长英质片麻岩中堇青石的一种可能的形成机制——以南极拉斯曼丘陵高级区为例

本文通过对南极拉斯曼丘陵长英质片麻岩变质过程中堇青石与其它矿物之间结构关系的研究 ,识别出明显不同的两种组合Pl Kfs Qtz(Grt)和Crd Opq Spl±Qtz,认为区内高级变质作用向深熔作用转化过程中发生了长英质组分和镁铁质组分的分凝。分凝出的长英质熔体与堇青石的形成没有直接关系 ;镁铁质组分较富Mg、Fe ,贫Si、Ca ,当镁铁质组分达到一定的富集程度时即形成堇青石。时间上 ,堇青石形成于降压过程中发生的深熔作用的晚期     

长英质高级片麻岩中夕线石的形成与变形-变质-深熔作用的关系 —— 以南极拉斯曼丘陵区为例

南极拉斯曼丘陵高级长英质片麻岩的夕线片麻岩中可有两类结构和变质矿物组合均有所不同的两种域,一种含夕线石部分对应于片理组合,另一种对应无夕线石的非片理化组合.岩石的变形尤其是破裂性裂隙的率先出现对于富夕线石部分的形成是必要的.在非破裂性片麻理岩石域中,中-低压/高温条件下黑云斜长片麻岩进变质发展的结果往往是形成Grt+Qtz±Opx组合.这两种不同的变质域的组合与应变分解造成的强应变带和弱应变域相一致.而且,夕线石的形成不是简单的变质早期矿物固相反应的结果,而是反应链上的一部分.其出现是由开放体系中组分的差异迁移造成的,这种差异迁移实际上是碱土金属迁出(淋滤)的过程,与变形相伴的流体活动使得SiO2发生强烈淋滤,残留组分中SiO2活度大为降低,并使长英质组分和镁铁质组分分凝,主要组分大都可以单独富集(集中)、形成复杂的矿物演化和分布.这种演化还可从MgO等碱(土)金属组分的外迁程度差异来理解.随着碱(土)金属丢失程度的减小,依次出现夕线石、石榴子石、斜方辉石和堇青石,或者说,不同的变质或分异阶段形成不同的矿物(组合):变形-变质起始阶段,碱(土)金属组分迁移初期残留形成夕线石,之后为镁(铁)质组分迁移,初期残留不透明钛铁氧化物,晚期残留组分形成堇青石.石榴子石-长英质组合为体系基本封闭情况下的结晶.此外,夕线石的形成往往标志着深熔作用的开始,一旦深熔作用发展完善,夕线石呈准稳定状态或趋于消失.拉斯曼丘陵与夕线石有关的长英质岩石经历了复杂的变形、变质和流体活动变化.     

南极拉斯曼丘陵长英质变质岩中磷灰石-斜方辉石组合的岩石学意义

南极拉斯曼丘陵高级长英质变质岩中出现的磷灰石-斜方辉石(Ap-Opx)组合表明岩石经历了麻粒岩相条件下的变质作用,长英质片麻岩发生了强烈的脱水深熔作用。随着熔体的迁出,长英质片麻岩中的残留或者镁铁质岩石中的分异产物,均可形成Ap-Opx组合。残留矿物如磷灰石、金属氧化物等具有丰富的稀土元素,强烈影响着岩石中的稀土元素配分型式。磷灰石-斜方辉石组合的存在说明体系中有适量但不是很充足的有效钙质组分。由磷灰石、磁铁矿-钛铁矿、石榴石,直至斜方辉石,一方面反映了活动组分-残留组分的不断变化,另一方面,也说明高级变质作用过程中体系的失水程度逐渐增加;变质作用中富含该组合的岩石是经变质过程形成的特有岩石,没有固有的原岩可对应。     

大别造山带东缘韧性剪切带中构造岩的构造地球化学分析

安徽省桐城市挂镇（挂车河镇）地区出露郯庐断裂系（北北东-北东向）和大别构造系（近东西向）的韧性剪切带,变质温度分别为400 ℃～450 ℃和600 ℃～700 ℃,均发育镁铁质和长英质构造岩,是研究不同变形条件下岩石中元素活化迁移规律的理想对象。质量平衡计算表明长英质剪切带在韧性变形过程中,大别构造系体积基本不变,郯庐断裂系体积亏损且随变形程度的增强而增加,镁铁质性剪切带在脆-韧变形过程中体积增加。长英质构造岩的稀土和微量元素变异远弱于镁铁质构造岩,长英质构造岩基本继承了原岩的特征而镁铁质构造岩与原岩的差异显著,长英质和镁铁质混合的构造岩主要显示镁铁质组分的迁移规律。长英质构造岩的元素迁移种类和迁移率与变形程度和变质温度正相关,其中体积亏损变形的郯庐断裂系表现为重稀土中等迁出、中稀土几乎未迁移和轻稀土微弱迁入,等体积变形的大别构造系为稀土元素迁入,轻稀土、中稀土和重稀土的迁移率依次增加。镁铁质构造岩的稀土元素迁移表现为轻稀土强烈迁入和重稀土中等迁出。体积变化不是元素变异的主因,在原岩和矿物蚀变制约的基础上,元素迁移受到岩石流变分异作用和热液渗流作用的双重作用,低温时以渗透流体作用为主,而高温时岩石流变分异作用增强。     

冀西北赤城太古代英云闪长质、花岗闪长质片麻岩的地球化学

作者通过对冀西北张家口-赤城地区广泛出露的所谓混合岩化黑云斜长片麻岩的地质、矿物、岩石和地球化学研究，确定了它们是太古代的英云闪长质、花岗闪长质片麻岩，并且认为它们不是变质的火山-沉积岩，而是地壳中先存的镁铁质角闪岩或麻粒岩的重熔岩浆在固结或半固结状态下被长英质麻粒岩部分熔融产生的熔浆混合、交代形成的产物。     

造山岩套中镁铁质和长英质岩浆的相互作用研究进展

结合2002年9月14—21日在意大利中部召开的“欧洲花岗岩网络”年会的会议讨论和野外考察内容,评述了镁铁质和长英质岩浆的相互作用关系以及镁铁质熔体在巨量花岗岩浆形成中的作用。在花岗岩岩基内,不仅出露有狭义的花岗岩,还可见到更富镁铁质的岩石,例如辉长岩和闪长岩。一般,这些镁铁质岩石,既可能是慢源母岩浆结晶的产物,或是岩浆混合和分异一同化作用中的端员组分,也可能代表了下地壳源区的物质,或者是导致大陆壳部分熔融的热源物质记录。对镁铁质和长英质岩浆相互作用关系的研究,有助于限定造山作用过程中地壳物质再循环和新的地慢物质加入的相对贡献。     

南非巴布顿山区太古代KaaP Valley深成侵入体的地质学、地球化学和同位素特征

Kaap Valley英云闪长岩侵入体的形成年龄约为3500Ma,是侵位于巴布顿绿岩带的英云闪长岩—奥长花岗岩岩套中年龄老而且规模最大的深成侵入体之一。虽然在许多方面与该岩套中的其它深成侵入体相似,但Kaap Velley英云闪长岩体在化学成分上更富镁铁质,其中以角闪石而不是以黑云母作为主要的镁铁矿。此外,它还富含稀土元素。这些特征表明:仅仅用简单的高度部分熔融来解释该英云闪长岩的成因是不合适的,因为这需要更多的富长英质的奥长花岗岩从同一源岩中分熔出来。所以,不如把Kaap Valley英云闪长岩的原始岩浆看作是一种富含镑石、磷灰石等副矿物,并可能溶有CO_2气体相而且被镁铁质物质混染了的奥长花岗质岩浆。英云闪长岩中角内石的晶形和成分与那种认为角闪石是岩体侵入时没有被消化尽的镁铁质的变质火山岩围岩中的角闪石作为捕获晶保存下来的认识相矛盾。因此,可以推断岩浆的混染作用应该发生在岩体侵位以前。可能的形成机制是原始岩浆在深部混入和完全同化了基性的岩石,从而形成了一种相对偏基性的岩浆。在这种岩浆凝固时期,由于晶体发生分离并下沉而导致角闪石和角闪石十黑云母质英云闪长岩相的分凝作用。尔后,英云闪长岩浆大约是在3200Ma以底辟的方式侵位于目前所处的位置,而且在底辟作用过程中使与之接触的绿岩带发生变形。同时,底辟作用还改造了岩体本身原始的可能是近于水平的成分分带,其理有的几何图形最好可以解释为是一种由交叉构造线组成的棋盘格子构造。     

胶北荆山群富铝岩系石榴石扩散环带特征及其成因指示意义

通过详细的微区成分测定，发现胶北荆山群富铝岩系中石榴石普遍发育扩散环带，但扩散环带的发育程度及样式很不均匀，明显受与其相邻矿物的控制。与黑云母接触时，石榴石晶体边部的镁含量最低，环带最为发育，与堇青石接触时次之，与长英质矿物接触时则环带发育较弱或不发育。这种特征的石榴石扩散环带样式与传统认识有很大差异，反映降温过程中石榴石与黑云母等镁铁矿物之间的Fe-Mg交换作用主要是通过彼此接触的界面来实现，粒间流体对组分的传输作用有限。但是当岩石中黑云母大量存在而石榴石含量又较低时，由于体系水活度增高，粒间流体也会传输一定的Fe、Mg组分，导致与长英质矿物相邻的石榴石晶体边部发育微弱的扩散环带。通过分析，确定粒径大于1500斗m的石榴石晶体核部可以保存变质峰期的平衡成分，基质中远离石榴石等镁铁矿物处于长英质矿物之间的大颗粒黑云母颗粒核部也基本可以保存变质峰期的平衡成分。     

大别山北部中酸性片麻岩的岩石地球化学特征及其古大地构造意义

大别山北部变质镁铁－ 超镁铁质岩带中的中酸性片麻岩主要可分为三类：①英云闪长质片麻岩、②花岗闪长质片麻岩和③二长花岗质片麻岩,其原岩属于一套钙碱性的中酸性花岗岩系列。岩石地球化学特征表明,它们分别形成于板块碰撞前消减地区（ 消减的活动板块边缘） 、板块碰撞后隆起花岗石区和同碰撞花岗岩区。其中,形成于８００ ～１０００ Ｍａ 左右的英云闪长质片麻岩经受过麻粒岩相变质作用并与该带中属于蛇绿岩成员的变基性熔岩有亲缘关系, 可能属于蛇绿岩中的浅色组分。     

康定杂岩Rb-Sr、Sm-Nd同位素系统及其意义

通过对康定—冕宁地区出露的英云闪长岩、黑云角闪斜长片麻岩、角闪变粒岩全岩及其中所分离出的角闪石、黑云母、斜长石、钾长石的Rb-Sr、Sm-Nd同位素的系统测定,结合岩石的锆石U-Pb年龄结果,确定这些变质杂岩由于经历了复杂的形成过程与变质历史,Rb-Sr、Sm-Nd同位素体系难以确定其结晶年龄。由单矿物与全岩Rb-Sr、Sm-Nd体系拟合的~700 M a的等时线年龄反映了角闪岩相-高角闪岩相的变质作用年龄。Sm-Nd同位素体系由于在变质作用过程中的部分开放性,很容易给出无意义的较老的混合年龄。康定杂岩结晶后并没有经历麻粒岩相变质作用,区域上所含的麻粒岩透镜体可能是新元古代(773~721 M a)期间由Rod in ia超大陆裂解产生的新生洋壳向扬子克拉通陆块俯冲消减过程的变质产物。俯冲到一定深度后,由于板片被拉断,软流圈上涌导致变质洋壳板片岩石、先前底侵变质的镁铁质岩石及扬子陆块长英质基底岩石发生部分熔融,以镁铁质岩石熔融产生的熔浆为主(>70%),与长英质基底岩石熔融产生的熔浆混合形成w(Na2O)/w(K2O)>1的TTG组合。     

Genetic Mechanism of Mineral Inclusions in Zircons from the Khondalite Series, Southeastern Inner Mongolia

The early Precambrian khondalite series is widely distributed in the Jining-Zhuozi-Fengzhen-Liangcheng area, southeastern Inner Mongolia. The khondalite series mainly consists of sillimanite garnet potash feldspar (or two-feldspar) gneiss and garnet biotite plagioclase gneiss. These gneissic rocks have commonly experienced granulite-facies metamorphism. In zircons separated from sillimanite garnet potash feldspar gneisses, many mineral inclusions, including Sil, Grt, Ky, Kfs, Qtz and Ap, have been identified by the Laser Raman spectroscopy. Generally, prograde metamorphic mineral inclusion assemblages such as Ky + Kfs + Qtz + Ap and Ky + Grt + Kfs + Qtz are preserved in the core of zircon, while peak granulite-facies metamorphic minerals including Sil + Grt + Kfs + Qtz and Sil + Grt + Kfs + Qtz + Ap are identified in the mantle and rim of the same zircon. However, in some zircons are only preserved the peak metamorphic minerals such as Sil + Grt + Kfs + Qtz and Sil + Grt + Kfs + Qtz + Ap from core to ri     

Petrology and metamorphism of khondalites from the Jining complex,North China craton

The basement of the North China craton (NCC) can be divided into eastern and western blocks separating the Trans-North China orogen on the basis of petrologic associations, structures, metamorphic processes, and isotopic ages. Aluminous gneiss khondalites occur in the western block, and record a clockwise metamorphic P–T history characterized by nearly isothermal decompression following peak metamorphism at ca. 1.3 GPa and 825°C. Four metamorphic stages are recognized based on mineral assemblages. The early prograde metamorphic assemblage contains Ky+Bt+Ms+Grt+Pl+Qtz. The peak metamorphic mineral assemblage is characterized by Grt+Sil+Bt+Kfs+Pl+Qtz and the formation of cordierite after garnet, leading to a retrograde assemblage of Grt+Sil+Crd+Pl+Kfs+Qtz. Garnet retrogrades to biotite and the formation of pervasive matrix muscovite define a final metamorphic stage, inferred at ca. < 0.6 GPa and 700°C. Quantified metamorphic stages and a related clockwise P–T path derived from pseudosection analysis in the KMASH system suggest collision of the north Yinshan block with the South Ordos block at 1.92 Ga, before final suturing of the entire NCC basement.     

Petrology and geothermobarometry of granulite facies metapelites from the Hisøy-Torungen area, south Norway: new data on the Sveconorvegian P–T–t path of the Bamble sector

ABSTRACT The high-grade rocks (metapelite, quartzite, metagabbro) of the Hisøy-Torungen area represent the south-westernmost exposures of granulites in the Proterozoic Bamble sector, south Norway. The area is isoclinally folded and a metamorphic P–T–t path through four successive stages (M1-M4) is recognized. Petrological evidence for a prograde metamorphic event (M1) is obtained from relict staurolite + chlorite + albite, staurolite + hercynite + ilmenite, cordierite + sillimanite, fine-grained felsic material + quartz and hercynite + biotite ± sillimanite within metapelitic garnet. The phase relations are consistent with a pressure of 3.6 ± 0.5 kbar and temperatures up to 750–850°C. M1 is connected to the thermal effect of the gabbroic intrusions prior to the main (M2) Sveconorwegian granulite facies metamorphism. The main M2 granulite facies mineral assemblages (quartz+ plagioclase + K-feldspar + garnet + biotite ± sillimanite) are best preserved in the several-metre-wide Al-rich metapelites, which represent conditions of 5.9–9.1 kbar and 790–884°C. These P–T conditions are consistent with a temperature increase of 80–100°C relative to the adjacent amphibolite facies terranes. No accompanying pressure variations are recorded. Up to 1-mm-wide fine-grained felsic veinlets appear in several units and represent remnants of a former melt formed by the reaction: Bt + Sil + Qtz→Grt + lq. This dehydration reaction, together with the absence of large-scale migmatites in the area, suggests a very reduced water activity in the rocks and XH₂O = 0.25 in the C–O–H fluid system was calculated for a metapelitic unit. A low but variable water activity can best explain the presence or absence of fine-grained felsic material representing a former melt in the different granulitic metapelites. The strongly peraluminous composition of the felsic veinlets is due to the reaction: Grt +former melt ± Sil→Crd + Bt ± Qtz + H₂O, which has given poorly crystalline cordierite aggregates intergrown with well-crystalline biotite. The cordierite- and biotite-producing reaction constrains a steep first-stage retrograde (relative to M2) uplift path. Decimetre- to metre-wide, strongly banded metapelites (quartz + plagioclase + biotite + garnet ± sillimanite) inter-layered with quartzites are retrograded to (M3) amphibolite facies assemblages. A P–T estimate of 1.7–5.6 kbar, 516–581°C is obtained from geothermobarometry based on rim-rim analyses of garnet–biotite–plagioclase–sillimanite–quartz assemblages, and can be related to the isoclinal folding of the rocks. M4 greenschist facies conditions are most extensively developed in millimetre-wide chlorite-rich, calcite-bearing veins cutting the foliation.     

滇西鲁甸金沙江结合带新发现退变榴辉岩

在滇西鲁甸地区金沙江结合带新发现退变榴辉岩，其在野外呈透镜体状产于石榴子石白云母石英片岩中.利用电子探针及激光拉曼分析发现石榴子石和锆石中残留绿辉石包体.石榴子石及基质中的白云母为多硅白云母(Si(p.f.u)=3.27~3.53)，指示岩石经历了高压变质作用过程.石榴子石发育进变质生长成分环带.岩相学及矿物化学特征显示，退变榴辉岩大致经历了进变质角闪岩相、峰期榴辉岩相、早期退变质以及晚期强退变这4个世代矿物组合，各阶段典型的矿物组合依次为Grt+AmpI+Qtz、Grt+Omp+Rt+Qtz+Phe、Pl+Di+AmpⅡ+Ilm+Spn+Qtz、AmpⅢ+Pl+Czo+Ilm+Qtz.该新发现对金沙江结合带复杂的变质演化P-T-t轨迹样式及年代格架、以金沙江洋为代表的整个西南三江地区古特提斯洋-陆俯冲-碰撞-造山的复杂构造演化历史以及微陆块的拼贴机制等关键科学问题的解决提供了极为重要的素材和更多的约束，具有重要的科学意义.      

Partial melting and the formation of granulite facies assemblages in Namaqualand, South Africa

Abstract Dehydration-melting reactions, in which water from a hydrous phase enters the melt, leaving an anhydrous solid assemblage, are the dominant mechanism of partial melting of high-grade rocks in the absence of externally derived vapour. Equilibria involving melt and solid phases are effective buffers of aH₂,o. The element-partitioning observed in natural rocks suggests that dehydration melting occurs over a temperature interval during which, for most cases, aH₂o is driven to lower values. The mass balance of dehydration melting in typical biotite gneiss and metapelite shows that the proportion of melt in the product assemblage at T± 850°C is relatively small (10–20%), and probably insufficient to mobilize a partially melted rock body. Granulite facies metapelite, biotite gneiss and metabasic gneiss in Namaqualand contain coarse-grained, discordant, unfoliated, anhydrous segregations, surrounded by a finer grained, foliated matrix that commonly includes hydrous minerals. The segregations have modes consistent with the hypothesis that they are the solid and liquid products of the dehydration-melting reactions: Bt + Sil + Qtz + PI = Grt ° Crd + Kfs + L (metapelite), Bt + Qtz + Pl = Opx + Kfs + L (biotite gneiss), and Hbl + Qtz = Opx + Cpx + Pl + L (metabasic gneiss). The size, shape, distribution and modes of segregations suggest only limited migration and extraction of melt. Growth of anhydrous poikiloblasts in matrix regions, development of anhydrous haloes around segregations and formation of dehydrated margins on metabasic layers enclosed in migmatitic metapelites all imply local gradients in water activity. Also, they suggest that individual segregations and bodies of partially melted rock acted as sinks for soluble volatiles. The preservation of anhydrous assemblages and the restricted distribution of late hydrous minerals suggest that retrograde reaction between hydrous melt and solids did not occur and that H₂O in the melt was released as vapour on crystallization. This model, combined with the natural observations, suggests that it is possible to form granulite facies assemblages without participation of external fluid and without major extraction of silicate melt.     

Experimental Study of the Melting Reaction and Genetic Mechanism of Mineral Phase Transformation in Granulite Facies Metamorphism

The high-temperature and high-pressure experiment on natural block rock indicates that dehydration-melting of hydrous biotite (Bi) and partial melting of felsic minerals in garnet-biotite-plagioclase gneiss are mainly controlled by temperature, while mineral phase transformation is not only controlled by temperature-pressure conditions but also genetically associated with hydrous mineral dehydration-melting and partial melting of felsic minerals. According to the characteristics of biotite dehydration-melting and garnet transformation reaction, three stages may be distinguished: (1) when the experimental temperature is 700℃, biotite transforms to ilmenite (Ilm) + magnetite (Mt) + H2O and garnet to magnetite (Mt); (2) when the temperature is 730-760℃, biotite is dehydrated and melted and transformed into K2O-rich melt + Ilm + Mt, and garnet, into hypersthene (Hy) + cordierite (Crd); (3) when the temperature is up to or higher than 790℃, biotite is dehydrated and melted and transformed into melt + Hy +     

An example of ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism: orthopyroxene–sillimanite–garnet, sapphirine–quartz and spinel–quartz parageneses in Al–Mg granulites from In Hihaou, In Ouzzal, Hoggar

Quartz Al–Mg granulites exposed at In Hihaou, In Ouzzal (NW Hoggar), preserve an unusual high-grade mineral association stable at temperatures up to 1050°C, involving the parageneses orthopyroxene–sillimanite–garnet–quartz, sapphirine–quartz and spinel–quartz. The phase relationships within the FMAS system show that a continuum exists between the earlier prograde reaction textures and those of the later decompressive event. The following mineral reactions involving sillimanite are deduced: (1) Grt+Qtz→Opx+Sil, (2) Opx+Sil→Grt+Spr+Qtz, (3) Grt+Sil+Qtz→Crd, (4) Grt+Sil→Crd+Spr, (5) Grt+Sil+Spr→Crd+Spl, (6) Grt+Sil→Crd+Spl, (7) Grt+Crd+Sil→Spl+Qtz and (8) Grt+Sil→Spl+Qtz. Minerals in quartz Al–Mg granulites display compositional variations consistent with the observed reactions. The Mg/(Mg+Fe²⁺) range of the main minerals is as follows: cordierite (0.81–0.97), sapphirine (0.77–0.88), orthopyroxene (0.65–0.81), garnet (0.33–0.64) and spinel (0.23–0.56). The reaction textures and the evolution of the mineral assemblages in the quartz Al–Mg granulites indicate a clockwise P–T trajectory characterized by peak conditions of at least 10 kbar and 1050°C, followed by decompression from 10 to 6 kbar at a temperature of at least 900°C.     

Reworking of deep-seated gabbros and associated contact metamorphosed paragneisses in the southeastern part of the Seiland Igneous Province, northern Norway

The Seiland Igneous Province of the North Norwegian Caledonides consists of a suite of deep-seated rift-related magmatic rocks emplaced into paragneisses during late Precambrian to Ordovician time. In the south-eastern part of the province, contact metamorphism of the paragneisses and later reworking of intrusives and associated contact aureoles have resulted in the development of three successive metamorphic stages. The contact metamorphic assemblage (M1) Opx + Grt + Qtz + Pl + Kfs + Hc + Ilm ± Crd is preserved in xenolithic rafts of paragneiss within metagabbro. Geothermobarometric calculations yield 930-960d? C and 5-6.5 kbar for the contact metamorphism. M1 was followed by cooling, accompanied by strong shearing, formation of the gneiss foliation and recrystallization at intermediate-P granulite facies conditions (M2). Stable M2 phases are Cpx + Opx + Pl +Ilm ± Hbl in metagabbro and Grt ± Sil ± Opx + Kfs + Qtz + Pl ± Bt + Ilm in host paragneiss. The M2 conditions are estimated to 700-750d? C and 5-7 kbar. A subsequent pressure increase is recorded in the M3 episode, which is associated with recrystallization in narrow ductile shear zones and secondary growth on M2 minerals. M3 is defined by the assemblages Grt + Cpx ± Opx + Pl + Ru + Qtz in metagabbro, and Grt ± Ky + Qtz + Pl ± Kfs + Bt + Ru in host paragneiss. M3 conditions are estimated to 650-700d? C and 8-10 kbar. The substantial pressure increase related to the M2 → M3 transition is interpreted to be a result of (early?) Caledonian overthrusting. Chemical zoning in cordierite and biotite suggest rapid cooling following the M3 event. The proposed P-T-t evolution implies that the tectonic evolution of the Seiland Igneous Province was long (at least 330 Ma) and complex and involved initial rifting and extension followed by crustal thickening and compression.     

A petrogenetic grid for aluminous granulite facies metapelites in the KFMASH system

Due to the retrograde cation exchange problems experienced by conventional geothermobarometers above their closure temperatures, petrogenetic grids are a potentially powerful alternative to unravelling the P–T evolution of ultrahigh‐T granulite terranes. A new qualitative KFMASH (K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O) petrogenetic grid for Mg–Al rich metapelites containing K‐feldspar, sillimanite and quartzofeldspathic melt that successfully accounts for the majority of assemblages composed of variations of sapphirine, spinel, garnet, orthopyroxene, cordierite, biotite and quartz is developed. Univariant reactions are predicted utilizing a newly derived ‘melt projection’ and these reactions are entirely consistent with algebraically calculated reaction coefficients obtained using a set of standard phase compositions. Based upon observations of commonly associated mineral assemblages in natural lithologies the [Spr, Spl], [Qtz, Spl], [Bt, Spl], [Opx, Spr], [Opx, Qtz] and [Bt, Opx] invariant points are assumed to be stable, whilst the [Grt, Spr], [Grt, Qtz], [Spr, Qtz] and [Crd, Qtz] are assumed to be metastable. Biotite‐bearing assemblages are confined to the lowest temperatures, and sapphirine + quartz to the highest temperatures. Orthopyroxene + sillimanite ± quartz assemblages are confined to the highest pressures, whilst spinel‐bearing assemblages are stabilized by lower pressures. The alternative choice of invariant point stability leads to significant differences between this grid and previously proposed topologies. Spinel cannot be stable along with the orthopyroxene and sillimanite assemblage as previously proposed. Further, more subtle differences in topology result from the treatment of H₂O in the chemographic projection used to deduce univariant reactions, and projecting from a water‐bearing quartzofeldspathic melt does not yield the same reaction coefficients as projection from H₂O. The new grid allows reinterpretation of previously proposed evolutionary P–T paths for Mg–Al rich granulites from the Napier Complex and Rauer Group, East Antarctica, and In Ouzzal, Algeria.