Secondary siderite-oxide-sulphide and carbonate-andalusite assemblages in cordierite granulites from Sri Lanka: post-granulite facies fluid evolution during uplift

We report here that some of the pelitic rocks from the Wanni and Highland Complexes of Sri Lanka reacted with CO₂-rich fluids to produce a wide range of unusual secondary carbonate-silicate-oxide-sulphide assemblages. These enable the depth, temperature and fluid compositions of CO₂ reactions to be calculated more rigorously than is generally possible for the patches of arrested charnockite that have been described from Sri Lanka. Magnesite-andalusite-quartz has partially replaced primary cordierite, and siderite-rutile replaced ilmenite. Paragenetic sequences involving primary pyrrhotite, ilmenite and magnetite and secondary pyrite-siderite-rutile-magnetite-(hematite) demonstrate the control which carbonate equilibria have upon evolving fluid compositions during cooling. Direct evidence for the role of graphite as a source of CO₂ is found in the Highland Complex where primary graphite partially reacted with silicates to form secondary siderite assemblages. It is proposed that following peak metamorphism, continued uplift along a clockwise P-T-t path was accompanied by a series of devolatilization reactions involving breakdown of graphite and the continuous production of secondary CO₂-rich fluids. The limited extent of disseminated secondary carbonate reflects the small amount of graphite inferred to have been present in the source rocks. These rocks demonstrate that CO₂-rich fluids, as found in disseminated fluid inclusions, need not form during peak granulite metamorphism but may be an inevitable consequence of continued uplift along a clockwise P-T-t path. The arrested charnockite which overprinted some of the hornblende-bearing felsic-intermediate composition rocks in Sri Lanka most likely formed by the same process. Received: 4 May 1994 / Accepted: 25 October 1996     

The metamorphic paragenesis of cordierite in pelitic rocks

A petrogenetic grid is constructed for mineral assemblages occurring in metapelitic rocks, particularly those involved in the paragenesis of cordierite. The most useful assemblages for estimating pressures and temperatures are staurolite-cordierite, cordierite-biotite-Al₂SiO₅ and cordierite-hypersthene. Cordierite is stable with kyanite, sillimanite or andalusite. At high pressures cordierite is Mg-rich so that pelitic rocks typically do not contain the phase. Cordierite is stable at temperatures less than 500° C but does not commonly appear in metapelitic rocks until the garnet-chlorite, chlorite-staurolite or chlorite-Al₂SiO₅ tie-lines are broken. At high metamorphic grades, the assemblage garnet-hypersthene-cordierite indicates relatively low pressures, and the assemblage hypersthene-cordierite-sillimanite relatively high pressures. It is clear however, that the absence of cordierite is of little use in characterizing a metamorphic facies unless an alternate mineral assemblage can be shown to be more stable.     

浙西南八都杂岩早中生代泥质麻粒岩变质作用及构造意义

遂昌-大柘泥质麻粒岩出露于华夏地块东北部的浙西南八都杂岩中,该岩石保留了典型的减压反应结构.但其变质演化特点、变质作用时代及构造意义目前尚不明确.通过系统的岩相学、矿物化学和同位素年代学分析,结果表明遂昌-大柘泥质麻粒岩记录了4个阶段的变质矿物组合,其中早期进变质阶段M₁的矿物组合为石榴石+黑云母+石英;压力峰期变质阶段M₂的矿物组合为石榴石+铝绿泥石+金红石+蓝晶石+刚玉+黑云母+石英±十字石,该矿物组合可能预示着岩石曾经历了超高压变质作用过程;峰期变质阶段M₃的矿物组合为石榴石+黑云母+夕线石+石英±钾长石±斜长石±钛铁矿;峰后近等温降压M_4-1阶段的矿物组合为石榴石+黑云母+夕线石+堇青石+石英+钛铁矿±尖晶石±斜长石±钾长石;M_4-2阶段的矿物组合为石榴石+堇青石+夕线石+斜长石+黑云母+石英±钾长石.相平衡模拟结合传统地质温压计限定其峰期变质阶段的温压条件为T=780~810 ℃、P=8.0~9.2 kbar;峰期后近等温降压的M_4-1阶段的温压条件为T=780~860 ℃和P=5.7~6.0 kbar,M_4-2阶段的温压条件为T=~700 ℃和P=~4.4 kbar,具有典型的顺时针近等温减压型P-T轨迹特征.LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年结果表明其麻粒岩相变质作用时代为233.5~238.9 Ma.变质作用历史说明浙西南地体可能卷入了古特提斯洋域内印支-华南-华北板块之间的俯冲-碰撞过程,并经历了早中生代的麻粒岩相变质作用后快速折返至地表.      

Nd isotopic evidence for the position of southernmost Indian terranes within East Gondwana

Sm-Nd model ages of orthopyroxene-bearing massif charnockites from the Cardamom Hills Massif and adjoining supracrustal rocks from the Kerala Khondalite Belt in southernmost India are used to infer some of the relationships within these rocks and between them and neighboring areas. Most of these rocks have model ages of 2.1–2.8 Ga with most charnockites in the range 2.2–2.6 Ga. Thus, 3.0–3.4 Ga Archean rocks to their north did not contribute material to either suite and the two suites may have been juxtaposed after formation of the supracrustal rocks. The similarity of Sm-Nd isotope systems in the two units studied here supports an argument that the massif charnockites were the primary sole source of the detritus incorporated into the supracrustal rocks. A cordierite gneiss, representative of a relatively minor lithology in the supracrustal belt, has a model age of 1.3 Ga. The protolith of this gneiss not only formed from much younger material than the rest of the belt but also formed significantly after the other metasedimentary rocks. The source material of the gneiss protolith may have been located in the Wanni and Vijayan Complexes of Sri Lanka. The overlap of the model ages of rocks in this area and those in the Highland Complex of Sri Lanka supports the notion that these two sets of rocks were joined to each other in Gondwana. They belong to a belt that ran from Antarctica through Sri Lanka and India into Madagascar. This belt was involved in Pan-African tectono-metamorphism, as reflected in the 550 Ma age of the last, granulite-forming, event throughout the belt.     

Cordierite-bearing schists and gneisses from Timor, eastern Indonesia: P-T conditions of metamorphism and tectonic implications

In the Boi Massif of Western Timor the Mutis Complex, which is equivalent to the Lolotoi Complex of East Timor, is composed of two lithostratigraphical components: various basement schists and gneisses; and the dismembered remnants of an ophiolite. Cordierite-bearing pelitic schists and gneisses carry an early mineral assemblage of biotite + garnet + plagioclase + Al-silicate, but contain no prograde muscovite; sillimanite occurs in a textural mode which suggests that it replaced and pseudomorphed kyanite at an early stage and some specimens of pelitic schist contain tiny kyanite relics in plagioclase. Textural relations between, and mineral chemistries of, ferro-magnesian phases in these pelitic chists and gneisses suggest that two discontinuous reactions and additional continuous compositional changes have been overstepped, possibly with concomitant anatexis, as a result of decrease in P_load during high temperature metamorphism. The simplified reactions are: garnet and/or biotite + sillimanite + quartz + cordierite + hercynite + ilmenite + excess components. P-T conditions during the development of the early mineral assemblage in the pelitic gneisses are estimated to have been P + 10 kbar and T > 750°C, based upon the plagioclase-garnet-Al-silicate-quartz geobarometer and the garnet-biotite geothermometer. P-T conditions during the subsequent development of cordierite-bearing mineral assemblages in the pelitic gneisses are estimated to have been P + 5 kbar and T + 700°C with X_H2O < 0.5, based upon the Fe content of cordierite occurring in the assemblage quartz + plagioclase + sillimanite + biotite + garnet + cordierite coexisting with melt. Final equilibration between some of the phases suggests that conditions dropped to P > 2.3 kbar and T > 600°C. A similar exhumation P-T path is suggested for the pelitic schists with early metamorphic conditions of P > 6.2 kbar and T > 745°C and subsequent development of cordierite under conditions in the range P = 3-4 kbar and T = 600-700°C. The tectonic implications of these P-T estimates are discussed and it is concluded that the P-T path followed by these rocks was caused by decompression during rifting and synmetamorphic ophiolite emplacement resulting from processes during the initiation and development of a convergent plate junction located in Southeast Asia during late Jurassic to Cretaceous time.     

Experimental investigation of the formation of cordierite-orthopyroxene parageneses in pelitic rocks

Cordierite and orthopyroxene (or orthoamphibole) are widespread in migmatitic terranes, and partial melting of pelitic rocks may be important in their production. In particular, the reaction quartz +albite+biotite+garnet+water vapor = cordierite +orthopyroxene or orthoamphibole+melt was among reactions discussed by Grant (1973) but poorly constrained in pressure-temperature space.This reaction involves too many phases to be readily studied experimentally. Therefore simpler melting and dehydration reactions involving quartzalbite-biotite-cordierite-orthopyroxene were investigated.In conjunction with the work of Hoffer (1976, 1978) these experiments place useful constraints on the above reaction and on the reaction quartz+albite+aluminosilicate+biotite+vapor = cordierite+garnet+melt. In pelitic rocks near the second illimanite isograd, cordierite and garnet may coexist with melt as low as 660° C and cordierite and orthopyroxene may coexist with melt at temperatures less than 675° C. In the absence of significant Mn or Ca, in pelitic rocks within the realm of melting, biotite+garnet assemblages are probably limited to pressures greater than 2kb and aluminosilicate+biotite assemblages to pressures greater than 3kb.     

The geochemistry of beryllium and fluorine in the gem fields of Sri Lanka

A study of the abundance of Be in the gem sediments of Sri Lanka shows that Be is found in the range of 1–13 ppm. Be shows an irregular distribution among sediments. It occurs in the silicate form and due to the proximity to the beryllium bearing rocks, namely granites and pegmatites of the Highland and Southwest Groups of Sri Lanka, very little decomposition of the Be-bearing minerals had taken place. This is further aided by the high resistance to weathering of the beryllium minerals, particularly beryl and chrysoberyl.The beryllian granites and pegmatites of the Precambrian of Sri Lanka are presumed to have been formed due to the magmatic activity associated and related to charnockitic rocks abundant in the main gem bearing areas of Sri Lanka.Fluorine is found in the range of 400–2,000 ppm and the F/Be ratios for all the areas studied show a range of 54–441. The analysis of the averages of these ratios do not show any particular anomaly in any of the areas studied. The narrow ranges of the F/Be ratios indicate the similar conditions under which weathering and geochemical transportation had taken place in the gem fields of Sri Lanka.     

First Report of Sapphirine+Quartz Assemblage from Southern India: Implications for Ultrahigh-temperature Metamorphism

We report here for the first time, the occurrence of sapphirine+quartz assemblage in textural equilibrium from quartzo-feldspathic and pelitic granulites from southern India. The sapphirine-bearing rocks occur as layered gneisses associated with pink granite within massive charnockite in Rajapalaiyam area in the southern part of Madurai Block. Sapphirine occurs in three associations: (i) fine-grained subhedral mineral associated with quartz enclosed in garnet, (ii) intergrowth with Al-rich orthopyroxene (up to 9.7 wt.% Al₂O₃), and (iii) in symplectitic intergrowth with orthopyroxene (Al₂O₃= 5.9–6.7 wt.%) and cordierite surrounding garnet. The sapphirine in association with quartz is slightly magnesian (X_Mg = 0.79–0.80) and low in Si content (1.55–1.56 pfu) as compared with those associated with orthopyroxene and cordierite (X_Mg= 0.77–0.79, Si = 1.59–1.63 pfu). The sapphirine+quartz assemblage suggests that the granulites underwent T>1050 °C peak metamorphism. Cores of porphyroblastic orthopyroxene in the sapphirine-bearing rocks shows high-Al₂O₃ content of up to 9.7 wt.%, suggesting T = 1040–1060°C and P = 8 kbar. FMAS reaction of sapphirine+quartz→garnet+sillimanite+cordierite indicates a cooling from sapphirine+quartz stability field after the peak ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism. Slightly lower temperature estimates from ternary feldspar and sapphirine-spinel geothermometers (T = 950–1000°C) also support a post-peak isobaric cooling. Corona textures of orthopyroxene+cordierite (±sapphirine), orthopyroxene+sapphirine, and cordierite+spinel around garnet suggest subsequent decompression. The sapphirine-quartz association and related textures reported in this study have important bearing on the ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism and exhumation history of the Madurai Block as well as on the tectonic evolution of the continental deep crust in southern India.     

Thermal Metamorphism in the trial harbour district,Tasmania

A Devonian granite complex intrudes Precambrian and Silurian siltstones and sandstones as well as (?) Cambrian volcanics and dunite.

Metamorphism of the Precambrian sediments is slight, and an andalusite‐bearing, pelitic hornfels is the only characteristic assemblage. The (?) Cambrian volcanics give rise to a variety of assemblages; (1) lime‐ and ferromagnesia‐rich (hypersthene — cummingtonite — labradorite; diopside — hornblende — labradorite); (2) magnesia‐rich (cordierite — hypersthene; cordierite — anthophyllite); (3) ultrabasic (olivine and/or pleonaste). Biotite (or phlogopite) is an almost invariable component, and garnet may also be present in these groups.

No significant metamorphism of the dunite is evident; minor development of veins and segregrations of aragonite, magnetite, phlogopite, brucite, chalcedony and antigorite may result from low‐grade hydrothermal activity Metamorphic assemblages in calcareous Silurian siltstones contain garnet, diopside, calcite and epidote.

A characteristic feature of the contact metamorphic aureole is the occurrence of diopside‐rich bodies in granite, volcanic hornfels, quartzite and dunite host rocks.     

Pan-African decompressional P-T path recorded by granulites from central Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

A high-grade metamorphic complex is exposed in Filchnerfjella (6–8°E), central Dronning Maud Land. The metamorphic evolution of the complex has been recovered through a study of textural relationships, conventional geothermobarometry and pseudosection modelling. Relicts of an early, high-P assemblage are preserved within low-strain mafic pods. Subsequent granulite facies metamorphism resulted in formation of orthopyroxene in rocks of mafic, intermediate to felsic compositions, whereas spinel + quartz were part of the peak assemblage in pelitic gneisses. Peak conditions were attained at temperatures between 850–885 °C and 0.55–0.70 GPa. Reaction textures, including the replacement of amphibole and garnet by symplectites of orthopyroxene + plagioclase and partial replacement of garnet + sillimanite + spinel bearing assemblages by cordierite, indicate that the granulite facies metamorphism was accompanied and followed by decompression. The observed assemblages define a clock-wise P-T path including near-isothermal decompression. During decompression, localized melting led to formation of post-kinematic cordierite-melt assemblages, whereas mafic rocks contain melt patches with euhedral orthopyroxene. The granulite facies metamorphism, decompression and partial crustal melting occurred during the Cambrian Pan-African tectonothermal event.     

Metamorphism of metapelites: calculations of equilibrium assemblages and numerical simulations of the crystallization of garnet

Abstract This work uses a simplified model of equilibrium to predict the assemblage sequence and compositional zoning in garnet that should result from prograde metamorphism of common bulk compositions of pelitic rocks. An internally-consistent set of model thermodynamic data are derived for natural mineral compositions from natural assemblages. Equilibrium assemblages can be calculated for pelitic compositions with excess quartz and either muscovite or K-feldspar at any pressure and water pressure. The compositions and abundances of phases in equilibrium assemblages can be calculated where the elements Mg, Fe and Mn are exchanged among phases. The prograde metamorphic assemblage sequences and the effects of pressure on assemblages, predicted by the simulation method presented here, are similar enough to natural observations to suggest that the simulations can be used to analyse natural equilibrium and growth processes. The calculated phase diagrams at moderate and high crustal pressures explain the mineral assemblage sequence produced by prograde metamorphism in common pelitic compositions. Garnet appears by continuous reaction of biotite and chlorite as the garnet-biotite-chlorite divariant field migrates toward higher Mg/Fe ratios over the bulk composition. Staurolite appears in common bulk compositions when garnet and chlorite become incompatible. An aluminum silicate phase can appear when staurolite and chlorite react. Staurolite breaks down at an extremum point to produce garnet. Continuous reaction of biotite and sillimanite causes growth of abundant garnet. The reaction sequence involving garnet, staurolite and aluminum silicates is probably different at low pressure, but the main reason that staurolite and garnet are rare is the restricted compositional range over which their assemblages exist. Andalusite appears by the divariant reaction of chlorite and cordierite appears at low temperature in low pressure assemblages for common bulk compositions by the extremumpoint breakdown reaction of chlorite. Compositional zoning of garnet and the systematic variation of biotite composition in metamorphic sequences indicate that garnet is probably fractionated during growth. Fractionation of garnet causes garnet-consuming, univariant reactions to become multivariant. The metastable persistence of garnet should reduce the abundance and stability range of staurolite. Fractionation of even small quantities of garnet should deplete the equilibrating bulk composition of Mn, but have little effect otherwise. The simulations show that the prograde assemblage sequence in pelitic rocks can be complex in detail, with some assemblages lasting over temperature intervals of only a few degrees. The major prograde reactions that release water are the breakdown of chlorite to form garnet at low grade and the breakdown of muscovite at high grade. The volume of water released by formation of garnet at high grade is also important. These reactions have the capacity to buffer water pressure. The density of anhydrous pelitic rock increases markedly when chlorite breaks down and by the continuous reaction forming garnet at high grade. The heat content is controlled principally by heat capacity and continuous reactions. Discontinuous reactions have little thermal buffering capacity. Simulations of garnet fractionation show that commonly-observed garnet zoning profiles can be formed by garnet growth in the assemblage garnet-biotite-chlorite in common bulk compositions. A reversal of Fe-zoning in garnet can occur when garnet resumes growth above staurolite grade in the assemblage garnetbiotite-sillimanite. Discontinuities in zoning profiles can be caused only by disequilibrium. The disequilibrium can be due to either metastable persistence during a hiatus in growth or to growth by irreversible reaction. Because the appearance of garnet is controlled by a continuous rather than a discontinuous reaction, the appearance of garnet is very sensitive to bulk composition. The early development of garnet is also sensitive to the pressure and water pressure of metamorphism. As a consequence the first garnet isograd is of limited thermometric value. Metastable persistence of kyanite and manite at high grades could reduce the abundance of garnet and allow biotite to persist. Metastable persistence would also limit the of cordierite formation.     

Metamorphic Environments around the Cretaceous Kurihashi Pluton in the Kitakami Mountains, NE Japan: in Comparison to the Ganidake Pluton - Kamaishi Skarn Metasomatism

Abstract. Many granitic plutons of Early Cretaceous age are intruded on various scales in the Kitakami Mountains. The stock‐type Ganidake pluton accompanies enormous Fe‐Cu mineralization of the Kamaishi deposits, whereas the Kurihashi pluton accompanies less mineralization. To elucidate the cause of these differences, the metamorphic conditions and redox state of the contact metamorphic aureole around the Kurihashi pluton have been examined by the petrochemical study and gas analysis of the metamorphic rocks. A typical mineral assemblage in the pelitic rocks in the lowest‐grade part is biotite‐muscovite‐chlorite‐quartz‐plagio‐clase‐graphite, which occur more than 2 km away from the contact point with the Kurihashi pluton. Graphite disappears at the 1550 m point, and cordierite and garnet appear in the middle and highest‐grade parts, respectively. A typical mineral assemblage in the tuffaceous rocks in the lower‐grade part is chlorite‐actinolite‐biotite‐quartz‐plagioclase. Actinolite changes into hornblende near to the pluton. The CO₂/CH₄ ratios obtained in measurements by gas chromatography exceeds 100 in the pelitic rocks at the contact point with the pluton. The ratios decrease and become less than 0.1 with distance from the pluton. Equilibrium temperatures calculated from a garnet‐biotite pair in the pelitic rock and a hornblende‐plagioclase pair in the tuffaceous rock are 640d? and 681 d?C at the contact point, respectively. The log?o₂ values among these metamorphic aureoles estimated from the CO₂/CH₄ ratios are slightly lower than the FMQ‐buffer. Redox states of the contact metamorphic aureole are kept in an intermediate condition between oxidized magma of the Kurihashi pluton and graphite‐bearing pelitic country rocks. Judging from these metamorphic conditions around the Kurihashi pluton and from the re‐evaluation of the previous knowledge about contact metasomatism around the Ganidake pluton, the Kurihashi metamorphism has occurred at higher temperatures and dry conditions than the Ganidake metasomatism. These differences in the metamorphic conditions and presence or absence of a large limestone mass around the pluton might be the principal reasons why the Kurihashi pluton accompanies less mineralization and the Ganidake pluton accompanies gigantic Kamaishi skarn mineralization.     

Modes of occurrence and provenance of Gemstones of Sri Lanka

The island of Sri Lanka is underlain primarily by Precambrian metamorphic rocks belonging to the Amphibole, Cordierite and Pyroxene facies. Gemstones occur mainly in the Cordierite and Pyroxene facies terrains of the Southwestern and Highland Groups of rocks. Gem mining is carried out on hill tops, river valleys and beds and gemstones are found associated with eluvial, residual and alluvial sediments. The dominant gemstones mined are blue sapphires, rubies and beryl. The sources of gem type minerals are determined to be garnetiferous gneisses, cordierite gneisses, marbles and pegmatites.

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Résumé L'île de Sri Lanka est formée presque entièrement des roches métamorphiques de l'âge precambrien. Celles-ci appartiennent aux faciès granulitiques à cordierite et à pyroxène. Les pierres précieuses se trouvent dans les terrains caractérisés par ces faciès que l'on classe dans les groupes dits Highland et Southwestern. L'exploitation des pierres précieuses se fait aux sommets des collines ainsi que dans les vallées ou dans les lits des rivières et une bonne partie de pierres ainsi exploitées sont des saphirs bleus, rubis et de béryls. Les minéraux qui sont à l'origine des pierres précieuses proviennent des gneiss à grenat ou à cordierite, des marbres ou des pegmatites.

     

Phase equilibria and the pressure-temperature path of the highest-grade Ryoke metamorphic rocks in the Yanai district, SW Japan

The garnet-cordierite zone, the highest-grade zone of the Ryoke metamorphic rocks in the Yanai district, SW Japan, is defined by the coexistence of garnet and cordierite in pelitic rocks. Three assemblages in this zone are studied in detail, i.e. spinel + cordierite + biotite, garnet + cordierite + biotite and garnet + biotite, all of which contain quartz, K-feldspar and plagioclase. The Mg/(Fe + Mg) in the coexisting minerals decreases in the following order: cordierite, biotite, garnet and spinel. Two facts described below are inconsistent with the paragenetic relation in the K₂OFeOMgOAl₂O₃SiO₂H₂O (KFMASH) system in terms of an isophysical variation. First, garnet and biotite in the last assemblage have Mg/(Fe + Mg) higher than those in the second. Second, the first two assemblages are described by the reaction,

东南极拉斯曼丘陵泥质麻粒岩变质作用演化

普里兹湾拉斯曼丘陵代表了东南极一条重要的早古生代的～530Ma泛非期(Pan-African)高级构造活动带。然而,该区早期的晚元古代的～1000Ma格林维尔期(Grenvellian)高级变质作用的演化历史至今仍有争论。该区呈透镜状产出的泥质麻粒岩峰期矿物组合(M1)为石榴石+堇青石+斜方辉石+钾长石+石英,峰期石榴石变斑晶发育堇青石或堇青石+斜方辉石反应边(M2)。利用Thermocalc程序在KFMASH模式体系对该泥质麻粒岩进行的定量模拟表明,其峰期矿物组合是由反应石榴石+黑云母+石英=堇青石+斜方辉石+钾长石+熔体形成的。利用Themocalc平均P-T计算方法获得峰期M1变质P-T条件为～0.9GPa和～900℃,而叠加的M2组合反映了一个减压冷却的过程,其变质P-T条件为～0.7GPa和800～850℃。结合已有的年代学数据,认为该区泥质麻粒岩的峰期M1矿物组合反映晚元古代(～1000Ma)格林维尔期挤压D1构造事件,而叠加的M2矿物组合与M3蠕虫状结构则形成于早古生代泛非期(～530Ma)D2～D3高级扭压剪切构造期间。该扭压事件导致了面状高低应变带的发育以及进步花岗岩和伟晶岩的侵入。     

Fahien reconsidered: Pleistocene exploitation of wild bananas and Holocene introduction of Musa cultivars to Sri Lanka

A recent publication on the phytolith assemblage at Fahien rockshelter, Sri Lanka (Premathilake and Hunt) is argued to represent: the exploitation of wild Musa acuminata and M. balbisiana during the Late Pleistocene; the introduction of edible diploid cultivars from the Southeast Asia–New Guinea region during the early to mid‐Holocene; the generation and cultivation of triploid banana hybrids on Sri Lanka before 6194–5994 cal bp ; and the subsequent spread of derived triploid cultivars to mainland India and westward to Africa. A careful review of the archaeobotanical research presented by Premathilake and Hunt, in the context of broader multidisciplinary evidence (agronomy, archaeobotany, genetics and linguistics) for the domestication and spread of banana cultivars, indicates that three main aspects of their argument are problematic: the lack of clarity in the characterization of banana domestication in the past; the methods used to discriminate phytoliths into banana taxa; and the promotion of Sri Lanka as a source region rather than a recipient of banana cultivars. Following reconsideration, the Fahien evidence is consistent with previous interpretations for the origins of diploid and significant triploid cultivars outside of Sri Lanka and dispersal to that island. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evolution of a kyanite-bearing belt within a HT-LP orogen: the case of NW Variscan Iberia

Kyanite replaces andalusite in a belt of Ordovician and Silurian pelitic rocks that form a narrow synform pinched between high-grade antiforms in NW Variscan Iberia. Kyanite occurs across the belt in Al-rich, black pelites in assemblages I: kyanite–chloritoid–chlorite–muscovite and II: kyanite–staurolite– chlorite–muscovite. In I, kyanite occurs in the matrix and in kyanite–muscovite aggregates that pseudomorph earlier andalusite porphyroblasts. The aggregates are found across the belt and can still be recognized in assemblage II and even in III: andalusite–staurolite–biotite–muscovite, this latter being a hornfelsic Silurian schist where kyanite is relic and staurolite occurs in the matrix, and is resorbed inside new massive pleochroic andalusite. KFMASH and MnKFMASH pseudosections have been constructed using Thermocalc for Al-rich and Al-poorer compositions from the belt. Chloritoid zoning in Al-rich rocks containing assemblage I, plus chloritoid–chlorite thermometry complemented with garnet–chlorite thermometry in Al-poorer lithologies, mean that the path is one of increasing pressure and temperature. Conditions prior to assemblage I, with earlier andalusite stable, are those of the andalusite–chloritoid– chlorite field as testified by chloritoid enclosed in andalusite porphyroblast rims. The passage from assemblage I to II implies a prograde path within the kyanite field. Assemblage III represents peak conditions, indicating a prograde staurolite-consuming reaction across a KFMASH field, leading eventually to a locally found andalusite–biotite–muscovite hornfels. The lowest pressure stages are recorded by cordierite–biotite in Al-poor pelites. Garnet-bearing MnKFMASH assemblages in Al-poorer pelites record conditions similar to assemblages II and III. The replacement of andalusite by kyanite in assemblage I is attributed to downdragging of andalusite-bearing rocks into a synform as testified by the strained andalusite porphyroblasts affected by a subvertical crenulation cleavage. Prograde metamorphism in the eastern contact of the belt is due to heat transferred to the belt from the ascending high grade antiform across the Vivero fault.     

The origin of the pink granites of Sri Lanka — another view

Pink granites are common throughout the Precambrian metasedimentary terrain of Sri Lanka and play a significant role in reconstructing the geologic evolution of this country. Essentially microcline-bearing rocks, they form conformable layers with the associated metasedimentary rocks and are always interlayered and associated with rocks possessing amphibolite-facies mineral assemblages. This association is seen throughout the terrain at all scales. Further, they always tend to fold around the major structures of the terrain and contain conformable layers and enclaves of rare metasediments, and have a gneissic appearance in places. Their field relations, associations, mineralogy, petrography, petrofabrics, chemistry, and also age, suggest that they are metasediments, probably arkoses, which have undergone the same set of metamorphic and deformational events as other Precambrian metamorphic rocks of Sri Lanka. Their present ‘granite-like’ character does not necessarily imply that they are the products of crystallization of magmatic or anatectic melts, or that they have had a replacement origin. Rather, chemical composition has determined their present ‘granite-like’ character, due to granitization by simple isochemical recrystallization — “Treptomorphism” — during highgrade metamorphism, at a P_H2O which was sufficient to retard their grade to amphibolite facies under granulite facies metamorphic conditions, at which the other metasediments of Sri Lanka have metamorphosed.     

Phase relations in andalusite-sillimanite type Fe-rich metapelites: Tono contact metamorphic aureole, northeast Japan

Mineral assemblages in metapelites of the contact aureole of the Tono granodiorite mass, northeast Japan, change systematically during progressive metamorphism along an isobaric path at 2-3 kbar. The bulk rock compositions of metapelites are aluminous with A' values on an AFM projection larger than that of the chlorite join. The metapelites commonly contain paragonite in the low-grade zone. With increasing temperatures, andalusite is formed by the breakdown of paragonite. The importance of pyrophyllite as a source of Al₂SiO₅ polymorphs is limited in typical pelitic rocks.
The most common type of metapelite in the study area has FeO/(FeO + MgO) = 0.5–0.6, and develops assemblages involving chlorite, andalusite, biotite, cordierite, K-feldspar, sillimanite and almandine, with paragenetic changes similar to other andalusite-sillimanite type aureoles. Rocks with FeO/(FeO + MgO) > 0.8 progressively develop chloritoid-bearing assemblages from Bt-Chl-Cld, And-Bt-Cld, to And-Bt at temperatures between the breakdown of paragonite and the appearance of cordierite in the more common pelitic rocks in the aureole. The paragenetic relations are explained by a KFMASH univariant reaction of Chl + Cld = And + Bt located to the low-temperature side of the formation of cordierite by the terminal equilibrium of chlorite. A P-T model depicting the relative stability of chloritoid and staurolite at low- and medium-pressure conditions, respectively, is proposed, based on the derived location of the Chl + Cld = And + Bt reaction combined with the theoretical phase relations among biotite, chlorite, chloritoid, garnet and staurolite.     

Chloritoid–hornblende assemblages in quartz–muscovite pelitic rocks of the Central Metasedimentary Belt, Grenville Province, Canada

Abstract Chloritoid–hornblende occurs in quartz–muscovite pelitic schist derived from sediment in a volcaniclastic sequence of the Grenville Supergroup and from reworked sedimentary and regolithic material above the unconformity at the base of the Flinton Group. Comparison of these samples with other pelitic rocks on triangular composition diagrams and in the ACNF and ACFM tetrahedra indicates that the presence of hornblende cannot be explained by unusually high CaO content. The rare assemblage is attributed to a combination of relatively low Al₂O₃ and high K₂O with high CaO/(CaO+Na₂O) and FeO/(FeO+MgO).
On two qualitative reaction grids derived from AFM diagrams projected through CaO and plagioclase, respectively, the P–T stability field of chloritoid–hornblende overlaps the first appearance of staurolite–biotite in normal pelitic rocks in the kyanite field. Staurolite–hornblende overlaps chloritoid–hornblende and extends to the higher temperatures and pressures of the kyanite–hornblende field.
The phase relations in these rocks provide a link between the conventional hornblende-absent grids for pelitic rocks and those for K₂O-poor (muscovite-absent) pelitic and mafic amphibolitic rocks.