Tertiary serpentinite tectonics in northern Hispaniola
At least 4 types of serpentinite bodies are found in N. Hispaniola, by different inclusion and Tertiary deformation styles: (1) Narrow slivers occurring on Tertiary faults, rarely containing inclusions, which occur throughout the region. (2) Massive fractured serpentinites associated with a Cretaceous volcanic plutonic and metamorphic basement, and containing rodingite dikes, occurs in the Puerto Plata region. (3) Massive, fractured, but coherent bodies containing Tertiary limestone clasts which apparently the same as nearby limestone overlying the serpentinite occur west of Puerto Plata. (4) Diapirically emplaced bodies in the Gaspar Hernandez region containing both brecciated and massive zones and containing a variety of inclusions. Type 4 bodies protrude into the clastic Upper Eocene Altamira Fm. The most common tectonic inclusions in these bodies are rounded cobbles of diorite and gabbro. Amphibolites are also common, but friable greenschists and blueschists are rare, as are blocks of clastic sediments. The authors suggest that large blocks of the Altamira Fm. were incorporated into the serpentinite during their past Eocene diapirism and that these blocks were deformed in a brittle manner into gouge zones by internal movements in the diapir. Type 4 serpentinites may therefore have incorporated inclusions at high crustal levels by brittle processes. Type 2 bodies, in contrast, may have incorporated inclusions by ductile flow of serpentinite at lower crustal levels. Type 33 bodies are the most enigmatic. They may be sedimentary, but alternatively may have incorporated limestone in a gouge (as for type 4), which has later healed to a coherent mass.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Miami, Coral Gables, FL (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6453897
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
HISPANIOLA
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
PETROLOGY
TECTONICS
AMPHIBOLITES
DIORITES
GABBROS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
INCLUSIONS
SERPENTINE
TERTIARY PERIOD
CENOZOIC ERA
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GREATER ANTILLES
IGNEOUS ROCKS
ISLANDS
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
MINERALS
PLUTONIC ROCKS
ROCKS
SILICATE MINERALS
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580300* - Mineralogy
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& Rock Mechanics- (-1989)
580201 - Geophysics- Seismology & Tectonics- (1980-1989)