Reaction textures in Proterozoic calcsilicates from northern Guinea: a record of the fluid evolution

Proterozoic calcsilicate rocks in contact with the different types of granite from the granitic belt of northern Guinea show particular mineral assemblages, recording different steps of the tectono-metamorphic and magmatic evolution of the area. Petrological study provides evidence of a clockwise metamorphic P–T path with a metamorphic peak at temperature around 800 °C and pressure of 4–6 kb, corresponding to the emplacement of both generations of massive granite between 2115 and 2075 Ma. Retrograde metamorphism is characterized by decompression to 2–3 kb, associated with the emplacement of late small granite stocks and followed by cooling until 450–600 °C. Hydrothermal alteration involved by late fluid circulation is only weakly developed and limited to calcsilicate/granite contact (specially small stocks) and shear zones. Early fluids were essentially metamorphic and magmatic fluids, largely buffered by calcsilicate mineral assemblages, whereas surface-derived fluids were introduced at the end of the tectonic evolution via shear-zones.