Mineral reactions and geothermobarometry in a suite of granulite facies rocks from Paderu, Eastern Ghats granulite belt: A reappraisal of the P-T trajectory

High Mg-Al spinel-sapphirine granulites, orthopyroxene-bearing quartzofeldspathic granulites, two pyroxene-bearing mafic granulites and metapelitic gneisses are exposed around Paderu, Eastern Ghats Belt. Geothermobarometry in orthopyroxene-bearing quartzofeldspathic granulites and mafic granulites indicate near isobaric cooling through 90°C from ca. 720°C to 630°C, at 8.0 kbar. However, signatures of ultrahigh temperature metamorphism are recorded from the mineralogy and reaction textures in the high Mg-Al granulites. Mineral reactions deduced in this work, when combined with others described by Lalet al (1987) from the same area and plotted in an appropriate petrogenetic grid in the system FMASO indicate an ACW path comprising a high dT/dP prograde arm reaching P_max − T_max = 9.5 kbar, ∼ 1000°C, followed by near-isobaric cooling down to 9 kbar, 900°C and subsequent decompressive reworking.     

The Teya polymetamorphic complex in the Transangarian Yenisei Ridge: An example of metamorphic superimposed zoning of low- and medium-pressure facies series

Two successive phases of metamorphism can be recognized based on mineralogical and petrological observations coupled with geothermobarometric estimates for chemical zoning in Fe- and Al-rich metapelites from the Teya crystalline rocks of the Transangarian Yenisei Ridge. The first phase is marked by the formation of low-pressure regional metamorphic complexes of the andalusite-sillimanite type (P = 3.9–5.1 kbar; T = 510–640°C), which were most likely related to the Middle Riphean Grenville events. In the second phase, metapelitic rocks underwent Late Riphean medium-pressure collisional metamorphism of the kyanite-sillimanite type (P = 5.7–7.2 kbar, T = 660–700°C), which resulted locally in an increase in pressure in the vicinity of thrusts. These results suggest that medium-pressure kyanite-bearing metapelitic rocks were formed as a result of collision-related metamorphism caused by thrusting of the Siberian cratonal blocks onto the Yenisei Ridge in the vicinity of the Tatarka deep fault.     

土耳其Pütürge变质地体晚白垩世岩浆作用与变质作用的年代学研究

Pütürge变质地体位于新特提斯构造带南部的土耳其Anatolia逆冲推覆构造带内,形成于欧亚板决与阿拉伯板块之间晚白垩纪碰撞造山事件.Pütürge变质地体主要由变质泥质片岩及片麻岩、花岗质片麻岩、石英岩、角闪岩和大理岩组成,发育类似巴罗型递增变质带的变质带序列,变质程度达高绿片岩相至低角闪岩相.此前该变质地体一直缺乏精确的年代学约束,为此我们采用了二次离子质谱锆石U-Pb测年方法和黑云母40Ar/39 Ar测年方法,对该变质地体进行了年代学研究.结果表明,区内花岗片麻岩原岩形成于84.2±1.1Ma,变质泥质片麻岩中黑云母40Ar/39 Ar年龄所代表的变质时代为83.21±0.1Ma.这说明早白垩世期间岩浆侵入事件不久,Pütürge变质地体就发生了区域变质作用.     

An intercontinental correlation of the mid-Neoproterozoic Eastern Indian tectonic zone: evidence from the gneissic clasts in Elan Bank conglomerate, Kerguelen Plateau

The Kerguelen Plateau is a submarine, Cretaceous Large Igneous Province in the southern Indian Ocean. Drilling on Elan Bank, a western salient of the Kerguelen Plateau, yielded a ~26 m section of fluvial conglomerate intercalated with basalt. Chemical dating of monazite within garnet and matrix monazite in metapelitic clasts from the conglomerate indicates that high-grade metamorphism of the pelitic protolith occurred between 785 ± 12 and 694 ± 18 Ma. A calculated P–T pseudosection indicates that the observed core-to-inner rim compositional zoning in garnet is consistent with P/T decrease from 10.2 kb/760°C to 6.2 kb/560°C. In an Early Cretaceous paleogeographic reconstruction, the Elan Bank drill site is located on a SSW continuation of the Eastern Indian Tectonic Zone (EITZ), a 876–784 Ma, NNE–SSW metamorphic belt with sinistral shear zones in eastern India. The retrograde P–T path of the Elan Bank metapelitic clast overlaps with that of the EITZ metapelite, and the Elan Bank monazite chemical dates and previously determined 824–675 Ma U–Pb isotope monazite dates by the TIMS method are remarkably similar to the monazite chemical dates from the EITZ metapelites and high-grade metamorphic rocks from the eastern margin of the Eastern Ghats Belt. Based on the demonstrable affinity of metamorphic, geochronologic, and spatial data, this study concludes that the EITZ was likely a continuous, ~1,800–km-long tectono-metamorphic belt in the Rodinia supercontinent stretching from eastern India through the Eastern Ghats to the basement of Elan Bank and probably to the Rayner Complex of East Antarctica.     

Phase equilibrium modelling of the amphibolite to granulite facies transition in metabasic rocks (Ivrea Zone,NW Italy)

The development of thermodynamic models for tonalitic melt and the updated clinopyroxene and amphibole models now allow the use of phase equilibrium modelling to estimate P–T conditions and melt production for anatectic mafic and intermediate rock types at high‐T conditions. The Permian mid‐lower crustal section of the Ivrea Zone preserves a metamorphic field gradient from mid amphibolite facies to granulite facies, and thus records the onset of partial melting in metabasic rocks. Interlayered metabasic and metapelitic rocks allows the direct comparison of P–T estimates and partial melting between both rock types with the same metamorphic evolution. Pseudosections for metabasic compositions calculated in the Na₂O–CaO–K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O–TiO₂–O (NCKFMASHTO) system are presented and compared with those of metapelitic rocks calculated with consistent end‐member data and a–x models. The results presented in this study show that P–T conditions obtained by phase equilibria modelling of both metabasic and metapelitic rocks give consistent results within uncertainties, allowing integration of results obtained for both rock types. In combination, the calculations for both metabasic and metapelitic rocks allows an updated and more precisely constrained metamorphic field gradient for Val Strona di Omegna to be defined. The new field gradient has a slightly lower dP/dT which is in better agreement with the onset of crustal thinning of the Adriatic margin during the Permian inferred in recent studies.     

Existence of Different Peridotite Types and of a Layered Igneous Complex in the Ivrea Zone of the Western Alps

The Ivrea zone consists of a metapelitic series and of a mainbasic body, with related ultramafites (peridotites and pyroxenites).The peridotites are currently considered as mantle material.On the basis of their relationships with the country rocks,bulk and phase composition and factorial analysis, it is demonstratedin this paper that the peridotites are in formed by fractionationand cumulus processes. The main basic body is generally considered as a metamorphicsuite of basic granulites, that have suffered the same metamorphicevent as the metapelitic series. In this paper the hypothesisthat it represents a deep-seated stratiform complex is proposed.This possibility is supported by the igneous contacts betweenthe main basic body and the metapelitic series, by the fractionationpattern of the main basic body and by its stratigraphy. Itsgeochemical features and dynamic characteristics suggest anemplacement into an orogenic environment, possibly related toa continental margin. The ‘granulitic’ mineral assemblages of the mainbasic body are attributed to re-equilibration by slow coolingin deep crust and not to a metamorphic event. This point issupported by the relationships between the temperature and pressurepaths from the estimated original conditions to those of re-equilibration,by the preservation of evidence of a thermal increase in thecountry rock, and by the preservation of primary parageneses. The relationships between the main basic body and the metapeliticseries indicate that the emplacement of the first postdatesthe earlier (Caledonian) metamorphism of the metapelites.     

Himalayan inverted metamorphism constrained by oxygen isotope thermometry

Inverted metamorphic field gradients are preserved in two amphibolite facies metapelitic sequences forming the crystalline core zone of the Himalayan orogen in the Sutlej valley (NW India). In the High Himalayan Crystalline Sequence (HHCS), metamorphic conditions increase upwards from the staurolite zone at the base, through the kyanite-in and sillimanite-in isograds, finally to reach partial melting conditions at the top. The structurally lower Lesser Himalayan Crystalline Sequence (LHCS) shows a gradual superposition of garnet-in, staurolite-in and kyanite + sillimanite-in isograds. Although phase equilibria constraints imply inverted temperature field gradients in both units, garnet-biotite (GARB) rim thermometry indicates final equilibration at a nearly uniform temperature around T ≈ 600 °C across these sequences. The P-T path and garnet zoning data show that this apparent lack of thermal field gradient is mainly the consequence of a resetting of the GARB equilibria during cooling. In order to constrain peak temperature conditions, 20 samples along the studied section have been analysed for oxygen isotope thermometry. The isotopic fractionations recorded by quartz-garnet and quartz-aluminosilicate mineral pairs indicate temperatures consistent with phase equilibria and P-T path constraints for metamorphic peak conditions. Together with barometry results, based on net transfer continuous reactions, the oxygen isotope thermometry indicates peak conditions characterized by: (1) a temperature increase from T ≈ 570 to 750 °C at a nearly constant pressure around P ≈ 800 MPa, from the base to the top of the HHCS unit; (2) a temperature increase from T ≈ 610 to 700 °C and a pressure decrease from P ≈ 900 to 700 MPa, from the base to the top of the LHCS metapelites. Oxygen isotope thermometry thus provides the first quantitative data demonstrating that the Himalayan inverted metamorphism can be associated with a complete inversion of the thermal field gradient across the crystalline core zone of this orogen. Received: 1 April 1999 / Accepted: 12 July 1999     

Phase equilibrium constraints on a deep crustal metamorphic field gradient: metapelitic rocks from the Ivrea Zone (NW Italy)

The metamorphic rocks of the Ivrea Zone in NW Italy preserve a deep crustal metamorphic field gradient. Application of quantitative phase equilibria methods to metapelitic rocks provides new constraints on the P–T conditions recorded in Val Strona di Omegna, Val Sesia and Val Strona di Postua. In Val Strona di Omegna, the metapelitic rocks show a structural and mineralogical change from mica‐schists with the common assemblage bi–mu–sill–pl–q–ilm ± liq at the lowest grades, through metatexitic migmatites (g–sill–bi–ksp–pl–q–ilm–liq) at intermediate grades, to complex diatexitic migmatites (g–sill–ru–bi–ksp–pl–q–ilm–liq) at the highest grades. Partial melting in the metapelitic rocks is consistent with melting via the breakdown of first muscovite then biotite. The metamorphic field gradient in Val Strona di Omegna is constrained to range from conditions of ～3.5–6.5 kbar at ≈650 °C to ～10–12 kbar at >900 °C. The peak P–T estimates, particularly for granulite facies conditions, are significantly higher than those of most earlier studies. In Val Sesia and Val Strona di Postua, cordierite‐bearing rocks record the effects of contact metamorphism associated with the intrusion of a large mafic body (the Mafic Complex). The contact metamorphism occurred at lower pressures than the regional metamorphic peak and overprints the regional metamorphic assemblages. These relationships are consistent with the intrusion of the Mafic Complex having post dated the regional metamorphism and are inconsistent with a model of magmatic underplating as the cause of granulite facies metamorphism in the region.     

Contrasting magmas in metapelitic and metapsammitic migmatites in the Cooma Complex, Australia

Metapelite-derived migmatites (“bedded migmatites”) formed in the low-pressure/high-temperature (LPHT) Cooma Complex, southeastern Australia, contain magma (neosome and leucosome) confined to the metapelitic beds in which they were generated. The metapsammitic beds were more ductile than the metapelitic beds (and the metapelitic parts of graded beds), which underwent fracture and boudinage, thereby providing space for the magma, though some also occurs in axial surface folia. Transitions from bedded to stromatic migmatites can be seen, but the magma mainly remained in the metapelites, even in the most strongly deformed stromatic migmatites. This, together with boudinage and transposition of the leucosome, as well as microstructural evidence of quartz recrystallization, suggest that much or most of the stromatic layering was formed by solid-state deformation. In contrast, magmas (neosomes) formed by partial melting of feldspathic metapsammites at Cooma moved out of their parent rocks, and coalesced into veins and small intrusions of diatexite, because (1) the host rocks deformed more homogeneously, and no interboudin space was made for the melts, and (2) the melt escape threshold was exceeded, probably with the assistance of deformation. Metapsammite melting occurred after solidification of the metapelite-derived magma, and the mobile metapsammite-derived magma (diatexite) disrupted and incorporated fragments of the metapelitic migmatites. The metapsammite-derived magma, together with this solid metapelitic material, locally coalesced into bodies closely resembling the Cooma Granodiorite.     

The metamorphic field gradient in the eclogite type locality, Koralpe region, Eastern Alps

The eclogite type locality in the Eastern Alps (the Koralpe and Saualpe region) is the largest region in the Eastern Alps that preserves high‐pressure metamorphic rocks from the Eo‐Alpine orogenic event of the Cretaceous age. Thermobarometric data from the metapelitic gneisses in the region indicate that a metamorphic field gradient across the region can be divided into three parts. The northern part shows continuously increasing P–T from 10 ± 1.5 to 14 ± 1.5 kbar and 500 ± 68 to 700 ± 68 °C over a distance of 40 km. The continuous increase in P–T indicates that no major tectonic boundaries were active in this part during the Eo‐Alpine orogeny. Small discontinuities in the pressure gradient of the northern part can be correlated with more localized deformation. The central part exposes amphibolite–eclogite facies rocks with 15 ± 1.5 kbar and 700 ± 68 °C over about 20 km length. The southern part shows decreasing P–T conditions from 15 ± 1.5 to 10 ± 1.5 kbar and 700 ± 68 to 600 ± 63 °C over a distance of 10 km beyond which conditions remain roughly constant for the remainder of the profile. Overall, the field gradient is characterized by: (i) an increase in age with decreasing metamorphic grade and (ii) a T/P ratio that is lower than common metamorphic geotherms. The age–grade relationship is consistent with the timing relationship along piezothermal arrays predicted by simple models for regional metamorphism. However, the T/P ratio of the field gradient is inconsistent with such an interpretation. These inconsistencies indicate that the profile is not simply an obliquely exposed crustal section. We suggest that the exhumation of the transect is best explained with a two dimensional model of an extruding wedge, as has recently been suggested as a typical scenario for other large scale compressional orogens.     

Decompression reactions and P–T conditions in high-pressure granulites from Casares-Los Reales units of the Betic-Rif belt (S Spain and N Morocco)

High-pressure granulites are exposed in the Casares-Los Reales group (internal zones of Betic-Rif belt, S Spain–N Morocco) as part of the crustal envelope of Beni Bousera-Ronda Peridotites. They are mostly metapelitic but include intercalations of mafic composition. The metamorphic history is marked by the preservation of early high-pressure assemblages together with secondary low-pressure assemblages suggesting a state of textural and compositional disequilibrium. The P–T path constrained by geothermobarometry and reaction textures from mafic and pelitic lithotypes passes from 800 °C/15 kbar to 600 °C/5 kbar, to indicating a strong decompression related to cooling, followed by a near-isobaric cooling 430 °C and 4 kbar. Such P–T evolution of granulites is thought to reflect some sort of rapid tectonic collapse of crust previously thickened through collision.     

P–T evolution of the Precambrian Metamorphic Complex,NW Iran: a study of metapelitic rocks

The Mahneshan Metamorphic Complex (MMC) is one of the Precambrian terrains exposed in the northwest of Iran. The MMC underwent two main phases of deformation (D₁ and D₂) and at least two metamorphic events (M₁ and M₂). Critical metamorphic mineral assemblages in the metapelitic rocks testify to regional metamorphism under amphibolite‐facies conditions. The dominant metamorphic mineral assemblage in metapelitic rocks (M₁) is muscovite, biotite I, Garnet I, staurolite, Andalusite I and sillimanite. Peak metamorphism took place at 600–620°C and ∼7 kbar, corresponding to a depth of ca. 24 km. This was followed by decompression during exhumation of the crustal rocks up to the surface. The decrease of temperature and pressure during exhumation produced retrograde metamorphic assemblages (M₂). Secondary phases such as garnet II biotite II, Andalusite II constrain the temperature and pressure of M₂ retrograde metamorphism to 520–560°C and 2.5–3.5 kbar, respectively. The geothermal gradient obtained for the peak of metamorphism is 33°C km⁻¹, which indicates that peak metamorphism was of Barrovian type and occurred under medium‐pressure conditions. The MMC followed a ‘clockwise’ P–T path during metamorphism, consistent with thermal relaxation following tectonic thickening. The bulk chemistry of the MMC metapelites shows that their protoliths were deposited at an active continental margin. Together with the presence of palaeo‐suture zones and ophiolitic rocks around the high‐grade metamorphic rocks of the MMC, these features suggest that the Iranian Precambrian basement formed by an island‐arc type cratonization. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Middle Miocene thermal metamorphism due to the infiltration of high-temperature fluid in the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt,southwest Japan

 The Middle Miocene Tobe hornfels in the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt, western Shikoku, southwest Japan, is characterized by an abnormally steep metamorphic gradient compared with other hornfelses associated with intrusive bodies. The basic hornfels, originally Sanbagawa greenschist rocks, is divided into the following three metamorphic zones: plagioclase, hornblende, and orthopyroxene. The plagioclase zone is defined by the appearance of calcic plagioclase, the hornblende zone by the assemblage of hornblende+calcic plagioclase+quartz, and the orthopyroxene zone is characterized by the assemblage of orthopyroxene + clinopyroxene + plagioclase + quartz. Calcic amphibole compositions change from actinolite to hornblende as a result of the continuous reactions during prograde metamorphism. Petrographical and thermometric studies indicate a metamorphic temperature range of 300–475°C for the plagioclase zone, 475–680°C for the hornblende zone, and 680–730°C for the orthopyroxene zone. The temperature gradient based on petrological studies is approximately 5°C/m, which is unusually high. Geological and petrological studies demonstrate that the hornfelses were formed by the focusing of high-temperature fluids through zones of relatively high fracture permeability. The steep thermal gradient in the Tobe hornfels body is consistent with a large fluid flux, greater than 8.3 × 10^–7 m³ m^–2S^–1, over the relatively short duration of metamorphism, approximately 100 years. Received: 10 October 1995 / Accepted: 28 May 1996     

Magnetic susceptibility mapping of felsic magmatic lithounits in the central part of Bundelkhand Massif,central India

Late Archaean to Palaeoproterozoic felsic magmatic lithounits exposed in the central part of the Bundelkhand massif have been mapped and their redox series (magnetite vs ilmenite series) evaluated based on magnetic susceptibility (MS) data. The central part of Bundelkhand massif comprises of multiple felsic magmatic pulses (∼2600–2200 Ma), commonly represented by coarse grained granite (CGG-grey granite, CPG-pink granite), medium grained pink granite (MPG), fine grained pink granite (FPG), grey and pink rhyolites and granite porphyry (GP). However, the pink colour of these felsic rocks is the result of hydrothermal fluid-flushing leading to potassic alteration of grey granites. MS values of CGG vary from 0.058 to 14.75×10⁻³ SI with an average of 6.35×10⁻³ SI, which mostly represent oxidized type, magnetite series (73%) granites involving infracrustal (igneous) source materials. CPG (av. MS=3.95×10⁻³ SI) is indeed a pink variety of CGG, the original oxidizing nature of which must have been similar to the bulk of CGG, but has been moderately to strongly reduced because of distinctly more porphyritic nature together with partial assimilation of metapelitic (supracrustal) materials, surmicaceous enclaves, carbonaceous material included in the source materials, and to some extent, induced by hydrothermal and later deformational processes. MPG (av. MS= 1.15×10⁻³ SI) as lensoidal stock-like bodies intrudes the CPG and represent both magnetite series (18%) and ilmenite series (82%) granites, which are probably formed by heterogeneous (mixed) source rocks. GP (av. MS=6.26×10⁻³ SI) occur as dykes (mostly trending NE-SW) intrudes the MPG, CPG and migmatites and bears the nature similar to oxidized type, magnetite series granite. FPG (av. MS= 0.666×10⁻³ SI) trending NE-SW occur as lensoid bodies including a large outcrop, is intrusive into both CPG and MPG, and is moderately to very strongly reduced type, ilmenite series granites, which may be derived by the melting of metapelitic crustal sources. FPG hosting microgranular (mafic magmatic) enclaves commonly exhibit high MS values (7.31–10.22×10⁻³ SI), which appear induced by the mixing and mingling of interacting felsic and mafic magmas prevailed in an open system. Grey (av. MS=10.30×10⁻³ SI) and pink (av. MS=6.72×10⁻³ SI) rhyolites represent oxidized type, magnetite series granites, which may have been derived from infracrustal (magmatic) protoliths. Granite series evaluation of felsic magmatic rocks of central part of Bundelkhand massif strongly suggests their varied redox conditions (differential oxygen fugacity) mostly intrinsic to magma source regions and partially modified by hydrothermal and tectonic processes acting upon them.     

New SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages of the metapelitic granulites from NW of Madurai,Southern India

Zircon cathodoluminescent imaging and SHRIMP U-Pb dating were carried out for metapelitic rocks (sapphirine-bearing granulites and garnet-cordierite gneisses) from the NW of Madurai, Southern India. The cathodoluminescence images reveal the complex, inhomogeneous internal structure having irregular-shaped core and overgrowths. Zircon grains have obliterated oscillatory zoning. SHRIMP U-Pb chronological results yield ages of 550±15 Ma and 530±50 Ma as a time of metamorphic overprint, and the age of 2509±12 Ma and 2509±30 Ma corresponding to a timing of protolith formation for sapphirine-bearing granulites and garnet-cordierite gneisses respectively. Zircon ages reflect that continental crust in the NW of Madurai region resulted from the recycling of Archaean protolith of an igneous origin similar to the preserved crust in the southern part of Dharwar craton. The present SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages are in close agreement with earlier published Nd isotopic data which suggest an extended precrustal history of their protoliths. The abraded zircon grains indicate multiple recycling and repeated metamorphism that has ultimately resulted in present day continental crust exposed in Madurai region. These SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages from metapelitic UHT granulites are also significant to understanding the architecture of the SGT during the amalgamation of Gondwana in Neoproterozoic time.     

赞皇前寒武纪变质杂岩区变质反应结构与变质作用P-T-t轨迹

赞皇变质杂岩位于华北克拉通中部造山带中南段、太行山东麓低山区。出露于该变质杂岩区中南部的含石榴石的斜长角闪片麻岩、泥质片麻岩,均保存了三期矿物组合:进变质、峰期变质和退变质矿物组合。这两大类变质岩石中,进变质阶段矿物组合(M₁)以石榴石变斑晶核部的包裹体矿物组合为代表,变质高峰期矿物组合(M₂)由石榴石变斑晶"边部"和基质矿物组成,退变质阶段矿物组合(M₃)主要是环绕石榴石边部发育的"白眼圈"状后成合晶矿物组合。泥质片麻岩中的石榴石变斑晶均保存了明显的成分环带,且在边部很窄的范围内X_Mn有所增加、Mg/(Mg+Fe)有所降低,指示存在变质高峰期后的退变质过程。温度与压力计算结果表明,赞皇斜长角闪片麻岩所经历的进变质阶段(M₁)温度约为640~710℃、 压力约为8.2~8.6kbar;高峰期(M₂)变质温度超过810℃,压力大于12.1kbar;退变质阶段(M₃)的温压范围为590~670℃和3.2~5.6kbar。此前的研究已说明泥质片麻岩的进变质阶段(M₁)变质温度为660~690℃,压力为9.0~9.2kbar;高峰期(M₂)变质温度超过780℃,压力大于12.5kbar。变质高峰属于中压相系的顶部至高压相系的底部。斜长角闪片麻岩、泥质片麻岩均记录了典型的顺时针P-T轨迹,并显示近等温减压(ITD)的退变质片段。对泥质片麻岩中多颗锆石的变质增生边的SHRIMP U-Pb定年表明,变质高峰期时代为1821±17Ma。变质作用历史说明赞皇变质岩区卷入了华北克拉通东部陆块和西部陆块之间的俯冲-碰撞、随后的快速隆升过程,为华北克拉通中部造山带早元古代末期(~1850Ma)存在的造山事件提供了新的证据 。     

Genetic Model for the Stromatic Migmatites of the Rantasalmi-Sulkava Area, Finland

Metasediments of the Rantasalmi-Sulkava area (Finland) showprogressive regional metamorphism with migmatization. The metasedimentsare represented by various types of metapsammites (plagioclase-rich,quartz-rich, and layers of granitic compositions—somerich in microcline and others in plagioclase) and metapelites(dark and light layers). The migmatites of this area are of stromatic type. They consistof leucosomes, mesosomes, and light-coloured plagioclase-richlayers which do not fit the definition of leucosome. Melanosomes,which usually separate leucosomes and mesosomes in stromaticmigmatites, are almost absent. The leucosomes are of three types: (i) quartz-rich; (ii) cordierite-rich;and (iii) granitic. The quartz-rich leucosomes formed firstat subsolidus temperatures through recrystallization. The graniticleucosomes are considered to have developed via partial melting.The cordierite-rich leucosomes are formed—like the graniticones—at supersolidus conditions, but the role of partialmelting is not clear. The mesosomes are the metamorphic portions of the migmatiteswhich are not transformed into leucosomes. They include metapsammiticlayers and light-coloured metapelitic layers, both rich in plagioclase. Besides mineral reactions resulting in new assemblages duringregional metamorphism, the main process changing the protolithsinto migmatites is the conversion of some of the protolith layersinto leucosomes, through (as we believe) an almost isochemicalpartial melting. The migmatites of the Rantasalmi-Sulkava area differ from othermigmatites investigated by the authors in having two differentgenetic types of leucosomes: one formed via partial meltingand the other through subsolidus recrystallization as mentionedabove. The process of migmatization is described and modelledin three steps. Reprint requests to W. Johannes     

Phase Relations and Chemical Composition of Phengite and Paragonite in Pelitic Schists During Decompression: a Case Study from the Monte Rosa Nappe and Camughera-Moncucco Unit, Western Alps

The metamorphic evolution of metapelites from the eastern partof the Monte Rosa nappe and the Camughera–Moncucco unit,both situated in the upper Penninic units SW of the Simplonline, were investigated using microstructural relationshipsand equilibrium phase diagrams. The units under considerationexperienced pre-Alpine amphibolite-facies conditions and underwenta complex metamorphic evolution during the Alpine orogeny. Peakpressures during an early Alpine high-pressure stage of 12·5–16kbar were similar in the Monte Rosa nappe and Camughera–Moncuccounit. A pronounced thermal gradient is indicated during decompressionleading to an amphibolite-facies overprint, as the decompressionpaths went through the chlorite, biotite and plagioclase stabilityfields in most of the Monte Rosa nappe, through the staurolitefield in the easternmost Monte Rosa nappe and in the Camughera–Moncuccounit, and through the sillimanite field in the easternmost Camughera–Moncuccounit. In high-Al metapelites the initial formation of stauroliteis related to continuous paragonite breakdown and associatedformation of biotite. In the course of this reaction phengitebecomes successively sodium enriched. In low-Al metapelites,in contrast, the initial staurolite formation occurs via thecontinuous breakdown of sodium-rich phengite. In both low- andhigh-Al metapelites the largest volume of staurolite is formedduring the continuous breakdown of sodium-rich phengite belowP–T conditions of about 9·5 kbar at 600–650°C.During this reaction phengite becomes successively potassiumenriched as sodium from phengite is used to form the albitecomponent in plagioclase. For ‘normal’ pelitic chemistries,phengite becomes Na enriched during decompression through thebreakdown of paragonite along a near-isothermal decompressionpath. The Na content in phengite reaches its maximum when paragoniteis entirely consumed. During further decompression the paragonitecomponent in phengite decreases again because Na is preferentiallyincorporated into the albite component of plagioclase. KEY WORDS: metapelites; white mica; high pressure; equilibrium diagrams; Western Alps     

Pseudomorphs and associated microstructures of western Maine,USA

In metapelitic rocks of western Maine, a pluton-related M3 metamorphic gradient ranging in grade from garnet to upper sillimanite zone was superposed on a fairly uniform M2 regional metamorphic terrain characterized by the assemblage andalusite+staurolite+biotite+/−garnet. As a result, M2 assemblages re-equilibrated to the P, T, and aH₂O conditions of M3, and both prograde and retrograde pseudomorphism of M2 porphyroblasts occurred. The type of pseudomorph and degree of development is directly related to the rock's position within the M3 metamorphic gradient, a function of its proximity to the Mooselookmeguntic pluton. Several ‘hinge’ zones occur in which the M3 minerals that pseudomorphed a particular M2 phase change. For example, M2 garnet was replaced by M3 chlorite or biotite, depending on its position within the M3 gradient. Similarly, in a transition zone between M3 upper staurolite and lower sillimanite zones, M2 staurolite was stable and shows M3 growth rims. Downgrade from this transition zone, staurolite was pseudomorphed by chlorite and muscovite, whereas upgrade, the pseudomorphs contain muscovite and some biotite. M3 pseudomorphs commonly retain crystal shapes of the original M2 porphyroblasts, reflecting relatively low regional deviatoric stress during and after M3. Although evidence for textural disequilibrium is common, chemical equilibrium was closely approached during M3. This study demonstrates for M3 that: (1) the pseudomorphic replacement was a constant volume process, and (2) fabrics produced by tectonic events can be erased by subsequent deformation and/or sufficiently intense subsequent recrystallization.