Iron mineralogy, hydrogen production, and brucite reactivity during
low-temperature serpentinization in the Samail ophiolite
- Eric T Ellison,
- Alexis S Templeton,
- Spencer D Zeigler,
- Lisa Mayhew,
- Peter B Kelemen,
- Juerg Matter
Abstract
Serpentinized peridotite is actively reacting with groundwater in the
subsurface in the Samail ophiolite in Oman. Although these rocks are
partially to completely serpentinized, they are steeped in a groundwater
aquifer containing hyperalkaline fluids rich in H production that can
continue at low temperature, even after primary olivine and pyroxene are
exhausted, thereby sustaining habitable conditions for microbial life.Jun 2021Published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth volume 126 issue 6. 10.1029/2021JB021981