Metamorphic record of the Asemi‐gawa eclogite unit in the Sanbagawa belt,southwest Japan: Constraints from inclusions study in garnet porphyroblasts

The Sanbagawa belt is one of the famous subduction‐related high‐pressure (HP) metamorphic belts in the world. However, spatial distributions of eclogite units in the belt have not yet satisfactorily established, except within the Besshi region, central Shikoku, southwest Japan because most eclogitic rocks were affected by lower pressure overprinting during exhumation. In order to better determine the areal distribution of the eclogite units and their metamorphic features, inclusion petrography of garnet porphyroblasts using a combination of electron probe microanalyser and Raman spectroscopy was applied to pelitic and mafic schists from the Asemi‐gawa region, central Shikoku. All pelitic schist samples are highly retrogressed, and include no index HP minerals such as jadeite, omphacite, paragonite, or glaucophane in the matrix. Garnet porphyroblasts in pelitic schists occur as subhedral or anhedral crystals, and show compositional zoning with irregular‐shaped inner segments and overgrown outer segments, the boundary of which is marked by discontinuous changes in spessartine. This feature suggests that a resorption process of the inner segment occurred prior to the formation of the outer segment, indicating discontinuous crystallization between the two segments. The inner segment of some composite‐zoned garnet grains displays Mn oscillations, implying infiltration of metamorphic fluid during the initial exhumation stage. Evidence for an early eclogite facies event was determined from mineral inclusions (e.g., jadeite, paragonite, glaucophane) in the garnet inner segments. Mafic schists include no index HP minerals in the matrix as with pelitic schists. Garnet grains in mafic schists show simple normal zoning, recording no discontinuous growth during crystal formation. There are no index HP mineral inclusions in the garnet, and thus no evidence suggesting eclogite facies conditions. Quartz inclusions in garnet of the pelitic and mafic schists show residual pressure values (?ω₁) of >8.5 cm^?1 and <8.5 cm^?1 respectively. The combination of Raman geobarometry and conventional thermodynamic calculations gives peak P–T conditions of 1.6–2.1 GPa at 460–520°C for the pelitic schists. The ?ω₁ values of quartz inclusions in mafic schists are converted to a metamorphic pressure of 1.2–1.4 GPa at 466–549°C based on Raman geothermometry results. These results indicate that a pressure gap definitely exists between the mafic schists and the almost adjacent pelitic schists, which have experienced a different metamorphic history. Furthermore, the peak P–T values of the Asemi‐gawa eclogite unit are compatible with those of Sanbagawa eclogite unit in the Besshi region of central Shikoku, suggesting that these eclogite units share a similar P–T trajectory. The Asemi‐gawa eclogite unit exists in a limited area and is composed of mostly pelitic schists. We infer that these abundant pelitic schists played a key role in buoyancy‐driven exhumation by reducing bulk rock density and strength.     

Mineral distribution within polymineralic veins in the Sanbagawa belt,Japan: implications for mass transfer during vein formation

Pelitic schists of the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt contain several types of polymineralic veins that formed during the late stages of exhumation. The vein mineral assemblages are quartz + albite + K-feldspar + chlorite ± calcite (Type I, II) and quartz + albite + calcite (Type III). Type I and II veins contain quartz and albite with stretched-crystal and elongate-blocky textures, respectively. The mineral species within Type I veins vary with compositional bands within the host rocks. Type III veins are characterized by euhedral to subhedral quartz grains with concentric zoning and a homogeneous distribution along the vein length. The vein textures vary depending on the crack aperture during multiple crack-seal events: <0.08 mm for Type I, and 0.5–10 mm for Type III. Type II veins show intermediate features between Type I and III veins in terms of mineral distribution (weak dependence on the host rock composition) and apparent crack aperture (less than 1–15 mm). These observations suggest a transition in the dominant transport mechanism of vein components with increasing crack aperture, from diffusion from host rocks to fluid advection along cracks.     

Microstructures and flow mechanisms in regional metamorphic rocks of Japan

A number of microstructural features indicate a difference in the dominant deformation mechanism between the higher temperature Ryoke and the lower temperature Sambagawa and Shimanto metamorphic belts of Japan. The microstructures of metacherts containing deformed radiolaria are divided into two types: in both the Sambagawa and Shimanto belts the quartz grains are tabular while in the Ryoke belt they are equiaxed. TEM studies of these metacherts revealed that the tabular grains contain abundant subboundaries consisting of large numbers of network dislocations and bowe-out dislocations, while the equiaxed grains contain no subboundaries and have low densities of dislocations which are not bowed-out. There is a corresponding difference in the textures (lattice preferred orientation of quartz): the Ryoke metacherts display randomly distributed c-axes of quartz, while the Sambagawa and Shimanto metacherts show conspicuous crossed girdle patterns with some asymmetry. There is a third difference between these regions: in the metacherts of the Ryoke metamorphic belt, the strain magnitudes determined from deformed radiolaria increase with increasing volume fraction of mica in the same metamorphic P and T conditions, while in the Sambagawa and the Shimanto metamorphic cherts the strain magnitudes decrease with increasing the mica fraction.These microstructures, textures, and rheological behaviours of quartz-mica rocks suggest a change of deformation mechanism between the lower temperature Sambagawa and Shimanto, and the higher temperature Ryoke metamorphic belts. Since random fabrics of c-axes of quartz are inconsistent with lattice rotation due to dislocation glide, the Ryoke metacherts may have deformed by pressure-solution.     

Discontinuous grain growth of quartz in metacherts: the influence of mica on a microstructural transition

Abstract The microstructure of quartz in metacherts of the Ryoke metamorphic belt in central Japan develops from polygonal, through duplex to irregular with increasing metamorphic grade. The polygonal microstructure is composed of small (mostly 90–160 μm), equant, equigranular, polygonal quartz grains, whereas the irregular microstructure is characterized by large (>300 μm) grains with irregular grain boundaries. The duplex microstructure is a mixture of small polygonal and large irregular grains. The development of these microstructures is interpreted as being due to secondary recrystallization. The size of polygonal grains is greatly influenced by the presence of second-phase minerals, such as mica, whereas that of large irregular grains is unaffected by second-phase minerals. There seems to be a critical grain size for quartz to occur as polygonal aggregates: no polygonal aggregates occur in rocks with larger than the critical grain size. The size (about 140 μm) decreases slightly with increasing volume fraction of mica. The mean grain sizes of polygonal quartz ( D ) and coexisting mica ( d ) in the duplex microstructure are systematically related to the volume fraction of mica ( f ) by D = 0.728 d (1/ f )^0.629.     

Microstructural and metamorphic evolution of a high‐pressure granitic orthogneiss during continental subduction (Orlica–Śnieżnik dome,Bohemian Massif)

A microstructural and metamorphic study of a naturally deformed medium‐ to high‐pressure granitic orthogneiss (Orlica–?nie?nik dome, Bohemian Massif) provides evidence of behaviour of the felsic crust during progressive burial along a subduction‐type apparent thermal gradient (～10 °C km^?1). The granitic orthogneisses develops three distinct microstructural types, as follows: type I – augen orthogneiss, type II – banded orthogneiss and type III – mylonitic orthogneiss, each representing an evolutionary stage of a progressively deformed granite. Type I orthogneiss is composed of partially recrystallized K‐feldspar porphyroclasts surrounded by wide fronts of myrmekite, fully recrystallized quartz aggregates and interconnected monomineralic layers of recrystallized plagioclase. Compositional layering in the type II orthogneiss is defined by plagioclase‐ and K‐feldspar‐rich layers, both of which show an increasing proportion of interstitial minerals, as well as the deformation of recrystallized myrmekite fronts. Type III orthogneiss shows relicts of quartz and K‐feldspar ribbons preserved in a fine‐grained polymineralic matrix. All three types have the same assemblage (quartz + plagioclase + K‐feldspar + muscovite + biotite + garnet + sphene ± ilmenite), but show systematic variations in the composition of muscovite and garnet from types I to III. This is consistent with the equilibration of the three types at different positions along a prograde P?T path ranging from <15 kbar and <700 °C (type I orthogneiss) to 19–20 kbar and >700 °C (types II and III orthogneisses). The deformation types thus do not represent evolutionary stages of a highly partitioned deformation at constant P?T conditions, but reflect progressive formation during the burial of the continental crust. The microstructures of the type I and type II orthogneisses result from the dislocation creep of quartz and K‐feldspar whereas a grain boundary sliding‐dominated diffusion creep regime is the characteristic of the type III orthogneiss. Strain weakening related to the transition from type I to type II microstructures was enhanced by the recrystallization of wide myrmekite fronts, and plagioclase and quartz, and further weakening and strain localization in type III orthogneiss occurred via grain boundary sliding‐enhanced diffusion creep. The potential role of incipient melting in strain localization is discussed.     

Evolution of perthite composition and microstructure during progressive metamorphism of hypersolvus granite,Rhode Island,USA

The Scituate Granite in central Rhode Island, USA contains very coarse alkali feldspar mesoperthite and has been subjected to prograde metamorphism subsequent to original igneous cooling. The modal abundance and grain size of relics of alkali feldspar mesoperthite decrease systematically as metamorphic grade increases. The composition and microstructures of coexisting phases in the relict perthite grains also vary systematically with increasing metamorphic grade. Microstructures coarsen and become more complex, and compositions record increasing metamorphic temperatures.We suggest that the microstructures and compositions have been produced by exsolution, either during post-igneous cooling or early metamorphism, followed by partial homogenization during prograde metamorphism. The principal control on the evolution of the microstructures and compositions was probably the maximum temperature achieved during prograde metamorphism, with the abundance and size of perthite relics determined by recrystallization during deformation.     

Microstructural and fabric studies from the rocks of the Moine Nappe,Eriboll, NW Scotland

Microstructures and quartz c-axis fabric diagrams from mylonites and psammitic Moine schists, collected in traverses across the lower levels of the Moine Nappe in the Eriboll area, are presented. On approaching the Moine Thrust from the Kyle of Tongue, the following microstructural sequence is encountered: interlayered coarse grained biotite psammitic and schistose tectonites being in part mylonitic with two platy slide zones, one containing biotite and the other only muscovite and chlorite and both showing quartz microstructures indicative of post-tectonic relaxation; these pass into more mylonitic rocks nearer the thrust zone which in turn passes into the main chlorite-grade mylonite belt and finally, adjacent to the Moine Thrust, into reworked lower chlorite grade mylonites. Although there is some local variation, the overall quartz c-axis fabric is an incomplete asymmetric type I girdle. The main variation is the development of type II girdles in the reworked, ultrafine grained mylonites. The extent of the mylonitization is more extensive than previously reported. Studies of folds within the mylonite belt have revealed eye structures and small-scale folds; many are sheath folds. They cannot be unequivocally correlated with large-scale recumbent folds within the Moine Nappe. The results presented indicate that mylonitization is not limited to a single phase, and raises the possibility that there may be earlier Caledonian or possibly Precambrian structural elements present in the Eriboll region Moines prior to much of the mylonitization.     

Geochemical characteristics of gold mineralization of the Huai Kham On deposit,Sukhothai Fold Belt,Northern Thailand

The Huai Kham On gold deposit is located in the central part of the Sukhothai Fold Belt, northern Thailand. The Sukhothai Fold Belt represents an accretionary complex formed by subduction and collision between the Indochina and Sibumasu Terranes. There are many small gold deposits in the Sukhothai Fold Belt; however, the styles and formation environments of those gold deposits are not clear. The geology of the Huai Kham On deposit consists of volcanic and volcanosedimentary rocks, limestone, and low‐grade metamorphic rocks of Carboniferous to Triassic age. Gold‐bearing quartz veins are hosted by volcanic and volcanosedimentary rocks. The quartz veins can be divided into four stages. The mineral assemblage of the gold‐bearing quartz veins of Stages I and II comprises quartz, calcite, illite, pyrite, native gold, galena, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite. Quartz veins of Stage III consist of microcrystalline quartz, dolomite, calcite, pyrite, native gold, and chalcopyrite. Veins of Stage IV consist of calcite, dolomite, chlorite, and quartz. Fluid inclusions in quartz veins are classified into liquid‐rich two‐phase (Types I_A and I_B), carbonic‐aqueous (Type II), and carbonic (Type III) fluid inclusions. The homogenization temperatures of Types I_A and II fluid inclusions that are related to the gold‐bearing quartz veins from Stages I to III ranged from 240° to 280°C. The δ¹⁸O values of quartz veins of Stages I to III range from +12.9 to +13.4‰, suggesting the presence of a homogeneous hydrothermal solution without temperature variation such as a decrease of temperature during the formation of gold‐bearing quartz veins from Stages I to III in the Huai Kham On gold deposit. Based on the calculated formation temperature of 280°C, the δ¹⁸O values of the hydrothermal solution that formed the gold‐bearing quartz veins range from +3.2 to +3.7‰, which falls into the range of metamorphic waters. The gold‐bearing quartz veins of the Huai Kham On deposit are interpreted to be the products of metamorphic water.     

五台山绿岩带东腰庄金矿成矿地质特征及控矿因素浅析

在五台山绿岩带中的东腰庄金矿 ,发现部分容矿绢云母石英 (片 )岩实为变质基性岩 (变质辉绿岩—辉绿玢岩或安山玢岩 )岩床在五台期构造作用下发生强烈的剪切变形和变质热液蚀变的产物。说明以绢云母石英 (片 )岩作为容矿围岩的东腰庄金矿 ,确有部分为变质基性岩在含金剪切带中发生热液蚀变的后生成因。矿床的形成和矿质的富集受剪切变形机制控制明显 ,并与区域构造背景有着密切的关系     

Brittle normal faulting in the highest-grade Sambagawa metamorphic rocks of central Shikoku,southwest Japan: Indication of the exhumation into the upper crustal level

Analysis of fault system in the high-P/T type Sambagawa metamorphic rocks of central Shikoku, southwest Japan, shows that conjugate normal faults pervasively developed in the highest-grade biotite zone (upper structural level) in three study areas (Asemi river, Oriu and Niihama areas). These conjugate normal faults consist of NE–SW to E–W striking and moderately north-dipping (set A), and NNW–SSE striking and moderately east dipping (set B) faults. The fault set A is dominant compared to the fault set B, and hence most of deformation is accommodated by the fault set A, leading to non-coaxial deformation. The sense of shear is inferred to be a top-to-the-WNW to NNW, based on the orientations of striation or quartz slickenfibre and dominant north-side down normal displacement. These transport direction by normal faulting is significantly different from that at D₁ penetrative ductile flow (i.e. top-to-the-W to WNW). It has also been found that these conjugate normal faults are openly folded during the D₃ phase about the axes trending NW–SE to E–W and plunging west at low-angles or horizontally, indicating that normal faulting occurred at the D₂ phase. D₂ normal faults, along which actinolite breccia derived from serpentinite by metasomatism sometimes occurs, perhaps formed under subgreenschist conditions (ca. 250 °C) in relation to the final exhumation of Sambagawa metamorphic rocks into the upper crustal level. The pervasive development of D₂ normal faults in the upper structural level suggests that the final exhumation of Sambagawa metamorphic rocks could be caused by “distributed extension and normal faulting (removal of overburden)” in the upper crust.     

Regional variation in exhumation and strain rate of the high-pressure Sambagawa metamorphic rocks in central Shikoku, south-west Japan

Regional variation in the P–T path of the Sambagawa metamorphic rocks, central Shikoku, Japan has been inferred from compositional zoning of metamorphic amphibole. Rocks constituting the northern part (Saruta River area) exhibit a hairpin type P–T path, where winchite/actinolite grew at the prograde stage, the peak metamorphism was recorded by the growth of barroisite to hornblende and sodic amphibole to winchite/actinolite grew at the retrograde stage. In the southern part (Asemi River area), rocks exhibit a clockwise type P–T path, where barroisite to hornblende core is rimmed by winchite to actinolite. The difference in P–T path could suggest a faster exhumation rate (i.e. more rapid decompression) in the southern than in the northern part. On the other hand, physical conditions of deformation during the exhumation stage have been independently inferred from microstructures in deformed quartz. Recrystallized quartz grains in rocks from the low‐grade (chlorite and garnet) zones are much more stretched in the southern part (aspect ratio ≥ 4.0) than in the northern part (aspect ratio< 4.0), indicating a higher strain rate in the former than in the latter. These facts may indicate that the exhumation and strain rates are correlated (i.e. the exhumation rate increases with increasing the strain rate). The difference in the exhumation rate inferred from amphibole zoning between the northern and southern parts could be explained by an extensional model involving normal faulting, where the lower plate can be exhumed faster than the upper plate due to the displacement along the fault. Furthermore, the model may explain the positive correlation between the exhumation and strain rates, because the lower plate tended to support more stress than the upper plate.     

Quartz vein fabrics coupled to elevated fluid pressures in the Stawell gold deposit,south-eastern Australia

Shear and extensional veins formed during the reactivation of the Magdala shear system at Stawell in western Victoria, Australia, contribute to the formation of the auriferous Central and Basalt Contact lodes. Within this shear system is a range of fault rocks accompanied by steep-dipping (>65°) quartz-rich laminated shear veins and relatively flat-lying extensional veins. Both vein sets appear to have been a primary source for the host rock permeability during fluid flow in a regime of significant deviatoric stresses. The macro- and microstructures suggest that the dilatancy, that produced mineralized veins, formed under conditions of overpressure generated by fluid infiltration late in a tectonic regime. A new microfabric analysis technique is used to investigate the quartz-rich veins, which allows rapid integration of the microstructure with the crystallographic preferred orientations (CPOs). Both the shear and extensional quartz veins have a random CPO with ∼120° dihedral angles between the quartz–quartz grains, which is typical of a metamorphic equilibrium microfabric. The microstructures indicate that the quartz has undergone extensive grain adjustment in the solid-state, with grain shape and size affected by interfacial solution (pressure solution) effects. These features are consistent with inferences from experimental rock deformation studies, where grain boundary migration is enhanced in a water-rich environment. The onset of solution-transfer processes (pressure solution) developed as the quartz microfabric stabilized and continued to modify the CPO and microstructure significantly. It is concluded that grain growth and pressure solution are coupled diffusive mass transfer processes, related to fluctuations in pore fluid pressures in a region undergoing deformation at near lithostatic pressures.     

Marble mylonites in the Bancroft shear zone, Ontario, Canada: microstructures and deformation mechanisms

Mylonitization of medium-grade marbles in the Bancroft shear zone, Ontario, Canada, is characterized by decreasing grain-size of both calcite and graphite, and a variety of textures. Calcite grain-sizes vary from several millimeters in the protolith, to 50–200 μm in mylonite, to <30 μm in ultramylonite. Corresponding calcite grain shapes are equant in the protolith, elongate in protomylonite (first-developed dimensional preferred orientation), equant in coarse mylonite, elongate in fine mylonite (second-developed dimensional preferred orientation) and generally equant in ultramylonite, which suggests that external energy (applied stress) that tends to elongate grains competed with internal energy sources (e.g. distortional strain) that favor equant shapes. Graphite grain-size changes from several millimeters to centimeters in the protolith to submicroscopic in ultramylonite. In the mylonitic stages, graphite is present as dark bands, while in the ultramylonitic stage it is preserved as a fine coating on calcite grains.Based on textural evidence, twinning (exponential creep; regime I), dynamic recrystallization (power law creep; regime II) and possibly grain boundary sliding superplasticity (regime III) are considered the dominant deformation mechanisms with increasing intensity of mylonitization; their activity is largely controlled by calcite grain-size. Calcite grain-size reduction occurred predominantly by the process of rotation recrystallization during the early stages of mylonitization, as indicated by the occurrence of core and mantle or mortar structures, and by the grain-size of subgrains and recrystallized grains. Grain elongation in S-C structures indicates the activity of migration recrystallization; these structures are not the result of flattening of originally equant grains. Differential stress estimates in coarse mylonites and ultramylonites, based on recrystallized grain-size, are 2–5 and 14–38 MPa, respectively. Initial grain-size reduction of graphite occurred by progressive separation along basal planes, analogous to mica fish formation in quartzo-feldspathic mylonites.Calcite-graphite thermometry on mylonitic and ultramylonitic samples shows that the metamorphic conditions during mylonitization were 475 ± 50°C, which, combined with a differential stress value of 26 MPa, gives a strain rate of 1.2 x 10⁻¹⁰s⁻¹ based on constitutive equations; corresponding displacement rates are <38 mmyr⁻¹.     

Brittle normal faulting in the highest-grade Sambagawa metamorphic rocks of central Shikoku, southwest Japan: Indication of the exhumation into the upper crustal level

Analysis of fault system in the high-P/T type Sambagawa metamorphic rocks of central Shikoku, southwest Japan, shows that conjugate normal faults pervasively developed in the highest-grade biotite zone (upper structural level) in three study areas (Asemi river, Oriu and Niihama areas). These conjugate normal faults consist of NE–SW to E–W striking and moderately north-dipping (set A), and NNW–SSE striking and moderately east dipping (set B) faults. The fault set A is dominant compared to the fault set B, and hence most of deformation is accommodated by the fault set A, leading to non-coaxial deformation. The sense of shear is inferred to be a top-to-the-WNW to NNW, based on the orientations of striation or quartz slickenfibre and dominant north-side down normal displacement. These transport direction by normal faulting is significantly different from that at D₁ penetrative ductile flow (i.e. top-to-the-W to WNW). It has also been found that these conjugate normal faults are openly folded during the D₃ phase about the axes trending NW–SE to E–W and plunging west at low-angles or horizontally, indicating that normal faulting occurred at the D₂ phase. D₂ normal faults, along which actinolite breccia derived from serpentinite by metasomatism sometimes occurs, perhaps formed under subgreenschist conditions (ca. 250 °C) in relation to the final exhumation of Sambagawa metamorphic rocks into the upper crustal level. The pervasive development of D₂ normal faults in the upper structural level suggests that the final exhumation of Sambagawa metamorphic rocks could be caused by “distributed extension and normal faulting (removal of overburden)” in the upper crust.     

Evolution of quartz microstructures and textures during polyphase deformation within the Tauern Window (Eastern Alps)

The interior of the Tauern Window exposes underplated Penninic continental lithosphere and the overlying obducted Penninic oceanic crust within a large antiformal dome in the internal zone of the Eastern Alps. These units have been affected by a polyphase deformation history. Generally, three deformation events are distinguished. D₁ is related to underplating of, and top-to-the-N nappe stacking within, the Penninic continental units of the Tauern Window. Deformation stage D₂ is interpreted to reflect the subsequent continent collision between the Penninic continental units and the European foreland, D₃ is related to the formation of the dome structure within the Tauern Window. During thickening of continental lithosphere and nappe stacking (D₁), and subsequent intracontinental shortening (D₂), these tectonic units have been ductilely deformed close to a plane strain geometry. Conditions for the plastic deformation of the main rock-forming mineral phases (quartz, feldspar, dolomite, calcite) have prevailed during all three phases of crustal deformation. Generally, two types of quartz microstructures that are related to D₁ are distinguished within the Tauern Window: (a) Equilibrated and annealed fabrics without crystallographic preferred orientations (CPO) have only been observed in the central part of the southeastern Tauern Window, corresponding with amphibolite-grade metamorphic conditions. (b) In the northeastern and central part of the Tauern Window microstructures are characterized by quartz grains that show equilibrated shape fabrics, but well preserved CPO with type-I cross girdle distributions, indicating a deformation geometry close to plane strain. During D₂, two types of quartz microstructures are distinguished, too: (a) Quartz grains that show equilibrated shape fabrics, but well-preserved CPO. The c-axes distributions generally are characterized by type-I cross girdles, locally by type-II cross girdles, and in places, oblique single girdle distributions. (b) A second type of quartz microstructure is characterized by highly elongated grains and fabrics typical for dislocation creep and grain-boundary migration, and strong CPO. This type is restricted to the southern sections of the western and eastern Tauern Window. The c-axis distributions show type-I cross girdles in the western part of the Tauern Window and single girdles in the southeastern part. In the western part of the Tauern Window, a continuous transition from type (b) microstructures in the south to type (a) microstructures in the north is documented. The microstructural evolution also documents that the dome formation in the southeastern and western Tauern Window has already started during D₂ and has continued subsequent to the equilibration during amphibolite to greenschist facies metamorphism. D₃ is restricted to distinct zones of localized deformation. D₃-related quartz fabrics are characterized by the formation of ribbon grains; the c-axes show small-circle distributions around the Z-axis of the finite-strain ellipsoid. During exhumation and doming (D₃), deformation occurred under continuously decreasing temperatures.     

秦岭商丹带沙沟糜棱岩带的显微构造及其(p)-T-t演化路径的再认识

对沙沟糜棱岩带的78个样品进行了显微构造与组构分析。石英以动态重结晶Ⅱ型条带为主,其C-轴组构型式为极密Ⅰ型,同时可见Ⅲ型石英条带残存。长石均显脆性碎裂变形,仅钾长石略具韧性变形。糜棱岩面理普遍绕过石榴石斑晶分布。存在多次后期脆性变形构造。这些显微构造与组构特征表明,该带糜棱岩化阶段处于中─高绿片岩相条件、并大致发生在晚白垩世以后。糜棱岩化阶段之前该带可能存在一个角闪岩相左行韧性剪切变形阶段。糜棱岩化阶段之后,该带直接进入脆性变形阶段。据此,笔者对前人有关沙沟糜棱岩带(p)-T-t演化路径提出修正意见。     

江绍断裂两侧早元古代变质基底特征及形成的构造环境

江绍断裂东侧出露的早元古代变质基底以一套遭受中压型角闪岩相区域热流变质作用改造的黑云斜长变粒岩、云母石英片岩为主，夹少量斜长角闪岩和大理岩，已遭受４期构造变形作用改造，从原岩建造和主要岩类地球化学特点推测它可能形成于大陆或大陆边缘类似于内硅铝盆地环境。江绍断裂西侧早元古代变质基底则以星子杂岩为代表，由变粒岩、浅粒岩、（十字一石榴）云母片岩和少量斜长角闪岩组成，已遭受中压型高绿片岩相一低角闪岩相区域热流变质作用改造，推测其形成于活动性较强大陆一大陆边缘环境。江绍断裂两侧早元古代变质基底在原岩建造、变质一变形作用等特征上存在明显差异，因此华夏地块和扬子地块在早元古代可能是两个地块。     

Synmetamorphic carbon mobility and graphite enrichment in metaturbidites as a precursor to orogenic gold mineralisation, Otago Schist, New Zealand

The Macraes orogenic gold deposit is hosted by a graphitic micaceous schist containing auriferous porphyroblastic sulphides. The host rock resembles zones of unmineralised micaceous graphitic pyritic schists, derived from argillaceous protoliths, that occur locally in background pelitic Otago Schist metasediments. This study was aimed at determining the relationship between these similar rock types, and whether the relationship had implications for ore formation. Argillites in the protolith turbidites of the Otago Schist metamorphic belt contain minor amounts of detrital organic matter (<0.1 wt.%) and diagenetic pyrite (<0.3 wt.% S). The detrital organic carbon was mobilised by metamorphic–hydrothermal fluids and redeposited as graphite in low-grade metaturbidites (pumpellyite–actinolite and greenschist facies). This carbon mobility occurred through >50 million years of evolution of the metamorphic belt, from development of sheared argillite in the Jurassic, to postmetamorphic ductile extension in the Cretaceous. Introduced graphite is structurally controlled and occurs with metamorphic muscovite and chlorite as veins and slicken-sided shears, with some veins having >50% noncarbonate carbon. Graphitic foliation seams in low-grade micaceous schist and metamorphic quartz veins contain equant graphite porphyroblasts up to 2 mm across that are composed of crystallographically homogeneous graphite crystals. Graphite reflectance is anisotropic and ranges from ~1% to ~8% (green light). Texturally similar porphyroblastic pyrite has grown in micaceous schist (up to 10 wt.% S), metamorphic quartz veins and associated muscovite-rich shears. These pyritic schists are weakly enriched in arsenic (up to 60 ppm). The low-grade metamorphic mobility and concentration of graphite in micaceous schists is interpreted to be a precursor process that structurally and geochemically prepared parts of the Otago Schist belt for later (more restricted) gold mineralisation. Economic amounts of gold, and associated arsenic, were subsequently introduced to carbonaceous sulphidic schists in the Macraes gold deposit by a separate metamorphic fluid derived from high-grade metaturbidites. Fluid flow at all stages in these processes occurred at metamorphic rates (mm/year), and fluids were broadly in equilibrium with the rocks through which they were passing.     

Microstructures of co-axially folded vein segments and crenulation cleavage： Evidence for dissolution phenomena in the Chamba Thrust Sheet, western Himalayas

The metasediments in the Chamba region experienced three phases of deformation: DF1, DF2 and DF3.Folded quartz veins are co-folded with the F2 crenulation folds. Their geometric and tectonic significance is studied by microstructures and shortening adjacent to the discrete crenulation cleavage, S2. Microstructures of folded vein segments, their geometric changes and truncation to cleavage (S2) are mainly due to pressure-solution phenomena and the estimated volume loss from reconstructed vein segments range from 16 to 25.5%,which is closely related to volume decrease (26%) calculated from the polydeformed slates of North Wales areas.     

Chemical and textural equilibration of garnet during amphibolite facies metamorphism: The influence of coupled dissolution–reprecipitation

Metamorphic equilibration requires chemical communication between minerals and may be inhibited through sluggish volume diffusion and or slow rates of dissolution in a fluid phase. Relatively slow diffusion and the perceived robust nature of chemical growth zoning may preclude garnet porphyroblasts from readily participating in low‐temperature amphibolite facies metamorphic reactions. Garnet is widely assumed to be a reactant in staurolite‐isograd reactions, and the evidence for this has been assessed in the Late Proterozoic Dalradian pelitic schists of the Scottish Highlands. The 3D imaging of garnet porphyroblasts in staurolite‐bearing schists reveals a good crystal shape and little evidence of marginal dissolution; however, there is also lack of evidence for the involvement of either chlorite or chloritoid in the reaction. Staurolite forms directly adjacent to the garnet, and its nucleation is strongly associated with deformation of the muscovite‐rich fabrics around the porphyroblasts. “Cloudy” fluid inclusion‐rich garnet forms in both marginal and internal parts of the garnet porphyroblast and is linked both to the production of staurolite and to the introduction of abundant quartz inclusions within the garnet. Such cloudy garnet typically has a Mg‐rich, Mn‐poor composition and is interpreted to have formed during a coupled dissolution–reprecipitation process, triggered by a local influx of fluid. All garnet in the muscovite‐bearing schists present in this area is potentially reactive, irrespective of the garnet composition, but very few of the schists contain staurolite. The staurolite‐producing reaction appears to be substantially overstepped during the relatively high‐pressure Barrovian regional metamorphism reflecting the limited permeability of the schists in peak metamorphic conditions. Fluid influx and hence reaction progress appear to be strongly controlled by subtle differences in deformation history. The remaining garnet fails to achieve chemical equilibrium during the reaction creating distinctive patchy compositional zoning. Such zoning in metamorphic garnet created during coupled dissolution–reprecipitation reactions may be difficult to recognize in higher grade pelites due to subsequent diffusive re‐equilibration. Fundamental assumptions about metamorphic processes are questioned by the lack of chemical equilibrium during this reaction and the restricted permeability of the regional metamorphic pelitic schists. In addition, the partial loss of prograde chemical and textural information from the garnet porphyroblasts cautions against their routine use as a reliable monitor of metamorphic history. However, the partial re‐equilibration of the porphyroblasts during coupled dissolution–reprecipitation opens possibilities of mapping reaction progress in garnet as a means of assessing fluid access during peak metamorphic conditions.