西藏松多榴辉岩的矿物原位微量元素地球化学研究

对松多榴辉岩中单矿物进行的LA-ICP-MS原位微区微量元素分析研究结果表明,石榴石主要富集中、重稀土元素和Y,同时具有高丰度的Sc、V、Cr和Co等元素;绿辉石中的微量元素以中稀土元素、Sr、Sc、V、Cr、Co、Ni和Ti为主,含有一定量的Zr、Hf等。石榴石、绿辉石、角闪石和绿帘石中均显示轻稀土元素亏损的特点,表明在退变质过程中没有发生明显的富轻稀土元素的外来流体交代作用,因而其微量元素矿物地球化学的某些特点不同于苏鲁地区的榴辉岩。石榴石变斑晶中某些元素(如Ti、Zr)的分带性暗示了榴辉岩在紧随峰期变质之后的折返过程中发生了降压增温过程。榴辉岩主要变质矿物中微量元素的分配显然受到矿物主量元素的分配所控制,如MgO在石榴石和绿辉石之间的分配对Ni、Co、Ti分配的控制以及CaO的分配对Sr、Y、REE分配的控制等。退变质过程中矿物的形成或分解以及物理化学条件的改变都可以引起矿物间微量元素的重新分配。由绿辉石退变质而形成的角闪石,较之原先的绿辉石,其微量元素配分曲线总体特征会发生变化,但元素总体丰度相近,某些元素特点相似,又反映了绿辉石和角闪石之间的成生联系。金红石是Ti、Nb、Ta、Zr、Hf的主要赋存矿物,而与之共生的绿帘石所表现出来的高场强元素的亏损特征表明了金红石的存在所带来的影响。     

Ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism in the forbidden zone: the Xugou garnet peridotite, Sulu terrane, eastern China

The Xugou garnet peridotite body of the southern Sulu ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) terrane is enclosed in felsic gneiss, bounded by faults, and consists of harzburgite and lenses of garnet clinopyroxenite and eclogite. The peridotite is composed of variable amounts of olivine (Fo₉₁), enstatite (En_92?93), garnet (Alm_20?23Prp_53?58Knr_6?9Grs_12?18), diopside and rare chromite. The ultramafic protolith has a depleted residual mantle composition, indicated by a high‐Mg number, very low CaO, Al₂O₃ and total REE contents compared to primary mantle and other Sulu peridotites. Most garnet (Prp_44?58) clinopyroxenites are foliated. Except for rare kyanite‐bearing eclogitic bands, most eclogites contain a simple assemblage of garnet (Alm_29?34Prp_32?50Grs_15?39) + omphacite (Jd_24?36) + minor rutile. Clinopyroxenite and eclogite exhibit LREE‐depleted and LREE‐enriched patterns, respectively, but both have flat HREE patterns. Normalized La, Sm and Yb contents indicate that both eclogite and garnet clinopyroxenite formed by high‐pressure crystal accumulation (+ variable trapped melt) from melts resulting from two‐stage partial melting of a mantle source. Recrystallized textures and P–T estimates of 780–870 °C, 5–7 GPa and a metamorphic age of 231 ± 11 Ma indicate that both mafic and ultramafic protoliths experienced Triassic UHP metamorphism in the P–T forbidden zone with an extremely low thermal gradient (< 5 °C km^?1), and multistage retrograde recrystallization during exhumation. Develop of prehnite veins in clinopyroxenite, eclogite, felsic blocks and country rock gneiss, and replacements of eclogitic minerals by prehnite, albite, white mica, and K‐feldspar indicate low‐temperature metasomatism.     

Element mobility in mafic and felsic ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks during continental collision

In order to decipher element mobility in ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) eclogite-facies metamorphic rocks during subduction and exhumation of continental crust, major-trace elements and Sr-Nd isotopes were systematically investigated for two continuous core segments of about 3 m length from the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling (CCSD) project in the Sulu orogen. The segments are composed of lithological transitions between UHP eclogite and granitic gneiss. The eclogite exhibits a large variation in major and some trace elements such as LILE (e.g., Rb, Ba and K) and LREE, but a relatively limited range in HFSE and HREE. This suggests high mobility of LILE and LREE but immobility of HFSE and HREE during continental collision-zone metamorphism. Some eclogites have andesitic compositions with high SiO₂, alkalis, LREE, and LILE but low CaO, MgO and FeO contents. These features likely result from chemical exchange with gneisses, possibly due to the metasomatism of felsic melt produced by partial melting of the associated gneisses during the exhumation. On the other hand, some eclogites appear to have geochemical affinity to refractory rocks formed by melt extraction as evidenced by strong LREE and LILE depletion and the absence of hydrous minerals. These results provide evidence of melt-induced element mobility in the UHP metamorphic rocks. In particular, large variations in the abundance of such elements as SiO₂, LREE and LILE occur at the contact between eclogite and granitic gneiss, indicating their mobility between different slab components. Petrographic observations also show the presence of felsic veins on small scales in the UHP metamorphic rocks, demonstrating the occurrence of hydrous melt in local open-systems during the continental collision. As a whole, nevertheless, the protolith nature dictates the geochemical differences in both eclogite and granitic gneiss between the two core segments because mass transport during the subduction-zone metamorphism is principally dictated by the lithological differences at contact. The eclogite and granitic gneiss from the first core segment have high ε_Nd(t) values, whereas those from the second core segment show relatively low ε_Nd(t) values in concordance with majority of UHP metaigneous rocks outcropped along the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt. Thus contrasting origins of bimodal igneous rocks were involved in the continental collision, demonstrating that the subducted continental crust is the magmatic product of active rifting margin during supercontinental breakup in the middle Neoproterozoic.     

Origin of retrograde fluid in ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks: Constraints from mineral hydrogen isotope and water content changes in eclogite-gneiss transitions in the Sulu orogen

By taking advantage of having depth profiles between contrasting lithologies from core samples of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling (CCSD) project, a combined study was carried out to examine changes in mineral H isotope, total water and hydroxyl contents in garnet and omphacite across the contacts between ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) eclogite and gneiss in the Sulu orogen, east-central China. The samples of interest were from two continuous core segments from the CCSD main hole at depths of 734.21-737.16 and 929.67-932.86 m, respectively. The results show δD values of −116‰ to  − 64‰ for garnet and −104‰ to −82‰ for omphacite, consistent with incorporation of meteoric water into protoliths of UHP metamorphic rocks by high-T alteration. Both equilibrium and disequilibrium H isotope fractionations were observed between garnet and omphacite, suggesting fluid-assisted H isotope exchange at local scales during amphibolite-facies retrogression. While bulk water analysis gave total H₂O concentrations of 522-1584 ppm for garnet and 1170-20745 ppm for omphacite, structural hydroxyl analysis yielded H₂O contents of 80-413 ppm for garnet and 228-412 ppm for omphacite. It appears that significant amounts of molecular H₂O are present in the minerals, pointing to enhanced capacity of water storage in the UHP eclogite minerals. Hydrogen isotope variations in the transition between eclogite and gneiss show correlations with variations in their water contents. Petrographically, the degree of retrograde metamorphism generally increases with decreasing distance from the eclogite-gneiss boundary. Thus, retrograde metamorphism results in mineral reactions and H isotope variation. Because hydroxyl solubility in nominally anhydrous minerals decreases with dropping pressure, significant amounts of water are expected to be released from the minerals during decompression exhumation. Decompression exsolution of structural hydroxyl from 1 m³ volume of eclogite composed of only garnet and omphacite results in release of a quantitative estimate of 3.07-3.44 kg water that can form 140-156 kg amphibole during exhumation. Therefore, it is concluded that fluid for retrogression of the eclogites away from the eclogite-gneiss boundary was derived from the decompression exsolution of structural hydroxyl and molecular H₂O in nominally anhydrous minerals. For the eclogites adjacent to gneiss, in contrast, the retrograde metamorphism was principally caused by aqueous fluid from the gneiss which is relatively rich in water. Consequently, both the origin and availability of metamorphic fluid during exhumation of deeply subducted continental crust are deciphered by this combined study focusing on the transitions and the retrograde processes between the felsic and mafic UHP rocks.     

Petrochemistry, oxygen isotopes and U-Pb SHRIMP geochronology of mafic–ultramafic bodies from the Sulu UHP terrane, China

Two Rongcheng eclogite‐bearing peridotite bodies (Chijiadian and Macaokuang) occur as lenses within the country rock gneiss of the northern Sulu terrane. The Chijiadian ultramafic body consists of garnet lherzolite, whereas the Macaokuang body is mainly meta‐dunite. Both ultramafics are characterized by high MgO contents, low fertile element concentrations and total REE contents, which suggests that they were derived from depleted, residual mantle. High FeO contents, an LREE‐enriched pattern and trace‐element contents indicate that the bulk‐rock compositions of these ultramafic rocks were modified by metasomatism. Oxygen‐isotope compositions of analysed garnet, olivine, clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene from these two ultramafic bodies are between +5.2‰ and +6.2‰ (δ¹⁸O), in the range of typical mantle values (+5.1 to +6.6‰). The eclogite enclosed within the Chijiadian lherzolite shows an LREE‐enriched pattern and was formed by melts derived from variable degrees (0.005–0.05) of partial melting of peridotite. It has higher δ¹⁸O values (+7.6‰ for garnet and +7.7‰ for omphacite) than those of lherzolite. Small O‐isotope fractionations (ΔCpx‐Ol: 0.4‰, ΔCpx‐Grt: 0.1‰, ΔGrt‐Ol: 0.3–0.4‰) in both eclogite and ultramafic rocks suggest isotopic equilibrium at high temperature. The P–T estimates suggest that these rocks experienced subduction‐zone ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) metamorphism at ～700–800 °C, 5 GPa, with a low geothermal gradient. Zircon from the Macaokuang eclogite contains inclusions of garnet and diopside. The 225 ± 2 Ma U/Pb age obtained from these zircon may date either the prograde conditions just before peak metamorphism or the UHP metamorphic event, and therefore constrains the timing of subduction‐related UHP metamorphism for the Rongcheng mafic–ultramafic bodies.     

CCSD主孔100-1100m榴辉岩中单矿物的原位微区微量元素地球化学研究

本文通过对CCSD主孔100～1100m范围内榴辉岩中单矿物的LA-ICP-MS分析，探讨了榴辉岩中单矿物之间的微量元素分配，发现超高压变质作用中石榴石和绿辉石之间Ti和C0的分配显著受Mg控制（如DCo^Grt/Omp=3．43DMg^Grt/Omp-0．34），而REE、Sr和Y的分配则受Ca分配所控制。绿辉石中REE、Pb和Th的含量则明显受超高压副矿物磷灰石的出现与否所控制。结合岩石学特征，对角闪石和绿辉石中微量元素的研究表明角闪石主要是绿辉石退变质的产物。但退变质矿物的微量元素组成不仅受原矿物控制，而且受退变质矿物组合类型影响。绿帘石的出现会显著降低共生角闪石中LREE和Sr的含量，而多硅白云母的分解则会增加角闪石中的Rb、Ba含量。另外，退变质过程中的流体活动也会影响退变质矿物中的LREE、Sr和Pb等。结合REE在榴辉岩各主要矿物间分配系数随温度、压力的变化，我们推测部分石榴石边部MREE的富集特征可能反映榴辉岩在折返过程中经历了短时增温作用，这可能是引起苏鲁地区榴辉岩相向麻粒岩相转变叠加现象以及超高压岩石经历部分熔融作用的重要原因。此外，榴辉岩中金红石Nb和Ta组成的高度不均一性为金红石形成于超高压变质阶段富Ti磁铁矿相变作用的成因机制提供了佐证。     

Comment on “Paleozoic ages and excess Ar in garnets from the Bixiling eclogite in Dabieshan, China: New insights from Ar/Ar dating by stepwise crushing” by Qiu and Wijbrans (2006)

Qiu and Wijbrans [Qiu H.-N. and Wijbrans J. R. (2006) Paleozoic ages and excess ⁴⁰Ar in garnets from the Bixiling eclogite in Dabieshan, China: new insights from ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating by stepwise crushing. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta70, 2354-2370] present three Ar-Ar age spectra for fluid inclusions in garnet from eclogite at Bixiling in the Dabie orogen, east-central China. These Paleozoic ages of 427 ± 20 to 444 ± 10 Ma are interpreted to represent the first formation of Dabie ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) eclogite and thus require subduction of Yangtze crust to have started much earlier than previously accepted. However, no petrographic evidence, such as mineral inclusions in the garnet relating to the particular metamorphic conditions, is presented to substantiate the proposed UHP metamorphic event. Because garnet growth is not uniquely responsible for UHP eclogite-facies metamorphism, a distinction between UHP and high-pressure (HP) metamorphic events must be made in the interpretation of geochronological results. Available data from mineral Sm-Nd and zircon U-Pb dating of eclogites from the same area have firmly established that the UHP eclogite-facies metamorphism took place at Triassic. Neither the age of UHP metamorphism nor the timing of continental collision is reliably constrained by their presented data; the fluid inclusions in garnet must contain inherited ⁴⁰Ar from UHP eclogite precursor, without considerable resetting of the Ar-Ar isotopic system during Triassic UHP metamorphism. Therefore, their data are either meaningless, or at best viewed as the age of garnet growth by low-T/HP blueschist/eclogite-facies metamorphism of the UHP eclogite precursor during arc-continent collision in the early Paleozoic. Furthermore, it is critical for metamorphic geochronology to substantiate the timing of UHP metamorphic event by means of zircon U-Pb in situ dating on coesite-bearing domains of metamorphically grown zircon.     

Petrology and zircon U–Pb dating of well‐preserved eclogites from the Thongmön area in central Himalaya and their tectonic implications

The discovery of eclogites is reported within the Great Himalayan Crystalline Complex in the Thongmön area, central Himalaya, and their metamorphic evolution is deciphered by petrographic studies, pseudosection modelling, and zircon dating. For the first time, omphacite has been found in the matrix of eclogites taken from a metamorphic mafic lens. Two groups of garnet have been identified in the Thongmön eclogites on the basis of major and rare earth elements and mineral inclusions. Core and intermediate sections of garnet represent Grt I, in which the major elements (Ca, Mg, and Fe) show a nearly homogenous distribution with little or weak zonation. This Grt I displays an almost flat chondrite‐normalized HREE pattern, and the main inclusions are amphibole, apatite, quartz, and abundant omphacite. Grt II, forms thin rims on large garnet grains, and is characterized by rim‐ward Ca decrease and Mg increase and MREE enrichment relative to HREE and LREE. No amphibole inclusions are found in Grt II, indicating the decomposition of amphibole contributed to its MREE enrichment. Two metamorphic stages, recorded by matrix minerals and inclusions in garnet and zircon, outline the burial of the Thongmön eclogites and progressive metamorphic processes to the pressure peak: (a) the assemblage of amphibole–garnet–omphacite–phengite–rutile–quartz, with the phengite interpreted as having been replaced by Bt+Pl symplectites, represents the prograde amphibole eclogite facies stage M1₍₁₎, (b) in the peak eclogite facies [stage M1₍₂₎], amphibole was lost and melting started. Based on the compositions of garnet and omphacite inclusions, M1₍₁₎ is constrained to 19–20 kbar and 640–660°C and M1₍₂₎ occurred at >21 kbar, >750°C, with appearance of melt and its entrapment in metamorphic zircon. SHRIMP U–Pb dating of zircon from two eclogite samples yielded consistent metamorphic ages of 16.7 ± 0.6 Ma and 17.1 ± 0.4 Ma respectively. The metamorphic zircon grew concurrently with Grt II in the peak eclogite facies. Thongmön eclogites characterized by the prograde metamorphism from amphibolite facies to eclogite facies were formed by the continuing continental subduction of Indian plate beneath the Euro‐Asian continent in the Miocene.     

Ultrahigh pressure metamorphic rocks from the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Project: I. Petrology and geochemistry of the main hole (0–2,050 m)

The main hole (MH) of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Project (CCSD) in southern Sulu has penetrated into an ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic rock slice which consists of orthogneiss, paragneiss, eclogite, ultramafic rock and minor schist. Recovered eclogites have a UHP metamorphic mineral assemblage of garnet + omphacite + rutile ± phengite ± kyanite ± coesite ± epidote. Ultramafic rocks contain garnet + olivine + clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene ± Ti-clinohumite ± phlogopite. Gneisses and schists contain an amphibolite-facies paragenesis, but their zircons have coesite, garnet, omphacite (or jadeite) and phengite inclusions, indicating that eclogites and gneisses have been subjected to in situ UHP metamorphism. Using available geothermobarometers, P–T estimates of 3.1–4.4 GPa and 678–816°C for eclogites were obtained. If surface outcrops and neighboring shallow drill holes are considered together, we suggest that a huge supracrustal rock slab (> 50 km long × 100 km wide × 5 km deep) was subducted to a depth > 100 km and then exhumed to the surface. The depth interval (0–2,050 m) of the CCSD-MH can be divided into six lithological units. Unit 1 consists of alternating layers of quartz-rich and rutile-rich eclogites, with thin interlayers of gneiss and schist. Eclogites of unit 1 are characterized by Nb, Ta, Sr and Ti depletions, low Mg number and general LREE enrichment. Unit 2 comprises rutile- and ilmenite-rich eclogite and minor “normal” eclogite and is characterized by high TiO₂, total Fe, V, Co and Sr, and very low SiO₂, alkali, Zr, Ba, Nb, Ta and total REE contents, and LREE-depleted REE patterns with slightly positive Eu anomalies. Unit 3 contains ultramafic rock and minor MgO-rich eclogite. Protoliths of UHP rocks from units 1, 2 and 3 represent a layered mafic to ultramafic intrusion at crustal depth. Units 4 and 6 consist of interlayered eclogite and paragneiss; the eclogites are characterized by Th, U, Nb, Ta and Ti depletion and K enrichment and LREE-enriched REE patterns. Paragneisses show Nb, Ta, Sr and Ti depletions and LREE-enriched REE patterns occasionally with slightly negative Eu anomalies, indicating that their protoliths represent metamorphic supracrustal series. Unit 5 consists mainly of orthogneisses, showing distinct Nb, Ta, Sr and Ti depletions, and LREE-enriched REE patterns with pronounced negative Eu anomalies, suggesting granitic protoliths. In conclusion it is proposed that the southern Sulu UHP belt consists of a series of meta-supracrustal rocks, a layered mafic–ultramafic complex and granites.     

U–Pb ages and trace elements in metamorphic zircon and titanite from UHP eclogite in the Dabie orogen: constraints on P–T–t path

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analyses of U–Pb isotopes and trace elements in zircon and titanite were carried out on epoxy mounts and thin sections for ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) eclogite in association with paragneiss in the Dabie orogen. The results provide a direct link between metamorphic ages and temperatures during continental subduction‐zone metamorphism. Zircon U–Pb dating gives two groups of concordant ages at 242 ± 2 to 239 ± 5 Ma and 226 ± 2 to 224 ± 6 Ma, respectively. The Triassic zircon U–Pb ages are characterized by flat heavy rare earth element (HREE) patterns typical of metamorphic growth. Ti‐in‐zircon thermometry for the two generations of metamorphic zircon yields temperatures of 697 ± 27 to 721 ± 8 °C and 742 ± 19 to 778 ± 34 °C, respectively. We interpret that the first episode of zircon growth took place during subduction prior to the onset of UHP metamorphism, whereas the second episode in the stage of exhumation from UHP to HP eclogite facies regime. Thus, the continental subduction‐zone metamorphism of sedimentary protolith is temporally associated with two episodes of fluid activity, respectively, predating and postdating the UHP metamorphic phase. The significantly high Ti‐in‐zircon temperatures for the younger zircon at lower pressures indicate the initial ‘hot’ exhumation after the peak UHP metamorphism. There are two types of titanite. One exhibits light rare earth element (LREE) enrichment, steep MREE–HREE patterns and no Eu anomalies, and yields Zr‐in‐titanite temperatures of 551 to 605 °C at 0.5 GPa, and the other shows LREE depletion and flat MREE–HREE patterns, and gives Zr‐in‐titanite temperatures of 782–788 °C at 2.0 GPa. The former is amenable for U–Pb dating, yielding a discordia lower intercept age of 252 ± 3 Ma. Thus, the first type of titanite is interpreted to have grown in the absence of garnet and plagioclase and thus in the early stage of subduction. In contrast, the second one occurs as rims surrounding rutile cores and thus grew in the presence of garnet during the ‘hot’ exhumation. Therefore, there is multistage growth of zircon and titanite during the continental subduction‐zone metamorphism. The combined studies of chronometry and thermobarometry provide tight constraints on the P–T–t path of eclogites during the continental collision. It appears that the mid‐T/UHP eclogite facies zone would not only form by subduction of the continental crust in a P–T path slightly below the wet granite solidus, but also experience decompression heating during the initial exhumation.     

Trace elements in zircon and coexisting minerals from low-T/UHP metagranite in the Dabie orogen: Implications for action of supercritical fluid during continental subduction-zone metamorphism

Simultaneously in-situ analyses of U–Pb isotopes and trace elements were carried out for zircons, in combination with the in-situ analyses of trace elements in coexisting minerals, from low-T/UHP metagranite in the Dabie orogen. The results provide geochemical evidence for the existence of supercritical fluid during continental subduction-zone metamorphism. The zircons are categorized into three types based on their patterns of REE distribution. Type I zircons show increasing enrichment from La to Lu, with prominent positive Ce anomalies and negative Eu anomalies, which are typical of magmatic zircon. Some of them display regular or blurred oscillatory-zoned texture and apparent ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of 341 to 780 Ma, suggesting metamorphic modification by solid-state recrystallization with no significant involvement of metamorphic fluid. Type II zircons share similar Th, U and HFSE contents and REE patterns to Type I zircons. However, they exhibit blurred oscillatory-zoned texture or are unzoned, have apparent ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of 348 to 709 Ma, and are LREE-enriched relative to Type I zircons. This suggests that they underwent metamorphic reworking by replacement recrystallization in the presence of metamorphic fluid. The LREE enrichment is due to the presence of microscale LREE-bearing mineral inclusions (such as apatite, monazite or epidote) in the zircons. Type III zircons, representing the majority of the present analyses, are characterized by spongy texture and consistent enrichment of LREE, HREE, Th, U and HFSE relative to Type I zircons. They yield nearly concordant U–Pb ages close to the discordia lower-intercept. The consistent enrichment of trace elements relative to the magmatic zircon indicates involvement of a special UHP metamorphic fluid that has a strong capacity to extract significant amounts of LREE, HREE, Th, U and HFSE from such accessory minerals as allanite, garnet, rutile and zircon. Because these minerals are stable in the field of hydrous melt in granite–water systems, they are not able to be decomposed during the exhumation of deeply subducted continental crust. Thus, a supercritical fluid is suggested to transport the LREE, HREE, Th, U and HFSE in the accessory minerals to recrystallized zircons. The mechanism of dissolution recrystallization is responsible for the spongy texture and the very high concentration of trace elements in this type of metamorphic zircons. Therefore, the action of supercritical fluid is evident under the low-T/UHP metamorphic conditions.     

Petrology and metamorphism of glaucophane eclogites in Changning-Menglian suture zone,Bangbing area,southeast Tibetan Plateau: An evidence for Paleo-Tethyan subduction

High/ultrahigh-pressure (HP/UHP) metamorphic complexes, such as eclogite and blueschist, are generally regarded as significant signature of paleo-subduction zones and paleo-suture zones. Glaucophane eclogites have been recently identified within the Lancang Group characterized by accretionary mélange in the Changning-Menglian suture zone, at Bangbing in the Shuangjiang area of southeastern Tibetan Plateau. The authors report the result of petrological, mineralogical and metamorphism investigations of these rocks, and discuss their tectonic implications. The eclogites are located within the Suyi blueschist belt and occur as tectonic lenses in coarse-grained garnet muscovite schists. The major mineral assemblage of the eclogites includes garnet, omphacite, glaucophane, phengite, clinozoisite and rutile. Eclogitic garnet contains numerous inclusions, such as omphacite, glaucophane, rutile, and quartz with radial cracks around. Glaucophane and clinozoisite in the matrix have apparent optical and compositional zonation. Four stages of metamorphic evolution can be determined: The prograde blueschist facies (M₁), the peak eclogite facies (M₂), the decompression blueschist facies (M₃) and retrograde greenschist facies (M₄). Using the Grt-Omp-Phn geothermobarometer, a peak eclogite facies metamorphic P-T condition of 3000–3270 MPa and 617–658°C was determined, which is typical of low-temperature ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism. The comparison of the geological characteristics of the Bangbing glaucophane eclogites and the Mengku lawsonite-bearing retrograde eclogites indicates that two suites of eclogites may have formed from significantly different depths or localities to create the tectonic mélange in a subduction channel during subduction of the Triassic Changning-Menglian Ocean. The discovery of the Bangbing glaucophane eclogites may represent a new oceanic HP/UHP metamorphic belt in the Changning-Menglian suture zone.©2021 China Geology Editorial Office.     

Eclogite origin and timings in the North Qinling terrane,and their bearing on the amalgamation of the South and North China Blocks

The amalgamation of South (SCB) and North China Blocks (NCB) along the Qinling‐Dabie orogenic belt involved several stages of high pressure (HP)‐ultra high pressure (UHP) metamorphism. The new discovery of UHP metamorphic rocks in the North Qinling (NQ) terrane can provide valuable information on this process. However, no precise age for the UHP metamorphism in the NQ terrane has been documented yet, and thus hinders deciphering of the evolution of the whole Qinling‐Dabie‐Sulu orogenic belt. This article reports an integrated study of U–Pb age, trace element, mineral inclusion and Hf isotope composition of zircon from an eclogite, a quartz vein and a schist in the NQ terrane. The zircon cores in the eclogite are characterized by oscillatory zoning or weak zoning, high Th/U and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios, pronounced Eu anomalies and steep heavy rare earth element (HREE) patterns. The zircon cores yield an age of 796 ± 13 Ma, which is taken as the protolith formation age of the eclogite, and implies that the NQ terrane may belong to the SCB before it collided with the NCB. The ?_Hf(t) values vary from ?11.3 to 3.2 and corresponding two‐stage Hf model ages are 2402 to 1495 Ma, suggesting the protolith was derived from an enriched mantle. In contrast, the metamorphic zircon rims show no zoning or weak zoning, very low Th/U and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios, insignificant Eu anomalies and flat HREE patterns. They contain inclusions of garnet, omphacite and phengite, suggesting that the metamorphic zircon formed under eclogite facies metamorphic conditions, and their weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 485.9 ± 3.8 Ma was interpreted to date the timing of the eclogite facies metamorphism. Zircon in the quartz vein is characterized by perfect euhedral habit, some oscillatory zoning, low Th/U ratios and variable HREE contents. It yields a weighted mean U–Pb age of 480.5 ± 2.5 Ma, which registers the age of fluid activity during exhumation. Zircon in the schist is mostly detrital and U–Pb age peaks at c. 1950 to 1850, 1800 to 1600, 1560 to 1460 and 1400 to 1260 Ma with an oldest grain of 2517 Ma, also suggesting that the NQ terrane may have an affinity to the SCB. Accordingly, the amalgamation between the SCB and the NCB is a multistage process that spans c. 300 Myr, which includes: the formation of the Erlangping intra‐oceanic arc zone onto the NCB before c. 490 Ma, the c. 485 Ma crustal subduction and UHP metamorphism of the NQ terrane, the c. 430 Ma arc‐continent collision and granulite facies metamorphism, the 420 to 400 Ma extension and rifting in relation to the opening of the Palaeo‐Tethyan ocean, the c. 310 Ma HP eclogite facies metamorphism of oceanic crust and associated continental basement, and the final 250 to 220 Ma continental subduction and HP–UHP metamorphism.     

高压-超高压变质岩石中石榴石的环带和成因

在俯冲带变质过程中,石榴石是高压-超高压变质榴辉岩和片麻岩的常见变质矿物。由于石榴石具有难熔和流体中的低溶解能力的特点,通常可以很好地保存下来,并且能够保留复杂的化学成分环带,以及不同类型的矿物或流体包裹体,为解释石榴石寄主岩石经历的变质演化历史提供了重要信息。石榴子石的主微量元素成分受控于很多因素,如全岩成分、变质的温压条件、控制石榴子石形成的相关变质反应、与石榴子石共生的矿物种类和成分等。因此,在利用石榴石探讨超高压变质的演化历史时,对石榴石进行系统的主要元素、微量元素、氧同位素以及矿物包裹体分析,以及相互间的成因关系。同时,对石榴石中的锆石或独居石包裹体并进行原位U-Pb定年和微量元素分析,可以为变质石榴石的形成时代提供直接的时间制约。深入研究超高压变质岩中石榴石的生长阶段,不仅可以为含石榴石寄主岩石的变质过程提供岩石学和地球化学证据,而且对于理解石榴石的形成机制、生长规律及其变质化学动力学过程具有重要的科学意义。     

Metamorphic growth and recrystallization of zircon: Distinction by simultaneous in-situ analyses of trace elements,U–Th–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes in zircons from eclogite-facies rocks in the Sulu orogen

Simultaneous in-situ analyses of trace elements, U–Th–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes were carried out on distinct domains of zircons in ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) eclogite-facies metamorphic rocks from the main hole of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling (CCSD) in the Sulu orogen. For the first time, trace elements are directly linked to Lu–Hf isotopes in metamorphic zircons with reference to their U–Pb dates. This enables methodological integration to distinguish four types of metamorphic zircon: solid-state, replacement and dissolution recrystallizations of protolith zircons, and new growth from the aqueous fluid. Metamorphically grown zircons are characterized by concordant U–Pb ages for the metamorphism, flat HREE patterns typical of the garnet effect, low contents of REE (especially HREE), Y, Nb + Ta and Th + U, high contents of Hf, low (Lu/Gd)_N, Lu/Hf and Th/U (< 0.1) ratios, and elevated ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios relative to solid-state recrystallized zircons. This suggests the effects of both garnet and fluid on the growth of metamorphic zircons. In contrast, metamorphic recrystallization has reset the U–Th–Pb isotope system of protolith zircons to different extents, depending on the extents of fluid action during metamorphism. Solid-state recrystallized zircons exhibit the lowest degrees of resetting and thus almost inherit all geochemical features from the protolith zircons, which are characterized by discordant U–Pb ages close to or below the protolith age, steep MREE–HREE patterns typical of magmatic origin, high contents of trace elements and their ratios, and low ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios. On the other hand, dissolution recrystallized zircons show the highest degrees of reworking and thus have concordant or nearly concordant U–Pb ages for the metamorphism, steep MREE–HREE patterns, lowered contents of trace elements such as REE, Th, U, Y, Nb, Ta and Ti relative to the protolith zircons, and almost unchanged Hf isotope ratios. Replacement recrystallized zircons display intermediate degrees of reworking and thus have their many features of elements and isotopes in between. While the metamorphic growth in the presence of both garnet and fluid is characterized by both depletion of HREE with flat pattern and the low contents of trace elements, the metamorphic recrystallization in the presence of aqueous fluid is indicated by gradual decreases of MREE to HREE without the flat HREE pattern. Therefore, the simultaneous in-situ analyses of metamorphic zircons have the advantage over single-term analyses in making distinction between the new growth and the different types of recrystallization.     

柴北缘超高压地体折返过程中地壳深熔的岩石学研究

宏观、微观岩石学、地球化学和年代学研究表明,柴北缘锡铁山和绿梁山单元富含斜长石的浅色体和富含钾长石的浅色体是超高压地体折返过程中榴辉岩和片麻岩部分熔融的产物。阴极发光图像显示富含斜长石的浅色体中锆石具有明显的核-边双层结构,锆石核部无明显分带特征,并呈现出重稀土平坦和无Eu异常的稀土配分模式,～450Ma的年龄结果与区域上榴辉岩峰期变质时代一致;发光较弱的锆石边部具不明显的环带结构和较低的Th/U比值,～426Ma年龄结果代表了熔体的结晶时代。富含钾长石的浅色体中的锆石U-Pb定年结果记录的～910Ma、～450Ma和～426Ma三组年龄分别代表了片麻岩原岩结晶时代、高压-超高压变质作用时代和熔体结晶时代。富含斜长石的浅色体具有高SiO_2、Al_2O_3、CaO、Na_2O、Sr和LREE,而低MgO、FeO~T、K_2O、Y、Yb和HREE的英云闪长岩-奥长花岗岩的地球化学特征;而富含钾长石的浅色体具有高的SiO_2、Al_2O_3和K_2O+Na_2O,而较低的CaO、MgO、REE的花岗岩地球化学特征。黝帘石和少量的多硅白云母的脱水分解是触发超高压榴辉岩发生部分熔融形成富含斜长石的浅色体的主要机制;而多硅白云母的脱水分解则是触发超高压片麻岩部分熔融形成富含钾长石浅色体的主要机制。这些浅色体显著的促进了柴北缘超高压地体的快速折返,并对大陆俯冲隧道中的元素迁移和壳-幔作用具有重要的影响。     

Element mobility during continental collision: insights from polymineralic metamorphic vein within UHP eclogite in the Dabie orogen

Metamorphic dehydration and partial melting are two important processes during continental collision. They have significant bearing on element transport at the slab interface under subduction‐zone P–T conditions. Petrological and geochemical insights into the two processes are provided by a comprehensive study of leucocratic veins in ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks. This is exemplified by this study of a polymineralic vein within phengite‐bearing UHP eclogite in the Dabie orogen. The vein is primarily composed of quartz, kyanite, epidote and phengite, with minor accessory minerals such as garnet, rutile and zircon. Primary multiphase solid inclusions occur in garnet and epidote from the both vein and host eclogite. They are composed of quartz ± K‐feldspar ± plagioclase ± K‐bearing glass and exhibit irregular to negative crystal shapes that are surrounded by weak radial cracks. This suggests their precipitation from solute‐rich metamorphic fluid/melt that involved the reaction of phengite breakdown. Zircon U–Pb dating for the vein gave two groups of concordant ages at 217 ± 2 and 210 ± 2 Ma, indicating two episodes of zircon growth in the Late Triassic. The same minerals from the two rocks give consistent δ¹⁸O and δD values, suggesting that the vein‐forming fluid was directly derived from the host UHP eclogite. The vein is much richer in phengite and epidote than the host eclogite, suggesting that the fluid is associated with remarkable concentration of such water‐soluble elements as LILE and LREE migration. Garnet and rutile in the vein exhibit much higher contents of HREE (2.2–5.7 times) and Nb–Ta (1.8–2.0 times) than those in the eclogite, indicating that these normally water‐insoluble elements became mobile and then were sunken in the vein minerals. Thus, the vein‐forming agent would be primarily composed of the UHP aqueous fluid with minor amounts of the hydrous melt, which may even become a supercritical fluid to have a capacity to transport not only LILE and LREE but also HREE and HFSE at subduction‐zone metamorphic conditions. Taken together, significant amounts of trace elements were transported by the vein‐forming fluid due to the phengite breakdown inside the UHP eclogite during exhumation of the deeply subducted continental crust.     

Current mercury ore formation on Mendeleyev

The Maksyutov metamorphic complex is the first locality where coesite pseudomorphs in garnet were described. The importance of this discovery was not understood until ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism was independently recognized in the Dora Maira Massif of the western Alps and the Western Gneiss Region of Norway. The coesite pseudomorphs are significant because they suggest that the lower unit of the Maksyutov complex probably underwent UHP metamorphism at depths greater than 80 km in a paleosubduction zone.

The Maksyutov complex, situated in the southern Ural Mountains of Russia, forms an elongate N-S belt along the boundary between the European and Russian plates. The complex contains two superimposed tectonic unitsa lower eclogite-bearing schist unit that underwent high-pressure (HP) to UHP metamorphism and an upper meta-ophiolite unit subjected to blueschist/greenschist-facies metamorphism. The lower unit lithologies range from quartzofeldspathic, to graphite-rich, to mafic-ultramafic compositions. Mineral assemblages of the metamorphosed mafic rocks include: (1) coesite (as pseudomorphs) + garnet + omphacite + rutile + zoisite; (2) jadeite + quartz (coesite) + garnet + kyanite ± paragonite; (3) garnet + omphacite + barroisite + rutile; and (4) garnet + glaucophane + lawsonite. The upper unit is characterized by sheets of serpentinite that contain lawsonite-bearing metarodingite and rare calcium-rich eclogite. A metamorphosed melange containing blocks of ultramafic, eclogite, and quartz-jadeite rocks is situated between the two units.

The UHP metamorphic event that affected the lower unit is characterized by recumbent folding and shear zones. Subsequent large-scale, left-lateral strike-slip movements deformed both tectonic units. These deep-crustal metamorphic structures are oriented at high angles relative to the younger, N-S-trending Main Uralian thrust and the left-lateral strike-slip movement that displaced the Maksyutov block.     

Constraining peak P–T conditions in UHP eclogites: calculated phase equilibria in kyanite‐ and phengite‐bearing eclogite of the Tromsø Nappe,Norway

Kyanite‐ and phengite‐bearing eclogites have better potential to constrain the peak metamorphic P–T conditions from phase equilibria between garnet + omphacite + kyanite + phengite + quartz/coesite than common, mostly bimineralic (garnet + omphacite) eclogites, as exemplified by this study. Textural relationships, conventional geothermobarometry and thermodynamic modelling have been used to constrain the metamorphic evolution of the Tromsdalstind eclogite from the Tromsø Nappe, one of the biggest exposures of eclogite in the Scandinavian Caledonides. The phase relationships demonstrate that the rock progressively dehydrated, resulting in breakdown of amphibole and zoisite at increasing pressure. The peak‐pressure mineral assemblage was garnet + omphacite + kyanite + phengite + coesite, inferred from polycrystalline quartz included in radially fractured omphacite. This omphacite, with up to 37 mol.% of jadeite and 3% of the Ca‐Eskola component, contains oriented rods of silica composition. Garnet shows higher grossular (X_Grs = 0.25–0.29), but lower pyrope‐content (X_Prp = 0. 37–0.39) in the core than the rim, while phengite contains up to 3.5 Si pfu. The compositional isopleths for garnet core, phengite and omphacite constrain the P–T conditions to 3.2–3.5 GPa and 720–800 °C, in good agreement with the results obtained from conventional geothermobarometry (3.2–3.5 GPa & 730–780 °C). Peak‐pressure assemblage is variably overprinted by symplectites of diopside + plagioclase after omphacite, biotite and plagioclase after phengite, and sapphirine + spinel + corundum + plagioclase after kyanite. Exhumation from ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) conditions to 1.3–1.5 GPa at 740–770 °C is constrained by the garnet rim (X_Ca^Grt = 0.18–0.21) and symplectite clinopyroxene (X_Na^Cpx = 0.13–0.21), and to 0.5–0.7 GPa at 700–800 °C by sapphirine (X_Mg = 0.86–0.87) and spinel (X_Mg = 0.60–0.62) compositional isopleths. UHP metamorphism in the Tromsø Nappe is more widespread than previously known. Available data suggest that UHP eclogites were uplifted to lower crustal levels rapidly, within a short time interval (452–449 Ma) prior to the Scandian collision between Laurentia and Baltica. The Tromsø Nappe as the highest tectonic unit of the North Norwegian Caledonides is considered to be of Laurentian origin and UHP metamorphism could have resulted from subduction along the Laurentian continental margin. An alternative is that the Tromsø Nappe belonged to a continental margin of Baltica, which had already been subducted before the terminal Scandian collision, and was emplaced as an out‐of‐sequence thrust during the Scandian lateral transport of nappes.     

Devonian to Carboniferous collision in the Greenland Caledonides: U-Pb zircon and Sm-Nd ages of high-pressure and ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism

A variety of eclogites from an east-west transect across the North-East Greenland eclogite province have been studied to establish the timing of high pressure (HP) and ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism in this northern segment of the Laurentian margin. Garnet + omphacite ± amphibole + whole rock Sm-Nd isochrons from a quartz eclogite, a garnet + omphacite + rutile eclogite and a partially melted zoisite eclogite in the western HP belt are 401±2, 402±9 and 414±18 Ma, respectively. Corresponding sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of metamorphic zircon in the same samples are 401±7, 414±13, and 393 ±10 Ma. Metamorphic zircon domains were identified using morphology, cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging, U, Th, Th/U and trace element contents. Zircon from the quartz eclogite and the garnet + omphacite + rutile eclogite are typical of eclogite facies zircon with rounded to subhedral shapes, patchy to homogenous CL domains, low U, and very low Th and Th/U. The partially melted eclogite contains euhedral zircons with dark, sector-zoned, higher U, Th and Th/U inherited cores. Three cores give a Paleoproterozoic ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 1,962±27 Ma, interpreted as the age of the leucogabbroic protolith. CL images of the bright overgrowths show faint oscillatory zoning next to homogenous areas that indicate zircon growth in the presence of a HP melt and later recrystallization. Additional evidence that zircon grew during eclogite facies conditions is the lack of a Eu anomaly in the trace element data for all the samples. These results, combined with additional less precise Sm-Nd ages and our earlier work, point to a Devonian age of HP metamorphism in the western and central portions of the eclogite province. An UHP kyanite eclogite from the eastern part of the transect contains equant metamorphic zircon with homogeneous to patchy zoning in CL and HP inclusions of garnet, omphacite and kyanite. These zircons have slightly higher U, Th and Th/U values than the HP ones, no Eu anomaly, and are thus comparable to UHP zircons in the literature. The ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of these zircons is 360±5 Ma, much younger than the HP eclogites. The same sample gives a Sm-Nd age of 342±6 Ma. Unlike the HP eclogites, the Sm-Nd age of the UHP rock is ca. 20 Ma younger than the U-Pb zircon age and most likely records slow cooling through the closure temperature, since peak temperatures were in excess of 900°C. Widespread HP metamorphism of both the Laurentian and Baltica continental margins marks the culmination of this continent–continent collision in the Devonian. Carboniferous UHP conditions, though localized in the east, suggest a prolonged collisional history rather than a short-lived Scandian orogeny. The traditional Silurian Scandian orogeny should thus be extended through the Devonian.