Structural and metamorphic evolution of the Moornambool Metamorphic Complex,western Lachlan Fold Belt,southeastern Australia

The wedge‐shaped Moornambool Metamorphic Complex is bounded by the Coongee Fault to the east and the Moyston Fault to the west. This complex was juxtaposed between stable Delamerian crust to the west and the eastward migrating deformation that occurred in the western Lachlan Fold Belt during the Ordovician and Silurian. The complex comprises Cambrian turbidites and mafic volcanics and is subdivided into a lower greenschist eastern zone and a higher grade amphibolite facies western zone, with sub‐greenschist rocks occurring on either side of the complex. The boundary between the two zones is defined by steeply dipping L‐S tectonites of the Mt Ararat ductile high‐strain zone. Deformation reflects marked structural thickening that produced garnet‐bearing amphibolites followed by exhumation via ductile shearing and brittle faulting. Pressure‐temperature estimates on garnet‐bearing amphibolites in the western zone suggest metamorphic pressures of ～0.7–0.8 GPa and temperatures of ～540–590°C. Metamorphic grade variations suggest that between 15 and 20 km of vertical offset occurs across the east‐dipping Moyston Fault. Bounding fault structures show evidence for early ductile deformation followed by later brittle deformation/reactivation. Ductile deformation within the complex is initially marked by early bedding‐parallel cleavages. Later deformation produced tight to isoclinal D₂ folds and steeply dipping ductile high‐strain zones. The S₂ foliation is the dominant fabric in the complex and is shallowly west‐dipping to flat‐lying in the western zone and steeply west‐dipping in the eastern zone. Peak metamorphism is pre‐ to syn‐D₂. Later ductile deformation reoriented the S₂ foliation, produced S₃ crenulation cleavages across both zones and localised S₄ fabrics. The transition to brittle deformation is defined by the development of east‐ and west‐dipping reverse faults that produce a neutral vergence and not the predominant east‐vergent transport observed throughout the rest of the western Lachlan Fold Belt. Later north‐dipping thrusts overprint these fault structures. The majority of fault transport along ductile and brittle structures occurred prior to the intrusion of the Early Devonian Ararat Granodiorite. Late west‐ and east‐dipping faults represent the final stages of major brittle deformation: these are post plutonism.     

Metamorphism of ultrahigh‐pressure eclogites from the Kebuerte Valley,South Tianshan,NW China: phase equilibria and P–T path

Eclogites from the Kebuerte Valley, Chinese South Tianshan, consist of garnet, omphacite, phengite, paragonite, glaucophane, hornblendic amphibole, epidote, quartz and accessory rutile, titanite, apatite and carbonate minerals with occasional presence of coesite or quartz pseudomorphs after coesite. The eclogites are grouped into two: type I contains porphyroblastic garnet, epidote, paragonite and glaucophane in a matrix dominated by omphacite where the proportion of omphacite and garnet is >50 vol.%; and type II contains porphyroblastic epidote in a matrix consisting mainly of fine‐grained garnet, omphacite and glaucophane where the proportion of omphacite and garnet is <50 vol.%. Garnet in both types of eclogites mostly exhibits core–rim zoning with increasing grossular (X_gr) and pyrope (X_py) contents, but a few porphyroblastic garnet grains in type I eclogite shows core–mantle zoning with increasing X_py and a slight decrease in X_gr, and mantle–rim zoning with increases in both X_gr and X_py. Garnet rims in type I eclogite have higher X_py than in type II. Petrographic observations and phase equilibria modelling with pseudosections calculated using thermocalc in the NCKMnFMASHO system for three representative samples suggest that the eclogites have experienced four stages of metamorphism: stage I is the pre‐peak temperature prograde heating to the pressure peak (P_max) which was recognized by the garnet core–mantle zoning with increasing X_py and decreasing X_gr. The P–T conditions at P_max constrained from garnet mantle or core compositions with minimum X_gr content are 29–30 kbar at 526–540 °C for type I and 28.2 kbar at 518 °C for type II, suggesting an apparent thermal gradient of ～5.5 °C km^?1. Stage II is the post‐P_max decompression and heating to the temperature peak (T_max), which was modelled from the garnet zoning with increasing X_gr and X_py contents. The P–T conditions at T_max, defined using the garnet rim compositions with maximum X_py content and the Si content in phengite, are 24–27 kbar at 590 °C for type I and 22 kbar at 540 °C for type II. Stage III is the post‐T_max isothermal decompression characterized by the decomposition of lawsonite, which may have resulted in the release of a large amount of fluid bound in the rocks, leading to the formation of epidote, paragonite and glaucophane porphyroblasts. Stage IV is the late retrograde evolution characterized by the overprint of hornblendic amphibole in eclogite and the occurrence of epidote–amphibole facies mineral assemblages in the margins or in the strongly foliated domains of eclogite blocks due to fluid infiltration. The P–T estimates obtained from conventional garnet–clinopyroxene–phengite thermobarometry for the Tianshan eclogites are roughly consistent with the P–T conditions of stage II at T_max, but with large uncertainties in temperature. On the basis of these metamorphic stages or P–T paths, we reinterpreted that the recently reported zircon U–Pb ages for eclogite may date the T_max stage or the later decompression stage, and the widely distributed (rutile‐bearing) quartz veins in the eclogite terrane may have originated from the lawsonite decomposition during the decompression stage rather than from the transition from blueschist to eclogite as previously proposed.     

Response of detrital zircon and monazite,and their U–Pb isotopic systems,to regional metamorphism and host‐rock partial melting,Cooma Complex,southeastern Australia

Progressive Early Silurian low‐pressure greenschist to granulite facies regional metamorphism of Ordovician flysch at Cooma, southeastern Australia, had different effects on detrital zircon and monazite and their U–Pb isotopic systems. Monazite began to dissolve at lower amphibolite facies, virtually disappearing by upper amphibolite facies, above which it began to regrow, becoming most coarsely grained in migmatite leucosome and the anatectic Cooma Granodiorite. Detrital monazite U–Pb ages survived through mid‐amphibolite facies, but not to higher grade. Monazite in the migmatite and granodiorite records only metamorphism and granite genesis at 432.8 ± 3.5 Ma. Detrital zircon was unaffected by metamorphism until the inception of partial melting, when platelets of new zircon precipitated in preferred orientations on the surface of the grains. These amalgamated to wholly enclose the grains in new growth, characterised by the development of {211} crystal faces, in the migmatite and granodiorite. New growth, although maximum in the leucosome, was best dated in the granodiorite at 435.2 ± 6.3 Ma. The combined best estimate for the age of metamorphism and granite genesis is 433.4 ± 3.1 Ma. Detrital zircon U–Pb ages were preserved unmodified throughout metamorphism and magma genesis and indicate derivation of the Cooma Granodiorite from Lower Palaeozoic source rocks with the same protolith as the Ordovician sediments, not Precambrian basement. Cooling of the metamorphic complex was relatively slow (average ～12°C/10⁶y from ～730 to ～170°C), more consistent with the unroofing of a regional thermal high than cooling of an igneous intrusion. The ages of detrital zircon and monazite from the Ordovician flysch (dominantly composite populations 600–500 Ma and 1.2–0.9 Ga old) indicate its derivation from a source remote from the Australian craton.     

草河群区域变质带及石榴石的研究

辽东草河群由北向南,可以分出比较完整的中压型巴罗式变质带、变质带的分界线或等变质度线和面基本上与地槽褶皱的构造方向一致,显示出带型区域变质作用和复合变质作用的特点。区域变质相带的矿物共生组合、斜长石号码、岩石类型、矿物的物理化学性质都具独自的特征。变质相带的变泥质岩石中的石榴石均属铁铝榴石,随变质度的增高,石榴石成分中的Al2O3、MgO、FeO Fe2O3含量增加,CaO、MnO含量降低。     

包头—忽鸡沟一带麻粒岩相岩石的矿物学和结晶P-T条件

本文提供了77个石榴石、辉石、角闪石、黑云母和斜长石等单矿物能谱和湿化学分析资料,研究了各种矿物对的分配系数。用二辉石地质温度计估算的变质作用温度为770—860℃,用其他矿物对估算的温度多数在二辉石温度计获得的温度范围内。用Wood的石榴石—斜方辉石地质压力计和Newton—Perkins以及Wells石榴石—斜方辉石—斜长石地质压力计公式估算的变质作用压力为(8—10)×10~8Pa,地热梯度为24.6—27.5℃/km,属低—中压型麻粒岩相。     

陕甘川交界区碧口群的绿帘石及其岩石学意义

绿帘石广泛分布于碧口群的各类变质岩石中,但以变质基性岩(绿片岩和蓝片岩)为主。绿片岩中绿帘石X_(?s)=0.23—0.37,但多为0.30—0.32,在不同样品中绿帘石成分变化很大,但同一样品中绿帘石变化不明显,说明其成分与全岩成分有关。蓝片岩中绿帘石X_(?s)=0.22—0.36,其成分在同一样品中也有很大变化,一般细粒者ps分子少,而粗粒者ps分子多,且常发育环带结构,向中心ps分子减少,说明蓝片岩可能经历了一个以降压为特征的变质过程。此外,该群也偶见绿纤石,但它们均被绿帘石包裹,不能构成独立变质相。     

滇西澜沧变质带中白云母的研究及其地质意义

本文以滇西澜沧变质带中最为广泛分布的造岩矿物—白云母为对象，详细研究和 分析了其成分、多型类型及ba值等，探讨了白云母的发育规律。研究结果表明，本带中绝大多数白云母为多硅白云母，且为3T+2M,型，与蓝闪石共生的则以3T多硅白云母为主。此外，斓沧变质 带经历了蓝闪石片岩亚相的高压变质作用，与古特提斯构造演化密切相突，并可与世界著名的高 压带对比。     

超高压变质作用研究现状及问题

本文从超高压变质作用的矿物学、Ｐ－Ｔ－ｔ轨迹和超高压地体抬升、保存机制三个方面总结了近年来超高压变质作用研究所取得的重要进展和存在的问题。超高压变质作用的矿物学研究正在向深入发展，其Ｐ－Ｔ－ｔ轨迹具有三种成因类型。而其超高压地体的抬升、保存机制则是争论的焦点，其中增生楔模式（Ｐｌａｔｔ，１９８７）和连续俯冲─仰冲机制较好地解释了抬升过程，但也存在一些问题需进一步研究。     

当前高压变质作用研究中几个值得注意的动向

高压、超高压变质作用是地学研究的热点，它能很好地反映深部地质作用特征和恢复地质历史演化的过程。当前高压、超高压变质作用研究中有几个值得注意的动向：（１）高压变质作用中流体性状和物理化学特点的研究是解决高压变质作用成因的关键；（２）高压变质矿物流变学研究是揭示变质过程的有效途径；（３）超高压变质岩的发现是８０年代地学领域中的一场“革命”，其动力学模式为探讨大陆动力学开辟了新的思路。文中介绍了产生超高压变质的柯石英榴辉岩亚相组合的六种动力学模式。     

An introduction to ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism

Abstract Ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism refers to mineralogical and structural readjustment of supracrustal protoliths and associated mafic-ultramafic rocks at mantle pressures greater than ∼ 25 kbar (80-90 km). Typical products include metapelite, quartzite, marble, granulite, eclogite, paragneiss and orthogneiss; minor mafic and ultramafic rocks occur as eclogitic-ultramafic layers or blocks of various dimensions within the supracrustal rocks. For appropriate bulk compositions, metamorphism at great depths produces coesite, microdiamond and other characteristic UHP minerals with unusual compositions. Thus far, at least seven coesite-bearing eclogitic terranes and three diamond-bearing UHP regions have been documented. All lie within major continental collision belts in Eurasia, have similar supracrustal protoliths and metamorphic assemblages, occur in long, discontinuous belts that may extend several hundred kilometers or more, and typically are associated with contemporaneous high-P blueschist belts. This paper defines the P-T regimes of UHP metamorphism and describes mineralogical, petrological and tectonic characteristics for a few representative UHP terranes including the western gneiss region of Norway, the Dora Maira massif of the western Alps, the Dabie Mountains and the Su-Lu region of east-central China, and the Kokchetav massif of the former USSR. Prograde P-T paths for coesite-bearing eclogites require abnormally low geothermal gradients (approximately 7°C/km) that can be accomplished only by subduction of cold, oceanic crust-capped lithosphere ± pelagic sediments or an old, cold continent. The preservation of coesite inclusions in garnet, zircon, omphacite, kyanite and epidote, and microdiamond inclusions in garnet and zircon during exhumation of an UHP terrane requires either an extraordinarily fast rate of denudation (up to 10 cm/year) or continuous refrigeration in an extensional regime (retreating subduction zone).