Structural and Chemical Characteristic of Tourmaline, and Mineralogy of Associated Micas from Tourmaline Bearing Quartzite of KombéII (Bafia Group, Central Africa Fold Belt);Implication on the Metamorphic Conditions

Bafia Group is part of the southernmost portion of the Central African Fold Belt (CAFB) in Cameroon. The geological feature of the group is characterized by the presence of metamorphic rocks in which tourmaline had been recognized among accessory minerals. In the present study, attention is focus on the tourmaline bearing quartzite to the southeast of Kombé II. Structure refinement shows that tourmaline is a Fe-dravite with the formula X(Na0.95[]0.05)Y(Mg2.39Fe0.61)Z(Al5.10Mg0.90)(BO3)3T[Si6O18](OH)3[(O,OH)0.88F0.12]. The Fe-dravite is hosted in a Ca-poor quartzite, which is made up, in addition to quartz and tourmaline, of biotite and muscovite. The structure of the dravites shows a low vacancy at the X site, which militates for a crystallization of the tourmaline at a high temperature > 750℃. This is in agreement with previous work which shows that the metamorphic peak in the associated biotite gneiss reaches 825℃. The R1 value of 1.24% means that the crystal structure of the tourmalines is of high quality. The genetical link between gold mineralization and tourmaline should stimulate exploration interest in the study area.

Oxygen Fugacity and Water Activity during Thermal Peak and Retrogression of Granulites around the Sarvapuram Area, Karimnagar Granulite Terrane, Andhra Pradesh, India

The investigated area around Sarvapuram represents a part of the Karimnagar granulite terrane of the Eastern Dharwar Craton, India. Garnet–bearing gneiss is hosted as enclaves, pods within granite gneiss and charnockite. It is largely made up of garnet, orthopyroxene, cordierite, biotite, plagioclase, K–feldspar, sillimanite and quartz. The peak metamorphic stage is represented by the equilibrium mineral assemblage i.e. garnet, orthopyroxene, cordierite, biotite, plagioclase, sillimanite and quartz. Breakdown of the garnet as well as preservation of the orthopyroxene–cordierite symplectite, formation of cordierite with the consumption of the garnet + sillimanite + quartz represents the decompressional event. The thermobarometric calculations suggest a retrograde P–T path with a substantial decompression of c. 3.0 kbar. The water activity(XH2 O) conditions obtained with the win TWQ program for core and symplectite compositions from garnet–bearing gneiss are 0.07–0.14 and 0.11–0.16 respectively. The quantitative estimation of oxygen fugacity in garnet–bearing gneiss reveal log f O2 values ranging from-11.38 to-14.05. This high oxidation state could be one of the reasons that account for the absence of graphite in these rocks.

Mineral chemistry,P-T-t paths and exhumation processes of mafic granulites in Dinggye,Southern Tibet

The mafic granulites in Dinggye,as various scale lense-shaped enclaves within the high Himalayan crystalline rock series,occur along mylonitic foliations at the junction between the Southern Tibetan Detachment System(STDS)and the Xainza-Dinggye normal fault system.The main lithological assemblage comprises garnet plagioclase pyroxenite,garnet two-pyroxene granulite,pyroxene garnet amphibolite and so on.The detailed petrological analyses show that these mafic granulites underwent at least four-stage metamorphic evolution.The first metamor-phic stage,the garnet+clinopyroxene+quart mineral assemblage(M1)was probably formed un-der eclogite facies,the second stage,the plagioclase+clinopyroxene symplectite mineral as-semblage(M2)was produced under high-pressure granulite facies by the early decompressive breakdown of M1 mineral assemblage,the third stage,the plagioclase+clinopyroxene+hypersthene symplectite mineral assemblage(M3)was formed at granulite facies by the late period decompressive breakdown of M1 and M2 mineral assemblages and the final stage,pla-gioclase+hornblende mineral assemblage(M4)was formed by hydrolysis of earlier mineral as-semblages during late uplifting.The detailed mineral composition analyses suggest that garnets and clinopyroxenes within M1 and M2 mineral assemblages display similar compositions to the equivalents in the B and C types of eclogites,whereas the M3 clinopyroxenes are akin to these of the same kind of minerals in the granulite.These mineral chemistry features and P-T estimates calculated by mineral thermometers and barometers indicate that the early stage relic porphyro-blasts(M1)could be formed at the eclogite facies,the early decompressive breakdown(M2)occurred at the high-pressures granulite facies of 1.35―1.48 GPa and 625―675℃,the M3 mineral assemblage recorded the granulite facies of 0.7―0.95 GPa and 775―900℃and M4 plagioglase+hornblende retrograde mineral assemblage was produced under the amphibolite facies metamorphism with pressure of 0.4 to 0.75 GPa and temperature at between 660 and 700℃.These construct P-T paths from crustal subduction overthickening to tectonic uplift tectono-thermal evolution.The mineral chemical characteristics and P-T condition at every metamorphic stage of these granulites indicate that these rocks experienced the eclogite facies metamorphism during the early stage.Subsequently,these mafic granulites underwent the three-stage exhuma-tion of the eclogite facies tectonic uplift,isostatic uplift related to the transformation from ec-logite/high-pressure granulite to granulite facies and extensional uplift.