Mineralogy of New Caledonian metamorphic rocks |
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Authors: | Philippa M Black |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Geology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand |
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Abstract: | A Cretaceous to low-Tertiary sequence of interbedded pelites, cherts, basic and acidic volcanics and calcareous lenses has
been metamorphosed by an Oligocene event. A complete intergradational metamorphic sequence is exposed in the Ouégoa destrict.
The following metamorphic zones have been recognised: — (1) lowest-grade rocks consisting of quartz-sericite phyllites and
pumpellyite metabasalts (2) lawsonite zone, characterized by the association of lawsonite and albite (3) epidote zone, characterised
by epidote-omphacite-sodic hornblendealmandine bearing metabasalts and epidote-albite-almandine-glaucophane bearing metasediments;
calcareous metasediments may also carry omphacite. The epidote and lawsonite zones are separated by a narrow belt of transitional
rocks.
Garnets occur in metasediments throughout the lawsonite zone as rare tiny crystals (<0.03 mm diam.). Garnets first appear
in metabasalts in lawsonite-epidote transitional rocks. Garnets are widespread and abundant in epidote-zone metasediments
and metabasalts.
45 garnets from rocks representative of all lithologies and metamorphic grades have been analysed with an electron-probe microanalyser.
The garnets were consistently zoned. Garnets in lawsonite and low-grade epidote zones show a “bell-type” zoning with cores
enriched in Mn relative to Fe and rims enriched in Fe, Mg and frequently Ca. Garnets from high-grade epidote-zone metapelites
and metabasalts show, in addition, a shallow oscillatory zoning with complimentary variations in Mn and Fe equivalent to 5
mole- % spessartine and almandine. The Fe-for-Mn substitutional zoning, believed to be caused by a diffusion/saturation effect
similar to that of the Rayleigh fractional model (Hollister, 1966), appears to have had superimposed on it the effects of
parent-rock chemistry and metamorphic grade which control in a complex manner the composition of the cores and the rims of
garnets.
Garnets from different rock types and metamorphic grade are compositionally distinct. Garnets from lawsonite-zone rocks, irrespective
of parent-rock chemistry appear to be spessartine. Garnets from epidote-zone metaigneous rocks and most metasediments are
almandine. Garnets from epidote-zone metasediments with bulk-rock compositions which are manganiferous, or have high oxidation
ratios, or both, may be spessartine-rich. Garnets from metabasalts are consistently more pyropic in both core and rim compositions
than garnets from pelitic metasediments; the pyrope content of cores and rims of garnets from equivalent rock types and mineral
assemblages increases with increasing metamorphic grade. Cores of garnets from epidote-zone pelites are richer in grossular
than garnets from lower-grade pelites.
The reaction which brings almandine garnet into Ouégoa district blueschist assemblages simultaneously with the replacement
of lawsonite by epidote involves components of chlorites and sodic amphiboles and can be represented by the following simplified
equation: ferroglaucophane+Fe-rich chlorite+lawsonite → glaucophane+Mg-rich chlorite+epidote+almandine. |
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