造山带橄榄岩记录的大陆俯冲带多期壳幔相互作用

俯冲带是地壳与地幔之间物质交换的主要场所.前人对大洋俯冲带壳幔相互作用进行了大量研究,但是对俯冲带壳幔相互作用的物理化学过程和机理仍缺乏明确认识.在大陆俯冲带出露有造山带橄榄岩,它们来自俯冲板片之上的地幔楔,是解决这个问题的理想样品.通过对大别-苏鲁和柴北缘造山带橄榄岩进行系统的岩石学和地球化学研究,发现地幔楔橄榄岩由于俯冲地壳的交代作用而含有新生锆石和残留锆石,它们能为地壳交代作用时间、交代介质来源、性质和组成提供制约.地幔楔橄榄岩在大陆碰撞过程的不同阶段受到了俯冲大陆地壳衍生的多期不同性质流体的交代作用.地幔楔橄榄岩还受到了陆壳俯冲之前古俯冲洋壳衍生流体的交代作用.深俯冲陆壳衍生熔体与橄榄岩反应形成的石榴辉石岩具有高的水含量,能提供高水含量的地幔源区.      

大别-苏鲁造山带橄榄岩记录的碰撞造山过程中地幔楔的地壳交代作用

地壳交代作用是洋壳俯冲带板片-地幔界面的普遍现象,由于地幔楔样品的缺乏,其识别存在困难。而碰撞造山带广泛出露的地幔楔来源的造山带橄榄岩则是理想的研究对象。本文对大别-苏鲁造山带橄榄岩的已有研究成果进行了系统总结。这些成果表明这些橄榄岩在大洋俯冲向大陆碰撞转换的不同阶段经历了多期地壳来源流体的交代作用。地壳交代作用不仅改变了地幔楔橄榄岩的地球化学成分,而且导致了交代矿物的生长以及超镁铁质交代体的形成。这些交代体或作为同碰撞和碰撞后镁铁质火成岩的地幔源区,或将地壳组分传输到深部地幔,或释放流体交代大陆俯冲隧道中的俯冲陆壳。本文对地壳交代作用研究中存在的重要问题和解决思路提出了建议。     

西南天山东德沟橄榄岩的岩相学、矿物学演化特征及其地质意义

中国西南天山东德橄榄岩出露于天山伊犁-中天山板块和塔里木板块碰撞造山带北缘,普遍经历了复杂多期的含水流体(熔体)交代作用.主要矿物为橄榄石、斜方辉石、尖晶石、角闪石、金云母和单斜辉石,研究发现,橄榄石和斜方辉石与地幔楔橄榄岩中橄榄石和斜方辉石成份相近,原生铬尖晶石具有SSZ环境橄榄岩的特征,次生绿色尖晶石形成于麻粒岩相-角闪相环境.岩相学、矿物转变结构分析和矿物组合及矿物成分变化表明,东德沟橄榄岩记录了复杂的演化历史,先后经历了地幔交代、麻粒岩相-角闪相退变质作用和蛇纹石化等阶段的演化.研究认为东德沟橄榄岩最初可能形成于915～961℃的地幔环境,而发生地幔交代时的温压条件约为770 ～ 900℃,10～18kbar.该橄榄岩全岩较低的TiO2含量和尖晶石中较低TiO2含量,以及矿物组合显示出因俯冲板块脱水而造成的快速冷却特征,表明东德沟橄榄岩极有可能是SSZ环境俯冲板片上地幔楔橄榄岩残片.     

大陆俯冲隧道壳幔相互作用:来自苏鲁造山带橄榄岩的锆石学证据

大陆碰撞造山带石榴橄榄岩作为超高压变质地体的重要组成部分之一,记录了大陆俯冲带之上地幔楔的组成和演化、壳-幔相互作用、流体-岩石相互作用及俯冲带化学地球动力学等重要信息。我们在锆石岩相学研究的基础上,对苏鲁造山带腾家橄榄岩及其寄主片麻岩不同锆石区域进行了U-Pb定年、微量元素和Hf-O同位素联合原位分析。滕家橄榄岩呈块状产于超高压花岗质片麻岩中,主要矿物组成为橄榄石+斜方辉石+尖晶石+铬铁矿+角闪石+蛇纹石±绿泥石±白云石±锆石。锆石具有明显的核-(幔)-边结构。残留岩浆锆石具有振荡环带或模糊的振荡环带,主要为新元古代U-Pb年龄,同时含有少量中、古元古代的U-Pb年龄。它们具有高的Th/U比值(0.1)和陡峭的MREE-HREE配分,包含石英、磷灰石和斜长石包裹体。残留岩浆锆石的U-Pb年龄、微量元素和Hf-O同位素组成与大别-苏鲁造山带超高压变质岩的原岩锆石相似。因此,这些残留岩浆锆石可能是被来自深俯冲大陆地壳脱水产生的交代流体物理搬运到橄榄岩之中。相反,交代生长锆石具有弱分带或无分带,U-Pb年龄为(220±2)~(231±4)Ma,略低于大别—苏鲁造山带超高压变质作用时间。它们具有相对低的Th/U比值(0.1)、HREE含量、陡的MREE-HREE配分、负的Eu异常和低的δ18O值(-11.3%~0.9‰),包含石英和磷灰石包裹体。因此,这些锆石在深俯冲大陆地壳折返初期从交代流体中新生长。不论残留岩浆锆石还是交代生长锆石,其微量元素和Hf-O同位素组成都与寄主片麻岩明显不同,可见,交代流体不是直接来自寄主片麻岩,而是深俯冲大陆地壳的脱水流体。交代流体亦造成显性交代,形成角闪石、蛇纹石和绿泥石等交代成因矿物。总之,滕家橄榄岩经历了来自深俯冲大陆地壳在折返初期变质脱水形成的富水流体的交代作用。在大陆俯冲隧道的板块-地幔界面,这些地壳来源的流体不仅携带Zr和Si等化学组分,而且把深俯冲地壳来源的微小锆石颗粒迁移进入橄榄岩。因此,造山带橄榄岩通过化学迁移(溶解元素)和物理迁移(微小矿物颗粒)等机制记录了大陆俯冲带的壳幔相互作用。流体-橄榄岩反应是大陆俯冲带壳幔相互作用的基本机制。     

大陆俯冲带壳幔相互作用

由板块俯冲引发的深部物质循环过程是地球内部的一级运行机制,主宰了地球从内到外的演化进程,是地球科学研究的重要前沿.俯冲带化学地球动力学研究不仅需要确定俯冲带地壳物质再循环的机制和形式,而且需要确定俯冲带动力来源和热体制及其随时间的变化.为了识别不同类型壳源熔/流体对地幔楔的交代作用、寻求板片-地幔界面反应的岩石学和地球化学证据、理解汇聚板块边缘地壳俯冲和拆沉对地幔不均一性的贡献,我们必须将俯冲带变质作用、交代作用和岩浆作用作为一个地球科学系统来考虑.板块俯冲带变质过程中发生一系列物理化学变化,这些变化不但是导致板块进一步俯冲的主要驱动力,同时也控制着释放的熔/流体组成和俯冲到地球深部的物质组成,对俯冲带化学地球动力学过程产生重要影响.地幔楔作为俯冲系统中连接俯冲盘和仰冲盘的关键构造单元,在地球层圈之间物质循环和能量交换等方面起着重要作用.造山带地幔楔橄榄岩直接记录了俯冲带多种性质的熔/流体交代作用,以及复杂的壳幔物质循环过程.俯冲带岩浆岩是大洋/大陆板块俯冲物质再循环的表现形式,这些岩石样品记录了俯冲带从深部地幔到浅部地壳的过程,也为认识地球深部物质循环提供了理想的天然样品.尽管国际上在俯冲带岩石学和地球化学领域针对地球深部过程的研究方面取得了多项重要进展,但由于研究工作缺乏密切的协同配合,包括俯冲带熔/流体的物理化学性质、俯冲带壳幔相互作用的机制和过程、俯冲带幔源岩浆活动的物质来源和启动机制以及深部地幔过程对地表环境的影响等许多关键科学问题尚未得到根本解决.将来的研究需要聚焦俯冲带物质循环这一核心科学问题,进一步查明俯冲带变质作用、交代作用、岩浆作用等过程的各自特征和相互联系,包括挥发性组分在地球深部的迁移过程及其资源和环境效应,着力考察研究相对薄弱的古俯冲带,阐明板块俯冲与地球深部物质循环之间的耦合机制.      

俯冲隧道内不同深度的壳幔相互作用:地幔楔超镁铁质岩的镁同位素记录

在不同的俯冲深度,俯冲板片会释放出不同来源和组成的熔/流体进入俯冲隧道中,并进而影响上覆地幔楔及衍生岛弧岩浆的地球化学组成.然而,如何识别俯冲隧道中不同深度熔/流体组分的来源一直是俯冲带研究中的难点.对不同深度来源的地幔楔超基性岩进行了Mg同位素研究,发现了Mg同位素具有示踪俯冲板块熔/流体来源的能力.首先,研究了美国加州Franciscan杂岩中一套经历了多期次流体交代作用的浅部来源（< ~60 km）的变质超基性岩.这些部分蛇纹石化的地幔楔超基性岩在蛇纹石脱水形成滑石的过程中会释放轻Mg同位素进入流体,而重Mg同位素更多地残留在滑石相中;随后进一步受俯冲板块来源流体的交代形成具有高CaO和轻Mg同位素组成的透闪石化变橄榄岩,暗示流体中含有源自俯冲板片的、富集轻Mg同位素的碳酸盐,说明在弧前~60 km深度,部分含Mg碳酸盐（方解石）可以在俯冲隧道中发生溶解并迁移交代上覆地幔楔橄榄岩.对深部地幔楔来源（~160 km）的大别造山带毛屋地区超镁铁质岩体岩相学和元素地球化学研究结果证实了其交代成因.结合多相包裹体、元素地球化学以及前人估计的温-压条件,推测交代介质更接近超临界流体.锆石U-Pb年代学研究揭示,交代作用主要发生在古生代洋壳俯冲阶段（454±58 Ma）,超高压变质作用则发生在三叠纪陆壳俯冲阶段（232.8±7.9 Ma）.古生代锆石中大量的碳酸盐矿物包裹体和重O同位素特征说明古生代洋壳俯冲交代过程中有沉积碳酸盐组分加入.全岩和单矿物的Mg同位素组成均显著低于地幔值以及大别新元古代榴辉岩,说明交代的碳酸盐组分来源应为循环的沉积富Mg碳酸盐,暗示了在俯冲带深部富Mg沉积碳酸盐在超临界流体中会发生溶解迁移.由于沉积碳酸盐具有独特的、显著富集轻Mg同位素组成的特征,这种交代作用会造成地幔楔局部具有异常的Mg同位素组成,从而解释目前观察到的岛弧火山岩的Mg同位素特征.因此,Mg同位素是示踪俯冲碳酸盐与上覆地幔楔相互作用的有效工具.      

造山带中富集型上地幔的成因——以萨尔托海蛇绿岩块为例

发育于造山带中的蛇绿岩,其剖面下部的地幔橄榄岩部分是造山带地区富集型上地幔的直接标本。其地球化学特点是:主要元素Al_2O_3、TiO_2、CaO、Na_2O、K_2O强烈亏损,而REE,痕量元素和87Sr/86Sr则强烈富集;同时,143Nd/144Nd<0.511836,亦表明它们属于一个富集型的源区。 形成富集型上地幔的主要机制是地幔交代作用,富含不相容元素的低熔岩浆和富Ca-LREE流体与已亏损的地幔橄榄岩发生脉状交代和渗透交代反应,从而造成上地幔中不相容元素的富集。造山带富集型上地幔形成的构造环境是:洋壳从扩张脊向两侧运移并最终拼入造山带这段时间内。富集型上地幔不但存在于大陆区,而且亦存在于造山带地区,它可能是一种全球性的地球内部的化学作用。     

造山带橄榄岩起源和大陆俯冲带壳幔相互作用

俯冲地壳衍生流体交代地幔楔,是产生俯冲带岩浆作用的重要机制.但是,目前人们对俯冲大陆物质改造地幔楔的岩石学过程和机理仍缺乏深入认识,造山带橄榄岩是解析这一问题的直接样品.通过对大别-苏鲁造山带橄榄岩进行系统的矿物学、岩石学和地球化学研究,发现橄榄石Ni/Co比值可有效区分幔源和壳源造山带橄榄岩,揭示幔源造山带橄榄岩起源于华北岩石圈地幔.苏鲁李家屯纯橄岩在进入俯冲带之前就已在地幔内部经历了碳酸盐熔体交代.大别毛屋和苏鲁蒋庄橄榄岩及其交代脉体记录了约170~200 km深度的俯冲带壳幔相互作用过程.深俯冲陆壳释放的富Si-Al质熔体可不同程度地改造地幔楔底部,形成富石榴石和富辉石的交代岩,并引发强烈的Os同位素分馏效应.该过程不仅改变地幔楔岩性和化学组成,还能够改变交代介质成分,为俯冲带各类深部地幔岩浆提供源区物质.因此,大陆深俯冲是导致上地幔不均一的重要途径.      

柴北缘从大洋俯冲到陆陆碰撞:来自开屏沟造山带M型橄榄岩的证据

造山带幔源（M型）橄榄岩虽然在高压/超高压变质带分布不多,但由于其来自俯冲板块上覆的岩石圈地幔,因此是研究俯冲隧道内俯冲板片与地幔楔之间相互作用的重要对象,对于还原超高压变质带的演化有重要意义.柴北缘鱼卡榴辉岩-片麻岩区边部附近的开屏沟存在一套橄榄岩,其岩石类型、成因、时代等都缺乏研究.对开屏沟橄榄岩全岩的主量和微量元素及铂族元素、橄榄石主量元素、锆石U-Pb年龄和Hf同位素进行了研究.结果显示,其全岩具有高的Mg#、Mg/Si和Ni值,同时表现出亏损难溶的HFSE和HREE,轻微富集LILE和LREE中与流体活动性相关的元素;橄榄石具有较高的Fo值（90.11~92.77）与NiO含量（0.32%~0.45%）、低的CaO含量（< 0.02%）;PGEs的球粒陨石标准化配分模式与交代橄榄岩和残留橄榄岩近似;两组变质锆石年龄为459.5±3.6 Ma和417.5±2.7 Ma,对应的ε_Hf（t）值为-0.71~9.45和-11.96~-1.20,分别反映了洋壳流体（或早期大陆俯冲板片流体）和陆壳流体交代的性质和时限.开屏沟橄榄岩来源于俯冲带上覆地幔楔,遭受了不同来源流体不同程度的交代作用而获得地壳特征,同时为柴北缘大洋俯冲到陆陆碰撞的构造演化提供了新证据.      

高压-超高压变质带中超基性岩的成因类型及其流体活动

超基性岩的地质过程提供了地幔岩在造山带形成过程中所作的贡献,并记录了地质构造以及壳-幔之间相互作用的信息。根据现有的研究,可将俯冲带橄榄岩大致分为陆下地幔橄榄岩、基性-超基性堆晶杂岩和大洋地幔橄榄岩。文中简要评述了不同类型造山带橄榄岩的岩石学和地球化学特征。不同类型的橄榄岩所经历的地质历史不同,而留有不同的岩石学和地球化学特征。大多数造山带橄榄岩经历了高压-超高压变质作用,并受到蛇纹岩化等多期次流体和融体的交代作用,因而俯冲造山带的辉石岩和橄榄岩无论在岩石学的组成、结构和地球化学等特征方面通常表现得复杂多变。     

Zircon U-Pb Age, Trace Element, and Hf Isotope Evidence for Paleoproterozoic Granulite-Facies Metamorphism and Archean Crustal Remnant in the Dabie Orogen

Zircon U-Pb age, trace elements, and Hf isotopes were determined for granulite and gneiss at Huaugtuling (黄土岭), which is hosted by ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks in the Dabie(大别) orogen, east-central China. Cathodolumineseence (CL) images reveal core-rim structure for most zircons in the granulite. The cores show oscillatory zoning, relatively high Th/U and 176 Lu/177 Hf ratios, and high rare earth element (HREE)-enriched pattern, consistent with magmatic origin. They gave a weighted mean 207 Pb/206 Pb age of (2 766±9) Ma, dating magma emplacement of protolith. The rims are characterized by sector ur planar zoning, low Th/U and 176 Lu/177 Hf ratios, negative Euanomalies and flat HREE patterns, consistent with their formation under granulite-facies metamorphicconditions. Zircon U-Pb dating yields an age of (2 029±13) Ma, which is interpreted as a record ofmetamorphic event during the assembly of the supercontinent Columbia. The gneiss has a protolith ageof (1982±14) Ma, which is similar to the zircon U-Pb age for the granulite-facies metamorphism,suggesting complementary processes to granulite-facies metamorphism and partial melting. A fewinherited cores with igneous characteristics have 207 pb/206 Pb ages of approximately 3.53, 3.24, and 2.90Ga, respectively, suggesting the presence of Mesoarchean to Paleoarchean crustal remnants. A fewTriassic and Cretaceous metamorphic ages were obtained, suggesting the influences by the Triassiccontinental collision and postcollisional collapse in response to the Cretaceous extension. Comparingwith abundant occurrence of Triassic metamorphic zircons in ultrahigh-pressure eclogite and granitehydrous melt is evident for zircon growth in theHuangtuling granulite and gneiss during thecontinental collision. The magmatic protolithzircons from the granulite show a large variationin 176 Hf/177 Hf ratios from 0.280 809 to 0.281 289,corresponding to era(t) values of-7.3 to 6.3 andHf model ages of 2.74 to 3.34 Ga. The 2.90 Gainherited zircons show the similar Hf isotope features. These indicate that both growth of juvenile crust and reworking of ancient crust took place at the time of zircon formation. It is inferred that the Archean basement of the Yangtze block occurs in thenorth as the Dabie orogen, with ca. 2.90-2.95 Ga and 2.75-2.80 Ga as two major episodes of crustalformation.     

Morphology and impurity elements of zircon in the oceanic lithosphere at the Mid-Atlantic ridge axial zone (6°–13° N): Evidence of specifics of magmatic crystallization and postmagmatic transformations

The paper presents newly obtained original data on the morphology, internal structure (as seen in cathodoluminescence images, CL), and composition of more than 400 zircon grains separated from gabbroids and plagiogranites (OPG) sampled at the axial zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). The zircons were analyzed for REE by LA-ICP-MS and for Hf, U, Th, Y, and P by EPMA. Magmatic zircon in the gabbroids crystallized from differentiating magmatic melt in a number of episodes, as follows from systematic rimward increase in the Hf concentration, and also often from the simultaneous increase in the (U + Th) and (Y + P) concentrations. These tendencies are also discernible (although much less clearly) in zircons from the OPG. Zircon in the OPG is depleted in REE compared to the least modified zircons in the gabbro, which suggests that the OPG were derived via partial melting of gabbro in the presence of seawater-derived concentrated aqueous salt fluid. Another reason for the REE depletion might be simultaneous crystallization of zircon and apatite. The CL-dark sectors, which are found in practically all of the magmatic zircon grains, have Y/P (a.p.f.u.) ? 1 which most likely resulted from OH accommodation in the zircon structure, a fact suggesting that the OPG parental melt contained water. High-temperature hydrothermal processes induced partial to complete recrystallization of zircon (via dissolution-reprecepitation), a process that was associated with ductile and brittle deformations of the zircon-hosting rocks. The morphology of the hydrothermal zircons varies depending on pH and silica activity in the fluid from weakly corroded subhedral crystals with typical vermicular microtopography of the crystal faces to completely modified grains of colloform structure. Geochemically, the earlier hydrothermal transformations of the zircons resulted in their enrichment in La and other LREE, except only Ce, whose concentration, conversely, decreases compared to that of the unmodified magmatic zircons. The hydrothermal zircon displays a reduced Ce anomaly and its most altered domains typically host minute inclusions of xenotime, U and Th oxides and silicates, and occasionally also baddeleyite, which suggests that the hydrothermal fluid was reduced and highly alkaline. These features were acquired by the seawater-derived fluid when it circulated within the axial MAR zone area due to phase separation in the H₂O–NaCl system and particularly as a result of fluid interaction with the abyssal peridotites of oceanic core complexes. Our data demonstrate that zircon is a sensitive indicator of tectonic and physicochemical processes in the oceanic crust.     

Geochemistry and U–Pb age of zircons from the Vurechuaivench massif,Monchegorsk complex,Kola region

The paper presents data on the geochemical and geochronological characteristics of zircons from mafic rocks of part of the Monchegorsk layered complex represented by the Vurechuaivench massif. Ages of zircons (SHRIMP-II) from samples V-l-09 (anorthosite) and V-2-09 (gabbronorite) are dated back to 2508 ± 7 and 2504 ± 8 Ma, respectively. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns confirm the magmatic nature of zircons. The data unequivocally indicate that the U–Pb age of zircon from both gabbronorite and anorthosite corresponds to the age of melt crystallization in a magmatic chamber. The mantle origin of gabbroic rocks of the Vurechuaivench massif is confirmed by the REE patterns of three zircon generations with different crystallization sequences. The wide range of the Ce/Ce* ratio (9.96–105.24) established for zircons from gabbroic rocks of the Vurechuaivench massif indicates sharply oxidative conditions of zircon crystallization. For deepseated mantle rocks, these data can only be explained by significant contamination of the melt with country rock material.     

Zircon in gabbroids from the axial zone of the Mid-Atlantic ridge, Markov Deep, 6° N: Correlation of geochemical features with petrogenetic processes

This paper reports the results of detailed petrological-geochemical study of zircons and host rocks that were dredged from the Markov Deep area in the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic ridge. The rocks are represented by variably cataclased gabbronorite with veinlets of oceanic plagiogranite (OPG) as well as leucocratic gabbro (primitive gabbro) and hornblende Fe-Ti oxide gabbronorite (ferrogabbro) without OPG. The studied zircons differ in morphology, inner structure, set of mineral inclusions (ingrowths), and content of trace elements. Compositional heterogeneity is also observed within individual grains. The REE distribution patterns in zircons are characterized by gentle growth from LREE to HREE, with prominent positive Ce anomaly and negative Eu anomaly, and in general fall in the range of zircons from magmatic rocks. Oceanic zircons clearly differ from continental populations in the U/Yb-Y and U/Yb-Hf discrimination diagrams, primarily, due to their lower U/Yb ratio at wide variations of Y and Hf contents. Zircons that contain inclusions of acid glass and hence, crystallized from OPG melt are relatively depleted in REE, especially HREE. This indicates that OPG was formed by partial melting of gabbro in the presence of concentrated water-salt fluid, which extracted REE from the plagiogranite melt. Zircons from gabbroids devoid of OPG inclusions have higher total REE contents than zircons from OPG. Late hydrothermal alterations of zircon are distinctly established by the formation of neogenic collomorphic (porous) texture and/or by composition of mineral inclusions and accompanied by significant enrichment in La. Heterogeneous distribution of Ti in zircon may be caused not only by a change in its crystallization temperature, but also variations in silica to titanium oxide activity ratios in the rocks during interaction with hydrothermal solution of variable acidity. A complex study of structural-morphological and geochemical features of oceanic zircons and phase composition of host rocks and inclusions provides insight into processes leading to the crystallization and subsequent evolution of this mineral in the rocks of oceanic lithosphere.     

Vendian tectono-magmatic events in mantle ophiolitic complexes of the polar Urals: U-Pb dating of zircon from chromitite

Geological and isotopic evidence of Late Vendian magmatic events in restitic ultramafic mantle rocks of the Voikar-Syn’ya ophiolitic massif are considered and correlated with events at the eastern margin of the East European Platform. The geological and isotopic data show that the ophiolitic complexes of the Polar Urals were formed during several stages. The percolation of melts through peridotites was recorded in the newly formed mineral assemblages, for example, olivine + chromite ± zircon. Zircon crystallized from the residual fraction of the evolved basic melt that impregnated peridotite. The active interaction of hot restitic harzburgite with the migrating melt resumed repeatedly and could have led to the formation of several generations of chromite-bearing dunite. An important geological inference can be made from this suggestion: There is a high probability that isotopic markers of different age have been retained in restitic mantle complexes of ophiolites. The U-Pb dating of zircons with a SHRIMP-2 ion microprobe has shown that the isotopic age of seven grains is 585.3 ± 6 Ma (MSWD is 0.036 and the probability of concordance is 0.85). The obtained age of zircon from chromitite marks a Vendian tectonomagmatic event that occurred in the upper mantle of the transitional zone between the East European Plate and the oceanic basin. The island-arc complexes of the Polar Urals developed on the tectonically juxtaposed fragments of the Early Paleozoic and pre-Paleozoic oceanic crust. These crustal rocks were reworked during younger magmatic events related to the origin of the Middle Paleozoic island arcs. As a result, the rocks that formed in different geological epochs were locally retained in the restitic mantle complexes of a spatially indivisible ophiolitic association.     

Time of formation and peak of Variscan HP-HT metamorphism of quartz-feldspar rocks in the central Erzgebirge,Saxony, Germany

The Variscan Erzgebirge represents an antiform with a core of gneisses and mica schists, surrounded by a phyllitic mantle. The Gneiss-Eclogite Unit (GEU), in the central part, is a composite tectonometamorphic assemblage characterized by a HP-HT imprint and comprises migmatitic para- and orthogneisses, HT mylonites, HP granulites, eclogites and garnet peridotites. It is tectonically sandwiched between two major units with distinctly lower PT histories. The GEU experienced a characteristic “kinked” retrograde PT path after HP-HT equilibration with: (1) strong near-isothermal decompression at high temperatures; (2) extensive re-equilibration at medium pressures, followed (3) by rapid cooling during continued uplift. We dated zircons (Pb-Pb evaporation) from granitoid orthogneisses and metapelites of the GEU. The orthogneisses contain euhedral, long-prismatic zircons of igneous origin that provided protolith ages between 470 and 524 Ma. Metapelites retain well-preserved granulite-facies mineral assemblages and contain spherical, multifaceted metamorphic zircons that grew near the peak of HP/HT metamorphism. Inclusions of prograde HP phengite (∼15 kbar) and rutile are included in one such zircon. Metamorphic zircons of three samples from different localities yielded identical ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages of 340.5 ± 0.7 Ma, 341.2 ± 0.5 Ma and 341.6 ± 0.5 Ma respectively. Consideration of these zircon ages with published ³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar white mica ages suggests fast cooling and uplift rates in excess of 50 °C/Ma and 4 km/Ma. This is typical for large-scale extensional tectonic unroofing of the ultra-deep part of a fossil, thickened Variscan continental crust (>60 km) during continuing continental collision and orogenic collapse. Received: 5 June 1997 / Accepted: 7 January 1998     

Polychronous formation of mantle complexes in ophiolites

The paper presents new determinations of the U-Pb zircon age of high-Al chromitite from dunite of the mantle section of the Voikar-Synya massif at the Kershor site in the boundary zone with rocks of the dunite-wehrlite-clinopyroxenite complex. The high-Cr chromitite from dunite in the central part of the same massif contains zircon dated at ca. 0.6 Ga [10]. It is suggested that Paleoproterozoic (2.0?1.9 Ga) zircons from chromitites of the mantle section near the petrological Moho boundary were formed in the course of partial melting of peridotites and/or their interaction with migrating MORB-type melts. The occurrence of Vendian and Paleoproterozoic zircons in chromitites from different parts of the mantle section, as well as previously published petrological, geochemical, and geological data [2, 11, 22] allow us to suggest a complex multistage evolution of the mantle section in ophiolites. The arguments stated below show that chromitites and host dunites could have been formed at different times and were probably related to different processes. Thus, not only various complexes of the pre-Paleozoic oceanic crust reworked in the suprasubduction setting differ in age, but also the mantle rock of similar petrography, vary in the time of their formation.