High pressure garnet amphibolites in ophiolitic mélange from the Changning-Menglian suture zone, southeast Tibetan Plateau: P-T-t path and tectonic implication

The garnet amphibolites from the newly identified Wanhe ophiolitic mélange in the Changning-Menglian suture zone(CMSZ)provide a probe to elucidate the evolution of the Triassic Palaeo-Tethys.An integrated petrologic,phase equilibria modeling and geochronological study of the garnet amphibolites,southeast Tibetan Plateau,shows that the garnet amphibolites have a peak mineral assemblage of garnet,glaucophane,lawsonite,chlorite,rutile,phengite and quartz,and a clockwise P-T path with a prograde segment from blueschist-facies to eclogite-facies with a peak-metamorphic P-T conditions of 2000–2100 MPa and 495–515℃,indicating a cold geothermal gradient of about 240–260℃/GPa.Theretrograde metamorphic P-T path is characterized by nearly isothermal decompression to lower amphibolite-facies and subsequent cooling to greenschist-facies.The metamorphic zircons have fractionated HREE patterns and significant negative Eu anomalies,and therefore the obtained zircon U-Pb age of 231±1.5 Ma is interpreted to be the timing of the amphibolite facies metamorphism occurrence.The present study probably indicates that the garnet amphibolites in the Wanhe ophiolitic mélange was the retrograded highpressure eclogite-facies blueschist,instead of the previously proposed eclogites,and the garnet amphibolites recorded the subduction and exhumation process of the Palaeo-Tethys Oceanic crust in the Triassic.

Metamorphism and geochronology of garnet amphibolite from the Beishan Orogen,southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt:Constraints from P-T path and zircon U-Pb dating

Numerous lenses of garnet amphibolite occur in the garnet-bearing biotite-plagioclase gneiss belt in the Baishan area of the Beishan Orogen,which connects the Tianshan Orogen to the west and the Mongolia-Xing’anling Orogen to the east.The study of metamorphism in Beishan area is of great significance to explain the tectonic evolution of Beishan orogen.According to the microstructures,mineral relationships,and geothermobarometry,we identified four stages of mineral assemblages from the garnet amphibolite sample:(1) a pre-peak stage,which is recorded by the cores of garnet together with core-inclusions of plagioclase(Pl1);(2) a peak stage,which is recorded by the mantles of garnet together with mantle-inclusions of plagioclase(Pl2)+amphibole(Amp1)+Ilmenite(Ilm1)+biotite(Bt1),developed at temperature-pressure(P-T) conditions of 818.9-836.5℃ and7.3-9.2 kbar;(3) a retrograde stage,which is recorded by garnet rims + plagioclase(Pl3)+amphibole(Amp2)+orthopyroxene(Opx1)+biotite(Bt2)+Ilmenite(Ilm2),developed at P-T conditions of 796.1-836.9℃ and5.6-7.5 kbar;(4) a symplectitic stage,which is recorded by plagioclase(Pl4)+orthopyroxene(Opx2)+amphibole(Amp3)+biotite(Bt3) symplectites,developed at P-T conditions of 732 ±59.6℃ and 6.1 ±0.6 kbar.Moreover,the U-Pb dating of the Beishan garnet amphibolite indicates an age of 301.9 ±4.7 Ma for the protolith and 281.4±8.5 Ma for the peak metamorphic age.Therefore,the mineral assemblage,P-T conditions,and zircon U-Pb ages of the Beishan garnet amphibolite define a near-isothermal decompression of a clockwise P-T-t(Pressure-Temperature-time) path,indicating the presence of over thickened continental crust in the Huaniushan arc until the Early Permian,then the southern Beishan area underwent a process of thinning of the continental crust.

Metamorphic Evolution of Garnet Amphibolite from the Yaganbuyang Area in the South Altyn Orogen,West China:Insights from Phase Equilibria Modeling and Geochronology

Garnet amphibolite is one of the common metabasic rocks exposed in collisional orogenic belt,the metamorphic evolution of which is associated closely with orogenic processes.The Yaganbuyang garnet amphibolites occur as blocks hosted by massive granitic gneiss,and consist mainly of hornblende,garnet,clinopyroxene,plagioclase,biotite,quartz with minor rutile/ilmenite and phengitic muscovite.These garnet amphibolites were interpreted to have experienced decompression-dominated evolution that can be divided into three generations(M1,M2,M3),based on the petrographic observations and phase equilibria modeling calculated by THERMOCALC.The assemblage of the first generation(M1)is inferred to possibly be dominated by garnet+omphacite+rutile+phengite+quartz,which is modeled to be roughly stable at P>25 kbar and T>800℃.The second generation(M2)is characterized by the local symplectites of clinopyroxene+plagioclase produced from omphacite,indicating a near-isothermal decompression from~23.8 kbar/875℃to~10 kbar/852℃.The third generation(M3)is marked by the kelyphitic rims of plagioclase+hornblende around garnet and of hornblende+ilmenite around clinopyroxene,involving the late-stage retrogression from~9.8 kbar/848℃to~5.8 kbar/645℃.Zircon U-Pb dating yielded one group metamorphic age of c.500 Ma that is interpreted to represent the timing of the peak eclogite-facies metamorphism.A combination of petrography observation,phase modeling results and geochronology data suggests that the Yaganbuyang garnet amphibolites have once undergone eclogite-facies metamorphism by continental subduction rather than crustal thickening.Therefore,the Yaganbuyang area is an eastward extension part of the South Altyn HP-UHP metamorphic belt.

Petrology of Garnet Amphibolites from the Hualong Group: Implications for Metamorphic Evolution of the Qilian Orogen, NW China

The Qilian Orogen marks the junction of the North China, South China and Tarim cratons. The mechanism of continental growth during the formation of the orogen remains unclear. Based on detailed fieldwork, we present a systematic study of petrography, mineral chemistry and phase equilibria of garnet amphibolites from the Hualong Group, which represents the Precambrian basement in the southern accretionary belt of the Qilian Orogen. The garnet amphibolites mainly consist of amphibole, plagioclase, garnet and quartz, with minor pyroxene, biotite and ilmenite. A peak stage of upper amphibolite facies to low-temperature granulite facies metamorphism and retrograde metamorphism in the amphibolite facies affected the samples. Garnet has a homogeneous composition of Alm66-71Grs14-17Prp9_12Sps3-s, amphibole is ferro-hornblende, biotite belongs to the ferro-biotite species and pyroxene is dominated by orthopyroxene with few clinopyroxene. Pseudosection modeling of the garnet amphibolite samples indicates clockwise P-T paths. The samples witness peak metamorphism at conditions of -4.9-6.3 kbar and -755-820 ℃ in the upper amphibolite facies to low- temperature granulite facies, and retrograde cooling and decompression at conditions of-2.5-3.1 kbar and -325-545 ℃. It is inferred that peak metamorphism with high temperature and low pressure occurred at ca. 450 Ma during northward subduction of the South Qilian oceanic crust beneath the central Qilian Block. When continental collision occurred between the central Qilian and the Qaidam blocks, the Hualong Block was aecreted onto the South Qilian accretionary complex and experienced amphibolite facies retrograde metamorphism at ca. 440 Ma.