Garnet-bearing Granulite Facies Rock Xenoliths from Late Mesozoic Volcaniclastic Breccia, Xinyang, Henan Province

This paper presents the primary results of petrologic, mineralogical and petrochemical studies of garnet-bearing granulite facies rock xenoliths from Xinyang, Henan Province. These xenoliths, which are found in a pipe of late Mesozoic volcaniclastic breccia, are of high density (3.13–3.30 g/cm3) and high seismic velocity (Vp = 7.04–7.31 km/s), being products of underplating of basaltic magmas and had experienced granulite facies metamorphism. The underplating and metamorphism took place before the eruption of the host rock. Petrographical studies and equilibrium T-P calculations show that these xenoliths were captured at a 49 km depth and experienced at least a 16 km uplift before they were captured. The dynamics of the uplift could be related to the continent-continent collision between the North China plate and the Yangtze plate during the Triassic.

Experimental Study of the Melting Reaction and Genetic Mechanism of Mineral Phase Transformation in Granulite Facies Metamorphism

The high-temperature and high-pressure experiment on natural block rock indicates that dehydration-melting of hydrous biotite (Bi) and partial melting of felsic minerals in garnet-biotite-plagioclase gneiss are mainly controlled by temperature, while mineral phase transformation is not only controlled by temperature-pressure conditions but also genetically associated with hydrous mineral dehydration-melting and partial melting of felsic minerals. According to the characteristics of biotite dehydration-melting and garnet transformation reaction, three stages may be distinguished: (1) when the experimental temperature is 700℃, biotite transforms to ilmenite (Ilm) + magnetite (Mt) + H2O and garnet to magnetite (Mt); (2) when the temperature is 730-760℃, biotite is dehydrated and melted and transformed into K2O-rich melt + Ilm + Mt, and garnet, into hypersthene (Hy) + cordierite (Crd); (3) when the temperature is up to or higher than 790℃, biotite is dehydrated and melted and transformed into melt + Hy + Ilm + Mt, and garnet, into the hypersthene (Hy) + spinel (Sp) + cordierite (Crd) assemblage. The melt proportion and its evolutionary characteristics are mainly controlled by dehydration-melting of hydrous minerals and partial melting of felsic minerals besides P-T conditiops: In addition to the traditional solid 4- solid (or fluid) reaction and dehydration-melting reaction, the metamorphic reaction involving melts (reaction between unmelted minerals and melts) is one of the most important reactions in granulite facies metamorphism and its attendant remelting (or regional migmatization). This experiment may provide dependable experimental data for an in-depth study of the genetic mechanism of mineral assemblage evolution and its geological dynamic significance in granulite facies metamorphism of the studied area.

Granulite Facies Metamorphic Age and Tectonic Implications of BIFs from the Kongling Group in the Northern Huangling Anticline

We report preliminary results of a geochemical study on banded iron formations （BIFs） in the Zhaojiayangpo （赵家阳坡） area from the Kongling （崆岭） Group in the northern Huangling （黄陵） anticline, on the northern margin of the Yangtze craton. The CL （cathodoluminescence） images of zircons mostly have sector zoning, fir-tree zoning and patched zoning, and a few show core-rim tex-tures with rims having patched zoning. The calculated formation temperatures using the Ti-in-zircon thermometer are 660-808 ℃ （714 ℃C in aver-age）, all indicating that the BIFs underwent granulite facies metamorphism. The age of zir-cons with granulite facies metamorphism is 1 990±14 Ma by LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating, indi-cating that there was a significant granulite fa-cies tectonothermal event in the northern Huangling anticline in the Paleoproterozoic, which may be related with tectonic thermal events of the metamorphism caused by the as-sembly of the Columbia supercontinent with South China. Moreover, the REE pattern ischaracterized by depletion in LREE while relatively flat in HREE, LaN/YbN=0.26, with a positive Eu anomaly （Eu/Eu^＊---1.59）, which reveals its hydrothermal sedimentation origin and it may have formed in the environment of submarine exhalation.

Granulite-facies Middle-Lower Crustal Xenoliths from Nushan Alkali Basalt in Northeastern Anhui Province,China

Metamorphic xenoliths within the Nushan alkali basalt of northeastern Anhui (NEA),China ,are from the middle-lower crust.They could be divided into two end-members:basic and acid.Interme-diate xenoliths are scarcely found.Basic two-pyroxene granulites(pyriclasites) were formed at 720-810℃ and 7-8kb.Petrological and geochemical studies indicate that the primary magma of the protoliths of basic granulites was derived from the metasomatized upper mantle, while the pa-rental magma of the acid end-member was probably produced by partial melting of the basic rocks. The protoliths of charnockites and grey gneisses represent respectively the early and late crystallization products of the granitic magma.The Nushan granulites are much different in many aspects from the granulites exposed in the northern part of North China ,which implies the inhomogeneity regarding to the early evolution of the North China terranc.

^(207)Pb/^(206)Pb Zircon Dating of the Huangtuling Hypersthene-Garnet-Biotite Gneiss from the Dabie Mountains, Luotian County, Hubei Province, China: New Evidence for Early Precambrian Evolution

The Huangtuling hypersthene-garnet-biotite gneiss at Luotian County, Hubei Provine, is a typicalgranulite-facies rock of the Dabie Group Complex in the Dabie orogenic belt. Investigations on the morphology andoccurrence of zircons and their internal structures shown in the thin sections lead to the recognition of three types ofzircons, which are in good agreement with the types identified on the basis of morphology, colour and external fea-tures from the related zircon concentrates. The observation of zircons in the rock reveals that part of type 1 zirconsshow signs of a double-layered structure. The interval part existed in the protolith prior to the granulite-facies meta-morphism. Type 2, the prismatic zircons which mainly occur in garnet and hypersthene are metamorphic minerals ofthe granulite-facies metamorphism. Type 3, the round multifaceted zircons in felsic minerals and biotite, are proba-bly attributed to a later geological event related to migmatization. The ^(207)Pb/^(206)Pb zircon dating by direct evaporationon (thermal evaporation ion mass spectrometer) yields ages ranging from 2814 Ma to 1992 Ma. The age discrepancyamong these different zircon types is conspicuous. The yellow-brown(type 1) zircons give ages of 2814±29 Ma to2527±6 Ma, the prismatic euhedral zircons (type 2), 2456±7 Ma to 2254±4 Ma, and the round multifaceted zircons(type 3), 1992±10 Ma. The results are geologically interpreted in consideration of the complicated behaviours of zir-cons during Precambrian geological evolution of the Dabie area. (1) If the protolith of the gneiss is a sedimentaryrock, then type 1 zircons are clastic ones and the ages 2814±29 Ma and 2811±27 Ma may reflect the minimum age ofthe rocks of its source region. also the first geological event in the area. Sedimentation of the protolith occurred be-tween 2814 Ma and 2527 Ma, probably close to 2814 Ma. If the protolith is a volcanic rock, then the formation age ofthe supracrustal rocks of the Dabie Group Complex is around 2814 Ma. The age 2456±7 Ma reflects the time whenthe granulite-facies metamorphism took place. The later migmatization event is dated at aboat 1992±10 Ma, and isprobably the latest early Precambrian event in the area. The present work provides geochronological evidence for the existence of the Dabie Archaean craton, whichhad probably experienced 3 or 4 geological events during its early Precambrian evolution.

Magnetic Structure of Archean Kongling Group from Yangtze Craton,South China

Densities and various magnetic parameters (susceptibility, saturation magnetization, saturation isothermal remanent magnetization and intrinsic coercivity) were measured for 20 representative rock samples of different lithologies from the Archean Kongling amphibolite to granulite facies terrain of the Yangtze craton. Metasedimentary rocks and tonalitic trondhjemitic granodioritic granitic (TTGG) gneisses show that values of susceptibility κ and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization SIRM are higher than those of amphibolites and gabbros. The felsic gneisses have averages of κ =(1 163±375)×10 -6 SI, SIRM =(18.23±8.38) A/m and R 1=0.083 3± 0.005 7 and the metasedimentary rocks κ =(1 236±823)×10 -6 SI, SIRM =(20.70±10.91) A/m and R I=0.071 4±0.025 2. In contrast, mafic rocks have average κ =(764±316)×10 -6 SI, SIRM = (10.46±3.94)A/m and R 1=0.036±0.009 4, and are dominated by a mixed paramagnetic and ferrimagnetic behavior. Thermal magnetic analyses indicate that magnetite and maghemite of low coercivity are the major carriers of remanent magnetism in the metaclastic sedimentary rocks and TTGG gneisses. The amphibolite and gabbro contain minor amounts of magnetite and pyrrhotite. Magnetism of metaclastic sedimentary rocks and TTGG gneisses is highly heterogeneous; variation coefficients of κ and SIRM are as high as 67 % and 53 % for the former and 32 % and 46 % for the latter. Mineral compositions suggest that biotite may be responsible for the higher magnetism of the metasedimentary rocks. The highest variations in κ, SIRM and R I exhibited by metasedimentary rocks can also be interpreted by their largest absolute variations in biotite mass fraction relative to mafic rocks and felsic gneisses. The average ratio ( Q ) of natural remanent magnetization to induced magnetization of felsic gneisses and metasediments is 0.47 . Ratios ( REM ) of natural remanent to saturation isothermal remanent magnetization ranges between 0.000 001 and 0.027 000 and averages 0.002 540. These values are comparable to those of rocks of similar lithologies from the Archean Taihua high grade terrain of the North China craton and from the Ivrea zone, northern Italy. The dominant phase of magnetism carried by the Kongling rocks is suggested to be thermal remanent magnetization. Consequently, high temperature metamorphism exceeding the Curie point of magnetite (585 ℃) might be responsible for the formation of rock magnetism of the exposed crust in the area of investigation.

Zircon U-Pb Age,Trace Element,and Hf Isotope Evidence for Paleopro

Zircon U-Pb age, trace elements, and Hf isotopes were determined for granulite and gneiss at Huangtuling （黄土岭）, which is hosted by ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks in the Dabie （大别） orogen, east-central China. Cathodoluminescence （CL） images reveal core-rim structure for most zircons in the granulite. The cores show oscillatory zoning, relatively high Th/U and 176Lu/177Hf ratios, and high rare earth element （HREE）-enriched pattern, consistent with magmatic origin. They gave a weighted mean 20pb/206pb age of （2 766±9） Ma, dating magma emplacement of protolith. The rims are characterized by sector or planar zoning, low Th/U and 176Lu/177Hf ratios, negative Eu anomalies and flat HREE patterns, consistent with their formation under granulite-facies metamorphic conditions. Zircon U-Pb dating yields an age of （2 029±13） Ma, which is interpreted as a record of metamorphic event during the assembly of the supercontinent Columbia. The gneiss has a protolith age of （1 982±14） Ma, which is similar to the zircon U-Pb age for the granulite-facies metamorphism, suggesting complementary processes to granulite-facies metamorphism and partial melting, A few inherited cores with igneous characteristics have 207PB/20PB ages of approximately 3.53, 3.24, and 2.90 Ga, respectively, suggesting the presence of Mesoarchean to Paleoarchean crustal remnants. A few Triassic and Cretaceous metamorphic ages were obtained, suggesting the influences by the Triassic continental collision and postcollisional collapse in response to the Cretaceous extension. Comparing with abundant occurrence of Triassic metamorphic zircons in ultrahigh-pressure eclogite and granitc gneiss from the Dabie-Sulu （苏鲁） orogenic belt, however, very limited availability of aqueous fluid or hydrous melt is evident for zircon growth in the Huangtuling granulite and gneiss during the continental collision. The magmatic protolith zircons from the granulite show a large variation in J76Hf/177Hf ratios from 0.280 809 to 0.281 289, corresponding to εHf（t） values of -7.3 to 6.3 and Hf model ages of 2.74 to 3.34 Ga. The 2.90 Ga inherited zircons show the similar Hf isotope features. These indicate that both growth of juvenile crust and reworking of ancient crust took place at the time of zircon formation. It is inferred that the Archean basement of the Yangtze block occurs in the north as the Dabie orogen, with ca. 2.90-2.95 Ga and 2.75-2.80 Ga as two major episodes of crustal formation.

Magnetic Petrology of Archean High-Grade Terrains: Window into Deep Crustal Structure and Geodynamic Processes

The major results about magnetic petrology of Archearn high grade terrains in the world are reviewed in this article, focusing on the relationship between rock magnetism and deformation, and metamorphism and intensity of magnetization of the lower continental crust. The important problems about the magnetic study of rocks for high grade terrains are advanced.

Phase Equilibria Modeling and P-T Evolution of the Mafic Lower-Crustal Xenoliths from the Southeastern Margin of the North China Craton

The Precambrian lower crust rocks at the southeastern margin of the North China Craton （NCC） are mainly exposed as granulite xenoliths hosted by Mesozoic dioritic porphyry and metamorphic terrains in the Xuzhou-Suzhou area. Garnet amphiholites and garnet granulites are two kinds of typical lower-crustal xenoliths and were selected to reconstruct different stages of the metamorphic process. In this study, in view of multistage metamorphic evolution and reworking, phase equilibria modeling was used for the first time to better constrain peak P-T conditions of the xenoliths. Some porphyroblastic garnets have a weak zonal structure in composition with homogeneous cores and were surrounded by thin rims with an increase in XMg and a decrease in X Ca （or X Mg）- Clinopyroxene contain varying amounts of Na2O and Al2O3 as well as amphibole of TiO2, while plagioclases are different in calcium contents. Peak metamorphic P-T conditions are calculated by the smallest garnet x（g） （Fe2＋/（Fe2＋＋Mg）） contours and the smallest plagioclase ca（pl） （Ca/（Ca＋Na）） contours in NCFMASHTO （Na2O-CaO-FeO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2- H20-TiO2-Fe2O3） system, which are consistent with those estimated by conventional geothermobarometry. The new results show that the peak and decompressional P-T conditions for the rocks are 850-900 ℃/ 1.4-1.6 GPa and 820-850 ℃/0.9-1.3 GPa, respectively, suggestive of high and middle-low pressure granulite-facies metamorphism. Combined with previous zircon U-Pb dating and conventional geothermobarometry data, it is indicated that the xenoliths experienced a clockwise P-T-t evolution with nearisothermal deeompressional process, suggestive of the Paleoproterozoic subduction-collision setting. In this regard, the studied region together with Jiao-Liao-Ji belt is further documented to make up a Paleopro- terozoic collisional orogen in the eastern block of the NCC.