Rutile to Titanite Transformation in Eclogites and its Geochemical Consequences:An Example from the Sumdo Eclogite,Tibet

The formation of titanite coronae after rutile is common in retrograde high-to ultrahigh-pressure meta-mafic rocks,which provides a good opportunity to address the geochemical behavior of HFSE in crustal environments.In the Sumdo eclogite,titanite occurs either as a corona around rutile grains or as semi-continuous veins cross-cutting the major foliation,whereas rutile grains occur either as inclusions in garnet or omphacite or as a relict core surrounded by titanite.Textural relationships and trace elements characteristics of rutile and titanite with different occurrences indicate that both minerals preferentially incorporate Nb and Hf over Ta and Zr in aqueous fluid.Moreover,the breakdown of omphacite and epidote could release substantial amounts of aqueous fluids enriched in Ca,Si,Fe and REE,which would react with rutile to form titanite coronae and veins.During this process,water-insoluble elements,like HFSE and HREE,behave like mobile elements,but they do not migrate substantially out of the system,instead,tending to react in situ.This suggests that the aqueous fluids released during the retrograde metamorphic reactions in mafic rocks could not substantially transfer fluidimmobile elements into the overlying mantle wedge in subduction environments.

Abiotic Methane Reservoirs in the Western Tianshan HP–UHP Metamorphic Belt,China

Natural gas,consisting primarily of methane(CH_(4)),has become a major source of clean energy in modern society in many parts of the globe.Recent experimental observations and discoveries of deep-sourced abiotic CH_(4)in cold subduction zones indicate the important ability of cold subducted slabs to generate natural gas reservoirs.However,most CH_(4)flux and reservoirs remain unknown and their potential is overlooked in global carbon flux estimations.Massive abiotic CH_(4)-rich fluid inclusions(FIs)in garnet and omphacite from ultrahigh-pressure(UHP)eclogites have been found in the Western Tianshan(WT)UHP metamorphic belt,which provides one ideal case for quantification of abiotic CH_(4)stored in the cold subducted crust.By two methods,we assess the abiotic CH_(4)content stored in the Chinese WT HP–UHP metamorphic belt.Our calculations show that at least 113 Mt CH_(4)is stored in the WT eclogites.We also discuss the implications for CH_(4)reservoirs in subduction zones worldwide and speculate that the cold subduction zones may represent one of the largest,yet overlooked,sources of abiotic CH_(4)on Earth,which should not be ignored in the global natural resource and carbon flux estimations.

Petrology, geochemistry and Ar-Ar geochronology of eclogites in Jinshajiang orogenic belt, Gonjo area, eastern Tibet and restriction on Paleo-Tethyan evolution

As one of the important Paleo-Tethys suture zones in eastern Tibet,the Jinshajiang orogenic belt is of great significance to study the tectonic evolution of the main suture zone of Paleo-Tethys.In this paper,eclogites developed in the Jinshajiang suture zone in Gonjo area,eastern Tibet,are selected as specific research objects,and petrological,geochemical and Ar-Ar geochronological analyses are carried out.The major element data of the whole rock reveals that the eclogite samples have the characteristics of picritic basalt-basalt and belong to the oceanic low potassium tholeiites.The results of rare earth elements and trace elements of the samples show that the protoliths of eclogites have characteristics similar to oceanic island basalt(OIB)or normal mid ocean ridge basalt(N-MORB).Muscovite(phengite)from two eclogite samples yield the Ar-Ar plateau ages of 247±2 Ma and 248±2 Ma respectively,representing the peak metamorphic age of eclogite facies and the timing of complete closure of the Jinshajiang Paleo-Tethys Ocean.Muscovite and biotite selected from the hosting rocks of eclogite yield the Ar-Ar plateau ages are 238±2 Ma and 225±2 Ma respectively,reflecting the exhumation age of eclogites and their hosting rocks.Combined with the zircon U-Pb dating data(244 Ma)of eclogites obtained in previous work,it can be concluded that the Jinshajiang Paleo-Tethys ocean was completely closed and arc-continent collision was initiated at about 248-244 Ma(T21).Subsequently,due to the large-scale arc(continent)-collision orogeney between Deqin-Weixi continental margin arc and Zhongza block(T31-T32),the eclogites were rapidly uplifted to the shallow crust.

Subduction of Continental Crust in the Early Palaeozoic North Qaidam Ultrahigh-Pressure Metamorphic Belt, NW China:Evidence from the Discovery of Coesite in the Belt

Coesite was discovered as inclusions in zircon separates from pelitic gneissassociated with a large eclogite body in the North Qaidam ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terrane. Somegraphite inclusions were also found. This finding suggested the occurrence of in-situ UHPmetamorphism and that the terrane was most likely recrystallized at pressures below the diamondstability field. It supported other previous indirect UHP evidence, such as polycrystalline quartzinclusions in eclogitic garnet, quartz lamellae in omphacite and P-T estimates for both eclogite andgarnet peridotite. The U-Pb and Sm-Nd ages of the North Qaidam eclogite indicated that subductionof continental crust occurred in the Early Palaeozoic, which probably recorded a collision betweenthe Sino-Korean and Yangtze plates.

Zoned Zircon from Eclogite Lenses in Marbles from the Dabie-Sulu UHP Terrane,China: A Clear Record of Ultra-deep Subduction and Fast Exhumation

Eclogite lenses in marbles from the Dabie-Sulu ultrahigh-pressure （UHP） terrane are deeply subducted meta-sedimentary rocks. Zircons in these rocks have been used to constrain the ages of prograde and UHP metamorphism during subduction, and later retrograde metamorphism during exhumation. Inherited （detrital） and metamorphic zircons were distinguished on the basis of transmitted light microscopy, cathodoluminescence （CL） imaging, trace element contents and mineral inclusions. The distribution of mineral inclusions combined with CL imaging of the metamorphic zircon make it possible to relate zircon zones （domains） to different metamorphic stages. Domain 1 consists of rounded, oblong and spindly cores with dark-luminescent images, and contains quartz eclogite facies mineral inclusion assemblages, indicating formation under high-pressure （HP） metamorphic conditions of T = 571-668℃ and P =1.7-2.02 GPa. Domain 2 always surrounds domain 1 or occurs as rounded and spindly cores with white-luminescent images. It contains coesite eclogite facies mineral inclusion assemblages, indicating formation under UHP metamorphic conditions of T = 782-849℃ and P 〉 5.5 GPa. Domain 3, with gray-luminescent images, always surrounds domain 2 and occurs as the outermost zircon rim. It is characterized by low-pressure mineral inclusion assemblages, which are related to regional amphibolite facies retrograde metamorphism of T = 600- 710℃ and P = 0.7-1.2 GPa. The three metamorphic zircon domains have distinct ages; sample H1 from the Dabie terrane yielded SHRIMP ages of 245 ± 4 Ma for domain 1, 235 ± 3 Ma for domain 2 and 215± 6 Ma for domain 3, whereas sample H2 from the Sulu terrane yielded similar ages of 244 ± 4 Ma, 233 ± 4 Ma and 214 ± 5 Ma for Domains 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The mean ages of these zones suggest that subduction to UHP depths took place over 10-11 Ma and exhumation of the rocks occurred over a period of 19-20 Ma. Thus, subduction from - 55 km to 〉 160 km deep mantle depth took place at rates of approximately 9.5-10.5 km/Ma and exhumation from depths 〉160 km to the base of the crust at -30 km occurred at approximately 6.5 km/Ma. We propose a model for these rocks involving deep subduction of continental margin lithosphere followed by ultrafast exhumation driven by buoyancy forces after break-off of the UHP slab deep within the mantle.

Petrology, Metamorphic Process and Genesis of The Dabie--Sulu Eclogite Belt, Eastern--Central China

The Qinling-Dabie-Sulu high-pressure and ultra-high pressure metamorphic belt wasformed by subduction and collision between the North China and Yangtze plates. The study ofthe eclogite belt is very important in understanding the evolution of the Qinling Dabie orogen. Inthe present paper the geology, petrology, minerology and chronology of the eclogites in the Dabieand Sulu areas are described. The principal conclusions of this work are as follows: (1) Based up-on the field occurrence and the P-T conditions of the eclogites, two types of eclogite can be dis-tinguished: Type 1—the low-temperature and high-pressure eclogite in the mid-late Proterozoicmetamorphic series, and Type 2—the ultra-high pressure eclogite in the late Archaean to earlyProterozoic metamorphic complex. In the Dabie area, the ultra-high-pressure eclogite,high-pressure eclogite and epidote-blueschist units are nearly parallel to each other and stretchintermittently from north to south. (2) The P-T conditions of the high-pressure eclogites and ul-tra-high pressure eclogites have been estimated. The former are formed at 450-550℃ and1.4-1.6 GPa; while the latter at 650-870℃ and >2.7-2.9 GPa in the Dabie area and at820-1000℃ and >2.8-3.1 GPa in the Sulu area. The metamorphic temperatures of the eclogitesincrease progressively from west to east. (3) The ultra-high pressure eclogites were subjected to 5stages of metamorphism: pre-eclogite epidote amphibolite facies, peak coesite eclogite facies,post-eclogite amphibolite facies, epidote-blueschist facies or epidote amphibolite facies andgreenschist facies. The general features of the PTt path of the ultra-high pressure eclogite are:clockwise pattern, progressive metamorphism being a process of slow increasing temperature andrapid increasing pressure, and the retrogressive section with nearly isothermal decompression atthe early stage, isobaric cooling at the middle stage and nearly isothermal decompression at thelate stage. (4) At least two stages of high-pressure metamorphism occurred in the orogenic belt:the high-pressure eclogite and ultra-high pressure eclogite were formed by the subduction of theoceanic crust northward beneath the North China plate or the Dabie block during theCaledonian; while the epidote-blueschist belt came into being by subdution and collision be-tween the two continental plates during the Indosinian. (5) Due to the continuous sequentialsubduction of the cold plate, the ultra high-presssure metamorphic rocks were uplifted to thecrust by the underplating processes. They can be preserved just because of the 'frozen effect' re-sulting from the continuous subduction of the cold plate. (6) The carbonates, such as magnesite,breunnerite, aragonite and dolomite, and the H_2O-bearing minerals, such as phengite, epidoteand zoisite, were stable during the high-pressure and/or ultra-high pressure metamorphism.

Helium Isotope Geochemistry of Ultrahigh-Pressure Metamorphic Eclogites From the Dabie-Sulu Terrane in East China

: The 3He/4He ratios of most eclogites from the Dabie-Sulu terrane range from 0.056 to 0.67 Ra; the data points fall into the mixing part of the crust and the mantle in the 3He-4He diagram. The 3He/4He ratios of eclogites are obviously correlated with the types of their surrounding rocks. The helium isotope composition of the eclogites from the Bixiling complex possesses characters of mantle-derived rocks with the 3He/4He ratio being 5.6 Ra. The 4He concentration of the eclogites exhibits visible inverse correlation with the δ18O value of the quartz in the eclogites from the Sulu area. The δ18O values of the eclogites change synchronously with those of the country rocks. Those results suggest that protoliths of the eclogites were basic-ultrabasic rock bodies or veins intruding into the continental crust in the early stage; strong exchange and hybridization between the basic-ultrabasic rocks and continental rocks and the atmospheric water during the intrusion led to abrupt increase of the 3He/4He ratios, δ18O values and Nd(0) values of the intrusive bodies or veins, which show characters of continental rocks. This indicates that the eclogites are autochthonous.

SHRIMP U-Pb Dating of Zircons of a Dark Eclogite and a Garnet-bearing Gneissic Granitic Rock from Bixiling,Eastern Dabie Area,Anhui Province:Isotope Chronological Evidence of Neoproterozoic UHP Metamorphism

The paper reports SHRIMP U-Pb zircon data of a dark eclogite and a post-eclogite garnet-bearing gneissic granitic rock from the Bixiling area, Yuexi County, Anhui Province, in the eastern Dabie Mountains. The eclogite, which is metamorphosed basic tuff, contains very scarce zircons in omphacite or garnet, but more zircons in quartz. They usually exhibit a double-layered texture, as shown clearly in cathodoluminescence images. Their inner main parts give a 206Pb/238U age of 757±7 Ma, representing the approximate age of the high-pressure (HP)- ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic event during which the eclogite was formed. The outer peripheral parts of the zircons, which have been modified by late-stage fluids, give an age of 223±3 Ma. The granitic rock contains more zircons of anatectic origin found mostly in feldspar and quartz and usually also showing a similar composite texture. The inner main parts of the anatectic zircons with oscillatory zoning give a 206Pb/238U age of 727±15 Ma for the approximate age of the emplacement of the granitic rock, and their outer parts, an age of 219±3 Ma for a similar or even the same fluid event. It is thus suggested that the HP-UHP metamorphism of the Bixiling eclogite facies rocks took place during the Neoproterozoic Jinningian, and the Indosinian age values may only represent a late event in the nature of fluid activity.

Initiation of plate tectonics in the Hadean: Eclogitization triggered by the ABEL Bombardment

When plate tectonics began on the Earth has been long debated and here we argue this topic based on the records of Earth-Moon geology and asteroid belt to conclude that the onset of plate tectonics was during the middle Hadean（4.37-4.20 Ga）. The trigger of the initiation of plate tectonics is the ABEL Bombardment, which delivered oceanic and atmospheric components on a completely dry reductive Earth, originally comprised of enstatite chondrite-like materials. Through the accretion of volatiles, shock metamorphism processed with vaporization of both CI chondrite and supracrustal rocks at the bombarded location, and significant recrystallization went through under wet conditions, caused considerable eclogitization in the primordial continents composed of felsic upper crust of 21 km thick anorthosite, and 50 km or even thicker KREEP lower crust. Eclogitization must have yielded a powerful slab-pull force to initiate plate tectonics in the middle Hadean. Another important factor is the size of the bombardment. By creating Pacific Ocean class crater by 1000 km across impactor, rigid plate operating stagnant lid tectonics since the early Hadean was severely destroyed, and oceanic lithosphere was generated to have bi-modal lithosphere on the Earth to enable the operation of plate tectonics.Considering the importance of the ABEL Bombardment event which initiated plate tectonics including the appearance of ocean and atmosphere, we propose that the Hadean Eon can be subdivided into three periods：（1） early Hadean（4.57-4.37 Ga）,（2） middle Hadean（4.37-4.20 Ga）, and（3） late Hadean（4.20-4.00 Ga）.

Phase Equilibria of Hornblende-Bearing Eclogite in the Western Dabie Mountain,Central China

The high-pressure （HP） eclogite in the western Dabie Mountain encloses numerous hornblendes, mostly barroisite. Opinions on the peak metamorphic P-T condition, PT path and mineral paragenesis of it are still in dispute. Generally, HP eclogite involves garnet, omphacite, hornblendes and quartz, with or without glaucophane, zoisite and phengite. The garnet has compositional zoning with XMg increase, XCa and XMn decrease from core to rim, which indicates a progressive metamorphism. The phase equilibria of the HP eclogite modeled by the P-T pseudosection method developed recently showed the following： （1） the growth zonation of garnet records a progressive metamorphic PT path from pre-peak condition of 1.9-2.1 GPa at 508~C-514~C to a peak one of 2.3-2.5 GPa at 528~C-531~C for the HP eclogite; （2） the peak mineral assemblage is garnet＋omphacite＋glaucophane＋quartz_＋phengite, likely paragenetic with lawsonite; （3） the extensive hornblendes derive mainly from glaucophane, partial omphacite and even a little garnet due to the decompression with some heating during the post-peak stage, mostly representing the conditions of about 1.4-1.6 GPa and 580~C-640~C, and their growth is favored by the dehydration of lawsonite into zoisite or epidote, but most of the garnet, omphacite or phengite in the HP eclogite still preserve their compositions at peak condition, and they are not obviously equilibrious with the hornblendes.

Triassic Collisional Structures and Post-CollisionalDeformation of Bixiling UHP Rock Stack: Insightsfor Tectonic Evolution of UHP MetamorphicBelt in Dabie Massif, Central China

Detailed three-dimensional structural studies indicate that the Bixiling area, Dabie massif, central China shows the deepest exposed levels of the orogenic wedge formed during the Triassic Yangtze -Sino-Korean continental collision. New 1 : 10 000 scale structural mapping, combined with detailed petrological analysis in this area, has enabled us to accurately distinguish structures related to the Triassic continental collision from those related to post-collisional deformation in the ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic unit. The collisional or compressional structures include the massive eclogite with a weak foliation, foliated eclogite or UHP ductile shear zones, as well as upper amphibolite facies shear zones, whereas the post-collisional deformation is characterized by a regionally, flat-lying foliation containing stretching lineations and common reclined folds. The former is present exclusively in the eclogite lenses and their margins, representing orogenic thickening or syn-collisional events, while the latter was best occurred on variable scales under amphibolite facies conditions, showing sub-vertical, extreme shortening and ductile thinning of the metamorphic rock stack. The eclogite facies tectonites that have a marked fabric discordance to the penetrative amphibolite facies extension flow fabric are common. It is emphasized that an extensional tectonic setting following the collision-orogenic thickening stage was, at least partly, responsible for exhumation of the UHP metamorphic rocks in the Dabie massif. A new tectonic evolution model is proposed for the UHP metamorphic belt on the scale of the Dabie massif. The Bixiling area thus provides a window, from which the dynamic processes concerning the formation and exhumation of the UHP rocks can be observed. Regional studies in the Dabie Mountains have confirmed this interpretation.

Role of Water in Deformed Omphacite in UHP Eclogite from the Dabie Mountains,Eastern China

Omphacite grains from UHP eclogite of the Dabie Mountains in eastern China are elongated and show strong lattice preferred orientations (LPOs). Observations by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) identified not only structures of plastic deformation occurring as free dislocation, dislocation loops and dislocation walls, but also bubbles of water present in the deformed omphacite. The bubbles attach to the dislocation loops which are often connected to one another via a common bubble. Using infrared spectroscopy (IR), two types of hydrous components are identified as hydroxyl and free-water in the omphacite. An analysis of deformation mechanism of microstructure in omphacite suggests that the mineral deformed plastically under UHP metamorphic conditions by dislocation creep through hydrolitic weakening.

Early Cooling History of Eclogites from the Dabie-Sulu Orogen: Constraints from Diffusion Kinetics of Garnet

For the first time, we apply different geospeedometric models to garnet zoning patterns that were obtained in this study from detailed EMP analyses for garnets from eclogites and granulite in the Dabie-Sulu orogen. Various zonings of cation diffusion were preserved in the garnets, enabling the acquirement of average cooling rates for the high-to ultrahigh-pressure rocks without using geochronological approaches. The coesite-bearing hot eclogites yield fast cooling rates of about 20 to 30℃/Ma subsequent to peak metamorphic temperatures, whereas the cold eclogite gives a relatively slow cooling rate of 8℃/Ma at its initial exhumation. A very slow cooling rate of <0.3℃/Ma is obtained for the granulite at Huangtuling, suggesting that the granulite may not be involved in the continental deep subduction.

Isotopic Geochronological Evidence for the Caledonian Xiongdian Eclogite in the Northwestern Dabie Mountains,China

A typical HP/MT (high pressure/medium temperature) eclogite from Xiongdian, northwestern Dabie Mountains, has been geochronologically studied using the single-zircon U-Pb, 40Ar-39Ar and Sm-Nd methods. Prismatic zircons occurring as inclusions within garnets define a minimum crystallization age of 399.5±1.6 Ma. 40Ar-39Ar dating on amphibole gives a plateau age.of 399.2 ± 4 Ma, which is interpreted as a retrogression age of amphibolite facies. This integrated study enables us to conclude that the age of high-pressure metamorphism is older than 399.5 ± 1.6 Ma, suggesting Caledonian collision between the North China and Yangtze plates. Round zircon within the aggregate of quartz and muscovite gives a concordant age of 301± 2 Ma, reflecting a later retrogression event. An age profile of post-eclogite metamorphism is documented, including amphibolite facies metamorphism at 399.2 Ma shortly after eclogitization and later retrogressive metamorphism at 301 Ma. Sm-Nd mineral isochron of garnet+omphacite gives an unreasonable age of 544 ± 23 Ma. which is quite older than that of prismatic zircon and may be attributed to isotopic disturbance by retrogression.

DIFFUSION MODELLING IN GARNET FROM TSO MORARI ECLOGITE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR EXHUMATION MODELS

The results of recent geothermobarometric and geochronological investigations of scarce eclogites of the NW Himalaya (Tso Morari (Ladakh), India and Kaghan Valley, Pakistan) have caused a major rethink of tectonometamorphic models for India\|Asia collision. Numerous petrologic studies have been undertaken on the age and origin of metamorphism in the Higher Himalayan Crystallines (HHC) and Lesser Himalaya formations (LH) and their relationship to granite magmatism and movements along the Main Central Thrust (MCT) and South Tibetan Detachment Fault (STDF). However, all of these events are essentially Miocene (or younger) in age and can clearly be distinguished from subduction and exhumation processes undergone by the eclogites which are of Eocene age (Tonarini et al. 1993; Spencer & Gebauer; 1996; de Sigoyer et al. 1999) and relate to the very early stages of the collision. Eclogites of eastern Ladakh are mafic lenses found in granitic gneisses (Ordovician intrusive age: Girard & Bussy 1999) and their surrounding late Pre\|Cambrian to early Cambrian sedimentary units in the Tso Morari dome (see Steck et al. 1998). Detailed petrological and geochronological studies (Guillot et al. 1997; de Sigoyer et al. 1997, 1999) have identified an eclogite facies stage (2000±300)MPa, (580±60)℃ followed by isothermal decompression associated with glaucophane growth at around (1100±200)MPa. Dating of different phases by different methods yielded ages around 55Ma for this stage ((55±17) Ma, U\|Pb, Aln; (55±12) Ma, Lu\|Hf, Grt\|Cpx\|Rt; (55±7) Ma, Sm\|Nd, Grt\|Gln\|Rt). A subsequent amphibolite facies overprint at slightly higher temperature (610±70)℃ was dated at 45～48Ma (metabasite: (47±11) Ma, Sm\|Nd, Grt\|Hbl; metapelite: (45±4) Ma, Rb\|Sr, Mu\|Ap\|WR and (48±2) Ma, Ar\|Ar, Phe). By (30±1) Ma (Ar\|Ar, Bt\|Mu) retrogression into the greenschist facies had occurred (de Sigoyer et al. 1999). These data indicate a two stage history with early exhumation being much faster (>4mm/a) than the later evolution (1～2mm/a).

Eclogites of the Dabie Region: Retrograde Metamorphismand Fluid Evolution

Based upon fluid effects, retrograde metamorphism of eclogites in the Dabieregion can be divided into the fluid-poor, fluid-bearing and fluid-rich stages. The fluid-poor stageis marked by polymorphic inversion, recrystallization and exsolution of solid solutions, and isthought to represent eclogite-facies retrograde environments. The fluid-bearing stage is likely tohave occurred at the late stage of ecologite-facies diaphthorosis and is represented by kyaniteporphyroblasts, rutile, and sodic pyroxene in association with high-pressure hydrous minerals suchas phengite and zoisite (clinozoisite) without significant amount of hydrous minerals such asamphibole, epidote and biotite. The fluid-rich stage might have commenced concomitantly with loweramphibolite-facies diaphthoresis and persisted all the way towards the near-surface environment. Theproduct of this stage is characterized by plentiful hydrous and volatile-bearing phases.The dissemination-type rutile mineralizations in eclogites might have formed by preferentialshearing-induced pressure solution of gangue minerals at the fluid-bearing stage. The accompanyingvein rutile was precipitated from fluids of this stage after local transport and concentration, andmay hence represent proximal mobilization of titanium from the eclogite. Therefore, rutile veins canbe used as an exploration indicator for dissemination-type rutile deposits.

Petrographic and SHRIMP Studies of Zircons fromthe Caledonian Xiongdian Eclogite, NorthwesternDabie Mountains

The Xiongdian eclogite occurring in the Sujiahe tectonic melange zone at Luoshan County, Henan Province, in the western Dabie Mountains, is typical high-pressure (HP)-ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) and medium-temperature eclogite. The occurrence, internal texture and surface characteristics of zircons in eclogite were studied rather systematically petrographically combined with the cathodoluminescence (CL) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) methods. Zircons are mainly hosted in garnet and other metamorphic minerals with sharp boundaries, have a multifaceted morphology and are homogeneous or exhibit a metamorphic growth texture in the interior, thus indicating that they are the product of metamorphism. SHRIMP analyses give zircon 206Pb/238U ages of 335 to 424 Ma and show a certain degree of radiogenic Pb loss; therefore it may be inferred that the age of 424? Ma represents the minimum age of a HP-UHP metamorphic age. From the above analyses coupled with previous Sm-Nd, 40Ar-39Ar, U-Pb and 207Pb/206Pb age data, it is suggested that the peak metamorphic age of the Xiongdian eclogite should be between 424 and 480 Ma. This study further validate the view of the existence of a Caledonian HP-UHP metamorphic event in the western Dabie Mountains.

Subduction channel fluid-rock interaction:Indications from rutile-quartz veins within eclogite from the Yuka terrane,North Qaidam orogen

High-pressure(HP)or ultrahigh-pressure(UHP)rutile-quartz veins that form at mantle depths due to fluid-rock interaction can be used to trace the properties and behavior of natural fluids in subduction zones.To explore the fluid flow and the associated element mobility during deep subduction and exhumation of the continental crust,we investigated the major and trace elements of Ti-rich minerals.Additionally,U–Pb dating,trace element contents,and Lu–Hf isotopic composition of zircon grains in the UHP eclogite and associated rutile-quartz veins were examined in the North Qaidam UHP metamorphic belt,Yuka terrane.The zircon grains in the rutile-quartz veins have unzoned or weak oscillatory zonings,and show low Th/U ratios,steep chondrite-normalized patterns of heavy rare earth elements(HREEs),and insignificant negative Eu anomalies,indicating their growth in metamorphic fluids.These zircon grains formed in 431
3 Ma,which is consistent with the 432
2 Ma age of the host eclogite.As for the zircons in the rutile-quartz veins,they showed steep HREE patterns on one hand,and were different from the zircons present in the host eclogite on the other.This demonstrates that their formation might have been related to the breakdown of the early stage of garnet,which corresponds to the abundance of fluids during the early exhumation stage.The core-rim profile analyses of rutile recorded a two-stage rutile growth across a large rutile grain;the rutile core has higher Nb,Ta,W,and Zr contents and lower Nb/Ta ratios than the rim,indicating that the rutile domains grew in different metamorphic fluids from the core towards the rim.The significant enrichment of high field strength elements(HFSEs)in the rutile core suggests that the peak fluids have high solubility and transportation capacity of these HFSEs.Furthermore,variations in the Nb vs.Cr trends in rutile indicate a connection of rutile to mafic protolith.The zircon grains from both the rutile-quartz veins and the host eclogite have similar Hf isotopic compositions,indicating that the vein-forming fluids are internally derived from the host eclogite.These fluids accumulated in the subduction channel and were triggered by local dehydration of the deeply subducted eclogite during the early exhumation conditions.

NORTH QAIDAM ULTRAHIGH PRESSURE METAMORPHIC (UHPM) BELT ON THE NORTHEASTERN QINGHAI-TIBET PLATEAU AND ITS EASTWARD EXTENSION

Eclogite was firstly discovered at the Da Qaidam region (Yang,et al., 1998), and then in the Xitieshan and Dulan regions in 1999, constituting an over 350km long high\|pressure metamorphic belt in the northeastern Qinghai—Tibet plateau. Eclogites occur as pods in the garnet\|muscovite gneiss of the Dakendaban Group (or called Shaliuhe Group in Dulan) of Upper Proterozoic age. In general, the pods of eclogite vary in size; most of them are less than 20m×10m, some large ones up to about 100m×50m. The eclogite\|hosted gneiss is pale\|gray in color, consisting mainly plagioclase and quartz, and minor muscovite (5%～10% in vol.) and garnet (1%～2%). Some of the country rocks of eclogite are mica\|quartz\|(feldspar) schist, quartzite, and ultramafic rocks, the latter also occur in blocks.Over 50 pods were found in a belt of 10km×3km in the Da Qaidam region (No.1 location). Only a few pods of eclogite were found in the Xitieshan region in 1999 field expedition (No.2 location). Eclogite in Dulan occurs in the Proterozoic strata of Shaliuhe Group (same as the Dakendaban Group but with a different name). The eclogites in the Dulan region (No.3 location) expose about 10km wide in SN and an unknown length in EW, and can be subdivided into two belts, the North Eclogite Belt of Dulan (NEBD) and the South Eclogite Belt of Dulan (SEBD).

Discovery of eclogites in Jinsha River suture zone, Gonjo County, eastern Tibet and its restriction on Paleo-Tethyan evolution

As the important component of the eastern Tethys tectonic region,the Jinsha River-Ailao Mountain suture zone is often considered to be an ophiolitic mé1ange belt.However,the P-T-t path and chronological framework of the metamorphic evolution in the collisional orogenetic process of this zone are still poorly understood owing to the lack of metamorphism research of symbolic high-pressure rocks.During a regional geological survey on a scale of 1:50000 in Gonjo County,Tibet Autonomous Region involved in this paper,(retrograde)eclogites lenses of different scales were found in Jinsha River suture zone,eastern Tibet for the first time.The(retrograde)eclogites can be divided into garnet-albite-chlorite-actinolite schists and eclogites according to retrograde degrees.The mainly mineral components of eclogites include garnet(45%-50%),clinopyroxene(about 25%),and hornblende(5%-10%)primarily,and biotite,quartz,rutile,and muscovite secondarily.According to the data of electron probe micro analysis(EPMA),clinopyroxenes feature high content of Na2O(5.6%-6%)and corresponding jadeite(Jd)molecules of 37%-44%,and they fall within the omphacite region in Quad-Jd-Ae diagram.The temperature and pressure of the metamorphism at peak are P≈2.2-2.34 GPa and T≈622-688℃respectively as measured with geobarometry Grt-Omp-Phe and geothermometer Grt-Omp.This will provide a new reference for the understanding of Paleo-Tethyan evolution.In this paper,two samples of eclogites were chosen for LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating and their 206pb/238U ages obtained are 240±3 Ma and 244±1 Ma respectively.Furthermore,the zircons feature extremely low Th/U ratio(<0.01),extremely low content ofNb,Ta,and HREE,and invisible negative Eu anomaly.Therefore,the genesis of the zircons shall be eclogites-facies metamorphism,indicating that the 240-245 Ma determined in this paper shall be the age of eclogites-facies metamorphism and may represent the westward subduction-collision epoch of Paleo-Tethys Ocean located between Zhongza Block and Qamdo Block.