Petrology of an intrusion-related high-grade migmatite: implications for partial melting of metasedimentary rocks and leucosome-forming processes

Intrusion-related migmatites comprise a substantial part of the high-grade part of the southern Damara orogen, Namibia which is dominated by Al-rich metasedimentary rocks and various granites. Migmatites consist of melanosomes with biotite+sillimanite+garnet+cordierite+hercynite and leucosomes are garnet- and cordierite-bearing. Metamorphic grade throughout the area is in the upper amphibolite to lower granulite facies (5–6 kbar at 730–750 °C). Field evidence, petrographic observations, chemical data and mass balance calculations suggest that intrusion of granitic magmas and concomitant partial melting of metasedimentary units were the main processes for the generation of the migmatites. The intruding melts were significantly modified by magma mixing with in situ partial melts, accumulation of mainly feldspar and contamination with garnet from the wall rocks. However, it is suggested that these melts originally represented disequilibrium melts from a metasedimentary protolith. The occurrence of LILE-, HFSE- and LREE-enriched and -depleted residues within the leucosomes implies that both quartzo-feldspathic and pelitic rocks were subjected to partial melting. Isotope ratios of the leucosomes are rather constant (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (500 Ma): 0.511718–0.511754, ε Nd (500 Ma): ?3.54 to ?5.11) and Sr (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (500 Ma): 0.714119–0.714686), the metasedimentary units have rather constant Nd isotope ratios (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (500 Ma): 0.511622–0.511789, ε Nd (500 Ma): ?3.70 to ?6.93) but variable Sr isotope ratios Sr (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (500 Ma): 0.713527–0.722268). The most restitic melanosome MEL 4 has a Sr isotopic composition of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (500 Ma): 0.729380. Oxygen isotopes do not mirror the proposed contamination process, due to the equally high δ¹⁸O contents of metasediments and crustal melts. However, the most LILE-depleted residue MEL 4 shows the lowest δ¹⁸O value (<10). Mass balance calculations suggest high degrees of partial melting (20–40%). It is concluded that partial melting was promoted by heat transfer and release of a fluid phase from the intruding granites. High degrees of partial melting can be reached as long as the available H₂O, derived from the crystallization of the intruding granites, is efficiently recycled within the rock volume. Due to the limited amounts of in situ melting, it seems likely that such regional migmatite terranes are not the sources for large intrusive granite bodies. The high geothermal gradient inferred from the metamorphic conditions was probably caused by exhumation of deep crustal rocks and contemporaneous intrusion of huge masses of granitoid magmas. The Davetsaub area represents an example of migmatites formed at moderate pressures and high temperatures, and illustrates some of the reactions that may modify leucosome compositions. The area provides constraints on melting processes operating in high-grade metasedimentary rocks.