The metamorphic evolution of garnet-cordierite-sillimanite-gneisses of the Gruf-Complex,Eastern Pennine Alps

Metapelitic gneisses occuring as lenses and bands within the migmatites of the Gruf-Complex in the eastern Pennine Alps contain various combinations of the minerals quartz, biotite, cordierite, garnet, sillimanite, plagioclase. K-feldspar, spinel, orthopyroxene, anthophyllite and muscovite. The most common rock type is represented by a darkschistosebiotiterichcordierite-garnet-sillimanite-gneiss. A consistent pressure-temperature range of 3–4 kb and 600–650° C has been calculated for the last metamorphic equilibration from six geological thermobarometers. However, from textural evidence it may be concluded that the rocks were at both higher temperatures and pressures prior to the PT-conditions calculated from thermobarometry. Although the maximum conditions reached are unknown and earlier stages are poorly preserved it is suggested that they coincide with the maximum conditions deduced from rare occurrences of sapphirine granulite in the Gruf-Complex. These are 10 kb and 800° C (Droop and Bucher 1983). Sillimanite+K-feldspar, orthopyroxene+quartz, spinel+quartz and garnet-K-feldspar persisting in rocks with low activity of H₂O are strong evidence for this. The H₂O required to make the observed high degree of equilibration at 3–4 kb and 600–650° C possible was presumably released by crystallizing migmatitic melts present in the quartzo-feldspathic gneisses of the Gruf-Complex. Further evidence comes from the PT-coordinates of the H₂O-saturated muscovite granite solidus which coincides with the high temperature limits of inferred equilibration above and which the rocks must have crossed along the decompression and cooling path during their metamorphic evolution.