Cenozoic ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism in pelitic granulites from the Mogok metamorphic belt, Myanmar

Ultrahigh-temperature(UHT)metamorphism is critical for understanding the most extreme thermal evolution of continental crust.However,UHT metamorphism predominantly occurred in the Precambrian and is rarely observed in the modern Earth.Here,we report the discovery of~25 Ma UHT granulites from the Mogok metamorphic belt(MMB)in Myanmar via a combined study of petrology and geochronology.The studied pelitic granulites well preserve a peak mineral assemblage of garnet+sillimanite+plagioclase(antiperthite)+K-feldspar+quartz+Ti-rich biotite+rutile+ilmenite.Pressure(P)-temperature(T)pseudosections and conventional geothermobarometry data only constrain the P-T conditions of the peak stage to<12 kbar and 780–890°C.However,high Zr contents in the matrix rutile(3005–4308 ppm)and high Ti contents(up to 9.2 wt% TiO_(2))in the biotite demonstrate that the Mogok granulites may have experienced UHT metamorphism.The Zr-in-rutile thermometer and X_(Grs) isopleth in the pseudosections yield peak P-T conditions of~12 kbar and>900°C.In situ SIMS and LAICP-MS U-Pb dating and trace element analyses show that both metamorphic zircon cores and rims have flat heavy rare earth element(HREE)patterns with negative Eu anomalies.The metamorphic zircon rims show the lowest HREE contents and yield ^(206)Pb/^(238)U ages of 24.9±0.5 and 25.4±0.6 Ma,respectively,representing the timing of UHT metamorphism.Our results indicate that the central MMB underwent~25 Ma UHT metamorphism,which is possibly induced by continental rifting along the thinned orogenic lithosphere.Our data,as well as reported Cenozoic UHT events,further suggest that UHT metamorphism can be produced in the modern plate tectonic regime by lithospheric extension.

Metamorphism and zircon U-Pb dating of high-pressure pelitic granulites from glacial moraines in the Grove Mountains, East Antarctica

The Grove Mountains are an inland continuation of the Prydz Belt in East Antarctica. Detailed metamorphic petrological and zircon U-Pb geochronological studies are performed on the high-pressure （HP） pelitic granulites from glacial moraines in the Grove Mountains. The metamorphic peak mineral assemblage of the HP pelitic granulites is characterized by garnet ＋ kyanite ＋ K-feldspar ＋ biotite ＋ plagioclase ＋ quartz, and the subsequent medium-pressure （MP） granulite facies retrogression is characterized by sillimanite replacing kyanite, the formation of the biolite ＋ sillimanite symplectite in the matrix. These mineral assemblages and their P-T estimates based on the P-T pseudosection constructed in MnNCKFMASHT system define a clockwise P-T path involving metamorphic peak of 11.6–13.6 kbar at 817–834°C followed by a near-isothermal decompression of 6.7–7.5 kbar at 806–828°C, comparable with those of associated HP mafic granulites from glacial moraines in the Grove Mountains. Zircon U-Pb dating, coupled with available metamorphic age data obtained for HP mafic granulites, reveals HP metamorphism occurred at 540–545 Ma. Combining the previous research results, the HP pelitic granulites and contemporary HP mafic granulites were widely distributed in glacial moraines from the Grove Mountains, suggesting at least part of the Grove Subglacial Highlands underwent Pan-Afrian HP granulite facies metamorphism, which provides new evidence for a collisional tectonic setting of the Pan-Afrian Prydz Belt.

Monazite recorded Paleoproterozoic granulite-facies metamorphism and Triassic fluid modification of the Weihai pelitic granulite,Sulu orogen

Monazite is an important accessory mineral in the pelitic granulites(Weihai area,Sulu orogen),and is also a powerful monitor for understanding the metamorphic evolution of the granulites.The pelitic granulites incongruously occur as lenses in granitic gneisses.The lithologies of the lenses gradually change from core to margin:The undeformed coarse-grained granulite,the foliated fine-grained granulite,the garnet-biotite-gneiss,and the migmatized granulite.The lens cores mostly preserve a peak granulite-facies metamorphic mineral assemblage of garnet+plagioclase(antiperthite)+quartz+sillimanite+biotite with accessory minerals of rutile,zircon,and monazite.The lens margins display a fluid-induced retrogression.In order to decipher the metamorphic processes of the pelitic granulites,a combined study of BSE imaging,U-Pb dating,and trace element composition for the monazites from the metapelitic lens were conducted.Monazites from the undeformed coarse-grained granulite only record a Paleoproterozoic age(1832±7 Ma,n=40).Monazites from the other lithologies yield the inherited Paleoproterozoic age and Triassic overgrowth age.For example,monazites from the migmatite yield intercept ages of 1818±10 and 211±22 Ma(n=56)with Triassic concordant age of 223.8±2.9 Ma.The Paleoproterozoic monazites are characterized by remarkable depletion in HREE and Y with obviously negative Eu anomalies,indicating their formation equilibrated with garnet and feldspar under granulite-facies conditions.During Triassic fluid modification,the monazite bright rims assimilated Th and Si but released U,HREE,Y,and P.This process resulted in that the Triassic overgrowth monazites have higher HREE and Y contents,and lower Th and U contents with relatively low Th/U ratios.Thus,the monazites in the pelitic granulites recorded a Paleoproterozoic metamorphic event and Triassic fluid modification.The Weihai pelitic granulites might have a tectonic affinity with the North China Craton.Therefore,the Paleoproterozoic pelitic granulites were mechanically drawn into the orogen during the Triassic continental collision,and subsequently were remoulded by the fluids during its exhumation.

The Metamorphism and Its Tectonic Implications of Indosinian High Pressure Granulites from the Badu Complex of the Cathaysia Block, Southwestern Zhejiang Province, South China

The Badu Complex is the oldest metamorphic rock in Cathaysia Block which experienced several episodes of metamorphism Especially indosinian metamorphic reworking in the southwestern Zhejiang Province, South China. The degree of indosinian metamorphism reaches granulite facies. However, there is still insufficient understanding of the characteristics of the Indosinian granulite metamorphism in the Cathaysia and many interpretations of its tectonic significance. Therefore, we present detailed petrology, mineral chemistry and LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb age in this paper from pelitic granulites of the Badu Complex, which is composed of "sillimanite + garnet + cordierite + spinel + biotite + k-feldspar" assemblage and garnet pyroxenite with garnet amphibolite which is consists of "garnet + clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + amphibole + plagioclase". By comprehensive study we get following new findings: Pelitic granulites record four stages of metamorphic mineral assemblages, including prograde(M1), pressure peak(M2), Peak(M3) and post-peak decompressional and then cooling(M4) stages. The prograde M1 assemblage consists of garnet1(core) + staurolite + kyanite + biotite + quartz ± rutile ± chlorite;The pressure peak M2 assemblage consists of garnet1(mantle) + sudoite + rutile + kyanite + corundum + biotite + quartz;The peak M3 have garnet2(rim-mantle) + biotite + sillimanite + quartz ± K-feldspar ± plagioclase ± ilmenite assemblag;the M4 stage is consist of garnet + cordierite + biotite + sillimanite + quartz + ilmenite ± spine ± K-feldspar. The garnet pyroxenite and garnet amphibolites have experienced three stages of metamorphic evolution. Peak high-pressure granulite facies stage M2 consists of garnet + sahlite ± ilmenite ± quartz;Post-peak near isothermal decompression medium granulite facies stage M3 is characterized by typical decompression reaction textures and assemblage of orthopyroxene + plagioclase(An=90–92);amphibolites facies retrograde metamorphic stage M4 is characterized by amphibole + plagioclase(An=33–35) + ilmenite ± sahlite ± quartz mineral assemblage. By means of phase equilibrium simulation and traditional thermobarometer, P-T conditions of 785–820 ℃ and 8.9–9.9 kbar for M3 stage, 780–860 ℃ and 5.7–6.2 kbar for decompressional M4 stage, 705–720 ℃ and 4.5–4.7 kbar for cooling M4 stage in pelitic granulites were obtained. And also 11.6–12.5 kbar and 780–840 ℃ for M2 stage, 7.4–8.2 kbar and 800–880 ℃ for M3 stage, 6.6–7.5 kbar and 500–560 ℃ for M4 stage were obtained in garnet pyroxenite and garnet amphibolite. A clockwise P-T path is confirmed in the two type rocks of the Badu Complex which reflected a near-isothermal decompressional metamorphic process. The peak metamorphism can reach highpressure granulite facies. In addition, the mineral assemblage of garnet + rutile + kyanite + corundum in the peak metamorphic stage of pelitic granulite indicates that it may underwent ultra-high-pressure metamorphism, and the acidic plagioclase exsolution of clinopyroxene in garnet pyroxenite also suggests that it may be retrograded eclogites, which indicates that the deeper Cathaysian block may have eclogite metamorphism. Analyses of LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating indicate that the metamorphic age of pelitic granulite is 233.5 Ma–subduction/collision followed by rapid exhumation and cooling events. The events may relate with the amalgamation of the Indochina BlockSouth China Block North China Block in the paleo-Tethyan domain.