Accessory phase petrogenesis in relation to major phase assemblages in pelites from the Nelson contact aureole, southern British Columbia

Monazite petrogenesis in the Nelson contact aureole is the result of allanite breakdown close to, but downgrade and therefore independent of, major phase isograds involving cordierite, andalusite and staurolite. The development of garnet downgrade of the staurolite and andalusite isograds does not appear to affect the onset of the allanite-to-monazite reaction but does affect the textural development of monazite. In lower pressure, garnet-absent rocks, allanite breakdown results in localized monazite growth as pseudomorphous clusters. In higher pressure, garnet-bearing rocks, allanite breakdown produces randomly distributed, lone grains of monazite with no textural relationship to the original reaction site. Fluids liberated from hydrous phases (chlorite, muscovite) during garnet formation may have acted as a flux to distribute light rare earth elements more widely within the rock upon allanite breakdown, preventing the localized formation of monazite pseudomorphs. Despite these textural differences, both types of monazite have very similar chemistry and an indistinguishable age by electron microprobe chemical dating (157 ± 6.4 Ma). This age range is within error of isotopic ages determined by others for the Nelson Batholith. Garnet from the garnet, staurolite and andalusite zones shows euhedral Y zoning typified by a high-Y core, low-Y collar and moderate-Y annulus, the latter ascribed to allanite breakdown during garnet growth in the garnet zone. The cause of the transition from high-Y core to low-Y collar, traditionally interpreted to be due to xenotime consumption, is unclear because of the ubiquitous presence of xenotime. Accessory phase geothermometry involving monazite, xenotime and garnet returns inconsistent results, suggesting calibration problems or a lack of equilibration between phases.