Serpentinization and Deserpentinization of the Mantle Wedge at a Convergent Plate Margin: Evidence of Orogenic Peridotites from a Composite Oceanic–Continental Subduction Zone
Authors: Yin Zhuang-Zhuang , Chen Ren-Xu , Zheng Yong-Fei , Gong Bing , Zha Xiang-Ping , Xia Xiaoping 
Published: March 2023

Serpentinites of the mantle wedge were identified from a composite oceanic–continental subduction zone that occurs as the Hong’an orogen in east–central China. They were comprehensively investigated by an integrated approach of whole-rock major and trace elements, mineral major and trace elements, whole-rock and olivine O isotopes, and phase equilibrium modeling as well as zircon U–Pb ages, trace elements, and Hf-O isotopes. These serpentinites show high Mg# and MgO/SiO2 ratios but low Al2O3/SiO2 ratios as well as low Ti contents, resembling those from the mantle wedge rather than the subducting oceanic slab. Petrographic observations were combined with CIPW norm calculations to suggest that the protoliths of these serpentinites are refractory peridotites in the mantle wedge. Whole-rock and mineral compositions indicate that these serpentinites experienced multiple episodes of metamorphism and metasomatism during the tectonic development from oceanic subduction in the Carboniferous to continental collision in the Triassic. The enrichments of Th, U, light rare earth elements and high field strength elements in the whole rock and the finding of zircon inside them indicate their formation through metasomatism of the mantle wedge peridotites by subducting crust-derived fluids. The ca. 310 Ma zircon domains exhibit positive εHf(t) values of 4.5 to 19.1 and variable δ18O values similar to those of oceanic-type eclogites in the Hong’an orogen but different trace element compositions, indicating their formation through metasomatism by fluids from the subducting Paleotethyan oceanic crust. The ca. 430 Ma zircons exhibit U–Pb ages, trace elements and Hf-O isotopes similar to those of the protolith magmatic zircons in the oceanic-type eclogites. The older zircon domains also exhibit similar element and isotope compositions to inherited zircons from the high- to ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks in the Hong’an orogen. Thus, these relict zircons would be physically transferred into the serpentinites by metasomatic fluids originating from the subducting Paleotethyan oceanic crust. High Th/U ratios for the ca. 310 Ma zircons imply their formation through the metasomatic reaction rather than direct precipitation from the subducting oceanic crust-derived fluids. The metasomatic zircons of Triassic age show negative εHf(t) values of −16.0 to −2.7, indicating their formation through metasomatic overprinting by deeply subducting continental crust-derived fluids in the continental subduction channel during the Triassic continental collision. In this context, the mantle wedge peridotites were first metasomatized in the Carboniferous by the subducting oceanic crust-derived fluids. Afterwards, part of the metasomatized peridotites were off-scrapped into the oceanic subduction channel, where they were hydrated by further subducting oceanic crust-derived fluids to form antigorite serpentinite at forearc depths. The antigorite serpentinite was carried to deeper depths during subsequent continental subduction and underwent dehydration there. This gave rise to metamorphic olivine with extremely high Fo values of 96.7 to 97.6 and higher MnO but lower NiO contents than common mantle olivine. The coexistence of lizardite, brucite and magnesite in the serpentinites indicates their retrograde processes of serpentinization and carbonation on the subsurface. Therefore, the present observations and interpretations of orogenic serpentinites provide insights into the multistage fluid metasomatism at different depths during the tectonic transition from oceanic subduction to continental collision.