Ophiolite-Related Ultramafic Rocks (Serpentinites) in the Caribbean Region: A Review of their Occurrence, Composition, Origin, Emplacement and NiLaterite Soil Formation
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| Formato: | Artículo científico |
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Universitat de Barcelona
2006
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| _version_ | 1876428134782337024 |
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| author | J.A. Proenza |
| author_facet | J.A. Proenza |
| contents | Ophiolite-Related Ultramafic Rocks (Serpentinites) in the Caribbean Region: A Review of their Occurrence, Composition, Origin, Emplacement and NiLaterite Soil Formation J.A. Proenza J.F. Lewis J. Espaillat J. Jiménez G. Draper Ciencias de la Tierra Ni Laterite Ophiolite Caribbean Peridotite Ultramafic rocks, mainly serpentinized peridotites of mantle origin, are mostly associated with the ophiolites ofMesozoic age that occur in belts along three of the margins of the Caribbean plate. The most extensive exposuresare in Cuba. The ultramafic-mafic association (ophiolites) were formed and emplaced in several differenttectonic environments. Mineralogical studies of the ultramafic rocks and the chemistry of the associated maficrocks indicate that most of the ultramafic-mafic associations in both the northern and southern margins of theplate were formed in arc-related environments. There is little mantle peridotite exposed in the ophiolitic associationsof the west coast of Central America, in the south Caribbean in Curacao and in the Andean belts in Colombia.In these occurrences the chemistry and age of the mafic rocks indicates that this association is mainly partof the 89 Ma Caribbean plateau province. The age of the mantle peridotites and associated ophiolites is probablymainly late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous. Emplacement of the ophiolites possibly began in the Early Cretaceousin Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, but most emplacement took place in the Late Cretaceous to Eocene (e.g.Cuba). Along the northern South America plate margin, in the Caribbean mountain belt, emplacement was bymajor thrusting and probably was not completed until the Oligocene or even the early Miocene. Caribbean mantleperidotites, before serpentinization, were mainly harzburgites, but dunites and lherzolites are also present. Indetail, the mineralogical and chemical composition varies even within one ultramafic body, reflecting meltingprocesses and peridotite/melt interaction in the upper mantle. At least for the northern Caribbean, uplift (postemplacementtectonics) exposed the ultramafic massifs as a land surface to effective laterization in the begin- ning of the Miocene. Tectonic factors, determining the uplift, exposing the peridotites to weathering varied. Inthe northern Caribbean, in Guatemala, Jamaica, and Hispaniola, uplift occurred as a result of transpresionalmovement along pre-existing major faults. In Cuba, uplift occurred on a regional scale, determined by isostaticadjustment. In the south Caribbean, uplift of the Cordillera de la Costa and Serrania del Interior exposing theperidotites, also appears to be related to strike-slip movement along the El Pilar fault system. In the Caribbean,Ni-laterite deposits are currently being mined in the central Dominican Republic, eastern Cuba, northernVenezuela and northwest Colombia. Although apparently formed over ultramafic rocks of similar compositionand under similar climatic conditions, the composition of the lateritic soils varies. Factors that probably determinedthese differences in laterite composition are geomorphology, topography, drainage and tectonics. Accordingto the mineralogy of principal ore-bearing phases, Dominican Ni-laterite deposits are classified 2006 artículo científico 1695-6133 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=50540214 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=505 Geologica Acta: an international earth science journal application/pdf Universitat de Barcelona Geologica Acta: an international earth science journal (España) Num.1-2 Vol.4 |
| format | Artículo científico |
| id | redalyc_50540214 |
| institution | Redalyc |
| language | en |
| publishDate | 2006 |
| publisher | Universitat de Barcelona |
| spellingShingle | Ophiolite-Related Ultramafic Rocks (Serpentinites) in the Caribbean Region: A Review of their Occurrence, Composition, Origin, Emplacement and NiLaterite Soil Formation J.A. Proenza Ciencias de la Tierra Ni Laterite Ophiolite Caribbean Peridotite Ophiolite-Related Ultramafic Rocks (Serpentinites) in the Caribbean Region: A Review of their Occurrence, Composition, Origin, Emplacement and NiLaterite Soil Formation J.A. Proenza J.F. Lewis J. Espaillat J. Jiménez G. Draper Ciencias de la Tierra Ni Laterite Ophiolite Caribbean Peridotite Ultramafic rocks, mainly serpentinized peridotites of mantle origin, are mostly associated with the ophiolites ofMesozoic age that occur in belts along three of the margins of the Caribbean plate. The most extensive exposuresare in Cuba. The ultramafic-mafic association (ophiolites) were formed and emplaced in several differenttectonic environments. Mineralogical studies of the ultramafic rocks and the chemistry of the associated maficrocks indicate that most of the ultramafic-mafic associations in both the northern and southern margins of theplate were formed in arc-related environments. There is little mantle peridotite exposed in the ophiolitic associationsof the west coast of Central America, in the south Caribbean in Curacao and in the Andean belts in Colombia.In these occurrences the chemistry and age of the mafic rocks indicates that this association is mainly partof the 89 Ma Caribbean plateau province. The age of the mantle peridotites and associated ophiolites is probablymainly late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous. Emplacement of the ophiolites possibly began in the Early Cretaceousin Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, but most emplacement took place in the Late Cretaceous to Eocene (e.g.Cuba). Along the northern South America plate margin, in the Caribbean mountain belt, emplacement was bymajor thrusting and probably was not completed until the Oligocene or even the early Miocene. Caribbean mantleperidotites, before serpentinization, were mainly harzburgites, but dunites and lherzolites are also present. Indetail, the mineralogical and chemical composition varies even within one ultramafic body, reflecting meltingprocesses and peridotite/melt interaction in the upper mantle. At least for the northern Caribbean, uplift (postemplacementtectonics) exposed the ultramafic massifs as a land surface to effective laterization in the begin- ning of the Miocene. Tectonic factors, determining the uplift, exposing the peridotites to weathering varied. Inthe northern Caribbean, in Guatemala, Jamaica, and Hispaniola, uplift occurred as a result of transpresionalmovement along pre-existing major faults. In Cuba, uplift occurred on a regional scale, determined by isostaticadjustment. In the south Caribbean, uplift of the Cordillera de la Costa and Serrania del Interior exposing theperidotites, also appears to be related to strike-slip movement along the El Pilar fault system. In the Caribbean,Ni-laterite deposits are currently being mined in the central Dominican Republic, eastern Cuba, northernVenezuela and northwest Colombia. Although apparently formed over ultramafic rocks of similar compositionand under similar climatic conditions, the composition of the lateritic soils varies. Factors that probably determinedthese differences in laterite composition are geomorphology, topography, drainage and tectonics. Accordingto the mineralogy of principal ore-bearing phases, Dominican Ni-laterite deposits are classified 2006 artículo científico 1695-6133 https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=50540214 en http://www.redalyc.org/revista.oa?id=505 Geologica Acta: an international earth science journal application/pdf Universitat de Barcelona Geologica Acta: an international earth science journal (España) Num.1-2 Vol.4 |
| title | Ophiolite-Related Ultramafic Rocks (Serpentinites) in the Caribbean Region: A Review of their Occurrence, Composition, Origin, Emplacement and NiLaterite Soil Formation |
| topic | Ciencias de la Tierra Ni Laterite Ophiolite Caribbean Peridotite |
| url | https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=50540214 |