Steinthorsdottir, Katrin;
Dipple, Gregory M;
Cutts, Jamie A;
Turvey, Connor C;
Milidragovic, Dejan;
Peacock, Simon M
Formation and Preservation of Brucite and Awaruite in Serpentinized and Tectonized Mantle in Central British Columbia: Implications for Carbon Mineralization and Nickel Mining
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Media type:
E-Article
Title:
Formation and Preservation of Brucite and Awaruite in Serpentinized and Tectonized Mantle in Central British Columbia: Implications for Carbon Mineralization and Nickel Mining
Contributor:
Steinthorsdottir, Katrin;
Dipple, Gregory M;
Cutts, Jamie A;
Turvey, Connor C;
Milidragovic, Dejan;
Peacock, Simon M
imprint:
Oxford University Press (OUP), 2022
Published in:Journal of Petrology
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1093/petrology/egac100
ISSN:
0022-3530;
1460-2415
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>The serpentinized and tectonized mantle in the Decar area in central British Columbia, including rocks that host the Baptiste Ni Deposit, consists of several ultramafic protolith lithologies that were variably altered to serpentinite, ophicarbonate, soapstone and listvenite. Alteration minerals include brucite (Mg[OH]2), which can be used to sequester atmospheric CO2 and awaruite (Ni3Fe), which is an economically attractive nickel alloy. This study examines the formation and preservation of brucite (up to 13 wt%) and awaruite (up to 0.12 wt%) in the Decar area and demonstrates that both minerals are formed during serpentinization and destroyed during carbonate alteration of mantle rocks. We distinguish five alteration stages that occurred primarily in a continental environment: (1) low-temperature lizardite serpentinization from meteoric fluids at &lt;300°C, (2) high-temperature antigorite (±metamorphic olivine) serpentinization from metamorphic fluids at &gt;300°C, (3) carbonate alteration, (4) chrysotile veining (±antigorite) serpentinization, and (5) later carbonate alteration from crustal fluids. Brucite formed primarily during late lizardite serpentinization and is most abundant in rocks that originally had high olivine–pyroxene ratios. Awaruite formed during both late lizardite serpentinization and during antigorite serpentinization and is most abundant in serpentinized olivine-rich harzburgite. The stability and abundance of brucite and awaruite are controlled by both the host rock composition and degree of serpentinization. The coexistence of brucite and awaruite reflects formation in serpentinized olivine-rich peridotite and creates an opportunity for carbon-neutral nickel mining.</jats:p>