New occurrence of magnesites in Prins Karls Forland, Svalbard

Ziemniak, Grzegorz; Manecki, Maciej; Lis, Laura

doi:10.2478/mipo-2025-0010

Abstract

This study reports the discovery of a large occurrence of magnesite metacarbonates above the northern shore of Selvågen, Prins Karls Forland (PKF), Svalbard. The stratabound magnesite occurs within the Scotiafjellet Group metasedimentary rocks of PKF and represents the first documented example of a magnesite in this region of Svalbard. The magnesite is hosted by cryptocrystalline metacarbonates containing distinctive chert bands and nodules, with associated mineral assemblages including quartz, dolomite, albite, muscovite, and pyrite. Petrographic features, such as zoned magnesite with Fe-rich rims and foliated carbonate matrices, suggest multiphase formation under greenschist facies conditions. Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material indicates metamorphic temperatures of 260–360°C. The magnesite likely formed through fluid-mediated metasomatism during Caledonian tectonism, with magnesium-rich fluids potentially sourced from devolatilized ultramafic complexes. This discovery enhances understanding of Svalbard’s tectonometamorphic evolution and suggests that PKF may hold broader geological and paleobiological significance, especially given the presence of organic-rich cherts containing bioclasts.

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New occurrence of magnesites in Prins Karls Forland, Svalbard

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