Phase equilibrium modeling of zircon stability in mantle peridotite:Implication for crust-mantle interaction

Zircon is a common accessory mineral in various rocks,especially in the crustal ones.It is the best mineral for U-Pb dating.Meanwhile,trace elements and isotopes of the mineral can also provide much information concerning the formation and evolution of rocks.There are a growing number of reports of zircon existing in mantle peridotite.However,it is generally considered that zircon is unlikely crystallized in ultrabasic rocks due to SiO_(2)-unsaturation.In this paper,the SiO_(2) activity and zircon/baddeleyite transition curve at different conditions were calculated through thermodynamic phase equilibrium modeling,to reveal the main factors affecting the SiO_(2) activity and the stability of zircon/baddeleyite in ultrabasic and basic rocks,especially in mantle peridotite.These results provide a thermodynamic basis for interpreting the genesis and significance of zircon in mantle rocks.That is,the SiO_(2) activity is mainly controlled by stable mineral assemblages and temperature-pressure conditions.The orthopyroxene+olivine assemblage in peridotite as an effective buffer restricts the SiO_(2) activity in a relatively high range with a small variation.The upper temperature limit of zircon can reach more than 1500℃ with this mineral assemblage.During the low-temperature serpentinization of peridotite,the replacement of olivine and pyroxene by serpentine can result in a significant decrease of SiO_(2) activity,and baddeleyite can be stabilized at<530℃ and<2.7 GPa.When peridotite is strongly metasomatized by the SiO_(2)-bearing fluid,the addition of SiO_(2) can increase its activity and make zircon stable at low temperatures.The SiO_(2) activity in ultrabasic-basic rocks is not only positively correlated with the SiO_(2) content but also negatively correlated with the Ca and Na contents of rocks.This is because Ca and Na preferentially combine with Si and Al to form Si-rich minerals,such as clinopyroxene and feldspar.This process will consume excessive SiO_(2),decreasing the SiO_(2) activity.This may be the reason why zircon can be found in ultrabasic rocks,while baddeleyite can exist in some basic and alkaline rocks.The thermodynamic modeling can also reasonably explain the mutual transformation between zircon and baddeleyite in ultrabasic-basic rocks.Our results indicate that zircon can exist stably in mantle peridotite in a wide range of temperature-pressure conditions and its formation is related to melt/fluid metasomatism.That is,the presence of zircon in mantle peridotite is an important information carrier of crust-mantle interaction for deep material cycling.

Phase equilibrium modelling of the amphibolite facies metamorphism in the Yelapa-Chimo Metamorphic Complex, Mexico

The Yelapa-Chimo Metamorphic Complex forms part of the Jalisco Block in western Mexico and exposes a wide range of Early Cretaceous metamorphic rocks;such as paragneiss,orthogneiss,amphibolites,and migmatites.However,the pressure-temperature(P-T)conditions of metamorphism and partial melting remain poorly studied in the region.To elucidate metamorphic P-T conditions,phase equilibrium modelling was applied to two sillimanite-garnet paragneisses,one amphibole-orthogneiss,and one amphibolite.Sillimanite-garnet paragneisses exhibit a lepidoblastic texture with a biotite+sillimanite+kyanite+garnet+quartz+plagioclase+K-feldspar mineral assemblage.Amphibole-orthogneiss and amphibolite display a nematoblastic texture with an amphibole+(1)plagioclase+quartz+(1)titanite assemblage and an amphibole+(2)plagioclase+(2)titanite+ilmenite retrograde mineral assemblage.Pseudosections calculated for the two sillimanite-garnet paragneiss samples show P-T peak conditions at~6-7.5 kbar and~725-740℃.The results for amphibole-orthogneiss and the amphibolite yield P-T peak conditions at~8.5-10 kbar and~690-710℃.The mode models imply that metasedimentary and metaigneous units can produce up to~20 vol%and~10 vol%of melt,respectively.Modelling within a closed system during isobaric heating suggests that melt compositions of metasedimentary and metaigneous units are likely to have direct implications for the petrogenesis of the Puerto Vallarta Batholith.Our new data indicate that the Yelapa-Chimo Metamorphic Complex evolved through a metamorphic gradient between~23-33℃km^-1and the metamorphic rocks formed at depths between~22 km and~30 km with a burial rate of~2.0 km Ma^-1.Finally,the P-T data for both metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks provide new constraints on an accretionary framework,which is responsible for generating metamorphism and partial melting in the YelapaChimo Metamorphic Complex during the Early Cretaceous.

Metamorphic P-T conditions and ages of garnet-biotite schists in the Dahongshan Group from the southwestern Yangtze Block

The Dahongshan Group,situated at the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block,represents a geological unit characterized by relatively high-grade metamorphism in the region.This paper investigates the garnet-biotite schist from the Laochanghe Formation of the Dahongshan Group,employing an integrated approach that includes petrological analysis,phase equilibrium modeling,and zircon U-Pb dating.The schist is mainly composed of garnet,biotite,plagioclase,quartz,rutile,and ilmenite.Phase equilibrium modeling revealed the peak metamorphic conditions of 8-9 kbar and 635-675°C.By further integrating the prograde metamorphic profile of garnet and geothermobarometric results,a clockwise P-T metamorphic evolution path is constructed,which includes an increase in temperature and pressure during the prograde stage.LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating and zircon Ti thermometry constrains the post-peak metamorphic age of 831.2±7.2 Ma.Integrated with previously reported results,it is revealed that the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block experienced a large-scale regional metamorphism during the Neoproterozoic(890-750 Ma),which is related to the collisional orogenic process.This may be associated with the late-stage assembly of the Rodinia supercontinent or with local compression and subduction processes during the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent.

Partial melting of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks at convergent continental margins: Evidences, melt compositions and physical effects

Ultrahigh-pressure（UHP） metamorphic rocks are distinctive products of crustal deep subduction,and are mainly exposed in continental subduction-collision terranes. UHP slices of continental crust are usually involved in multistage exhumation and partial melting, which has obvious influence on the rheological features of the rocks, and thus significantly affect the dynamic behavior of subducted slices. Moreover,partial melting of UHP rocks have significant influence on element mobility and related isotope behavior within continental subduction zones, which is in turn crucial to chemical differentiation of the continental crust and to crust-mantle interaction.Partial melting can occur before, during or after the peak metamorphism of UHP rocks. Post-peak decompression melting has been better constrained by remelting experiments; however, because of multiple stages of decompression, retrogression and deformation, evidence of former melts in UHP rocks is often erased. Field evidence is among the most reliable criteria to infer partial melting. Glass and nanogranitoid inclusions are generally considered conclusive petrographic evidence. The residual assemblages after melt extraction are also significant to indicate partial melting in some cases. Besides field and petrographic evidence, bulk-rock and zircon trace-element geochemical features are also effective tools for recognizing partial melting of UHP rocks. Phase equilibrium modeling is an important petrological tool that is becoming more and more popular in P-T estimation of the evolution of metamorphic rocks; by taking into account the activity model of silicate melt, it can predict when partial melting occurred if the P-T path of a given rock is provided.UHP silicate melt is commonly leucogranitic and peraluminous in composition with high SiO_2,low MgO, FeO, MnO, TiO_2 and CaO, and variable K_2 O and Na_2 O contents. Mineralogy of nanogranites found in UHP rocks mainly consists of plagioclase ＋ K-feldspar ＋ quartz, plagioclase being commonly albite-rich.Trace element pattern of the melt is characterized by significant enrichment of large ion lithophile elements（LILE）, depletion of heavy rare earth elements（HREE） and high field strength elements（HFSE）,indicating garnet and rutile stability in the residual assemblage. In eclogites, significant Mg-isotope fractionation occurs between garnet and phengite; therefore, Mg isotopes may become an effective indicator for partial melting of eclogites.