Garnet-amphibolites at Yokokawa in the Abukuma metamorphic belt,Japan

The mineralogy and petrochemistry of the garnet-amphibolites from the highgrade part of the Abukuma metamorphic belt have been studied, using five analyses of rocks, five of hornblendes, three of garnets and one analysis of cummingtonite, Garnetiferous amphibolites are rich in Fe, whereas non-garnetiferous ones are rich in Mg, especially in cummingtonite-amphibolite. The chemical composition of hornblendes associated with garnet is pargasitic and rich in FeO and poor in CaO, but that of non-garnetiferous rocks is rich in MgO. The garnets are rich in almandine molecule. Mg/Mg + Fe²⁺ ratios of both hornblendes and garnets correspond with those of the host rocks. The development of garnet in the Adirondack metabasites belonging to the upper almandine-amphibolite and granulite facies is observed in Mg-rich rocks as well as in Fe-rich rocks, in which both garnet and hornblende are rich in Mg respectively. However, under the conditions of the andalusite-sillimanite type metamorphism as shown in the Abukuma Plateau, Fe-rich garnet occurs in Fe-rich basic rocks, but cummingtonite occurs in Mg-rich ones instead of Mg-rich garnet. Finally, the problem of polymetamorphism is discussed. The cummingtonite-amphibolite may be the product of polymetamorphism, and Mg-rich garnet which had been present previously was decomposed to cummingtonite and plagioclase by the subsequent regional metamorphism of andalusite-sillimanite type.     

Coexisting hornblendes and biotites from Precambrian gneisses of the south coast of Western Australia

The compositions of coexisting hornblendes and biotites from amphibolite and granulite facies gneisses from the south coast of Western Australia were controlled by host rock composition, paragenesis, metamophic grade, pressure, and oxygen fugacity. The Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺) and Mn/Fe²⁺ ratios in both minerals and possibly the Al^vi contents of the hornblendes are related to host rock compositions. Metamorphic grade appears to influence, perhaps only indirectly, the Ti, Mn, and Fe³⁺ contents of both minerals and possibly the hornblende Ca content. The higher Ti and lower Mn contents of the granulite facies hornblendes and biotites are attributed to their coexistence with pyroxenes, whereas their lower Fe³⁺/(Fe²⁺ + Fe³⁺) ratios are probably due to lower oxygen fugacity in the granulite facies environment. Grade-related colour variations in both minerals were controlled by their Ti/Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺/(Fe²⁺ + Fe³⁺ ratios. The relatively low Al^vi contents of the hornblendes suggest low- to moderate-pressure metamorphism.Variations in element distribution coefficients are related to variations in mineral compositions rather than metamorphic grade. Thus K_{D(Al^iv ?Si)} is related to the Al^iv andedenite alkali contents of the hornblendes, K_{D(Fe²⁺ ?Mg)} to the distributions of Al^iv ?Si and Al^vi + Ti + Fe³⁺, K_D(Mn) to the Mn contents of both minerals, and K_D(Al^vi) to the Al^vi contents of the biotites.     

Composition of hornblendes formed during the hercynian progressive metamorphism of the Aracena metamorphic belt (SW Spain)

This paper attempts to illustrate the chemical variations of metamorphic hornblendes regarding host rocks and prograde variations. Changes related to bulk chemistry (orthoamphibolites) mainly concern Si, Al, Mg, Fe_tot and Ca. The Mg, Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ contents of hornblendes are, however, not strictly related to host rook compositions and Mg enrichments are correlated with increasing Fe³⁺ contents in the amphiboles. Thus, variations of oxygen fugacity may control the Mg contents of the Ca amphiboles studied but this does not show clear relations with the prograde metamorphism. The most sensitive but irregular variation related to the metamorphic conditions is the prograde enrichment of the alkalis into the A vacant position and an increase of the (Na+K)_tot/Na+K+Ca ratios of the amphiboles. Increasing Ti and Al^IV contents as well as decreasing Al^VI concentrations are also, but much less evidently, related to increasing T and P. A variation trend from tschermakitic to edenitic hornblendes may be drawn using Shido's end members calculation; this tendency and the relative deficiency of Al^VI contents in the low-grade members suggests that the amphiboles studied were subjected to conditions of a low-pressure metamorphism type. Such a conclusion is in agreement with the occurrence of andalusite-cordierite/sillimanite-cordierite associations in the metapelitic rocks, and the absence of Fe-rich garnet and epidote from the orthoamphibolites of the amphibolite facies at Aracena. Comparisons with Ca amphiboles from other metamorphic areas show, in agreement with various authors, that Abukuma hornblendes are similar to those encountered in high-grade thermal aureoles and tonalitic intrusives but different from the hornblendes of Barrovian metamorphism types.     

西藏尼木地区变质火山岩的地球化学特征、锆石U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

西藏尼木地区分布一套增生杂岩,其对冈底斯火山岩浆弧的演化具有重要意义。本文对该套增生杂岩中的变质火山岩的地质特征、矿物学、全岩地球化学和锆石U-Pb年代学等方面进行了综合研究。变质火山岩以斜长角闪岩、角闪斜长片麻岩为主,其中,角闪石主要为镁质角闪石,共生的斜长石主要为拉长石;变质火山岩经历了高温-中压变质作用;岩石富Al_2O_3和贫TiO_2,弱富集轻稀土元素(LREE),富集Rb、Sr、Ba等大离子亲石元素(LILE),亏损Nb、Ta、Ti等高场强元素(HFSE),其地球化学特征与火山弧玄武岩的地球化学特征相似,其形成的构造环境为洋内岛弧或活动大陆边缘弧;岩浆锆石U-Pb年龄值为151.4±1.6Ma和150.7±1.4Ma,表明岩石的形成时代为晚侏罗世。综合研究认为,增生杂岩中的变质火山岩是新特提斯洋在晚侏罗世北向俯冲的产物,在陆-陆碰撞之前卷入增生系统,该套变质火山岩不是以往所认为的变质结晶基底。     

大别地区的变质作用及与碰撞造山过程的关系

大别造山带从南到北可分为５个变质构造单元：扬子北缘蓝片岩带、突松变质杂岩带、南大虽碰撞杂岩带、北大别变质杂岩带和北淮阳变质带。各个变质构造单元中不同岩石的变质作用可划分为３种类型：（１）超高压型。以含柯石英（及金刚石）的榴辉岩为代表,仅见于南大别碰撞杂岩带中,这类岩石的ＰＴ轨迹反映洋壳Ｂ型俯冲的特点。（２）高压型。见于大别山南部的蓝片岩带、宿松变质杂岩带和南大别杂岩中的变质沉积岩及部分片麻岩中,与     

华山太华变质杂岩中LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年及角闪石40Ar/39Ar定年

太华变质杂岩出露于华北克拉通中部造山带最南缘,整体呈近东西向展布。华山地区的太华变质杂岩区岩性复杂多样,保存了至少三个阶段的变质矿物组合。本文对其中的黑云斜长片麻岩和黑云二长片麻岩中的锆石,进行了详细的LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年;对斜长角闪片麻岩中的变质角闪石,进行了常规40Ar/39Ar定年。定年结果表明:(1)黑云斜长片麻岩中的碎屑锆石记录了两期(~2.3Ga和~2.5Ga)明显的岩浆事件,变质锆石记录了一期(1.87~1.85Ga)变质事件;(2)黑云二长片麻岩中的岩浆锆石U-Pb年龄为2.33Ga和2.31Ga,变质锆石记录的变质年龄为1.96Ga;(3)两个斜长角闪片麻岩样品中,变质角闪石的40Ar/39Ar坪年龄和等时线年龄说明,该地区经历了一期~1.8Ga的变质热事件。这些数据说明,太华变质杂岩也记录了华北克拉通东部陆块与西部陆块之间的碰撞造山过程,不过比中部造山带其它变质杂岩区记录的时间更早,变质作用持续的时间也更长。这暗示了该地区在1.96~1.80Ga期间,经历了一次比较漫长而复杂的构造-变质演化过程。     

Geotectonic subdivision and areal extent of the Sangun belt, Inner Zone of Southwest Japan

The Sangun belt has long been considered to be a major coherent glaucophanitic terrane of Permian to Triassic age, and to be paired with the low-P/T Hida belt to the north. However, recent progress in geochronology, metamorphic geology, and tectonics has revealed that the belt is in fact comprised of two geologic units of different ages and with contrasting conditions of formation. The older unit is named the Renge belt and the younger the Suo belt. The Renge belt is the oldest of the high-P/T metamorphic belts in the Japanese Islands and extends from northern Kyushu, through the San-in coastal regions, to the Hida marginal belt. It is characterized by 330–280 Ma ages and the association of glaucophane–schist to epidote–amphibolite facies schists. The Renge belt is also typically associated with meta–ophiolite sequences (470–340 Ma) including serpentinite. The Suo belt is characterized by 230–160 Ma high-P/T schists closely related to weakly metamorphosed Permian accretionary rocks of the Akiyoshi belt. Metamorphic facies series is from the prehnite–pumpellyite facies through the pumpellyite–actinolite and glaucophane–schist facies to the epidote–amphibolite facies. The belt is widespread in west Kinki to north and central Kyushu via Chugoku, but also stretches further to the southwest and is present in the Ishigaki-Iriomote Islands of the southern Ryukyu Arc. Throughout this belt, there are scattered small blocks or lenses of meta–ophiolite, whose K–Ar ages of relict hornblendes are 590 to 220 Ma. Bounded by low-angle faults and thrusts, both belts define subhorizontal nappes dipping gently north. The geotectonic framework in the Inner Zone of Southwest Japan is made up of, from north to south, the Hida-Oki, Renge, Akiyoshi, Suo, Maizuru plus ultra-Tamba, Mino-Tamba, and Ryoke belts, with a tectonically downward-younging polarity. This has resulted from stepwise accretions during Palaeozoic to Mesozoic time.     

羌塘中部高压变质带的退变质作用及其构造侵位

羌塘中部的高压变质带主要由榴辉岩、石榴石白云母片岩和蓝片岩等组成,它们在遭受高压变质作用之后折返,构造侵位于晚古生代展金组地层中,二者以韧性变形带为接触边界.本文以高压变质带中的榴辉岩和韧性变形带为研究对象,讨论了高压变质带折返过程中的退变质作用特征及折返时代.研究表明,榴辉岩在高峰期变质作用之后的折返过程中经历了由榴辉岩相→蓝片岩相→绿帘角闪岩相的退变质作用演化过程;在高压变质带构造侵位过程形成的韧性变形带中,白云母石英片岩的白云母40Ar-39Ar坪年龄为219±2Ma.高压变质带在219Ma左右构造侵位于展金组地层中,并于214Ma之前最终抬升出露地表.     

川西—滇东地区早元古宙变质岩系及其区域变质作用与地壳演化

在川西—滇东地区,前人一直将会理群、昆阳群等作为该区所出露的最古老的地层,并认为它们代表了扬子地台的最老基底。笔者通过对该区详细的变质地质研究认为,在它们之下还存在着一套与之完全不同的层状变质岩系,我们将其称为康定群,推测其时代至少为早元古宙或晚太古宙。它与中、晚元古宙的会理群、昆阳群等共同构成了扬子地台的古老基底,为基底的两个重要的地质构造单元,分别代表了本区早期地壳演化的不同阶段。     

Phase Equilibria of Hornblende-Bearing Eclogite in the Western Dabie Mountain,Central China

The high-pressure (HP) eclogite in the western Dabie Mountain encloses numerous hornblendes,mostly barroisite.Opinions on the peak metamorphic P-T condition,PT path and mineral paragenesis of it are still in dispute.Generally,HP eclogite involves garnet,omphacite, hornblendes and quartz,with or without glaucophane,zoisite and phengite.The garnet has compositional zoning with X_(Mg) increase,X_(Ca) and X_(Mn) decrease from core to rim,which indicates a progressive metamorphism.The phase equilibria of the ...     

Diffusion of 40Ar in metamorphic hornblende

Isothermal, hydrothermal experiments were performed on two compositionally contrasting hornblendes from amphibolites in order to examine Ar diffusion behavior in metamorphic hornblendes. Ten experiments on sample RF were performed at temperatures of 750°C, 800°C, and 850°C and pressures of 1 kbar using measured grain radii of 158, 101, and 34 m. Eight experiments on sample 118576 were performed under the same conditions using measured grain radii of 145, 77, and 25 m. Minor (<5%) alteration was observed in high temperature runs. Diffusion coefficients were calculated from measured radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar loss following treatment assuming a spherical geometry for the mineral aggregate. Diffusivities calculated for different grain sizes vary by up to an order of magnitude for a given temperature indicating that the effective diffusion radius was less than the measured grain radius. Diffusivities for RF and 118576 calculated for grain radii of 101 and 145 m, respectively, form a linear array on an Arrhenius diagram with slopes indicating activation energies of 60 kcal/mol. No correlation between Mg number (100 Mg/(Mg+Fe)) and activation energy was observed. Diffusivities calculated for these experiments are higher than previously reported results from similar experiments performed on hornblendes. A comparison of results for 34 m splits from these two studies indicates higher apparent diffusivities (by a factor of 5), which probably result from observed phyllosilicate inter-growths (chlorite) and/or exsolution lamellae that partition the metamorphic hornblendes into smaller subdomains. Diffusivities calculated for experiments performed on 65 m and 34 m splits of ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar standard MMhb-1 at 800°C and 1 kbar are consistent with a previously reported activation energy of 65 kcal/mol. Arrhenius parameters which emerge from the empirical model of Fortier and Giletti (1989) agree with experimental results to within analytical uncertainty. Although results of these experiments support previously reported estimates of the activation energy of ⁴⁰Ar in hornblende (60 kcal/mol), phyllosilicate intergrowths and/or microstructures such as exsolution lamellae within the two metamorphic hornblendes result in extremely small diffusion domains, which may lead to lower Ar retentivities and lower closure temperatures. The effective diffusion dimension for ⁴⁰Ar in hornblende is not likely to be defined by dislocations but rather by some larger structure within the crystal. TEM and SEM studies may provide some insight into the effective diffusion dimension for ⁴⁰Ar in amphiboles, thereby enabling better estimates of closure temperatures and more precise temperature-time reconstructions.     

Variation of illite/muscovite <Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar age spectra during progressive low-grade metamorphism: an example from the US Cordillera

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar step-heating data were collected from micron to submicron grain-sizes of correlative illite- and muscovite-rich Cambrian pelitic rocks from the western United States that range in metamorphic grade from the shallow diagenetic zone (zeolite facies) to the epizone (greenschist facies). With increasing metamorphic grade, maximum ages from ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar release spectra decrease, as do total gas ages and retention ages. Previous studies have explained similar results as arising dominantly or entirely from the dissolution of detrital muscovite and precipitation/recrystallization of neo-formed illite. While recognizing the importance of these processes in evaluating our results, we suggest that the inverse correlation between apparent age and metamorphic grade is controlled, primarily, by thermally activated volume diffusion, analogous to the decrease in apparent ages with depth observed for many thermochronometers in borehole experiments. Our results suggest that complete resetting of the illite/muscovite Ar thermochronometer occurs between the high anchizone and epizone, or at roughly 300 °C. This empirical result is in agreement with previous calculations based on muscovite diffusion parameters, which indicate that muscovite grains with radii of 0.05–2 μm should have closure temperatures between 250 and 350 °C. At high anchizone conditions, we observe a reversal in the age/grain-size relationship (the finest grain-size produces the oldest apparent age), which may mark the stage in prograde subgreenschist facies metamorphism of pelitic rocks at which neo-formed illite/muscovite crystallites typically surpass the size of detrital muscovite grains. It is also approximately the stage at which neo-formed illite/muscovite crystallites develop sufficient Ar retentivity to produce geologically meaningful ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages. Results from our sampling transect of Cambrian strata establish a framework for interpreting illite/muscovite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectra at different stages of low-grade metamorphism and also illuminate the transformation of illite to muscovite. At Frenchman Mtn., NV, where the Cambrian Bright Angel Formation is at zeolite facies conditions, illite/muscovite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data suggest a detrital muscovite component with an apparent age ≥967 Ma. The correlative Carrara Fm. is at anchizone conditions in the Panamint and Resting Spring Ranges of eastern California, and in these locations, illite/muscovite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data suggest an early Permian episode of subgreenschist facies metamorphism. The same type of data from equivalent strata at epizone conditions (greenschist facies) in the footwall of the Bullfrog/Fluorspar Canyon detachment in southern Nevada reveals a period of slow-to-moderate Late Cretaceous cooling.     

Metabasite amphiboles of the Scottish Dalradian

Blue-green hornblendes are observed in metabasite assemblages throughout the chlorite, biotite and garnet zones of the southwest Scottish Highlands. Actinolites are common in more Mg-rich metabasites in these zones. At low grade, hornblendes are relatively edenite-rich, and may sometimes occur together with a more Mg-rich, Al-poor actinolite. Within the garnet zone, hornblendes are pargasitic, showing extensive tschermakite substitution. Textural and chemical evidence do not indicate the presence of any miscibility gap between hornblende and actinolite within the chlorite to garnet zones in the southwest Highlands. The occurrence of hornblende-actinolite pairs in metabasites of the Scottish Dalradian, and perhaps also in other metamorphic terrains, is considered to reflect the incomplete chemical equilibration of lower grade actinolitic amphibole during prograde metamorphism, rather than a miscibility gap. The paucity of amphibole compositions intermediate between hornblende and actinolite in many metamorphic terrains is thought to reflect the rapid but continuous change of stable amphibole compositions in metabasites over a small range of increased metamorphic grade.     

Very low-grade metamorphism of the Taveyanne greywacke, Glarus Alps, Switzerland

Detailed textural and chemical data for mineral assemblages on a regional scale are presented for the metaandesitic Eocene-Oligocene Taveyanne greywacke of the Glarus Alps, Eastern Switzerland. Presented data indicate an increase of metamorphic grade from zeolite facies to prehnite-pumpellyite and pumpellyite-actinolite facies. Low-grade outcrops contain laumontite, minor corrensite and pumpellyite (assemblage type 1), whereas outcrops of higher metamorphic grade contain prehnite and two populations of pumpellyite (type 2), prehnite—pumpellyite-(Al)—white mica (type 3), a single outcrop shows pumpellyite-actinolite facies (type 4). From the zeolite to prehnite-pumpellyite/pumpellyite-actinolite facies there are indications for an increase of the chemical equilibrium domain size for the critical paragenesis from a single detrital grain ≤1 mm) in type 1, to a few millimetres in type 2, and to a whole thin section in type 3. Metamorphic P - T conditions were determined by a combination of chlorite thermometry, fluid inclusion and vitrinite reflectance data. Peak temperatures range from 170-190 C for zeolite facies to 270-310 C for prehnite-pumpellyite and pumpellyite-actinolite facies. For the higher temperature range, pressures of 2-3 kbar are derived indicating a geothermal gradient of 24-32 C km^-1. The well-constrained temperature estimations derived for the assemblages provide a useful test of the different empirical calibrations of chlorite thermometers recently proposed. The best correspondence to the temperatures determined here is for the Cathelineau calibration. In addition, in the lower grade samples differences in textures and calculated temperatures provide a mean to distinguish between detrital and newly formed chlorites.     

Geothermobarometry, P–T paths and metamorphic field gradients of high-pressure rocks from the Adula Nappe, Central Alps

Metabasic rocks from the Adula Nappe in the Central Alps record a regional high‐pressure metamorphic event during the Eocene, and display a regional variation in high‐pressure mineral assemblages from barroisite, or glaucophane, bearing garnet amphibolites in the north to kyanite eclogites in the central part of the nappe. High‐pressure rocks from all parts of the nappe show the same metamorphic evolution of assemblages consistent with prograde blueschist, high‐pressure amphibolite or eclogite facies conditions followed by peak‐pressure eclogite facies conditions and decompression to the greenschist or amphibolite facies. Average PT calculations (using thermocalc ) quantitatively establish nested, clockwise P–T paths for different parts of the Adula Nappe that are displaced to higher pressure and temperature from north to south. Metamorphic conditions at peak pressure increase from about 17 kbar, 640 °C in the north to 22 kbar, 750 °C in the centre and 25 kbar, 750 °C in the south. The northern and central Adula Nappe behaved as a coherent tectonic unit at peak pressures and during decompression, and thermobarometric results are interpreted in terms of a metamorphic field gradient of 9.6 ± 2.0 °C km^?1 and 0.20 ± 0.05 kbar km^?1. These results constrain the peak‐pressure position and orientation of the nappe to a depth of 55–75 km, dipping at an angle of approximately 45° towards the south. Results from the southern Adula Nappe are not consistent with the metamorphic field gradient determined for the northern and central parts, which suggests that the southern Adula Nappe may have been separated from central and northern parts at peak pressure.     

Pumpellyite-bearing rocks in central Sweden and extent of host rock alteration as a control of pumpellyite composition

Metamorphic assemblages and mineral compositions in basic to intermediate volcanic rocks of two Precambrian units (the sub-Jotnian and Jotnian) in the Dala region, central Sweden, reveal a history comprising two metamorphic episodes. The sub-Jotnian rocks were metamorphosed during a first episode: the metamorphic grade ranges from prehnite-pumpellyite facies (in a displaced block with sub-Jotnian (?) lava occurring in the border zone of a major impact structure), to pumpellyite-actinolite facies, and to greenschist facies in the lower part of the unit. The unconformably overlying Jotnian rocks were metamorphosed to prehnite-pumpellyite facies during a subsequent episode, which also left its imprint in the sub-Jotnian basement. Two other Jotnian sequences in central Sweden are in the same facies. There are systematic chemical differences in some of the secondary minerals. Sphenes contain more Al, and epidotes and pumpellyites are more Fe-rich in Jotnian (prehnite-pumpellyite facies) rocks compared with sub-Jotnian rocks of pumpellyite-actinolite facies. Most epidotes in Jotnian lavas are remarkably rich in Fe, with a replacement of Al by Fe³⁺ up to 1.5 atoms per formula unit (Ps₅₀). Compositions of epidote and pumpellyite in pervasively altered rocks vary sympathetically. Pumpellyite composition is partly controlled by the extent of alteration in its host rock. There is a trend for the compositional field of pumpellyite to shrink and shift away from the Al corner of the Al-Fe*-Mg triangle with increasing extent of host rock alteration. This trend is most evident in Jotnian rocks. Since the fields in the Al-Fe*-Mg triangle given in the literature as representative of pumpellyites from different metamorphic fades are partly based on analyses of samples containing relicts, these fields should be adjusted if future investigations show that the trend is of general validity.     

阿拉善变质基底中的早二叠世岩浆热事件——来自同位素年代学的证据

在阿拉善变质基底中发现了大量的早二叠世的弱变形花岗岩类。采自阿拉善东部的闪长质片麻岩(AL0705-1)、含石榴英云闪长质片麻岩(AL0709-1)、英云闪长岩(AL0718-1)、条痕状黑云斜长片麻岩(AL0822-1)和片麻状花岗岩(AL0822-3)的锆石U-Pb年龄分别为270±1.6Ma、276±1.8Ma、269±2.4Ma、276±2.4Ma和287±2.5Ma。采自阿拉善变质基底西部的花岗闪长质片麻岩(AL0805-1)、闪长质片麻岩(AL0805-4)、粗粒花岗闪长质片麻岩(AL0810-1)和中粒闪长质片麻岩(AL0810-2)的锆石LA-ICP-MSU-Pb年龄分别为284±3Ma、289±3Ma、276±2Ma和279±2Ma。尽管早二叠世花岗岩的岩石类型和化学成分不同,但它们都形成于269～289Ma一个较短的时间范围,属于同一期岩浆热事件的产物。早二叠世花岗岩的形成年龄与基底变质岩中角闪石39Ar-40Ar的坪年龄277～288Ma近于一致,表明这期岩浆热事件对基底变质岩石产生了改造,使角闪石等变质矿物的Ar-Ar同位素体系发生了重置。在阿拉善变质基底中大量早二叠世花岗岩类侵入体的发现表明,阿拉善变质基底在古生代晚期受到中亚造山带碰撞造山作用的强烈影响和改造。     

Phase Equilibria of Hornblende‐Bearing Eclogite in the Western Dabie Mountain,Central China

The high-pressure (HP) eclogite in the western Dabie Mountain encloses numerous hornblendes, mostly barroisite. Opinions on the peak metamorphic P-T condition, PT path and mineral paragenesis of it are still in dispute. Generally, HP eclogite involves garnet, omphacite, hornblendes and quartz, with or without glaucophane, zoisite and phengite. The garnet has compositional zoning with XMg increase, XCa and XMn decrease from core to rim, which indicates a progressive metamorphism. The phase equilibria of the HP eclogite modeled by the P-T pseudosection method developed recently showed the following: (1) the growth zonation of garnet records a progressive metamorphic PT path from pre-peak condition of 1.9–2.1 GPa at 508°C–514°C to a peak one of 2.3–2.5 GPa at 528°C–531°C for the HP eclogite; (2) the peak mineral assemblage is garnet+omphacite+glaucophane+quartz±phengite, likely paragenetic with lawsonite; (3) the extensive hornblendes derive mainly from glaucophane, partial omphacite and even a little garnet due to the decompression with some heating during the post-peak stage, mostly representing the conditions of about 1.4–1.6 GPa and 580°C–640°C, and their growth is favored by the dehydration of lawsonite into zoisite or epidote, but most of the garnet, omphacite or phengite in the HP eclogite still preserve their compositions at peak condition, and they are not obviously equilibrious with the hornblendes.     

Amphibole evolution in Variscan eclogite-amphibolites from the Savona crystalline massif (Western Ligurian Alps, Italy): Controls on the decompressional P-T-t path

The Variscan metamorphic evolution of eclogite-amphibolites from the Savona Crystalline Massif is marked by the occurence of calcic amphiboles. Microtextural relations together with coupled electron microprobe and X-ray investigations on amphiboles pointed out a complex decompressional evolution.

A prograde stage of the evolution in the eclogite facies (temperature conditions estimated as ca. 620°C) is recorded by compositional zoning and inclusions in garnet. The eclogitic event (pressure conditions 12kbar) produced assemblages of garnet, omphacite, Ca-amphibole, zoisite, quartz and rutile. Composition and zoning of matrix eclogitic amphiboles reveal that the subsequent evolution in the eclogite facies contemplates a late re-equilibration under lower conditions of temperature (ca. 540°C) and pressure. The eclogitic amphiboles are pargasitic to edenitic hornblendes, and are marked by rather high Na contents at the M4 site (up to 0.5 apfu).

The forming of coarse-grained diopside-plagioclase symplectites and of amphibole-plagioclase coronas represent the early results of the destabilization of omphacites and garnets in the amphibolite facies. Pressure conditions of this stage have been estimated of ca. 10 kbar, while temperature conditions are poorly constrained. However, the increase in edenite (NaAlSi₋₁) at the outermost rims of the matrix eclogitic amphiboles and the very high values of edenite and tschermack (Al₂Mg₋₁Si₋₁) components in the coronitic amphiboles (subsilicic pargasites) suggest that temperature increase accompanied the early decompression to the amphibolite facies.

Subsequent retrogression in the low-grade amphibolite facies resulted in the complete breakdown of omphacite, producing finer-grained symplectites. This stage is also recorded by the amphibole growth (magnesio-hornblendes to edenitic hornblendes with negligible Na amounts at the M4 site) at the expense of the clinopyroxene symplectites and as outward rims around the coronitic amphiboles.

Frequently, amphibolites are completely recrystallized and do not retain any relic of high pressure assemblages. Temperature conditions for this late amphibolitic event have been estimated of ca. 510°C, while pressure conditions are inferred in the range 4–7 kbar.

Such a complicated decompressional evolution is indicative of complex uplift tectonics after a subduction event.     

Metamorphism of the East Sector of the Southern Qinling Orogenic Belt and Its Geological Significance

The east sector of the southern Qinling belt is, lithologically, composed mainly of metapelites,quartzites, marbles and small amount of metabasites and gneisses, whose protoliths are the Silurian, Devonian andless commonly the Sinian and Upper Palaeozoic. They have been subjected at least to two epochs of metamorphism.The early epoch belongs to progressive metamorphism which is centered on high amphibolite-granulite facies in theFuping area and changed outwards into low amphibolite facies (staurolite-kyanite zone), epidote amphibolite facies(garnet zone) and greenschist facies (chlorite and biotite zones), the metamorphic age of which is about 220-260 Ma.This early-epoch metamorphism belongs to different pressure types: the rocks from greenschist to low amphibolitefacies belong to the typical medium-pressure type which shows geothermal gradients of about 17-20℃/km and wasprobably produced by a crustal thickening process related to continental collision, and the high amphibolite-granulitefacies belongs to the low-pressure type which shows geothermal gradients of about 25-38℃/km and was probablyaffected by some magmatic heats. Based on the basic characteristics of the P-T paths of the different facies calculatedfrom the garnet zonations, it can be deduced that the metamorphism of medium-pressure facies series took place dur-ing an imbricated thickening process, rather than during the uplifting process after thickening. The late-epoch meta-morphism belongs to dynamic metamorphism of greenschist facies which is overprinted on the early-epoch meta-morphic rocks and is Yanshanian or Himalayan in age, probably related to intracontinental orogeny.