柴北缘锡铁山花岗质片麻岩深熔作用年代和冷却历史:来自浅色体~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar年代学证据

长英质浅色体广泛出露于柴北缘造山带中段锡铁山地体花岗质片麻岩中,多呈脉状、不规则透镜状顺区域片麻理走向产出,主要由钾长石、斜长石、角闪石、石英以及少量黑云母组成,是黑云母花岗质片麻岩深融作用的产物。温压估算获得其形成条件为P=(6.5~9.6)′102 MPa,T=640~690℃,达麻粒岩相。选取浅色体角闪石和钾长石单矿物进行激光阶段加热~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar定年。角闪石共进行了17个阶段,其中3~17阶段数据形成平坦年龄谱,坪年龄为442.5±4.0 Ma;构成年龄坪的数据对应的等时线年龄为441.6±3.9 Ma,相应初始捕获氩比值为303±4,暗示该角闪石样品不含过剩~(40)Ar。坪年龄~442.5 Ma解释为角闪石初始结晶年龄,代表了锡铁山地区黑云母片麻岩发生深融(混合岩化)的时代。共生钾长石阶段加热获得一个低温和一个高温坪,坪年龄分别为307.5±2.9 Ma和323.3±3.0 Ma;等时线图谱暗示该钾长石样品未受过剩~(40)Ar干扰。坪年龄分别代表浅色体冷却到钾长石封闭温度~200℃和~250℃的时间。~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar定年结果显示锡铁山黑云母片麻岩深熔作用后经历了低速抬升(0.1~0.2 km/Ma)和缓慢冷却(3~3.6℃/Ma)的演化历史。     

帕米尔构造结塔什库尔干碱性杂岩同位素年代学研究

利用高精度锆石SHRIMP U-Pb法测定了帕米尔构造结中东部塔什库尔干碱性杂岩的年龄,岩体不同岩石类型的年龄均为11Ma,与野外证据吻合。通过与该杂岩体钾长~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar等时线年龄(23Ma、13Ma)对比研究,~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar定年结果明显偏老,认为是由于钾长石中含有过剩氩所致,并分析了过剩氩存在的可能原因。因此塔什库尔干碱性杂岩的活动时代可以确定为11Ma,而且钾长石不宜作为该杂岩体测年的理想对象。结合岩体的成因及构造意义,认为在11Ma前,帕米尔构造结地区已具有加厚下地壳的特征。     

西藏谢通门县雄村铜金矿主要地质体的40Ar/39Ar年龄及地质意义

雄村铜金矿Ⅱ号矿体在2007-2008年取得了重大的找矿突破,详细的地质编录成果表明,矿体同样受含眼球状石英斑晶的角闪石英闪长玢岩和角闪石英闪长玢岩控制.含眼球状石英斑晶的角闪石英闪长玢岩和角闪石英闪长玢岩的锆石U-Pb年龄已经确定(164～177 Ma),因此,雄村铜金矿不同地质体的云母类、长石类矿物Ar-Ar同位素年龄的测定显得尤为关键.文章通过对穿切I号矿体的黑云母花岗闪长岩、云煌岩脉的黑云母Ar-Ar同位素测年,结合其他研究者的成果,得到一组十分重要的年龄数据.穿插矿体的黑云母花岗闪长岩中的黑云母(样号6187-335)坪年龄(46.96±0.42)Ma,穿插矿体的无矿化的云煌岩(5053-324.4)(Cu含量0.0551%,Au含量0.034 g/t,Ag0.6 g/t)中的黑云母给出了一个较好的似坪年龄,加权平均年龄为(49.59±0.58)Ma.结合其他研究者测定的中侏罗世侵位的角闪石英闪长玢岩(不含矿)[锆石U-Pb年龄为(177.1±2.0)Ma]中黑云母的At-At同位素年龄为(48.57±0.31)Ma;含矿凝灰岩围岩[锆石U-Pb年龄为(176±5)Ma,MS3VD=0.63}的蚀变绢云母Ar-Ar年龄为(47.07±0.30)Ma;似伟晶岩中长石的At-At年龄为(47.62±0.7)Ma,认为不同形成时代、不同产出空间、不同矿化程度的地质体的云母类、长石类矿物的Ar-Ar同位素年龄的一致性,反映了后期岩浆热事件对中侏罗世早期形成的地质体和矿体的黑云母氩同位素体系产生了较强的扰动或置换.谢通门大岩基黑云母花岗闪长岩的侵位致使各地质体发生显著的退变质,形成典型的角岩化带,这种退变质的时限在46-48 Ma之间的始新世lutetian期,进而认为各地质体中云母类矿物的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar同位素年龄不能作为成矿年龄.     

北山地区大口子片麻岩 Ar-Ar 年代学初步研究

对甘肃肃北县境内的大口子片麻状石英闪长岩中的角闪石、黑云母、斜长石进行了 Ar-Ar年龄测定，分别得到角闪石、黑云母、斜长石高温坪年龄 1872.3±14.8Ma、1823.2±13Ma、1748.5±13.5Ma。它们分别代表了同一片麻岩中不同矿物的早期形成时代。角闪石、黑云母、斜长石的中温坪年龄分别为952.7±8.4Ma、862.8±6.2Ma\678.2±4.8Ma，分别代表了同一岩石中不同矿物记录的后期热事件年龄，其表明同一岩石中不同矿物给出的不同年龄值，显示了不同矿物具有不同的40K-40Ar     

中国K-Ar法地质年龄标准物质ZBH-15黑云母的研制

为满足K-Ar定年中K和40Ar*分析的质量监控及Ar-Ar定年时中子通量监测的需要,我国氩同位素专家研制了一种K-Ar法年龄标准物质———采自北京房山花岗闪长岩体的ZBH-15黑云母。其40Ar/39Ar阶段加热实验结果表明,年龄谱平坦,39Ar析出量高达98.3%。坪年龄为132.2±0.2 Ma,总气体年龄为131.3±0.5 Ma,证明该黑云母结晶以后未受过热扰动。36Ar/40Ar-39Ar/40Ar反等时线年龄为132.3±0.8 Ma,40Ar/36Ar初始值为293.9±1.4,与大气氩丰度比值(295.5±0.5)处于同一范围,表明该样品不含过剩氩。在0.05显著性水平下经统计学检验,证明K和40Ar*的F值小于F临界值,说明该样品是均匀的。国内外7个实验室参加了K和40Ar*的定值分析。用同位素稀释法测定40Ar*含量,火焰光度法测定K含量。统计检验结果显示,K和40Ar*的全部定值数据服从正态分布并具等精度。定值分析结果的认定值及不确定度分别为:40Ar*=(1.814±0.014)×10-9mol/g,K=7.59%±0.02%,K-Ar年龄t=132.8±1.3 Ma(2σ)。此标准物质纯度为98.8%,粒度为0.15~0.25 mm,重量为2070 g,缩分成225瓶,每瓶9.2 g。可供我国K-Ar和Ar-Ar法实验室使用43 a。     

K-Ar法地质年龄国家一级标准物质ZBH-25黑云母的研制

ZBH-25黑云母采自北京房山花岗闪长岩体。它的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar 阶段加热实验结果表明,~(40)Ar~*在矿物晶格中保存均匀稳定,年龄谱平坦,~(39)Ar 析出量高达96%,~(40)K-~(40)Ar~*同位素体系封闭良好,证明该黑云母结晶以后未受过热扰动。坪年龄为133.0±0.3Ma,总气体年龄为132.1±0.6Ma;~(36)Ar/~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar/~(40)Ar 反等时线年龄为133.1±1.3 Ma,~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar 初始值为293.5±1.6,与大气氩丰度比(295.5±0.5)处于同一范围,表明样品不含过剩氩。激光显微探针单颗粒坪年龄为132.8±0.2Ma,年龄谱和 K/Ca 谱线平坦,激光熔样总气体年龄为131.3±0.2Ma(图6)。这几个 Ar-Ar 年龄的一致性,说明样品具有良好的均匀性和稳定性,是理想的 K-Ar 和 Ar-Ar 法年龄标准物质。对均匀性检验数据进行统计学方法检验,在0.05显著性水平下,证明 K 和~(40)Ar~*的 F 分布值小于 F 临界值,说明该样品是均匀的。国内外14个实验室参加了 K 含量的定值分析,15个实验室参加了~(40)Ar~*含量的定值分析,经统计学方法检验,结果显示全部定值数据都服从正态分布并具等精度。在置信概率为0.95时,~(40)Ar~*和 K 含量的相对标准偏差都小于0.5%。两个特性量值定值分析结果的一致值和不确定度分别为:~(40)Ar~*=1.817±0.013×10~(-9)mol/g,K=7.60±0.02%,K-Ar 年龄(标准值)=132.9±1.3Ma(2σ).此标准物质纯度为98.8%,粒度为0.25-0.63mm,总重量为5800g,缩分成最小样品单元共400瓶,每瓶重量为14.5g。可供我国 K-Ar 和 Ar-Ar 法同位素年代学实验室使用120年。     

北大别黄土岭麻粒岩中黑云母过剩Ar的成因解释和Ar同位素热年代学研究启示

应用阶段加热脱气技术测定了北大别黄土岭麻粒岩的黑云母和共存花岗岩岩体中斜长角闪岩包体角闪石的Ar-Ar年龄。角闪石给出的坪年龄为(124.9±4.6） Ma,与区域上早白垩世120~130 Ma的变质-岩浆事件年龄相一致。黑云母给出的坪年龄为(176.9±0.8) Ma,年龄大于Ar封闭温度较高的角闪石的年龄,这表明黄土岭麻粒岩黑云母中含有过剩Ar。较低温度和富流体环境生长的晚世代黑云母是过剩Ar的主要载体。因此,在应用Ar-Ar热年代计重塑多成因同类含钾矿物的岩石地质体的冷却速率时,应用激光探针对代表峰期世代矿物进行原位测定应是正确的选择。     

氩-氩定年法国际标准物质BSP-1角闪石的研制

BSP-1角闪石选自中国吉林省桦甸县老牛沟的角闪石岩。~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar分析和均匀性检查表明:此角闪石结晶以后未受过热扰动,~(40)Ar~*保存性好,谱线平坦,K/Ca和Cl/K比值稳定。定值结果显示,在置信概率为0.95时,~(40)Ar~*和K含量的相对偏差均<5‰,是目前最理想的Ar-Ar和K-Ar法国际标准物质,可供全世界Ar-Ar实验室使用80年以上。     

西昆仑新藏公路北段古-中生代多期次构造-热事件年龄确定

为了建立西昆仑地区构造-热事件序列, 利用40Ar/39Ar同位素分析法对西昆仑新藏公路康西瓦断裂带以北具有代表性的同构造新生变质矿物角闪石、黑云母、绢云母单矿物进行了年龄测定, 得到几个多次出现的年龄值.结合早期该区发育的各类岩脉的侵位年龄综合分析, 认为片麻岩中单矿物黑云母440Ma和(403±6) Ma40Ar/39Ar年龄, 可代表早古生代俯冲变质年龄以及增生过程所持续的时间; 片岩、片麻岩中黑云母, 斜长角闪片岩(基性岩脉) 中单矿物角闪石的40Ar/39Ar年龄为382Ma~84Ma, 代表着该区从早古生代晚期的挤压构造环境转化为引张环境及其所持续的时间; 晚期脆性断裂中云母类矿物178Ma~65Ma的40Ar/39Ar年龄, 代表着该区在挤压走滑构造背景中断裂构造的脉冲式活动及其持续时间.      

辽宁小佟家堡子金矿床成矿时代探讨

小佟家堡子金矿床位于辽东金矿集中区,为产于古元古代变质岩系中的微细粒浸染型金矿,矿床类型独特。文章采用了绢云母^40Ar/^39Ar法对样品从450℃进行了8个阶段的加热分析。从绢云母石英交代岩型金矿石中挑选出与金矿化密切共生的绢云母单矿物,通过^40Ar/^39Ar快中子活化阶段加热法获得坪年龄为167Ma。绢云母^40Ar/^39Ar法测年结果与矿床的控矿构造特征、区域岩浆活动的演化规律相吻合,进一步证明了该金矿床为燕山期成矿。同时,绢云母^40Ar/^39Ar的马鞍形年龄谱还表明,在绢云母石英交代岩形成过程中,可捕获部分“过剩剩氩”,这可能是造成K－Ar法年龄值高、范围较大的原因之一。     

Interpreting high-pressure phengite <Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar laserprobe ages: an example from Saih Hatat,NE Oman

New single grain fusion and core-rim ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar laserprobe phengite data from the Saih Hatat high-pressure terrane in NE Oman show that individual samples yield a range of apparent ages which is similar to that previously reported from across the entire terrane. The majority of the determined ages are older than the previously reported U-Pb zircon peak metamorphic age. Core to rim age variations within individual grains range from no discernible difference across the grain to grains with older cores, or, rarely, older rims; some samples manifest all three patterns. Numerical diffusion modelling shows that due to the peak temperature of ca. 550°C, the measured apparent ages cannot be explained by simple cooling or by partial retention of crystallisation or detrital ages in an open system. The age variability is better explained by spatially and temporally variable open or closed system behaviour at the mm-cm scale coupled with pervasive and heterogeneously distributed excess argon. Anomalously old eclogite phengite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages are due either to internally derived ⁴⁰Ar inherited from a K-bearing precursor, or externally derived ⁴⁰Ar distributed by grain boundary fluids. Mica-rich schists within the eclogite boudins yield younger phengite ages, suggesting excess argon was absent or diluted. Pelites hosting the eclogite appear to have been affected by later fluid ingress during deformation and greenschist-facies overprint and yield very variable ages commonly with apparently older rims on younger cores. The grain- and sample-scale age variations measured in Saih Hatat indicate that the grain boundary network in eclogite pods was not an efficient transfer pathway for argon transport, whereas the grain boundary network in the surrounding pelites acted as a more efficient pathway on the timescale of the metamorphic cycle.     

腾冲火山岩斜长石斑晶的过剩氩兼论火山活动的分期

在腾冲黑空山、打鹰山和马鞍山火山岩的斜长石斑晶里首次发现存在过剩氩,并从基质中得到比以往的全岩年龄更年轻的KAr年龄,论证了以往所发表这一时间段的KAr 年龄结果可能因过剩氩而偏老,结合马鞍山已经取得的10 ka左右的U系年龄结果认为,腾冲最近一期火山活动的终止时间应为全新世。     

Excess and Radiogenic Argon in High-Pressure Mylonites of the Tan-Lu Fault Zone, Eastern China

Bulk separates of porphyroclastic phengite, neoformed phengite and their mixtures from the Tan-Lu HP mylonites overprinted on the Sulu UHP rocks were analyzed with the 40Ar/39Ar step heating method. Two samples of the neoformed phengite from ultramylonite give 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of 209.9±1.8 Ma and 214.3±1.8 Ma, which are interpreted as representing cooling times of the TanLu sinistral faulting, and provide geochronological evidence for the syn-orogenic faulting of the Tan-Lu fault zone. The results show that the phengite formed during the retrograde eclogite-facies mylonitization was not contaminated with excess argon and can be used for dating the deformation. Argon closure in previous K-bearing minerals with excess argon under a retrograde HP dry condition is considered to be the reason for lack of excess argon incorporation in the neoformed phengite. Five porphyroclastic phengite samples yield 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages ranging from 666±12 Ma to 307.1±3.3 Ma, which are interpreted as being contaminated with excess argon. Two mixture samples with plateau ages of 239.4±2.1 Ma and 239.3±2.0 Ma show upward-convex age spectra caused by the mixture of older porphyroclastic phengite with excess argon incorporation and younger neoformed phengite without excess argon incorporation. It is demonstrated that excess argon introduced from the previous UHP metamorphism is still preserved in the pre-existing phengite after the Tan-Lu eclogite-facies mylonitization. The intense deformation under HT and HP conditions cannot erase excess argon in the previous phengite totally due to restricted fluid activities. These porphyroclastic phengite previously contaminated with excess argon cannot be used for dating the later HP deformation. This indicates that deformation under a HP dry condition does not play an important role in removing previous 40Are in phengite.     

A 40Ar/39Ar laser probe study of micas from the Sesia Zone, Italian Alps: implications for metamorphic and deformation histories

Two samples from the Eclogite Micaschist Complex (EMC) and the Seconda Zona Diorito–Kinzigitica (IIDK) of the Sesia Zone have been studied using a high-spatial resolution laser probe ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar technique with the aim of investigating the complexities of argon behaviour in metamorphic rocks and comparing their thermal histories. Data from a single large phengite grain from the EMC show a range of ages from mid-Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous. These ‘apparent age’ variations are spatially related to both location within the grain and to intragrain microstructure. Modelling of the data shows that the profile formed by the diffusion of an excess argon component into the grain, parallel to the mica cleavage. Profile asymmetry is explained by temporal variations in microstructural development enabling excess argon to enter the grain at different times in different places. The temperatures of the initiation of deformation and the possible time-scales for the deformation can be calculated as a function of cooling rate. All estimates suggest deformation at greenschist facies, in accord with the observed retrograde mineral assemblage. Absolute temperature estimates for deformation vary by less than 22 °C for different cooling rates of 10 and 30 °C Ma^?1 but vary by 80 °C with different estimates of diffusion parameters. The duration of deformation was for at least 2 Ma at 10 °C Ma^?1 or 0.7 Ma at 30 °C Ma^?1. Biotites from the IIDK sample record a Permian to Upper Cretaceous age range that correlates with grain size, the smallest grain sizes yielding the youngest ages. This relationship is best explained by a partial resetting of biotites during an Alpine thermal event initiated not more than 70 Ma ago. Modelling of these data suggest that the sample never exceeded 300 °C during the Alpine. The profoundly different thermal histories of the two units—the EMC recrystallized at 550 °C whilst the IIDK remained below 300 °C—suggests that they may not have been juxtaposed until much later than the eclogite facies metamorphism.     

Limited mobility of argon in a metamorphic terrain

Excess ⁴⁰Ar in biotite from some relatively anhydrous charnockitic rocks in the Appalachian Piedmont indicates limited mobility of argon. Biotite from the Arden pluton of the granulite-facies Wilmington Complex apparently formed as a retrograde product at the expense of pyroxene and K-feldspar. Rb-Sr ages of biotite from all rocks are approximately 365 Myr. The same micas have apparent K-Ar ages which range from about 365–590 Myr, six of which clearly exceed the Sr isotope whole-rock date of 500 Myr. They contain variable amounts of excess⁴⁰Ar incorporated during crystallization or recrystallization of biotite at about 365 Myr ago. None of the other minerals appears to contain significant amounts of excess argon. The K-Ar apparent ages show strong, positive correlation with whole-rock K concentrations. These relations yield a correlation between excess argon in the biotite phase and rock potassium. This suggests that excess ⁴⁰Ar in biotite is of local derivation and is due to an imprint of the local argon activity. If the amount incorporated is roughly proportional to the prevailing argon partial pressure then substantial differences in p_Ar existed. Argon did not have a uniform chemical potential over large rock volumes. Analysis of closely spaced samples suggests different argon activity over the scale of less than 10m. This implies restricted transport of Ar and is probably due to very low effective permeability of the anhydrous assemblages.     

苏鲁超高压变质带东海青龙山高压正片麻岩中白云母的^40Ar／^39Ar年代学研究

作为东海青龙山榴辉岩围岩的高压变质的正片麻岩，其白云母的常规^40Ar／^39Ar年龄和Rb—Sr、Sm—Nd年龄一致，激光微区Ar同位素分析表明，白云母的Ar同位素分布也是均匀的。由此得出的初步结论是：①高压变质的正片麻岩中的白云母中不含过剩Ar，这类矿物可以作为^40Ar／^39Ar同位素测年的对象；②青龙山榴辉岩中的白云母含大量过剩氩，而作为其围岩的超高压正片麻岩中的白云母却不含过剩氩，这一事实证明了榴辉岩中白云母的过剩氩不是来自围岩，而是榴辉岩自身继承的。     

Recognition of extraneous argon components through incremental-release 40Ar39Ar analysis of biotite and hornblende across the Grenvillian metamorphic gradient in southwestern Labrador

${}^{40}\text{Ar}{}^{39}\text{Ar}$ incremental-release ages have been determined for 15 hornblende and 20 biotite concentrates separated from rocks collected across the garnet and kyanite zones of Grenvillian metamorphism in southwestern Labrador. Most hornblende spectra from the kyanite zone are slightly discordant, with low-temperature increments yielding ages older than the ca 1000 Ma date suggested for culmination of Grenvillian metamorphism in the area. However, all the hornblende concentrates record well-defined plateau ages. These range from 968 to 905 Ma across the kyanite zone and date times of diachronous post-metamorphic cooling. The discordant spectra are interpreted to result from low-temperature liberation of excess ⁴⁰Ar components from grain margins. Two hornblende concentrates from the garnet zone display very discordant spectra (total-gas ages of 2100 and 3017 Ma) in which incremental dates systematically decrease during analysis. This pattern of discordance suggests that excess argon components are inhomogeneously distributed throughout these hornblende grains.Most biotites from the garnet and kyanite zones record total-gas or plateau ages in excess of 1000 Ma (2066-857 Ma), reflecting the widespread presence of excess argon components. Because most of the ${}^{40}\text{Ar}{}^{39}\text{Ar}$ age spectra are internally concordant, the ratios of excess ⁴⁰Ar relative to radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar must have been uniform in the various gas fractions liberated from each sample. This is also reflected in the inability of isotope correlation diagrams to differentiate between excess, radiogenic, and atmospheric argon components. The biotite total-gas or plateau dates show marked local variation. This is interpreted to indicate that the biotite grains were in contact with a post-metamorphic intergranular vapor phase that was characterized by large and variable ${}^{40}\text{Ar}{}^{36}\text{Ar}$ ratios. Such ratios most likely resulted from widespread diffusion of the argon liberated from adjacent Archean basement gneisses during the Grenvillian metamorphic overprint.     

构造剪切与变质角闪石中过剩Ar的引入：北秦岭丹凤群斜长角闪岩的Sm－Nd、Rb－Sr和~（40）Ar／~（39）Ar测年证据

本文对两个北秦岭丹凤群斜长角闪岩样品进行了Ｓｍ－Ｎｄ、Ｒｂ－Ｓｒ和４０Ａｒ／３９Ａｒ测年，发现其中受构造改造轻微的黑河丹凤群斜长角闪岩样品的角闪石４０Ａｒ／３９Ａｒ年龄与其Ｒｂ－Ｓｒ、Ｓｍ－Ｎｄ矿物等时线年龄接近，而遭受强烈构造剪切作用的蒲峪丹凤群斜长角闪（片）岩的角闪石４０Ａｒ／３９Ａｒ年龄则明显高于其Ｒｂ－Ｓｒ、Ｓｍ－Ｎｄ矿物等时线年龄，指示构造剪切作用对变质角闪石中过剩氩的引入有显著影响。在利用４０Ａｒ／３９Ａｒ进行造山带年代学研究时这一问题应引起注意     

An 40Ar–39Ar investigation of high-pressure metamorphism and the retrogressive history of mafic eclogites from the Lanterman Range (Antarctica): evidence against a simple temperature control on argon transport in amphibole

Mafic eclogites sampled from a restricted area in the Lanterman Range (Antarctica) retrogressed variably under amphibolite facies metamorphism. Assemblages range from well-preserved eclogite, with minor growth of Na-Ca amphibole, to strongly retrogressed ones with extensive development of Ca amphibole. ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar furnace step-heating experiments on the different amphiboles yield results varying from plateau ages of ~498 Ma to a near-plateau age of ~490 Ma, and the greater the amphibolite retrogression, the younger the age. ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar infrared laser-probe analyses on rock chips from a well-preserved eclogite and a slightly retrogressed one reveal the presence of an excess argon component. Whereas excess argon is invariably present in garnet and clinopyroxene developed under high-pressure metamorphism, it is heterogeneously distributed in amphibole on a millimetre scale. Results indicate that excess argon was incorporated during high-pressure metamorphism; this component was then lost during retrogression, while a change in composition of ambient argon to atmospheric argon occurred. New ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar data and previously published Sm-Nd garnet and U-Pb rutile ages obtained from the same well-preserved eclogite sample suggest that the oldest Na-Ca amphibole age is reliable and not an artefact due to the incorporation of excess argon. The variably retrogressed eclogites are thought to derive from different parts of the enclosing metasedimentary rocks that were variably invaded by fluids during amphibolite facies metamorphism. Thus the circulation of fluids promoting (re)crystallisation, and not temperature, was the main process controlling the rate of argon transport in the studied eclogites. The different ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar ages are interpreted to record diachronous amphibole growth at different crustal levels during exhumation. Data indicate that there was about a 10-Ma interval between the eclogite facies stage (at ̿.5 GPa) and the Ca amphibole-hydration forming reaction (at 0.3-0.5 GPa); this translates into an average exhumation rate of 3-4 km/Ma.     

A microstructural and argon laserprobe study of shear zone development at the western margin of the Nanga Parbat–Haramosh Massif,western Himalaya

A sample of banded amphibolite from the western margin of the Nanga Parbat–Haramosh Massif as Sassi has been studied using microstructural and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar laserprobe techniques to investigate the relationship between deformation and argon isotope variations in a natural system. Amphibolite-grade deformation occurred during south-directed overthrusting of the Kohistan arc over India along the Main Mantle Thrust and was overprinted by extensional reactivation of the earlier fabric and the formation of biotite-rich shear zones. Subsequent deformation along discrete fine-grained fault zones was characterised by the formation of scapolite, chlorite and K-feldspar, early plastic deformation and later cataclasis. Different minerals developed during this history show a wide range in apparent ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages. Biotite, chlorite and scapolite exhibit much lower concentrations of excess argon, indicating their equilibration in a fluid relatively poor in excess argon. A `true' age of ca. 8 Ma from biotite represents a minimum age for deformation associated with formation of the Nanga Parbat Syntaxis and also precludes Pliocene metamorphism in this area of the syntaxis. Both high- and low-closure temperature minerals (amphiboles and feldspars) record apparent ages which are associated with the incorporation of excess argon within the mineral lattice. Although differential thermal resetting of minerals at different closure temperatures is important, variations in the inherited ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratio throughout the sample is dominated by deformation and fluid infiltration. Consequently it appears that within deforming metamorphic rocks, areas with significantly different argon isotope compositions may be present and need not be homogenised by diffusion. Received: 6 July 1994 / Accepted: 24 December 1996