Analyses of the serpentinites show that they have low incompatible-element content, low FeOt, Al2O3, Na2O, K2O and CaO contents relative to SiO2 and a high Ni/Co ratio. This suggests derivation from chemically depleted material. A principal-component analysis and discriminant analysis of the composition of serpentinite samples of known origin, quoted in the literature, serves to classify the Damara serpentinites as depleted Alpine-type material.