Dehydration melting, fluid buffering and decompressional P–T path in a granulite complex from the Eastern Ghats, India

A suite of metapelites, charnockites, calc-silicate rocks, quartzo-feldspathic gneisses and mafic granulites is exposed at Garbham, a part of the Eastern Ghats granulite belt of India. Reaction textures and mineral compositional data have been used to determine the P–T–X evolutionary history of the granulites. In metapelites and charnockites, dehydration melting reactions involving biotite produced quartzofeldspathic segregations during peak metamorphism. However, migration of melt from the site of generation was limited. Subsequent to peak metamorphism at c . 860° C and 8 kbar, the complex evolved through nearly isothermal decompression to 530–650° C and 4–5 kbar. During this phase, coronal garnet grew in the calc-silicates, while garnet in the presence of quartz broke down in charnockite and mafic granulite. Fluid activities during metamorphism were internally buffered in different lithologies in the presence of a melt phase. The P–T path of the granulites at Garbham contrasts sharply with the other parts of the Eastern Ghats granulite belt where the rocks show dominantly near-isobaric cooling subsequent to peak metamorphism.     

Crustal trajectory of sapphirine-bearing granulites from Ganguvarpatti, South India: evidence for an isothermal decompression path

Abstract Ganguvarpatti is part of a Precambrian terrane characterized by granulite facies rocks, including charnockites, mafic granulites, sapphirine-bearing granulites, leptynites and gneisses. A sequence of reactions deduced from the multiphase reaction textures provide information on the metamorphic history of this area, as they formed in response to decompression during uplift. Geothermobarometry and constraints from reaction textures define a segment of a P–T path traversed by the granulites of Ganguvarpatti. Near-peak metamorphic conditions of c. 800°C and 8 kbar were succeeded by a symplectitic stage at a significantly lower pressure ( c. 700°C and 4.5 kbar), documenting a nearly isothermal decompression P–T path and rapid uplift ( c. 12 km) followed by cooling. The presence of many fluid inclusions of extremely low density in the charnockites is consistent with a nearly isothermal uplift path. Attainment of a maximum pressure of c. 8 kbar indicates c. 27 km depth of burial during metamorphism. This would imply a total crustal thickness of c. 65–70 km at 2.6–2.5 Ga. Such a profound crustal thickness and a clockwise decompressive P–T path is interpreted as a consequence of tectonic thickening of crust, accomplished by collision tectonics of the southern granulite terrane against the Dharwar craton along the Palghat–Cauvery shear zone via northward subduction.     

Zircon U---Pb and biotite Rb---Sr dating of the wami river granulites, Eastern Granulites, Tanzania: Evidence for approximately 715 Ma old granulite-facies metamorphism and final Pan-African cooling approximately 475 Ma ago

A UPb investigation of suites of zircons from five granulites in the Wami River area, Tanzania, yields a 17-points discordia with upper and lower intercepts at 714_?49⁺³⁶ Ma and 538_?35⁺⁴⁹ Ma, respectively. These systematics are interpreted to indicate an age of approximately 715 Ma (Pan African) for the M1 granulite-facies metamorphism, whereas the lower intercept is related to a stage in the uplift and cooling following the M2 amphibolite-facies retrogradation (elsewhere dated at approximately 650 Ma). Three of the granulites contain minor amounts of an inherited, > 1600 Ma old zircon component, probably derived from the igneous precursors of the granulites. A suite of zircons from the adjacent biotite gneisses may signal a provenance age of approximately 2600 Ma (Tanzania craton?), but the U-Pb systematics do not clearly reflect the amphibolitefacies metamorphism (correlated with the M2 partial retrogradation of the granulites) that transformed the sedimentary sequences into gneisses (any petrographic record of a possible older metamorphic influence being absent). Biotite/whole-rock pairs from the same samples yield Rb-Sr ages between about 470 and 485 Ma for the granulites and about 458 Ma for the gneiss. They are interpreted as ‘cooling ages’ and set an age between about 485 and 460 Ma to the final cooling of the crust through the closure temperature of biotite to Rb-Sr. The subsequent granulite-facies and amphibolite-facies events and their chronology are fitted in the continent—continent collision model for the evolution of the Mozambique belt advocated by the first author.     

Small scale heterogeneity of Phanerozoic lower crust: evidence from isotopic and geochemical systematics of mid-Cretaceous granulite gneisses,San Gabriel Mountains,southern California

An elongate belt of mid-Cretaceous, compositionally banded gneisses and granulites is exposed in Cucamonga terrane, in the southeastern foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. Banded gneisses include mafic granulites of two geochemical types: type 1 rocks are similar to high Al arc basalts and andesites but have higher HFSE (high-field-strength-element) abundances and extremely variable LILE (largeion-lithophile-element) abundances, while type 2 rocks are relatively low in Al and similar to alkali rich MOR (midocean-ridge) or intraplate basalts. Intercalated with mafic granulites are paragneisses which include felsic granulites, aluminous gneisses, marble, and calc-silicate gneisses. Type 1 mafic granulites and calcic trondhjemitic pegmatites also oceur as cross-cutting, synmetamorphic dikes or small plutons. Small-scale heterogeneity of deep continental crust is indicated by the lithologic and isotopic diversity of intercalated ortho-and paragneisses exposed in Cucamonga terrane. Geochemical and isotopic data indicate that K, Rb, and U depletion and Sm/Nd fractionation were associated with biotite +/- muscovite dehydration reactions in type 1 mafic granulites and aluminous gneisses during high-grade metamorphism. Field relations and model initial isotopic ratios imply a wide range of protolith ages, ranging from Early Proterozoic to Phanerozoic.     

Age of younger tonalitic magmatism and granulitic metamorphism in the South Indian transition zone (Krishnagiri area); comparison with older Peninsular gneisses from the Gorur–Hassan area

Abstract A major episode of continental crust formation, associated with granulite facies metamorphism, occurred at 2.55–2.51 Ga and was related to accretional processes of juvenile crust. Dating of tonalitic–trondhjemitic, granitic gneisses and charnockites from the Krishnagiri area of South India indicates that magmatic protoliths are 2550–2530 ± 5 Ma, as shown by both U–Pb and ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb single zircon methods. Monazite ages indicate high temperatures of cooling corresponding to conditions close to granulite facies metamorphism at 2510 ± 10 Ma. These data provide precise time constraints and Sr–Nd isotopes confirm the existence of late tonalitic–granodioritic juvenile gneisses at 2550 Ma. Pb single zircon ages from the older Peninsular gneisses (Gorur–Hassan area) are in agreement with some previous Sr ages and range between 3200 ± 20 and 3328 ± 10 Ma. These gneisses were derived from a 3.3–3.5-Ga mantle source as indicated from Nd isotopes. They did not participate significantly in the genesis of the 2.55-Ga juvenile magmas. All these data, together with previous work, suggest that the 2.51-Ga granulite facies metamorphism occurred near the contact of the ancient Peninsular gneisses and the 2.55–2.52-Ga ‘juvenile’tonalitic–trondhjemitic terranes during synaccretional processes (subduction, mantle plume?). Rb–Sr biotite ages between 2060 and 2340 Ma indicate late cooling probably related to the dextral major east–west shearing which displaced the 2.5-Ga juvenile terranes toward the west.     

Tectono-metamorphic and geochronologic studies from Sandmata complex,northwest Indian shield: Implications on exhumation of late-palaeoproterozoic granulites in an archaean-early palaeoproterozoic granite-gneiss terrane

Several bodies of granulites comprising charnockite, charno-enderbite, pelitic and calc-silicate rocks occur within an assemblage of granite gneiss/granitoid, amphibolite and metasediments (henceforth described as banded gneisses) in the central part of the Aravalli Mountains, northwestern India. The combined rock assemblage was thought to constitute an Archaean basement (BGC-II) onto which the successive Proterozoic cover rocks were deposited. Recent field studies reveal the occurrence of several bodies of late-Palaeoproterozoic (1725 and 1621 Ma) granulites within the banded gneisses, which locally show evidence of migmatization at c. 1900 Ma coeval with the Aravalli Orogeny. We report single zircon ‘evaporation’ ages together with information from LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon datings to confirm an Archaean (2905 — ca. 2500 Ma) age for the banded gneisses hosting the granulites. The new geochronological data, therefore, suggest a polycyclic evolution for the BGC-II terrane for which the new term Sandmata Complex is proposed. The zircon ages suggest that the different rock formations in the Sandmata Complex are neither entirely Palaeoproterozoic in age, as claimed in some studies nor are they exclusively Archaean as was initially thought. Apart from distinct differences in the age of rocks, tectono-metamorphic breaks are observed in the field between the Archaean banded gneisses and the Palaeoproterozoic granulites. Collating the data on granulite ages with the known tectono-stratigraphic framework of the Aravalli Mountains, we conclude that the evolution and exhumation of granulites in the Sandmata Complex occurred during a tectono-magmatic/metamorphic event, which cannot be linked to known orogenic cycles that shaped this ancient mountain belt. We present some field and geochronologic evidence to elucidate the exhumation history and tectonic emplacement of the late Palaeoproterozoic, high P-T granulites into the Archaean banded gneisses. The granulite-facies metamorphism has been correlated with the thermal perturbation during the asymmetric opening of Delhi basins at around 1700 Ma.     

Deep in the Heart of Dixie: Pre-Alleghanian Eclogite and HP Granulite Metamorphism in the Carolina Terrane, South Carolina, USA

The central part of the Carolina terrane in western South Carolina comprises a 30 to 40 km wide zone of high grade gneisses that are distinct from greenschist facies metavolcanic rocks of the Carolina slate belt (to the SE) and amphibolite facies metavolcanic and metaplutonic rocks of the Charlotte belt (to the NW). This region, termed the Silverstreet domain, is characterized by penetratively deformed felsic gneisses, granitic gneisses, and amphibolites. Mineral assemblages and textures suggest that these rocks formed under high‐pressure metamorphic conditions, ranging from eclogite facies through high‐P granulite to upper amphibolite facies. Mafic rocks occur as amphibolite dykes, as metre‐scale blocks of coarse‐grained garnet‐clinopyroxene amphibolite in felsic gneiss, and as residual boulders in deeply weathered felsic gneiss. Inferred omphacite has been replaced by a vermicular symplectite of sodic plagioclase in diopside, consistent with decompression at moderate to high temperatures and a change from eclogite to granulite facies conditions. All samples have been partially or wholly retrograded to amphibolite assemblages. We infer the following P‐T‐t history: (1) eclogite facies P‐T conditions at ≥ 1.4 GPa, 650–730 °C (2) high‐P granulite facies P‐T conditions at 1.2–1.5 GPa, 700–800 °C (3) retrograde amphibolite facies P‐T conditions at 0.9–1.2 GPa and 720–660 °C. This metamorphic evolution must predate intrusion of the 415 Ma Newberry granite and must postdate formation of the Charlotte belt and Slate belt arcs (620 to 550 Ma). Comparison with other medium temperature eclogites and high pressure granulites suggests that these assemblages are most likely to form during collisional orogenesis. Eclogite and high‐P granulite facies metamorphism in the Silverstreet domain may coincide with a ≈570–535 Ma event documented in the western Charlotte belt or to a late Ordovician‐early Silurian event. The occurrence of these high‐P assemblages within the Carolina terrane implies that, prior to this event, the western Carolina terrane (Charlotte belt) and the eastern Carolina terrane (Carolina Slate belt) formed separate terranes. The collisional event represented by these high‐pressure assemblages implies amalgamation of these formerly separate terranes into a single composite terrane prior to its accretion to Laurentia.     

Further evidence for an early Carboniferous (∼340 Ma) age of high-grade metamorphism in the Saxonian granulite complex

U–Pb and Pb–Pb zircon ages for metamorphic zircons from granulites in the Saxonian granulite complex are reported, using the SHRIMP ion microprobe, conventional multigrain and single-gain techniques and the evaporation method. This is complemented by a Pb–Pb evaporation age for a post-granulite granite emplaced into the schist mantle around the granulites during uplift of the complex. We also demonstrate that zircon ages are not reset during high-grade metamorphism, as commonly argued, but have a very high closure temperature and usually preserve the isotopic composition reflecting the time of their formation. Multifaceted zircons from four granulite samples that probably grew close to the peak of high-grade metamorphism yielded identical U–Pb and Pb–Pb ages of ～340?Ma which support previously published data and unambiguously show that the granulites formed during a lower Carboniferous event and not in the early Palaeozoic or Precambrian as previously suggested. Older cores in some of the metamorphic zircons reveal early Palaeozoic components at 470–485?Ma that we interpret as ages reflecting magmatic crystallization of the granulite precursors. One sample suggests an inherited component as old as ～1700?Ma. The post-granulite granite has a Pb–Pb evaporation age of 333.1±1.0?Ma, and the short time interval between granulite metamorphism and granite intrusion implies that uplift, crustal extension and cooling of the granulite complex occurred rapidly after peak metamorphic conditions.     

The Narryer Gneiss Complex of the Yilgarn Block, Western Australia: a segment of Archaean lower crust uplifted during Proterozoic orogeny

The Narryer Gneiss Complex of the Yilgarn Block is a key segment of the Western Australian Precambrian Shield. It is a regional granulite facies terrain comprised of predominantly quartzo-feldspathic gneisses derived from granitic intrusions c. 3.6–3.4 Ga old. Granulite facies metamorphism occurred c. 3.3 Ga ago, and conditions of 750–850°C and 7–10 kbar are estimated for the Mukalo Creek Area (MCA) near Errabiddy in the north. The P–T path of the MCA has been derived from metamorphic assemblages in younger rocks that intruded the gneisses during at least three subsequent events, and this path is supported by reaction coronas in the older gneisses. There is no evidence for uplift immediately following peak metamorphism of the MCA, and a period of isobaric cooling is inferred from the pressures recorded in younger rocks. Pressures and temperatures estimated from metadolerites, which intruded the older gneisses during ‘granite–greenstone’tectonism at about 2.6 Ga and during early Proterozoic thrusting show that the Errabiddy area remained in the lower crust, although it was probably reheated during the younger events. Isothermal uplift to upper crustal levels occurred at c. 1.6 Ga ago, and was followed by further deformation and patchy retrogression of high-grade assemblages. The effects of younger deformation, cooling and reheating can be discerned in the older gneisses, but as there has been no pervasive deformation or rehydration, the minerals and microstructures formed during early Archaean granulite facies metamorphism for the most part are retained. The MCA remained in the lower crust for about 1700 Ma following peak metamorphism and some event unrelated to the original metamorphism was required to exhume it. Uplift occurred during development of the Capricorn Orogen, when some 30–35 km were added to the crust beneath the Errabiddy area. The recognition of early Proterozoic thrusting, plus crustal thickening, suggests that the Capricorn Orogen is a belt of regional compression which resulted from convergence of the Yilgarn and Pilbara Cratons.     

桐柏秦岭岩群的两类变质作用

本文重点对河南桐柏地区的秦岭岩群进行了观察与研究,根据野外地质、岩相关系及同位素测年资料,提出该区秦岭岩群具有明显不同的两类变质作用,一是较早期的高温麻粒岩相变质作用,以包体或长透镜群、甚至巨型条块状局限于中部郭庄组的花岗质片麻岩之中。根据伟晶岩、片麻岩及麻粒岩锆石年龄的综合限定,该变质作用的时间可能为~498Ma,多数人主张的445~430Ma的麻粒岩相变质年龄实际上是早期锆石被后期岩浆或变质事件引起的同位素体系重启年龄。另一种是相对晚期的角闪岩相变质作用,变质程度以角闪岩相为主,局部达高角闪岩相,没有任何早期高温或高压变质的残留迹象,形成秦岭岩群中主导类型的变质作用。同样,采用伟晶岩及有关片麻岩和麻粒岩中锆石测年限定,角闪岩相变质时间可能为~472Ma。高温麻粒岩的产出具有其特殊机制,大量的花岗质岩浆侵位过程中把地壳深部的高温麻粒岩裹挟上升至浅部层次,随后一起遭受区域上的角闪岩相变质作用。     

造山带中成对出现的高压麻粒岩与榴辉岩及其地球动力学意义

在一些典型碰撞造山带中,高压麻粒岩与榴辉岩在空间和时间上密切相关,它们之间的关系对揭示碰撞造山带的造山过程和造山机制具有重要意义.本文以中国西部的南阿尔金、柴北缘及中部的北秦岭造山带为例,详细陈述了这3个地区榴辉岩和相关的高压麻粒岩的野外关系、变质演化和形成时代,目的是要建立大陆碰撞造山带中榴辉岩和相关高压麻粒岩形成的地球动力学背景模式.南阿尔金榴辉岩呈近东西向分布在江尕勒萨依,玉石矿沟一带,与含夕线石副片麻岩、花岗质片麻岩和少量大理岩构成榴辉岩一片麻岩单元,榴辉岩中含有柯石英假象,其峰期变质条件为P=2.8～3.0GPa,T=730～850℃,并在抬升过程中经历了角闪岩-麻粒岩相的叠加;大量年代学研究显示其峰期变质时代为485～500Ma.南阿尔金高压麻粒岩分布在巴什瓦克地区,包括高压基性麻粒岩和高压长英质麻粒岩,它们与超基性岩构成了一个大约5km宽的构造岩石单元,与周围角闪岩相的片麻岩为韧性剪切带接触.长英质麻粒岩和基性麻粒岩的峰期组合均具有蓝晶石和三元长石(已变成条纹长石),形成的温压条件为T=930～1020℃,P=1.8～2.5GPa,并在退变质过程中经历了中压麻粒岩相变质作用叠加.锆石SHRIMP测定显示巴什瓦克高压麻粒岩的峰期变质时代为493～497Ma.都兰地区的榴辉岩分布柴北缘HP-UHP变质带的东端,在榴辉岩和围岩副片麻岩中均发现有柯石英保存,形成的峰期温压条件为T=670～730℃和P=2.7～3.25GPa,退变质阶段经过了角闪岩相的叠加;榴辉岩相变质时代为420～450Mao都兰地区的高压麻粒岩分布在阿尔茨托山西部,高压麻粒岩包括基性麻粒岩长英质麻粒岩,基性麻粒岩的峰期矿物组合为Grt+Cpx+Pl±Ky±Zo+Rt±Qtz,长英质麻粒岩的峰期矿物组合为：Grt+Kf+Ky+Pl+Qtz.峰期变质条件为T=800～925℃,P=1.4～1.85GPa,退变质阶段经历了角闪岩-绿片岩的改造,高压麻粒岩的变质时代为420～450Ma.北秦岭榴辉岩分布在官坡-双槐树一带,榴辉岩的峰期变质组合为Grt+Omp±Phe+Qtz+Rt,所计算的峰期温压条件为T=680～770℃和P=2.25～2.65GPa,年代学数据显示榴辉岩的变质时代为500Ma左右.北秦岭高压麻粒岩分布在含榴辉岩单元的南侧松树沟一带,包括高压基性麻粒岩和高压长英质麻粒岩,与超基性岩在空间上密切伴生,高压麻粒岩的峰期温压条件为T=850～925℃,P=1.45～1.80GPa,锆石U-Pb年代学研究显示其峰期变质时代为485～507Ma.以上三个实例显示,出现在同一造山带、在空间上伴生的高压麻粒岩和榴辉岩有各自不同的变质演化历史,但榴辉岩中的榴辉岩相变质时代和相邻的高压麻粒岩中的高压麻粒岩相变质作用时代相同或相近,这种成对出现的榴辉岩和高压麻粒岩代表了它们同时形成在造山带中不同的构造环境中,即榴辉岩的形成于大陆俯冲带中,而高压麻粒岩可能形成在俯冲带之上增厚的大陆地壳根部.     

The age of the protolith of metamorphic rocks in the southeastern part of the Lapland granulite belt,southern Kola Peninsula: Correlation with the Belomorian mobile belt in the context of the problem of Archean eclogites

U-Pb zircon isotopic data on rocks from the Kandalaksha-Umba zone of the Lapland granulite belt in the Por’ya Bay area constrain the age of the protolith of the apodacite (apotonalite) Opx-Bt granulite gneisses at 2799 ± 4 Ma, and the age of the apogabbronorite Grt-Opx-Cpx-Hbl crystalline schists at 2315 ± 23 Ma. The U-Pb sphene age of the magmatic crystallization of the postmetamorphic granodiorites is 1901 ± 5 Ma. The zircon yields the U-Pb age of the contamination of xenogenic zircons, which were captured during the dissolution of xenoliths of the host Grt-Opx-Cpx-Hbl crystalline schists in granodiorite melt. The comparison of the most important attributes of the endogenic histories of the adjacent Lapland Granulite and Belomorian Mobile belts testifies to their similar evolutionary histories: (1) the protolith age of the acid Opx-Bt granulites of the Lapland Belt (2799 ± 4 Ma) coincides with the protolith age of acid gneisses in the Belomorian Belt (2890-2690 Ma); (2) the ages of the gabbronorite protolith of Grt-Opx-Cpx-Hbl granulites in the Lapland Belt (2315 ± 23 Ma) and gabbro-anorthosite in the Kolvitsa Massif (2462-2423 Ma) are close to the protolith age of eclogitized gabbronorites in the Belomorian coronite suite (2.46–2.36 Ga); (3) the age of granulite metamorphism of acid and mafic rocks in the Lapland Belt is 1912–1925 Ma, and the age of eclogite metamorphism of gneisses and metabasites in the Belomorian Belt is approximately 1.9 Ga, i.e., their metamorphism took place in Svecofennian time; (4) the peak pressure of granulite metamorphism in the Lapland Belt was 9–11 kbar at a temperature of 800–850°C, whereas the peak metamorphic parameters of eclogite metamorphism in the Belomorian Belt were 10–12 kbar and 640–700°C. This means that the metamorphic complexes of the Lapland and Belomorian belts had the same Mezo- and Neoarchean protoliths hosting bodies of Paleoproterozoic gabbroids and were completely formed largely by a single cycle of Svecofennian high-pressure zonal metamorphism within a temperature range from the lowest grade of the eclogite to the granulite facies.     

中国与蒙古之地质

东昆仑中部缝合带清水泉一带发育石榴斜长紫苏麻粒岩、紫苏辉石黑云母石榴子石麻粒岩、石榴二辉斜长麻粒岩和石榴单斜辉石麻粒岩,它们与混合岩化黑云母石榴子石变粒岩、黑云母辉石变粒岩、石墨大理岩、含透辉石透闪石大理岩、透辉石大理岩、黑云斜长角闪岩和片麻岩等高级变质岩系以及纯橄岩、辉橄岩、橄长岩、辉长岩、辉绿岩和玄武岩等共同构成蛇绿混杂岩。麻粒岩相变质作用的温压条件为T=760~880℃,p=830~1200MPa,为高温中高压麻粒岩相变质作用,估算其形成深度为40~45km。麻粒岩相变质作用的SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄为(507·7±8·3)Ma。清水泉地区蛇绿岩形成于~520Ma,到~508Ma时俯冲至地下40~45km深处而发生中高压麻粒岩相变质作用,然后发生构造折返而剥露至地表。证实了清水泉高级变质岩和基性—超基性岩片是形成于早—中寒武世的蛇绿混杂岩,标志一个古生代早期的非常重要的板块汇聚边界,这对于进一步研究东昆仑造山带构造演化、乃至中国西部大地构造格局具有非常重要的意义。     

南阿尔金高压-超高温麻粒岩变质作用:大陆地壳超深俯冲与折返过程的记录

南阿尔金造山带是目前报道的具有最深俯冲记录的大陆超高压变质带,其内出露有高压-超高温麻粒岩,它们对深入理解大陆地壳岩石超深俯冲与折返过程具有重要意义.介绍了对南阿尔金巴什瓦克地区长英质麻粒岩和基性麻粒岩的岩相学、矿物化学、相平衡模拟及锆石U-Pb年代学研究成果.其中基性麻粒岩主要记录了深俯冲大陆地壳折返过程的变质演化:包括高压榴辉岩相、高压-超高温麻粒岩相、低压-超高温麻粒岩相及随后的近等压降温演化阶段;长英质麻粒岩除了记录与基性麻粒岩相似的折返过程外,还记录了从角闪岩相到超高压榴辉岩相的进变质演化过程.结合已有研究资料,确定超高压榴辉岩阶段峰期条件> 7~9 GPa和>1 000℃,可达到斯石英稳定域.锆石年代学显示两种岩石类型的原岩和变质年龄均分别在900 Ma和500 Ma左右.变质作用与年代学研究表明,南阿尔金大陆地壳岩石在早古生代发生超深俯冲至200~300 km后,折返至加厚地壳底部发生高压-超高温变质作用,随后被快速抬升至地壳浅部发生低压-超高温变质作用并经历迅速冷却.      

K---Ar hornblende dating of late Pan-African metamorphism in the furua granulite complex of Southern Tanzania

K---Ar analyses are reported for six hornblendes from the Furua granulitic complex in southern Tanzania. The M1 granulite-facies metamorphism has locally been followed by an M2 amphibolite-facies retrogradation to varying degrees. Three of the hornblendes (olive-green and orange—brown) come from granulites not showing any M2 retrogradation. They were produced as a stable phase during M1 and are concordant at approximately 630 Ma. Of the other hornblendes (Bluish-green), two come from completely M2 retrograded rocks and one from a post-M1 metadiorite. Two of them, one M2 hornblende and the metadiorite hornblende, are concordant with the M1 hornblendes, the third is somewhat older. The age of approximately 630 Ma is related to the closure of the K---Ar hornblende systems following the termination of the M2 amphibolite-facies conditions. Taking also into account an earlier U-Pb zircon investigation and U-Pb zircon data reported from the Wami River granulite complex to the northeast, the M1 granulite-facies metamorphism is dated at approximately 715 Ma and the termination of the M2 amphibolite-facies retrogradation at approximately 650 Ma. It is argued that a prolonged period of high crustal temperature prevailed after M1, with a slow cooling rate from approximately 800–825°C during M1 approximately 715 Ma ago to 490–550°C approximately 630 Ma ago, shortly after M2. This thermal regime may be related to a continent—continent collision model for the evolution of the Mozambique belt.     

Single zircon ages from high-grade rocks of the Jianping Complex, Liaoning Province, NE China

The high-grade rocks of the Jianping Complex in Liaoning Provi nce, NE China, belong to the late Archaean to earliest Proterozoic granulite belt of the North China craton. Single zircon ages obtained by the Pb–Pb evaporation method and SHRIMP analyses document an evolutionary history that began with deposition of a cratonic supracrustal sequence some 2522–2551 Ma ago, followed by intrusion of granitoid rocks beginning at 2522 Ma and reaching a peak at about 2500 Ma. This was followed by high-grade metamorphism, transforming the existing rocks into granulites, charnockites and enderbites some 2485–2490 Ma ago. The intrusion of post-tectonic granites at 2472 Ma is associated with widespread metamorphic retrogression and ends the tectono–metamorphic evolution of this terrain. A similar evolutionary sequence has also been recorded in the granulite belt of Eastern Hebei Province. We speculate that the Jianping Complex was part of an active continental margin in the late Archaean that became involved in continental collision and crustal thickening shortly after its formation. There is a remarkable similarity between the 2500 Ma North China granulite belt and the equally old granulite belt of Southern India, suggesting that the two crustal domains could have been part of the same active plate margin in latest Archaean times.     

Palaeoproterozoic terrane assembly in the Lewisian Gneiss Complex on the Scottish mainland,south of Gruinard Bay: SHRIMP U–Pb zircon evidence

New SHRIMP U–Pb zircon geochronology and fieldwork integrated with reappraisal of earlier mapping demonstrates that the so-called ‘southern region’ of the mainland Lewisian Gneiss Complex comprises a package of distinct tectono-stratigraphic units. From south to north these are the Rona (3135–2889 Ma), Ialltaig (c. 2000 Ma) and Gairloch (ca. 2200 Ma) terranes. These terranes were metamorphosed and deformed separately until ca. 1670 Ma by which time they had been juxtaposed and were integral with terranes to the north. The northern boundary of the Palaeoproterozoic Gairloch terrane is a shear zone, north of which is the Archaean Gruinard terrane with 2860–2800 Ma protoliths and ca. 2730 Ma granulite facies metamorphism. In contrast, south of the Gairloch terrane, the Archaean gneisses of the Rona terrane have older protolith ages, underwent an anatectic event at ca. 2950 Ma and show no evidence of 2730 Ma granulite facies metamorphism. In current structural interpretations the Gruinard terrane forms a structural klippe over the intervening Gairloch terrane. However, the Rona and Gruinard terranes cannot be equivalent on age grounds, and are interpreted as unrelated different entities. Contained within the southern margin of the Gairloch terrane is the Ialltaig terrane, shown here to comprise an exotic slice of granulite facies Palaeoproterozoic crust, rather than Archaean basement as previously thought. The ca. 1877 Ma granulite facies metamorphism of the Ialltaig terrane is the youngest event that is unique to a single terrane in the mainland Complex, making it an upper estimate for the timing of amalgamation with surrounding tectonic units. U–Pb titanite ages of 1670 ± 12 Ma and ca. 1660 Ma for low-strain zones at Diabaig are interpreted to be cooling through the titanite closure temperature after the amphibolite facies reworking of these southern terranes and the southern margin of the Gruinard Terrane. These new data have implications for the tectonic setting of the mainland in relation to the Outer Hebrides and in the wider evolution of the basement in the North Atlantic.     

Dating granulite-facies structures and the exhumation of lower crust in the Moldanubian Zone of the Bohemian Massif

Deformation of granulite-facies rocks in the Moldanubian Zone of the southern Bohemian Massif is expressed in two intersecting planar fabrics - steeply disposed (S₁) and flat-laying (S₂) - which correspond to two deformation stages (D₁) and (D₂). The existing Sm-Nd garnet ages from banded granulite gneisses, new U-Pb zircon data from deformed granite intrusions within the granulite gneisses, and the P-T and field structural relations constrain the ages and P-T conditions of the two deformation phases. The early deformation (D₁) was associated with a HP-HT metamorphic stage with a minimum age of ca. 354 Ma which was followed by a near-isothermal decompression. A concordant U-Pb zircon age of 318ǃ Ma dates the emplacement of intrusions of deformed granite into the granulite gneisses and constrains deformation phase (D₂). This phase was associated with an LP-HT metamorphism dated in the region at ca. 340-330 Ma. The available structural and isotopic data indicate that granulites in the southern Bohemian Massif were exhumed from lower to middle crust during compression. The structural relations and P-T-t data for the studied granulites are consistent with their exhumation by near-vertical extrusion of the softened orogenic root.     

Precambrian metamorphic conditions and crustal evolution,northeastern Alberta,Canada

A complex of Precambrian polymetamorphic gneisses and granitoids of the Churchill structural province, northeastern Alberta, Canada has been examined structurally, petrographically, chemically and geochronologically. An Archean basement gneiss complex is indicated by Rb-Sr dating of pegmatites which cut both gneisses and granitoids (2470 ± 26 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.7030 ± 0.0008). A high-pressure granulite facies (M₁) mineral assemblage and older structures (D₁) are assigned to the Archean. A moderate-pressure granulite facies (M_2.1), a low-pressure amphibolite facies (M_2.2), a greenschist facies (M_2.3), and younger structures (D₂) are of Aphebian age. Formation of granitoids by anatexis of the pre-existing Archean basement complex during M_2.1 is indicated by their Aphebian ages (ca. 1900 Ma) and high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7100 ± 0.0018). The path of retrograde metamorphism is linked with relatively slow rates of uplift and cooling. Late Aphebian sediments attained low-grade greenschist facies metamorphism only and are younger than the other metamorphic rocks. The tectonic evolution of this Precambrian mobile belt during the Aphebian contrasts with the stable Archean cratonic block in the Slave province to the north.     

Metamorphism of the Koraput Alkaline Complex, Eastern Ghats Province, India—Evidence for reworking of a granulite terrane

An assemblage of predominantly metasedimentary rocks in the Eastern Ghats Province, India, underwent granulite facies metamorphism and deformation in early Neoproterozoic times, and was subsequently intruded by the Koraput alkaline complex. The intrusion was earlier believed to be syn- to late tectonic. The gabbroic core of the complex hosts nepheline-bearing syenitic dykes and veins. Following emplacement, magmatic amphibole within the syenites, and early orthopyroxene in feldspathic gneisses within the country rocks were retrogressed to biotite during pervasive solid-state deformation. Subsequent prograde metamorphism resulted in the formation of anhydrous assemblages at the expense of relict magmatic amphibole within the syenites, and metamorphic biotite in both the complex and the country rocks. Reactions reconstructed from textural observations indicate breakdown of biotite and amphibole to garnet + clinopyroxene ± orthopyroxene-bearing assemblages. Schreinemakers’ analysis on the relevant mineral associations suggests that heating was followed by loading of the region. This indicates thermal rejuvenation of the complex and the host granulites during an intracrustal orogeny that post-dates emplacement and cooling of the pluton. Available ages suggest that this event occurred in the mid-Neoproterozoic, and is probably unrelated to the amalgamation of the granulite belt with the Archaean Bastar/Dharwar craton.