An Integrated Study of the Serpentinite-Hosted Hydrothermal System in the Pollino Massif (Southern Apennines, Italy)

Abstract

A comprehensive study of the serpentinite and associated veins belonging to the Frido Unit in the Pollino Massif (southern Italy) is presented here with the aim to provide new constraints about the hydrothermal system hosted by the accretionary wedge of the southern Apennines. The studied serpentinites are from two different sites: Fosso Arcangelo and Pietrapica. In both sites, the rocks show mylonitic-cataclastic structures and pseudomorphic and patch textures and are traversing by pervasive carbonate and quartz-carbonate veins. The mineralogical assemblage of serpentinites consists of serpentine group minerals (with a predominance of lizardite), amphiboles, pyroxene, chlorite, titanite, magnetite, and talc. In some samples, hydro-garnet was also detected and documented here for the first time. As for cutting veins, different mineralogical compositions were observed in the two sites: calcite characterizes the veins from Fosso Arcangelo, whereas quartz and dolomite are the principal minerals of the Pietrapica veins infill, suggesting a different composition of mineralizing fluids. Stable isotopes of C and O also indicate such a different chemistry. In detail, samples from the Pietrapica site are characterized by δ13C fluctuations coupled with a δ18O shift documenting calcite formation in an open-system where mixing between deep and shallow fluids occurred. Conversely, δ13C and δ18O of the Fosso Arcangelo veins show a decarbonation trend, suggesting their developing in a closed-system at deeper crustal conditions. Precipitation temperature calculated for both sites indicates a similar range (80 °C to 120 °C), thus suggesting carbonate precipitation within the same thermal system.