Highly ordered antigorite from Cerro del Almirez HP–HT serpentinites, SE Spain

The Cerro del Almirez ultramafic massif offers an example of high pressure and high temperature antigorite serpentinites. A sharp antigorite-out isograd separates them from Chl-harzburgites, consisting of olivine + enstatite + chlorite. Antigorite is characterized by aluminium contents as high as 4 wt.% Al2O3. The microstructural study shows that, prior to the transformation antigorite is exceptionally ordered and consists of the polysome m = 17. No polysomatic defect occurs in antigorite forming most of the Cerro del Almirez serpentinites. Close to the antigorite-out isograd, limited disorder features may occur, mainly as (001) twins, reaction rims and reduction of m down to 14–15. Here, local recrystallization phenomena lead to sporadic growth of large antigorite and chlorite crystals.