Garnet–chloritoid equilibria in eclogitic pelitic rocks from the Sesia zone (Western Alps): their bearing on phase relations in high pressure metapelites

Abstract A detailed study of garnet–chloritoid micaschists fom the Sesia zone (Western Alps) is used to constrain phase relations in high pressure (HP) metapelitic rocks. In addition to quartz, phengite, paragonite and rutile, the micaschists display two distinct parageneses, namely garnet + chloritoid + chlorite and garnet + chloritoid + kyanite. Talc has never been observed. Garnet and chloritoid are more magnesian when chlorite is present instead of kyanite. The distinction of the two equilibria results from different bulk rock chemistries, not from P–T conditions or redox state. Estimated P–T conditions for the eclogitic metamorphism are 550–600°C, 15–18 kbar.
The presence of primary chlorite in association with garnet and chloritoid leads us to construct two possible AFM topologies for the Sesia metapelites. The paper describes a KFMASH multisystem for HP pelitic rocks, which extends the grid of Harte & Hudson (1979) towards higher pressures and adds the phase talc. Observed parageneses in HP metapelites are consistent with predicted phase relations. Critical associations are Gt–Ctd–Chl and Gt–Ctd–Ky at relatively low temperatures and Gl–Chl–Ky and Gt–Tc–Ky at relatively high temperatures.