Ultramafic Composition Metamorphism

Metamorphism of Ultramafic Rocks

The process of altering ultramafic rocks like peridotites through temperature and pressure, often involving water.

Peridotites

Ultramafic rocks containing more than 40% olivine along with pyroxene.

Serpentine

A mineral group consisting mainly of serpentine-group minerals, important in the metamorphism of ultramafic rocks.

Ophiolites

Fragments of oceanic crust and upper mantle that are tectonically emplaced onto continental crust.

Blueschist facies

A metamorphic facies characterized by high pressure and relatively low temperature, often found in subduction zones.

Suture zone

An area where two tectonic plates collide, often marked by a mélange of different rock types.

Mélange

A geological formation composed of a mixture of various rock types with little continuity of contacts.

Anthophyllite

A type of amphibole mineral that is a component of metamorphic ultramafic rocks.

Talc

A mineral composed of magnesium silicate, common in ultramafic metamorphic rocks.

Isograds in Ultramafic Rocks

Boundaries that delineate changes in mineral assemblages, indicating increasing metamorphic grade in ultramafic contexts.

Prograde metamorphism

The process of increasing temperature and pressure conditions that lead to the formation of new minerals.

Tremolite

A mineral from the amphibole group, significant in the context of metamorphosed ultramafic rocks.

Diopside

A clinopyroxene mineral common in metamorphic rocks, especially associated with ultramafic compositions.

Carbon sequestration

The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide, noted in the context of mineral reactions during metamorphism.

Serpentinites

Rocks composed mainly of serpentine that form from the alteration of ultramafic rocks through hydration.

Forsterite

The magnesium-rich endmember of the olivine solid solution series, relevant in ultramafic rock compositions.