High-Grade Fluid Metasomatism on both a Local and a Regional Scale: the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, and the Val Strona di Omegna, Ivrea-Verbano Zone, Northern Italy. Part II: Phosphate Mineral Chemistry

This study explores the origin and geochemical evolution ofapatite, monazite, and xenotime along two metamorphic traverses.The first, from the Kigluaik Mountains, Seward Peninsula, Alaska,consists of a localized (85 cm) orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene-bearingdehydration zone. The second consists of orthopyroxene ±clinopyroxene-bearing granulite facies metabasite layers interlayeredwith metapelites over a 3–4 km traverse, along the ValStrona, Ivrea–Verbano Zone, Northern Italy (IVZ). In bothdehydration zones small Th- and U-poor inclusions of monaziteand/or xenotime occur in the apatite. These inclusions are metasomaticallyinduced and nucleated within the apatite via the coupled substitutionsNa⁺ + (Y + REE)³⁺ = 2 Ca²⁺ and Si⁴⁺ + (Y + REE)³⁺ = P⁵⁺ + Ca²⁺.These are not present in apatite from the original amphibolitefacies gneiss. Apatite, in both dehydration zones, also showsa relative increase in both F and Cl compared with apatite fromthe amphibolite facies zone. Granulite facies metabasites inthe IVZ also contain isolated monazite grains, which range fromuniform to complexly zoned in Th the (13–30·1 mol% ThSiO₄). These are the product of breakdown and subsequentmobilization of the lanthanides and actinides from monazite-(Ce)in the metapelite layers into the metabasite layers at the startof granulite facies metamorphism. KEY WORDS: apatite; monazite; xenotime; KCl–NaCl brines; metasomatism; phosphate minerals; charnockite–enderbite; granulite facies metamorphism     

Pumpellyite-Actinolite Facies Schists of the Taveyanne Formation near Lo?che, Valais, Switzerland

Electron microprobe analyses are presented for new-formed mineralsfrom a small exposure of semi-schistose Taveyanne Formationof the pumpellyite-actinolite facies near Lo?che, Valais. Comparisonsare drawn with minerals of other low-grade metamorphic areas,especially in southern New Zealand. Sphene shows considerablesubstitution of Ca(Al,Fe)SiO₄(OH) for CaTiSiO₅. Epidotes aresharply divided into early pistacitic (Ps = 0.28–0.37)and later clinozoisitic varieties (Ps = 0.11–0.19). Pumpellyitesrange from pumpellyite-(Fe) to pumpellyite-(Al) and are generallyless Fe-rich than those of zeolite and prehnite-pumpellyitefacies. Pumpellyite inclusions in albitized plagioclase areparticularly low in Mg. Actinolites are low in A1₂O₃, TiO₂,and Na₂O, essentially identical compositions being nucleatedon detrital augite, hornblende, and in the matrix. Phengitesare also extremely low in Na₂O and TiO₂. Chlorites are ripidolites.Albitized clastic plagioclase has the composition An0.7–1.6and albite in clinozoisite-calcite-albite-phengite-chloriteveins An2.1–2.3. Calcites carry minor Mn > Fe ? Mg.New-formed iron oxides are absent, whereas pyrrhotite and minorpyrite occur in one rock, buffering fs₂ and indicating low fo₂. Ratios Mg: Fe^* (Fe^* = total Fe) in coexisting chlorites andA1, Na-poor actinolites vary sympathetically both in the Lo?cheand southern New Zealand rocks here considered, giving K_D =(Mg/Fe^*) _actlnolIte/(Mg/Fe^*)_chlorle = 1.72. Mg/Fe^* ratios inpumpellyites tend to vary sympathetically with those of coexistingchlorites and actinolites but are more variable. Substitutionof (Fe, Mg)Si for A1₂ in phengitic micas and chlorites variessympathetically in the same suites between mafic volcanic andmore pelitic extremes. Various minor elements also behave ina consistent fashion, indicating an encouraging tendency towardsequilibrium. Variable (though small) A1₂O₃ contents of actinolite,Fe: Al ratios in epidotes and pumpellyites, and Mg: Fe^* ratiosin phengites, even within a single grain, are evidence of short-rangedisequilibrium; metamorphic equilibration is evidently easierbetween some crystal structures and structural sites than betweenothers. In phase rule analysis of assemblages in such rocks it is commonlynecessary to treat Fe²O₃, FeO, and MgO as separate componentsand it may also be necessary to regard CO² as an inert componentand/or to interpret observed assemblages as of low variance.The presence of the Ca-Al silicates and sphene indicates verylow X_co2 in the metamorphic fluids in all rocks examined exceptan albite-chlorite-calcite-quartz-anatase assemblage. But higherAn in albites than in isofacial and in greenschist facies rocksof southern New Zealand can be ascribed to significantly higherXco₂ at Lo?che, especially in the veins, than in New Zealand. Pumpellyite and epidotes of the pumpellyite-actinolite faciestend to be lower in Fe and richer in Al than those of lowergrade facies. Important reactions include those of the formpumpellyite-(Fe³⁺)+chlorite+quartz+H₂=pumpellyite-(Al)+actinolite,and pumpellyite+chlorite+quartz- ‘epidote’+actinolite+water.Careful selection of pumpellyite and chlorite compositions isrequired for experimental and chemographic analysis of pumpellyitestability. In the absence of critical data, temperatures ofabout 250–350? and pressures of several kilobars are provisionallysuggested for the Lo?che metamorphism.     

Talc-, Magnesite- and Ti-Clinohumite-Bearing Ultrahigh-Pressure Meta-Mafic and Ultramafic Complex in the Dabie Mountains, China

The Bixiling mafic-ultramafic metamorphic complex is a 1•5km² tectonic block within biotite gneiss in the southern Dabieultrahigh-pressure terrane, central China. The complex consistsof banded eclogites that contain thin layers of garnet-bearingcumulate ultramafic rock. Except for common eclogitic phases(garnet, omphacite, kyanite, phengite, zoisite and rutilc),banded eclogites contain additional talc and abundant coesiteinclusions in omphacite, zoisite, kyanite and garnet. Some metaultramaficrocks contain magnesite and Ti-clinohumite. Both eclogites andmeta-ultramafic rocks have undergone multi-stage metamorphism.Eclogite facies metamorphisrn occurred at 610–700C andP>27 kbar, whereas amphibolite facies retrograde metamorphismis characterized by symplectites of plagioclase and hornblendeafter omphacite and replacement of tremolite after talc at P<6–15kbar and T <600C. The meta-ultramafic assemblages such asolivine + enstatite + diopside + garnet and Ti-clinohumite +diopside + enstatite + garnet + magnesite olivine formed at700–800C and 47–67 kbar. Investigation of the phaserelations for the system CaO-MgO-SiO₂-H₂O-CO₂ and the experimentallydetermined stabilities of talc, magnesite and Ti-clinohumiteindicate that (1) UHP talc assemblages are restricted to Mg-Algabbro composition and cannot be an important water-bearingphase in the ultramafic mantle, and (2) Ti-clinohumite and magnesiteare stable H₂O-bearing and CO₂-bearing phases at depths >100km. The mafic-ultramafic cumulates were initially emplaced atcrustal levels, then subducted to great depths during the Triassiccollision of the Sine-Korean and Yangtze cratons. KEY WORDS: eclogite; magnesite; meta-ultramafics; talc; ultrahigh-P metamorphism ^*Corresponding author     

Transition from the Zeolite to Prehnite-Pumpellyite Facies in the Karmutsen Metabasites, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

The upper Triassic Karmutsen metabasites from northeast VancouverIsland, B.C., are thermally metamorphosed by the intrusion ofthe Coast Range Batholith. The amygdaloidal metabasites developedin the outer portion of the contact aureole show a progressivemetamorphism from zeolite to prehnite-pumpellyite facies. Thesize of an equilibrium domain is extremely small for these metabasites,and the individual amygdule assemblages are assumed to be inequilibrium. Two major calcite-free assemblages (+chlorite+quartz)are characteristic: (i) laumontite+pumpellyite+epidote in thezeolite facies and (ii) prehnite+pumpellyite+epidote in theprehnite-pumpellyite facies. The assemblages and compositionsof Ca-Al silicates are chemographically and theoretically interpretedon the basis of the predicted P-T grid for the model basalticsystem, CaO-MgO-A1₂O₃-Fe₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O. The results indicate:(1) local equilibrium has been approached in mineral assemblagesand compositions; (2) the X_Fe³⁺ values in the coexisting Ca-Alsilicates decrease from epidote, through pumpellyite to prehnite;(3) with increasing metamorphic grade, the Fe³⁺ contents ofepidotes in reaction assemblages decrease in the zeolite facies,then increase in the prehnite-pumpellyite facies rocks. Suchvariations in the assemblages and mineral compositions are controlledby a sequence of continuous and discontinuous reactions, andallow delineation of T-X_Fe³⁺ relations at constant pressure.The transition from the zeolite to prehnite-pumpellyite faciesof the Karmutsen metabasites is defined by a discontinuous reaction:0·18 laumontite+pumpellyite+0·15 quartz = 1·31prehnite+ 0·78 epidote+0·2 chlorite+ 1·72H₂O, where the X_Fe³⁺ values of prehnite, pumpellyite and epidoteare 0·03, 0·10 and 0·18, respectively.These values together with available thermodynamic data andour preliminary experimental data are used to calculate theP-T condition for the discontinuous reaction as P = 1·1±0·5 kb and T = 190±30°C. The effectsof pressure on the upper stability of the zeolite facies assemblagesare discussed utilizing T-X_Fe³⁺ diagrams. The stability of thelaumontite-bearing assemblages for the zeolite facies metamorphismof basaltic rocks may be defined by either continuous or discontinuousreactions depending on the imposed metamorphic field gradient.Hence, the zeolite and prehnite-pumpellyite facies transitionboundary is multivariant.     

The Range of Spinel Compositions in Terrestrial Mafic and Ultramafic Rocks

Compositional fields for spinels from a wide variety of mafic–ultramaficigneous rock types and tectonic environments have been determinedfrom a global database of over 26 000 analyses. These fieldsare defined using contoured data density plots based on thespinel prism, and plots of T iO₂ vs ferric iron, for mantlexenoliths, ophiolitic rocks, continental layered intrusions,alkalic and lamprophyric rocks, tholeiitic basalts, Alaskanultramafic complexes and komatiites. Several trends appear regularlyin the various environments: a trend of widely variable Cr/(Cr+ Al) at low Fe²⁺/(Mg + Fe²⁺) (the Cr–Al trend); increasingFe³⁺, Fe²⁺/(Mg + Fe²⁺) and T iO₂ at constant Cr/(Cr + Al) (Fe–Ti trend); a trend found primarily in kimberlites, similar toFe–T i but at constant Fe²⁺/(Mg + Fe²⁺); and an unusualtrend of increasing Al found only in layered intrusions. TheCr–Al and Fe–T i trends are both found to varyingdegrees in tholeiitic basalts. The Cr–Al trend is prevalentin rocks that have equilibrated over a range of pressures, whereasthe Fe–T i trend is dominantly due to low-pressure fractionation.The most Cr-rich chromites found in nature occur in boninites,diamond-bearing kimberlites, some komatiites and ophioliticchromitites. Exceptionally reduced chromites are found in somekomatiites and in ophiolitic chromitites. Detrital chromitesfrom the Witwatersrand conglomerates are of komatiitic provenance. KEY WORDS: basalt; chromite; kimberlite; ophiolite; spinel     

A Metamorphosed, Early Archaean Chromitite from West Greenland: Implications for the Genesis of Archaean Anorthositic Chromitites

An early Archaean (>3·81 Ga) chromitite–ultramaficlayered body from the Ujaragssuit nunât area, west Greenland,may represent the Earth’s oldest chromitite. The layeredbody occurs as a large xenolith (800 m x 100 m) entrained withintonalitic gneisses and preserves primary igneous layering andtextures. New Re–Os and Pb–Pb isotope results supportthe view that it has been metamorphosed twice, in the earlyand late Archaean at 3·75 Ga and 2·8 Ga. Mineralchemistry and textures indicate that the chromite compositionspreserve two different evolutionary trends. There is a mainmagmatic trend in which Cr/(Cr + Al) ratios remain relativelyconstant but in which there is strong enrichment in Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺and Ti with progressive differentiation. This trend is a compositeof magmatic-liquidus, magmatic-cooling and subsolidus re-equilibrationprocesses. A second trend is defined by chromites from harzburgitesin the upper part of the layered body. These chromites showmagmatic replacement textures in which Fe-rich chromites arealtered to aluminous chromites. Chromites showing magmatic replacementtextures are thought to have formed by reaction with a late,interstitial melt during the solidification of the layered body.The close association between the Fe³⁺–Cr-chromites ofthe main trend and Al-rich chromites of the type found in otherArchaean megacrystic anorthosites suggest a magmatic-geneticrelationship between the two types of chromite. We propose thatanorthositic chromites form in an Fe-rich basaltic melt derivedfrom a komatiitic, boninitic or basaltic parent magma throughreaction between the melt and early-formed Fe-rich chromite. KEY WORDS: chromite; anorthosite; Archaean; Greenland; Re–Os     

Amphiboles of a Metagabbro--Amphibolite Sequence, Hidaka Metamorphic Belt, Hokkaido

The western part of the Hidaka Metamorphic Belt, Hokkaido, consistsof primary pyroxene gabbro and lesser amounts of olivine gabbrothat have been dynamically metamorphosed to metagabbro—gabbroicamphibolite-amphibolite-epidote amphibolite during uplift andshearing about 23 m.y. ago. Textures and the presence of relic and recrystallized amphiboleand plagioclase in the same rock indicate incomplete reactionand non attainment of equilibrium during recrystallization. EPMA and bulk analyses of 165 amphiboles indicate a continuousoverall compositional range from actinolite to dark green hornblende(with 100 mg/(Mg+Fe²⁺+Fe³⁺Mn) ratios varying from 89.5 to 32.0)marked by increasing Al, Fe, Ti, and Na. A compositional gapis usually present between relic and recrystallized amphibolesin any one rock which becomes more prominent with increasingshearing. In addition to host rock chemical control, amphibole compositionis largely dependent on the An content of coexisting plagioclase.Locally epidote and sphene exert a strong influence on bothamphibole and plagioclase compositions. Amphibole Ti and Mncontents decrease with shearing and Fe enrichment of the hostrocks largely as a result of the incoming of rutile, sphene,and Fe-Ti oxides. Analysis of host rock oxidation ratio andamphibole compositions indicates that the rocks essentiallybehaved as closed systems to oxygen during metamorphism. Al^1V-Al^IV, Al^IV-Fe³⁺, and Al^IV-(Na, K)^A are the main substitutionsin the amphiboles. Within any one rock the recrystallized amphibolesare enriched in Al, Fe, Ti, and Na relative to the relice amphiboles.Increasing metamorphism results in a progressive change of amphiboles(recrystallized) to more Fe and Si (rather than Al) rich compositionsreflecting the trend towards greenschist where Fe-actinolite(+Mg chlorite) would be stable. Differentiation of the amphiboles is within the limits of SiAlreplacement and the compositional limits of the early stagereaction rim and replacement amphiboles in the host olivineand pyroxene metagabbros.     

Rock-buffered Fluid Evolution of Metapelites and Quartzites in the Picuris Range, Northern New Mexico

Pelitic schists and quartzites in the Picuris Range of northernNew Mexico exhibit mineral ¹⁸O and D compositions that indicaterock-buffered isotopic exchange during metamorphism at uniformphysical conditions of T 530C and P 4 kbar. Phase assemblagesand major-element compositions among silicates and oxides areuniform within stratigraphic units, but they change abruptlyacross lithologic contacts, yielding distinctive mineral Mg/Fe²⁺ratios and inferred f(O₂) values. Mineral compositions reflectthe pre-metamorphic compositions of individual rock units. O-and H-isotopic compositions of quartz and muscovite are alsodiscontinuous across lithologic boundaries, showing intra-layerhomogeneity and bulk-rock isotopic compositions retained fromsedimentary protoliths. Uniform ¹⁸ O_Qu-Ms values indicate isotopicequilibrium at peak metamorphic conditions. Sharp discontinuitiesin mineral and fluid isotopic compositions reflect limited isotopicexchange between units. The isotopic system in these units wasprobably one of rock-buffered exchange, in which the sedimentarycompositions of individual rock units exerted the dominant controlon mineral and fluid isotopic composition over short distancesin a relatively closed metamorphic system. Fluid migration duringprogressive metamorphic devolatilization in this simple systemwas probably non-pervasive, and it was probably influenced bycontrasting rock permeability. Consequently, our study suggeststhat pervasive exchange between interlayered units may be uncommonin regionally metamorphosed terrains that show weak initialgeochemical gradients. In contrast, the chemical and isotopichomogenization that attends pervasive fluid flow and high fluidfluxes may be restricted to settings characterized by extremegeochemical gradients, such as interlayered silicates and carbonates,or terrains that host plutonic hydrothermal systems. KEY WORDS: fluids; metamorphism; stable isotopes; New Mexico ^*Corresponding author. E-mail: jgoodgc{at}sun.cis.smu.edu.. Telephone (214) 768–4140. Fax (214) 768–2701     

Distribution of Ferric Iron in some Upper-Mantle Assemblages

The distribution of ferric iron among the phases of upper-mantlerocks, as a function of pressure (P), temperature (T) and bulkcomposition, has been studied using ⁵⁷Fe Mssbauer spectroscopyto determine the Fe³⁺/Fe ratios of mineral separates from 35peridotite and pyroxenite samples. The whole-rock Fe³⁺ complementof a peridotite is typically shared approximately evenly amongthe major anhydrous phases (spinel and/or garnet, orthopyroxeneand clinopyroxene), with the important exception of olivine,which contains negligible Fe³⁺. Whole-rock Fe³⁺ contents areindependent of the T and P of equilibration of the rock, butshow a well-defined simple inverse correlation with the degreeof depletion in a basaltic component. Fe³⁺ in spinel and inboth pyroxenes from the spinel Iherzolite facies shows a positivecorrelation with temperature, presumably owing to the decreasein the modal abundance of spinel. In garnet peridotites, theFe³⁺ in garnet increases markedly with increasing T and P, whereasthat in clinopyroxene remains approximately constant. The complexnature of the partitioning of Fe³⁺ between mantle phases resultsin complicated patterns of the activities of the Fe³⁺ -bearingcomponents, and thus in calculated equilibrium f_O2, which showlittle correlation with whole-rock Fe³⁺ or degree of depletion.Whether Fe³⁺ is taken into account or ignored in calculatingmineral formulae for geothermobarometry can have major effectson the resulting calculated T and P. For Fe-Mg exchange geothermometers,large errors must occur when applied to samples more oxidizedor reduced than the experimental calibrations, whose f_O2 conditionsare largely unknown. Two-pyroxene thermometry is more immuneto this problem, and probably provides the most reliable P—Testimates. Accordingly, the convergence of P—T valuesderived for a given garnet peridotite assemblage may not necessarilybe indicative of mineral equilibrium. The prospects for thecalculation of accurate Fe³⁺ contents from electron microprobeanalyses by assuming stoichiometry are good for spinel, uncertainfor garnet, and distinctly poor for pyroxenes. KEY WORDS: mantle; oxidation; partitioning; peridotite; thermobarometry ^*Corresponding author. Present address: School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700, Victoria, B.C., V8W 2Y2, Canada     

Progressive Metamorphism of Metabasic Rocks from the Haast Schist Group of Southern New Zealand

Progressive mineralogical changes are described for metabasicrocks through a Barrovian-type metamorphic series ranging fromgreenschist to amphibolite facies in the Southern Alps of NewZealand. Wet chemical and electronmicroprobe analyses of coexisting phasesillustrate (a) that chlorite composition becomes progressivelymore Mg-rich towards higher grades. Chlorite and biotite zonechlorites have Mg/Fe <1.00, while in the oligoclase zonethe chlorite Mg/Fe >2.00. (b) Biotite and epidote compositionsshow no systematic variation with metamorphic grade and arecontrolled by bulk rock composition. For epidote, compositionis directly related to oxidation states during metamorphism.(c) Zoning profiles from atoll and normal porphyroblastic almandine-richgarnets are illustrated, and their relationship to compositionalchanges with metamorphic grade discussed, (d) Coexisting compositionsof albite and oligoclase through the garnet zone outline theform of the peristerite solvus. Myrmekitic textures in oligoclaseare ascribed to release of silica during progressive eliminationof albite. Element distribution between coexisting minerals is graphicallyinvestigated. Isogradic samples show very similar element distributions,suggesting general equilibration. Distribution of any elementbetween two phases for the facies series as a whole, however,is clearly influenced by changing concentrations of other ionsin one or both minerals. In particular for pairs containingcalciferous amphibole, the distribution coefficient is dependentupon tetrahedrally co-ordinated Al⁺³ of the amphibole.     

Metamorphic Evolution of Neoproterozoic Manganese Formations and their Country Rocks at Otjosondu, Namibia

Manganiferous chemical sediments of Neoproterozoic age in Namibiawere subjected to high-T–low-P metamorphism during theDamara Orogeny and display unique phase assemblages. The manganeseformations are embedded in iron formations and siliciclasticcountry rocks. This sequence is petrographically subdividedinto restricted lithotypes which bear specific mineral assemblagesand compositions depending on their protolith type. In puremanganese ores the critical assemblage braunite + haematite+ jacobsite + rhodonite is frequently developed, whereas interlayeredimpure silicate ores bear various proportions of spessartine,Mn³⁺-bearing andradite–calderite and andradite garnets,rhodonite, manganoan aegirine–augite, aegirine, Ba–K–Na-feldspars,barite and rare kinoshitalite. Petrological constraints derivedfrom country rock lithologies indicate peak metamorphic conditionsof 660–700C at estimated pressures of 35–45 kbar.Numerous Ba-rich pegmatitic veins restricted to the ore horizonstestify to the production of partial melts from siliciclasticstrata within the manganese formations. They are correlatedwith peak pressure conditions between 5 and 6 kbar, accompanyingthe main deformation event and pre-dating the thermal peak.An early H₂O-rich generation of fluid inclusions is interpretedas a manifestation of prograde dehydration reactions in theore horizons. This caused hydraulic fracturing of the ores and,subsequently, triggered the formation of partial melts whichintruded the fracture planes in situ. Peak metamorphism thenoccurred under strainfree conditions allowing equilibrium recrystallizationof all minerals to develop. Phase relationships of manganeseoxides and silicates modelled in the system Mn–Fe–Si–Oreveal variable chemical compositions of braunites, jacobsitesand haematites depending on their paragenesis. They indicatevery restricted oxygen reservoirs within specific strata ofthe manganese ores and eliminate a prominent mass exchange evenon a small scale. This is supported by ¹⁸O analyses of silicateassemblages which further exclude mass transfer between manganeseores and country rocks, and indicate preservation of the exchangeequilibria during cooling. The uplift path of the sequence canbe constrained using different decrepitation patterns of H₂Ofluid inclusions and a syn-to late-metamorphic CO₂-rich fluidinclusion population, which indicate high geothermal gradientsof 70C/km and more. The P–T–D evolution of thishigh-T–low-P metamorphic belt conforms with the palaeotectonicsetting of the study area at the southernmost part of the CongoCraton, representing the continental buttress colliding withthe Kalahari Craton during the Pan-African orogeny. KEY WORDS: manganiferous sediments; Damara Orogeny; Namibia; metamorphism; oxygen isotopes; fluid inclusions ^*Corresponding author. Present address Institut fr Geowissenschaften und Lithosphrenforschung, Senckenbergstrasse 3, D-35390 Giessen, Germany     

Petrology of eclogites from north of Shahrekord, Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone, Iran

Summary Metabasic rocks were recently found within a ductile shear zone in the north of Shahrekord, being a part of the structural zone of Sanandaj-Sirjan, SW Iran. The rocks give evidence of a so far unrecognized eclogite facies metamorphic event and testify to high pressure metamorphism in the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone, near the Main Zagros Reverse Fault, which is the assumed suture zone between the Arabian plate and the Iranian block. The eclogites occur as lenses or blocks within ortho- and paragneisses. The petrographic features and reaction textures display at least two main metamorphic stages: (1) a peak eclogite facies stage, and (2) a subsequent amphibolite facies stage. The eclogite facies metamorphism is indicated by omphacite + garnet + sodic-calcic amphiboles (barroisite, magnesiokatophorite and magnesiotaramite) + phengite + rutile + (clino-)zoisite + quartz ± dolomite. The garnets are mainly almandine-rich, which fits with the C-type eclogite classification. Calcic amphiboles (hornblende, tschermakite and pargasite) + plagioclase are secondary phases formed during the retrograde amphibolite-facies metamorphism. P-T estimates for the eclogite facies give pressures of 21–24 kbar and temperatures of 590–630 °C (geothermometry) and 470–520 °C (THERMOCALC), respectively. Geothermobarometry for the amphibolite-facies metamorphism yields 10–11 kbar and 650–700 °C. Author’s address: Ali Reza Davoudian, Department of Natural Resources, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran     

沂水青龙峪超镁铁质岩石和基性麻粒岩的锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年

本文主要对沂水青龙峪出露的超镁铁质岩石和基性麻粒岩进行了锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年研究。超镁铁质岩石以捕掳体形式存在于沂水杂岩中,不发育鬣刺结构,氧化物组成具有超镁铁质科马提岩的高MgO、富CaO、低SiO2、TiO2、K2O和Na2O含量特征;矿物组合以单斜辉石+橄榄石±斜方辉石+铬铁矿为主;变质矿物以角闪石+蛇纹石化为特征;该岩石以稀土元素总含量(∑REE)低、LREE/HREE=3.35～4.40及Ce和Eu负异常为特征。微量元素组成以Ba、Nb、Zr负异常和Nd、Sm正异常为特征。根据锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年法对该超镁铁质岩石中捕获的早期岩浆结晶锆石和新生的变质锆石进行的研究,年龄值分别为2657～2702Ma和2551～2585Ma,表明该超镁铁质岩石形成年龄为2585～2657Ma。基性麻粒岩的氧化物组成特征表明其属高Mg的洋岛拉斑玄武岩,麻粒岩相——高角闪岩相变质作用与新太古代的深熔和岩浆侵入作用有关,矿物组合以紫苏辉石+单斜辉石±角闪石+斜长石±石榴子石为特征;晚期蚀变作用与辉长岩墙、辉绿岩脉及石英闪长岩买的侵入有关,矿物组合以滑石化+绢云母化+绿泥石化为特征;稀土元素组成以轻重稀土元素无分异和无Eu异常为特征;微量元素组成以Nb、Zr、P、Ti负异常和Sr、K正异常为特征;锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年结果表明麻粒岩相——角闪岩相变质作用年龄为2498.4±7.6Ma,导致麻粒岩相——角闪岩相变质的深熔和岩浆结晶年龄为2551±24Ma,晚期蚀变作用的年龄分别为2231～2235Ma和1850±19Ma。     

Constant Ps-T Amphibolite to Granulite Facies Transition in Agto (West Greenland) Metadolerites: Implications and Applications

Within the Isortoq Complex of central West Greenland, doleritedykes have been metamorphosed in upper amphibolite to garnetgranulite facies. Detailed sampling and petrographic study ofthese dykes demonstrate that the entire sequence of assemblagesmay occur in individual dykes, with the amphibolite facies assemblagesnormally restricted to dyke margins, garnet granulite faciesrocks occurring in the dyke cores, and pyroxene granulite faciesrocks intervening between these two. Electron microprobe analysisof all coexisting phases demonstrates that the progression fromamphibolite facies to granulite facies assemblages results inthe extraction of edenite and tschermakite components from theamphibole in approximately a 2: 1 ratio. As amphibole breakdownproceeds, systematic changes in element abundance within amphiboleoccur when reactions are crossed, due to the development ofnew phases. The algebraic removal of small but systematic compositionalvariations within the dykes allows derivation of six equilibria,which provide a general model for metamorphism of basaltic rocksunder high grade metamorphic conditions. This model takes theform of the idealized assemblage sequences which will developalong (regional) gradients in X_H2O, temperature and/or solidpressure. Analysis of these equilibria demonstrates that variablesilica activity and Fe²⁺–Mg²⁺ exchange will modify reactionstoichiometry, will affect the ratio of edenite to tschermakitein amphibole breakdown reactions, and will modify the compositionof the product plagioclase. These variations together with variationsin water fugacity will locally modify the ideal assemblage sequences,and will explain the complex assemblage relationships observedin metabasic rocks of natural high grade terranes. ^*Present address: Instituttet for Teknisk Geologi, Danish Technical University, Building 204, DK–2800 Lyngby, Denmark     

Coexisting Amphiboles from Blueschist Facies Metamorphic Rocks

Four pairs of associated calcic and sodic amphiboles from blueschistfacies metamorphic rocks were analyzed with the electron microprobeand studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques.Except for ranges in the ratios Mg/(Mg+Fe) and Fe³⁺/(Fe³⁺+Al+Ti),the sodic amphiboles are similar in chemical composition. Theamount of calcium in the M(4)-site ranges only from 0·18to 0·21 ion per formula unit. The calcic amphiboles,in addition to a range in Mg/(Mg+Fe), vary in Na/(Na+Ca) ratio(0·29–0·48). Three of the calcic amphibolescontain less than 1·5 calcium ions per formula unit,indicating a significant solid solution of sodic amphibole componentsin the calcic amphibole phase. The a and b unit-cell parametersof the calcic amphiboles decrease with increased content ofthe sodic component.     

A sapphirine–phlogopite–cordierite paragenesis in a low-P amphibolite facies terrain, Arunta Inlier, Australia

Summary Silica-undersaturated phlogopite schists from the Cackleberry Metamorphics, Arunta Inlier, central Australia, preserve relatively low-temperature sapphirine-bearing parageneses that developed during low-pressure upper amphibolite facies metamorphism. Peak metamorphic phlogopite–cordierite–sapphirine assemblages are interpreted to have formed during the same event recorded in nearby metapelites, at c.3 kbar and 650–700 °C. Initial cooling of the terrain resulted in the breakdown of sapphirine to corundum–chlorite–phlogopite and corundum–spinel–chlorite assemblages. Further retrogression at greenschist facies conditions resulted in the replacement of sapphirine by diaspore–chlorite intergrowths. The reaction textures are consistent with a near-isobaric heating-cooling path at low-pressure, and provide evidence for the stability of sapphirine at c.700 °C at low pressures in rocks of an appropriate Mg- and Fe³⁺-rich bulk composition. Received August 15, 2001 accepted December 27, 2001     

The New Consort Gold Mine,Barberton greenstone belt,South Africa: orogenic gold mineralization in a condensed metamorphic profile

The New Consort Gold Mine in the Palaeo- to Mesoarchaean Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa is one of the oldest recognized orogenic gold deposits on Earth. The gold mineralization is hosted by discrete mylonitic units that occur at, or close to, the contact between the mafic and ultramafic volcanic rocks of the c. 3,280 Ma Onverwacht Group and the mainly metasedimentary rocks of the overlying c. 3,260–3,230 Ma Fig Tree Group. This contact, locally referred to as the Consort Bar, formed during ductile D₁ imbrication of the metavolcanosedimentary sequence and predates the main stage of the gold mineralization. The imbricate stack is situated in the immediate hanging wall of the basal granitoid–greenstone contact along the northern margin of the greenstone belt. It is characterized by a condensed metamorphic profile in which the metamorphic grade increases from upper greenschist facies conditions (510–530°C, 4 kbar) in rocks of the Fig Tree Group to upper amphibolite facies grades (600–700°C, 6–8 kbar) in the basal Onverwacht Group. Detailed structural and petrological investigations indicate that the Consort Bar represents a major structural break, which is largely responsible for the telescoping of metamorphic isograds within the structural sequence. Two stages of mineralization can be distinguished. Loellingite, pyrrhotite, and a calc–silicate alteration assemblage characterize an early high-T mineralization event, which is restricted to upper amphibolite facies rocks of the Onverwacht Group. This early mineralization may correlate with the local D₁ deformation. The second and main stage of gold mineralization was associated with renewed ductile shearing during D₂. The D₂ deformation resulted in the reactivation of earlier structures, and the formation of a NNW trending, steeply dipping shear zone system, the Shires Shear Zone, which separates two regional SE plunging D₁ synclines. The mineralized shear zones are intruded by abundant syn-kinematic pegmatite dykes that have previously been dated at c. 3040 Ma. Petrological and geothermobarometric data on ore and alteration assemblages indicate that the main stage of gold mineralization, which affected a crustal profile of ca. 1.5 km, was characterized by increasing temperatures (c. 520 to 600°C) with increasing structural depth. Sulfide assemblages in the ore bodies change progressively with metamorphic grade, ranging from arsenopyrite + pyrite + pyrrhotite in the structurally highest to arsenopyrite + pyrrhotite + chalcopyrite + loellingite in the structurally deepest part of the mine. The main stage of gold mineralization was broadly syn-peak metamorphic with respect to the Fig Tree Group, but postdates the peak of metamorphism in upper amphibolite facies rocks of the structurally underlying Onverwacht Group. This indicates that the mineralization coincided with the juxtaposition of the two units. As the footwall rocks were already on their retrograde path, metamorphic devolatilisation reactions within the greenstone sequence can be ruled out as the source of the mineralizing fluids.     

Crystallization of Chromite and Chromium Solubility in Basaltic Melts

The equilibrium between chromite and melt has been determinedon four basalts at temperatures of 1200–1400?C over arange of oxygen fugacity (f_o2) and pressures of 1 atm and 10kb. The Cr content of chromite-saturated melts at 1300?C and1 atm ranges from 0?05 wt.% Cr₂O₃ at a log f_o2= –3 to1?4 wt.% at a log f_o2=–12?8. The Cr²⁺/Cr³⁺ of melt increaseswith decreasing f_o2 and is estimated by assuming a constantpartitioning of Cr³⁺ between chromite and melt at constant temperature.The estimated values of Cr²⁺/Cr³⁺ in the melt are at f_o2 valuesof 4–5 orders of magnitude lower than the equivalent Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺values. The Cr/(Cr+Al) of chromite coexisting with melt at constanttemperature changes little with variation of f_o2 below log f_o2=–6.Five experiments at 10 kb indicate that Cr₂O₃ dissolved in themelt is slightly higher and the Cr/(Cr + Al) of coexisting chromiteis slightly lower than experiments at 1 atm pressure. Thus variationin total pressure cannot explain the large variations of Cr/(Cr+ Al) that are common to mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) chromite. Experiments on a MORB at 1 atm at f_o2 values close to fayalite-magnetite-quartz(FMQ) buffer showed that the Al₂O₃ content of melt is highlysensitive to the crystallization or melting of plagioclase,and consequently coexisting chromite shows a large change inCr/(Cr + Al). It would appear, therefore, that mixing of a MORBmagma containing plagioclase with a hotter MORB magma undersaturatedin plagioclase may give rise to the large range of Cr/(Cr +Al) observed in some MORB chromite.     

Platinum group minerals in podiform chromitites of the Bou Azzer ophiolite, Anti Atlas, Central Morocco

Summary The Neoproterozoic Bou Azzer ophiolite complex hosts numerous, small lenticular bodies of massive and disseminated chromite. Metallurgical-grade high-Mg and high-Cr spinels (cores with 48–62 wt% Cr₂O₃) reveal complex alteration patterns of successive Cr and Mn enrichment and loss of Al towards the rims, while the Mg# ratios [(Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺)] remain almost constant. Concentration patterns of platinum-group elements are typical for ophiolitic chromitite poor in sulfides, with predominance of the IPGE, variable Rh, and low Pt and Pd. The most abundant platinum-group mineral is Rh-bearing laurite that occurs either included in spinel or in silicate matrix, whereas Os-Ir-Ru alloy is always included in spinel. Laurite inclusions reveal complex intergrowth textures with Rh-Ru-Pt rich alloy, and with Rh-rich sulfide. Most laurites display trends to sulfur-poor compositions leading to local formation of very fine-grained Ru-Os-Ir alloy phases. Ni-Co-Fe sulfides, arsenides and sulfarsenides devoid of PGE are associated with the alteration of chromite. Textural position and chemical composition of the base metal inclusions, as well as comparison of alteration features between chromite and accessory chromian spinel in the Co-Ni-As ores of the Bou Azzer ophiolite indicate a close connection. It is suggested that hydrothermal fluids percolated through the marginal zones of the ophiolite belt during greenschist facies metamorphism and deposited Ni-Co-Fe arsenides, sulfarsenides and minor sulfides as accessories within altered chromitites, and also in structurally favourable zones as Ni-Co-As ores. Author’s address: Dr. Frank Melcher, Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Stilleweg 2, 30655 Hannover, Germany     

A New Interpretation of Centimetre-scale Variations in the Progress of Infiltration-driven Metamorphic Reactions: Case Study of Carbonated Metaperidotite, Val d'Efra, Central Alps, Switzerland

Progress () of the infiltration-driven reaction, 4olivine +5CO₂ + H₂O = talc + 5magnesite, that occurred during Barrovianregional metamorphism, varies at the cm-scale by a factor of3·5 within an 3 m³ volume of rock. Mineral and stableisotope compositions record that X_CO2, ¹⁸O_fluid, and ¹³C_fluidwere uniform within error of measurement in the same rock volume.The conventional interpretation of small-scale variations in in terms of channelized fluid flow cannot explain the uniformityin fluid composition. Small-scale variations in resulted insteadbecause (a) reactant olivine was a solid solution, (b) initiallythere were small-scale variations in the amount and compositionof olivine, and (c) fluid composition was completely homogenizedover the same scale by diffusion–dispersion during infiltrationand subsequent reaction. Assuming isochemical reaction, spatialvariations in image variations in the (Mg + Fe)/Si of the parentrock rather than the geometry of metamorphic fluid flow. Ifinfiltration-driven reactions involve minerals fixed in composition,on the other hand, spatial variations in do directly imagefluid flow paths. The geometry of fluid flow can never be determinedfrom geochemical tracers over a distance smaller than the oneover which fluid composition is completely homogenized by diffusion–dispersion. KEY WORDS: Alpine Barrovian metamorphism; diffusion; metamorphic fluid composition; metamorphic fluid flow; reaction progress