Deciphering polymetamorphic episodes in high-grade metamorphic orogens: Constraints from PbSL, Sm/Nd and Lu/Hf garnet dating of low- to high-grade metasedimentary rocks from the Kaoko belt (Namibia)

Three dating techniques for metamorphic minerals using the Sm–Nd, Lu–Hf and Pb isotope systems are combined and interpreted in context with detailed petrologic data from crustal segments in NW Namibia. The combination of isochron ages using these different approaches is a valuable tool to testify for the validity of metamorphic mineral dating. Here, PbSL, Lu–Hf and Sm–Nd garnet ages obtained on low- to medium-grade metasedimentary rocks from the Central Kaoko Zone of the Neoproterozoic Kaoko belt (NW Namibia) indicate that these samples were metamorphosed at around 550–560 Ma. On the other hand, granulite facies metasedimentary rocks from the Western Kaoko Zone underwent two phases of high-grade metamorphism, one at ca. 660–625 Ma and another at ca. 550 Ma providing substantial evidence that the 660–625 Ma-event was indeed a major tectonothermal episode in the Kaoko belt. Our age data suggest that interpreting metamorphic ages by applying a single dating method only is not reliable enough when studying complex metamorphic systems. However, a combination of all three dating techniques used here provides a reliable basis for geochronological age interpretation.     

Controls on porphyroblast size along a regional metamorphic field gradient

Garnet-bearing schists from the Waterville Formation of south-central Maine provide an opportunity to examine the factors governing porphyroblast size over a range of metamorphic grade. Three-dimensional sizes and locations for all garnet porphyroblasts were determined for three samples along the metamorphic field gradient spanning lowest garnet through sillimanite grade, using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography. Comparison of crystal size distributions to previous data sets obtained by stereological methods for the same samples reveals significant differences in mode, mean, and shape of the distributions. Quantitative textural analysis shows that the garnets in each rock crystallized in a diffusion-controlled nucleation and growth regime. In contrast to the typical observation of a correlation between porphyroblast size and position along a metamorphic field gradient, porphyroblast size of the lowest-grade specimen is intermediate between the high- and middle-grade specimens’ sizes. Mean porphyroblast size does not correlate with peak temperatures from garnet-biotite Fe-Mg exchange thermometry, nor is post-crystallization annealing (Ostwald Ripening) required to produce the observed textures, as was previously proposed for these rocks. Robust pseudosection calculations fail to reproduce the observed garnet core compositions for two specimens, suggesting that these calc-pelites experienced metasomatism. For each of these two specimens, Monte Carlo calculations suggest potential pre-metasomatism bulk compositions that replicate garnet core compositions. Pseudosection analyses allow the estimation of the critical temperatures for garnet growth: ∼481, ∼477, and ∼485°C for the lowest-garnet-zone, middle-garnet-zone, and sillimanite-zone specimens, respectively. Porphyroblast size appears to be determined in this case by a combination of the heating rate during garnet crystallization, the critical temperature for the garnet-forming reaction and the kinetics of nucleation. Numerical simulations of thermally accelerated, diffusion-controlled nucleation, and growth for the three samples closely match measured crystal size distributions. These observations and simulations suggest that previous hypotheses linking the garnet size primarily to the temperature at the onset of porphyroblast nucleation can only partially explain the observed textures. Also important in determining porphyroblast size are the heating rate and the distribution of favorable nucleation sites.     

西准噶尔克拉玛依蛇绿混杂岩中的石榴角闪岩

本文报道在准噶尔地区发现的石榴角闪岩,该岩石产在克拉玛依蛇绿混杂岩带的百口泉地区.石榴角闪岩主要由钙质角闪石、富钠斜长石和黝帘石组成,含少量钛铁矿、绿帘石、绿泥石、榍石、石榴石、普通辉石、金红石、磷灰石、钠长石、石英和锆石.石榴石中常包裹磷灰石、金红石、钛铁矿、石英和锆石.黝帘石 富钠斜长石组合中出现少量钙铝榴石残余.百口泉石榴角闪岩中石榴石的化学组成特征以及其中出现的金红石-钛铁矿-磷灰石-石英-锆石包体组合说明,该岩石不是异剥钙榴岩退变质的产物,而是榴辉岩退变的产物(辅助证据包括二辉橄榄岩中发育的辉石出溶结构和辉石塑性变形特征).百口泉石榴角闪岩至少记录了四个阶段:石榴石-单斜辉石-金红石-磷灰石-石英-锆石组成的阶段Ⅰ(可能为榴辉岩相),普通辉石-钛铁矿-磷灰石-角闪石组成的退变阶段Ⅱ,角闪石-斜长石-榍石-钛铁矿构成的阶段Ⅲ(角闪岩相),以及绿帘石-石英-绿泥石构成的绿片岩相变质阶段Ⅳ.尽管上述演化历史存在一些不确定性,石榴角闪岩的发现为深入研究西准噶尔地区古生代洋壳俯冲带的性质及其演化过程提供了新的物质基础.     

南极中山站石榴石变粒岩的岩石学矿物学及其变质作用研究

本文报道了南极拉丝曼丘陵“中山站”石榴石变粒岩的岩石学和矿物化学特征;确定了其矿物组合及世代演化关系,利用电子探针分析了其特征变质矿物的化学组成,最后推断东南极拉丝曼丘陵地区曾发生过麻粒岩相变质作用和混合岩化作用。     

北大别饶拔寨石榴辉石岩P-T-t轨迹及其构造意义

P-T-t轨迹作为变质岩的重要研究方法之一，对揭示岩石的构造演化过程具有重要意义。北大别饶拔寨镁铁-超镁铁岩形成的构造环境和就位过程长期以来尚存争议。本文通过岩相学观察、矿物化学研究和温压计计算，揭示出饶拔寨石榴辉石岩经历了四个变质演化阶段：1）超高压变质阶段（M1）：主要根据石榴子石中金红石的出溶，单斜辉石中石英的出溶和磷灰石中不透明矿物的出溶，结合前人研究，认为饶拔寨石榴辉石岩经历过超高压变质阶段（≥2.5GPa）；2）高压麻粒岩相阶段（M2）：矿物组合为石榴子石（变斑晶）和单斜辉石（基质）+斜长石（基质），记录的温压条件为T=648~700℃，P=1.47~1.94GPa；3）中压麻粒岩相阶段（M3）：以石榴子石外围发育的主要由斜方辉石+斜长石组成的内圈"白眼圈"为特征，形成的温压条件为T=781~796℃，P=0.92~0.98GPa；4）角闪岩相阶段（M4）：以石榴子石变斑晶周围发育的外圈"白眼圈"为特征，其矿物组合为角闪石+斜长石的后成合晶，形成的温压条件为T=663~685℃，P=0.50~0.58GPa。石榴辉石岩的锆石SIMS U-Pb定年得到了3组不同的交点年龄，分别为208.1~202.1Ma、227.6Ma和817.7Ma。根据锆石包裹体中角闪石+斜长石的组合，推断208.1~202.1Ma代表了角闪岩相变质年龄的下限，227.6Ma则是高压麻粒岩相的下限年龄，而新元古代年龄（817.7Ma）与区域上的变质岩原岩年龄一致，可能代表了其原岩年龄。结合前人研究，饶拔寨石榴辉石岩记录了顺时针的P-T-t轨迹，揭示了板片俯冲（超高压变质）-碰撞-折返（降压升温过程，~227Ma）-抬升（降压降温过程，208~202Ma）的完整过程。     

内蒙古中西部宝音图群石榴角闪岩的地球化学、变质作用及年代学特征

宝音图群分布于内蒙古中西部狼山、图古日格和达茂旗一带，主要由云母片岩、石英片岩、石英岩、角闪岩和大理岩组成。在狼山格尔敖包沟和图古日格西南地区发育十分典型的石榴角闪岩，均以似层状或透镜状产自云母片岩中，但两地具有不同的矿物组合，前者主要以石榴石+角闪石+斜长石+含钛矿物（金红石和钛铁矿）为特征，后者主要以石榴石+角闪石+绿帘石+含钛矿物（金红石和钛铁矿）为特征。地球化学研究显示两个地区的石榴角闪岩原岩具有相似的化学组成，均为亚碱性玄武岩的拉斑系列。宝音图群的石榴角闪岩具有右倾的稀土配分模式，REE总量为83.31×10^-6~125.9×10^-6，（La/Yb）_N比值为2.17~6.48，δEu=0.87~0.98。Ta、Nb、Ti没有明显的负异常，其配分型式类似E-MORB特点。微量元素构造判别图解表明这些石榴角闪岩的原岩产于板内拉张环境中。本文通过模拟格尔敖包沟样品LS01和图古日格西南地区样品LS35的P-T视剖面图研究其变质作用及矿物演化过程，结果显示这两个样品均经历了早期进变质，峰期以及峰后近等温减压的顺时针型P-T轨迹。样品LS01的峰期温压条件为~11kbar/~735℃，模拟得到的峰期矿物组合可能为石榴石+角闪石+斜长石+黑云母+透辉石+金红石+熔体，P-M（H₂O）视剖面图显示，由于峰后演化过程中存在饱和流体渗透，导致峰期透辉石无法保留。样品LS35的峰期温度压力条件为~8kbar/675℃，其峰期组合为石榴石+角闪石+绿帘石+金红石。两个地区的石榴角闪岩的温度压力条件明显不同，推测宝音图群中呈透镜体或似层状产出的变质基性岩，存在着递增型的变质作用。锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年代学的研究结果显示石榴角闪岩样品LS01的变质锆石年龄为394±8Ma。由此推测这些石榴角闪岩的原岩可能形成于华北北缘在新元古代发育的裂陷盆地，在泥盆纪中期，宝音图群作为华北克拉通的一部分，被卷入到与古亚洲洋闭合有关的造山过程，发育中压型递增变质作用。     

Ductile deformation of garnet in mylonitic gneisses from the Münchberg Massif (Germany)

Mylonitic gneisses from the Münchberg Massif contain single grains (type I) and polycrystalline aggregates (type II) of garnet displaying a distinct elongation parallel to a macroscopic lineation which is interpreted as the result of ductile deformation. Lattice-preferred orientations of quartz (textures) symmetrical to the macroscopic foliation and lineation and the lack of rotational microfabrics indicate that the bulk deformation was pure shear at least during the latest strain increments. Garnet textures measured by EBSD together with microprobe analyses demonstrate that these two structural types of garnet can be related to two different processes of ductile deformation: (1) For the single grains stretching can be attributed to diffusion creep along grain boundary zones (Coble creep). The related mass transfer is indicated by the fact that primary growth zones are cut off at the long faces of the grains while the related strain shadow domains do not show comparable chemical zoning. Pressure solution and precipitation suitable to produce similar structures can be largely ruled out because retrogressive reactions pointing to the presence of free hydrous fluids are missing. (2) For the polycrystalline garnet aggregates consisting of cores grading into fine-grained mantles, dislocation creep and associated rotation recrystallization can be assumed. Continuous lattice rotation from the core to the outer polycrystalline rim allow a determination of the related dominant slip systems which are {100}<010> and equivalent systems according to the cubic lattice symmetry. The same holds for garnets which appear to be completely recrystallized. For this type of fine-grained aggregates an alternative nucleation model is discussed. Due to penetrative dislocation glide in connection with short range diffusion and the resulting lattice rotation, primary growth zones are strongly disturbed.Since for the considered rock unit of the Münchberg Massif peak metamorphic temperatures between 630 and 670 °C can be assumed, this study clearly demonstrates that the inferred processes of ductile garnet deformation can occur not only in HT regimes as often suggested in the literature even if embedded within a matrix of “low-strength” minerals like quartz, feldspars and micas.     

Genesis of monazite and Y zoning in garnet from the Black Hills, South Dakota

The paragenesis of monazite in metapelitic rocks from the contact aureole of the Harney Peak Granite, Black Hills, South Dakota, was investigated using zoning patterns of monazite and garnet, electron microprobe dating of monazite, bulk-rock compositions, and major phase mineral equilibria. The area is characterized by low-pressure and high-temperature metamorphism with metamorphic zones ranging from garnet to sillimanite zones. Garnet porphyroblasts containing euhedral Y annuli are observed from the garnet to sillimanite zones. Although major phase mineral equilibria predict resorption of garnet at the staurolite isograd and regrowth at the andalusite isograd, textural and mass balance analyses suggest that the formation of the Y annuli is not related to the resorption-and-regrowth of garnet having formed instead during garnet growth in the garnet zone. Monazite grains in Black Hills pelites were divided into two generations on the basis of zoning patterns of Y and U: monazite 1 with low-Y and -U and monazite 2 with high-Y and -U. Monazite 1 occurs in the garnet zone and persists into the sillimanite zone as cores shielded by monazite 2 which starts to form in the andalusite zone. Pelites containing garnet porphyroblasts with Y annuli and monazite 1 with patchy Th zoning are more calcic than those with garnet with no Y annuli and monazite with concentric Th zoning. Monazite 1 is attributed to breakdown of allanite in the garnet zone, additionally giving rise to the Y annuli observed in garnet. Monazite 2 grows in the andalusite zone, probably at the expense of garnet and monazite 1 in the andalusite and sillimanite zones. The ages of the two different generations of monazite are within the precision of chemical dating of electron microprobe. The electron microprobe ages of all monazites from the Black Hills show a single ca. 1713 Ma population, close to the intrusion age of the Harney Peak Granite (1715 Ma). This study demonstrates that Y zoning in garnet and monazite are critical to the interpretation of monazite petrogenesis and therefore monazite ages.     

Monazite behaviour and age significance in poly-metamorphic high-grade terrains: A case study from the western Musgrave Block, central Australia

Integrated, in situ textural, chemical and electron microprobe age analysis of monazite grains in a migmatitic metapelitic gneiss from the western Musgrave Block, central Australia has identified evidence for multiple events of growth and recrystallisation during poly-metamorphism in the Mesoproterozoic. Garnet + sillimanite-bearing metapelite underwent partial melting and segregation to palaeosome and leucosome during metamorphism between 1330 and 1296 Ma, with monazite grains in leucosome recording crystallisation at 1300 Ma. Monazite breakdown during melting is inferred to have occurred in the palaeosome. During a subsequent granulite facies event at 1200 Ma, deformation and metamorphism of leucosome and palaeosome resulted in partial disturbance of ages and potential minor growth on 1300 Ma monazite in leucosome. Growth of new, high-Y (+HREE) monazite in palaeosome domains occurred during garnet breakdown in the presence of sillimanite to cordierite and spinel, as a result of post-peak isothermal decompression. Diffusive enrichment of resorbed garnet rims in Y + HREE suggests garnet breakdown occurred slower than volume diffusion of REE. Monazite in both palaeosome and leucosome were subsequently partially to penetratively recrystallised during a retrogression event that is suggested to have occurred at 1150–1130 Ma. The intensity of recrystallisation and disturbance of ages appears linked to proximity to retrogressed garnet porphyroblasts and their occurrence in the relatively reactive or ‘fertile’ local environments provided by the palaeosome/mesosome volumes, which caused localised changes in retrogressive fluids towards compositions more aggressive to monazite. Like reaction textures, it is apparent that domainal equilibrium and reaction may control or at least strongly influence monazite REE and U–Th–Pb chemistry and hence ages.     

Fluid inclusions in granulites, granulitized eclogites and garnet clinopyroxenites from the Dabie–Sulu terranes, eastern China

Minor granulites (believed to be pre-Triassic), surrounded by abundant amphibolite-facies orthogneiss, occur in the same region as the well-documented Triassic high- and ultrahigh-pressure (HP and UHP) eclogites in the Dabie–Sulu terranes, eastern China. Moreover, some eclogites and garnet clinopyroxenites have been metamorphosed at granulite- to amphibolite-facies conditions during exhumation. Granulitized HP eclogites/garnet clinopyroxenites at Huangweihe and Baizhangyan record estimated eclogite-facies metamorphic conditions of 775–805 °C and ≥15 kbar, followed by granulite- to amphibolite-facies overprint of ca. 750–800 °C and 6–11 kbar. The presence of (Na, Ca, Ba, Sr)-feldspars in garnet and omphacite corresponds to amphibolite-facies conditions. Metamorphic mineral assemblages and P–T estimates for felsic granulite at Huangtuling and mafic granulite at Huilanshan indicate peak conditions of 850 °C and 12 kbar for the granulite-facies metamorphism and 700 °C and 6 kbar for amphibolite-facies retrograde metamorphism. Cordierite–orthopyroxene and ferropargasite–plagioclase coronas and symplectites around garnet record a strong, rapid decompression, possibly contemporaneous with the uplift of neighbouring HP/UHP eclogites.

Carbonic fluid (CO₂-rich) inclusions are predominant in both HP granulites and granulitized HP/UHP eclogites/garnet clinopyroxenites. They have low densities, having been reset during decompression. Minor amounts of CH₄ and/or N₂ as well as carbonate are present. In the granulitized HP/UHP eclogites/garnet clinopyroxenites, early fluids are high-salinity brines with minor N₂, whereas low-salinity fluids formed during retrogression. Syn-granulite-facies carbonic fluid inclusions occur either in quartz rods in clinopyroxene (granulitized HP garnet clinopyxeronite) or in quartz blebs in garnet and quartz matrices (UHP eclogite). For HP granulites, a limited number of primary CO₂ and mixed H₂O–CO₂(liquid) inclusions have also been observed in undeformed quartz inclusions within garnet, orthopyroxene, and plagioclase which contain abundant, low-density CO₂±carbonate inclusions. It is suggested that the primary fluid in the HP granulites was high-density CO₂, mixed with a significant quantity of water. The water was consumed by retrograde metamorphic mineral reactions and may also have been responsible for metasomatic reactions (“giant myrmekites”) occurring at quartz–feldspar boundaries. Compared with the UHP eclogites in this region, the granulites were exhumed in the presence of massive, externally derived carbonic fluids and subsequently limited low-salinity aqueous fluids, probably derived from the surrounding gneisses.