistry of Tehuitzingo serpentinites, Mexico 429

Table 5. Compositions of REEs and trace elements of serpentinites from 10000

Ve06
TUB Ve23

Sample/ Primitive mantle

1000
Analysis Detection Ve03 Ve06 Ve11 Ve20 Ve23 Ve38 Ve38
Method limit (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) Ve03
100 Ve11
Sc INAA 0.1 1.00 4.60 <0.5 <0.5 1.20 <0.5 Ve20
10
As INAA 0.5 55.5 2.80 70.6 21.30 6.40 58.00
Primitive
Rb ICP-MS 1.0 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 1
mantle
Sr ICP-MS 2.0 <2 31.00 42.00 4.00 <2 13.00 0.10
Y ICP-MS 0.5 1.00 4.60 <0.5 <0.5 1.20 <0.5
0.01
Zr ICP-MS 1.0 <1 4.00 <1 1.00 <1 <1 As Sb Pb Sr Ce Nd Zr Sm Ti Y Al Ca Sc Si Mg

Nb ICP-MS 0.2 0.30 0.40 <0.2 0.2 0.30 <0.2

Incompatible, Moderately Highly
Sb ICP-MS 0.2 <1 <2 2.70 1.20 <0.2 3.00 Fluid soluble compatible compatible
Cs ICP-MS 0.1 <0.1 0.30 <0.1 0.10 <0.1 <0.1
Figure 9. Trace and major elements composition of serpentinites from
Ba ICP-MS 3.0 5 <3 4 3 <3 <3 Tehuitzingo ultramafic body. Normalizing values from Sun and McDo-
La ICP-MS 0.05 0.18 0.21 0.26 0.05 <0.05 <0.05 nough (1989).
Hf ICP-MS 0.1 <0.1 0.1 <0.1 < 0.1 <0.1 <0.1
Ta ICP-MS 0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01
Pb ICP-MS 5.0 6.00 <5 <0.5 <5 6.00 <5 it formed at a lower temperature than the interpenetrative
Th ICP-MS 0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 serpentine.
U ICP-MS 0.01 0.07 <0.01 0.30 0.03 0.02 <0.01
5. Discussion
Ce ICP-MS 0.05 0.10 0.63 0.27 0.14 0.12 <0.05
Pr ICP-MS 0.01 0.06 0.11 0.06 0.02 0.02 <0.01
5.1.  Implications of serpentinite textures
Nd ICP-MS 0.05 0.35 0.64 0.24 0.11 0.12 <0.05
Sm ICP-MS 0.01 0.11 0.24 0.06 0.05 0.06 0.02 The composition, mineralogy, and textures of studied
Eu ICP-MS 0.005 0.03 0.03 0.01 0.02 0.10 <0.005 serpentinites indicate different processes of serpentiniza-
Tb ICP-MS 0.01 0.02 0.10 <0.01 <0.01 0.02 <0.01 tion. The common presence of pseudomorphic textures,
Dy ICP-MS 0.01 0.17 0.77 0.04 0.08 0.19 <0.01 representing former orthopyroxene (bastite) and olivine
Ho ICP-MS 0.01 0.04 0.18 <0.01 0.02 0.05 <0.01
(hour-glass textures), supports the harzburgitic nature of
the original mantle rock. However, occasional tremolite-
Er ICP-MS 0.01 0.14 0.57 0.02 0.06 0.16 <0.01
rich rock associated with the serpentinites indicates that
Tm ICP-MS 0.005 0.02 0.09 <0.005 0.01 0.03 <0.005 clinopyroxene may also have been altered from an ori-
Yb ICP-MS 0.01 0.17 0.64 0.02 0.06 0.19 <0.01 ginal fertile lherzolite by reactions such as Atg + 2 Di +
Lu ICP-MS 0.002 0.03 0.10 0.005 0.01 0.03 0.002 2 SiO2 (in the fluid) = Tr + H2O, or Di + H+ = Srp + SiO2
INAA = Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis, ICP-MS = Inducti- + Ca++ + H2O, rather than by Ca-metasomatism of the
vely Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. associated metabasites (cf. Frost and Beard, 2007). Bastite
pseudomorphs, with their higher content of chromium and
aluminum and probably derived from the breakdown of
ty with mantle minerals during partial melting (see Hattori orthopyroxene as previously noticed by Wicks and Plant
and Guillot, 2007). (1979), represent the first event of peridotite serpentini-
zation. The pseudomorphic textures probably resulted
from ocean floor hydrothermal metamorphism, with some
4.4.  D, O isotopes
domains of bastite or mesh texture surviving subsequent
prograde metamorphism and deformation. Mylonitic
Most analyzed serpentines and chlorites from TUB ex- fabrics and folded bladed texture are dominated by anti-
hibit similar isotopic compositions (δ18O between +7.04 o/ gorite (determined by XRD), which may have developed
oo and +6.29 /oo and δD values from –47.4 /oo to –66.0 /oo)
o o o
during subduction of the oceanic lithosphere or collisional
(Table 6). Such values are typical for serpentine formed in emplacement. Interpenetrative and interlocking textures,
the presence of fluids dominated by oceanic water (Figure which are interpreted as having formed by retrograde me-
10). It should be noted that the preliminary nature of these tamorphism during exhumation of a previously existing
data does not exclude other possible sources in the crust non-pseudomorphic texture, are composed of prograde
or mantle. The chrysotile vein separate, however, has the antigorite. Veins of chrysotile and blades of serpentine ac-
lowest δD value (–112 o/oo; Table 6), which indicates that companied by abundant magnetite were produced in a late-
430 González-Mancera et al.

Table 6. Stable isotope compositions (O - H) of minerals separated (serpentine and chlorite) from serpentinites from TUB

Sample Mineral phase δD o/oo δ18O o/oo

TUB
Ve38 chlorite -61.2 7.04
Ve26 chlorite -66.0 6.29
Ve06 chlorite -47.4 6.60
This study
Ve23 serpentine (atg) -52.9 6.3 1
Ve03 serpentine (ctl vein) -112.5 7.02
Ve06 serpentine (atg) -59.3 6.97

Oceanic serpentinites serpentine -35 to -68 0.8 to 6.7 Wenner and Taylor (1973)
Ophiolite complex serpentine -80 to -149 6.3 to 9.2 Wenner and Taylor (1973)

IBM forearc serpentine -29.5 to -84 6.5 to 8.5 Alt et al. (2006)
antigorite -45 8.5 Alt et al. (2006)
chrysotile -84 6.9 Alt et al. (2006)

MB ophiolitic belt serpentine -66 to -60 4.7 to 6 Proenza et al. (2003)

Arosa-Platta nappe (Switzerland) antigorite -40 4 to 7 Burkhard and O’Neil (1988)

Erro-Tobbio peridotite Unit

high-pressure undeformed metaperidotite serpentine -60 to -80 5.4 to 7.1 Früh-Green and Scambelluri (2001)
high-pressure serpentinite mylonite serpentine -57 to -71 4.4 to 6.9 Früh-Green and Scambelluri (2001)
TUB, Tehuitzingo Ultramafic Body; IBM, Mariana and Izu-Bonin arcs; MB, Mayarì-Baracoa.

stage hydrothermal activity. Some of these veins crosscut crystallization of olivine and pyroxene (deserpentinization
earlier carbonate generations. produced by high-grade metamorphism) as the source of
Cr-spinel is the only residue of the original mantle peri- pseudomorphic textures of TUB is discarded on the basis
dotite and, except for a few pseudomorphic textures (basti- of two criteria: (a) the large size (up to 0.5 cm; Figure
te and mesh), the majority of the Tehuitzingo serpentinites 3d) of pseudomorphs, which is similar to most mantle
exhibit interpenetrating textures, where most serpentine is peridotite primary textures, and (b) because it has been
antigorite with minor lizardite. Experimental studies have shown that bastite may be resistant to later changes within
confirmed that antigorite is the most stable mineral at high the antigorite field (Dungan, 1979). Moreover, it must be
pressures and moderate temperatures in subduction zones kept in mind that the vast majority of analyzed serpentines
(Chernosky et al., 1988; Ulmer and Trommsdorff, 1995). (Table 3) have relatively high concentrations of Al2O3 and
SiO2, which would considerably increase the stability of
5.2.  P-T conditions of serpentinization the lizardite in pseudomorphic textures (Dungan, 1979).
Strongly sheared and folded serpentines, composed of
Geothermometry in completely serpentinized ultra- antigorite, may correspond to the different orogenic stages
mafic bodies, devoid of higher temperature metamorphic leading to tectonic collisions, while the complex textures
silicates such as anthophyllite, olivine and pyroxenes, can formed by replacement of antigorite by chrysotile and late
only be based on the stability of the high-temperature ser- emplacement of veins of hydroxides, carbonates and oxi-
pentine polymorph antigorite. Temperatures above 650º C des were formed during the final stages of exhumation and
at any pressure would have originated olivine and pyroxe- under a stress regime in the brittle-ductile transition.
nes for which textural evidence (bastite and hourglass The Mg/Si rates between 1.30 and 1.47 obtained for
pseudomorphs) is scant, but in this work these textures most of Tehuitzingo serpentines are different from the
are ascribed to the original mantle peridotite olivine and theoretical stoichiometric value (1.5) for certain serpentine
pyroxene before its first serpentinization. minerals, which implies an excess of silica more common
The residual pseudomorphic textures could represent in antigorite compared to lizardite and chrysotile. This, in
the oceanic stage alteration within the stability of lizardite turn, would indicate silica metasomatism during formation
and chrysotile relative to antigorite. However, the neo- of antigorite through mobilization of subduction fluids
 Petrology and geochemistry of Tehuitzingo serpentinites, Mexico 431

towards the mantle wedge and before its incorporation ween these fields, which may be explained by a magma of
to the continental crust during the collision process. An- transitional provenance such as a young back-arc, where
tigorite could also have been generated by the orogenic the chromite would originate from a depleted mantle affec-
interaction of the ultramafic mass with continental crust. ted by high degrees of partial melting (∼20%; Kamenetsky
However, the first explanation is more reasonable because et al., 2001). The variation in the Mg# depends on the Cr-
the silicification process would have permeated the entire spinel/olivine ratio since it is the result of subsolidus Mg-
ultramafic body, whereas interaction of the ultramafic body Fe exchange between olivine and Cr spinel on cooling.
with crustal rock usually only results in local steatization,
where serpentinite is altered across metric sized aureoles 5.4.  Parental melts
in its contact with country rocks.
Most probably the serpentinization events represented Further insights into the chemistry of the parental melts
by replacement of antigorite by chrysotile-lizardite, occu- for the studied chromites can be gained using the equation
rred between 250 ºC and 350 ºC, at pressures of about two of Maurel and Maurel (1982), namely, (Al2O3 wt%)Sp =
kbar, corresponding to the late Paleozoic exhumation of 0.035(Al2O3 wt%)Liquid2.42.
the orogen, associated with early stages of the Rheic Ocean The results show that melts had an average Al2O3 con-
closure (e. g., Nance et al., 2006; Keppie et al., 2008). tent of 13.74% (Table 7). This value is similar to the Al2O3
On the other hand, it is clear that the Tehuitzingo ul- contents of mid-ocean ridge and backarc basin basalts
tramafic body, whatever its ultimate origin, has undergone (Wilson, 1989; Fryer et al., 1990).
a complex petrological evolution associated with its birth
in the mantle to incorporation in the core of a collisional
orogen. Clearly distinguishing each of these stages in the
Table 7. Average Al2O3 (wt %) contents and FeO/MgO ratio of melts in
present mineralogy and textural relations was not possible equilibrium with the accessory Cr-spinel in serpentinite from TUB
because the integrated processes lead to total serpentini-
Al2O3(1) FeO/MgO(2) Reference
zation of the original peridotite accompanied by intense
shearing, hydrothermal alteration, and metasomatism. No- Tehuitzingo serpentinites 13.74 0.93 This study
netheless, pseudomorphic textures and local preservation Tehuitzingo chromitites 15.3 Proenza et al. (2004)
of igneous chromite permitted some important inferences Boninite 10.6-14.4 0.7-1.4 Wilson (1989)
about the nature of the precursor mantle rock and the MORB 16.0 1.2-1.6 Wilson (1989)
physicochemical conditions that assisted the main events.
Back-arc basin basalts >16.0 Fryer et al. (1990)
Whole rock chemistry indicates, assuming an isochemical
process except for the massive access of water to the sys-
(1)
Maurel and Maurel (1982).
(2)
Maurel (1984) in Augé (1987).
tem, that the Tehuitzingo ultramafic body massif evolved
from an original suprasubduction zone harzburgite.

5.3.  Accessory chromite composition of TUB serpentinites

and tectonic implications Probably this Al2O3 content represents transitional
compositions associated with non-evolved back arc basin
The composition of accessory chromite shows that the basalt. We calculated the degree of partial melting (F) of
TUB was formed in a suprasubduction zone in arc/back- the TUB precursor peridotite, based on the empirical equa-
arc environment (Figure 6a). Two arguments for this inter- tion proposed by Hellebrand et al. (2001), F = 10 ln (Cr#) +
pretation are: (i) the chromite composition in Tehuitzingo 24, suggesting partial melting up to 18 % (Table 8), which
serpentinite has predominantly Cr#<0.6, whereas fore-arc is within the range of peridotites from suprasubduction
peridotites usually have Cr#>0.65 and up to 0.85 (Dick and zones (Table 8).
Bullen, 1984; Niu et al., 2003), and (ii) the presence of Al-
rich chromitites associated with the Tehuitzingo serpenti- 5.5.  Geochemistry
nites. Al-rich chromitites tend to form in nascent spreading
centers, such as back-arc basins. By contrast, Al-rich chro- Preliminary REE geochemistry of TUB serpentini-
mitites have not been reported in fore-arc environments. tes distinguished two groups of samples, as observed in
In addition, no ophiolitic chromitites are thought to form primitive-normalized REE patterns (Figure 8). One group
in mature spreading centers, such as mid-ocean ridges (e. (Ve11, Ve20) displays morphological REE patterns with
g. Arai and Yurimoto, 1995; Zhou and Robinson, 1997; flat to negative slope trends (Figure 8). This preferential
Proenza et al., 1999). fractionation of LREE in relation to the rest of the REEs
The accessory chromite in Tehuitzingo serpentinites cannot be explained exclusively in terms of partial melting
have Cr# that plot outside the fields defined by boninites with extraction of melt. In contrast, it can be interpreted as
of primitive oceanic arcs and mid-ocean ridge basalts a result of fractionation of the most incompatible REE as-
(MORB) (Figure 6b). Instead, the compositions fall bet- sociated with percolation of small fractions of volatile-rich
432 González-Mancera et al.

Table 8. Degree of partial melting modeled for peridotitic mantle, TUB, source of water that produced the serpentinization. She-
and other lithotectonic environments ppard (1986) mentions that the D/H ratio rather than the
18
O/16O ratio of water is often the most definitive parameter
Partial melting
Cr #
degree (%)
Reference to determine the source of water because oxygen isotope
composition of water may not retain the “label” of its
Tehuitzingo
serpentinites
0.57-0.63 18-19 This study source. In this study, the calculated 18O fluid compositions
of fluid in equilibrium with serpentine (antigorite) are con-
Suprasubduction Pearce et al. (2000);
0.3-0.8 15-40 sistent with marine water interaction (Table 6). Figure 10
zone Mellini et al. (2005)
Passive margin 0.14-0.44 5-15 Pearce et al., (2000)
shows that chlorites and serpentines fall near the range of
“oceanic serpentine” (δ18O= +0.8 o/oo to +6.7 o/oo, δD= -68
Abyssal 0.1-0.5 10-20 Dick and Bullen (1984) o
/oo to – 35 o/oo) as defined by Wenner and Taylor (1973),
Cr# = [Cr/Cr+Al]
whereas the D/H values exhibit values that could suggest
moderate temperatures (350 ± 50ºC). If continental serpen-
tinization had occurred, we would expect minerals with
melt through porous channels (Van der Wal and Bodinier, relatively high 18O values (around 12-15 o/oo or higher).
1996; Proenza et al., 1999; Melcher et al., 2002). The Analyses of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in serpen-
LREE enrichment with respect to the HREE is probably tine minerals indicate that lizardite and chrysotile can be
not related to the addition of seawater (serpentinization), distinguished from antigorite by their isotopic signature
as seawater is depleted in REE (e. g., Li and Lee, 2006). (Wicks and O´Hanley, 1988).
These patterns are more characteristic of suprasubduction Chrysotile veins in TUB have lower δD (-112 o/oo) than
zones (SSZ) and may be due to secondary metasomatism matrix antigorite or chlorite (Figure 10, Table 6), proba-
during subduction or metamorphic interaction with the bly indicating that chrysotile experienced exchange with
continental crust. However, because the TUB in Acatlán water at low temperatures. Moreover, the relatively higher
Complex underwent a very complex orogenic history, the- δ18O values of chrysotile (7.02 o/oo) suggest that the fluid
se effects could not be evaluated in this paper. activity occurred at temperatures lower than antigorite
The other group (Ve03, Ve06, Ve23) shows higher REE crystallization.
values, and in general developed patterns with positive Data for serpentine and other phyllosilicates show that
slopes (Figure 8). These REE patterns are characteristic of chrysotile and lizardite readily exchange hydrogen with
abyssal peridotites (MOR-type), but such geochemical sig- ambient fluids at low temperatures, leading to very low δD
natures in mantle peridotites (SSZ and MOR) are common (Kyser and Kerrich, 1991; Kyser et al., 1999). In contrast,
in many ophiolites. MOR-type signatures may be naturally coarse grained antigorite exchanges hydrogen much more
preserved because melt/peridotite interaction in SSZ does slowly and retains its original δD.
not affect equally the entire wedge.
On the other hand, all samples are enriched in LILE Chlorite from Tehuitzingo serpentinite
(Figures 8-9) (As, Sb, Cs, U, Sr), which could be asso- Serpentinite from Tehuitzingo serpentinite
ciated with seawater alteration or fluids produced by de-
hydration of subducted slab (Stolper and Newman, 1994; Meteoric
Keppler, 1996; Stalder et al., 1998). Thus, this enrichment 0 water line SMOW Continental
of Tehuitzingo serpentinites can be explained by infiltra- antigorites
tion of hydrothermal fluids derived from seawater and/or
fluids related to dehydration of the subducted slab. Fluids -50
Oceanic
oo)

related to the subducted slab are hotter than those related to

δ DSMOW( /

serpentinites
o

seawater infiltration; in the former case, LREE enrichment

-100
can be expected relative to HFSE. Serpentinites
The extremely low content of tantalum in the TUB ser- in ophiolites
Continental
pentinites and low content of thorium (Table 5), compared serpentinites
-150
to ytterbium also indicates a suprasubduction environment
(Gorton and Schandl, 2000), probably associated with an
oceanic arc. -200

5.6.  Preliminary study on the isotopic composition of 18O -5 0 5 10 15

and D δ OSMOW( /
o
oo)

Figure 10. δD versus δ18O plot of the serpentines and chlorites from
The isotopic compositions of oxygen and hydrogen Tehuitzingo ultramafic body. The isotopic compositional fields are in
have been used (Wenner and Taylor, 1973) to identify the Früh-Green et al. (2001).
 Petrology and geochemistry of Tehuitzingo serpentinites, Mexico 433

The oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions of patible LILE (Sr, As, Sb, Pb) suggest addition of a fluid
the analyzed serpentine and accessory chlorite mainly fall component rich in these elements, presumably transferred
within the “oceanic serpentine” (Figure 10) or forearc sea- from the subducted slab in to the mantle wedge within the
mount fields defined by Wenner and Taylor (1973, 1974) suprasubduction zone.
and Sakai et al. (1990) respectively, which suggests that Preliminary results from δ18O and δD compositions
chloritization and serpentinization took place in an oceanic determined in serpentine and chlorite minerals from TUB
arc setting process at moderate temperatures (∼300°C) by suggest interaction with marine waters.
seawater-derived fluids. Wenner and Taylor (1973) con-
cluded that antigorite serpentinization apparently occurs at Acknowledgements
higher temperatures (220° to 460°C) than lizardite-chry-
sotile serpentinization of alpine ultramafic rocks. Chlorite The EPMA analyses were carried out in the Serveis
geothermometry (González-Mancera et al., 2006) suggests Cientificotècnics of the Universitat of Barcelona (UB). We
that serpentinization-chloritization processes occurred at also acknowledge the assistance of R. Lozano Santa Cruz
250° to 400°C. for his help with XRF analyses and of Antoni Camprubí
for his constructive comments to the analytical work. In
6. Conclusions addition, the stay to carry out most of analytical part of
this work at the Universitat de Barcelona, was possible
The chemical composition and petrographic obser- due to financial support from the student mobility program
vations of textures in TUB serpentinites show different DGEP-UNAM. This paper was supported by a COSUA of
stages of alteration from original mantle harzburgites. the Chemistry Faculty and an UNAM DGAPA project to
Residual pseudomorphic coarse grained textures (0.5-1 Fernando Ortega Gutiérrez. Detailed and critical reviews
cm) could represent the oceanic stage developed under by F. Zaccarini, I. Uysal and S. Guillot significantly impro-
anorogenic conditions, within the stability of lizardite and ved the manuscript.
chrysotile. In this phase, a process of neocrystallization of
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