Multiple Episodes of Zircon Growth during Anatectic Metamorphism of Metasedimentary Rocks in Collisional Orogens:Constraints from Felsic Granulites in the Bohemian Massif

Zircon is a key accessary mineral for metamorphic geochronology and geochemical tracing,but it has been a challenge to interpret its complex chemical zoning and age record acquired during multiple episodes of anatectic metamorphism in collisional orogens.This is illustrated by a combined study of petrography,phase equilibrium modeling and metamorphic P-T-t determination for granulites from the Bohemian Massif in the Variscan Orogen.These rocks record multiple episodes of zircon growth during anatectic metamorphism.They started from the compressional heating for prograde metamorphism to high-pressure(HP)to ultrahigh-pressure(UHP)eclogite facies with low degrees of partial melting.Afterwards,they underwent a decompressional stage from UHP eclogite facies to HP granulite facies for dehydration melting.These were followed by a further decompressional stage either to kyanite granulite facies or to sillimanite granulite facies at ultrahigh-temperature(UHT)conditions.Episodes of zircon growth are linked to specific metamorphic conditions for peritectic reactions on the basis of zoning patterns,trace element signatures,index mineral inclusions in dated domains and textural relationships to coexisting minerals.The results indicate that relict zircon domains are preserved even at UHT granulite facies conditions.A few zircon domains in the kyanite granulite grew during the prograde to peak UHP metamorphism,possibly corresponding to consumption of biotite and plagioclase but growth of garnet.During the decompressional exhumation to the HP granulite-facies,relict or prograde zircon domains were mostly dissolved into anatectic melts produced by muscovite breakdown.Most zircon grains grew during this transition to the HP granulite-facies in the kyanite granulite and are chemically related to continuous growth of garnet,whereas abundant zircon grains grew subsequently at the UHT granulite facies in the sillimanite granulite and are chemically related to garnet breakdown reactions.Another peak of zircon growth occurred at the final crystallization of anatectic melts in the sillimanite granulite rather than in the kyanite granulite,and these zircon grains mostly show oscillatory zoning,low HREE+Y contents and significantly negative Eu anomalies.In terms of the inference for protolith nature,it appears that zircon in metasedimentary rocks can grow at a short timescale in different stages of anatectic metamorphism,and its dissolution and growth are mainly dictated by anatectic conditions and extent,the property of peritectic reactions,and the stability of Ti-rich minerals.

An Experimental Study of Partial Melting of Metafelsic Rocks:Constraints on the Feature of Anatectic Melts and the Origin of Garnets in Collisional Orogens

Crustal anatexis in continental subduction zones has great bearing on chemical differentiation of the continental crust at convergent plate boundaries.This was experimentally investigated for ultrahigh-pressure(UHP)metafelsic rocks at 0.5-3.0 GPa and 650-900℃.The results show that partial melting begins at about 750℃ when pressure drops from 3.0 to 2.0 GPa,corresponding to decompressional exhumation of the deeply subducted continental crust.As the pressure further decreases to 1.0 GPa,the partial melting degree reaches the maximum of~25%at 900℃.Partial melts produced in these experiments are rich in silica and alkali,and poor in iron,manganese and magnesium.As the degree of partial melting increases,the composition of partial melts gradually converges toward homogeneous one.In the absence of free water,the partial melting of metafelsic rocks were triggered by the breakdown of hydrous minerals.At low temperatures of~750℃at 1.0-2.0 GPa,phengite dehydration melting occurs at first,giving rise to small amounts of felsic melts and peritectic K-feldspar.As the temperature rises up to 850-900℃,biotite begins to break down and gives rise to large amounts of felsic melts and peritectic minerals such as garnet,K-feldspar and orthopyroxene.It is noted that peritectic garnet is much different from anatectic garnet crystallized from anatectic melts and metamorphic garnet formed through metamorphic dehydration reaction under subsolidus conditions.The peritectic garnet is characterized not only by anhedral shapes with many multiphase crystal inclusions but also by compositions poor in spessartine and grossular but rich in almandine and pyrope.On the other hand,the anatectic garnets are characterized not only by euhedral shapes with few inclusions but also by compositions rich in grossular and spessartine but poor in almandine and pyrope.These observations provide experimental constraints on the origin of garnets in UHP metamorphic rocks,which have great bearing on understanding of anatectic metamorphism in collisional orogens.