Rare-Earth Element Geochemistry of Eclogites from the Ultra-High Pressure Metamorphic Belt in Central China

Based on their REE contents and REE patterns, eclogites from the ultra\|high pressure metamorphic belt in central China may be roughly divided into six types including LREE\|rich, LREE\|rich+positive Eu anomaly, LREE\|rich+negative Eu anomaly, REE pattern\|smooth, MREE\|rich and HREE\|rich. The LREE\|rich, LREE\|rich+positive Eu anomaly and LREE\|rich+negative Eu anomaly types of eclogites are dominant. REE types of eclogites in different areas can be compared and the REE features of the same REE type of eclogites in different areas are similar. The results of reconstruction of the primary rocks show that the primary rocks of eclogites possibly are dominated by continental tholeiites which are the product of partial melting of relatively fertile mantle and the rocks of tholeiite crystallization\|differentiation. There is perfect evolution relationship among the primary rocks of the LREE\|rich, LREE\|rich+positive Eu anomaly and LREE\|rich+negative Eu anomaly types of eclogites and among those of the REE pattern smooth and MREE\|rich types of eclogites, the former three types were derived from continental settings and the latter two from nearly oceanic settings. Meanwhile, it is concluded that the mantle sources of primary rocks of the eclogites are inhomogeneous and the primary rocks of eclogites in this area appear to have undergone varying degree of crustal contamination.