Cr-rich magnesiochloritoid eclogites from the Monviso ophiolites (Western Alps, Italy)

Cr-rich magnesiochloritoid in the eclogitized ophiolites of the Monviso massif occurs in the least differentiated rocks of the gabbroic sequence (troctolites to melatroctolites). Chloritoid ( X _Mg=0.63–0.85; Cr≤0.55, atoms) co-exists with omphacite, talc and garnet. Minor, syn-eclogitic minerals are chromite, rutile and sometimes magnesite and Cr–Ti oxides.
Coronitic textures, indicative of a static recrystallization, characterize the analysed samples. Layers of variable mineral composition develop among igneous plagioclase, olivine, clinopyroxene and spinel. The minerals in the coronitic layers display sharp compositional zonings. The igneous minerals are commonly not preserved; their presence in the original assemblage is inferred from the mineralogical composition of the pseudomorphs.
Syn-eclogitic volatile components are indicated by the development of OH-bearing minerals (e.g. chloritoid & talc) and carbonates (e.g. magnesite), and supported by the presence of coarse-grained and fibrous mineral growths. The complex pseudomorphic replacements of igneous minerals suggest that these rocks changed their mineralogical composition prior to the eclogite facies recrystallization, most likely during ocean-floor metamorphism. It is suggested that syn-eclogitic fluids formed by breakdown reactions of pre-eclogitic volatile-bearing minerals.
Geothermobarometry indicates that the investigated rocks recrystallized at a depth corresponding to 2.4  GPa and temperatures of 620±50  °C. The attainment of high-pressure conditions is supported by the presence of magnesiochloritoid, magnesite and garnet with high pyrope content (up to 58  mol%). P–T  estimates point to a very low thermal gradient (about 9  °C km⁻¹), comparable to that deduced in the adjacent Dora-Maira ultra-high pressure unit.     

Water in garnet of garnetite (metarodingite) and eclogite from the Erzgebirge and the Lepontine Alps

Little is known about water in nominally anhydrous minerals of orogenic garnet peridotite and enclosed metabasic rocks. This study is focused on peridotite-hosted eclogite and garnetite (metarodingite) from the Erzgebirge (EG), Germany, and the Lepontine Alps (LA), Switzerland. Newly discovered, peridotite-hosted eclogite in the Erzgebirge occurs in the same ultra-high pressure (UHP) unit as gneiss-hosted coesite eclogite, from which it is petrologically indistinguishable. Garnet is present in all mafic and ultramafic high pressure (HP) rocks providing for an ideal proxy to compare the H₂O content of the different rock types. Garnet composition is very similar in EG and LA samples and depends on the rock type. Garnet from garnetite, compared to eclogite, contains more CaO (garnetite: 10.5–16.5 wt%; eclogite: 5–11 wt%) and is also characterized by an anomalous REE distribution. In contrast, the infrared (IR) spectra of garnet from both rock types reveal the same OH absorption bands that are also identical to those of previously studied peridotitic garnet from the same locations. Two groups of IR bands, SW I (3,650 ± 10 cm⁻¹) and SW II (3,570–3,630 cm⁻¹) are ascribed to structural hydroxyl (colloquially ‘water’). A third, broad band is present in about half of the analysed garnet domains and related to molecular water (MW) in submicroscopic fluid inclusions. The primary content of structural H₂O, preserved in garnet domains without fluid inclusions (and MW bands), varies systematically—depending on both the location and the rock type. Garnet from EG rocks contains more water compared to LA samples, and garnet from garnetite (EG: 121–241 wt.ppm H₂O; LA: 23–46 wt.ppm) hosts more water than eclogitic garnet (EG: 84 wt.ppm; LA: 4–11 wt.ppm). Higher contents of structural water (SW) are observed in domains with molecular water, in which the SW II band (being not restricted to HP conditions) is simultaneously enhanced. This implies that fluid influx during decompression not only led to fluid inclusions but also favoured the uptake of secondary SW. The results signify that garnet from all EG and LA samples was originally H₂O-undersaturated. Combining the data from eclogite, garnetite and previously studied peridotite, H₂O and CaO are positively correlated, pointing to the same degree of H₂O-undersaturation at peak metamorphism in all rock types. This ubiquitous water-deficiency cannot be reconciled with the derivation of any of these rocks from the lowermost part of the mantle wedge that was in contact with the subducting plate. This agrees with the previously inferred abyssal origin for part of the rocks from the LA (Cima di Gagnone). A similar origin has to be invoked for the Erzgebirge UHP unit. We suggest that all mafic and ultramafic rocks of this unit not only shared the same metamorphic evolution but also a common protolith origin, most probably on the ocean floor. This inference is supported by the presence of peridotite-hosted garnetite, representing metamorphosed rodingite.     

Ultramafic Blocks in Sumdo Region, Lhasa Block, Eastern Tibet Plateau: An Ophiolite Unit

Recently, an over 100 kin long MORB-type eclogite belt of Permian was discovered in the Sumdo (松多) region of the Lhasa block, Tibet. A critical question thus is: what is the tectonic setting of the eclogite belt and is it related to an unrecognized suture in the region? Further investigations show that there are some mafic and ultramafic rocks spatially associated with the eclogite belt in the region. Three ultramafic massifs were recognized in the Sumdo region, and called the Luomaling (罗马岭),Gongbupala (贡布爬拉) and Qiazhasumdo (卡扎松多) massifs. All the massifs are fault-contacted with greenschist (Chasagang (岔萨岗) Formation) or muscovite-quartz schist (Mabuku (马布库) Formation), and individuals are about 100 m×50 m in size extending in EW as the regional structure. All the ultramafic rocks have been entirely serpentinized, and the Gongbupala massif has been selected for study in geochemistry. Eleven chemical analyses of the rocks from the Gongbupala massif show a narrow range in contents: SiO2(35.97-40.63) wt.%, MgO (37.02-38.60) wt.%, TiO2(0.01-0.08) wt.%, Al2O3 (0.80-1.64) wt.%, (Na2O+K2O) less than 0.1 wt.%, with high volatile contents (H2O+CO2) (11.24-14.91) wt.%. After recalculation without H2O+CO2, the mean values are SiO2 45.24 wt.%, MgO 43.54 wt.%, FeOT(7.45-9.97) wt.% (8.55 wt.% in average), (MgO+FeOT) 52.09 wt.%, Mg# (100×Mg/(Mg+Fe*), where Fe* represents total Fe)=89.42-90.08, (m+f)/Si ((atomicity Mg+atomicity Fe) /atomicity Si)=1.53-1.75 (1.59 in average), respectively. The mean M/F (atomicity Mg/atomicity Fe) ratio of the rocks is 9.05, which is classified as magnesium enriched-type of ultramafic rocks. The compositional features, depleted in K, Na, Ca, Al and Ti and enriched in Mg#, indicate the characteristics of peridotite originated from a depleted mantle. The rocks have low ∑ REE with (1.60-2.68)×10-6 similar to those of the primitive mantle. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns of all samples show slightly enrichment in LREE, with (Ce/Yb)N 1.03-2.46, but a little depleted in HREE. Most samples show a slight negative anomaly in Eu, a feature In REE from a relic mantle and common features In highly serpentinized ultramafic rocks in the Yarlung-Zangbo (雅鲁藏布) ophiolite and the Bangong (班公)-Nnjiang (怒江)ophiolite in Tibet. The primitive mantle-normalized spiderdiagram of trace elements for Gongbupala ultramafic rocks yields uniform distributed pattern. They are relatively enriched in Rb, Ba, La, P element (LHSE) and depleted in Sin, Ti, Y, Yb element (HFSE), a feature of metasomatic mantle peridotite. The geochemical features of the rocks suggest that the protofith of Gongbupala serpentinite in Sumdo region is harzburgite, a typical depleted mantle rock, and may represent a dismembered ophiolite unit in the region.     

Records of Indosinian Orogenesis in Lhasa Terrane, Tibet

Based on the deformation characteristics of the ductile shear zones in Sumdo (松多) Group, the quartz fabric by EBSD (electron backscatter diffraction), the data of muscovite 40Ar-39Ar geochronology (220-230 Ma) from ductile shear zones and the zircon SHRIMP U-Pb chronology (190 Ma) of granites in Snmdo region, Lhasa (拉萨) terrane is thought to have experienced an important Indosinian orogenic event at 220-230 Ma, which caused the closure of the paleo-Tethys Ocean along the tectonic zone of eclogite and the collision between northern part and southern part of the Lhasa terrane. The zircon SHRIMP U-Pb chronology of 190 Ma for biotite adamellite, with the distributing characteristics of the granite massif intruding in Sumdo Group, indicates that the biotite adamellitc should be the late orogenic or post-orogenic granite resulting from the lndosinian orogenesis. The discovery of Indosinian orogenic belt in Lhasa terrane expansed the southern boundary of lndosinian orogenic belt in Qinghai (青海)-Tibet plateau to Lhasa terrane from Qiangtang (羌塘) terrane, which changed the understanding about the distribution of Indosinian orogenic belt in Qinghai-Tibet plateau and extended the "T" type lndosinian orogenic belt in China. The study is very important for the formation and distribution of paleo-Tethys Ocean in Tibet. The ancient terrane framework and evolution of Qinghai-Tibet plateau need further research.     

西藏松多榴辉岩变质作用研究

西藏拉萨地块松多附近新发现一条榴辉岩带,长约100 km,宽约2~3 km。松多榴辉岩主要经历了进变质的绿帘石榴辉岩相-峰期的榴辉岩相-退变质的角闪岩相3个阶段。岩石学研究表明,峰期的特征矿物组合是石榴子石绿辉石多硅白云母金红石,峰期温压条件是760~800 ℃,33~39 GPa。这表明松多地区可能曾经历超高压变质作用,之后快速返回,p T轨迹呈“发卡”状,后期退变质经历了角闪石榴辉岩相阶段。研究松多榴辉岩表明,拉萨地块内部有一条新的缝合带,这对于了解拉萨地块和古特提斯洋的演化有重要意义。     

柴北缘锡铁山两类榴辉岩的退变质过程 及其对俯冲带折返机制的制约

榴辉岩作为俯冲带中重要的岩石类型保存有丰富的地球动力学信息。对榴辉岩及其退变质岩石的研究有助于建立俯冲带演化的p-T轨迹,了解俯冲岩石在折返过程中温压条件及矿物相的变化,从而对俯冲带折返的动力学机制进行限定。对柴北缘锡铁山双矿物榴辉岩及含多硅白云母榴辉岩进行了详细的岩石学研究。在NC（K）FMASH体系中对两类榴辉岩进行变质相平衡模拟,得到双矿物榴辉岩的峰期温压条件为745~790℃,大于2.8~3.0GPa（M1）,后经历等温降压过程达到角闪石榴辉岩岩相（670~770℃,1.6~2.2GPa,M2）,与含多硅白云母榴辉岩经历了相同的折返过程。锡铁山双矿物榴辉岩的原岩具有N-MORB的地球化学特征,而含多硅白云母榴辉岩则显示E-MORB或者OIB特征,二者原岩成分存在明显差异。两类榴辉岩的p-T演化过程和地球化学特征表明,锡铁山双矿物榴辉岩与含多硅白云母榴辉岩矿物学特征的差异是其原岩的多源性造成的,而与俯冲后折返过程中的退变质作用无必然联系。     

大别山西部河南罗山熊店加里东期榴辉岩锆石特征及SHRIMP分析结果

熊店榴辉岩产于大别山西部苏家河构造混杂岩带内,是典型的高压一超高压中温榴辉岩。作者应用岩学结合阴极发光和扫描电镜方法,较系统地研究了榴辉岩中锆石在岩石中的赋存状态、内部结构及表面特征。锆石主要产于石榴子石等变质矿物内,与主晶界面清晰,具有多晶面等变质锆石特有形貌特征,内部均或发育变质生长结构,从而说明它们是变质作用的产物。ＳＨＲＩＭＰ分析表明,锆石＾２０６Ｐｂ／＾２３８Ｕ年龄为３３５～４２４Ｍａ,     

A general model for the intrusion and evolution of 'mantle' garnet peridotites in high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure metamorphic terranes

Garnet‐bearing peridotite lenses are minor but significant components of most metamorphic terranes characterized by high‐temperature eclogite facies assemblages. Most peridotite intrudes when slabs of continental crust are subducted deeply (60–120 km) into the mantle, usually by following oceanic lithosphere down an established subduction zone. Peridotite is transferred from the resulting mantle wedge into the crustal footwall through brittle and/or ductile mechanisms. These ‘mantle’ peridotites vary petrographically, chemically, isotopically, chronologically and thermobarometrically from orogen to orogen, within orogens and even within individual terranes. The variations reflect: (1) derivation from different mantle sources (oceanic or continental lithosphere, asthenosphere); (2) perturbations while the mantle wedges were above subducting oceanic lithosphere; and (3) changes within the host crustal slabs during intrusion, subduction and exhumation. Peridotite caught within mantle wedges above oceanic subduction zones will tend to recrystallize and be contaminated by fluids derived from the subducting oceanic crust. These ‘subduction zone peridotites’ intrude during the subsequent subduction of continental crust. Low‐pressure protoliths introduced at shallow (serpentinite, plagioclase peridotite) and intermediate (spinel peridotite) mantle depths (20–50 km) may be carried to deeper levels within the host slab and undergo high‐pressure metamorphism along with the enclosing rocks. If subducted deeply enough, the peridotites will develop garnet‐bearing assemblages that are isofacial with, and give the same recrystallization ages as, the eclogite facies country rocks. Peridotites introduced at deeper levels (50–120 km) may already contain garnet when they intrude and will not necessarily be isofacial or isochronous with the enclosing crustal rocks. Some garnet peridotites recrystallize from spinel peridotite precursors at very high temperatures (c. 1200 °C) and may derive ultimately from the asthenosphere. Other peridotites are from old (>1 Ga), cold (c. 850 °C), subcontinental mantle (‘relict peridotites’) and seem to require the development of major intra‐cratonic faults to effect their intrusion.     

A re-evaluation of eclogite facies metamorphism in SW Japan: proposal for an eclogite nappe

Known eclogite occurrences in the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt of SW Japan are dominantly in metagabbro bodies which have complex polyphase metamorphic histories. These bodies are generally described as tectonic blocks and their relationship to the Sanbagawa metamorphism is unclear. New findings of foliated eclogite in the Seba and Kotsu areas show that eclogite facies metamorphism is much more widespread than generally thought. Evidence that the foliated eclogite units originated as lavas or sediments implies that these units can be treated as a high-grade part of the subduction-related Sanbagawa metamorphism. Although separated by an along-strike distance of 80 km, the Seba and Kotsu eclogites have very similar garnet and omphacite compositions, suggesting that they were formed under similar metamorphic conditions. However, differences in the associated retrograde assemblages (epidote–amphibolite in the Seba unit and epidote–blueschist in the Kotsu unit) suggest contrasting P – T  paths. In both units, the eclogite rocks occupy the highest structural level of the Sanbagawa belt and overlie rocks metamorphosed at lower pressure. The lower boundary to the eclogite units is therefore a major tectonic discontinuity locally decorated with lenses of exotic material. These features can help trace the boundary into other areas. The previously known outcrops of eclogite show enough similarities with the newly found areas to suggest that all the eclogite facies rocks in the Sanbagawa belt constitute a single nappe that lies at the highest structural levels of the orogen.