Akiho Miyashiro Auth. Metamorphism and Metamorphic Belts
Akiho Miyashiro Auth. Metamorphism and Metamorphic Belts
Akiho Miyashiro Auth. Metamorphism and Metamorphic Belts
By
AKIHO MIYASHIRO
Professor of Geology, State University of New York at Albany
London
GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN
Boston Sydney
First published in Great Britain in 1973
Second impression 1975
Third impression 1978
This book is copyright under the Berne Convention. All rights reserved. Apart from
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permitted under the Copyright Act, 1956, no part of this publication may be
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be addressed to the publishers.
This translation © Akiho Miyashiro, 1973
page
Preface 13
Acknowledgments for figures 15
PART I BASIS OF METAMORPHIC PETROLOGY
1 Introduction 19
1-1 Concept of metamorphism 19
1-2 Geologic classification of metamorphism 22
1-3 Compositional groups of metamorphic rocks 28
1-4 Nomenclature of metamorphic rock types 30
1-5 Distribution of metamorphic rocks 34
2 Basic Characteristics of MetamorphiC Reactions 38
2-1 Aim of this chapter and units of measurement 38
2-2 Solid-solid reactions 39
2-3 Open system and models for the behaviour of H2 0 42
2-4 Dehydration reactions 45
2-5 Mineral assemblages and element distribution 48
2-6 Decarbonation reactions 50
2-7 Oxidation and reduction in metamorphism 51
3 Basic Concepts of Metamorphic Petrology S6
3-1 Progressive regional metamorphism 56
3-2 Outline of metamorphic facies 66
3-3 Baric types and paired metamorphic belts 71
3-4 Baric types and geothermal gradients 85
3-5 Temperature and pressure corresponding to individual meta-
morphic facies 88
4 Some Important Problems in Metamorphic Geology 93
4-1 Igneous rock associations related to regional metamorphism 93
4-2 Volcanic arcs in relation to low-pressure regional meta-
morphism 100
4-3 Metamorphic facies and geologic age 106
4-4 Diversity in low-temperature metamorphism 112
4-5 Nature of contact metamorphism 115
S Diagrammatic Representation of Mineral Parageneses 120
5-1 Mineralogical phase rules and composition-paragenesis dia-
grams 120
8/METAMORPHISM AND METAMORPHIC BELTS
5-2 Eskola'sACF andA'KF diagrams 124
5-3 AFM diagrams for metapelites 130
5-4 Schreinemakers bundle 133
and books are listed toward the end of this book. Approximately 1 per cent of
them were published in the period 1795-1899, 51 per cent in the period
1900-65, and 48 per cent in 1966-72 (i.e. in the 7 years since the publication of
the Japanese edition). These figures will give an idea about the recent increase of
publications and the extent of rewriting made for this edition. No doubt, many
important publications escaped the attention the}l deserve.
The researches made by my former co-workers in Japan have played an
essential role in this as well as in the Japanese edition. Among them Drs Yotaro
Seki, Fumiko Shido, Shohei Banno, Masao Iwasaki, Mitsuo Hashimoto, Tatsujiro
Uno, Shunro Ueta and Akira Ono made particularly important contributions,
which helped me formulate some of the basic ideas presented in this book.
Some differences between the Japanese and this edition resulted because
recent ocean-floor studIes have given a much wider perspective to geology. My
acquaintance with ocean-floor studies was acquired during my stay at
Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, during which
time half of this manuscript was written. I am most grateful to Dr Maurice
Ewing, former Director of the Observatory, for his interest and help in my
ocean-floor research and for his encouragement to write this book. The rest was
written after I had moved to the State University of New York at Albany.
I am greatly indebted to Drs Fumiko Shido and Roger Mason, who read
through the manuscript and gave a lot of helpful advice for its improvement. Drs
Hugh Greenwood, Mineo Kumazawa and Peter Benedict read parts of the
manuscript with friendly criticism.
I am most grateful to Mr Yujiro Iwanami, President of Iwanami Shoten, for
his permission and encouragement to make this rewritten English edition from
the Japanese version published by him, and also for his lasting friendship to me
since our high school days. Messrs Yutaka Ogawa and Nobuyoshi Urabe of
Iwanami Shoten were helpful in the publication of the Japanese edition. The late
Mr David Lynch-Blosse and Mr David Grimshaw of George Allen & Unwin Ltd
have been very helpful in the preparation of the present edition.
AKlHO MIYASHIRO
Albany, New York
October 1972
Acknowledgments for Figures
I am indebted to the following friends and organizations for permission for the
use of figures they published:
Iwanami-Shoten for Figs. 1-3,5-1 and 5-2.
Dr P. C. Hess for Fig. 3-9.
Dr R. L. Oliver and the Geological Society of Australia for Fig. 4-3.
Dr J. B. Thompson and the Mineralogical Society of America for Figs. 5-7
and -S.
Dr T. Matsuda for Fig. 6A-1.
Dr Y. Seki for Fig. 6A-3.
Universitetsforlaget (Norway) for Figs. 6B-1, -2, -3 and -4 and for Fig. 7B-11.
Dr A. Ono for Fig. 7 A-I.
Dr J. P. Bard for Fig. 7A-3.
Drs M. R. W. Johnson and G. A. Chinner for Fig. 7A-1O.
Dr E. Niggli and Fortschritte der Mineralogie for Fig. 7A-II.
Dr S. Banno for Fig. 7A-12.
Dr W. G. Ernst and the Geological Society of America for Fig. 7A-13.
Dr B. McKee and American Journal of Science for Fig. 7 A-14.
Drs B. W. Evans and C. V. Guidotti and Springer-Verlag for Fig. 7B-3.
Dr E-an Zen and the Mineralogical Society of America for Fig. 7B-4.
Dr G. A. Chinner for Fig. 7B-8.
Dr L. C. Hsu and Clarendon Press for Figs. 7B-9 and -10.
Dr B. E. Leake for Fig. SB-2.
Dr H. G. F. Winkler for Fig. 9-2.
Dr D. H. Green for Figs. 12-1 and -6.
Drs J. F. Lovering and A. J. R. White and Springer-Verlag for Figs. 12-4 and
-5.
Dr J. G. Moore for Fig. 13-2.
Dr E. H. Bailey for Fig. 13-3.
Dr H. J. Zwart and Geological Society of Denmark for Figs. 14-2 and -3.
Dr A. Sugimura for Fig. 15-2.
Dr S. Uyeda and American Geophysical Union for Fig. 15-4.
Dr N. Kawai for Fig. 15-7.
Dr M. Hashimoto for Fig. 15-9.
Dr Y. Ueda for Fig. 15-11.
Dr D. S. Coombs and Elsevier Publishing Company for Fig. 16-2.
Note on the Transliteration
of Japanese Names
A large number of Japanese geographical names appear in this book. There are
two commonly used systems for the transliteration of Japanese names in western
languages. The main differences between them are as follows:
Hepburn system: shi shu sho tsu chi fu ji mb
Governmental system: si syu syo tu ti hu zi nb
For example, the same names may be written in the two folowing ways:
Hepburn system: Honshu Shikoku Kyushu Sambagawa
Governmental system: Honsyu Sikoku Kyusyu Sanbagawa
Practically all the atlases published in English-speaking countries adopt the
Hepburn system. In this book, however, both systems are used intentionally
mixed in order to follow the commoner usages in the relevant papers.
I Basis of Metamorphic
Petrology
Chapter 1
Introduction
structural changes of rocks which take place in deeper parts of the earth, usually
at higher temperatures than those encountered on its surface. The rocks that
were subjected to such changes are called metamorphic rocks (Daly, 1917).
In metamorphism, the mineralogical reconstitution takes place in essentially
solid rocks. This process is called metamorphic recrystallization, or simply
recrystallization. (The term recrystallization is used in different meanings in
metallurgy and chemistry.)
10
G
.....
.c
6
:
~
:;,
III
~
c...
4
o~--~---L--~~~----~~~--~~~
600 800 1000 1200
Temperature (OC)
Biotite zone
metamorphism does not show a noticeable increase toward the individual small
masses, the general rise of temperature in the axial zone of the metamorphic
terrane may have been largely controlled by the swarm of small intrusives
(Barrow, 1893). Conversely, some of the granitic rocks now under consideration
may have been generated by incipient melting or chemical migration during the
relevant regional metamorphism.
Regional metamorphism appears to be a long process including a number of
phases of recrystallization and of deformational movements. Successive phases
of deformation were usually separated from one another by a static period.
Active recrystallization does not necessarily take place during an active phase of
deformation. The deformational movements in individual phases appear to have
definite characteristics and directions, possibly being distinguished from each
other and put into a time sequence by field work. Schistosity and other
structural features may be assigned to individual phases. Microscopic observation
of relationships between the structural features and mineral growth contributes
to the understanding of such time relations (Sturt and Harris, 1961; Johnson,
1962,1963; Zwart, 1962, 1963).
It has been observed in some metamorphic belts that folds in an early phase
are of a recumbent and isoclinal type, whereas those in a later phase are of a
steeply inclined and more open type (Johnson, 1963; Fyson, 1971). It was also
found in some metamorphic belts that deformational movements producing
large-scale structures such as nappes took place at an early stage of regional
metamorphism, when the prevailing temperature was still low. They were
followed by deformations producing smaller-scale structures and by temperature
increases (e.g. Zwart, 1962; Johnson, 1963; Chatterjee, 1961).
Ocean-Floor Metamorphism
Until quite recently our knowledge of metamorphic rocks was confined to the
realm of continents and islands. In the last few years, however, it became clear
that metamorphic rocks are probably widespread in the deep ocean floors.
Dredging on mid-ocean ridges has yielded a great variety of metamorphic rocks.
The surface layer of the hard crust in the deep ocean floor is largely
composed of basaltic rocks. Judging from the observed patterns of strong
magnetic anomalies, however, the basaltic layer is probably only 0'5-2'0 km
thick. The underlying layer is virtually demagnetized and is probably mainly
composed of metamorphosed mafic rocks (Miyashiro, Shido and Ewing, 1970a,
1971). The ocean-floor metamorphic rocks are mostly of basic and ultra basic
compositions, being formed by the recrystallization of deeper parts of volcanic
piles and associated basic and ultrabasic intrusions. The oceanic crust beneath
normal ocean basins is too low in temperature to cause intensive metamorphic
recrystallization. Ocean-floor metamorphism would take place mainly beneath
the crest of mid-ocean ridges as the geothermal gradient would be relatively high
1-2 GEOLOGIC CLASSIFICATION OF METAMORPHISM /27
there. The metamorphic rocks thus produced are probably moved laterally by
ocean-floor spreading, leading to the formation of the oceanic crust.
Coombs (1961) coined the term burial metamorphism to represent large-scale
recrystallization of deeply buried rocks without marked penetrative
movements. The resultant rocks are lacking in schistosity. This name was
originally intended to apply to zeolite-facies rocks of New Zealand, which
represent the lowest temperature part of the regional metamorphic belt in the
New Zealand geosyncline. Large-scale recrystallization without marked
penetrative movements, however, is common in ocean-floor metamorphism also.
Therefore the term burial metamorphism is considered in this book to represent
a category to include parts of both regional and ocean-floor metamorphism.
metamorphism, and are still used in this meaning by some authors (see
appendix). In order to avoid misunderstanding, the name 'cataclastic
metamorphism' will be used in this book. This category of metamorphism takes
place at low temperatures where recrystallization is not active. If the process
takes place near the surface, the resultant rocks are incoherent, whereas if it
takes place at a considerable depth, the resultant rocks remain coherent in spite
of crushing.
Major faults are commonly accompanied by a belt of cataclastic rocks, up to
several kilometres wide. Cataclastic metamorphism along major transform faults
will be treated in chapter 20, because it is of some importance from the tectonic
viewpoint. Our knowledge of cataclastic metamorphism is, however, very
limited.
When a metamorphic rock has been derived from a particular type of original
rock, we may call the metamorphic rock by the name of the original rock with
the prefix meta, as is exemplified by the terms metasediment, metaclastics,
metapelite, metagraywacke and metavolcanics.
If the original rock had an igneous porphyritic texture, which was modified
by later metamorphic recrystallization, but was not entirely obliterated, the
resultant metamorphic texture is called blastoporphyritic. In general, the prefix
blasto denotes relict textures, while in contrast the suffix blast refers to textural
features which are newly formed by metamorphic recrystallization. For
example, the porphyroblastic texture means a texture that resembles an igneous
porphyritic one but is produced by metamorphic recrystallization. The
pseudo-porphyritic crystals in such rocks are called porphyroblasts.
In the course of metamorphism, some degree of material migration takes
place, resulting in metasomatism, which may be very intense on a small scale. On
a large scale, however, metasomatism is usually not so marked as to efface the
chemical features of the original rocks beyond recognition. Hence, we may
classify most metamorphic rocks into the following five broad groups based on
the composition of the original rocks.
The textural feature is emphasized in the definitions of such names as schist and
gneiss, whereas the mineral composition is delineated in the definitions of such
names as amphibolite. Texture is, however, more or less related to mineral
composition. For example, abundant flaky minerals could produce strong
schistosity. If this relationship is emphasized, most rock names are related to
both texture and mineral composition.
The same names have been used in different meanings by different authors.
The meanings of most names in common usage have changed to some extent
with time. In recent years, the concepts of metamorphic facies have become so
popular as to modify the meaning of some rock names. For example, there is a
strong tendency to limit the use of the names granulite and eclogite to rocks of
strictly defined granulite and eclogite facies. In this respect, the existing
textbooks of descriptive petrography do not give information necessary for the
proper application of terms. In view of this situation, brief comments on main
rock names and related textural terms will be given below.
Metamorphic rocks which contain abundant flaky minerals shOwing parallel
disposition, tend to split into thin irregular plates or lenticles. This property is
called schistosity.
Well-recrystallized metamorphic rocks shOWing strong schistosity are called
schists. Many old petrographers liked to limit the use of the name schists to
rocks poor or practically lacking in feldspars. They called more feldspathic
metamorphic rocks gneisses. This usage is, however, obsolete. Mica schists are a
variety of schists mainly composed of quartz, feldspar and micas, with or
without garnet, kyanite and so on, usually being derived from pelitic sedi-
mentary rocks. Greenschists (to be spelled as a single word) are mainly
composed of feldspar, chlorite and epidote with or without quartz and
actinolite, being formed by the low-temperature metamorphism of basic rocks.
1-4 NOMENCLATURE OF METAMORPHIC ROCK TYPES/31
4
2 3 Quartzo-
1 Mica Two-mica feldspathic 5
Phyllites schists gneisses gneisses Amphibolites
Si0 2 60·0 64·3 67·7 70·7 50·3
Ti0 2 1·1 1·0 0·5 1·6
Ah 0 3 20·7 17·5 16·6 14·5 15·7
Fe203 3·0 2·1 1·9 1·6 3·6
FeO 4·8 4·6 3·4 2·0 7·8
MnO 0·1 0·1 0·1 0·2
MgO 2·9 2·7 1·8 1·2 7·0
CaO 1·2 1·9 2·0 2·2 9·5
Na20 2·0 1·9 3·1 3·2 2·9
K20 4·0 3·7 3·5 3·8 1·1
P20 S 0·2 0·2 0·2 0·3
100·0 100·0 100·0 100·0 100·0
Precambrian Shields
Shield areas were subjected to phases of orogeny and metamorphism in
Precambrian, and became stabilized in Palaeozoic and later time. They usually
occur as cores of continents. The proportions of areal extents of various rock
types have been estimated for the Baltic Shield in Finland (Sederholm, 1925)
and in Norway (Barth, 1961) and for the Canadian Shield (Engel, 1963; Reilly
and Shaw, 1967). A rough estimate of the average relative areal extents of the
rock types exposed on shields is as follows:
Granitic rocks and quartzo-feldspathic
gneisses 70-80%
Other metasediments 10% or a little more
Metabasites 10% or less
VI·
til
...."
>-1
~
....
til
c:
....>-1
0
:z:
0
':t!
is:
ttl
>-1
>
is:
d~1 0
ShO('lds '" ~
~
W
VI
-
36/ INTRODUCTION
geologic age within shields. The Superior Province is the oldest part of the
Canadian Shield, but generally speaking the intensity of metamorphism observed
there is not high. The Grenville Province is the youngest part of the same shield,
but in general has been metamorphosed at higher temperatures, resulting in the
abundant formation of rocks of the granulite facies. Most of the granulite facies
rocks occur in Precambrian shields.
Precambrian granitic and metamorphic complexes were found to exist also as
basements of younger orogenic belts.
The mineral changes in metamorphism are chemical reactions from the view-
point of thermodynamics. Thermodynamics and crystal chemistry are important
for a better understanding of such reactions. There is an extensive literature in
this field. The present book, however, is not intended to cover them in any way,
but is directed toward the mineralogic, petrographic and tectonic aspects of
metamorphism. However some elementary knowledge of the thermodynamic
characteristics of metamorphic reactions is needed even for understanding
mineralOgic and petrographic problems. In view of this need, some of the basic
characteristics are summarized in a simple way in this chapter, largely as a
preliminary to the discussion of progressive metamorphism to be treated in the
next chapter. In this respect, this chapter is essentially a part of the introduction
of this book. Readers particularly interested in the thermodynamic problems in
metamorphism are referred to other books and papers (e.g. Kern and Weisbrod,
1967; Thompson, 1955; Fyfe, Turner and Verhoogen, 1958; Korzhinskii, 1959).
Since our direct concern here is with semi-quantitative relations, fluids will
always be regarded as ideal gases. Four main classes of metamorphic reactions
will be treated, in this order:
The units of pressure and heat most commonly used in the past were the bar,
kilobar, calorie and kilocalorie. In future, however, SI units, pascal (Pa) and
joule (J), will become common for pressure and heat respectively (Pa = N m -2; J
2-2 SOLID-SOLID REACTIONS/39
= N m). The conversion factors between them are given in table 2-1. The bar and
J will be mainly used in this chapter.
The internationally agreed thermochemical standard state is 25°C (298·15 K)
at 1 atm (1·013 bars). Most thermochemical data have been given for these
conditions (e.g. Robie and Waldbaum, 1968). The equilibrium pressure directly
calculated from such data is in atmospheres. However, the difference between
the atmosphere and the bar is small (table 2-1), and may be neglected for the
purposes of this chapter. Therefore, such calculated pressures will be regarded
below as being in bars.
T Temperature
P Pressure }
Ps Rock-pressure
Pfluid Pressure of a fluid phase bar, kilobar
PH,O, Pco" Po, Pressure of H2 0, CO 2 and O 2
within an imaginary semi-
permeable cell in a rock
Standard free energy of
a reaction J (joules)
the catalytic action of a fluid. Since these equations involve solid phases only,
however, the equilibrium P- T relations are independent of the presence and
absence of a fluid.
A number of experimental studies have been carried out, revealing that there
exists a triple point (fig. 2-1). The P-T values of the point, however, have not
o
30~O~--~40~O~---=50~O~--~6~OO~--~7~O~O----~8~OO~
Temperature (DC)
Fig. 2-1 Equilibrium curves for polymorphic transformations of A12 SiO s
(Richardson et al. 1969) and for solid-solid reactions involving jadeite.
(Birch and Le Comte, 1960; Newton and Kennedy, 1968.)
2-2 SOLID-SOLID REACTIONS /41
been well established yet. A synopsis of recently-obtained values is given in table
2-2. Althaus (1967) and Richardson, Gilbert and Bell (1969) gave values near
600 °c and 6 kbar, whereas Newton (1966b) and Holdaway (1971) gave values
near 510 °c and 4 kbar. The natural minerals are not of pure Al2SiOs, and may
show strain and structural disorder. The stability relations may be influenced by
these factors as well as the surface free energy when the relevant minerals are
fine-grained.
Table 2-2 Temperature and pressure of the triple point ofAl2 SiO s
Author and year Pressure (kbar)
Ml, A V, and AS represent the heat of reaction (J) and the changes in volume
(cm 3 ) and in entropy (J K- 1 mol-I) respectively. (When Ali is expressed in cal
and AS in cal K- 1 mol-I, a coefficient of 41'8 should be used instead of 10.0.)
In solid-solid reactions, the change of heat capacity is usually very small. By
neglecting it, we have the follOwing approximate relation:
AG = Ml298 - TAS;98 + (P - I)AV/I0·0, (2-6)
where AG = free energy of the reaction (J) as a function of absolute temperature
T and pressure p(bars), Ali298 and AS298 = heat (J) and entropy (J K- 1
mol-I) of the reaction in the standard state, and AV = volume change (cm 3 ) of
the reaction. The values of Ali298 and AS 298 can be calculated from data given
in tables of thermodynamic constants (e.g. Robie and Waldbaum, 1968).
The equation of the equilibrium curve for the reaction is obtained by the
condition AG = 0 in equation (2-6).
Solid-solid reactions are important for the estimation of temperature and
pressure, since their equilibrium curves are independent of the chemical
potentials of H2 0 and CO 2 ,
Ps (flock-Pressure) and PH 2 0
Pelitic sediments contain a large amount of H2 0, part as interstitial water
between mineral grains, and part as a constituent of minerals. Metamorphism
causes marked dehydration of them. On the other hand, basaltic rocks are
originally poor in H2 0. Their metamorphic transformation to greenschists
involves marked hydration. Since dehydration and hydration are widespread
occurrences, H2 0 must be mobile to some degree within a rock complex
undergOing metamorphism. Similarly, since the metamorphism of calcareous
sediments involves decarbonation, CO2 also should be mobile to some degree. In
other words, a rock complex undergoing metamorphism is probably open to
H2 0 and CO 2 ,
The degree of mobility, however, is not clear. It could differ in different
cases. As an ideal case, we may imagine that a component can move perfectly
freely through a rock complex. In such a case, the chemical potential of the
perfectly mobile component is uniform throughout, and is controlled by
external conditions just like the temperature and pressure acting on the solid
phases. In reality, the degree of mobility is probably much less than in such a
case (e.g. Zen, 1961a; Carmichael, 1970; Guidotti, 1970). The behaviour of H2 0
and other mobile components is of vital importance for understanding meta-
morphic reactions. This problem has been discussed in general forms by Ramberg
(1952), Thompson (1955), Korzhinskii (1959) and Greenwood (1961).
2-3 OPEN SYSTEM AND MODELS FOR THE BEHAVIOUR OF H20/43
The pressure acting on the solid phases will be denoted as Ps and called
rock-pressure in this book.
Chemical potential may be regarded as the free energy that one mole of a
component has in a solution. Chemical potential is an intensive property, being
of the same value for the same component in all phases in a system in
equilibrium. The chemical potential of a pure substance is equal to its molar free
energy. The molar free energy or chemical potential of an ideal gas is related to
pressure P by the following equation:
/l =/le +RTlnP. (2-7)
Here, /l-&, R and T represent the chemical potential at unit pressure, the gas
constant, and absolute temperature respectively. The same relationship holds for
a component gas of an ideal gas mixture when P is regarded as its partial
pressure. In other words, the chemical potential of a component gas increases
with its partial pressure in a gas mixture.
Let us imagine a small cell made up of rigid walls permeable only to H2 0.
This cell is contained in a rock. H2 0 molecules should diffuse through the walls
until osmotic eqUilibrium is reached between the inside and outside of the cell.
The chemical potential of H2 0 should be equal between them. The pressure
within the cell will be denoted as PH, o. It is related to the chemical potential of
H2 0 by equation (2-7).
Model (B). If pelitic sediments are mixed with calcareous ones, metamorphic
reactions should produce an inter granular fluid containing both H2 0 and CO 2 ,
The temperature and pressure of the fluid are assumed to be equal to those of
the adjacent solids.
The chemical potential of H2 0 and 'PH 2 0 should decrease with a decreasing
proportion of the component in the mixture. In this model, Ps = Pfluid > PH 2 O'
Model (C) The intergranular spaces containing a fluid may be mutually con-
nected for a vertical distance. In an extreme case, they may be continuous up to
the surface of the earth. If equilibrium is approached in such a channel, the rate
of downward increase of pressure therein should depend on the density of the
fluid column. It should be much less than the rate of pressure increase in the
surrounding solid phases. In this model, if the dissolved mineral substances are
neglected and the fluid is composed of pure H2 0, Ps > Pfluid = PH 2 0 .
This model appears to be applicable at least to incipient recrystallization of
sediments and hydrothermal metamorphism in active geothermal fields. The
situation represented by this model is mechanically and thermodynamically
unstable. Metamorphic recrystallization would tend to disconnect the inter-
granular spaces. However, penetrative deformations in regional metamorphism
may continually produce new channels.
Model CD). Since the 1940s, a number of petrologists have concluded that an
inter granular fluid phase is not necessary for metamorphic reactions to take
place, and that probably it does not exist in many or most cases of meta-
morphism. This view was particularly emphasized by radical advocates of
granitization around 1950 (Holmes and Reynolds, 1947;· Ramberg, 1952).
It must be noted that the absence of a fluid phase in a rock does not
necessarily mean the absence of H2 0 and CO 2 molecules. Such molecules can be
present in the grain boundaries between minerals, and move by diffusion down
the gradients of their chemical potentials, as was clearly discussed by Ramberg
(1952).
The total mass of H2 0 and CO 2 molecules in grain boundaries should be
negligible as compared with that of the rest of the rock. If a rock is closed to
such molecules, their effects on mineral changes should be negligible. If the rock
is open, however, such components may be successively liberated within the
rock and diffuse away, or may be successively introduced from the outside and
react with the existing minerals within the rock. Continued reactions with
continuous migration of such mobile components would result in a great extent
of change. Therefore, this model has significance only when the pertinent rock
is open for H2 0 and/or CO 2 , This situation is quite different from that of
ordinary experimental studies.
In this model, Pg > PH", 0, and the chemical potential of H2 0 is smaller than
2-4 DEHYDRATION REACTIONS /45
the molar free energy of pure H2 0 under the pertinent temperature and
pressure. If the chemical potential is increased to approach the molar free energy
of pure H2 0, a fluid phase of virtually pure H2 0 composition may form.
In the early phase of regional metamorphism, the temperature should increase
progressively. H2 0 and CO 2 should be liberated from hydrous and carbonate
minerals through a sequence of reactions which take place with rising tempera-
ture. The models for this case are particularly important, and will be treated in
§ 3-1.
(2-10)
muscovite corundum K-feldspar
15 t:\
\
I
\
I
I
I
I
I
10 16
I~
I
I
-;:
'"
.0
.>t.
o.N
rt
It
~ I
~ I
I
I
o50~0~----~~------~~------~~------~-
Temperature (OC)
°
than 10 kbar, an aqueous fluid is highly compressed and the volume of the
liberated Hz is small. If the volume decrease of the solids is relatively large, the
total volume of the system including both solid and fluid may decrease. In such
a case, an equilibrium curve should take on a negative slope. An example of the
change of a curve from positive to negative slopes with increasing pressure is
shown in fig. 2-2 (curve FT).
In the pressure range of more than 30 kbar (corresponding to the upper
mantle), most dehydration curves may have a negative slope (e.g. Fry and Fyfe,
1969). In such a case, increasing fluid pressure should cause dehydration.
Some reactions representing the breakdown of zeolites have a large decrease
in volume of the solid phases. Hence, their equilibrium curves come to have a
negative slope at relatively low pressures (Coombs et al. 1959), as is illustrated
by the breakdown of analcime in the presence of quartz (fig. 6B-5).
Some breakdown reactions of zeolite involve not only a decrease of volume
but also a decrease of entropy. The follOWing are examples: analcime =jadeite +
HzO, and laumontite = lawsonite + 2 quartz + 2 HzO (Fyfe and.Valpy, 1959;
Thompson, 1970b). The equilibrium curves of these reactions have a positive
slope, as shown in fig. 6B-S.
(2-11)
Here, t:.cr and t:. Vs represent the free energy of reaction (J) under 1 bar and the
volume change of solid phases (cm 3 ) respectively, both per mole of liberated
Hz 0, and hence t:.cr is a function of absolute temperature T. P Ha 0 and Ps are
in bars and log indicates the common logarithm. If we accept model (A), Ps =
P Ha 0 in this equation.
In models (B), (C) and (0), Ps > P Ha o. The dehydration temperature in this
case is lower than the corresponding one in model (A) under the same rock-
pressure, and decreases with decreasing P Ha o. Equation (2-ll) is applicable to
this case also.
The general shapes of eqUilibrium curves are shown in fig. 2-3. The curves for
PH 2 0 = constant shown there meet the curve for P s = PH a 0 at their lower end
where Ps is equal to the pertinent constant value of PHa o. The difference
between PHz 0 and Ps becomes greater upwards along the curves of constant
48/BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF METAMORPHIC REACTIONS
Dehydrated
Minerals
+H 2 0
Hydrated
Minerals
Temperature T
Fig. 2-3 Common forms of equilibrium curves for dehydration reactions
under the conditions of Ps = PH, 0 and of constant PH, o. (Thompson,
1955; Greenwood, 1961.)
PH, 0, which usually have a negative slope. In other words, increasing Ps when
PH,o = constant tends to dehydrate minerals.
The relation between the slope of a curve under a constant PH, 0 and that of
the corresponding curve under Ps = PH, 0 is given by the following relation
(Greenwood,1961):
('Op)
a; P =
10·0 AS
.lVs
(2-12)
H,O
When (dP/dT)p g = PH, 0 is known from a synthetic study, the slope of the curve
for a constant PH,o can be directly calculated by this equation. In this
equation, P and AS are in bars and J K -1 mol- 1 respectively.
(2-10) represent the high temperature stability limit of jadeite and muscovite
respectiveiy. If jadeite or muscovite is associated with quartz, reactions would
take place as shown by equations (2-3) and (2-9) respectively. Thus, the stability
fields of these minerals are reduced, as shown in figs. 2-1 and 2-2.
Generally speaking, if quartz can participate in a reaction, its presence will
change the equilibrium temperature. This effect is very important in meta-
morphism, since quartz is widespread and is able to participate in a large number
of reactions (Fyfe, Turner and Verhoogen, 1958; Miyashiro, 1960).
The stability field of a mineral is widest when the mineral is present alone. A
lot of synthetic studies have been made to clarify the breakdown temperature
and pressure of single minerals. Such studies yield only the maximum stability
fields of the pertinent minerals. The stability fields of mineral assemblages
containing these minerals are the same as or smaller than the maximum stability
fields.
The recent progress of metamorphic petrology has enhanced the importance
of mineral assemblages. Description of metamorphic minerals without due regard
to their paragenetic relations is now becoming less important. If two coexisting
minerals in equilibrium have a component in common, Nernst's partition law
holds for the distribution of the component as follows:
x
-=K (2-13)
Y
where x and y represent the mole fractions of the component in the two
minerals, which are regarded as ideal solutions. The partition coefficient K is a
function of temperature and rock-pressure.
The chemical compositions of solid solution minerals should vary with the
bulk chemical composition of their host rock. If two ferromagnesian minerals
coexist, an increase in the Mn/(Mg+Fe2++Mn) ratio of the rock, for example,
should induce an increase of the same ratio in both minerals. The Mg-Fe
distribution between associated ortho- and clinopyroxenes, for example, can be
treated from the viewpoint of equilibrium for the reaction:
(2-14)
The values of atomic ratio Fe/(Mg + Fe) in ortho- and clinopyroxenes are
designated as x and y respectively. If the two minerals are regarded as ideal
solutions, we have the following relation:
In(_X
I-x
)j(---L-)
1
-y
=_
RT·
llG (2-15)
Here, llG represents the free energy change for equation (2-14) under the
condition that each term indicates an end-member mineral. This relation may
SO/BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF METAMORPHIC REACTIONS
be rewritten as follows:
(Fe/Mg) in orthopyroxene =ex (-!J.G/.'RT) =K T ~ (2-16)
(Fe/Mg) in clinopyroxene p ( , s)
The equilibrium curve for this reaction under the condition ofPco 2 =Ps is shown
in fig. 2-4.
~O~O~-----6~O~O~----~70bO~----~8~OO~
Temperature (DC)
Fig. 2-4 Equilibrium curve for the reaction to form wollastonite (2-17)
in the presence of a fluid phase with the composition of pure CO 2 •
(Harker and Tuttle, 195(i.)
2FeO = 2 Fe +0 2 (2.20)
wiistite native iron
Here, llG~, T, and llVs represent the free energy of reaction (J) under 1 bar,
absolute temperature, and the volume change of solid phases (cm 3) respectively.
POa andPs are in bars. The last term is small compared with the others, and may
usually be neglected (Ernst, 196(;); Miyashiro, 1964). Note that equation (2-22)
has the same form as equation (2-11). The calculated equilibrium curves are
shown in fig. 2·5.
As is clear from the figure, haematite is stable at high Po 2 . AsPo 2 decreases,
magnetite, wllstite, and finally native iron become stable in turn. Haematite
52/ BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF METAMORPHIC REACTIONS
occurs in some and magnetite in many metamorphic rocks, but wiistite and
native iron do not. nus suggests thatP02 in rocks undergoing metamorphism is
usually of the order of 10-10 to 10-40 bar, that is, much lower than the partial
pressure of O2 in the atmosphere.
Fig. 2-5 indicates that the magnetite + haematite assemblage show a deftnite
-10 .".
.. ............
....-
.. .",..""
t>~~--- (2.18)
........ Haematite
.....
-15
-.::
a'" -20
rE'"
CD
.2
Native Iron
-30
-35
600 700 800 900 1000 1100
Temperature (OC)
Fig. 2-5 Stability relations of oxides of iron and native iron. Curves
(2-18), (2-19), (2-20) and (2-21) represent equilibria for the equations
which are denoted in the text with these numbers. The effect of pressure
on solid phases is neglected. (Miyashiro, 1964.) 'Wus' means the wiistite
field.
Dissociation of HzO
The Hz 0 present in rocks undergoing metamorphism would be approximately in
dissociation equilibrium with Hz and Oz as follows:
HzO ~Hz + ,Oz (2-23)
Here, PH" Po, and PH, 0 are in bars. If we assume that an aqueous fluid has
the pure water composition, i.e. an atomic ratio of H : 0 equal to 2, Po,
becomes a function of PH, 0 and T. The calculated.curves of Po, for PH, 0 = 1
bar and 2 kbar are shown in fig. 2-5. These curves indicate that if an aqueous
fluid has the pure water composition, haematite is to be stable for almost the
entire temperature range of metamorphism so long as PH, 0 is higher than 1 bar.
This is not the case, since magnetite is very widespread (§ § 7B-21 and 8B-12).
Therefore, Po, in such rocks should be lower than that produced by
dissociation of pure water. In other words, Hz must be present in excess of the
pure water composition. Such a reducing condition may have been fostered
partly by the conceivable ascent of Hz and CO from the mantel of the earth.
However, it is more likely that the reducing condition is produced within the
crust by organic materials and graphite. Such substances are almos.t omnipresent
in metapelites.
Role of Graphite
Black carbonaceous matter in metamorphic rocks has usually been called
graphite in the geologic literature. Recent investigations have shown, however,
that the carbonaceous matter in low-temperature metamorphic rocks are organic
materials comparable to semi-anthracite and anthracite. Their composition and
atomic structure change gradually with increasing metamorphism, until graphite
is formed in the amphibolite facies (Izawa, 1968). Since the individual com-
pounds in them have not been identified, assignment of numerical values to their
reducing power is not possible. As an approximation, we will take up graphite.
The following equilibrium would hold between graphite and Oz:
C + O2 = CO 2 . (2-25)
By neglecting the effect of Pg , we have
Peo
A~= -19·14 Tlog::....::::::1.. (2-26)
Po,
Here, Peo , and Po , are in bars, and AG" is in J. Thus, Po 2 is a function of
Pco , and T. The value of Peo , within the crust could not be greater than 10
kbar. The calculated curves of Po, for the conditions Peo , = 10 bar and 10
kbar are shown in fig. 2-5. These curves indicate that the values of Po, in the
54/BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF METAMORPHIC REACTIONS
presence of graphite is within the magnetite field over almost the entire
temperature range of metamorphism (Miyashiro, 1964).
In rocks containing graphite (or organic matter) and H20, not only CO2 , H2
and O2 but also CO and CH4 (methane) are formed by such reactions as CO2 =
CO + !02 and C + 2H2 = C~. Under a relatively reducing condition, the
amount of CH4 can be considerable (French and Eugster, 1965). The presence
of CH 4 has been detected in bore-holes made through metamorphic rocks in the
Bessi and other mines in the Sanbagawa belt (Izawa, 1968).
(2-28)
fayalite iron quartz
Similarly, a silicate solid solution containing FeO is stable in a range of Po:
at a definite temperature and rock-pressure. As Po: increases, the FeO-bearing
component gradually decomposes to produce magnetite and other products.
Therefore, the FeO/MgO ratio of a silicate solid solution associated with
magnetite and other decomposition products is an indicator of Po: . The higher
the Po : ,the poorer in FeO becomes the silicate solid solution (Mueller, 1960).
In contrast to H20 and CO 2 , which are relatively highly mobile during
metamorphism, O2 and H2 are not as mobile (Thompson, 1957; Eugster, 1959;
Mueller, 1960; Chinner, 1960). In metamorphosed iron formations in the
Canadian Shield, a haematite-bearing layer is found to be in contact with a
magnetite-bearing layer. The actinolite in the former layer is lower in FeO/MgO
ratio than that in the latter. This suggests a higher P02 in the former. The
boundaries between such layers are sharp in some examples and gradational in
others. At any rate, such relations indicate that the mobility of O2 in rocks
undergoing metamorphism is extremely small.
Equation (2-24) indicates the dependence of PHa on POa and PH: O. If Po:
varies greatly across a short distance, PH2 also must do so. Accordingly, the
mobility of H2 was also very small in the above case. Such small mobilities of O2
and H2 are probably a result of a very low value of Po: and of PH:. The
gradients of concentration for O2 and H2 were probably too small to cause
effective diffusion.
It has been shown in some terranes that the Fe 3+ /Fe2+ ratio of metamorphic
2-7 OXIDATION AND REDUCTION IN METAMORPHISM Iss
rocks tends to decrease with increase in temperature of metamorphism (e.g.
Shaw, 1956; Miyashiro, 1958). Probably this is not due to long-distance flow or
diffusion of O2 , In pelitic rocks undergoing metamorphism, Fe20rbearing
minerals lose some oxygen by reaction with organic matter or graphite to form
CO 2 , The CO 2 would flow or diffuse over a long distance, leading to a general
decrease of the Fe 3+ IFe2+ ratio of the rocks. Flow of an intergranular fluid or
diffusion would have spread the reducing condition of metapelites to the
surrounding rocks. Such a flow or diffusion should not be uniform, and the
degree of reduction should be variable in metamorphic rocks. It would cause
diversity in mineral composition. Some metapelites were found to. contain no
graphite and hence to show highly variable degrees of reduction with resultant
generation of variable mineral compositions (Chinner, 1960).
In experimental work, Po 2 can be controlled by using a set of oxygen buffers
(Eugster and Wones, 1962; Ernst, 1960). For example, a buffer composed of a
mixture of magnetite and iron keeps P02 at a value corresponding to the
equilibria of reaction (2-21). The curves of Po 2 for common buffers are shown
in fig. 7 B-1 O. The fayalite-magnetite-quartz buffer, which corresponds to the
equilibria of (2-27), gives P02 values within the magnetite field, and hence
relatively close to those in ordinary pelites undergoing metamorphism.
Chapter 3
rising temperature, but do not occur as easily with declining temperature (e.g.
Harker, 1932; Fyfe, Turner and Verhoogen, 1958). Insofar as this holds true, the
mineral compositions of metamorphic rocks are usually representative of the
state of the highest temperature reached by the individual rocks.
However, it is also common for some mineral changes to take place in the
declining phases of metamorphism. We can recognize such changes usually
without great difficulty through observation of the textural relations of the
minerals.
..
t[;f~ Newer Granites Kyani e zone
o
S aurolite zone
: ...:.,. (Older Granites)
Sillimani te zone o 5 10 km
....J'
'1 0 . _ _. . . .' . _ _
Sodic plagioclase
Interm. and calcic
.....,.,'"
'in
plagioclase
Epidote -- ---
.,
...
.c Actinolite
-Blue-green
Green
and brown
'"
;2;
Hornblende
Chlorite --
Almandine ~----- ------ -----
Chlorite --
Muscovite
Biotite
'"'"
.'!:! Almandine
a;
....,c-
Staurolite
Kyanite
'"
;2;
Sillimanite
Sodic plagioclase
Quartz
Fig. 3-2 Progressive mineral changes in the region of the Barrovian zones
in the Scottish Highlands. (Harker, 1932; Wiseman, 1934.)
Significance of Isograds
In the progressive metamorphism of pelitic sediments, a series of reactions
proceeds with successive rises of temperature. The medium- and high-
temperature parts of regional metamorphic terranes usually approach a state of
chemical equilibrium. Isograds are defined in terms of mineral variations in the
near-equilibrium state.
Toward the lower temperature, a metamorphic terrane grades imperceptibly
into an unrecrystallized area. The low-temperature limit of a metamorphic
terrane depends on the rate of, and the time available for, recrystallization.
Such a boundary is not an isograd in the proper sense.
Isograds give a general picture of the temperature distribution in a meta-
morphic terrane. Strictly speaking, however, a definite isograd (e.g. the
sillimanite isograd) does not necessarily represent a definite temperature. The
sillimanite isograd in the Barrovian zones is due to a solid-solid reaction and
represents a definite temperature only under a definite rock-pressure (fig. 2-1).
The isograds defined in terms of dehydration reactions depend on Ps and PH, 0,
both of which may vary within a terrane.
60/BASIC CONCEPTS OF METAMORPHIC PETROLOGY
Isograds may be classified into three groups as regards the character of the
relevant reactions. One group is characterized by the true appearance or
disappearance of a mineral due to the stability limits of the mineral by itself.
The sillimanite isograd, for example, indicates the disappearance of kyanite and
the appearance of sillimanite. The breakdown of muscovite by equation (2-10) is
another example that might be used as such an isograd.
The second group of isograds is due to a change in tielines in a paragenesis
diagram. All the individual relevant minerals are stable by themselves on both
sides of an isograd, but a tieline between two minerals becomes unstable with
respect to another tieline.
The third group of isograds is due to a change of the composition field of
solid solution minerals. Examples of the second and third groups will be
discussed in detail in relation to the formation of biotite in § 7B-7 (fig. 7B-6).
In all the three groups, variations in Fe 2+/Mg2+ and Mn 2+/Fe 2+ ratios should
cause a change in reaction temperature. Apparent isograds observed in some
progressive metamorphic terranes are actually due to variations in chemical
composition of predominant rocks.
The term grade of metamorphism has been used widely in the geologic
literature. In a current common usage, a low and a high grade designate
petrologic effects of low and high temperatures respectively. So far as the term is
used for comparison of rocks within a single progressive metamorphic terrane, it
has a clear and empirically determinable meaning. When applied to rocks in
different regions, its meaning is not always clear, since entirely reliable values of
recrystallization temperature are not known for most metamorphic rocks. Many
geologists called metamorphic rocks recrystallized at higher rock-pressures,
high-grade rocks. If this usage were to be accepted, we could not tell which of
the following is higher in grade: rocks recrystallized at high pressure and low
temperature, or rocks recrystallized at low pressure and high temperature.
Migration of Materials
The kind, extent and mechanism of the migration of materials in rock complexes
undergoing regional metamorphism have been subjects in dispute for many
years. Some geologists envisaged large-scale migration of various materials, while
others denied it. The migration, if it occurs, may cause a change in bulk chemical
62/BASIC CONCEPTS OF METAMORPHIC PETROLOGY
composition of rocks. The compositional change of rocks caused by the
introduction of materials is called metasomatism (Goldschmidt, 1922).
Decreases in H2 0 and CO2 contents and in Fe203/FeO ratio are the most
commonly observed compositional changes in progressive regional meta-
morphism (Shaw, 1956; Miyashiro, 1958; Engel and Engel, 1958, 1962a;
Vallance, 1960). H2 0 molecules liberated by dehydration of minerals should
either flow or diffuse out of the rock complex. Generally, most of the H2 0
would migrate upwards to the surface of the earth.
Not only liberated H2 0 but also H20 of magmatic or mantle origin may
move through a rock complex undergoing regional metamorphism. In the
progressive metamorphic area of Dutchess County in southeastern New York it
has been demonstrated that the 18 0/ 16 0 ratios of whole-rock samples of
metapelites tend to become lower with an increase in temperature of meta-
morphism, ultimately approaching that of pegmatitic granite and plutonic rocks
in the highest temperature zone. The 18 0/ 16 0 ratios of the original pelites were
probably high, and simple dehydration does not change the ratio so markedly.
Probably H2 0 ofmagrnatic, or some other deep-seated origin with low 18 0/ 16 0,
has been mixed and moved through the metamorphic terrane, resulting in a
significant change of the 18 0/ 16 0 ratio of metapelites on a regional scale. It is
interesting that a quartz-rich pod enclosed in limestone, and an amphibolite,
showed a much higher and lower 18 0/ 16 0 ratio respectively than the sur-
rounding metapelites. Probably the moving H2 0 did not permeate into the
limestone and amphibolite sufficiently to homogenize their 18 0/ 16 0 ratios.
Similar relationships have been noticed in some other metamorphic terranes
also. In other areas, however, metapelites show a more or less irregular
distribution of 18 0/ 16 0 ratios probably owing to an incomplete exchange
reaction of oxygen isotopes (Garlick and Epstein, 1967; Epstein and Taylor,
1967).
CO 2 which is mainly produced by decarbonation would also move through
rock complexes during metamorphism. A decrease in Fe203/FeO would be due
to reduction of ferric iron by organic matter or graphite to result in the
production of CO 2 and H2 o. There is evidence suggesting that the mobility of
O2 is very low (§ 2-7).
It has been claimed in a number of metamorphic terranes that introduction of
Na20 and/or K20 on a regional scale has taken place in the process of
transformation of slates and phyllites to gneisses (e.g. Goldschmidt, 1921;
MacGregor and Wilson, 1939; Read, 1957; Miyashiro, 1958). Such introduction
may be valid in some cases, and a possible mechanism was proposed by Orville
(1962). The hitherto available evidence for the introduction is, however, mostly
equivocal and the observed variation in composition can be well or better
accounted for by the original diversity of the relevant rocks (e.g. Milller, 1970;
Muller and Schneider, 1971; Miyashiro, 1967a). A marked constancy in the
3-1 PROGRESSIVE REGIONAL METAMORPHISM/63
chemical composition of metamorphic rocks has been demonstrated in some
terranes ranging from a slate to a gneiss zone (e.g. Shaw, 1956; Uno, 1961;
Vallance, 1960, 1967; R. W. White, 1966).
Table 3-1 shows average chemical compositions of unmetamorphosed and
metamorphosed pelitic rocks. Between two groups of pelitic rocks which have
undergone different intensities of metamorphic recrystallization, significant
differences are noticed only in HzO, COz and CaO contents, and in FeZ03/FeO
ratio. The difference in CaO is probably due to collecting bias of samples (Shaw,
1956).
NazO, KzO, CaO, Alz03 and SiOz can move in solution in an aqueous fluid
at relatively low temperatures. If a fluid is not available, migration may take
place by diffusion in solids. However, the effect of such diffusion would be very
limited. In the Abukuma plateau, Japan, grains of corundum and quartz, only
0·3 mm apart, were found to remain unchanged in an amphibolite facies zone,
other incompatible assemblages commonly occur at a distance of a few
millimetres in a low amphibolite facies zone and of a few centimetres in a higher
amphibolite facies zone in the same region (Miyashiro, 1958, p. 262). The
common occurrence of zoned plagioclase also suggests a narrow range of
diffusion in solids.
At temperatures higher than the middle of the amphibolite facies, however,
partial melting would take place. The resultant melts are generally of more or
64/BASIC CONCEPTS OF METAMORPHIC PETROLOGY
less granitic composition and may move to permeate or inject at some places,
leaving solid residues behind. This may cause drastic changes in the bulk
chemical composition of the relevant rocks.
In regional metamorphic terranes, quartz veins occur commonly in low
temperature zones (especially in those of the greenschist facies), whereas
pegmatite usually occurs in high-temperature zones (more particularly in those
of the amphibolite facies). Such relationships suggest that their formation is due
to migration associated with the metamorphism of the surrounding rocks
(Ramberg, 1948).
In Dutchess County, New York, quartz veins and pegmatites tend to occur in
lower and higher temperature zones respectively of regional metamorphism. The
18 0/ 16 0 ratio of quartz in the veins and pegmatites decreases with temperature
rise in accordance with that of the surrounding metamorphic rocks. This suggests
that quartz veins and pegmatites are genetically related to their surrounding
rocks (Garlick and Epstein, 1967). Quartz veins could form through the activity
of an aqueous fluid, whereas many pegmatites could form by the consolidation
of magma produced by the partial melting of pelitic and psammitic metamorphic
rocks.
Metamorphic Facies
The concept of metamorphic facies was first proposed by Eskola (1920, 1939)
and was later modified by other writers, especially by Korzhinskii (1959). A
brief outline of the concept will be given here. Detailed discussions on it and
related problems will be made in chapter 11.
lt is assumed that the temperature, rock-pressure and the chemical potential
of H2 0 (or PH 2 0) in a metamorphic complex are controlled by external
conditions. Under a given set of values for these variables, a rock with a chemical
composition defmite except for H2 0 content shows a defmite mineral assem-
blage. With a slight change of any externally controlled variable, there would be a
slight variation in the compositional relations of coexisting minerals. At some
value of the variable, a new phase would appear. Thus, the paragenetic relations
of minerals serve as indicators of the externally controlled variables.
3-2 OUTLINE OF METAMORPHIC FACIES/67
Greenschist Facies. The metabasites occurring in the chlorite and biotite zones
commonly show the mineral assemblage actinolite + chlorite + epidote + albite,
which is characteristic of greenschists. Actinolite may be absent and quartz may
be present. This assemblage is diagnostic of the greenschist facies. Not only such
metabasites but also all the other rocks including pelitic and quartzo-feldspathic
ones within the two zones belong to the greenschist facies. Pelitic rocks contain
no biotite in the chlorite zone, but do contain it in the biotite zone. When
desirable, the greenschist facies may be divided into the chlorite-zone and
biotite-zone sub facies.
If the metabasites in another area show the greenschist assemblage, those
rocks and the associated ones recrystallized within the same ranges of externally
controlled variables belong to the greenschist facies.
of the epidote- amphibolite facies. All the rocks in this zone belong to the
epidote- amphibolite facies.
Oligoclase may substitute for albite, and quartz may join the assemblage.
Almandine may occur in metapelites and metabasites, but is not regarded as
essential to the definition of this facies.
Epidote amphibolites are distinguished from greenschists by the presence of
hornblende instead of actinolite, and from amphibolites by the presence of the
albite + epidote assemblage instead of intermediate or calcic plagioclase.
should differ from those of any of the facies so far discussed. Hence, such rocks
are said to belong to the glaucophane-schist facies. Some authors prefer the
name of blueschist facies instead.
It has been demonstrated that glaucophane by itself is stable under a P- T
range much wider than that here considered for this facies (Ernst, 1961, 1963a).
Moreover, the stability of glaucophane should vary with its composition.
Therefore, a proper definition of the facies must be based on a rigorous
paragenetic analysis, which, however, is not available at present.
In this book, we proceed under the provisional definition that glaucophane-
bearing metabasites and associated isophysical metamorphic rocks belong to the
glaucophane-schist facies, so long as there are no positive indications against it.
Under this definition, a rock complex only rarely containing glaucophane is also
classed in this facies. It may really be intermediate between the more typical
glaucophane-schist facies and some other facies (e .g. greenschist facies).
The occurrence of lawsonite and of the jadeite + quartz assemblage is
confined to the typical part of the glaucophane-schist facies. Thus, we may
subdivide this facies into -a typical and atypical sub facies. If necessary, we may
well use such names as lawsonite-glaucophane-schist sub facies for the typical
part.
Jadeite not associated with quartz is stable over a wider P- T range than the
jadeite + quartz assemblage. So far as I am aware, however, such jadeite occurs
only in glaucophane-bearing metamorphic areas and associated serpentinites.
With rising temperature, a glaucophane-schist facies zone usually grades into a
greenschist-facies or epidote-amphibolite facies zone. Glaucophane schist-facies
rocks are widespread in Mesozoic and Cenozoic metamorphic belts of the world.
contact metamorphism around shallow intrusions. The type areas are the inner
contact aureoles of alkali plutonic masses near Oslo, Norway (Goldschmidt,
1911). Contact metamorphic rocks recrystallized at relatively low temperatures
usually belong to the amphibolite facies and not to the pyroxene-hornfels facies.
Sanidinite Facies. This facies represents the highest temperature combined with
low rock-pressure as is common in pyrometamorphism of inclusions within
volcanic rocks and minor basic intrusions.
It is important to realize that the definitions of metamorphic facies are based
only on T, Ps , and PH 20, and on the paragenetic relations of minerals, and not
on the geologic settings. If the same paragenetic relations are observed in groups
of regional, ocean-floor and contact metamorphic rocks, all these rocks are
regarded as belonging to the same facies. The amphibolite facies, for example, is
common to all the three kinds of metamorphism. In the past, some authors used
different facies names between regional-metamorphic and contact-metamorphic
rocks, even when all the rocks were considered to show practically the same
paragenetic relations. This is not consistent with the concept of metamorphic
facies, as will be discussed again in § 4-5 and chapter 11.
40
E
30 ::
...
.s::
0.
'"
Cl
~
20.§x
2
0.
0.
o:!
10
Temperature (OC)
Fig. 3-3 Classification of metamorphic facies series in relation to the
stability fields of Al2 SiOs minerals and jadeite.
Now we know that there are many metamorphic terranes that are re-
crystallized at lower rock-pressures and others that are recrystallized at higher
rock-pressures than the Barrovian zones.
Therefore, we term the kind of metamorphism as observed in the Barrovian
zones as the medium-pressure type, and the other two categories as the
low-pressure type and the high-pressure type respectively (table 3-2). These three
types should correspond to curves with different slopes in a Ps- T diagram. These
three will be called the baric types. They represent a classification of meta-
morphic facies series and hence a classification of metamorphism and of
metamorphic terranes.
It is to be noted that such names as 'high-pressure type' and 'high-pressure
metamorphism' are somewhat misleading, since the baric types as defined here
refer to the slopes of the geothermal curves corresponding to facies series, and
not the values of Ps themselves. As is clear from fig. 3-3, for example,
low-temperature zones in high-pressure metamorphism may represent lower
pressures than high-temperature zones in low-pressure metamorphism. It is
logically more appropriate to use such names as high PIT type (Miyashiro,
1967b) and high-pressure series metamorphism, instead. In this book, however,
high-pressure type, high-pressure metamorphism and analogous names will be
used only for simplicity of expression.
In this section, the threefold classification will be discussed mainly in terms
of regional metamorphism. Since the classification is based only on the Ps- T
Table 3-2 Threefold classification offacies series of regional metamorphism
Low-Pressure Type
This type is characterized by andalusite, which is stable at lower rock-pressures
than kyanite at the same temperature. Andalusite occurs in the lower and
sillimanite in the higher temperature part of metamorphic terranes of this series,
if the chemical compositions of the rocks permit it. Hence, Miyashiro (1961a)
designated this series as the andalusite-sillimanite type. A Ps- T curve for it is
shown in fig. 3-3. The occurrence of cordierite and the rarity of pyralspite garnet
are among the common features of this type.
The progressive mineral changes in low-pressure metamorphism in the Shiojiri
area of the Ryoke belt, Japan, are shown in fig. 3-4. Since metabasites are
relatively rare in this area, it is not clear to what extent a zone of the
epidote-amphibolite facies is developed between those of the greenschist and
amphibolite facies.
Miyashiro (1961a) originally used the central Abukuma Plateau in Japan as
the type terrane for the low-pressure type. It also shows the facies series:
greenschist """* amphibolite (fig. 3-5). Recently, however, kyanite has been found
to occur occasionally besides andalusite and sillimanite in this area (Hara et al.
1969). The Ps-T curve corresponding to this area would pass on or near the
triple point of A1 2 SiO s (Tagiri, 1971). In other words, the metamorphism of
this area appears to be transitional between the low- and medium-pressure types.
The orthopyroxene-bearing metamorphic areas in Lapland (Eskola, 1952) and
Uusimaa (Parras, 1958), both in Finland, appear to represent the highest
temperature part of low-pressure regional metamorphism. They fall into an
intermediate state between the granulite facies of medium-pressure meta-
morphism and the pyroxene- hornfels facies characteristic of low-pressure
contact metamorphism. In this book, such a Ps-T condition will be included
within the range of the granulite facies. Thus, we have a common low-pressure
facies series of regional metamorphism: greenschist """* amphibolite """* granulite.
There is a considerable diversity in the metamorphic facies series belonging to
this type, conceivably owing to the wide ranges of geothermal gradients and
PH o. Other observed facies series belonging to this type will be described in
2
§ § 4-4 and 4-5 and chapters 10 and 11.
Medium-Pressure Type
This type corresponds to the Barrovian zones as stated above. Since kyanite
3-3 BARIC TYPES AND PAIRED METAMORPHIC BELTS /75
Shiojiri Area
Albite
01 igoclase- Labradorite ?
- ----
.
....
OJ
Orthoclase
Chlorite
Epidote
'in
'"
.0 Muscovite
....'"OJ Biotite, green
2
Biotite, brown - --- -- --
Actinolite
Hornblende, blue-green
Hornblende, green
Clinopyroxene
Plagioclase ?
Microcline ?
Orthoclase
..
OJ
:!::
Chlorite
Muscovite
a; Biotite
0.
....'"OJ Andalusite ? - ---
2
Cordierite - -- -- --
Sillimanite
Pyralspite ---- ---- ---- ----
Tourmaline, green
Tourmaline, brown
Graphite
Dolomite
0
OJ
<:
Tremolite
Diopside
? -
~
OJ Grandite
E
:J Wollastonite r----
Scapolite
Fig. 3-4 Progressive mineral changes in the Ryoke terrane of the Shiojiri
area (northern Kiso), Japan. (Katada, 1965.) See fig. 7A-1.
occurs in the lower, and sillimanite in the higher temperature part, Miyashiro
(1961a) designated the series as the kyanite-sillimanite type. Cordierite is usually
absent, and almandine garnet is common.
It usually shows the metamorphic facies series: greenschist -+ epidote-
amphibolite -+ amphibolite -+ granulite. The greenschist, amphibolite and
granulite facies are shared in common between the low- and medium-pressure
76/BASIC CONCEPTS OF METAMORPHIC PETROLOGY
Sodic plagioclase
Interm. and calcic
plagioclase
Epidote --
Actinolite
'"
~
.;;; Hornblende - --
Blue:green Green and brown
co
.0 Cummingtonite --- --------
~
OJ Chlorite --
::2 Calcite - --
Clinopyroxene - - - - - _.. -
Magnetite ? - ---- ?
Ilmenite
Pyrite
Pyrrhotite -------
Chlorite -- -
Muscovite --
Biotite
Pyralspite MnO)18% MnO = 18-10% MnO (10%
'"
-.~
OJ
Andalusite -------
c. Sillimanite
~
OJ
::2
Cordierite - --- --------
Plagioclase
K-feldspar ------
Quartz
Magnetite ? - ---- ?
Ilmenite
Pyrrhotite - -- - - -- --
Calcite
Epidote - --
'"cOJ Actinolite ~------- ----- ---
0 Hornblende -- ------- -------
t>OJ
E
Clinopyroxene - - --
:J Grandite --
Wollastonite -- - --
K-feldspar -------- -------- ---------
Plagioclase
Quartz
types. When necessary, we can designate the metamorphic facies .of a particular
case by the combination of a baric type and a metamorphic facies; e.g.
low-pressure amphibolite facies.
It is to be noted that the occurrence of kyanite does not warrant assignment
to the medium-pressure type because the mineral occurs in some high-pressure
type terranes also (Niggli and Niggli, 1965; Banno, 1964). Hence, the lack of
glaucophane, jadeite and lawsonite is a necessary condition for assignment to the
medium-pressure type.
High-Pressure Type
This type is characterized by jadeite, lawsonite and glaucophane. Jadeite,
especially in association with quartz, is a well-demonstrated high-pressure
mineral as shown in fig. 3-3. However, the equilibrium curve shown refers to
pure jadeite NaAlSiz 0 6 . The jadeites that occur in association with quartz in
metamorphic rocks usually contain significant amounts of diopside and acmite
components. It follows that the pressure necessary for their formation should be
slightly lower than that shown by the equilibrium curve for pure jadeite. Such
impure jadeites may usually form on the low-pressure side of, but in the vicinity
of the curve (Ernst and Seki, 1967; Ernst, Seki, Onuki and Gilbert 1970;
Coleman and Clarke, 1968). The Ps- T curve for the high-pressure type in fig. 3-3
is based on this view.
In some high-pressure regional metamorphic terranes, jadeite, lawsonite and
glaucophane all occur. However, there are many other areas where glaucophane
occurs but jadeite and lawsonite do not. As was discussed in § 3-2, glaucophane
is not necessarily a reliable indicator of high pressures. When it occurs in rocks of
ordinary basic compositions, however, it may be regarded as representing
relatively high pressures (i.e. the glaucophane-schist facies). Since the precise
definition of 'ordinary basic compositions' is very difficult, this criterion may
not give an unequivocal assignment.
All the facies series that contain the glaucophane-schist facies in a broad sense
as defmed in § 3-2, may be regarded as belonging to the high-pressure type.
Since glaucophane is a familiar mineral, high-pressure metamorphism was
sometimes called glaucophanitic metamorphism.
The facies series of the high-pressure type are diversified. When the jadeite +
quartz assemblage is stable in a part or the whole of a facies series, this will be
designated as a typical high-pressure series. When it is not, the name of an
atypical high-pressure series will be used.
Figs. 3-6, 3-7, and 3-8 indicate three examples of high-pressure terranes. They
appear to show three successive steps in the passage from the medium-pressure
to the typical high-pressure type. In the first two examples, an epidote-
amphibolite or a greenschist facies zone occurs on the high-temperature side of a
78/BASIC CONCEPTS OF METAMORPHIC PETROLOGY
Bessi-Ino Area
Glaucophane- Epidote-
Metamorphic Transi- amphibolite
facies schist facies tiona I facies
Mineral zoning A B C 0 E
Albite
Oligoclase
Actinolite
Barroisite
Hornblende
Glaucophane --
...'"
VI
'in
Diopside
II>
-c Pumpellyite
...
II>
Epidote
~'" Chlorite -- -
Pyralspite - - --
Muscovite
Biotite - - - - - - ---
Haematite
Ilmenite
Rutile
Chlorite --
Muscovite
VI
'"
Biotite - ---
.~
a; Pyralspite -
...
Q,
II> Albite
'"
~
Oligoclase ----
Epidote -- - - ---- --- -- - - - - - - - - - -
Calcite
_.. - - - - -
Quartz
Ilmenite ---
glaucophane-schist facies zone. Other facies series of this type will be discussed
in § 4-4 and especially in chapter 11.
Petrogenetic Grids
The three baric types have been defined here on the basis of Al 2 SiO s
polymorphs and glaucophane-schist facies minerals. Table 3-2 indicates, how-
ever, that cordierite is common in low-pressure metamorphic terranes, whereas
barroisite and stilpnomelane are common in high-pressure ones. Chloritoid,
staurolite and garnet also show some extent of preferential occurrence in certain
baric types. Such problems will be discussed in detail in chapters 7B and BB.
3-3 BARIC TYPES AND PAIRED METAMORPHIC BELTS/79
Kanto Mountains
Metamorphic Green-
Glaucophane-schist facies schist
facies
facies
Mineral zoning I II III IV V VI
Sodic plagioclase
Jadeite
Lawsonite
.,'"
+-'
Pumpellyite --
.;:;;
Epidote
~'"
.,'"
+-'
Glaucophane
Actinolite
::2:
Chlorite
Stilpnomelane
Quartz
Chlorite
Muscovite
-0'"
c::l!l
",.-
Pyralspite - - - - --
'" E Stilpnomelane
l!l E
.,c.c.'"
:'::«1 Piemontite - - - -- - - --
.,'" '".,
+-,+-'
Lawsonite
Jadeite
::2: E
Albite
Quartz
Albite
Jadeitic pyroxene
Glaucophane
Lawsonite - - - - - - --------------1
Quartz
White mica
Chlorite
Stilpnomelane
Sphene
Calcite
Aragonite
Apatite
Haematite-I imon ite
Magnetite
Pyrite
8 A = Andalusite
B = Biotite
Cd = Cordierite Vol
Cd' = Mg-cordierite W
7 Ch = Chlorite
Ch' = Mg-chlorite t:tI
G = Garnet >
Ky = Kyanite ;tI
Mu = Muscovite (=j
.... 6 Ph = Phlogopite >oj
..0
'" Q = Quartz -<
.."
~ S = Staurolite t%1
~ Sa = Sanidine en
:l
en 5 Si = Sillimanite >
en
~ H = Hypersthene Z
a.. 1:1
.."
>
....
4 ;tI
t%1
1:1
il::
t%1
3 >oj
>
il::
o
;tI
2 .."
500 600 700 :I:
Temperature (DC) (=j
t:tI
Fig. 3-9 Semi-quantitative stability relations of cordierite and related t%1
t"'
minerals in association with muscovite (or K-feldspar) and quartz in >oj
metapelites. (After Hess, 1969; with modification based on his personal en
00
communication, 1970.) -
82/BASIC CONCEPTS OF METAMORPHIC PETROLOGY
o 400km
'' - _ - ' - _ ' - - - - ' - _ . . . J'
I
Ryoke melamor bell (low - P} Cretaceous
JuraSSIC'
Sanbagawa melamor. belt (high· P I pair
The P-T values adopted above for phase relations and the temperature stated
above for the jadeite + quartz zone may be in error. Ifthey are, the estimates of
average geothermal gradients must be modified. The triple point of Al 2 SiO s
minerals, for example, was located at SIO °c and 4·0 kbar by Newton (1966b)
and Holdaway (1971). In case we accept these values, the necessary modification
in the estimate of the average geothermal gradient that divides the low- and
medium-pressure types is very slight, though the estimates of the temperature of
the sillimanite isograd must be decreased by about 100°C.
Thus, the geothennal gradient would vary more or less irregularly in the lateral
and vertical directions.
If the temperature distribution at depth in the medium- and low-pressure
metamorphic belts is largely controlled by ascending magma and H2 0, the
geothermal curves in fig. 3-3 should be concave upward in contrast to those of
the high-pressure belts.
In contact metamorphic aureoles, the temperature rise would take place
toward the pluton, and hence downwards, horizontally, or even upwards. If so,
the average geothermal gradient calculated down to a point lying within a rock
complex undergoing contact metamorphism should have no relation to the
actual geothennal gradient at that point.
terranes of the low-pressure type such as the Hercynides in western Europe and
the northern Appalachians contain two or more metamorphic belts or thermal
axes running parallel. Fig. 7A -6 shows that the wide metamorphic belt of the
northern Appalachians has three thermal axes running approximately in a
NE-SW direction, that is, along the elongation of the pertinent orogenic belt.
Moreover, along one of the thermal axes, there is an unusually wide zone
representing nearly uniformly high temperatures (about 80 km in width). In this
zone, the present erosion surface is probably roughly parallel to an original
isothermal surface.
On the other hand, the high-pressure Alpine metamorphic belt in Switzerland
contains only one thermal axis.
Difficulties in P- T Estimation
The low- and high-temperature limits of metamorphism were defined in § 1-1 as
the lowest temperature forming minerals unstable on the earth's surface and as
the incipient melting temperature of rocks respectively. Since a lot of experi-
mental data on the phase relations of minerals have acc1.l;mulated in the last
twenty years, we can now estimate the temperature and pressure of individual
metamorphic facies. This estimation, however, involves various difficulties, as
will be outlined below.
Many published synthetic studies give metastable relations, and hence are not
directly applicable to metamorphic reactions. This difficulty is especially serious
at low temperatures. For example, most studies on zeolites have given meta·
stable phase relations (e.g. Koizumi and Roy, 1960).
Even if true stability relations may be revealed, almost all experiments have
been carried out on samples having greatly simplified compositions. For example,
breakdown P- T curves have been determined for many minerals under the
condition that they are not accompanied by any other minerals. In reality,
mineralogical changes in a rock take place commonly by reaction between
coexisting minerals. The lower and upper breakdown temperatures of a mineral
that is present by itself represent only its maximum possible stability limits
(§ 2-5).
Experiments are usually carried out first on end members of solid solution
series. The mixing of other components may sometimes exert a profound
influence not only on the reaction temperature but also on the type of stable
assemblages. Many such difficulties will be removed in the near future with
increasing experimental data.
Most hydrothermal syntheses have been carried out in the presence of an
aqueous fluid of nearly pure H2 0 composition. This condition corresponds to
3-5 TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE OF METAMORPHIC FACIES/89
model (A) of § 2-3. Decarbonation reactions have been studied with a fluid of
nearly pure CO 2 composition, or with a mixture of CO 2 and H20. The latter
corresponds to model (B) of the same section. It is not clear to what extent
these models represent real metamorphic processes. It is likely that models (C)
and (0) of the same section represent some or many cases of metamorphism. If
so, the experimental data cannot be applied quantitatively. Solid-solid reactions,
which do not suffer from this difficulty, accordingly, play an important role in
the estimation.
Another difficulty results from the lack of relevant field data. For example,
we have some experimental data on the reaction of kaolinite and quartz to
form pyrophyllite and of the breakdown of pyrophyllite to form an Al2 SiO s
mineral and quartz (fig. 7B-l). However, we have little petrographic data on
the distribution of kaolinite and pyrophyllite in metamorphic rocks. Hence,
such experimentally determined eqUilibrium curves, reliable or not, cannot be
effectively used in coordinating metamorphic facies in the P-T diagram.
for the formation of jadeites. Hence, it is widely belived that such jadeites
formed under the condition on the low-pressure side of the equilibrium curve for
the reaction: pure jadeite + quartz =albite (Ernst and Seld, 1967; Coleman and
Clark, 1968). Thus, even the conditions for the most typical high-pressure
metamorphism as in the Franciscan Formation may not have reached the
high-pressure side of the equilibrium curve of the reaction: pure jadeite + quartz
=albite, shown as curve (4) in fig 3-12.
10
8
-.:
OJ
.0
~
7
:!!
~
rt:
II
6
~
E
:> 5
~
E
a...
4
o
o 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Temperature (OC)
Fig. 3-12 Temperature and pressure of metamorphic facies. The equili-
brium curves are for the following reactions. (The left-hand side of each
equation is stable on the low-temperature side of the corresponding curve.)
(1) analcime + quartz = albite + H2 0;(2) lawsonite + 2 quartz + 2H2 0)=
laumontite; (3) aragonite = calcite; (4) jadeite + quartz = albite; (5)
kyanite = andalusite; (6) kyanite =sillimanite; (7) andalusite =sillimanite;
(8) muscovite + quartz = K-feldspar + Ah SiO s + H2 0; (9) beginning of
melting of granite; (10) beginning of melting of olivine tholeiite.
3-5 TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE OF METAMORPHIC FACIES/91
These figures are mutually consistent and are fairly close to the temperature
values inferred from phase equilibrium data. This fact suggests that the isotope
distribution obtained at the maximum temperature has been approximately
preserved to the present.
The wide range of temperature of the glaucophane-schist facies is noted. This
facies covers at least the same temperature range as the greenschist and
epidote-amphibolite facies combined, and probably extends toward a lower
temperature.
Chapter 4
typical sedimentary rocks. are graywackes. The K2 O/Na2 0 ratio and the
maturity tend to be higher in clastic sediments of the former than in those of the
latter (e.g. Miyashiro and Haramura, 1966).
Scottish Caledonides. The granitic rocks of the Scottish Highlands are usually
classified into two groups: the Older and the Newer Granites (§ 14-3). The
Older Granites are gneissose and occur in many small concordant bodies in
high-temperature parts of regional metamorphic areas. No contact meta-
morphism is noticed. Barrow (1893) ascribed the regional metamorphism to the
temperature rise resultant from intrusion of the Older Granites. Recent investiga-
tions, however, suggest that the Older Granites are syntectonic masses resulting
from regional metamorphism, metasomatism and migmatization (Harry, 1958;
Dalziel, 1966).
In the Dalradian metamorphics, four (or five) phases of deformation have
been distinguished. The temperature of metamorphism increased progressively,
reaching the maximum value between the third and fourth phases. The regional
rnigrna tization and the formation of the Older Granites and sillimanite zone
probably took place in this period (Chinner, 1966a, b; Johnson, 1963; Harte and
Johnson, 1969), probably about 500 m.y. ago or earlier (Brown, Miller, Soper
and York, 1965).
The Newer Granites occur commonly in large discordant masses, including
not only granitic but also dioritic and gabbroic rocks. They show clear contact
metamorphism producing a hornfels zone. The time of intrusion is about
415-390 m.y. ago, that is, Late Silurian to Early Devonian (Brown, Miller and
Grasty, 1968). At the same time, many masses of granitic rocks were intruded
into unmetamorphosed terranes in the Midland Valley and the Southern Uplands
to the south of the Highlands (Read, 1961). This period of intrusion roughly
agrees with that of the last phase of deformation.
Northern Appalachians. Three plutonic series, named the Olive rian , the New
Hampshire and the Late Devonian, have been distinguished among the Devonian
Plutons of the northern Appalachians. These series show systematic differences
in relation to the wall rocks, metamorphic effects, modes and place of
emplacement, internal structure, mineralogy and so on. Page (1968) regards the
three series as representing pretectonic, syn- and early post-tectonic, and late
post-tectonic intrusions respectively in relation to the Acadian (Devonian)
orogeny. The Oliverian and a part of the New Hampshire plutonic series are
gneissose. The masses of the New Hampshire series occur characteristically in
98/s0ME IMPORTANT PROBLEMS IN METAMORPHIC GEOLOGY
Cooma Granite, New South Wales. The Cooma granite is exposed over an area of
about 31 km 2 roughly along the thermal axis of a Palaeozoic low-pressure
regional metamorphic belt in southeastern Australia (§ § 7A-3 and 16-2). The
granite is gneissose and contains quartz, feldspars, biotite and muscovite,
together with subordinate sillimanite, andalusite and cordierite. The outer limit
of the metamorphic belt is at a distance of about 10 km or less from the granite
body (Joplin, 1942).
Pidgeon and Compston (1965) have determined the Rb- Sr ages and the initial
87 Sr/ 86Sr ratios (for total-rock samples) of the granite and associated meta-
sediments with the following results.
The Rb-Sr age of the Cooma granite is the same as that of the associated
high-temperature metasediments within experimental error, whereas it is signifi-
cantly smaller than that of the associated low-temperature metasediments. It is
conceivable that the low-temperature metamorphism occurred about 460 m.y.
ago, whereas the high-temperature event and granite emplacement occurred
about 410 m.y. ago. Since the original sediments seem to be Ordovician, the 460
m.y. metamorphism would have immediately followed the sedimentation.
The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio of the upper mantle is generally considered to be about
0·702-0·704. The initial 87 Sr/ 8 6Sr ratios of most Phanerozoic granitic rocks are
about 0·705-0·710, whereas the same ratio of the Cooma granite is much higher
4-1 IGNEOUS ROCK ASSOCIATIONS /99
(about 0·718), and is virtually the same as that of the associated high-
temperature metasediments. The 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the metasediments in the
low-temperature zones should have gradually increased so as to become similar
to the initial ratio in high-temperature zones and in the granite at the time of
granite emplacement (410 m.y. ago). Therefore, a likely explanation for the high
initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the granite is that the granite magma was formed by
the melting of associated sediments, as far as the Sr isotope evidence is
concerned.
Andesitic-
rhyolitic Regional
General depths Examples volcanics Granites metamorphism
Note: Contact metamorphism by granitic plutons is ignored. For the Late Tertiary terrane
of northeast Japan, refer to § 15-9.
four regions in this way (Miyashiro, 1972b). With increasing depth, the grade of
metamorphism should increase and the ratio of volcanic rocks should decrease.
It is not clear whether the ratio of granitic rocks increases with depth, or
whether it first increases and then becomes constant or even decreases.
Thus, a low-pressure regional .metamorphic complex would be present
beneath a belt of volcanic piles in island arcs and continental margins. Therefore,
volcanic rocks in island arcs will be discussed in some detail below.
4-2 VOLCANIC ARCS IN RELATION TO REGIONAL METAMORPHISM/lOl
1. Tholeiitic series, including tholeiitic basalt, icelandite and some dacite. The
Si02 contents are mostly in the range 48-63 per cent by weight.
2. Calc-alkali series, including abundant andesite and dacite, and some
rhyolite. The Si0 2 contents are mostly in the range 52-70.
Series (1) and (2) are 'calc-alkalic' in the broader meaning that they both have
Peacock's (1931) alkali-lime indices as high as 56-57.
3. Alkali series, which may well be subdivided into: (a) the sodic alkali group,
including alkali olivine basalt, hawaiite, mugearite, trachyte and alkali rhyolite,
and (b) the shoshonite group, including shoshonite, latite and leucite-bearing
rocks.
Compositional Variation Across Volcanic Arcs. In island arcs which have a
Benioff zone inclined towards the continent as in northeast Japan, the Kurile
Islands and Indonesia, the volcanic rocks tend to be increasingly alkaline toward
° ° °
the continent. In other words, the K2 and Na2 + K2 contents and the K/Na
ratio of volcanic rocks tend to increase towards the continent, if we compare
rocks with the same Si02 content (Sugimura, 1960, 1968; Kuno, 1959, 1960,
1966; Katsui, 1961; Dickinson, 1968; Dickinson and Hatherton, 1967; Kawano,
Yagi and Aoki, 1961; Yagi, Kawano and Aoki, 1963).
In active island arcs in mature stages of development such as northeast Japan
and Kamchatka, petrographic provinces of the tholeiitic series, calc-alkali series
and alkali series are present succeSSively in this order from the oceanic to the
continental side of the volcanic belt, though there may be marked overlapping of
provinces (fig. 15-3).
Nature of ihe Calc-Alkali Series. The status and character of basalt in the
calc-alkali series are not clear. Many volcanoes made up of rocks of the calc-
alkali series have no basalt. The series may begin with andesite. Nockolds
and Allen (1953) found in variation diagrams that acidic and intermediate rocks
of the calc-alkali series fall on a smooth curve for each area, whereas more basic
rocks show more or less random scattering. They interpreted this as suggesting
that the parental magmas were intermediate (Le. andesite or dioritic) in
composition (with Si02 = 52-56 per cent), and that more basic rocks of the
series were formed by the accumulation of early crystals. Green and Ringwood
(1966, 1968) demonstrated experimentally the possibility of the formation of
primary andesitic magma.
Some basalt occurs in many andesitic volcanoes, however. Such andesitic
rocks may have been derived from basaltic magmas (e.g. Jakes and White, 1972;
Aoki and Oji, 1966; Kuno, 1968). Osborn (1962) has emphasized the possible
importance of oxygen fugacity in the derivation of the tholeiitic and the
calc-alkali series from more or less similar basaltic magmas.
Volcanic rocks of the calc-alkali series are confined to orogenic regions (table
4-3). The occurrence of calc-alkali rocks, or of a great amount of andesitic and
4-2 VOLCANIC ARCS IN RELATION TO REGIONAL METAMORPHISM /103
Table 4-3 Younger volcanic rocks and tectonic environment
Stable Oceanic Mid-oceanic
continents Orogenic belts islands ridges
Mature, very
active island
arcs and
Immature, active con-
very active tinental Less active
island arcs margins island arcs
Tholeiite ++ ++ ++ + + ++
series
Calc-alkali ++ ++
series
Alkali ++ + + ++ +
series
+ +, abundant; +, subordinate
dacitic rocks may be regarded as suggesting the former existence' of an island arc
or an active continental margin.
The volcanic rocks of the calc-alkali series resemble granitic rocks. in chemical
composition and they both occur in orogenic belts. They could have been
derived from the same andesitic (dioritic) magma (e.g. Nockolds and Allen,
1953; Dickinson, 1970). It is of interest to discover whether granitic rocks show
a regular compositional variation across an island arc and a continental margin
like the volcanic rocks. The existence of such a variation in granitic rocks has
been demonstrated by Moore (1959) and Moore, Grantz and Blake (1961) on
the west coast of North America, and by Taneda (1965) in Japan.
different pressures. Recent experimental results suggest that the melt formed in
peridotite under greater pressure tends to be more undersaturated with silica
(e.g. Green and Ringwood, 1967; Kushiro, 1968). Even under the same P-T
conditions, the composition of the magmas tends to be less alkalic as the
proportion of the melt increases. The pressure and the proportion of melt could
vary regularly with depth in the descending slab, resulting in a regular
compositional variation in volcanic rocks across the volcanic arc.
Even if we may assume with Ringwood (1969) that basaltic magmas are
generated by partial melting not in the descending slab but in the overlying
upper mantle where convective upwelling or diapiric rise occurs, the upwelling
and the generation and separation of basaltic magmas should be controlled
largely by the descending slab, and hence the resulting magmas could vary
regularly across the arc.
island arcs. The very active arcs (group I in table 4-4) always show lower KzO
contents than less active arcs (groups II and III).
In group I, the alkali basaltic rocks are sodic, whereas arcs of groups II and III
appear to have both sodic and potassic (shoshonitic) types of alkali basaltic
rocks. The Calabrian Arc (group III) has especially well-developed potassic
basaltic rocks.
Aleutian (II)
Ryukyu (II)
N.E. Japan (I)
~;;j~~~~::;;;:;;~~::==~==:~~~~:~Kurile (I)
Izu·Bonin (\)
Distribution Rules
Some metamorphic facies show clear relationships to geologic age. Most of the
glaucophane-schist facies rocks now observed in the world were formed by
metamorphism in Cenozoic and Mesozoic time. Fig. 4-2 shows the distribution
of glaucophane in the world. Its relationship with younger orogenic belts is clear
(Eskola, 1939, p. 368; de Roever, 1956, 1964; van der Plas, 1959; Miyashiro,
1961a; Zwart, 1967a; Dobretsov, 1968; Ernst 1972).
4-3 METAMORPHIC FACIES AND GEOLOGIC AGE /107
There are some glaucophane schists in Palaeozoic metamorphic areas. How-
ever, such rocks occur extremely rarely in Precambrian metamorphic terranes
(Sobolev: et aZ. 1967).
Zeolite-facies rocks appear to be much more common in Cenozoic and
Mesozoic formations than in the older ones (e.g. Hay, 1966). On the other hand,
most of the granulite facies rocks appear to have formed in Precambrian time.
They usually occur in the shields, but are sometimes present in Phanerozoic
orogenic belts as uplifted blocks of Precambrian basements (Oliver, 1969). A
small proportion of granulite facies rocks, however, appears to be truly young.
Fig. 4-3 shows the distribution of granulite facies terranes in the world .
..
)
Many authors have pointed out the existence of a close relationship between
anorthosites and geologic age. It has been claimed that there are at least three
types of anorthosites. One type occurs as a member of differentiated gabbroic
complexes such as the Bushveld of South Africa, and can be of any geologic age.
Another type occurs in great dome-like or batholithic masses mainly composed
of andesine or labradorite, and of middle Precambrian age (11 00-1700 m.y.
old). The third type occurs as a member of layered masses, being mainly
composed of bytownite or anorthite, and of early Precambrian age (more than
3000 m.y. ago). The latter two types show close association with granulite or
amphibolite facies metamorphic rocks (Isachsen, 1969; Windley, 1970).
On the other hand, low-pressure regional metamorphic rocks of the green-
schist and amphibolite facies show no relationships to geologic age. Such rocks
o
-
~
~ Dtr · . ,p {Il
o
s:
t>::I
~
..... ~
~
.'
~ ."
o
:=
I-j
>
Z
I-j
."
:=
o
lh t:I:I
t"'
t>::I
:.~(}/J"'~,~ d>a..... s:
{Il
~, Z
s:t>::I
I-j
~ Ii> d
~ >
s:
o
:=
."
::£:
.~(;..
sa
"CI
Table 4-5 Baric types of Regional metamorphism and geologic ages o
:;:tI
>.,]
Precambrian Palaeozoic Mesozoic-Cenozoic >
Z
>.,]
temperature rise may be more rapid, promoting the formation of lower pressure
series rocks, especially in the Precambrian.
If this is true, the Precambrian shields must be generally drier than younger
orogenic belts. Hyndman and Hyndman (1968) have pointed out that there is a
layer of high electrical conductivity in the lower crust of young orogenic belts,
and the high conductivity is probably due to the saturation of the rocks with
H2 0, whereas such a layer is absent in shield regions.
Changes in the Thickness and the Motion of Plates as Possible Causes of the
Distribution Rules
If the oceanic plates have become thicker, the descending slabs have become
steeper, and the movements of the slabs have become more rapid in younger
geologic time, the occurrence of high-pressure metamorphism should have
become more common (Ernst, 1972a; Miyashiro, 1972b). Thus, we may assume
that plates were thin and/or moved slowly in Precambrian and early Palaeozoic
time. Under such conditions, metamorphism of the low- and medium-pressure
types should be common, and occasionally atypical glaucophane schists could
form.
In late Palaeozoic and early Mesozoic time, the plates may have become
thicker and/or may have come to move more rapidly, with resultant common
formation of high-pressure metamorphic rocks and paired metamorphic belts.
The beginning of the present cycle of continental drift in early Mesozoic time
may be another result of such a change in the plates.
Magnetic anomalies suggest that plate motion was more rapid in the Pacific
than in other oceans at least in late Mesozoic and later time (Heirtzler et al.
1968). It is conceivable that similar rapid motion took place in early Mesozoic
and late Palaeozoic time as well, leading to the common formation of
high-pressure metamorphic rocks in the circum-Pacific regions.
Runcorn (1965) has suggested that a great change in the pattern of currents
in mantle convection took place in early Mesozoic time, and as a consequence
the present cycle of continental drift began. This change in the pattern of
currents may have resulted also in an increase in the velocity of plate motion,
particularly in the Pacific region and may have caused the common formation of
glaucophane schists and paired metamorphic belts.
heulandite + CO 2 =
calcite + pyrophyllite (or kaolinite) + quartz + H2 0,
laumontite + CO 2 =
calcite + pyrophyllite (or kaolinite) + H2 0.
A high PH, 0 should promote the formation of Ca-zeolites, whereas a high Peo,
should tend to decompose them with the resultant formation of calcite and an
aluminous mineral. It follows that under a high Pco , ' an unrecrystallized area
may directly grade into a greenschist facies zone, and a decrease in Peo may
produce a zone of the zeolite facies between these two areas. •
Lawsonite, prehnite and pumpellyite, which are characteristic of the glauco-
phane-schist and prehnite-pumpellyite facies, are rich in Ca. They should be
unstable under high Peo, .
In the greenschist facies, actinolite and epidote are common Ca-bearing
silicates. These minerals are abundant in particular in greenschists recrystallized
at low Peo ,. With increasing Peo " actinolite fIrst and then epidote decom-
pose to produce calcite and dolomite (or ankerite) together with Ca-free
ferromagnesian minerals such as chlorite and stilpnomelane (§ 8A-6).
In the Sanbagawa and other low·temperature metamorphic terranes of Japan,
Seki (1965) has observed that the frequency of occurrence of calcite in
metabasites differs from area to area within the same metamorphic belt, that
Ca-bearing silicates (pumpellyite, epidote and actinolite) are not common in
areas where calcite is widespread in metabasites, and that the frequency of
occurrence of calcite tends to decrease with increasing temperature of meta-
morphism. This suggests that Peo differs from area to area within the same
•
metamorphic belt, resulting in a difference in the degree of carbonate formation.
Effect of PH. o. Even if an aqueous fluid may exist during metamorphism at low
temperatures, models (A), (B) and (C) described in § 2-3 give widely different
PH 0 under the same Ps • Highe"r PH 0 should tend to form a greater proportion
•
of hydrated minerals such as zeolites•and chlorites.
In some regions, metamorphic recrystallization immediately follows the
sedimentation of the geosynclinal pile, whereas in others recrystallization occurs
long after the completion of sedimentation. Conceivably, the abundance of H2 0
in a newly formed sediment pile may cause a higher PH 2 0, and hence may tend
to form zeolite facies rocks.
Relation to Geothermal Gradient. Zeolite facies zones form under a wide ran&e
of geothermal gradients, that is, in metamorphic terranes of the low-, medium-
and high-pressure types. However, the paragenetic relations of zeolites appear to
differ in different baric types (§ 6A-1).
4-5 NATURE OF CONTACT METAMORPHISM /115
Zeolite facies areas, representing a relatively high geothermal gradient, show a
great variety of zeolites, including mordenite, stilbite, yugawaralite, wairakite,
heulandite, laumontite and analcime; e.g. the Tanzawa Mountains (Seki et al.
1969a). The present topographic surface in such areas represents a shallow depth
of low-pressure regional metamorphic belts, or of contact- or hydrothermally
metamorphosed areas. In contrast, zeolite facies areas, representing a low
geothermal gradient, have only a very limited variety of zeolites such as
heulandite, laumontite and analcime; e.g. the Taringatura area (Coombs et al.
1959). Such areas are parts of regional metamorphic terranes of the high-
pressure type or close to it.
The physical factors directly controlling the difference in zeolite paragenesis
between different baric types are not clearly known. Under the condition Ps =
PHz 0, the stability fields of some zeolites could be limited to a low-pressure
range so that their occurrence is confined to metamorphism of the low-pressure
type. It is conceivable also that the behaviour of H2 0 may differ in different
baric types. The threshold temperature of recrystallization would differ in
different types.
Baric Types
It has been widely believed that contact metamorphism takes place under lower
rock-pressures than does regional metamorphism. This idea is partly incorrect,
however, since there is a great diversity in the P-T conditions of contact
metamorphism.
Among the Al 2 SiO s polymorphs, andalusite is common in contact aureoles,
but sillimanite also occurs in many cases. Kyanite has been found occurring
together with andalusite and sillimanite in a few aureoles. Thus, we may classify
contact aureoles in terms of Al 2 SiO s minerals into three categories as follows:
(a) Aureoles containing andalusite as the only Al 2 SiO s mineral; e.g. the Oslo
area, Norway (Goldschmidt, 1911).
(b) Aureoles containing andalusite in a low-temperature part and sillimanite
in a high; e.g. the Arisu area, Japan (Seki, 1957, 1961b).
(c) Aureoles containing all three polymorphs of Al 2 SiO s ; e.g. the Kwoiek
area, British Columbia (Hollister, 1969a, b).
Polymorphs of Al 2 SiO s may form by metastable crystallization. This possi-
bility will be discussed in §§ 7B-13 and 10-3. Whether the Al 2 SiO s minerals
crystallized as stable or as metastable forms, it is probable that class (c)
represents a relatively high rock-pressure in a transitional state between low- and
medium-pressure metamorphism. Class (b) includes contact-metamorphic
aureoles with a facies series more or less similar to that of low-pressure regional
116/s0ME IMPORTANT PROBLEMS IN METAMORPHIC GEOLOGY
Metamorphic Facies
Amphibolite, Pyroxene-Hornfels, and Granulite Facies. The defmitions of indi-
vidual metamorphic facies are based on the externally controlled conditions and
paragenetic relations of minerals and n.ot on geologic relations of rocks. If the
paragenetic relations in a contact aureole are virtually the same as those in some
areas of regional metamorphism, the same name of metamorphic facies may well
be applied to both.
The amphibolite facies is probably the most prevalent in contact aureoles.
Many contact aureoles around large granitic masses in orogenic belts show
amphibolite-facies mineral assemblages in all of the recrystallized zones. The
paragenetic relations in such amphibolite facies are similar to those of the
amphibolite facies in the low-pressure regional metamorphism. Though such
aureoles are common, they have aroused little interest among petrologists in
recent years.
In some aureoles, however, the outer zone belongs to the amphibolite facies,
whereas the inner zone belongs to the pyroxene-hornfels facies. Such an aureole
has been found around some masses of gabbroic and dioritic rocks, as
exemplified by the diorite of the Comrie area in Scotland (Tilley, 1924) as well
as around alkali plutonic masses (e.g. syenites and alkali granites) of the Oslo
area (Goldschmidt, 1911).
In some andalusite-sillimanite-bearing contact aureoles, the innermost
aureole, containing orthopyroxene, would belong to the granulite facies. This is
the case in particular with contact metamorphism caused by syn- or late-tectonic
plutons in low-pressure regional metamorphic terranes. Since schists and not
hornfelses usually form in such cases, the outer limit of the contact aureoles is
4-5 NATURE OF CONTACT METAMORPHISM /117
not clear. It appears to be common, however, that such contact metamorphism
produces a metamorphic facies series very similar to, but reaching a higher
temperature than, that of the associated regional metamorphism, as exemplified
by the Nakoso aureole in the central Abukuma Plateau, where an ortho-
pyroxene-bearing zone is formed in aureoles surrounding gabbros but not
granites (Shido, 1958).
°
stable.
If H2 and CO 2 are mobile, the actinolite + calcic plagioclase assemblage is
virtually isochemical with common greenschist assemblages such as chlorite +
epidote + albite + quartz and chlorite + calcite + albite + quartz, as is clear from
the equations:
9 actinolite + 114 anorthite + 64 H2 °
= 10 chlorite + 66 epidote + 77 quartz,
9 actinolite + 15 anorthite + 31 H2 ° + 33 CO 2
= 10 chlorite + 33 calcite + 77 quartz.
Here, the formula of chlorite is taken as Mg4.SAl3Si2.S010(OH)s. Therefore,
the occurrence of the actinolite + calcic plagioclase assemblage would depend
mainly on external conditions. If so, this assemblage is entitled to characterize a
metamorphic facies. Thus, the metamorphic facies characterized by the actino-
lite + calcic plagioclase assemblage was provisionally called the actinolite-calcic
plagioclase hornfels facies (Miyashiro, 1961a, p. 307). Since available data are
118/ SOME IMPORTANT PROBLEMS IN METAMORPHIC GEOLOGY
not ample, however, we will avoid the term facies and use the name actinolite-
calcic plagioclase zone in this book.
In the first of the two preceding equations, the total volume of the solid
phases is much smaller on the right-hand side. In the second, the relation is
reversed. Therefore, the actinolite + calcic plagioclase assemblage could form
under a low rock-pressure if Pco , is relatively low, but could not form under a
rela tively high Pc 0, even if the rock-pressure may be low. Since epidote usually
contains much Fe203, the oxidation condition would also have some effect.
No Al 2SiO s minerals were found in the Iritono and Sierra Nevada aureoles.
In the Arisu aureole, there is a wide medium-temperature zone containing
andalusite and a narrow highest temperature zone containing sillimanite. The
narrowness of the sillimanite zone suggests the possibility that the rock-pressure
in this aureole may have been lower than that in ordinary low-pressure regional
metamorphism. It is conceivable that all these aureoles represent rock-pressures
lower than that of low-pressure regional metamorphism in combination with a
low Pco , .
In the Iritono Aureole, the actinolite-calcic plagioclase zone represents the
lowest temperature of recrystallization, whereas in the Arisu aureole, the
actinolite-calcic plagioclase zone is followed on the outer side by a zone of the
greenschist facies. Thus, this area could represent a state intermediate between
those of the Iritono-like aureole and the low-pressure regional metamorphic area
where a zone of the greenschist facies is well developed.
As will be summarized in table 8B-l, the composition of plagioclase at the
temperature at which hornblende substitutes for actinolite in metabasites, tends
to be more calcic with decreasing rock-pressure. The generation of the actinolite
+ calcic plagioclase assemblage in some contact aureoles may be regarded as a
result of this trend.
Migration of Materials
Many contact aureoles contain a few unusual rocks that suffered intense
metasomatism. It is known, however, that the majority of the hornfelses in such
aureoles approximately preserve their pre-metamorphic compositions. This was
first shown in the second half of the nineteenth century by Th. Kjerulf in the
contact aureoles of the Oslo area (Barth, 1962, p. 262) and by H. Rosenbusch
(1877) in the aureole around the Barr-Andlau granite in Alsace. The only
marked change is dehydration and decarbonation.
However, the original pelites and psammites, for example, usually show a
considerable range of composition, and hence it is difficult to prove the strict
constancy of composition in metamorphism.
Oxygen isotope studies give a clue to this problem. Shieh and Taylor (1969)
measured the 18 0/ 16 0 ratios of metapelites in contact aureoles of the Santa
Rosa Range and other places. The ratio in metapelites is similar to that in
4-5 NATURE OF CONTACT METAMORPHISM /119
associated unmetamorphosed pelites and is much higher than that in associated
plutons. In other words, there is virtually no change in 18 0/ 16 0 of. the
metapelites due to the influence of the granitic plutons, except for a narrow
zone, one metre thick or so, in direct contact with the plutons. This could mean
that the outward migration of H2 0 from a pluton into the aureole was
negligible. This is in marked contrast with regional metamorphism, where the
18 0/ 16 0 ratio of metamorphic rocks changes over a very wide region (§ 3-1). In
general, the introduction of materials into contact aureoles would not be
intense.
In high temperature zones, particularly in the pyroxene-hornfels facies,
partial melting of pelitic and psammitic homfelses could occur. Melts of broadly
granitic compositions would form, and the removal of such melts would produce
diverse solid residues of unusual chemical compositions. Highly desilicated
homfelses rich in corundum and/or spinel have been found in high·temperature
contact aureoles of the Comrie area (Tilley, 1924), the Cashel-Lough Wheelaun
area (Leake and Skirrow, 1960), the Belhelvie area (Stewart, 1946) and others.
Such rocks may have been derived from very unusual sediments, but may
conceivably represent solid residues (§ 104).
Processes of partial melting of metapelites and resultant formation of
desilicated rocks have been traced in some cases of pyrometamorphism (§ 10-5).
Chapter 5
Diagrammatic Representation of
Mineral Parageneses
Oosed System
We now aSsume that a rock undergoing metamorphism is a closed system with
no exchange of substance with the environment. The temperature T and
5-1 MINERALOGICAL PHASE RULES /121
rock-pressure Ps of the system are controlled by the external conditions. In
other words, these two intensive variables depend on the external conditions. We
assume that a mineral assemblage commonly found over a metamorphic area is
stable in certain ranges of temperature and rock-pressure. Mineral assemblages
stable only at a definite temperature and/or a definite rock-pressure would not
be widespread. For a system to be in equilibrium in certain ranges of
temperature and rock-pressure, the number of the degrees of freedom must be
two or more. Thus,
F=c + 2 -p~2,
therefore, c ~ p.
Open System
We assume that a rock undergoing metamorphism is open as regards mobile
components (e.g. H2 0 and CO2 ). These components are here assumed to have
extremely great mobility and hence are called perfectly mobile components after
Korzhinskii (1959). The components that are not mobile are called fixed
components. It is assumed for theoretical simplification that all the components
of a rock undergoing metamorphism can be assigned as either perfectly mobile
or fixed components. The temperature, the rock-pressure and chemical potentials
of perfectly mobile components of the system are controlled by external
conditions. The state of the system varies with the external conditions.
If Cm = number of the perfectly mobile components and Cx =number of the
fixed components, the number of the degrees of freedom of the system must be
equal to or greater than 2 + C m for eqUilibrium to hold over certain ranges of
externally cop,trolled variables.
Hence,
C=C m +c x
[AJ
Thus, the number of minerals that could coexist in stable equilibrium in an open
system for certain ranges of temperature, rock-pressure and chemical potentials
of perfectly mobile components is equal to or less than the number of the fixed
components. This is called Korzhinskii's mineralogical phase rule (Korzhinskii,
1936, 1959, 1965).
The state of a system is determined by the external conditions and the
proportions of the fixed components in the system. Hence, the paragenetic
relations for an open system with three fixed components can be represented by
a triangular diagram with the fixed components at the apexes. We assume that an
open system contains three fixed components [A], [B] and [C], as shown in
fig. 5-1. According to Korzhinskii's phase rule, the number of minerals
in commonly observed mineral assemblages should be 3,2 or 1. If such minerals
have fixed compositions as shown by points A, B, C, D, E and F in the figure,
the triangular diagram is to be divided into smaller triangles to represent
paragenetic relations. If the minerals are solid solutions, relations will be as
shown in fig. 5-2. Thus, the composition-paragenesis diagram for an open system
is apparently the same as that for a closed system, except that only fixed
components are taken at the apexes. This is an important consequence of the
mineralogical phase rules.
l24/DIAGRAMMATIC REPRESENTATION OF MINERAL PARA GENESES
The major components of ordinary metamorphic rocks are Si0 2 , Ti0 2, Al2 3 , °
Fe203, FeO, MgO, MnO, CaO, Na20, K2 0, H20 and P20S' Some of these,
however, are not important. It is the Al 2 0 3 : CaO : (FeO + MgO) : K2
ratios that have the dominant effects on the mineral composition of metamorphic
°
rocks. The A CF and A'KF diagrams proposed by Eskola (1915) are based on this
5-2 ESKOLA'S ACF AND A 'KF DIAGRAMS /125
empirical fact. These triangular diagrams are intended to focus our attention on
the ratios of Al2 0 3 : CaO : (PeO + MgO) and of Al 20 3 : K 20 : (PeO +
MgO) respectively. We will examine the construction of these diagrams with
reference to the mineralogical phase ru1e.
ACFDiagram
Metamorphic rocks usually contain small amounts of magnetite, hematite,
ilmenite, sphene, rutile, apatite and sulphides. The ACF and A'KF diagrams,
however, are intended for representing paragenetic relations among more
abundant minerals. Accordingly, these accessory minerals are disregarded. Ti02 ,
P20S and S, being contained in them, are also disregarded.
ACF and A'KF diagrams are used only for rocks containing quartz (or very
rarely another stable form of Si02 ). Such rocks are called rocks with excess
Si0 2 • Quartz is virtually pure Si02 . An increase or a decrease of Si02 content of
such rocks causes only an increase or a decrease in quartz without any effects on
the paragenetic relations of minerals. Even if the component Si0 2 and the phase
quartz are disregarded simu1taneously, the number of the degrees of freedom F =
c + 2 - p remains unchanged. Hence, this disregard of Si02 is justified from the
viewpoint of the phase rule.
When a group of rocks have been metamorphosed as closed systems, a
component which is always present as a particu1ar phase in the rocks under
consideration as Si02 is in the present case, is called an excess component
(Korzhinskii, 1959, p. 67). If the rocks have been metamorphosed as open
systems, an excess component means a fIXed component that is always present as
a particular phase, either on its own or in combination with any amounts of
perfectly mobile components.
Eskola disregarded the component H 20 on the basis of his statement that H 20
is always present in excess during metamorphism. Probably he meant that an
intergranular fluid existed during metamorphism. Indeed, if an intergranular
fluid phase, with virtually pure H2 0 composition, at the same pressure as the
surrounding solid phases, exists as in model (A) of § 2-3, we may disregard the
component H 20 and the fluid phase in our diagram, just as we did Si02 and
quartz. When we assume a rock undergoing metamorphism to be open for H 20,
H 20 will not be taken as a component at the apexes in the composition-para-
genesis diagram, and hence we come to a diagram which is the same in effect as
Eskola's.
The Na20 present in metamorphic rocks is usually mainly contained in the
albite molecule except in the glaucophane-schist and eclogite facies. In order to
reduce the number of components, Eskola disregarded the component albite,
though this is not justified from the phase rule.
Eskola added Fe203 to Al203 on the assumption that they play similar roles
in solid-solution minerals. He added MgO and MnO to FeO for an analogous
126/ DIAGRAMMATIC REPRESENTATION OF MINERAL PARAGENESES
C_--:-------_......______
Wollastonite Diopside
- - ~. . . .;_(Bi:tite)
Anthophyllite
Cummingtonite
Fig.5-3 ACF diagram for rocks with excess Si0 2 and deficient in K20 in
the low-pressure amphibolite facies of the Orijiirvi area, Finland. Usually
K-feldspar is virtually the only K20-bearing mineral in rocks with excess
Si0 2 near the C apex. Near the C apex, therefore, only the rocks virtually
devoid of K20 fall into Eskola's category of 'rocks deficient in K2 0'.
the solid-solution range on the diagram is of little value. In this book, most
minerals are schematically shown by dots.
Moreover, the ACF diagram has little significance for the glaucophane-schist
facies where transformations in Na-bearing minerals play an important role.
The composition fields of some rock types in the ACF diagram are shown in
fig. 5-5.
C F
Fig. 5-5 Composition fields of some rock types in the ACF diagram.
5-2 ESKOLA'S ACF AND A'KF DIAGRAMS /129
Since this variation is related to the K20 content, it cannot be represented in
the ACF diagram. Eskola attempted to show it qualitatively by using two ACF
diagrams: one for rocks deficient in K 2 0 (fig. 5-3) and the other for rocks with
excess K 2 0 (fig. 5-4) for the same metamorphic facies.
Here, 'rocks dificient in K2 0' means rocks containing a mineral or minerals
that cannot coexist with K-feldspar. 'Rocks with excess K2 0' means rocks not
containing such a mineral or minerals. This classification has significance only
for the rocks plotting on and near the AF side of the diagram. In the rocks
plotting near the C apex, practically all the K2 0 is contained in K-feldspar, so
long as Si0 2 is in excess.
At higher temperatures (Le. the highest amphibolite facies and the granulite
facies), mu~covite and then biotite become unstable, and hence K-feldspar can
coexist with minerals on the AF side.
Microcline, Anthophyllite
Cummingtonite
Fig. 5-6 A 'KF diagram for pelitic rocks with excess silica in the low-
pressure amphibolite facies of the Orijiirvi area, Finland.
In the ACF and A'KF diagrams, FeO and MgO are jointly .treated as F. Among
the minerals of metapelites, however, garnet, chloritoid, and staurolite are high
in FeO/MgO, whereas cordierite is low. The FeO/MgO ratio of rocks has a great
influence on the mineral assemblage. Hence, a triangular diagram with FeO and
MgO at different apexes is helpful in paragenetic analysis.
Most minerals in metapelites fall on and near the A'F side of the A'KF
diagram. Accordingly, paragenetic relations could be represented to a con-
siderable extent by a triangular diagram with A': FeO and MgO at the apexes, or
the like, as was used, for example, by Korzhinskii (1959, fig. 49) and Chinner
(1962,1967).
°
Metapelites are regarded as being composed of six components Si02, AI20 3 ,
MgO, FeO, K20 and H2 by neglecting minor ones such as Ti02 , Fe2 0 3 , MnO,
CaO, and Na20. He regards the rocks as being open for H20, and hence H20
does not appear in the composition-paragenesis diagram. Most metapelites
5-3 AFM DIAGRAMS FOR METAPELITES/131
,
,,
""
,"
, ,, "
,,
a-a' = Biotite (approx.) ,, ""
bob' =Projection of a-a'
(mole percent) b '"
These parameters determine the height and horizontal position of the projected
point on the diagram, as shown in fig. 5-8.
In the coexisting minerals, the Fe2 + /Mg ratio increases in the following order:
cordierite -+ chlorite -+ biotite -+ staurolite (and chloritoid) -+ almandine
(Thompson, 1957; Albee, 1968). This relation is of use in the construction of
the diagram.
In this diagram, the ideal muscovite composition is used as the projection
point. Muscovites in high-temperature metamorphic rocks have such a composi-
tion, but those in low·temperature metamorphic rocks are now known to be
considerably deviated from it.
Among the neglected minor components, Na20 could enter muscovite and
K-feldspar, and CaO and MnO could enter garnet. This should cause some
modification of paragenetic relations. Generation of gamet, for example, would
be promoted by a higher content of CaO and MnO.
Muscovite in metapelites usually breaks down in the high-temperature part of
the amphibolite facies, and instead K-feldspar becomes nearly ubiquitous.
Another type of AFM diagrams to be used for metapelites with quartz and
K-feldspar was constructed by Barker (1961). In this case, points representing
minerals and rocks situated within the Al 20 3-FeQ-MgO-K20 tetrahedron are
projected onto the Al2 0 3-FeQ-MgO plane from the projection point of the
K-feldspar composition.
5-4 SCHREINEMAKERS BUNDLE /133
'·0 oOl
:2
~u..
o'"' 0·6
~ Cordierite 0.5
0·5 M
I
o 0·4
'"' 'A=::=---;:;;:;::;-:::-"""I 0·3
o--
~ Chlorite
0·0
Biotite
-0·5
t
K·Feldspar
0·0 0·' 0·2 0·3 0-4 0·5 0·6 0·7 0·8 0·9 '·0
MgO
(Mole)
FeO+MgO
Fig. 5-8 Thompson AFM diagram showing possible phases in equilibrium
with quartz and muscovite.
[AJ
(2)
(3)
(4)
Temperature
Outline
The recent advance in petrographic study throughout the world has clarified the
great diversity of metamorphic terranes. A cursory survey of the diversity was
given in § § 3-3 and 3-4. Part II treats detailed classifications and descriptions of
well-documented examples of progressive metamorphic terranes.
The nature of the diversity is revealed by examination of progressive
metamorphic reactions, which vary not only with T, Ps , PH. 0 and Peo • but
also with chemical composition of the dominant metamorphic rocks.
Thus, the backbone of Part II is composed of chapters 7, 8, and 9, which are
allotted respectively to the progressive regional metamorphism of pelitic, basic
and calcareous rocks. Chapters 7 and 8 are divided into two sub-chapters: A and
B. In each case, sub-chapter A treats a classification and description of pertinent
metamorphic terranes in order to show the extent of their diversity, whereas
sub-chapter B treats the progressive metamorphic reactions, except for those of
the zeolite and prehnite-pumpellyite facies, in order to clarify the nature and
cause of the diversity.
The diversity is greatly enhanced by the presence or absence of zeolite and
prehnite-pumpellyite facies zones in the low-temperature part. Moreover, zeolite
facies zones themselves show diversity. These problems are treated in chapters
6A and 6B prior to the above-mentioned backbone of Part II.
Chapter 10 treats the diversity of progressive contact metamorphism.
As a summary of all these descriptions, three generalized series of meta-
morphic facies will be formulated and described in chapter 11. A rigorous
definition of metamorphic facies will also be discussed.
Eclogite does not occur as a usual member of progressive metamorphic zones.
Therefore, the problem of eclogites and the eclogite facies will be discussed in
chapter 12 at the end of Part II.
Chapter 6A
Many of the low-pressure regional metamorphic terranes, such as the Ryoke belt
of Japan, have no rocks belonging to the zeolite and the prehnite-pumpellyite
facies, so far as we are aware. Their lowest temperature zone is in the greenschist
facies. On the other hand, Coombs, Horodyski and Naylor (1970) have found a
wide zone belonging to the prehnite-pumpellyite facies in northeastern Maine.
This zone probably represents· the lowest temperature part of the low-pressure
facies series in the northern Appalachian Mountains.
Three well-documented areas of zeolite facies rocks in Japan will be reviewed
below. The geothermal gradient appears to have been very great in all of them.
Hence, probably they belong to the low-pressure type, though Al 2 SiOs minerals
do not occur.
ML
, KS
I
I
P I II
I
I
I
I
/
I
I
I
I
I III
I
I
,,
I
I
I
,,
I \
I \
,
I
I
I
I II
/
I (w
/ 1\
I \
I \
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
/
/
I
I
Suruga-wan
(Bay of Suruga)
o, ,
10 20km
,
Mogami~rea,Japan
The metamorphism of a small Tertiary terrane of the Mogami area, in northeast
Honshu has been described by Utada (1965). The area is about 6 km across,
containing abundant lavas and pyroclastics. A zeolite facies area grades directly
into a greenschist facies area; there is no zone of the prehnite-pumpellyite
facies. The sediments were deposited in Miocene and Pliocene times. The
metamorphism took place presumably in the Pliocene. The metamorphism as a
whole appears to be of the burial type, though the highest temperature zone has
small intrusions of granite, rhyolite, diorite and dolerite.
The terrane was divided into the following five zones in order of increasing
depth (fig. 6A-2).
Mordenite
Cli nopti 101 ite
Analcime
Heulandite
-
;---
Laumontite I--
Smectite
Mixed layer mineral
Chlorite
Celadonite f-
Sericite
I Epidote
I Albite
Adularia
Opal
Chalcedony
Quartz
Calcite
The mineral changes are synoptically shown in fig. 6A-2. It is said that quartz
or opal is present in most assemblages, but no attention was paid to the possible
effect of the presence of these minerals. The figure indicates that analcime and
albite apparently begin to occur at the same zone. Since analcime + quartz =
albite + H2 0, the occurrence of analcime and albite in the presence of quartz
cannot be understood. It is not clear where there is always associated quartz.
The upper boundary of the greenschist facies zone is estimated to lie at about
3 km from the top of the Tertiary. If the temperature at the boundary may be
assumed to be about 350-400 °c, the geothermal gradient must have been over
100°Ckm-1 •
Prehnite, pumpellyite and actinolite are absent in this area, conceivably owing
to a relatively highPcoz . Calcite is present in zones III, IY and Y.
o ,
'5 I
10 km
,
halfway between Tokyo and the Akaishi Mountains (fig 6A-3). The meta-
morphism ranges from the zeolite to the amphibolite facies. The high-tempera-
ture parts of the complex are strongly deformed and schistose, and even partly
overturned, and have also been influenced by thermal effects of the associated
mass of quartz diorite. On the other hand, the low-temperature rocks are
non-schistose and are a product of burial metamorphism. The original rocks were
mostly submarine pyroclastics and lavas of basaltic and andesitic compositions
that formed in early Miocene to early Pliocene time. Seki et al. (1969a) have
6A-2 LOW-PRESSURE TYPE/145
divided the terrane into the following five zones in order of increasing
temperature of metamorphism (fig. 6A-4).
Zone I (low zeolite facies). Both sedimentary and mafic igneous rocks preserve
their original texture and show no schistosity. Only the fine-grained matrix and
groundmass are recrystallized. The recrystallized part is characterized by clino-
ptilolite, heulandite, stilbite and mordenite as well as by mixed-layer smectite-
vermiculite and vermiculite-chlorite. Chlorite proper does not occur.
Tanzawa
Mordenite
Heulandite
Stilbite
Clinoptilolite
Laumontite r--?
Thomsonite
Analcime
Yugawaralite -
Wairakite -
Opal r-
Mixed layer mineral
Chlorite
Celadonite
Muscovite
Biotite
Prehnite
Pumpellyite
Epidote
Actinolite
Hornblende
Albite %An 10 20 30
Plagioclase ?
Zone II (high zeolite facies). The rocks are still usually non-schistose and
incompletely recrystallized. This zone is characterized by the occurrence of the
laumontite-quartz assemblage. A mixed-layer clay mineral is common in the
low-temperature half of this zone, whereas chlorite is common instead in the
146/DIVERSITY IN ZEOLITE FACIES METAMORPHISM
Zone III (prehnite-pumpellyite facies). The original textures are still preserved,
though some rocks show weak schistosity. This zone is characterized by the
occurrence of prehnite and pumpellyite. Chlorite, epidote, and albite also
occur.
Zone IV (greenschist facies). The entrance to this zone is marked by the rlIst
appearance of actinolite in metabasites, whereas prehnite and pumpellyite
disappear. The metabasites are greenschists or greenstones mainly composed of
actinolite, chlorite, epidote, and albite with minor amounts of quartz and
sphene. Calcite, white mica or biotite may occur. In the higher temperature part
of this zone, however, the stable calciferous amphibole appears to be horn-
blende, and the plagioclase is sodic oligoclase.
ture part Up to zone V. Then, the quartz diorite mass was intruded, which
resulted in some modifications in the highest temperature part. Later uplift and
erosion had exposed the metamorphic and plutonic complex by late Miocene
time. A new depositional basin was formed to the south of the uplifted
mountains, and many fragments of the exposed rocks were transported southward
and deposited, leading to the formation of the Ashigara Group. Metamorphism
continued and was spatially extended into the newly formed sediments of the
Ashigara. Thus, a part of zone II and zone I formed there in late Miocene and
Pliocene time.
In many areas that have hot springs and fumaroles, wells have been drilled to
provide steam and hot water, or rarely carbon dioxide. Mineralogical investi-
gations of drill cores and cuttings gave unusual opportunities for correlating
mineral assemblages with temperatures actually measured and other conditions.
Comparison of such mineral assemblages with those in burial or regional
metamorphism helps us understand the nature of metamorphic assemblages. The
geothermal gradients in such areas are still higher than those in the low-pressure
metamorphic areas described in the preceding section.
In active geothermal fields, zeolites occur in the follOWing generalized order
with increasing depth (in the presence of excess silica): mordenite (and
heulandite) -+ laumontite (and yugawaralite) -+ wairakite. This is very similar to
the zeolite sequence in low-pressure metamorphiC terranes, though a zone
characterized by prehnite and pumpellyite has not been noticed.
Onikobe, Japan
Seki (1966, 1969) and Seki, et al. (1969b) studied drill cores from the Onikobe
active geothermal area in northeast Japan. The following zones were noticed in
descending order.
(a) Native sulphur zone.
(b) Smectite zone.
(c) Mordenite zone. Analcime and albite also occur.
(d) Laumontite zone. Yugawaralite, analcime, and albite occur in some
rocks.
(e) Wairakite zone. Albite also occurs.
if) Albite zone.
Quartz is present in all rocks. The depth and temperature of each zone differ in
different drill holes. Laumontite occurs in the range of 80-240 m and
80-170 °c. The geothermal gr<)dient is roughly 300-1000 °c km -1.
Coomb's zeolite facies terrane of the Taringatura area, New Zealand, had a much
lower geothermal gradient than the areas discussed above. The difference in the
varieties of zeolites observed is partly related to this difference in geothermal
gradient. Mordenite, stilbite, yugawaralite and wairakite were not found,
whereas heulandite, laumontite and analcime do occur. This terrane is a part of
the New Zealand geosyncline, other parts of which contain lawsonite and
crossite. Hence, the zeolite facies metamorphism of this area is probably of the
medium-pressure type, close to the high-pressure type.
The Sanbagawa belt of Japan is largely of the high-pressure type. However, no
glaucophane occurs in the central Kii Peninsula, where instead zeolite facies
rocks occur. Therefore, the central Kii terrane also is probably of the medium-
pressure type, relatively close to the high-pressure type. Laumontite was the
only zeolite found there.
Judging from the incompatibility of glaucophane and zeolites in these cases,
perhaps a zeolite facies zone hardly form in high-pressure metamorphic areas,
and at least in typical high-pressure ones. (Relevant data concerning zeolites in
the Franciscan Formation and a prehnite-pumpellyite facies zone in high-
pressure terranes will be reviewed in § 6A-5.)
Taringatura
Zeolite facies
Prehnite-
Metamorphic facies Heulandite- Laumontite pumpellyite
analcime stage facies
stage
Heulandite
Analcime
Laumontite
Celadonite
Smectite
Chlorite
Prehnite
Pumpellyite
Albite
Quartz
Laumontite
Prehnite
Pumpellyite
Epidote
Chlorite
Actinolite
Albite
Quartz
White Mica
Stilpnomelane
Fig_ 6A-6 Progressive mineral changes in the central Kii Peninsula in the
Sanbagawa metamorphic belt. (Seki et al. 1971.)
zone of the zeolite facies has been observed. The significance of laumontite in
the Franciscan metamorphics is not clear.
The limestone lenses in this terrane are composed of aragonite and calcite.
The largest lens measures about 200 m in length. Vance considers from
structural data that the rock-pressure of the prehnite-pumpellyite facies terrane
was probably lower than the experimentally determined stability field of
aragonite. He doubted the Validity of the use of aragonite as a criterion of high
rock-pressure. Newton, Goldsmith and Smith (1969) have supported this
argument by demonstrating that deformed calcite can be transformed into
aragonite at a lower pressure than undeformed one (see § 7B-19).
°
components will be treated here. Such zeolites will be divided into two groups:
Ca-zeolites composed of An, Si02 and H2 and Na-zeolites composed of Ne,
Si0 2 and H2 0. This division is artificial, since natural zeolites always contain
both Ca and Na. We assume, however, that the main features of the stability
relations of zeolites are preserved in this simplification.
6B-I PROGRESSIVE CHANGES IN ZEOLITE ASSEMBLAGES/IS?
°
The position of the two minerai phases in stable assemblages should move away
from the H2 comer with progressive dehydration.
Ca-Zeolite Assemblages
The composition relations of Ca-zeolites are shown in fig. 6B-l. Possible steps of
dehydration are shown in fig. 6B-2. Brief comments will be made on the
individual steps.
Step (a). The Ca-zeolite assemblages with the highest possible H2 contents°
are quartz-stilbite, stilbite-chabazite and chabazite-gismondine, as shown in fig.
6B-2a. These assemblages are thought to represent the lowest temperature of
recrystallization. Stilbite occurs in the lowest temperature part of the Tanzawa
area (fig. 6A-4). Chabazite and gismondine occur in the low-temperature part of
basaltic piles of eastern Iceland (Walker, 1960).
\\
\\
\\
\\
\ \
,Chabazite. Gmelinite, Levyne
Scolecite. \ '\ \ \
Laumontite'. "4tStilbite
\ '<;::~Heulandite
'."'
\~ -'Yugawaralite
\
.
Watrakite " ",\
~ ~~
Quartz
~------------------~
SiO:z
(b)
~ __________________~~Q.uartz
(d) SiO:z
Levyne, gmelinite and chabazite have the same or similar chemical composi-
tion. Levyne and gmelinite occur commonly in association with, but less
frequently than, chabazite (Walker, 1960). Only chabazite is shown in fig. 6B-2a
on the assumption that levyne and gmelinite are metastable.
Heulandite occurs in the same zone as stilbite in Tanzawa, and thomsonite
occurs in the same zone as gismondine in eastern Iceland. Heulandite and
thomsonite could form by dehydration of stilbite and gismondine respectively,
as is clear from fig. 6B-1. If our assumptions are satisfied, heulandite and
thomsonite cannot be stable in the same zone as stilbite and gismondine.
Unfortunately the paragenetic relations of these zeolites are not clearly known.
Step (b). With a rise in temperature, stilbite and gismondine disappear, and
heulandite and thomsonite appear instead, as shown in fig. 6B-2b. If the
threshold temperature for the beginning of recrystallization in a metamorphic
terrane lies at this step, stilbite and gismondine would not form at all, as in
6B-2 EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES/159
Taringatura (fig. 6A-5) and Mogami (fig. 6A-2). In the higher temperature part,
sc01ecite may begin to form, as shown by broken lines in the figure.
Step (d). Wairakite occurs in the highest temperature part of the zeolite
facies zone of Tanzawa (fig. 6A-4). If our basic assumptions are satisfied,
laumontite cannot be stable in this part. Wairakite is the only zeolite in drill
cores from the deepest part of the active geothermal fields of Wairakei in New
Zealand and Onikobe in Japan.
The zones observed in individual areas may be correlated roughly with the
above steps as summarized below.
Taringatura (Coombs et al. 1959) (b) (c)
Tanzawa Mountains (Seki et al. 1969a) (a) (b) (c) (d)
Eastern Iceland (Walker, 1960) (a) (b) (c)
Wairakei geothermal field (Coombs et al. 1959) (b) (c) (d)
Onikobe geothermal field (Seki et al. 1969b) (c) (d)
Na-Zeolite Assemblages
A similar line of discussion has been put forward for Na-zeolites by Miyashiro
and Shido (1970). The composition relations and four possible steps are shown
in figs. 6B-3 and 6B-4 respectively.
The analcime + quartz assemblage in the heulandite-analcime stage of
Taringatura (fig. 6A-5) corresponds to step (c'), and the occurrence of albite in
the laumontite stage to step (d') in fig. 6B-4.
I
I
I
I
I
I
: ~.PhilliPsite\
Mesolite + '\.
... \.\.",pinoptilolite
Natrolite
"
. \
\. \~Mordenite
\.~.
Analcime \ ~~
"
, ,~~
, ,'~~
\~~
"
\~
,\
,~
,\I
NeL---------------------------------.-------~Si02
Albite
" ~
°
Whetten, 1967).
The eqUilibrium curve for the reaction analcime + quartz = albite + Hz
corresponds to the boundary between step (c') and (d') in fig. 6B4. According
to field evidence in Taringatura, this agrees apprOximately with the boundary
between steps (b) and (c) in fig. 6B-2. The equilibrium curve for the reaction has
a negative slope above 0-4 kbar, as shown in fig. 6B-5 (Campbell and Fyfe, 1965;
Thompson, 1971).
The equilibrium curve for the breakdown reactions of laumontite and
wairakite, determined by Liou (1970), are also shown in the same figure. These
correspond to the boundary between steps ( c) and (d) and the upper limit of
step (d) respectively in fig. 6B-2. Liou (1971b) gives a breakdown curve of stilbite
into laumontite + quartz.
6B-2 EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES/161
(a') (b')
(c') (d')
4
...
.:'"
.0
3
0
N
J:
Q..
2 ~'l>~'
--,.,.,,.,.,, "
., _ _
,'-:----- .. ----
~o9_
o ... -
o 100 200 300 400
Temperature (OC)
oN
r?
Temperature
Fig. 6B-6 Possible form of phase boundaries between Ca-zeolites in the
presence of an aqueous fluid. (Modified from Coombs et ai. 1959.)
'Heuland' and 'Wair' mean heulandite and wairakite. The high-temperature
and low-pressure part of this figure is more precisely shown in fig. 6B-5.
6B-3 SMECTITE, ILLITE AND MIXED-LAYER CLAY MINERALS/163
In rocks of the low greenschist facies, chlorite and muscovite are the most
common phyllosilicates. These two minerals continue to be stable down to the
prehnite-pumpellyite facies. In the zeolite facies, chlorite disappears, whereas
smectite, illite and various members of mixed-layer clay minerals appear.
The name smectite (montmorillonoids) here means minerals of the mont-
morillonite group, including montmorillonite, nontronite and saponite. The name
illite means mica-type clay minerals, including white mica (sericite) and celadon-
ite (glauconite).
Identification of these minerals requires special techniques. A conventional
procedure of sample preparation for the X-ray method is as follows: a rock is
crushed into a fine powder, which is dispersed in water and left to settle for
several hours. Fine-grained clay minerals remain suspended in the upper part of
the water column. This suspension is then settled out by the centrifuge. To make
the identification of smectite and vermiculite certain, the following pre-
treatment before X-ray study is strongly recommended. A part of the sample is
treated with MgCI solution and another treated with KCI or NH 4N0 3 solution
to obtain Mg2 +- and K+- or NH4+ -saturated clays. When treated with NH 4N0 3 ,
several hours of boiling in about 1N solution is recommended to assure the
saturation of a certain type of vermiculite with NH 4N0 3 . After these treat-
ments, the samples are washed repeatedly with distilled water and concentrated
with the centrifuge. They are then transferred onto slide glasses and dried in air.
The mounted samples are glyceroled (i.e. immersed in glycerol for more than
several hours) or heated at 550-600 °c for about 1 hour. The changes in angles
and relative intensities of their basal reflections are clues for identification (table
6s-1 ).
The refractive indices of smectite and vermiculite vary according to the
immersion medium. When measured values are reported, the liquid in which they
were determined should be recorded. Illites and chlorites do not show such a
variation.
Present-day marine sediments contain smectite, kaolinite, illite, and chlorite.
Smectite is abundant where volcanic ash has been an important source material.
Kaolinite tends to be abundant near shore. At least some of illite in sediments
seems to be detrital. Recent K- Ar dating of deep-sea illitic clays has given
various geologic ages which suggest an airborne derivation from continental
regions. Discrete chlorite does not occur in zeolite facies rocks, but does occur in
rocks recrystallized at higher temperatures. Therefore, chlorite in present-day
sediments is probably of detrital origin. Chlorite is abundant in sediments on
ocean floors at high latitudes, because the mineral contained in exposed
continental metamorphic rocks is transported and deposited without chemical
weathering owing to the cold climate (Griffin, Windom and Goldberg, 1968).
164/MINERAL CHANGES IN ZEOLITE FACIES
Bas~
Untreated Mg 2 +
Treatment (
Heated at Heated at
Dried in air 300°C 550°C Dried in air ,
Smectite 12·4-15-4 9·5-9·8 9·5-9·8 15-4
1(001) > 1(002) etc
Vermiculite 12·6-15 9 9 14·2-14·4
(quickly rehyd. 1(001) ~ 1(002) etc
in air)
Chlorite 14·0-14·3 X 13·8-14·1 X
1(001), (003) < 1(001) ~ 1(002) etc.
1(002), (004)
Swelling 14·0-14·3 X 13·8-14·1 X !
X X X X 0·000-0·007 ±
? 16-18 ? ? ±
X X X X 0·03-0·04 +
X X X X 0·006-0·007 +
X X X X 0 ?
Regional metamorphic rocks of the low-pressure type are widely exposed in the
Ryoke belt running along the Southwest Japan Arc. Metapelites ranging from
slates to gneisses are abundant. Andalusite and sillimanite occur in a lower and a
higher temperature part respectively.
The metamorphic terrane of the Abukuma Plateau could represent a north-
eastern extension of the Ryoke belt. The rock-pressure of metamorphism there,
however, appears to have been slightly higher than that in the Ryoke belt, since
......
0\
00
~
i:"l
>o,j
>
"1:1
Table 7A-I Baric types o/regional metamorphism and characteristic minerals o/metapelites i:"l
t'"
....
>o,j
i:"l
(Jl
Glat1.cophane-schist Epidote-amphibolite
Baric type facies Greenschist facies and amphibolite facies Granulite facies o
:;:
i:"l
Low-pressure Andalusite, Andalusite, Orthopyroxene, ::!l
(Jl
spessartite-almandine, sillimanite, sillimanite, ....
>o,j
chloritoid, cordierite, cordierite, -<
chlorite staurolite, almandine
Mn-rich almandine
Ii
"1:1
::!l
Med ium -pressure Mn-rich almandine, Kyanite, Orthopyroxene, o
G)
chloritoid, sillimanite, sillimanite, ::!l
chlorite, staurolite, pyrope-almandine i:"l
(Jl
(Jl
(stilpnomelane) almandine,
chlorite :;:
i:"l
;s:
High-pressure Lawsonite, Chloritoid, Kyanite, i:"l
>o,j
jadeite, chlorite staurolite,
aragonite, almandine
>
;s:
chloritoid, o
::!l
chlorite, "1:1
(stilpnomelane) ::z:
....
(Jl
;s:
7A-2 LOW-PRESSURE METAPELITES IN THE RYOKE BELT /169
QShiojiri
+
+ +
+
+ +
+
+ + + +
+ +
0I 10 km
I +
1+ + + I Granitic rocks
Metamorphic rocks (zones I, II & III)
Shiojiri-Takato Area
Chlorite -- --
Muscovite --
Biotite ---------
'" Almandine ----
.~
a; Andalusite --- --
0.
....'"
'"
:;;
Sillimanite
Cordierite
---
Plagioclase - 7 % A n - - - ---
20% 25% An
Plagioclase !---14%An
Orthoclase --
Quartz
Zone II! (sillimanite zone). The entrance to this zone is marked by the
appearance of sillimanite. Though andalusite still occurs in some rocks, it is
regarded as a relict mineral. The observed assemblages are:
1. Quartz + oligoclase + orthoclase + muscovite + biotite + andalusite +
sillimanite.
172/METAPELITES: DIVERSITY IN PROGRESSIVE METAMORPHISM
Granitic Rocks and Pegmatites. The granitic rocks in this area are mostly
granodiorite or quartz diorite. They occur in all zones ranging from unmeta-
morphosed rocks to sillimanite gneisses, and show no relationship to the
distribution of the temperature of the regional metamorphism. They form
discordant intrusions with hornfelsic aureoles. The age of intrusion would be
much less than that of the regional metamorphism. The K-Ar and Rb-Sr ages
of the granites are around 60-70 million years.
7A-2 LOW-PRESSURE METAPELITES IN THE RYOKE BELT/173
Tukuba Area
The Tukuba (Tsukuba) area is about 60 km northeast of Tokyo, and could
represent an isolated exposure of buried metamorphic complexes connecting the
Ryoke belt with the Abukuma Plateau. It is a classical area studied by Sugi
(1930), who claimed that large-scale injection of granitic magma took place into
gneisses. Since then, the idea of large-scale migration of materials in the Ryoke
metamorphic complexes either by mechanical injection of magma or by
chemical diffusion, has been supported by most Japanese geologists.
The metamorphic complex is mainly composed of metapelites. Andalusite
occurs in the medium-temperature part, whereas sillimanite, cordie rite and rarely
garnet occur in the high-temperature part. Uno (1961) has shown that the
metapelites show no systematic changes in chemical composition with increasing
metamorphism, except for a decrease of H 2 0 content, in spite of their
transformation from biotite slates to sillimanite gneisses. There is no evidence
for large-scale migration of materials.
Z
"1
::a
N
z>
(j
t:<l
>
Z
r t:I
5km {Il
,
o. "C
>
....
Fig.7A-3 Zones of progressive regional metamorphism in the Aracena area, Southwest Spaih. Zones A, B z
and C are characterized by metabasites with actinolite, blue-green or green hornblende, and greenish brown
-...J
or brown hornblende respectively, as shown in fig. 7A-4. (Simplified from Bard, 1969.) -...J
---
178/METAPELITES: DIVERSITY IN PROGRE~SIVE METAMORPHISM
Aracena Area
Zone A B' s2 C
Plagioclase (%An) <12 12-25 25-45 >40
Chlorite - -
Biotite --
Epidote --
. --
III
~
.....
'0; Actinolite
blue-green green greenish brown or brown
.J:J Hornblende -
G>
:2
Cummingtonite
Anthophyllite
--
? -r--?
--
Clinopyroxene r-
Orthopyroxene -
Sphene -- ---
Zone I II I III IV V VI
I
Chlorite I
--
Muscovite
I
---
Chloritoid -- r-+- I
III
Biotite
Pyrophyllite I-- --
-- I
.~
--
.....
Qj Cordierite
c.
Andalusite --
G>
:2 Sillimanite
Garnet
Sp;;' 15%
---
';;;6%
Gedrite
Hypersthene
--
Plagioclase (%An) <25 >25
I
K-feldspar I microcline orthoclase
: I I
Calcite
Dolomite
III
Phlogopite
--
Q)
c
0
t;
Chlorite
Q)
E
Tremolite -----
:J Diopside
Grossularite -
Forsterite
Wollastonite ~--
Deformation phases
1 2 :3 4
, Biotite
Muscovite
-
..
Biotite
c: Muscovite
'c
0
Staurolite
> Andalusite
Q)
C Cordierite
Garnet
.
Q)
c:
II
Biotite
0
N
u
'E
0
Muscovite
:cc. 6 Staurolite
...0
~
E
Q)
U
..
II Andalusite
E Cordierite
Garnet
E
.
> I--
Q)
';;;
Biotite
~
Cl
...
0
Muscovite - --
"'
Q.. Staurolite
Andalusite
Cordierite
Sillimanite - - --
I--
Biotite
Muscovite - --
'V Staurolite
Andalusite
Cordierite
Sillimanite
Cevennes, France
Metapelites containing widespread pyrophyllite have been described on the River
Beaume in the Cevennes near the southeastern border of the Massif Central
(Palm, 1958; Tobschall, 1969). The metapelites contain 16-20 per cent of
Al 2 0 3. The following zones have been observed.
Ia. Chlorite zone. This is characterized by the occurrence of albite (0-8 per
cent An), quartz, muscovite chlorite and clinozoisite. Pyrophyllite
optically resembles muscovite, but was identified by the X-ray powder method
on concentrated samples. It was estimated to constitute 2-5 per cent of the
rock.
lb. Biotite zone. Biotite begins to occur. This zone resembles the preceding one
in other respects. Pyrophyllite is widespread.
II. Zone of manganiferous garnet. This was distinguished from the preceding
zone by the occurrence of manganiferous garnet, an analysis of which showed a
composition of AlmSOSP39Pytt. The occurrence of garnet in this zone may
have been controlled mainly by a compositional variation of the metapelites.
Northern Appalachians
In the northern Appalachians, a wide region including southeastern New York,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont was subjected to medium-pressure
7A-5 LOW-PRESSURE METAPELITES IN NORTH AMERICA /181
regional metamorphism in Palaeozoic time, whereas to the east and northeast,
another region including northern and eastern New Hampshire and Maine was
subjected to low-pressure regional metamorphism (§ 13-3). The boundary
between the two regions is shown in fig. 7 A-6. It is possible that the
Montreal
o
Canada
-------
U.S.A
A tlantic Ocean
o
LiJ
Triassic formatlo~s
(post·metamorphlc)
O&
o New York City
Un metamorphosed rocks,
o
Chlorite zone (c)
Waterville- Vassalboro Area, Central Maine. This area is distant from the
medium-pressure region (fig. 7 A-6). Andalusite and staurolite are common
(Osberg, 1968, 1971).
The progressive mineral changes are summarized in fig. 7A-7. The almandine
is probably more or less manganiferous. Cordierite begins to occur at a higher
temperature than andalusite but at a lower temperature than sillimanite.
Staurolite does not persist into the sillimanite zone.
Waterville·Vassalboro Area
Chlorite Staurolite-
and Almandine andalusite Cordierite Sillimanite
biotite zone zone zone zone
zones
Chlorite
Muscovite
Biotite
Almandine
Staurolite
Andalusite
Cordierite
Sillimanite
E"ol-Bryant Pond Area, New Hampshire and Maine. This area is closer to the
medium-pressure region of Vermont than the preceding area (fig. 7A-6).
Metapelites recrystallized at relatively low temperatures have been studied in the
Errol quadrangle (Green, 1963), as summarized in fig. 7A-8.
The lowest temperature part is represented by the biotite zone, where
chlorite and muscovite are common. The aluminous minerals pyrophyllite and
paragonite were looked for without success. Only manganiferous beds contain
pyralspite garnet, probably rich in MnO.
With a slight increase in temperature, almandine begins to occur. With a
further rise of temperature, staurolite and andalusite begin to occur. Chlorite
appears to be still stable at this stage.
7A-5 LOW-PRESSURE METAPELITES IN NORTH AMERICA/183
Errol Quadrangle
Chlorite -- ---
Muscovite
Biotite
Almandine
Staurolite ----
Andalusite - - - - --
Sillimanite
Northern Michigan
The middle Precambrian (Huronian) formations in northern Michigan on the
south shore of Lake Superior have undergone low-pressure metamorphism.
James (1955) has studied the area with special reference to the mineral changes
of iron formations. The metamorphism took place in pre-Keweenawan time.
184/METAPELITES: DIVERSITY IN PROGRESSIVE METAMORPHISM
The metamorphic terrane has been divided into five zones characterized by
chlorite, biotite, almandine, staurolite and sillimanite (fig. 7 A-9). A large part of
the Huronian is in the chlorite zone defined by the assemblages in the
metapelites. There are four thermal domes in which the metamorphism increases
up to the sillimanite grade. These are not elongated in shape nor aligned in a
belt.
Metamorphic facies
Greenschist
fOes
aCI
I
Northern Michigan
Epi~ote:
amphibolite
facies
I Amphibolite facies
Albite -- ---
Albite-oligoclase - -_.
Oligoclase-andesine
Andesine
....'"Ql -
- - Blue-green
Epidote
°uo
co Actinolite Green
Green and brown
-
.0
~ Hornblende
I
Ql
::2: Chlorite
Calcite -- - - - -Green-brown Brown
Biotite --
Muscovite - -- -- -- --- -- - -- - - --
Quartz - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -----
Chlorite - --
Muscovite
Biotite
'"
Ql
o~
Almandine
- - - --
Qj
Co Staurolite
....Qlco
::2:
Andalusite
Sillimanite
---
Chloritoid
Cla~i; - Oligoclase
Plagioclase
Quartz
As shown in fig. 7 A-10, the Dalradian and Moine metamorphic terranes of the
Scottish Highlands are divided into two regions. The major part shows a
medium-pressure facies series, including the classical area studied by Barrow,
whereas a smaller southeastern part shows a low-pressure series. The two regions
are commonly called the Barrovian and Buchan regions respectively, as will be
discussed in § 14.3.
The progressive metamorphism of pelitic rocks in the Barrovian region will be
described below on the basis of Harker's (1932) and later work. A synopsis of
mineral changes has been given in fig. 3-2.
Chlorite zone. Common pelitic rocks in the low-temperature part of the chlorite
zone are slates mainly composed of muscovite, chlorite and quartz in varying
proportions. Sometimes albite and graphite-like matter are also present. Quartz
may preserve the outlines of original detrital grains or may have lost them by
recrystallization. With a slight increase in temperature, the grain sizes increase,
leading to the formation of chlorite-muscovite-albite-quartz phyllite or schist.
In some rocks, albite occurs as porphyroblasts.
The muscovites are usually phengite. The chlorites are usually ripidolite.
Paragonite was found to occur only sporadically in metapelites (McNamara,
1965). Stilpnomelane occurs rarely in metapsamrnites. Pyrophyllite has not been
found (Chinner, 1967).
a
!
100, km
D Biotite zone
D
... Almandine zone
fililj
,,"II" Kyanite zon£. Andalusite zone
.
""/,,
[Zj
~
< ,
Sillimanite zone Andalusile·sillimanile zone
Sillimanite zone. The sillimanite isograd represents the boundary of the stability
fields of kyanite and sillimanite. However, the real mechanism of sillimanite
generation does not appear to be the direct transformation of kyanite to
sillimanite (§ 7B-13).
In the highest temperature part of the sillimanite zone, muscovite reacts with
quartz to produce sillimanite and K-feldspar. This marks the first appearance of
K-feldspar in metapelites in this region. The frequency and amount of sillimanite
increase remarkably. Typical pelitic rocks in this zone are sillimanite-almandine
- biotite-muscovite-K-feldspar-plagioclase-quartz gneisses.
Most metapelites in the Scottish Highlands seem to contain a small amount of
graphite and other carbonaceous matter, which should keep such rocks in
relatively reduced states during progressive metamorphism. Some pelitic rocks,
however, are devoid of such substances, and as a result show highly variable
188jMETAPELITES: DIVERSITY IN PROGRESSIVE METAMORPHISM
oxidation states. Chinner (1960) described a group of such pelitic gneisses from
lowest temperature part of the sillimanite zone. With increase in the degree of
oxidation, biotite reacts with garnet to produce muscovite and iron oxides, as
may be schematically shown by the following equation:
-- ---
•
Lugano
Stilpnomelane zone
(outer and inner limits) TTT Kyanite isograd
m Glaucophane zone
~ Sillimanite zone
b::!@
Zone lla. The plagioclase coexisting with epidote is oligoclase in this zone.
Ordinary metapelites are composed of chlorite, muscovite, biotite, almandine,
chloritoid, epidote, plagioclase and quartz.
7A-9 METAPELITES IN THE SANBAGAWA BELT, .JAPAN /191
Zone lIb. The plagioclase coexisting with epidote is andesine in this zone. The
metapelites commonly contain staurolite and/or kyanite, and rarely sillimanite,
together with muscovite, biotite, almandine, calcite, epidote and quartz.
The boundaries between these zones cross the stratigraphic horizons and
tectonic structures. The temperature rise which caused the progressive meta-
morphic recrystallization appears to have taken place at a later time than the
large-scale folding and thrusting movements. Almost all the porphyroblasts grew
after the penetrative movement had died out.
D Zone E
•
[ill
-- Zone 0
Zone C
Sanbagawa
belt
[ill Zone B
111111
1111,1 Zone A2
Pacific Ocean
...
[J Zone A ,
0 Ultrabasic rocks
The type IV rocks occur commonly as large isolated blocks resting directly
upon and within less intensely metamorphosed terranes of types II and III. The
origin of these enigmatic blocks is not clear. Coleman and Lee considered that
they are concentrated in a band which is roughly concordant with some of the
major faulting, and that they appear to have been tectonically transported
upwards from greater depths. Coleman and Lanphere (1971) have suggested that
these blocks are fragments of the crystalline basement on which the Franciscan
rocks were deposited.
There is a gradational relation between areas of types I and II and between
those of types II and III. The sequence of types I~II~III represents progressive
metamorphism, or at least progressive increase in the degree of recrystallization.
A large part of the eastern half of the Franciscan metamorphic terranes is in the
glaucophane-schist facies. The rocks of this region could be regarded as the most
typical glaucophane schist facies terrane in the world (e.g. Ernst et al. 1970).
Two areas where there is a progressive metamorphic sequence in metaclastics
will be reviewed below.
••
:~ 4o~
r ........
' ~~I
o, ,
2 km
~,
•o
Alluvium and
~ landsl ide deposits
Upper Cretaceous
to Pleistocene
Serpentinites
Metasediments
} Franciscan Formation
~ Metabasites
:OJ'd",.
-..... Jadeitic pyroxene·bearing areas
o. .
5 10.km
I
East of
~
West of
Minerals Isograd Isograd
METAVOLCANICS
Albite ---
Quartz -------------------
Lawsonite - -----
Calcite - --------
Aragonite --------------
Aegirinaugite - -- ----------
Pumpellyite ------
Chlorite -
White Mica --------------------
Stilpnomelane - - ------ -
Sphene
Crossite --
METACLASTICS
Albite -
Quartz
Lawsonite -------
Calcite - -------
Aragonite -------------
Jadeitic Pyroxene
Chlorite --
White Mica
Stilpnomelane - - -
Glaucophane - - ---
METACHERTS
Quartz
Riebeckite - - --
White Mica - - -----------------
Stilpnomelane
Garnet - -- - - -- - - - - - - - ------
Piemontite ? ----------
Deerite -------- --
Fig. 7A -15 Progressive mineral changes in the Pacheco Pass area,
California. (Ernst and Seki, 1967; Ernst et ai. 1970.)
10
9
... 8
~
"'
.c
7
"0
'5
r{ 6
\I
5
cr
~ 4
:>
!:l
~ 3
c..
2
Temperature (Oel
Fig. 7B-1 Experimentally determined equilibrium curves relevant to
metamorphism of pelitic rocks. The dehydration curves and the granite
solidus have been determined in the presence of an aqueous fluid.
7B-3 PARAGONITE
7B-4 MUSCOVITE
Phengite
Complete substitution of (Mg, Fe 2 lSi for AlAl in the idealized muscovite
formula, accompanied by limited substitution of Fe 3 + for AI, gives the formula
K(Mg, Fe 2 +)(AI,Fe 3 lSi 4 0 1 o(OH)2 , which is that of the mineral celadonite.
This is a distinct mineral species occurring in sedimentary and hydrothermal
environments.
Metamorphic muscovites are solid-solutions between idealized muscovite and
celadonite. The observed compositions fall in the range of 0- 50 mol per cent
celadonite. The muscovites near the idealized formula may be called muscovite
proper, and those rich in celadonite component are called phengite. The term
muscovite has been and will be used in this book in a wide sense so as to include
muscovite proper, phengite and sericite.
Muscovites in metapelites of the amphibolite facies are usually close to the
202/METAPELITES: PROGRESSIVE MINERAL CHANGES
Muscovites from:
o Glaucophane-schist facies
• Chlorite and biotite zones
" Almandine zone
12
.. Staurolite and sillimanite zones
6'
adl 6 o
u.
+
o
If 4 Field for 0
glaucophane-sch ist facies
00
2
o 2~0~~22~--~24~~2=6~~2~8--~30~--3~2--~3~4--~3~6--~~~~~40
A~O:l wt_%
Fig.78-2 Composition of muscovites from metapelites. The cross on the
abscissa at 38'4 per cent Alz 03 represents the idealized muscovite
composition. Muscovites from the glaucophane-schist facies tend to have
higher MgO/(FeO + Fez 0 3 ) ratios than chlorite and biotite zone mus-
covites. (Compiled from Butler, 1967; Guidotti, 1969 and others.)
muscovite composition has 38·4 per cent Al 20 3 and 0 per cent (FeO + Fe203)'
Muscovites from the staurolite and higher zones have compositions close to it.
At a lower temperature, muscovite compositions tend to show greater departures
from the idealized formula towards celadonite (Lambert, 1959; Butler, 1967;
Guidotti, 1969).
The content of the celadonite molecule in muscovite changes also with
variation in mineral assemblage at a definite temperature. Among the musco-
vites from the almandine zone of the Scottish Moine schists, for example, those
784 MUSCOVITE/203
in rocks with the muscovite + plagioclase + K-feldspar + quartz assemblage are
systematically lower in Al 2 0 3 and Na20 than those in rocks with the muscovite
+ plagioclase + quartz assemblage (without K-feldspar). Guidotti (1969) has
suggested that muscovite in the muscovite + plagioclase + K-feldspar + quartz
assemblage should give the highest celadonite contents and be a good indicator
of metamorphic temperature.
Muscovites near the idealized composition crystallize in the 2M 1 structural
type, whereas phengites occur usually in the 2Ml and rarely in the 3T type.
Muscovites near the idealized compositiQll have 'Y = 1·598-1·605 and 2 V (-) =
36-40°. Phengites usually have 'Y = 1·600-1 ·626 and 2 V (-) = 28-35° with a
pale greenish or pinkish colour. Thus, the compositional variation can be
detected to some extent by the measurement of refractive indices (e.g.
Miyashiro, 1958, p. 254) or of2 V(e.g. Iwasaki, 1963, p. 77).
Velde (1965) has made a synthetic study on the stability relations of
phengite. In the presence of an aqueous fluid, the composition range of
muscovite expands to phengite with increasing pressure and decreasing tempera-
ture. This is consistent with its observed modes of occurrence. The breakdown
of phengite produces muscovite + biotite + K-feldspar + quartz. The equilibrium
curve for the breakdown reaction of phengite with a composition of 70 per cent
muscovite + 30 per cent (Mg, Al)-celadonite lies at 4 kbar at 400°C.
Muscovite-Paragonite Relations
There is a wide miscibility gap between muscovite and paragonite. Eugster and
Yoder (1955) and Iiyama (1964) made synthetic experiments to determine the
limit of the gap. It becomes smaller with rising temperature, as shown
schematically in fig. 78-3, thus indicating a possibility of its use as a geologic
thermometer.
The basal spacing of muscovite is around 9·9-10·0 A, whereas that of
paragonite is around 9·6-9·7 A. Thus, two micas can be easily distinguished by
the X-ray powder method. The d 002 values of such coexisting micas are a
function of the miscibility gap, and hence could be used as a geologic
thermometer. Zen and Albee (1964) have shown the validity of this idea, as
shown in fig. 78-4.
After the decompOSition of paragonite near the boundary between the
kyanite and sillimanite zones, the maximum value of Na/(Na + K) in muscovite
rapidly decreases. After muscovite begins to decompose to sillimanite and
K-feldspar, the Na/(Na + K) ratio of muscovite appears to show a further
decrease. According to Evans and Guidotti (1966), the maximum value of the
atomic ratio Na/(Na + K) in muscovite in the sillimanite zone of western Maine
is 0·18 before the beginning of muscovite decomposition, and 0·09 after.
Natural muscovite and paragonite are not simple binary solutions. Muscovite
may be phengitic. Paragonite commonly shows a small extent of the NaSi ~
204/METAPELITES: PROGRESSIVE MINERAL CHANGES
Orthoclase+Plagioclase
Plagioclase
Muscovite+Plagioclase
\ I
\1
~
Paragonite
Muscovite+Paragon
Muscovite Paragonite
• Biotite zone
o Almandine zone
)C Staurolite and Kyanite zones
.« 9·65
)C 8
•
d 002 (muscovite), A
Fig. 78-4 Basal spacing of coexisting muscovite and paragonite in rela-
tion to metamorphic zones. (Zen and Albee, 1964.)
7B-5 CHLORITOID /205
CaAl replacement. These should cause a change in the miscibility gap and
deviation of d 002 from the value in the idealized case.
7B-5 CHLORITOID
5 haematite + chlorite
= 5 magnetite + 2 chloritoid + 2 quartz + 4 H2 0 (7B4)
5 kaolinite + chlorite =7 chloritoid + 7 quartz + 2 H 2 0 (7B-5)
5 pyrophyllite + chlorite
= 7 chloritoid + 17 quartz + 4 H2 0 (7B-6)
5 paragonite + chlorite + 3 quartz
= 7 chloritoid + 5 albite + 4 H2 0. (7B-7)
These reactions would be greatly influenced by the Fe 2 +/Mg ratio of the rocks.
The pyrophyllite + chlorite assemblage is widespread but chloritoid is not
present in the Cevennes (Tobschall, 1969).
Chloritoid occurs in the low-temperature parts (probably from the chlorite to
the lower staurolite zone) of the Dalradian metamorphics in the Scottish
Highlands. The localities with chloritoid are within a narrow belt about 40 km
long extending from the east coast toward the southwest. Paragonite has not
been found in this belt. Further to the southwest, chloritoid has not been found,
and instead paragonite has been found at many localities. Equation (7B-7) may
represent the differing stable assemblages in these northeastern and southwestern
areas (Chinner, 1967).
206/METAPELITES: PROGRESSIVE MtNERAL CHANGES
The breakdown of chloritoid with rising temperature usually gives rise to
staurolite. In some cases of low-pressure metamorphism, however, it may
produce cordierite. Since chloritoid is a hydrous mineral high in FeO, its
breakdown reactions depend not oruy on the rock-pressure, but als,? on PH, 0
and Po,. Halferdahl (1961), Hoschek (1967), Ganguly (1968), Ganguly aild
Newton (1968), and Richardson (1968) have made experimental investigations
on the breakdown reactions of pure Fe-chloritoid. According to these studies,
chloritoid by itself could be stable over all the pressure range (Ps = PH, 0) from
near zero to the highest investigated vaiue (about 20 kbar) and up to about
500-700 °c depending on Po,. In natural rocks, reactions with associated
minerals could decrease the breakdown temperature.
7s-6 CHLORITE
Chlorites may be regarded as solid solutions composed of the following two
components and their iron analogues as shown in fig. 7s-5.
Thus, the main substitution is Si(Mg, Fe21 ¢ AI Al. The structures of natural
chlorite are made up by the stacking of unit layers, about 14 A thick. In
hydrothermal experiments, not only chlorite with the 14 A structure but also
another mineral of similar composition with a 7 A structure is syntheSized. Such
7 A minerals are called septechlorites. The natural minerals antigorite and
amesite are septechlorites. All the 'chlorites' in pelitic and basic schists so far
examined have been found to have a 14 A structure (Banno, 1964; McNamara,
1965).
The range of the Si(Mg, Fe 21 ¢ Al Al substitution in chlorites from meta-
pelites, however, is very limited. The atomic proportion of Si on the basis of
18(0, OH), or on the anhydrous basis of 140, is usually in the range of 2·4-2·9
as shown in fig. 7s-5. Thus, an idealized formula for such chlorites is
(Mg, Fe2+)4·sAl3Si2·S010(OH)s·
Metamorphic chlorites with Si contents in the range described above, and
with a wide variation in the Fe2 +/Mg ratio, belong mostly to ripidolite in Hey's
(1954) classification. The Fe 2+/(Fe 2+ + Mg) ratio of chlorites in metapelites is
usually in the range 0·2-0·8 (Albee, 1962). The chlorites of me tapelites tend to
show a decrease in the Fe 2 +/Mgratio with rising metamorphic temperature. This
tendency is noticeable in the Barrovian zones as well as in high-pressure terranes
(fig. 7s-5). It has been detected, for example, by a decrease of the refractive
indices with increasing metamorphic temperature (Banno, 1964, p. 259-60).
7B-6 CHLORITE /207
Muscovite (including phengite) has a lower Fel +/Mg ratio than the associated
chlorite, and hence its breakdown causes a decrease of this ratio in chlorite.
Biotite and garnet have higher Fel +/Mg ratios than the associated chlorite, and
hence their formation also results in a decrease of the ratio in chlorite (e.g.
Ernst, 1964; Atherton, 1968).
• o•,••
...... ••• 0
)CA
o
r:/'
)C
Mg2+
A
.. Si
It has been established that the Fe 2 +/Mg ratio of muscovite and that of the
coexisting biotite in metapelites show a regular and sympathetic variation (Evans
and Guidotti, 1966; Butler, 1967). This indicates that the coexisting muscovite
and biotite are usually in close approach to chemical equilibrium with each
other.
K2 0·R2 0 3
Mierocline
Kaolinite
Pyrophyitetl-----=========
2R 2 0 3
(a)
~~~_=======l~~~Tale
Pyrophyllite Chlorite 2RO Pyrophyllite Chlorite 2RO
(b) (e)
Muscovite and chlorite have lower Fe2+/Mg ratios than the associated biotite.
Hence, the progress of biotite-producing reactions would tend to cause a decrease
in the Fe 2 +/Mg ratio of biotite. A further rise in temperature would tend to
produce almandine in medium- and high-pressure metamorphism. This would
promote a further decrease of the Fe 2 +/Mg ratio in biotite. If cordierite forms in
low-pressure metapelites, however, the Fe 2 +/Mg ratio of the associated biotite
should increase.
210/METAPELITES: PROGRESSIVE MINERAL CHANGES
7B-8 PLAGIOCLASE
1B-9 CORDIERITE
and chlorite. In rocks with higher Fe 2 +/Mg ratios, garnet and staurolite occur
instead. At 2-3 kbar, chlorite reacts with andalusite with a rise of temperature
to form cordierite and staurolite. The composition field of the rocks which form
cordierite becomes much wider by this reaction. At 4 kbar, on the other hand,
12 C
i
I
I
10
Crystals+Liquid
.
....
.c
~
8
0
N
ct
II 6
,,
.,....
~
,,
.
Mg-Cordierite
::l
,, , I::!
~
a.
4 " §
A'" t0
~
.!?
2
..,.6
~
~
~
0L--4~0-0-----6~0~0-----8~OO~--~1~0700~---1~200
Temperature (DC)
chlorite reacts with garnet with a rise of temperature to form staurolite and
biotite. Generally speaking, the composition field of the rocks which form
cordierite becomes narrower with increasing pressure.
In this grid, the composition of each solid-solution mineral is assumed to be
constant in order to simplify the calculations. Chinner (1962) has discussed
78-9 CORDIERITEj213
A A
Andalusite Kyanite
Pyralspite garnets are mainly composed of the first three of the following five
common components of the garnets: spessartine (Mn3AI2Si3012), almandine
(Fe3Al2Si3012), pyrope (Mg3Al2Si3012), grossular (Ca3Al2Si3012), and
andradite (Ca3Fe2Si3012)' There is a continuous series of solid solution
between spessartine and almandine, and between almandine and pyrope, but not
between spessartine and pyrope owing to a large difference in ionic radius
between Mn 2+ and Mg.
Pyralspites are widespread in metapelites and metapsammites in medium- and
high-pressure regional metamorphic areas. Though they occur in some rocks of
low-pressure regional and some contact metamorphic terranes, higher rock-
pressures evidently increase the frequency of their occurrence and their average
amount in ordinary rocks. Almandine is the most common garnet in such rocks.
The Fe2+/Mg ratio of coexisting minerals increases generally in the following
order: cordierite ~ chlorite ~ biotite ~ staurolite ~ almandine garnet
(Thompson, 1957).
Stability Relations
Spessartine and almandine are stable under a wide range of rock-pressure down
to zero. The stability fields of these minerals change with the oxidation
conditions. Figure 7B-9 gives the stability field of almandine on its own
composition in the presence of an aqueous fluid under two different oxidation
states. The temperature range of stability of almandine becomes narrower and
disappears with increasing P02 as shown in fig. 7B-I0. Relatively reducing
conditions are essential for the formation of the mineral (Hsu, 1968).
In synthetic experiments on the spessartine composition with excess H2 0,
hydrated and unhydrated spessartines form respectively below and above about
600°C. The low temperature limit of stability of spessartine is much lower than
that of almandine and is nearly independent of Po 2 within the Po 2 range
commonly realized in metamorphism. Manganese changes its oxidation state less
readily than iron (Hsu, 1968).
Pyrope is stable only at pressures above 10 kbar at 400°C as shown in fig.
7B-7 (Boyd and England, 1959). Garnets rich in the pyrope component are not
stable in regional metamorphism except for the granulite and eclogite facies.
7B-10 PYRALSPITE GARNETS /215
A
I A' B'
Sp I
3
I
1
1 B
I I
$1 I
't J I
~I I
~I I
2 $1 lIE
.§ J (f.
~I '"
c:
'0 It
~I c:
co If
t.1 E ~/&
~, « 'O/~
01 , c: III
£1tJ..
~/'~
I
I
I 1/
18
I
I Ii
I
/ I
I
O~--~4~OO~---=50~O~---6~O~O~--~7~O~O----~8~OO~--~90~O~--~10~OO
Temperature (OC)
Fig. 7B-9 Stability relations for almandine bulk composition in the
presence of an aqueous fluid. Curves A and B are with the iron-magnetite
and iron-wustite buffers, whereas curves A' and B' are for a higher PO z
with the fayalite-magnetite-quartz buffer. Curves A and A' have the same
mineral assemblages on their low-temperature side as well as on their
high-temperature one. Curve Sp represents the low-temperature limit of the
stability field of spessartine on its own composition in the presence of an
aqueous fluid. (Hsu, 1968.)
Cl
o
...J
Temperature (0 C)
temperature part of the almandine zone commonly contain about 0·6 per cent
MnO, 28 per cent FeO, 3-4 per cent MgO and several per cent CaO. In both the
Bessi-Ino area and Barrovian region, the almandine isograd lies very close to the
threshold to the epidote-amphibolite facies zone.
Muller and Schneider (1971) re-investigated the compositional variation of
garnets in metapelites of the Stavanger area, Norway, which had formerly been
described by Goldschmidt (1921). The garnets of the chlorite zone showed 14-5
per cent MnO. The MnO content decreases with rising temperature down to
values around 1 per cent in the amphibolite facies. The garnets in metamor-
phosed arkoses and pyroclastics did not show such a regular variation in
composition.
A remarkable decrease of the MnO content of metapelite garnets was found
in the low-pressure metamorphic terrane of the central Abukuma Plateau
(Miyashiro, 19 53b, 1958). Here, the garnet of a biotite-bearing greenschist facies
schist gave 19·74 per cent MnO. With a rise of temperature, the MnO content
decreases to about 16 per cent at the beginning of the amphibolite facies and to
about 3-5 per cent in the high-temperature part of the same facies.
7B-1O PYRALSPITE GARNETs/217
Thus, the trend of compositional variation in garnet with rising temperature is
similar in all the baric types: The MnO content decreases and the FeO content
increases. With further rise in temperature, the MgO content increases.
Garnets in metapelites are strongly zoned with decreasing MnO and CaO
contents and an increasing MgO content toward the rim (Atherton, 1968,
Brown, 1969). This trend is the same as that of the above-summarized
progressive changes.
Garnets have much higher Mn/Pe 2 + and Pe2'~/Mg ratios than coexisting biotites.
Above this temperature garnet can coexist with K-feldspar.
Complete Fractionation Model for the Progressive Decrease of the MnO Content
of Garnet
The progressive decrease of the MnO content in garnet will be discussed below
with the help of two models representing two extreme cases (Miyashiro and Shido,
1973). Hollister (1966) and Atherton (1968) have demonstrated that the
variation in the MnO content of some zoned garnets can be semiquantitatively
explained under the following assumptions: (a) There is no diffusion in garnet.
Only the outermost layer of garnet crystals is in equilibrium with the sur-
roundings, and once crystallized the garnet is immediately removed from further
reaction with the system. (b) Diffusion in the surroundings is complete. (c) The
fractionation factor of MnO between the outermost layer of garnet crystals and
the surroundings is constant. These assumptions give a complete fractionation
model for garnet growth.
In this case, MnO is highly concentrated in the early formed gamet, which is
then removed from the active diffusional system, with a resultant decrease in the
MnO content of the system. Hence, the subsequently formed garnet becomes
rapidly poorer in MnO. The following relation holds:
(7B-14)
where
x weight per cent of MnO in the outermost layer of gamet,
g weight fraction of all the already crystallized garnet in all the ferro-
magnesian minerals of the rock,
S = (weight per cent of MnO in a garnet rim)/(average weight per cent of
MnO in the associated ferromagnesian minerals), and
C average weight per cent of MnO in all the ferromagnesian minerals of
the rock (including garnet).
7B-1O PYRALSPITE GARNETS/2l9
Here, the 'rock' should be understood to mean materials in the volume within
the effective range of diffusion around the garnet.
If S remains constant, the average MnO content (Xav) of zoned garnet
crystals is calculated from the above equation as follows:
C
Xav=- {l-(1-gl} =C{S-!g[S/(S-l)]+ . .. } (7B-lS)
g
Therefore, when g -+ 0, Xav -+ CS. For S > 10, the value of {I - (1 - g)S} is
close to unity in the range of g > 0'2; hence the following approximate relation
holds for this range:
C
Xav =-. (7B-16)
g
The change of Xav with g is illustrated in fig. 7B-ll.
The actual growth of garnet may take place with a practically constant value
of S, or may take place with changing S with rising temperature.
I
I
10 ~C/g
I
I
?f<.
0 6
c
2'
°0~.0----~0~'~1----~0~·2~--~0~.~3----~0~'4~----0~.~5
g
Fig. 7B-11 The MnO contents (Xav and x) of garnet as a function of the
weight fraction of garnet (g) for complete fractionation and complete
equilibrium models, respectively (Miyashiro and Shido, 1973). It is
assumed that C = 0'2, and S = S' = 50.
220/ METAPELITES: PROGRESSIVE MINERAL CHANGES
Complete Equilibrium Model for the Progressive Decrease of the MnO Content
of Garnet
As an alternative case, let us consider a garnet-bearing metapelite in which garnet
crystallizes in complete equilibrium. In this model, the garnet crystals are
assumed to be homogeneous and to have been in equilibrium with the associated
minerals during their growth.
The following relations hold:
g+a = 1.00 }
!..=s' (7B-17)
y
gx+ay=C.
where
x = weight per cent of MnO in garnet,
y = average weight per cent of MnO in the associated ferromagnesian
minerals,
g = weight fraction of garnet in all the ferromagnesian minerals,
a = weight fraction of the associated minerals in all the ferromagnesian
minerals,
S' = fractionation factor, and
C = average weight per cent of MnO in all the ferromagnesian minerals of
the rock (including garnet).
Hence, we have
CS' - 1) }
x = 1 + g(S'
(7B-18)
y = 1+ g(~' - 1) .
factors (S and S') are essential to this decrease. Change in their values with
temperature may enhance the progressive compositional change of garnet.
However, such a change of fractionation factor is not necessary to effect the
progressive decrease of MnO in both models. The effective removal of the
previously crystallized garnet from the active diffusional system also is not a
necessary condition for the progressive decrease of MnO.
70-11 STAUROLITE
Hoschek (1967) has pointed out that the composition range of staurolite-
bearing rocks is considerably wider than that of the chloritoid-bearing ones.
Staurolite in some metapelites, therefore, should form by a reaction not
involving chloritoid. Possible reactions to form staurolite in chloritoid-free rocks
would be such as:
31 chlorite + 5 muscovite
= 26 staurolite + 55 biotite + 20 quartz + 173 H2 0. (70-20)
A reaction of this type was found to take place at 540°C under 4 kbar and at
565°C under 7 kbar in the presence of an aqueous fluid and a fayalite-
magnetite-quartz buffer (Hoschek, 1969).
Some crystals of staurolite in contact metamorphic rocks have been found to
7B-12 FORMATION OF ANDALUSITE AND KYANITE/223
be composed of sectors with slightly different MgO, Al2 0 3 and Ti0 2 contents.
The compositions within anyone sector are relatively uniform. The composi-
tional difference results from growth in different crystallographic directions
(Hollister and Bence, 1967; Hollister, 1970). It is not known whether such a
difference is common in staurolites of regional metamorphic origin.
(7B-21)
pyrophyllite quartz
much lower temperatures: 410 °c at 1·8 kbar and 430 °c at 3·9 kbar, as shown
in Fig. 78-1.
In some regions, staurolite disappears in the upper part of the andalusite or
the kyanite zone (e.g. Francis, 1956; Atherton, 1965; Osberg, 1968), whereas in
others staurolite persists to a lower part of the sillimanite zone (Thompson,
1957; Green, 1963; Guidotti, 1968). The difference may be a result of different
rock-pressures as shown in fig. 3-9, if we may neglect the effects of possible
differences in PH 2 0 and Po 2 .
Chinner (1965) has shown in Glen Clova of the Scottish Highlands that
staurolite of the staurolite zone has a wider range of Fe 2 +/Mg than that of the
kyanite zone. Hence, relatively Mg-rich staurolite of the staurolite zone would
become unstable in the kyanite zone, giving rise to a less Mg-rich staurolite and
kyanite with some compositional adjustment by the associated micas.
AI 2 0 3
Sillimanite
/ /
Aragonite
Y
Calcite II
10
\
\
\
\
\
.... \
'"
.0 \
::! \
'""; \
cC \
II
\
~
E \
5
::J \
fg
E \
Q.
\
Calcite I \
\
\
\'J
~\%
c.J."\'"
~
,\~
\
\
\
°0~--~--2~0~0--~--~40~0~~--~6~0~0--~--~BO~0~~--~10==00
Temperature (OC)
Fig. 78-14 Equilibrium curves for reactions relevant to high-pressure
metamorphism. The phase relations of CaC0 3 are after Boettcher and
Wyllie (1967) and Crawford and Fyfe (1964). The high-pressure limits of
an!llcime and laumontite are after Newton and Kennedy (1968) and
Thomp~on 0970b), respectively. The high temperature lirqit oflawsonite
(curve A-B) is after Newton and Kennedy (1963). "
inclusions within serpentinite, and also as a constituent pf metaclastics usually in
association with quartz, both in high-pressure terranes.
Coleman and Oark (1968) have emphasized that jadeites occurring in
serpentinit~ ar~ commonly of pure jadeite composition, wJ:rile jadeites in
quartzose metamorphic rocks always contain more than 10 per cent of other
pyroxene components (diQPside, hedenbergite and aegirine). Hence, the jadeite-
forming reactions in metamorphic rocks would be of the type: sodic plagioclase
+ minor ferromagnesian components (in chlorite for instance) -+ jadeitic
pyroxene + quartz + lawsonite (Ernst, 1965). The impure composition of jadeite
232/ METAPELITES: PROGRESSIVE MINERAL CHANGES
should reduce the rock-pressure necessary for its formation. Therefore, it is
conceivable that most of jadeite-forming metamorphism took place at lower
pressures than the stability field of the pure jadeite + quartz assemblage.
Though oxides and sulphides of iron are common in metamorphic rocks, only a
few systematic investigations have been made on them. Banno and Kanehira
(1961) and Kanehira, Banno and Nishida (1964) found that oxides of iron
(except ilmenite) are much less common than sulphides of iron in metapelites.
The frequency of occurrence of oxides and sulphides in metapelites from
high-pressure and low-pressure terranes in Japan is summarized in Table 7B-1.
There is little difference between the high and low-pressure terranes, and no
progressive changes have been noticed in any of them.
Note: After Banno and Kanehira (1961) and Kanehira et al. (1964).
The Ryoke metamorphic belt of Japan has abundant metapelites and meta-
psammites, but few metabasites. Recently, however, Katada (1965) has been
able to follow progressive mineral changes of metabasites in the Shiojiri area of
the belt. On the other hand, the Higo metamorphic complex and Abukuma
Plateau, the possible western and the eastern extension of the belt respectively,
have abundant metabasites. Two areas will be reviewed.
O Tertiary sediments
(post·metamorphic)
o Metamorohic rocks
Zone A
o, 5 10 km
Zone II. Green hornblende with an acicular or prismatic habit occurs in the
metabasites. Andalusite occurs in the associated metapelites.
Zone III. Greenish brown hornblende with a prismatic or dumpy habit occurs in
the metabasites. Sillimanite occurs in the associated metapelites.
the greenschist to the low granulite facies in the Hercynian terrane of the
Aracena area (figs. 7A-3 and 7A-4).
The lowest temperature zone contains actinolite greenschists. With a rise in
temperature, blue-green hornblende with a high tschermakite content begins to
occur in association with actinolite. A further rise causes disappearance of
actinolite and the change of hornblende from blue-green to green colour. At this
stage, the associated plagioclase contains 25-45 per cent An. Then cumming-
tonite and clinopyroxene appear. In the highest temperature zone, cumming-
tonite and sphene disappear and orthopyroxene appears. Green-brown and
brown hornblendes and biotite are still stable (§8B-4).
Metabasites in the Scottish Highlands may be classified into two groups: Green
Beds and epidiorites. The former represent metamorphosed pyroclastic deposits
of broadly basaltic composition occasionally mixed with some clastic sedi-
mentary materials. Epidiorite is an old field term used by British geolOgists, in
particular in the Scottish Highlands, which represents metamorphosed doleritic
intrusions cutting through metasediments. The following description will qe
made with reference to the Barrovian zones (see § 3-1 and fig. 7A -10).
mica and magnetite are present occasionally. In the middle of the chlorite zone,
green-brown biotite and actinolite begin to occur in some rocks. In the biotite
zone, biotite in Green Beds becomes brown in colour.
With rising temperature, chlorite and epidote disappear and almandine may
appear. Thus, in the almandine zone for metapelites, the rocks of the Green Beds
become hornblende-oligoclase schist with or without biotite or almandine. The
Green Beds in the kyanite and sillimanite zones are composed of coarse-grained
hornblende-andesine schists with or without almandine (Phillips, 1930; Harker,
1932).
Thompson and Norton (1968) give the correlation of mineral zones in the
metapelites with the mineral assemblages of interbedded metabasites in the
northern Appalachians, as follows:
Metapelites Metabasites
Biotite zone Greenschist facies
Almandine zone Epidote-amphibolite facies
Staurolite zone
Sillimanite zone } Amphibolite facies
Sillimanite-K feldspar zone Low granulite facies.
quadrangle, Vermont and New Hampshire (fig. 7A-6). The metabasites range
from the greenschist to the amphibolite facies. The surrounding metapelites
range from the chlorite to the sillimanite zone. The most interesting point of this
study is the discovery of a great variety of metamorphic assemblages, which
formed in response to variable Peo ., in the chlorite zone metabasites.
In the chlorite zone, some rocks in dikes preserve their original minerals and
textures, but most have been completely recrystallized and become schistose.
The completely recrystallized metabasites show the following four mineral
assemblages (mineral names in decreasing order):
1. Actinolite+albite+epidote+chlorite+quartz+calcite,
2. Chlorite+albite+epidote+calcite+quartz,
3. Chlorite+albite+calcite+quartz+epidote,
4. Albi te+chlorite+ankerite+quartz+epidote.
Bessi-Ino Area
The metamorphic terrane of this area has been divided into five progressive
zones A, B, C, D and E (figs. 3-6 and 7A-12; §7A-9). The first two zones belong
to the glaucophane-schist facies, and the last two to the epidote-amphibolite
facies (Banno, 1964).
Zone E. The typical rocks are epidote amphibolites with almandine or calcic
clinopyroxene. Biotite, muscovite and quartz may occur. The hornblende is
blue-green. Kyanite, omphacite, zoisite and paragonite have been found
occasionally. Kyanite was found in a zoisite-kyanite-paragonite-hornblende-
quartz rock.
Hematite occurs in the metabasites of all the zones, whereas ilmenite occurs
only in those of zones D and E. Magnetite is very rare.
Kanto Mountains.
A synoptic description of this area has already been given in fig. 3-7 and § 7 A-9
(Seki, 1958, 1960, 1961a, 1965).
The recrystallization of basaltic rocks begins with the incipient formation of
chlorite, albite and stilpnomelane (zone I in fig. 3-7). Then, actinolite, glauco-
phane, and pumpellyite begin to form (zone II). With a slight rise of tempera-
ture, epidote enters (zone III). At this stage, recrystallization is still incomplete,
and foliation is very weak.
With a further rise of temperature, lawsonite and jadeitic pyroxene begin to
occur (zone IV). These two minerals are confined to a narrow zone. Some
metabasites in this zone show the coexistence of lawsonite, pumpellyite and
epidote. With an additional increase of temperature, lawsonite and jadeitiC
pyroxene disappear (zone V). At this stage, recrystallization becomes fairly
complete and the metabasites are usually schistose.
246/METABASITES: DIVERSITY IN PROGRESSIVE METAMORPHISM
Glaucophane in a broad sense occurs in some of the metabasites ranging from
nearly the stage of incipient recrystallization up to this zone. Glaucophane
rimmed by actinolite and actinolite rimmed by glaucophane are common.
Glaucophane with b = Z occurs in all the above-mentioned range, whereas
glaucophane with b = Y is nearly confmed to the lawsonite-jadeite zone. The
latter is probably closer to the Mg-Al end member of glaucophane.
With an additional rise in temperature, glaucophane and pumpellyite dis-
appear, and thus the metabasites come to have a mineral assemblage character-
istic of greenschist (zone VI): chlorite + actinolite + epidote + albite. Some of
the albites show porphyroblastic development. Some 'actinolites' of this zone
may tum out to be barroisite.
Cazadero Area
Coleman and his co-workers studied the metabasites in the Cazadero area, about
100 km NW of San Francisco (Coleman and Lee, 1962, 1963; Lee, Coleman and
Erd, 1963; Coleman et aI, 1965; Coleman and Clark 1968; Coleman and Papike,
1968).
The poorly recrystallized metabasalts (type II in Coleman and Lee's nomen-
clature as commented upon in §7A-IO) are non-schistose and resemble unmeta-
morphosed basalts in field appearance. Pillow structure is well pr~served.
Microscopic observation has revealed that features of the original subophitic and
variolitic textures are preserved but mineralogical recrystallization is well
advanced. Glaucophane, lawsonite, muscovite (lM), chlorite, omphacite, sphene
and quartz are common constituents. Rarely, relict calcic plagioclase and
clinopyroxene are present. Albite and paragonite have not been found.
With advancing recrystallization, the metabasalts become schistose (Coleman
and Lee's type III). The pillow structure is conSiderably destroyed. Glaucophane
is abundant. Muscovite (2Md, chlorite, lawsonite, pumpellyite, garnet,
omphacite, aragonite, sphene and quartz are common. Pyrite is ubiquitous,
whereas magnetite, hematite and ilmenite are absent.
Coarsely crystalline metabasalts (type IV) occur as isolated blocks in this
area. In such rocks, epidote and rutile occur, whereas lawsonite and sphene
dwindle.
The stable form of CaC0 3 is aragonite in well-recrystallized glaucophane
schists (type III), whereas it is partly aragonite and partly calcite in poorly
8A-9 METABASITES OF THE CALIFORNIA COAST RANGES/247
recrystallized metabasites (type II). Garnet does not occur in poorly recrystal-
lized metabasalts, but does occur in well-recrystallized metabasalts of type III in
which it contains spessartine, almandine and grossular components, and in
coarsely crystalline metabasalts of type IV in which it contains almandine and
grossular components. The pyroxenes of the metabasalts are aegirine-jadeite in
poorly recrystallized rocks (type II), and are omphacite with only a small
proportion of the acmite component in well-recrystallized rocks (type III).
8B-1 CHLORITE
8B-3 PLAGIOCLASE
Kohler (1941, 1949) has pointed out that the optical properties of plagioclase
vary with its thermal history. Plagioclase in volcanic rocks has what are called
high-temperature optics, whereas that in plutoniC and metamorphic rocks
usually has the different optic properties characteristic of low temperatures. The
difference in optic angle between the two forms is great in relatively sodic
plagioclase (Smith, 1958). There are continuous intermediate states between the
high- and low-temperature optics. The effect of thermal history is also evident in
the X-ray diffraction pattern (Smith and Yoder, 1956; Engel et al. 1964).
Though most metamorphic plagioclases show low-temperature optics, the
granulite-facies metamorphic rocks of the Broken Hill area, Australia, were
found to contain plagioclases showing intermediate optic and X-ray properties
(Binns, 1965b).
Albites in low-temperature metamorphic rocks are mostly water-clear, un-
twinned and unzoned. With rising temperature, the frequency of twinning tends
to increase (e.g. Iwasaki, 1963; Engel and Engel, 1962a). Gorai (1951) has
pointed out that twinning on the albite and pericline laws occurs in both igneous
8B-4 CALCIC AND SUBCALCIC AMPHIBOLES /251
and metamorphic rocks, whereas that on the Carlsbad and albite-Carlsbad laws
is confined to igneous rocks. However, some observations at variance with this
have been recorded (e.g. Binns, 1965b).
It is generally said that Carlsbad twinning forms at the time of crystal growth,
whereas albite and pericline twinning can also form secondarily, for example, by
deformation (Smith, 1962; Brown, 1962).
The general formula for the calcic and subcalcic amphiboles is:
Calcic Amphiboles
To a first approximation, the composition of calcic amphiboles may be regarded
as being controlled by the following three variables:
1. Degree of the Tschermak substitution: (Mg, Fe 2 +:>Si": AlAl,
2. Total of Ca + Na + K. Since the calcic amphibole structure has large vacant
sites that can accommodate Na + and K + ions, the total number of Ca 2 + +
Na + + K + ions is variable,
3. Degree of the Mg": Fe 2 + substitution.
The first two variables are shown in fig. 8B-1. Each point on the diagram still
represents amphiboles whose composition may vary because of the Mg": Fe 2 +
substitution.
Calcic amphiboles may be divided into two groups: the actinolite group and
the hornblendes. The actinolite group comprises tremolites, actinolites and
ferrotremolites (= ferroactinolites). The rest of the calcic amphiboles are here
collectively called hornblendes. Fig. 8B-2 shows the curve for the frequency of
occurrence of calcic and sub calcic amphiboles. There is a clear minimum in the
curve at about Si = 7·2 for 24(0 + OH). Hence, the Si value of 7·2 is here
regarded as the boundary between the actinolite group and the hornblendes.
The significance of this minimum is in dispute. It may be the result of a
miscibility gap between the two groups of amphiboles under a limited range of
252/METABASITES: PROGRESSIVE MINERAL CHANGES
_ Ca+Na+K
Si
t
Actinolite group
7·0
Edenite
(Ferro-edenite)
NaCa2(Mg,Fe)5 Si7 AIOn(OHb
Hornblendes
6·0~-------------------------------------------4
Tschermakite Pargasite
( Ferro-tschermakite) (H'lstingsite)
Ca2(Mg,FeIaA~Si6AI20n(OH)2 NaC~(Mg, Fe4AISisA~0n(OH)2
metamorphic conditions (Shldo, 1958; Shido and Miyashiro, 1959; Klein, 1969;
Cooper and Lovering, 1970). The possible gap would not result in zero
frequency for two reasons: (1) The gap may exist only under a limited range of
conditions, especially at relatively low temperatures, and (2) there are a number
of compositional variables, and the frequency diagram for Si does not reveal a
gap within a two- or poly-dimensional composition space.
<I> Hornblendes
~
(5
<:
'"
'0
....
~
E 100
:l
Z
(8 B-2)
actinolite calcite
(Billings and White, 1950) and east Kimberley area, Australia (Gemuts, 1965).
Blue-green hornblende tends to have a higher H2 0 content and a higher
Fe 3 +/Fe 2 + ratio than other hornblendes (Seitsaari, 1953). The brown colour has
been ascribed to higher contents of Ti0 2 (Binns, 1965b).
An approximate relationship between colour and optical constants is shown
in fig. 88-3.
100
90
80
~~ 70
\ \
\ \
60
\ \
\ B \
\ \
"- \
50 "- I
"- I
"- .........
---
I
.............. /
40L-____ ~ ______ ~ ____- L____ ~~ ____ ~ ____ ~
'Y
Fig. 88-3 Optical constants of actinolites (A), Blue-green and green
hornblendes (B) and greenish brown and brown hornblendes (C). The
general trends of optical changes of calcic amphiboles with increasing
temperature are shown by arrows. These trends are similar in high- and
low-pressure metamorphic facies series.
7 tschermakite + 10 quartz
=3 cummingtonite + 14 anorthite + H2 0. (8B-3)
This reaction tends to decrease the tetrahedral and octahedral AI. At the same
- Ca+Na+K
~ M ~
8·01~-"----.-...,.---'--r--.---'---.--.--='
A
Si
t
7·0
Edenite
6·0~---------------------~
Tschermakite Pargasite
Fig. 8B-4 Calcic amphiboles in metabasites of the central Abukuma
Plateau (Shido and Miyashiro, 1959) and Broken Hill (Binns, 1965b). A =
actinolite field, B = blue-green hornblende field, C = field of green and
brown hornblendes in the high amphibolite and granulite facies. Compare
with fig. 8B-1.
8B-4 CALCIC AND SUBCALCIC AMPHIBOLES/257
Glaucophane can coexist with actinolite or barroisite in the same rock. The
compositional change from actinolite to barroisite appears to be continuous, and
actinolite does not coexist with barroisite. The compositional variation from
barroisite to hornblende also appears to be continuous.
258/META8ASITES: PROGRESSIVE MINERAL CHANGES
Hsu (1968) has shown that reducing conditions are essential for the
formation of almandine. This may be the main factor controlling almandine
formation in metabasites. Since metabasites do not contain organic matter or
graphite, their oxidation state is highly variable (§ 78-1 0).
88-9 ORTHOPYROXENE
4 Fe-Tr Anth
Tr
~
'"
.D
3
~
"0
·5
~
II
a::: 2
~
::l
~
~
c.
°40~O~--~5~OO~--~6~OO~--~7~O~O----~80~O~--~90~O~--~100'O
Temperature (0 C)
are mixed with Mg-rich ones, the former may produce orthopyroxene at a lower
temperature than the latter.
Some orthopyroxenes in rocks of the granulite facies are very high in Al 2 0 3
content (up to about 10 per cent) and show strong pleochroism (Howie, 1965;
Burns, 1966). Exsolution lamellae composed of augite were found in some
granulite facies orthopyroxenes (Binns, 1965b).
When orthopyroxene coexists with calcic clinopyroxene in metamorphic
rocks, the partition of Mg and Fe 2 + between the two minerals indicates an
262/METABASITES: PROGRESSIVE MINERAL CHANGES
approach to chemical equilibrium. This problem was discussed by a large number
of authors (e.g. Mueller, 1960; Kretz, 1961; Howie, 1965).
8B-1O GLAUCOPHANE
Glaucophane and stilpnomelane, both common in metabasites in high-pressure
terranes, will be treated in this and the next section. Lawsonite, aragonite and
jadeite occur in metabasites of some high-pressure terranes, but will not be
discussed here, because they are controlled by similar factors in metagraywackes,
which have been discussed in § § 7B-19 and 7B-20.
In metamorphic rocks, glaucophane forms characteristically at low tem-
peratures and high rock-pressures. In synthetic experiments, on the other hand,
glaucophane readily forms in charges of its own composition in the presence of
an aqueous fluid at a temperature above 850°C and down to low pressures
(Ernst, 1961, 1968). It follows that the stability of glaucophane should vary
greatly with the bulk chemical composition of the rock. Many glaucophane
schists have a chemical composition practically identical to that of some
greenschists and amphibolites (Washington, 1901; Ernst, 1963a; Coleman and
lee, 1963). In such rocks, the formation of glaucophane appears to require a
low temperature and high pressure.
The idealized composition of glaucophane is chemically equivalent to a
mixture of albite and antigorite:
88-11 STILPNOMELANE
Stilpnomelane is widespread in, but not confined to, high-pressure metamorphic
rocks. It is rare in medium-pressure and is extremely rare in low-pressure
metamorphic rocks. So far as I am aware, the sole discovery of stilpnomelane in
low-pressure metamorphic terranes has been made in slightly metamorphosed
basaltic pyroclastics in the lowest temperature zone (zone Ia in fig. 3-4) of the
Shiojiri area in the Ryoke belt, Japan (Katada and Sumi, 1966). In medium-
pressure metamorphic terranes, stilpnomelane was found, for example, from an
epidiorite (Wiseman, 1934, p. 376) and metagraywacke (Mather and Atherton,
1965; Mather, 1970), both in a low-temperature part of the Scottish Highlands,
and from slates and phyllites of the northern Appalachians (Zen, 1960).
In high-pressure metamorphic terranes, stilpnomelane is a common mineral in
metabasites, metapelites, metapsammites and metacherts of the glaucophane-
schist, greenschist and epidote-amphibolite facies. Stilpnomelane is more
common in the metapsammites than in the other rocks. In high-pressure facies
series, stilpnomelane appears to form most readily in the glaucophane-schist and
greenschist facies. When the series extend downwards to prehnite-pumpellyite
facies or upwards to the epidote-amphibolite facies, the mineral is less common
or absent in the extended parts of the series (Iwasaki, 1963; Hashimoto, 1968;
Ernst and Seki, 1967; Niggli, 1960, 1970).
The stability of stilpnomelane, however, varies greatly with the chemical
composition of the rock. It is known to occur even in granophyre patches
associated with the marginal olivine gabbro of the shallow gabbroic intrusion of
Skaergaard, Greenland (Wager and Deer, 1939). It has long been known to
occur in iron ores, and especially commonly in weakly metamorphosed iron
formations.
Chemically, an Fe 2 +-rich, dark green variety called ferrostilpnomelane is
distinguished from an Fe3+-rich, reddish brown variety, called ferristil-
pnomelane. The two may occur in different parts of a single hand specimen of
schist (e.g. Yui, 1962). Hutton (1938) assumed that ferristilpnomelane forms by
the oxidation of ferrostilpnomelane accompanied by loss of H, that is, by the
substitution Fe 3 +0 2 - ~ Fe 2 +(OH)-, as in oxyhornblende. However, Hashimoto
(1969) has emphasized that there is no systematic difference in H2 0+ content
between the two varieties and there appears to exist a discontinuous change in
the oxidation state. Brown (1971) has given strong evidence suggesting that the
oxidation of ferrostilpnomelane takes place after metamorphism.
264/METABASITES: PROGRESSIVE MINERAL CliANGES
.~ ________--,.l....IIiIiiIl~~§§~~~~~Haematite
Fe203
Fig. 8B-6 Paragenetic relations of oxides of iron and titanium in some
metamorphic rocks. (Chinner, 1960; Banno and Kanehira, 1961.)
former but are common in the latter. This difference may be regarded as a
progressive reduction with rising temperature.
In the low-temperature part of high-pressure metamorphic terranes, meta-
basites commonly contain haematite, whereas associated metapelites contain no
haematite or magnetite. Thus, metapelites are evidently in a more strongly
reducing condition than the associated metabasites. This is probably due to the
presence of organic matter in the former.
Haematite, magnetite and ilmenite belong to the FeO-Fe203-Ti02 system,
as shown in fig. 8B-6. There is a continuous series of solid solution between
88-12 OXIDES AND SULPHIDES OF IRON /265
ilmenite and haematite at high temperatures above 1000 °C, but a miscibility
gap exists under metamorphic conditions. If we neglect the effect of this solid
solution, the magnetite-haematite assemblage has a definite value of P02 under
a definite P s and T, as was discussed in § 2-7. If we consider the effect of solid
solution, however, the state of the system is fixed only when the three phases
magnetite, haematite and ilmenite coexist (Crunner, 1960).
The TiO z content of magnetite in some igneous rocks may be as high as 20
per cent, but that of magnetite in metamorphic rocks is usually less than 4 per
cent (Buddington, Fahey and Vlisidis, 1955; Heier, 1956).
For a detailed account of the phase relations in the Fez03-Feo-TiOz
system, refer to Nagata (1961).
Chapter 9
Compositions of Limestones
Most limestones are mainly composed of three components: CaC0 3 , MgC0 3 and
Si0 2 • Since the number of components is so small, the relationship between the
chemical and mineral compositions in metamorphosed limestones is relatively
simple. This greatly facilitates theoretical treatment.
If a limestone is composed of pure CaC0 3 , metamorphism would produce
crystalline limestones (marbles) which tend to become coarser grained with
increasing temperature. In most cases, there will be no other changes at all. The
temperature of metamorphism is not high enough to dissociate calcite into CaO
and CO 2 , (In nature, the mineral lime CaO has only been reported as occurring
in limestone inclusions in a lava of the volcano Vesuvius.) In some high-pressure
metamorphism, however, calcite in limestone may be transformed into aragonite.
If an original limestone contains calcite and dolomite but no quartz,
metamorphism may decompose only the dolomite as follows: dolomite --+ calcite
+ periclase + CO 2 , This decomposition could take place at temperatures several
hundred degrees lower than that of CaC0 3 under otherwise similar conditions,
and the decomposition product periclase is not rare in dolomitic limestones
subjected to con tact metamorphism. Periclase, usually in small octahedral grains,
almost always suffers hydration to form brucite Mg(OHh at some later time.
Brucite-calcite rocks produced in this way are called predazzite.
If an original limestone contains calcite and quartz, contact or regional
metamorphism at relatively high temperatures would produce wollastonite by
the reaction: calcite + quartz = wollastonite + CO 2 , Wollastonite is a common
mineral in limestones in amphibolite and pyroxene-hornfels facies areas. In
some rare cases of contact (and not regional) metamorphism, siliceous lime-
stones may contain tilleyite, spurrite, rankinite and larnite.
As a more general case, an original limestone is assumed to be composed of
calcite, dolomite and quartz. The metamorphism of such a siliceous dolomitic
limestone produces a variety of silicate minerals. In the metamorphism of
9-2 LOW-PRESSURE REGIONAL METAMORPHISM /267
siliceous dolomitic limestones of the Precambrian terrane in Finland, Eskola
(1922) found three steps characterized by the first appearance of the following
minerals in order of rising temperature: tremolite ~ diopside ~ wollastonite.
Some metamorphosed dolomitic limestones contain forsterite and lack
quartz. In some cases of contact metamorphism, monticellite, akermanite,
tilleyite, spurrite, rankinite, merwinite, and larnite may form, depending on the
temperature, Peo • and other factors.
If an original limestone contains some Al 2 0 3 besides CaO, MgO, and Si0 2 it
may produce epidote, hornblende, grandite (Ca-garnet), vesuvianite, and calcic
plagioclase. Epidote is usually stable from the greenschist or even lower facies.
Grandite begins to appear in the epidote-amphibolite facies in some areas and in
the amphibolite facies in others.
Some metamorphic rocks derived from impure calcareous sediments are
mainly composed of plagioclase and hornblende. This indicates the possibility
that some ordinary amphibolites may also be metamorphic derivatives of
calcareous sediments. When metamorphism is accompanied by a degree of
metasomatism or metamorphic differentiation, the chemical composition of the
resultant amphibolites may be similar to that of amphibolites of basic igneous
origin. This problem was discussed in detail by Orville (1969) and Vidale (1969).
If K2 0 is present, muscovite, phlogopite and/or K-feldspar would be
produced by metamorphism.
Distribution of Peo •
In progressive metamorphism, limestones are subjected to a series of decarbon-
ation reactions. At the same time, the associated pelitic and psammitic rocks
°
undergo dehydration reactions. Thus, CO 2 and H2 are liberated together.
The temperatures of decarbonation reactions vary with Peo. and the
composition of the fluid phase if any. The composition of the fluid varies
considerably within a short distance in some metamorphic areas, as was clearly
demonstrated by Melson (1966) and Carmichael (1970). In such areas, the
isograds for decarbonation reactions may intersect with isograds for dehydration
reactions.
Our knowledge of the frequency and extent of uneven distribution of CO 2 in
metamorphic areas is still very meagre. However, uneven distribution is con-
ceivably very common (§ 4-4). Therefore, decarbonation reactions cannot be
used as a reliable geothermometer.
Ryoke Belt
Metamorphosed limestones in the Shiojiri area of the Ryoke belt, Japan, were
described by Katada (1965). The lowest temperature limestones contain calcite,
268/PROGRESSIVE REGIONAL METAMORPHISM OF LIMESTONES
dolomite, quartz, and plagioclase with subordinate white mica and tourmaline.
With rising temperature, tremolite and diopside begin to occur at nearly the
same temperature. This is at variance with observations in many other areas of
the world where tremolite begins to form at a lower temperature than diopside.
Grandite begins to form at a higher temperature than diopside, and wollastonite
and scapolite at a still higher temperature (fig. 3-4).
The grandite + quartz assemblage persists to the highest temperature zone,
though it is accompanied by wollastonite in some rocks. Wollastonite is
accompanied by calcite and quartz.
Pyrenees
In some low-pressure regional metamorphic areas in the Pyrenees and Iberian
Peninsula, more or less similar sequences of progressive mineral formation have
been observed. For example, Bard (1969) has found in the Aracena area in Spain
the following sequence with rising temperature: tremolite -+ diopside -+
forsterite -+ grandite -+ wollastonite (fig. 7A-4).
Scottish Highlands
Harker (1932, p. 252-9) gives a cursory description of limestones in the Scottish
Highlands, though information from other areas is indistinguishably mixed. In the
biotite zone, limestones contain tremolite, zoisite, muscovite, biotite, quartz and
often albite. In the almandine zone, limestones contain grandite, vesuvianite,
9-4 HIGH-PRESSURE REGIONAL METAMORPHISM /269
diopside, hornblende, forsterite and microcline. Skarns are formed at the
boundary between a limestone and kyanite schist at Glen Urquhart. They
contain epidote, zoisite and calcic amphiboles, and occasionally prehnite and
pectolite (Francis, 1958).
In the sillimanite zone, limestones contain diopside, grossular, plagioclase and
orthoclase, but no wollastonite. Harker considered that wollastonite does not
normally form in regional metamorphism. Indeed, in another medium-pressure
metamorphic region (northern Appalachians), wollastonite does not occur even
in the low granulite facies (Thompson and Norton, 1968).
However, the absence of wollastonite is not a general feature of regional
metamorphism, or a general feature of medium-pressure regional metamorphism.
Examples of low-pressure metamorphism, producing wollastonite, have already
been given. An example of wollastonite-forming medium-pressure regional
metamorphism will be described below.
Nanga Parbat
In Nanga Parbat, northwest Himalayas, calcareous metasediments occur in a
terrane mainly composed of metapelites which contain kyanite and sillimanite.
They show unusually advanced decarbonation for medium-pressure meta-
morphism (Misch, 1964). In an amphibolite facies area, three progressive
metamorphic zones in terms of calc-silicate assemblages have been distinguished:
1. Calcite-quartz-grossular zone, which is characterized by the presence of
grossular and of the calcite + quartz assemblage instead of wollastonite,
2. Wollastonite-grossular-quartz zone,
3. Wollastonite-anorthite zone, in which the reaction of grossular with
quartz (Le. grossular + quartz = 2 wollastonite + anorthite) has been
completed. Wollastonite occurs there in contact with anorthite or by-
townite.
The Alps
Trommsdorff (1966) has described metamorphosed limestones in the Lepontine
and Bergell Alps near the border between Switzerland and Italy. The tem-
perature of metamorphism was lowest in the northwestern part of the areas. The
limestones exposed there contain talc and tremolite in such assemblages as talc +
calcite + dolomite, talc + calcite + tremolite, tremolite + quartz + calcite, and
tremolite + calcite + dolomite. Talc appears to begin to form at a little lower
temperature than tremolite.
The temperature rises toward the southeast and soon diopside begins to form,
and then forsterite. However, the distribution of forsterite is capricious.
Tremolite is still stable in some limestones. In the highest temperature part of
270/PROGRESSIVE REGIONAL METAMORPHISM OF LIMESTONES
the area where the Bergell granite is intruded, wollastonite forms in siliceous
limestones. Probably this is a result of contact effects and not of regional
metamorphism. Scapolite occurs over the whole area from the tremolite zone to
the highest temperature one (see § 7 A-8).
Sanbagawa Belt
In the Bessi-Ino area, the lowest-temperature zone, belonging to the glauco-
phane-schist facies, contains limestone with chlorite and quartz besides calcite.
In a higher temperature zone of the lower epidote-amphibolite facies, lime-
stones contain tremolite, muscovite, albite and quartz besides calcite. Lime-
stones of the higher epidote-amphibolite facies contain epidote, grossular,
diopside and hornblende (Banno, 1964, p. 290).
Franciscan Formation
In well-recrystallized Franciscan metamorphics of the typical glaucophane-schist
facies (type III in Coleman and Lee's nomenclature) in the Cazadero area,
California, metamorphosed limestones occur as small beds and lenses composed
of aragonite. Here, the pressure was high enough to cause transformation of
calcite to aragonite. The rock contains, besides carbonate, pyralspite garnet,
green amphibole, stilpnomelane, clinozoisite and quartz (Coleman and Lee,
1962, 1963).
Introductory
Bowen (I940) made an elegant theoretical analysis of the progressive decarbon-
ation of siliceous dolomitic limestones. A number of thermochemical and
synthetic studies have been made on individual decarbonation reactions which
take place in the presence of a pure CO 2 fluid (e.g. Weeks, 1956; Danielsson,
1950; Harker and Tuttle, 1956). In recent years, theoretical and experimental
works on systems involving a fluid containing both CO 2 and H2 0 have been made
by Greenwood (1962), Winkler (I967), Metz and Winkler (I964), and others.
These works ,have made important contributions to our understanding of natural
decarbonation processes.
Winkler (I967) and Metz and Trommsdorff (I968) give elaborate systematic
accounts on this problem. The follOWing discussion is based largely on theirs.
The presence of a fluid composed of CO 2 and H2 0 is assumed below.
Limestones composed of calcite, dolomite and quartz and their metamorphic
derivatives may be regarded as belonging to the five-component system CaQ-
MgO-Si0 2-C0 2-H 20. Disregarding CO 2 and H20, the relevant rocks can be
represen ted in a triangular diagram CaQ- MgO-Si0 2 . The compositions of the
siliceous dolomitic limestones which we will now consider fall on the left half of
the diagrams in Fig. 9-1.
9-5 PROGRESSIVE METAMORPHIC REACTIONS /271
Si0.2
A\artz
CaO~MgO
Calcite Dolomite (Magnesite)
(a) Original dolomitic limestone
/ (ruled area) \
1ti
Quartz
lA
Quartz
Calcite Dolomite
(b) Greenschist facies
after reaction (9-1 )
...
Bs
Quartz
Calcite Dolomite
(b') Greenschist facies
Calcite Dolomite
"'~T"I9~J
(c) Greenschist facies after
•
reaction (9-2)
Quartz Quartz
Dio~r
~orsterite
Calcite Dolomite Calcite Dolomite
(d) Low amphibolite facies (d') Low amphibolite facies
after reaction (9-5) ""-.. / after reaction (9-6)
"'-.Quartz
Calcite Dolomite
(e) Hi~h amphibolite facies
In the same range of CO 2 /H2 0, the next reaction with rising temperature will
form tremolite as follows:
The experimentally determined equilibrium curves for reactions (9-1) and (9-2)
are shown in fig. 9-2 (Metz and Winkler, 1963; Metz and Trommsdorff, 1968;
Metz and Puhan, 1970). The paragenetic relations in siliceous dolomitic
limestones should change in the order (a) -+ (b) -+ (c) in fig. 9-1.
However, Metz and Trommsdorff (1968) have shown that in the presence of a
fluid with very high CO 2 /H 2 0 ratios (range M-N in fig. 9-2), the first reaction to
take place in siliceous dolomitic limestones directly forms tremolite as follows:
In this case, the paragenetic relations should change in the order (a) -+ (b').
The equilibrium curve for this reaction (Metz and Winkler, 1964) is also shown
in fig. 9-2.
A further rise in temperature causes the formation of forsterite, conceivably
owing to the following reactions (9-5) or (9-6) depending on the CO 2 /H 2 0
ratio:
This reaction takes place for most values of CO 2 /H 2 0 in the fluid, and the
parage netic relations after this reaction are shown in fig. 9-1(d).
9-5 PROGRESSIVE METAMORPHIC REACTIONSJ273
900
800
U 700
e
..,'"
~
<l>
0.
~ 600
I-
500
400
This reaction takes place only for very high CO 2 /H 2 0 ratios, and the
paragenetic relations after this reaction are shown in fig. 9-1(d').
The equilibrium temperatures for (9-2), (9-4) and (9-5) as shown in fig. 9-2
are very close to each other, especially at low CO 2 /H 2 0 ratios. In other words,
tremolite, diopside and forsterite begin to form nearly at the same temperature.
(This is at variance with our ordinary petrographic experience on regional
metamorphic limestones.)
274/PROGRESSIVE REGIONAL METAMORPHISM OF LIMESTONES
tremolite calcite
= 11 CaMgSi 2 0 6 + 2 Mg 2 Si0 4 + 5 CO 2 + 3 H2 0. (9-7)
diopside forsterite
There is no experimental work on this reaction. Judging from the mode of
occurrence of tremolite and theoretical consideration (Metz and Trommsdorff,
1968), this reaction takes place at a considerably higher temperature than
reactions (9-5) and (9-6).
In the case where the fluid is almost entirely composed of CO 2 , talc and
tremolite, both being hydrous, cannot form, and the reaction of dolomite with
quartz would directly form diopside as follows:
dolomite + 2 quartz = diopside + 2 CO 2 . (9-8)
This appears unusual for regional metamorphism. At all events, a further rise in
temperature in this case would cause the following reaction:
Formation of Wollastonite
The formation of wollastonite is represented by the equation:
CaC0 3 + Si0 2 = CaSi0 3 + CO 2 • (9-10)
calcite quartz wollastonite
The equilibrium curve for this reaction determined by Greenwood (I962, 1967)
is shown in fig. 9-2. The temperature is about 580-680°C at 1 kbar and
610-750 °c at 2 kbar for a wide range ofC0 2 /H 2 0 in the coexisting fluid.
The paragenetic relations in such high amphibolite facies conditions are
shown in fig. 9-1(e). Anthophyllite is shown here instead of talc (Greenwood,
1963; Winkler, 1967, p. 39).
The high-temperature stability limits for grossular and the grossular + quartz
assemblage are marked by the following reactions:
(9-11)
grossular wollastonite anorthite gehlenite
(9-12)
grossular quartz wollastonite anorthite
9-6 ALUMINA-CONTAINING LIMESTONES/275
....i\;
6 1 .e2
~I
.\2/ ..::::-
I~
.I~
/ \
.I/ \
" \11>.
,/ ~\~
+-~" 0.\
\
,," ~
,,~~
\
...co 4
/
"" \
= ...
.c \
~
\
\ 0)
~
f \ '"
::l \
:a \
f
Q..
\
\
\
\
2 \
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
0
500 700 900
Temperature (OC)
As shown in fig. 9-3, the equilibrium curve for (9-11) lies at temperatures about
300°C higher than that for (9-12). Many grossular-bearing limestones contain no
quartz. The reaction of grossular with quartz with rising temperature was most
clearly demonstrated in the Nanga Parbat area (§ 9-3).
The grossular + quartz assemblage is stable only under a relatively low Pco ,.
Increase in Pco , or in the CO 2 /H 2 0 ratio of the intergranular fluid would
change the assemblage into calcite and less calcic minerals such as zoisite or
anorthite.
276!PROGRESSIVE REGIONAL METAMORPHISM OF LIMESTONES
that originally the spots had been porphyroblasts of cordierite which later
altered into other minerals. X-ray investigation by Bosma has demonstrated the
presence in the spots of quartz, muscovite and haematite, occasionally with
feldspar and minerals showing 7'1 A and 14·5 A reflections. No cordie rite has
been found. Nonetheless, he considers that the spots were originally cordie rite
porphyroblasts containing inclusions of quartz, feldspar and iron ore, and that
later alteration of the cordierite produced muscovite and the 7·1 A and 14' 5 A
minerals.
The spotted schists are transitional from spotted slates (or phyllites) to
hornfelses. Though they have spots, the schists are much less fissile than spotted
slates. Biotite and andalusite begin to occur. The latter mineral always forms
outside the spots.
The hornfelses have neither fissility nor spots. They all contain andalusite
porphyroblasts and a few contain cordie rite porphyroblasts also. Muscovite,
biotite, quartz, feldspars, tourmaline and opaque minerals occur. Bosma con-
siders that the hornfelses of the inner aureole probably did not pass through the
stage of spot formation owing to their rapid heating by the intrusive granite
which afforded no time for recrystallization at low temperature.
from the outer to the inner aureole, and 0'50-0·54 in the inner aureole. The
contact metamorphic garnet at the outermost part of the aureole is a fine-
grained almandine-spessartine nearly free from zoning, containing 14-18 per cent
MnO and 23-25 per cent FeO. In the transitional zone from tht: outer to the
inner aureole, some grains of garnet are zoned with increasing MnO content to
the rim and others are zoned with decreasing MnO content to the rim. In the
inner aureole, the zoning of garnets is very weak. They are usually typical
almandine containing 2-6 per cent MnO and 33-37 per cent FeO.
Contact metamorphism that produces staurolite and kyanite has been described
in some areas of the world. Since staurolite is stable over a wide range of
rock-pressure, staurolite-bearing aureoles do not necessarily represent particu-
larly high pressures. When kyanite occurs in contact aureoles, it is usually
associated with andalusite and sillimanite. Therefore, P-T conditions near the
triple point of the Al 2 SiO s system probably prevailed in a part of such aureoles.
10-3 PRODUCING STAUROLITE AND KYANITE/283
Hollister (1969b) has considered that both sequences formed with nsmg
temperature at a similar and constant rock-pressure which is higher than the
pressure of the triple point of the Al 2 SiO s system (fig. 2-1). In sequence (a),
andalusite crystallized as a metastable form within the stability field of kyanite,
and subsequently stable kyanite formed, followed by stable sillimanite. In
sequence (b), andalusite crystallized first as a metastable form, and subsequently
fibrolite crystallized as another metastable form, both within the stability field
ofkyanite.
Gamet grains are usually strongly zoned. The MnO content is as high as
6-18 per cent in the grain centre, and decreases outwards to a value as low as 1-3
per cent, but may increase slightly in the outermost few microns, whereas the
FeO content increases outwards. The early formed garnet contains a large part of
the MnO present in the rock. Diffusion of material in garnet is negligible under
the conditions of this aureole, and so the gamet, once crystallized, is removed
284/PROGRESSIVE CONTACT METAMORPHISM
from the reacting system, with resultant depletion of MnO from the reacting
part of the rock. The new garnet layer to form in equilibrium with the
depleted surroundings should be very poor in MnO. Thus, strong zoning could
form even "without any appreciable change in the partition relation of elements
during the growth (Hollister, 1966, 1969a).
Staurolite shows a more complicated pattern of zoning. Sectors of a crystal
formed by growth in different directions have different compositions, and
within each sector the composition changes from centre to margin (Hollister,
1970; Hollister and Bence, 1967).
Biotite and chlorite are more homogeneous, and would have continuously
internally re-equilibrated during their growth with changing external conditions.
A series of Hollister's papers on rocks and minerals of this area represents a
successful use of the electron probe X-ray rnicroanalyser for better under-
standing of the mechanism of metamorphic reactions.
Zone A I. On entering the contact aureole, the metabasites are soon recrystallized
nearly completely and lose their original fissility. The outermost zone is
characterized by metabasites with the actinolite-calcic plagioclase assemblage
with or without chlorite, quartz and biotite. No epidote is present. The calcic
plagioclase is labradorite or andesine. In the higher temperature part of this
zone, some metabasites contain a little blue-green hornblende in association
with actinolite, and others contain diopsidic pyroxene. The associated meta-
psammites are biotite hornfelses with occasional muscovite or garnet.
Zone D'. Where the dioritic facies of the intrusion is in contact with the country
rocks, orthopyroxene is formed in metabasites up to a distance of several metres
from the contact. This part is deSignated as zone D'. The rocks show the
orthopyroxene + clinopyroxene + hornblende + plagioclase assemblage com-
monly with cummingtonite and biotite. Orthopyroxene does not form in the
metabasites in contact with granodiorites.
10-6 CONTACT MET AMORPHISM OF BASIC ROCKS /289
Arisu Area, Northeast Japan
As shown in fig. 10-1, three progressive metamorphic zones have been distin-
guished in terms of mineral changes in metabasites (Seki, 1957; especially
1961b, pp. 74-75).
1. Greenschist facies zone. Actinolite, chlorite, sodie plagioclase, muscovite,
biotite and epidote occur.
2. Actinolite-calcic plagioclase zone. This zone resembles zone A' of the
Iritono aureole. The plagioclase is andesine or labradorite. Epidote is rare
and chlorite is present.
3. Amphibolite facies zone. The metabasites are mainly composed of horn-
blende and plagioclase.
Arisu Area
I
Gree nsch i st Actinolite-calcic Amphibolite
Metabasites plagioclase zone facies
facies
Chlorite- I Biotite- Cordierite- Sillimanite
Zoning muscovite andalusite almandine zone
zone zone zone
Chlorite
Muscovite
Chloritoid --
Andalusite --
Biotite
V>
Anthophyllite
l!l
a; Cummingtonite
0-
....'" Cordierite
QJ
::2; Almandine
Corundum
Spinel
Microcline
Sillimanite
Chlorite ----
Muscovite
Epidote
V>
Tremolite
--
Q)
c
0 Hornblende
1;;
QJ
Diopside
E
:.:i Ca-garnet
Vesuvianite
Wollastonite
Scapolite
Microcline
Crestmore, California
The Crestmore limestone is a well-documented example showing advanced
decarbonation. It is situated about 90 km east of Los Angeles. Monticellite,
292/PROGRESSIVE CONTACT METAMORPHISM
gehienite, tilleyite, spurrite, and merwinite have been found (Burnham, 1959;
Walter, 1965; Carpenter, 1967).
Masses of dolomitic limestones were engulfed and metamorphosed by a
quartz-diorite pluton which is part of the Cretaceous Southern California
batholith. A layer, less than 1 m thick, of contact skarns mainly composed of
diopside, grossular and wollastonite formed between the limestone and quartz
diorite. Later, a small pipe-like body of quartz-monzonite porphyry was
intruded and a thicker skarn zone, up to about 20 m thick, formed between the
porphyry and the already metamorphosed limestone. The quartz-monzonite
porphyry is made up of andesine phenocrysts set in a microcrystalline ground-
mass of andesine, orthoclase and quartz with minor green clinopyroxene,
hornblende and biotite.
The limestones are now composed of alternating layers of coarsely crystalline
calcite marble and brucite marble. The brucite is a hydration product of
periclase.
The thicker skarn zone was formed by the metasomatic introduction of great
amounts of Si02 and Al 2 0 3 from the quartz-monzonite porphyry into the
surrounding limestones. It may be divided into the following three sub zones
listed in order from the contact outward:
1. Garnet subzone, consisting of uniform garnet-wollastonite-diopside rock.
2. Vesuvianite subzone, consisting of vesuvianite, garnet, wollastonite, diop-
side, monticellite, wilke rite , crestmorite, phlogopite, and xanthophyllite.
3. Monticellite subzone, consisting of monticellite, gehienite, tilleyite,
spurrite, merwinite, forsterite, scawtite and dark green spinel.
These sub zones have gradational contacts between one another. The outer
boundary of the monticellite subzone against the crystalline marble is very sharp
and represents the limit of Si and AI metasomatism.
Conceivably, a large amount of water escaping from the crystallizing quartz-
monzonite porphyry carried the Si0 2 and Al 2 0 3 to cause the metasomatism.
The subzones closer to the igneous body have higher Si0 2 and Al 2 0 3 contents.
The differences in mineral composition between subzones probably resulted
from the chemical differences due to metasomatism together with some
differences in Pcoz and temperature.
Chapter 11
Eskola's Concept
Goldschmidt's (1911) study of the contact metamorphism of the Oslo area and
Eskola's (1914) study of the regional metamorphism of the Orijarvi region
revealed that well-recrystallized metamorphic rocks approached chemical equili-
brium at a stage of their history and that the mineral compositions they acquired
then have usually been preserved over long subsequent periods of time. In a
group of metamorphic rocks that have reached chemical equilibrium under the
same definite P-T conditions, the mineral compositions of the rocks depend only
on their bulk chemical compositions, regardless of their previous history. There
exists a regular relationship between the mineral and chemical compositions of
such metamorphic rocks. Eskola (1915) attempted to visualize the relationship
by his ACF and A'KF diagrams.
Since the metamorphism at Oslo differs in P-T conditions from that at
Orijiirvi, the relationship between the mineral and chemical compositions of the
rocks in the former area differs from that in the latter area. When rocks having
the same chemical compositions are subjected to metamorphism under different
P-T conditions, the mineral compositions of the resultant rocks can differ from
one another.
Eskola (1915) defined a metamorphic Jacies as including all the rocks
recrystallized under the same P-T conditions (range). Therefore, each meta-
morphic facies corresponds to a definite P-T range and is characterized by a
regular relationship between the chemical and mineral compositions of the rocks.
This has led to the establishment of a sound empirical classification of
metamorphic rocks in terms of P- T conditions. Eskola (1915, p. 115) wrote as
follows: 'A metamorphic facies includes rocks which ... may be supposed to
have been metamorphosed under identical conditions. As belonging to a certain
facies we regard rocks which, if having an identical chemical composition, are
composed of the same minerals. It may expressly be pointed out, that this
conception does not postulate any supposition whatsoever concerning the
294/METAMORPHIC FACIES AND FACIES SERIES
genetic, pre-metamorphic relations of the rocks, and that every facies may
include all possible chemical and genetical varieties.'
Eskola (1920) proposed five metamorphic facies named greenschist, amphi-
bolite, hornfels, sanidinite, and eclogite facies. In his final systematic account,
Eskola (l939) added the epidote-amphibolite, glaucophane-schist and granulite
facies, and changed the name of the hornfels facies into the pyroxene-hornfels
facies.
Eskola (1920, 1939) thought that there were igneous rocks having virtually
the same mineral assemblages as some metamorphic rocks. For example, horn-
blende and pyroxene gabbros have virtually the same mineral assemblages as
amphibolites and two pyroxene-bearing basic hornfelses, respectively. Therefore,
he formulated a group of igneous facies, corresponding to the metamorphic
ones, such as the hornblende gabbro facies and the gabbro facies. The term
mineral facies was proposed so as to comprise both metamorphic and igneous
facies (Eskola, 1920, 1939).
Though the main merit of the facies classification comes from the inference
that each facies represents a restricted range of temperature and pressure, Eskola
in his later years did not like to base the definition of metamorphic facies on
such an inference. Thus, Eskola (l939) attempted to give an excessively
positivistic definition which was based only on directly observable chemical and
mineral compositions. This attempt stemmed probably from the positivistic spirit
he had aquired in his youth under the influence of F. W. Ostwald, Ernst Mach
and others (cf. Eskola, 1954).
This defmition has real significance only when combined with the knowledge
of what components are highly mobile during metamorphism. If only H2 0 is
highly mobile, a metamorphic facies should represent a volume in the
T-Ps-PH20 space. If H2 0 and CO 2 are highly mobile, a facies should represent
a 'volume' in the T-Ps-PH20-PC02 'space'. (Whether CO2 may be regarded as
being mobile, depends partly on the areal extent of a metamorphic zone which
should be regarded as belonging to a facies, as will be commented upon below.)
Our knowledge on the mobility of CO 2 is very meagre. In this book, a
metamorphic facies is regarded tentatively as representing a volume in the
T-Ps-PH20 space. Figure 3-12 shows a rough projection of such volumes onto
the Ps- T plane.
A strictly defined relationship between the chemical and mineral composi-
tions of rocks holds only under a set of definite values of external conditions. A
metamorphic facies, as we now use it, does not represent such a set of definite
values, but represents a set of definite ranges of external conditions. Usually the
ranges are chosen so that a progressive metamorphic zone representing a
metamorphic facies could be shown on a map. Hence, the composition-
paragenesis diagrams corresponding to a metamorphic facies represent only
approximate or average relationships under a set of definite ranges of external
conditions.
Facies Names
Eskola's (1939) eight metamorphic facies are greenschist, epidote-amphibolite,
amphibolite, pyroxene hornfels, granulite, sanidinite, glaucophane-schist and
eclogite facies. Coombs et al. (1959) and Coombs (1960, 1961) proposed two
additional facies named zeolite and prehnite-pumpellyite facies. (The latter
facies was originally called the prehnite-pumpellyite-metagraywacke facies. We
delete 'metagraywacke' after recent usage.) Thus, we have ten facies names, and
we use only these facies names in this book.
That zone in contact aureoles which is characterized by the actinolite + calcic
plagioclase assemblage in metabasites (§ § 4-5 and 10-6) does not belong to any
of the above ten facies. The available data on it, however, are not sufficient
to establish a new facies. Therefore, such a zone is simply referred to as the
actinolite-calcic plagioclase zone in this book.
Many other facies names were proposed in the past. In certain progressive
metamorphic terranes, several mineral zones have been set up and a set of
metamorphic facies corresponding to the individual zones has been proposed.
However, the mineralogical characteristics of progressive. metamorphism are very
diverse. If we continue to propose a set of facies names for each area, the total
number of names will grow to a terribly large figure. Since we are not very
successful in determining the P- T relations between zones of differen t areas, the
growing number of facies names will simply mean an increasing burden to our
11-1 CONCEPT OF METAMORPHIC FACIES/297
memory without any essential progress in our knowledge. I will refrain from any
more advanced subdivision of metamorphic facies.
It is very important to note that metamorphic facies have been defined on the
basis of the relationships between the chemical and mineral compositions of a
group of rocks, and not on their geologic settings. Certain zones of regional
metamorphism show virtually the same relationship between the chemical and
mineral compositions as certain zones of contact metamorphism. All such zones
should belong to the same metamorphi~ facies and should have the same facies
name regardless of the difference in their geologic settings.
If one wishes to distinguish a greenschist facies, for instance, of regional
metamorphism from that of contact metamorphism under two different facies
names, one must find a difference in paragenetic relations between the two
greenschist facies. Proposal of such different names is justifiable only when the
new names are defined on the basis of distinct paragenetic relations, and not on
geologic settings.
a::
-
Low- (a) Some zeolite-facies (a) Akaishi Mountains Zeolite -+ prehnite-pumpellyite -+ tz1
>-l
pressure terranes (Matsuda and Kuriyagawa, greenschist -+ actinolite calcic >
1965) a::
0
(b) Contact metamorphism (b) Oslo (Goldschmidt, 1911), plagioclase zone -+ amphibolite ::0
at lower Ps Iritono (Shido, 1958), -+ pyroxene hornfels -+ sanidinite ."
::I:
.....
Arisu (Seki, 1961b) (j
(c) Pyrometamorphism (c) Sithean Sluaigh (Smith, 1969) ..."
Low- (a) Some zeolite facies (a), (b) Tanzawa Mountains Zeolite -+ prehnite-pumpellyite-+ >
(j
pressure terranes (Sekietal. 1969a) greenschist -+ amphibolite -+ .....
tz1
II (b) Contact metamorphism (b) Nakoso (Shido, 1958) granulite rn
at higher P s (c) Shiojiri-Takato (Ono, >
Z
1969a, b;Katada, 1965), 0
(c) Low-pressure Aracena (Bard, 1969), ..."
regional metamorphism Uusimaa (Parras, 1958) >
(j
.....
(a) Some zeolite facies (a) Taringatura (Coombs Zeolite -+ prehnite-pumpellyite-+ tz1
Medium- rn
pressure terranes et al., 1959) greenschist -+ epidote-amphibolite rn
(b) Regions of Barrovian (b) Scottish Highlands -+ amphibolite -+ granulite tz1
::0
.....
zones (Wiseman, 1934; Harker, tz1
1932) rn
Northern Appalachians
(Thompson and Norton,
1968)
High- Glaucophanitic terranes Bessi-Ino (Banno, 1964), Prehnite-pumpellyite -+ glaucophane-
pressure without a jadeite-quartz limori (Kanehira, 1967), schist -+ greenschist -+ epidote-
I zone Katsuyama (Hashimoto, 1968) amphibolite -+ amphibolite;
Lepontine Alps (Niggli, 1970) possibly eclogite in some parts
High Glaucophanitic terranes Kanto Mountains (Seki, 1958) (Prehnite-pumpellyite -+) glaucophane-
pressure with a jadeite-quartz Panoche Pass (Ernst, 1965) schist -+ greenschist; possibly
II zone eclogite in some parts
11-2 METAMORPHIC FACIES OF LOW-PRESSURE TYPE/299
Zeolite Facies
This is the low-pressure sub facies of the zeolite facies. The zeolite facies rocks of
the Akaishi and Tanzawa Mountains and the Mogami area, all in Japan, probably
belong to this sub facies (§ 6A-2).
We have discussed in § 68-1 that the progressive metamorphism of Ca-zeolite
takes place in four steps, which are characterized by the follOWing zeolites:
(a) Stilbite, chabazite, gismondine
(b) Heulandite, chabazite, thomsonite, (scolecite)
(c) Laumontite, scolecite, thomsonite
(d) Wairakite, thomsonite
In each step, only the first-mentioned zeolite could ceoxist with quartz in the
presence of a fluid of a virtually pure H2 0 composition.
The associated phyllosilicates are smectite, mixed-layer minerals (smectite-
vermiculite-chlorite) and celadonite. Discrete crystals of chlorite can occur
only in the high temperature part.
Our knowledge of the paragenetic relations of minerals in this subfacies is
meagre.
Prehnite-Pumpellyite Facies
The low-pressure sub facies of the prehnite-pumpellyite facies occurs probably in
the Akaishi and Tanzawa Mountains (§ 6A-2). Prehnite, pumpellyite, epidote,
chlorite, muscovite and albite are stable.
Greenschist Facies
In burial metamorphic terranes of the Akaishi and Tanawa Mountains, a zone of
the greenschist facies occurs (§ 6A-2). In contact aureoles, a zone of the
low-pressure greenschist facies has only been observed rarely (§ 4-5). In
low-pressure regional metamorphism, on the other hand, a zone of the green-
schist facies is well developed in many areas, as exemplified by the Shiojiri area
(fig. 3-4) of the Ryoke metamorphic belt.
300/ METAMORPHIC FACIES AND FACIES SERIES
Albite, chlorite, actinolite, muscovite and epidote are widespread. Muscovite
may be phengitic. Biotite occurs throughout the zone of this subfacies in many
areas (e.g. Katada, 1965). In other areas, however, the zone of this subfacies can
be subdivided into a chlorite zone (without biotite) and a biotite zone (e.g.
Tobschall, 1969). Garnets of the almandine-spessartine series may occur in some
manganiferous rocks.
Amphibolite Facies
The low-pressure sub facies of the amphibolite facies is very widespread in
contact as well as in low-pressure regional metamorphism. Hornblende,
cummingtonite and clinopyroxene occur in metabasites. The colour of horn-
blende changes with increasing temperature from blue-green through green to
brownish green and brown. Cummingtonite and clinopyroxene (usually salite)
are more common in the high-temperature part. The plagioclase is usually
oligoclase, andesine or labradorite.
In metapelites, the stable Al 2 SiO s mineral is andalusite in the low-
temperature part and sillimanite in the high. Muscovite is stable in the lower part
of this subfacies, and biotite is present throughout. Cordierite and almandine are
common only in metapelites. The stable K-feldspar is micro cline in the
low-temperature part, but appears to be orthoclase in the high.
Calcareous rocks may contain wollastonite, grossularite, diopside and some-
times vesuvianite.
11-2 METAMORPHIC FACIES OF LOW-PRESSURE TYPE/301
C~----------~~~---A·
~ ________~~~~~~.F
Calcite Cummingtonite
(a) Greenschist facies (b) Amphibolite facies
wolg·st...o-n-:-it-e----::-:-"'~-:---::--:----..".
(c) Pyroxene-hornfels facies (d) Granulite facies
Pyroxene-Hornfels Facies
This facies is well developed in the Oslo and Comrie contact aureoles. Ortho- and
clinopyroxenes occur in metabasites. Hornblende may accompany them in the
low-temperature part (§ § 10-1 and 10-2).
In metapelites, the stable Al2 SiO s mineral is usually andalusite, but silli-
manite may occur in some cases. Muscovite has decomposed, but biotite is still
stable. The stable K-feldspar is orthoclase. Almandine is usually lacking, but may
occur in some metapelites with high Fe 2 +/Mg ratios, as in the Glen Clova
aureole (§ 10-2).
In calcareous rocks, wollastonite and diopside are stable. Ca-garnet may not
be stable in the presence of quartz, though it is stable by itself (§ 10-1).
Granulite Facies
The granulite facies resembles the pyroxene-hornfels facies in that they are both
characterized by two pyroxenes produced by decomposition of hornblende in
metabasites, but the former represents higher rock-pressures than the latter. It
has usually been assumed that the former belongs to regional metamorphism
whereas the latter to contact. However, since some contact aureoles show the
same facies series as low-pressure regional metamorphism, the above assumption
is not tenable.
In pyroxene-hornfels facies metapelites, cordierite is common and almandine
occurs only rarely, whereas in granulite facies metapelites of low-pressure
regional metamorphism, not only cordie rite but also almandine is widespread.
The pyrope content of almandine, however, is below 30 per cent, that is, lower
than that in the medium-pressure granulite facies. The stable Al 2 SiO s mineral is
sillimanite.
At present our knowledge of the mineral parageneses of rocks of the
pyroxene-hornfels and granulite facies is not precise enough to permit us to
define the boundary between the two facies precisely. In future, the boundary
might well be defined on a mineralogical basis such that all the two-pyroxene-
bearing zones of the low-pressure types of regional metamorphism are included
in the granulite facies. If this is done, contact metamorphism showing the same
facies series as the low-pressure regional metamorphism could produce granulite
facies rocks if the temperature becomes high enough, and contact meta-
morphism under lower pressures could produce pyroxene-hornfels facies rocks.
Most low-pressure regional metamorphic terranes such as the Ryoke belt do
not reach the temperature range of the granulite facies. However, the granulite
zone was well described in the low-pressure regional metamorphic terrane of the
Aracena area, Spain (§ § 7 A-4 and 8A-3). Here biotite and hornblende are stable
up to the highest temperature part. If the temperature of metamorphism had
become still higher, these minerals would have disappeared. The well-
11-2 METAMORPHIC FACIES OF LOW-PRESSURE TYPE/303
documented granulite-facies rocks of Lapland (Eskola, 1952) and Uusimaa
(Parras, 1958), both in Finland, probably belong to the low-pressure type.
The mutual relation between the sub facies of the granulite facies as well as
their relation to the eclogite facies will be discussed in the next chapter (§ 12-2).
Sanidinite Facies
The sanidinite facies has been considered to represent a P- T range of pyrometa-
morphism, which is nearly the same as that of crystallization of volcanic rocks
(§ 10-5). The range is probably on the high-temperature side of the pyroxene-
hornfels facies. The sanidinite facies has minerals characteristic of volcanic
conditions, such as tridymite, cristobalite, sanidine, anorthoclase and high-
temperature plagioclase. The rocks of this facies occur in inclusions within
volcanic rocks and some minor intrusions as well as in some country rocks
adjacent to the latter (e.g. Thomas, 1922; Agrell and Langley, 1958).
In this facies, the alkali feldspars form a continuous series of solid solution
from the K to the Na end-member. Orthopyroxene and/or pigeonite may occur.
Sillimanite and/or mullite may form. Wollastonite forms a solid solution (Ca,
Fe 2 lSi0 3 • Glass may occur.
The sanidinite facies has usually been considered to represent a very low
pressure. Certainly tridymite and cristobalite are characteristic of low pressures.
However, it is not clear whether all the rocks of this facies were formed at such
low pressures. Pyrometamorphic rocks are mostly out of equilibrium, and hence
the determination of paragenetic relations in this facies is very difficult.
The definition of the low-temperature limit of the sanidinite facies has not
been clearly discussed. Sanidine and the continuous series of alkali-feldspar solid
solutions appear to be stable above about 600-650°C (Tuttle and Bowen,
1958). The temperature of 600-650 °c, however, is probably in the amphibolite
facies (§ 3-5). Accordingly, sanidine and alkali-feldspar solid solution would be
stable in the pyroxene-hornfels and perhaps also in the granulite facies. Some
K-feldspars in rocks of the pyroxene-hornfels facies in the Comrie area (Tilley,
1924) and of the granulite facies in the Wilmington complex (Ward, 1959) have
been observed to show sanidine-like optics. It is conceivable that K-feldspars in
pyroxene-hornfels and granulite facies rocks were sanidine at the peak of
metamorphic temperature, but changed into orthoclase or even into micro cline
at a declining stage of metamorphism. If so, the presence of sanidine simply
indicates that the relevant rocks were more rapidly cooled than some orthoclase-
bearing ones, and not necessarily that they formed at higher temperatures.
For the same reason, high-temperature plagioclase also would not be a safe
indicator of metamorphic facies. The stability relations of pigeonite and mullite
are in dispute. Thus, the precise defmition of the sandinite facies is yet to be
found.
304/METAMORPHIC FACIES AND FACIES SERIES
Zeolite Facies
The classical zeolite-facies terrane of Taringatura (§ 6A-4) would belong to the
medium-pressure subfacies, as also would the terrane in the central Kii Peninsula
(§ 6A-4).
It has been shown that the four dehydration steps in Ca-zeolite assemblages
are realized in some low-pressure zeolite facies areas. On the other hand, only
two steps characterized by heulandite and by laumontite were found in
Taringatura, and only one step characterized by laumontite was observed in
Central Kii. The analcime + quartz assemblage is stable in the heulandite step,
while albite occurs instead in the laumontite step.
Smectite and celadonite are associated with zeolites. Chlorite and prehnite
were found in the zeolite facies zone of central Kii, but not of Taringa tura.
Prehnite-Pumpellyite Facies
In the prehnite-pumpellyite facies zone of the Taringatura area, prehnite,
pumpellyite, chlorite and albite are stable, whereas in that of central Kii, epidote
is stable in addition. With rising temperature, prehnite disappears and actinolite
appears instead. A further rise in temperature causes the disappearance of
pumpellyite, thus resulting in a greenschist facies zone.
Greenschist Facies
This is the medium-pressure sub facies of the greenschist facies, as observed in the
central Kii Peninsula and in the chlorite and the biotite zone of the Barrovian
series.
Chlorite, actinolite, epidote, albite and calcite are common in metabasites.
Muscovite and biotite occur in some metabasites and more commonly in
metapelites. The occurrence of biotite in metapelites is confined to the higher
temperature part. Thus, a chlorite-zone and a biotite-zone subfacies may be
distinguished. The muscovite is usually phengitic in composition. Stilpnomelane,
chloritoid, and garnets of the almandine-spessartine series are common.
In Eskola's (1939) defmition, actinolite was erroneously removed from the
list of greenschists-facies minerals. Really, it is common in metabasites of this
facies. Under a high Pcoz ' actinolite is decomposed to form calcite and chlorite.
With a further increase in Peoz ' calcite and chlorite would react to form
dolomite or ankerite, as has been described for the Woodsville quadrangle
(§ SA-6). Therefore, actinolite greenschist represents a relatively low Pco 2 if
all the other factors are the same. The name of the actinolite-greenschist facies
has been used in some cases in order to emphasize the presence of actinolite in
relevant greenschist facies rocks.
11-3 METAMORPHIC FACIES OF MEDIUM-PRESSURE TYPEj30S
Epidote-Amphibolite Facies
The medium-pressure subfacies of the epidote-amphibolite facies roughly
corresponds to the almandine zone of the ordinary Barrovian series. It corres-
ponds, however, to the higher chlorite and the biotite zone in the Woodsville
quadrangle (§ 8A-6).
This facies is characterized by the albite + epidote + hornblende assemblage in
metabasites. The hornblende is usually blue-green. Since the problem of the
peristerite solvus (§ 78-8) has not been settled yet, it is not possible to make an
unequivocal statement concerning the composition of the 'albite'. Almandine
may occur in metabasites with high Fe 2 +jMg ratios.
Since actinolite occurs in greenschist facies metabasites and coexists with
hornblende in the transitional zone to an epidote-amphibolite facies zone, the
boundary between the greenschist and the epidote-amphibolite facies lies at the
temperature where the dominant calcic amphibole changes from actinolite to
hornblende (§ 8B-4).
In Al 2 0 r poor rocks such as limestones, actinolite or tremolite may occur
even in this and the next facies.
Metapelites contain quartz, plagioclase, biotite, muscovite, paragonite,
chlorite, and sometimes chloritoid.
Amphibolite Facies
The medium-pressure subfacies of the amphibolite facies roughly corresponds to
the kyanite and the sillimanite zone in the Barrovian series.
The metabasites of this facies are mainly composed of plagioclase and
hornblende. The plagioclase is usually andesine or labradorite, and the horn-
blende is green or brown. Epidote is absent and salite may occur. Almandine
occurs in amphibolites of this sub facies of some areas. However, the occurrence
of almandine depends on the Fe 2 +jMg ratio, po. and other factors, and the
mineral is absent in amphibolites of this sub facies of other areas (§ 8B-7).
Metapelites in the low-temperature part of the amphibolite facies contain
muscovite, biotite, almandine, kyanite and staurolite. In the high-temperature
part, muscovite is decomposed by reaction with quartz, sillimanite takes the
306/ MET AMO RPHIC FACIES AND FACIES SERIES
place of kyanite, and staurolite disappears. Biotite and almandine are stable as
far as the highest part.
In most of this sub facies , K-feldspar cannot coexist with kyanite, sillimanite
and almandine, whereas it can in the highest temperature part where the
muscovite + quartz assemblage is no longer stable.
In calcareous rocks, diopside and Ca-garnet occur commonly, and
wollastonite occurs occasionally (§ 9-3).
Granulite Facies
The medium-pressure sub facies of the granulite facies is characterized by
metabasites with ortho- and clinopyroxenes formed by the decomposition of
hornblende. Biotite also tends to decompose to form orthopyroxene. The
decomposition reactions are gradual, and hence usually there is a wide transi-
tional zone where hornblende, biotite, orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene co-
11-3 METAMORPHIC FACIES OF MEDIUM-PRESSURE TYPE/307
exist. Typical granulite facies areas with no amphibole and mica are rare. It has
therefore been proposed that the granulite facies be divided into two sub facies: a
low-temperature subfacies with hornblende and biotite, and a high-temperature
sub facies without them (Turner and Verhoogen, 1960; de Waard, 1965).
Hornblende and biotite are stable to a higher temperature in quartz-free rocks
than in quartz-bearing ones (fig. 12-2).
In metabasites of the medium-pressure-granulite facies, ortho- and clino-
pyroxenes are strongly pleochroic and are sometimes high in Al 2 0 3 content.
Plagioclase is common, but tends to decrease in amount in garnetiferous
varieties, since garnet forms partly at the expense of plagioclase.
Almandine-pyrope garnet is common and sometimes abundant in metabasites
as well as in metapelites. Metapelites are mainly composed of quartz, plagioclase,
K-feldspar, garnet, and usually sillimanite and biotite. Probably orthoclase or
sanidine is the stable form of K-feldspar, but microcline is also common,
conceivably owing to retrogressive change.
In the low-pressure sub facies of the granulite facies, cordierite is common and
the Fe 2 +/Mg ratio of almandine is high, whereas in the medium-pressure
subfacies, cordie rite is absent, and the Fe 2 +/Mg ratio of almandine can be lower.
The pyrope content of almandine may be as high as 55 per cent (Eskola, 1957).
The high pressure stability limit of cordierite is close to that of sillimanite (fig.
7B-7). Accordingly, the usual absence of cordierite in the medium-pressure
granulite facies would not be due to the instability of cordierite by itself but
would be due mostly to the dwindling of the rock-composition field over which
cordierite is stable with rising pressure.
The mineral assemblages of calcareous metamorphic rocks are not well
investigated. The calcite + quartz assemblage is stable in some cases, but
wollastonite in others. The grossular + quartz assemblage may be unstable, but
Ca-garnet by itself is stable (fig. 9-3).
Since partial melting in the presence of an aqueous fluid begins to occur in
the amphibolite facies, metamorphism at higher temperatures should have caused
a considerable extent of melting provided that an aqueous fluid was present in
the rocks. Therefore, some granulite-facies rocks should represent solid residues
of partial melting, and others should have recrystallized without melting under
the conditions of PH, 0 ~Ps'
Granulite facies metamorphic rocks occur commonly in Precambrian terranes
in association with anorthosite massifs, which are sometimes of batholithic
dimensions. The genetic significance of the association is not clear, though some
anorthosites may represent solid residues of partial melting.
Sometimes areas of the granulite facies merge into amphibolite facies regions.
More commonly, such areas are in fault contact with other rocks and granulite
facies rocks formed at greater depths could have been brought up into
juxtaposition with overlying rocks. Though most granulite facies rocks occur in
308/ METAMORPHIC FACIES AND FACIES SERIES
shield regions, some are present in Phanerozoic orogenic belts. Many of the
latter, however, appear to be uplifted basement rocks.
Oliver (1969) has given a review of the modes of occurrence of granulite-
facies rocks in the world (fig. 4-3).
Glaucophane-Schist Facies
Lawsonite and the jadeite + quartz assemblage occur in the typical parts of the
glaucophane-schist facies. Glaucophane (including crossite) forms not only in
such typical parts but also in wide transitional states toward the prehnite-
pumpellyite, greenschist and epidote-amphibolite facies. In this book, all such
transitional states are included in the glaucophane-schist facies. Moreover, the
stability of lawsonite is so strongly influenced by PH, 0 and PCO 2 that the
mineral cannot be a reliable indicator of rock-pressure (§ 4-4).
The temperature conditions for the facies are especially variable, ranging
probably from 20(}-SSO°C, thus covering the temperature ranges of the
prehnite-pumpellyite, greenschist and epidote-amphibolite facies, but being on
the high-pressure side. It appears that the formation of lawsonite and the jadeite
+ quartz assemblage is confined to temperatures below 400°C (Taylor and
Coleman, 1968).
In addition, aragonite, chlorite, actinolite, muscovite (phengitic), paragonite,
stilpnomelane, albite, pumpellyite, epidote, chloritoid, spessartine-almandine,
piemontite, sphene, and rutile occur in this facies. Some metamorphic rocks and
especially metacherts contain aegirine, riebeckite, piemontite, or deerite. Many
so-called glaucophane schists are nearly devoid of schistosity.
Nearly all glaucophane schists occur in Palaeozoic and younger orogenic belts.
They are usually associated with serpentinite belts. Van der Plas (1959) has given
a comprehensive review of the localities of glaucophane and lawsonite in the
world (fig. 4-2).
11-4 METAMORPHIC FACIES OF HIGH-PRESSURE TYPE /309
Greenschist Facies
A zone of the greenschist facies occurs on the high-temperature side of a zone of
the glaucophane-schist facies in many areas. Chlorite, actinolite, calcite, epidote,
albite and quartz occur in metabasites, whereas chlorite, muscovite, albite and
quartz occur in metapelites. It is noted that the common occurrence of
stilpnomelane and the absence of biotite characterize the high-pressure sub facies
of the greenschist facies as distinct from its medium- and low-pressure sub facies.
Epidote-Amphibolite Facies
The high-pressure sub facies of the epidote-amphibolite facies is known, for
example, in the Bessi-Ino area (§ 8A -8) and the limori area (Kanehira, 1967),
both of the Sanbagawa belt.
The assemblage albite + epidote + hornblende occurs in metabasites. These
may be associated with chlorite, diopside, garnet, muscovite and biotite.
Metapelites contain chlorite, biotite, muscovite, almandine, epidote, albite,
calcite and quartz.
This subfacies resembles the medium-pressure subfacies of the same facies.
However, epidote amphibolites of the high-pressure series commonly contain
muscovite and sometimes barroisite, whereas those of the medium-pressure series
do not.
Amphibolite Facies
A wide zone of the amphibolite facies exists in the Pennine nappes of the
Central Alps (§ 7A-8; also Wenk and Keller, 1969). The metapelites there
contain not only biotite and almandine, but also staurolite, kyanite and even
sillimanite. It is conceivable that this zone belongs to the medium-pressure type,
though glaucophane occurs in other parts of the Central Alps. No amphibolite
facies zone has been reported from typical high-pressure terranes.
Chapter 12
under the same Ps-T conditions as the associated glaucophane schists. However,
the eclogite facies differs from all other metamorphic facies in that it has not
been found as characterizing a zone in a progressive metamorphic sequence in
any area of the world. Thus, the relations of the eclogite facies to the granulite,
glaucophane-schist and other facies are not easy to solve.
Judging from the diversity of the modes of occurrence of eclogite facies
rocks, the P-T field corresponding to this facies is probably very wide as
compared with other facies. It may be divided into some subfacies.
N/ '
/
/
/
/
/
~/
/
/
/
/
/
Temperature (OC)
Pig. 12-1 Granulite to eclogite transformation for quartz-tholeiitic com-
positions under a virtually anhydrous condition (Green and Ringwood,
1967). A, B and C: These curves indicate the first appearance of garnet
with rising pressure for quartz-tholeiitic compositions with Pe 2 +/(Mg +
Pe 2 +) = 0·9, 0·4 and 0·1, respectively. Eclog: This curve represents the
disappearance of plagioclase with rising pressure. M-N: approximate
solidus under dry condition. The low-pressure stability limits of pyrope
and almandine end-members are shown by the curves designated as
'pyrope' and 'aIm'. The high-pressure stability limit of anorthite is shown
by the curve designated 'anor'. The stability fields of kyanite, sillimanite
and andalusite and the low-pressure stability limit of the jadeite + quartz
assemblage are shown for comparison.
C FC~__~~~~______~~.
Wolla·st-o-n':""it-e---::-:-:-......;:-----::O:""rt'":"h-o-""" Wollastonite
Calcite pyroxene Calcite
Low-pressure subfacies of the granulite facies
Almandine
Orthopyroxene
C (Aluminous) F C..._ _ _=----::*"__--::---:-_.. F
Wollastonite Clinopyroxene Wollastonite Clinopyroxene Orthopyroxene
Calcite (Aluminous) Calcite (Aluminous) (Aluminous)
Low-pressure part of the medium-pressure subfacies of the granulite facies Olivine
C~--------~--------~F
Wollastonite Clinopyroxene Orthopyroxene
High-pressure part of the medium-pressure
. subfacies of the granulite facies
Fig. 12-2 ACF diagrams for rocks oversaturated with Si0 2 (left column)
and analogous ones for rocks undersaturated with Si0 2 (right column) in
the granulite facies.
12-2 THE GRANULITE AND THE ECLOGITE FACIES /315
A
Kyanite
pyrope
C__------------------~------------------~F
Wollastonite Clinopyroxene Orthopyroxene
Fig. 12-3 Schematic A CF diagram for the eclogite facies. Since the P- T
range of the eclogite facies is very wide, various modifications of
paragenetic relations are conceivable.
•••
• 0
30 • •
000
~o •
40 ~ ... •
......... 14. ... .....
... 0
.... 0
o
o
K= 17
/
/
/
/
10 /
A/
/
~ A /
K =6·5
.
/
AA /
/
." /
A A/ /
,/
A ~
/
/
/ • • / K= 2·7
../
/
/
/
• / //
/ /
/ ./ /
/
~/ /
/e
.
/ /0 /
1·0 / •• / X K = 1·0
/ 60/ /
/
/ / 0 /
/' : / 0 /~x /
/
/
.~
/ • /
cfx /
/ /
/ / /)( X /
/
/ / / X X /
/ / XX /
/ //00 / /
/ / / /
/ / / /
/ 0 0 / /
/ / /
/ /,/
0·1/ 1·0
/
Fe2 +/Mg -Pyroxene
A third possibility is that not only such eclogites but also the surrounding
metamorphic rocks underwent metamorphism in the eclogite facies. The
mineralogical differences in quartzo-feldspathic gneisses between the eclogite
and the amphibolite facies are slight, and might well be obscured by the
superposition of later metamorphism in the amphibolite facies (e.g. Bryhni et al.
1970).
A fourth possibility is that PH 2 0 may have been lower in the eclogites than
in the surrounding rocks. This would result in the formation of eclogites within
true amphibolite facies terranes, keeping all the rocks in practically the same
12-3 THE ECLOGITE AND HYDROUS METAMORPHIC FACIES/319
Ps-T conditions. Eclogite masses frequently show a transformation into amphi-
bolites towards their margins presumably owing to permeating HzO. However, if
the PH20 is so uneven, PH2 0 cannot be an externally controlled variable. It
becomes desirable to treat Hz 0 as a fixed component in the definition of
metamorphic facies, and to regard such eclogites as belonging to the same facies
as the surrounding rocks (e.g. amphibolite facies).
At present, we have no decisive evidence for choosing among the above
possibilities.
,
/,1
/
Garnet+Forsterite
/
,,
20
/ + :
ot:>"
(Clinopyroxene)
/ .
,
VJ/
G'
/
/
/ A
/ /
/ / Clinopyroxene+
", Orthopyroxene+
B// Forsterite+Spinel
y
R
X Anorthite+Forsterite
Q
°20~0--~--L--5~0-0--L-~---L--~-1-0~OO--~--~~~-L---1500
Temperature (OC)
that is, under P- T conditions of the granulite facies. They appear to have formed
in the uppermost part of the mantle or in the lowermost part of the crust.
Outline
Regional and ocean-floor metamorphism occur respectively in orogenic belts and
mid-oceanic ridges. Since the P- T distribution during the metamorphism is
recorded in the mineral assemblages of metamorphic rocks, petrologic investiga-
tion could give a clue to a better understanding of the tectonic processes taking
place there. This aspect of the study of metamorphism will be emphaSized here
in Part III.
This part begins with chapters 13 and 14 where the role of regional
metamorphism in the structure of continents will be discussed with reference to
North America and Europe respectively, since relatively abundant data are
available on these continents. In the following two chapters (chapters 15 and
16), the role of regional metamorphism in the structure of island arcs will be
discussed with reference to Japan and other arcs in the Western Pacific Ocean. A
long chapter is devot~d to the Japanese Islands, partly because paired meta-
morphic belts, characteristic of the circum-Pacific region, are typically developed
there, partly because very detailed petrolOgiC, geologic and geophysical data are
available, and partly because I am farnilar with the Islands.
Then, a summary of main features of metamorphic belts will be given and
their tectonic Significance will be discussed in chapter 17, with special emphasis
on the problem of paired metamorphic belts.
In chapters 13-17,. the lateral relations of areas of continental crust will be
discussed, whereas the vertical zonation is treated in chapter 18.
In the last two chapters (chapters 19 and 20), our present knowledge of
ocean-floor and transform-fault metamorphism will be outlined.
Chapter 13
Metamorphic Belts of
North America
There is a wide Precambrian craton in the northern and central parts of North
America. Precambrian granitic and metamorphic rocks are exposed in the
northern part, which is called the Canadian Shield, whereas these rocks are
covered by relatively thin, undisturbed, unmetamorphosed Phanerozoic sedi-
ments in the central part, which is usually called the Interior Lowlands (fig.
13-1 ).
The craton is bordered on the east by the Appalachian orogenic belt, where
Palaeozoic orogenies caused deformation, regional metamorphism and plutonic
intrusions.
The Cordilleran orogenic belt lies on the west side of the Shield and Interior
Lowlands. There, orogenies took place mainly in Mesozoie and Cenozoic time.
Late Mesozoic granitic intrusions took place on a gigantic scale. In both
Appalachian and Cordilleran orogenic belts, geosynclinal volcanism involves not
only basaltic but also no less abundant andesitic and rhyolitic activity (Butler
and Ragland, 1969; Gilluly, 1965; Dickinson, 1962).
The Canadian Shield is bordered on the north by the Palaeozoic Innuitian
orogenic belt.
Thus, the arrangement of orogenic belt~ suggests continental growth by
accretion of younger orogenic belts. The oldest part of the Canadian Shield is in
its central part. This suggests that continental growth occurred in Precambrian
time also.
Phanerozoic orogeny. The Grenville province, however, contains not only the
metamorphic rocks derived from its own geosynclinal pile but also a great
proportion of older crystalline rocks which were more or less modified by the
Grenville orogeny. Most of the Appalachian region is underlain by a Precambrian
basement consisting of extensions of the Grenville province. Hence, there may
have been as great an area of continental crust in Precambrian time as there is at
present. Conceivably, the radiometric age pattern may simply show the order of
stabilization of provinces from the centre outwards, as claimed by Wynne-
Edwards (1969).
13-2 METAMORPHISM IN THE CANADIAN SHIELD /329
Table 13-1 Orogenies in the Canadian Shield
The oldest part of the Shield is the Superior province. However, there is some
evidence suggesting the former existence of a continental crust that was
subjected to orogeny at an earlier time than the Superior province. Graywackes
in the Superior province contain quartz, K-feldspar, and other minerals which
must have been derived from older granite-gneiss terranes. Moreover, zircons that
may have crystallized 3400-3600 m.y. ago have been found in some Pre-
cambrian sediments. Hence, continent-forming processes appear to have begun at
least 3600 m.y. ago in North America as in Europe and Africa. In North
America, such old terranes appear to have been destroyed by later orogenies
(Condie, 1967).
Northern Appalachians
The Appalachians are bisected roughly at the site of New York City into the
northern and southern divisions. The structural zones of the northern Appala-
chians may be summarized as follows (Dietz and Holden, 1966; Zen, 1968;
Rodgers, 1968, 1970; Cady, 1968; Bird and Dewey, 1970).
2. Eugeosynclinal zone. This lies to the east of the preceding zone, and is
mainly composed of deformed and metamorphosed pelites and graywackes (late
Precambrian to Devonian) accompanied by ultrabasic, basic and acidic rocks. It
is conceivable that this zone was derived from the sedimentary piles of two
continental rises. The western one would have formed in early Palaeozoic time
on the east side of the contemporaneous shelf now represented by the western
miogeosync1inal zone, whereas the eastern one would have formed in early and
middle Palaeozoic time on the west side (oceanic side) of the then stable zone
now represented by the very late Precambrian zone (see below).
General Features
The Cordilleran Mountains, extending from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific
Coast, border the craton of the Canadian Shield and Interior Lowlands on the
west side. Being as wide as 1500 km, the region includes units of different
tectonic and petrographic characteristics. Geosynclinal deposition ranged from
late Precambrian to late Mesozoic time with an orogenic culmination in late
Mesozoic. The easternmost zone (Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau)
represents a reactivated Precambrian craton and was not in the pertinent
geosyncline. The eastern limit of the geosyncline lies on the western edge of the
Colorado Plateau. The geosyncline may be divided into a miogeosynclinal and a
eugeosynclinal zone (fig. 13-1).
The Nevadian and Coast Range orogenies, Jurassic to Cretaceous in age,
caused deformation, metamorphism and plutonism in the eugeosynclinal zone,
whereas the Laramide orogeny, Cretaceous to Tertiary, deformed the miogeo-
synclinal zone.
At a first glance, the Cordilleran and the Appalachian Mountains are
symmetrical with regard to the craton between them. However, the western part
of the Cordilleran System has many features that are not present in the
Appalachians but are commonly present in circum-Pacific regions. From the
viewpoint of metamorphic petrology, the most marked feature is the existence
of paired metamorphic belts and of extensive glaucophane-schist terranes in the
western Cordillera.
Two belts of metamorphism occur there in a pair. The eastern belt is
characterized by gigantic batholiths of granitic rocks in the Sierra Nevada and
other places, as shown in fig. 13-2. The western belt is characterized by
glaucophane schists of the Franciscan group in the Coast Ranges of California.
In most of the circum-Pacific region, regional metamorphism and intense
acidic magmatism took place in late Mesozoic time. The magmatism involved not
only the formation of granitic batholiths but also acidic volcanism. The
emplacement of gigantic batholiths and associated volcanism in western North
America are probably a part of this circum-Pacific event.
It is to be noted that glaucophane schists in western North America are not
confined to the Franciscan. In northern Washington State, a belt of Shuksan
13-4 METAMORPHIC BELTS IN THE CORDILLERAN MOUNTAINS/333
Palaeozoic or earliest Mesozoic, i.e. older than the Franciscan. Moreover, this
high-pressure belt is in a pair with a metamorphic terrane accompanied by
granitic rocks on the east (Misch, 1966). A few more localities of glaucophane
schists are known in the Canadian part of the Cordillera (Monger and Hutchinson,
1971).
334/METAMORPHIC BELTS OF NORTH AMERICA
,,
""
""-
"
Pacific Ocean
o 200 km
Franciscan group
""" Laumontite·bearing Los Angeles
""" area
n
~
•
Pumpellyite-bearing
area
Lawsonite·and/or
o Late Mesozoic and
Cenozoic cover
r.o;:J Granitic and associated
jadeite-bearing area ~ metamorphic rocks
SA San Andreas fault
NAC Nacimiento fault
CR Coast Range thrust
Db Diablo Range
the Franciscan. The western part of the Franciscan is generally younger than the
eastern.
Suppe (1969) has shown the existence of two different metamorphic events
about 150 m.y. ago (Late Jurassic) and 127-104 m.y. ago (Cretaceous), together
with a still younger undated one. This suggests that an early phase of
metamorphism took place just after the deposition of older parts of the
Franciscan. Then deposition occurred in other parts of the Franciscan and a later
phase of metamorphism took place there. Such a sequence of events took place
three times or more. It is not clear whether these metamorphic events have a
direct genetic connection with the five epochs of granitic activity in California
and Nevada mentioned above.
Chapter 14
There is a wide Precambrian craton, called the East European Platform (or
Fennosarmatia), extending from the Ural Mountains to central England
(Bogdanoff, Mouratov and Schatsky, 1964). Precambrian granitic and associated
metamorphic rocks are widely exposed in the north-western part of the
Platform, called the Baltic Shield (or Fennoscandia). Smaller exposures occur in
the Ukrainian massif (fig. 14-1). The rest of the Platform is covered by a nearly
horizontal layer, commonly 1-3 km thick, of unmetamorphosed sediments
ranging from late Precambrian to Cenozoic age. This region is called the Russian
Plate.
The East European Platform is surrounded on all sides by Phanerozoic
orogenic belts. It is bordered on the northwest side by the Caledonian orogenic
belt which runs from the British Isles to Norway and west Sweden, and on the
south side by the Hercynian orogenic belt and further to the south by the Alpine
orogenic belt. The Ural Mountains are on the east side of the Platform.
Age Relations
In the Baltic Shield, the eastern part in the Kola Peninsula and on the west coast
of the White Sea (KSB in fig. 14-1) is the oldest terrane, including the
Katarchean (3500-3000 m.y.), Saamides (2900-2100 m.y.) and Belomorides
(2100-1950 m.y.). On the west side of this region are younger terranes called
the Karelides and the Svecofennides (both 1900-1600 m.y.). The youngest
terranes, called the Gothides (1400-1200 m.y.) and the Ripheides (1100-665
m.y.), are further west (fig. 14-1). Thus, the exposed Precambrian becomes
younger westwards.
In the East European Platform on the whole, however, the older Precambrian
terranes (more than 1600 m.y. old) extend from the eastern three-quarters of
the Baltic Shield to the Ukrainian massif. Younger Precambrian terranes are
arranged generally surrounding the older (Polkanov and Gerling, 1960), and
Phanerozoic orogenic belts surround the whole Platform. Thus, the age pattern is
14-2 MET AMO RPHISM IN THE BALTIC SHIELD /339
Fig. 14-1 Constitution of Europe. The Baltic Shield and Ukrainian Massif
are shown in white, where KSB = Katarchean, Saamides and Belomorides.
Abbreviations: K = Karelides, Sf = Svecofennides, G = Gothides, R =
Ripheides, U = Ukrainian Massif.
Svecofennides
The Svecofennides lie in central Sweden and southwestern Finland. The terrane
is metamorphosed mostly at relatively high temperatures (amphibolite facies)
and is accompanied by an enormous amount of granitic rocks (Geijer, 1963;
Eskola, 1963). Because of these characteristics, it was long regarded erroneously
as a part of the oldest rocks on earth. Geologic investigations in various areas of
the terrane played important roles in the progress of Precambrian geology and
geology in general. Above all, Sederholm's (1907, 1923, 1926, 1932) studies of
granites and migmatites, and Eskola's (1914, 1915, 1932) studies of the Orijarvi
region and granites are monumental in our science (§ 4-1).
Though amphibolite facies rocks are the most widespread, there are some
greenschist facies and granulite facies rocks (e.g. Parras, 1958). The meta-
morphism belongs to the low-pressure facies series. Andalusite occurs in lower
340/METAMORPHIC BELTS OF EUROPE
temperature parts and sillimanite in higher, while cordie rite and almandine are
common (Simonen, 1953, 1960b).
The Karelides also appear to belong to the low-pressure type.
HerCYrMan intrusIve
granote o.... 500km
I ....................t...-........I
Hercynoan regoonal
metamo<phlsm
• AlPIne regIonal
metamorphsm
The Alpine orogenic belt in West Europe was formed generally on the south
side of, but largely superposed on, the Hercynides. It shows a sinuous pattern,
forming several arcs, for example, in the western Alps. Because of its arcuate
pattern, it covers a considerable area, but the individual constituent belts are
relatively narrow in contrast to the very wide Hercynides (table 4-1).
Regional metamorphic rocks are widely exposed in the Betic Cordillera in
southern Spain (de Roever and Nijhuis, 1964), eastern Corsica (Egeler, 1956),
Western and Pennine Alps (Bearth, 1962; Niggli and Niggli, 1965; Niggli, 1970;
344/METAMORPHIC BELTS OF EUROPE
Bocquet, 1971), western Balkan Peninsula and islands in the Aegean Sea (van der
Plas, 1959). They are of the high-pressure series and mostly in the glaucophane
and the greenschist facies (fig. 14-3). In the Swiss Alps, however, the tempera-
ture of metamorphism increases southwards, reaching a grade high enough to
produce sillimanite (amphibolite facies) in the Lepontine Alps straddling
Switzerland and Italy (§ 7A -8 and fig. 7A-II). There is a zone of the
prehnite-pumpellyite facies in the lowest temperature part of the Swiss Alps.
Not only pumpellyite but also laumontite occurs in the lowest temperature part
of the western Alps east of Grenoble.
o Glaucophane
)( Lawsonite
.. Alpine ophiolites
Go Alpine granites
The Rb-Sr and K-Ar ages of Alpine metamorphic rocks from the high-
temperature part of the Swiss and Italian Alps range from 30 to 11 m.y.
depending on their cooling history. The climax of the last phase of the Alpine
metamorphism occurred at least 30 m.y. ago, i.e. in Oligocene time (Armstrong,
Jaeger and Eberhardt, 1966).
The Alpine belt has older granitic and metamorphic basements. In the Swiss
Alps, the Hercynian basement is exposed in wide areas of the Aiguilles-Rouges,
Aar, and Gotthard massifs (fig. 7A-II).
The Alpine metamorphic terranes have abundant ophiolites including serpen-
tinite. The Alps are connected eastwards to the Carpathians, though high-
pressure metamorphic rocks are not exposed in the latter. A belt oflate Tertiary
and Quaternary andesite and rhyolite exists in Hungary, southern Slovakia and
Transylvania on the south side of the Alpine-Carpathian zone (pant6, 1968;
Karolus, Forgie and Konecny, 1968). This belt is accompanied by late Tertiary
14-6 METAMORPHIC BELTS IN THE ATLANTIC REGIONS/345
granitic masses, and has unusually high heat-flow values (Boldizsar, 1964; Lee
and Uyeda, 1965). The Alpine granites of Bergell and Adamello in southern
Switzerland and northern Italy probably belong to this belt, though the former
has been intruded into the southernmost part of the Pennine zone. It is likely
that this belt of granitic plutons and andesitic volcanism has a hidden low-
pressure metamorphic complex in a depth, which is paired with the high-pressure
metamorphic complex now exposed in the Pennine zone of the Alps (cf. § 17-2;
Miyashiro, 1972b). The descending slab at that time should have been inclined
to the south. The recrystallization temperature in the Pennine zone increases
southwards, Le. towards the associated belt of granitic plutons, in the same way
as in the Sanbagawa and Franciscan terranes (Ernst, 1971b).
Pre-Drift Reconstruction
The orogenic belts in North America and those in Europe show a roughly
concentric pattern of radiometric ages, suggesting accretional growth of each
continent. Since the present Atlantic Ocean has been formed by continental
drift in Mesozoic and Cenozoic time, however, we have to discuss the relation-
ship between the older orogenic-metamorphic belts of North America and
Europe.
The pre-drift reconstruction of orogenic belts across the North Atlantic
Ocean has been attempted in recent years by Bullard, Everett and Smith (1965)
on the basis of submarine topography, by Miller (1965), Fitch (1965) and
Wynne-Edwards and Hasan (1970) largely on the basis of radiometric age data,
and by Dewey and Kay (1968) and Kay (1969) with special reference to the
geologic similarity of Newfoundland with the British Isles. There is general
agreement in major points of their interpretations. A tentative reconstruction
based on the age relations and metamorphism is shown in fig. 14-4.
The original shapes and mutual relations of orogenic belts older than the
Grenville are quite unknown, since they have been too strongly disturbed by
later orogenies. The Grenville province in Canada is here correlated tentatively
with the Gothides and Ripheides in the Baltic Shield because of the similarity of
their ages. The Taconian (Ordovician) and Acadian (Devonian) of the Appala-
chians are correlated respectively with the Caledonian and Hercynian belts in
Europe (§ 13-3).
The Grenville- Riphian, Caledonian-Taconian, and Hercynian-Acadian
orogenic belts run across the north Atlantic, but the Caledonian-Taconian belt
cuts across the Grenville- Riphian.
It appears that Phanerozoic orogenic belts in the north Atlantic region were
formed by mutual movements of the Precambrian continental plates of North
346/METAMORPHIC BELTS OF EUROPE
America, Europe and Africa. The Appalachians would have formed by approach
and collision of the North American with the African plate. The Caledonian belt
of Europe was probably formed by approach and collision of the European with
the North American plate (e.g. Dewey, 1969).
Pacific Ocean
Philippine Sea
'I
Fig. 15-1 Present-day island arcs in and around the Japanese Islands.
Slant ruling indicates trenches, and vertical ruling indicates deep basins in
marginal seas. Abbreviations: MTL = Median Tectonic Line, F- F =
Itoigawa-Shizuoka Line, H = Hokkaido, T = Kitakami Mountains, A =
Abukuma Plateau, K = Kii Peninsula, S = Shikoku, Y = Kyushu. The main
island containing T, A and K is called Honshu.
Southwest Japan Arc on the west (F-F in fig. 15-1). This fault runs in a NNW
direction through the city of Shizuoka across Honshu, and is called the
Itoigawa-Shizuoka Line after the names of the two cities at both ends. The
region immediately east of the Line is called the Fossa Magna (fig. 15-8).
The southwestern part of Hokkaido is an extension of the Northeast Japan
Are, whereas the rest of Hokkaido is made up of the Sakhalin and KurU Arcs.
The Ryukyu Arc connects Kyushu to Taiwan (Formosa).
350/METAMORPHIC BELTS IN JAPAN AND ITS ENVIRONS
There is one more arcuate structure which protrudes from Kyushu south-
eastwards to the Palau Islands. It is mostly made up of aseismic submarine ridges
running through the Philippine Sea. It may be the remnant of an extinct island
arc or a mid-oceanic ridge.
The nature of the Median Tectonic line will be discussed in § § 15-10 and
17-6. The structure of the Northeast Japan Arc will be described in detail in
§ 17-7.
Volcanoes, Trenches and Deep Earthquakes. There are more than 200
Quaternary volcanoes in Japan. About 40 of them have erupted in historical
time. Sugimura (1960, 1968) emphasized that the Quaternary volcanoes are
distributed in two broad belts along the presently active arcs, as shown in fig.
15-2. He named them the East Japan volcanic belt and the West Japan volcanic
belt. The former stretches along the Kuril, Northeast Japan and Izu-Bonin Arcs
on the west side of the Kuril, Japan and Izu-Bonin Trenches. The latter stretches
along the Ryukyu Arc on the west side of the Ryukyu Trench.
The intermediate region, i.e. the Southwest Japan Arc, is nearly devoid of
Quaternary volcanoes owing to its relatively stabilized condition.
There is a sharp eastern limit for the distribution of volcanoes in each
volcanic belt. The limit is called a volcanic front (Sugimura, 1968). Volcanoes
are especially crowded in a zone immediately west of the front. The distribution
pattern of Quaternary volcanoes is similar to that of late Tertiary ones in Japan.
This means that the present-day orogeny is a continuation of a late Tertiary one,
beginning in Miocene time (Sugimura, 1968; Sugimura et al. 1963, Matsuda,
1964; Matsuda, Nakamura and Sugimura, 1967).
The chemical characteristics of late Tertiary and Quaternary volcanic rocks
show a close relationship to the arc structure. As shown in fig. 15-3, tholeiitic
and calc-alkali rocks occur near the volcanic front (i.e. on the trench side) within
the East Japan volcanic belt, whereas tholeiitic and calc-alkali rocks with more
alkalic compositions together with some alkali rocks occur on the west side
within the belt (Sugimura, 1960, 1968; Kuno, 1959, 1968; Katsui, 1961;Aoki
and Oji, 1966; Miyashiro, 1972b). A similar westward increase of alkalic
character was observed in the West Japan volcanic belt also. Volcanic rocks of
islands in the Japan Sea and Korea are mostly alkalic.
Deep-focus earthquakes occur along a Benioff zone that dips to the west from
the trench. The generation of magmas for volcanism and their compositions
may be controlled by the plunging lithospheric slab suggested by the Benioff
zone(§ 4-2).
It is to be noted that a regular chemical zonation across an island arc occurs
in granitic rocks as well. Though most of the granitic rocks of Japan were
15·1 PRESENT·DA Y ARCS OF THE JAPANESE ISLANDS /351
• Active volcano
() Other Quaternary volcano
Crust and Upper Mantle. The relatively stable Southwest Japan Arc appears to
have a crustal thickness of the order of 30-40 km, whereas the crust of the
active Northeast Japan Arc is about 30 km or thinner (e.g. Hashizume et al.
1968). Besides near-surface sediments, the crust is generally layered with an
acidic upper crust (Vp ::: c. 6·0 km sec-I) and a more basic lower crust (Vp ::: c.
6·6 km sec-I).
352/METAMORPHIC BELTS IN JAPAN AND ITS ENVIRONS
Asiatic Continent
Japan Sea
Terrestrial Heat Flow. Fig. 15-4 shows that observed heat-flow values are
generally below 40 mW m -2 (1 tIcal cm -2 sec -1) in the Kuril and Japan
Trenches and the ocean-side rim of the active Northeast Japan and Kuril Arcs,
and that the values increase very rapidly toward the Asiatic continent, reaching
the highest values around 100 mW m- 2 (2·5 tIcal cm- 2 sec- 1 ) in the deep basins
of the Japan and the Okhotsk Sea (Uyeda and Vacquier, 1968). Thus, there is a
marked contrast between a low and a high heat-flow zone respectively on the
oceanic and continental sides of the active arcs.
15-1 PRESENT·DA Y ARCS OF THE JAPANESE ISLANDS /353
"""
40'/'
,,
, "
I
\ ,. , , "
' .... _-,.,
,."---40
,,
I
I
,i " I
,I
"
1\ " ,,
\
', \
,,
I \
,,
\ \
\ \ \
'.
\
\
\
\
\
,
, ,
I
'.......... ~'
I
,,
I I
I --'
I I
I ..... - ..... I I ,-,
I / I \ I '
'f , I
\\ \\ \\\ '40\
\' \
"" I
"
\ \
\,
,,
,
I
I , \'
','," ",
I ,
\'
I I
80 100 ""
".... " ....'60
Fig. 15-4 Heat flow distribution in and around the Japanese Islands in
mW m- 2 (Uyeda and Vacquier, 1968).1/1 cal cm- 2 sec- 1 = 42 mW m- 2 •
A low heat-flow region should generally show lower temperatures than a high
heat-flow region at the same depth. Accordingly, a low- and a high-temperature
zone run in parallel beneath an active island arc. This contrast would be related
to the generation of paired metamorphic belts in the circum-Pacific region, as
will be discussed later.
The existence of the contrasted thermal zones has been confirmed also from
studies on electrical conductivity anomalies (e.g. Uyeda and Rikitake, 1970).
354/ METAMORPHIC BELTS IN JAPAN AND ITS ENVIRONS
~ Precambrian Craton
i D Palaeozoic folding
},\
~A~ o Mesozoic·Cenozoic
l:2J
~.:~.
Wtr4~~
folding
,. ~
A","'I;'"~
Shield~ jp
I:l .A
6T
It is widely believed that the Asiatic Continent has shown accretional growth
around these cratons, and especially around the Angaran Shield. The Himalayan
Mountains were probablY formed by collision of the Indian plate against the
Asiatic one, whereas the Japanese Islands represent a front of continental growth
toward the Pacific Ocean.
15-2 THE ASIATIC CONTINENT AND THE JAPANESE ISLANDS/355
Small Precambrian terranes are exposed in Korea, and a part of the Japanese
Islands certainly has a Precambrian basement. It is likely that these masses were
formerly in the coast regions of the then Asiatic Continent, and that the old
sialic mass of Japan drifted away from the continent in a relatively young
geologic time (e.g. Matsuda and Uyeda, 1971).
A wide northwestern part of the Japan Sea is more than 3000 m deep, where
unconsolidated sediments are only a few kilometres thick, and the underlying
hard crust (Vp = 6·7 km sec-l) is of the oceanic type. The origin of the Japan
Sea is an important unsolved problem, like that of other mar"ginal seas on the
continental side ofisland arcs (e.g. Menard, 1967).
As regards the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, van der
linden (1969) has suggested that possible sea-floor spreading from a small
mid-oceanic ridge within the Sea might have resulted in the eastern movement of
New Zealand. This may be applicable to the Japan Sea, which, however, has no
topographic feature suggesting a mid-ocean ridge. Alternatively, the floor of the
Japan Sea may have been created not in a definite mid-ocean ridge but at
innumerable points therein owing to the materials rising through the mantle
beneath the whole area.
There is a remarkable zone of late Mesozoic and early Tertiary acidic-inter-
mediate volcanism and plutonism along the east coast of the Asiatic Continent
from the Gulf of Tonkin to the Bering Strait (fig. 15-6). It was called the East
Asiatic volcano-plutonic belt (Ustiyev, 1965). The late Mesozoic and early
Tertiary volcanism and plutonism in Japan show some resemblance to those of
the belt (Yamada, 1966; Matsumoto, 1968). It is possible that Japan was on the
east coast of the Asiatic continent in early Mesozoic and older time, and that the
Japan Sea was formed by the drift of Japan in late Cretaceous and/or Tertiary
time.
o 500
,
1000 km
1
Precambrian time to Ordovician on and in the crust that later became the mass
of Japan. The width and the thickness of the sialic crust of that time are
unknown. The presently available palaeontological record in the Japanese Islands
begins with the Silurian.
There was a big geosyncline, called the Chichibu or Honshu geosyncline,
probably along the coast of the Asiatic Continent from Silurian to Permian time.
The resultant sedimentary pile is now well exposed in Honshu, Shikoku and
Kyushu. The bulk of the terrane exposed at present is Carboniferous and
Permian. Regional metamorphism took place repeatedly in this pile.
;:
-
ttl
...,
:>
;:
Table 15-1 Tentative chronology of regional metamorphic events in the Honshu Arc of Japan o
~
."
Broadly simultaneously :I:
metamorphosed area of low- ()
High-pressure metamorphic area pressure type with granites I:tI
ttl
Event No. Geologic age (radiometric age) (radiometric age) t"'
...,
en
6 Miocene Not exposed yet (?) Northeast Japan (3-25 m.y.) ....
Z
to the present .....
5 Jurassic to Sanbagawa belt (110 m.y.); Ryoke belt (c. 105 m.y.); :>
."
Cretaceous Part of Shimanto terrane Abukuma Plateau (100-120 m.y.) :>
Z
4 Permian to Sangun belt of western Hida IV (180-240 m.y.) :>
Jurassic Honshu (160 m.y.) z
o
3 Carboniferous Circum-Hida zone including Hida III (320 m.y.);
Omi area (320 m.y.)
...,....
Maizuru zone (330 m.y.) en
2 Ordovician Kiyama (450 m.y.) Hida II (500 m.y., Cambro- ttl
Z
Ordovician); <:
Kurosegawa zone (430 m.y.) ....
~
Precambrian Hida I (1,640 m.y.) o
Z
en
15-3 PAIRED METAMORPHIC BELTS /359
Accordingly, the shape of the Northeast Japan Arc during metamorphism
would be restored probably by a clockwise rotation of the Abukuma Plateau by
about 60°. This rotation gives the Jurassic-Cretaceous pair of metamorphic belts
a more natural-looking shape.
110-120 m.y.
low-pressure type on the east and the Kamuikotan belt of the high-pressure type
on the west. The original sedimentary rocks here are probably Mesozoic and
their regional metamorphism is probably Cretaceous and Tertiary.
The main part of Hokkaido, where this pair is exposed, belongs to the
Sakhalin Arc situated on the west side of the Okhotsk Sea. The paired belts were
formed probably along the ancient Sakhalin Arc with the associated trench on
the west side. Since the west side is generally the continental side, the Arc may
be regarded as a reversed island arc similar to the present-day arc of the New
Hebrides in the southwest Pacific Ocean (§ 17-1).
Oki
Po·
o. .
400km
Age Group. The Hida complex appears to contain metamorphic and plutonic
rocks of a number of different ages, ranging from the middle Precambrian to the
Jurassic. Radiometric dating made in several recent years has greatly contributed
to the elucidation of the long, complicated history, though the age and the
nature of individual events have not been established yet.
The Precambrian events are represented by K- Ar ages of about 1640 m.y.
(Shibata et al. 1971) and a Rb-Sr age of about 1200 m.y. (Sato, 1968). As the
details of the events are unknown, they are shown as Hida I in table 15-1. There
are four Phanerozoic age clusters around 500 m.y. (Cambro-Ordovician), 320
m.y. (Carboniferous), 240 m.y. (Permian) and 180 m.y. (Jurassic). Tentatively,
the complexes corresponding to these clusters are shown as Hida II-IV in table
15-1.
The metamorphic complex of the Hida IV event is here regarded as
representing the low-pressure metamorphic belt paired with the Sangun belt. The
belt of Hida IV was probably formed on the basement of older metamorphic
belts, a large part of which was probably reactivated during the event. The age
cluster around 180 m.y. is most marked and widespread allover the Hida
Plateau (e.g. Nozawa, 1968). This appears to indicate the age of the consolida-
tion of the Funatsu granite and related regional metamorphism.
Z
.....
>
."
. >
Z
• M8S\lZOlc - CenoZOIC
[2]
• granite
Ryoke >
Z
o Amphlbohte tacteS ) bell
o
Greenschist factes ::ltil
t!j
Z
m:_:
._Greenschist taCIt's ~~:te - amphibolite) <
.....
~ Akaoshl :;.::I
~ Preh -pump
U
&
htgher zeoli te faCies
lMountains ~ Greenschist &
IS&:l glaucophane - schIst
Sanbagawa
belt
o
Z
R::l facies til
~ Preh-pump facIeS
o 100 200km
!
Late Tertiary
Thus, the age of the Ryoke metamorphism could be considerably more than
100 m.y. old.
Abukuma Plateau
The eastward extension of the Ryoke belt beyond the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Line
and Fossa Magna could be represented by small exposures of granitic rocks to
the north of the Kanto Mountains and the Tsukuba metamorphic area, and a
great granitic and metamorphic terrane in the Abukuma Plateau (figs. 15-8 and
15-13).
Andalusite and sillimanite occur in some metapelites in these terranes. The
temperature of metamorphism increases generally toward the west in Tsukuba
and Abukuma (§ § 7 A-2 and 8A-2).
15-7 RYOKE METAMORPHIC BELT AND ABU KUMA PLATEAU /367
C,.,~,
• 75·95
m 90·100 }
~ 110·120
170·180 Jurassic
Fig. 15-11 K-Ar ages of granitic rocks in Japan. (Kawano and Ueda,
1967a, b.)
368/METAMORPHIC BELTS IN JAPAN AND ITS ENVIRONS
The K-Ar ages of granitic rocks from the Abukuma Plateau are 90-100 m.y.
(middle Cretaceous), whereas those from a region to the west (i.e. on the
continental side) are generally 50-65 m.y. (Kawano and Ueda, 1967a, b).
The metamorphic rocks in the southern part of Abukuma have given a K- Ar
age of 120-100 m.y., slightly older than that of the associated granitic ones
(Ueda et al. 1969). In all these respects, the Tsukuba and Abukuma meta-
morphics resemble the Ryoke terrane.
On the other hand, the metamorphic terrane of the Abukuma Plateau shows
some characteristics different from those of Ryoke. For example, metabasites
are abundant, in contrast to their scarcity in Ryoke. Though andalusite and
sillimanite occur in both Ryoke and Abukuma, chloritoid, staurolite and kyanite
were found to occur rarely in Abukuma, but not in Ryoke. Thus, the Abukuma
Plateau differs from the Ryoke belt in the composition of the original rocks and
in the P-T condition of recrystallization (Tagiri, 1971).
There are several possible explanations for this. One explanation could be
that the Median Tectonic Line cut the Ryoke belt lengthwise so that only a half
of the belt on the continental side is now observed. On the other hand, only half
the belt on the Pacific Ocean side is exposed in the Abukuma Plateau (fig.
15-13). Therefore, the abundance of metabasites in Abukuma as compared with
Ryoke may simply represent the increase of such rocks toward the Ocean. This
may be comparable to the tendency found in geosynclines of North America
(§ 13-4).
The present crust beneath the Abukuma Plateau appears to be about 10 krn
thinner than that beneath the Ryoke belt. The Abukuma Plateau has been a
region of continual elevation and erosion since Late Tertiary time owing to a
tectonic effect of a new orogeny along the Japan Trench. This may have caused
a great extent of denudation there. The present exposure in Abukuma may
represent a much deeper level in the original structure than that in the Ryoke
belt. Another possibility is that the Abilkuma Plateau includes some areas of
pre-Ryoke crystalline basement rocks which were re-metamorphosed at the same
time as the rocks of the Ryoke belt, though there is no positive evidence for it.
Gabbroic rocks and cortlandtite occur in both Ryoke and Abukuma, while
serpentinite is virtually confined to the latter area.
Granite-Rhyolite Association
The close association of a vast quantity of rhyolitic volcanics with granitic rocks
genetically related to the Ryoke metamorphism (fig. 15-12) deserves special
attention.
The volcanics are mostly welded tuffs and other pyroclastic rocks of rhyolitic
composition. In some cases, there is a smaller amount of dacitic and andesitic
rocks. A large mass in central Japan is called the Nohi rhyolites, covering an area
of about 5000 krn 2 with an average thickness presumably of about 2 km.
15-S SANBAGAWA METAMORPHIC BELT/369
The extrusion of the rhyolitic rocks appears to have occurred in late
Cretaceous time. The rhyolitic rocks are cut and metamorphosed by some
granitic intrusions, but unconformably cover other ones (Yamada, 1966;
Yamada and Nakai, 1969; Yamada, Kawada and Morohashi, 1971).
The close spatial association, the broad contemporaneity and the chemical
similarity of the granitic and rhyolitic rocks suggest the existence of a genetic
connection between them (Miyashiro, 1965; Yamada et al. 1971). These rocks
could represent an ancient volcanic chain (§ §4-2 and 15-2).
o
-'---'---'
100 200 km
Mizuho Orogeny
A series of orogenic events began in early Miocene time along the Kuril,
Northeast Japan, and Izu-Bonin Arcs. Intense volcanism began along these arcs
and geosynclinal accumulation with strong folding occurred in northeast Japan.
The volcanism has continued through the Pliocene to the present. This new
orogeny is called the Mizuho orogeny (Sugimura et al. 1963; Matsuda et al.
1967).
Volcanism, earthquakes, trench formation and other present-day tectonic
activity in and around the Northeast Japan Arc as summarized in § 15-1 may be
regarded as manifesta tions of this orogeny.
Miocene geosynclinal accumulations, a few kilometres thick, were formed on
the basements of Mesozoic and older metamorphic and granitic rocks on the
Japan Sea side of northeast Japan. Among the products of the first intense
Miocene phase of volcanism, rhyolitic and dacitic rocks were more abundant
than basaltic and andesitic rocks. Subsequently, the proportion of andesitic
rocks increased remarkably, and the increase has gone on to the present.
To the east of the geosynclinal zone, the Abukuma and Kitakami Mountains
continued to rise as blocks from the Miocene to the present. This region is
characterized by great positive Bouguer anomalies. The western limit of the
region, called the Monoka-Shirakawa Line, runs through the cities of Morioka
and Shirakawa. Probably the Line represents a big fault, possibly cutting through
the whole thickness of the sialic crust (§ § 17-6 and 17-7).
Considerable parts of the Miocene geosynclinal pile in northeast Japan were
metamorphosed in the zeolite, prehnite-pumpellyite, and greenschist facies.
Examples of the Mogami area and the Tanzawa Mountains were described in
§6A-2. The latter example is exceptional in that metamorphic rocks up to the
amphibolite facies were formed. The calculated geothermal gradients in these
areas were very high.
Several tens of granitic masses occur over the geosynclinal zone of northeast
Japan. Their K-Ar ages are 3-25 m.y. (Miocene and Pliocene). Only the larger
masses are shown in fig. 15-10 under the name of late Tertiary granitic rocks.
These granites are similar in age to those of the Shimanto terrane of southwest
Japan.
15-10 METAMORPHIC BELTS IN THE HONSHU ARC /373
Chronological Summary
A tentative chronology of six major metamorphic events has already been given
in table IS-I.
The Hida metamorphic complex has preserved records of the first four events.
The corresponding terranes are designated as Hida I-IV in the table. In other
words, granite-bearing metamorphic terranes in all these events are exposed
within the Hida Plateau. This suggests that there was no great shift of the site of
successive metamorphic belts in this period, which would be the main reason
why these older metamorphic belts were obscured and destroyed by later events.
The 4th and 5th events showed successive southward shifts of the site of the
resultant metamorphic belts. This resulted in relatively good preservation of the
metamorphic belts recording these events.
There is no evidence for the formation of glaucophane schists in the
Precambrian event. However, the mineral certainly occurs in the Ordovician
Kiyama complex of the 2nd event. In the 3rd event, the Hida and circum-Hida
terranes were perhaps in a pair. The 4th and 5th events formed two conspicuous
pairs of metamorphic belts. The high-pressure belt of the 6th event, if formed, is
not exposed yet.
The fust five events took place along the Honshu Arc, leading to the
formation of a thick continental type crust, whereas the Southwest Japan Arc
has remained outside the main theatre of the 6th event. Presumably the Japanese
Islands drifted away from the Asiatic Continent in the period between the 5th
and 6th events.
It is widely believed that movement along the Line took place in a number of
distinct phases showing different patterns of movement. The initial phase,
usually called the Kashio, is widely believed to be thrusting of the Ryoke terrane
over the Sanbagawa, though there is no positive evidence for the existence of
this phase. It is also conceivable that the Line was initiated as a Benioff-zone
faul t along which the Sanbagawa terrane was thrust under the Ryoke terrane
(e.g. Ernst, 1971 b). Another possibility is that the Line was initiated simply as
the boundary fault between the already metamorphosed Ryoke and Sanbagawa
o 400 km
----~----~--~----~!
Fig. 15-13 The Median Tectonic Line (MTL) and the thermal axes (chain
lines) of the Ryoke and Abukuma metamorphic terranes (dotted). The
vertical hatching represents the Upper Cretaceous Izumu Group. F- F =
Itoigawa-Shizuoka Line. Dashed area = Sanbagawa belt.
blocks, and that the Sanbagawa was uplifted along the fault so as to be
ultimately exposed on the surface (§ 17-6). If this is the case, the Median
Tectonic Line is an ancient analogue of the Morioka-Shirakawa Line of
present-day Japan (§15-9 and 17-6).
In the last 100 000 years, a continual right-lateral movement has taken place
along the central part of the Line at an average rate of several millimetres per
year (Kaneko, 1966; Okada, 1970). However, the eastern end, cut by the
Itoigawa-Shizuoka Line, does not show marked off-setting. Hence, the total
amount of strike-slip movement since the formation of the Itoigawa-Shizuoka
Line in late Tertiary time is very limited. It is possible, however, that the Line
was initiated as an early Tertiary strike-slip fault accompanied by some vertical
movement. Miyashiro (I 972b) has shown that the main features of the thermal
structures of the Ryoke and Sanbagawa belts can be explained by this
hypothesis.
15-12 METAMORPHIC BELTS OF THE RYUKYU ARC/375
o
Sappo 0
o
Obihiro
o 100 km
o Quaternary
~ Mesozoic and
~ Early Tertiary
r::D Tananao schist
o W (western part)
a Tananao schist
§ (eastern part)
We discussed the metamorphic belts in Japan and the surrounding West Pacific
regions in the preceding chapter, and now we are dealing with metamorphic belts
in the southwest Pacific region. They show many features in common. Paired
metamorphic belts occur in New Zealand and Celebes.
The Australian continent is made up of orogenic belts that tend to become
younger toward the east. New Zealand, lying further to the east, tends to be still
younger. This relation appears to suggest accretional growth of a continent.
Australia is treated here from this viewpoint.
Rise •
Chatha
Is.
Fig. 16-1 Australia, New Zealand and the Southwest Pacific Ocean. The
thick lines are the coast lines and the thin lines 1000 fathom (1830 m)
isobaths. Trenches are indicated by thick broken lines. The Tonga and
Kermadec Trenches are on the east side of the Tonga and Kermadec
Islands, and another trench is on the west side of the Macquarie Ridge.
The New Hebrides Trench is on the continental side of the New Hebrides
Islands.
Adelaide Geosyncline
The Adelaide Geosyncline was formed in late Precambrian to early Palaeozoic
time around the present site of Adelaide in South Australia. Metamorphism and
plutonism took place in early Palaeozoic time (600-400 m.y. ago). The general
trend of the orogenic belt is N-S, running through the Precambrian craton near
its southeastern margin. Its southern end bends toward the west at Kangaroo
Island.
Metamorphic rocks in the Mount Lofty Ranges are well documented (§ 7A-3).
The metamorphism is transitional between the low- and the medium-pressure
type (§ 7 A-3). Relatively small bodies of granitic rocks are intruded into schists
and gneisses along the axis of the metamorphic belt (White, 1966; White et al.
1967).
16-2 THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINENT/381
Tasman Geosyncline
The highlands in the eastern part of the Australian Continent represent the
former position of the Tasman geosyncline in Palaeozoic time. The geosyncline
contained a large number of subparallel troughs and ridges with an N-S trend.
Some of the troughs and ridges had intense volcanism, whereas others did not.
The geosyncline tends to become younger eastwards. The western part of the
geosyncline (called the Lachlan geosyncline) has sedimentary piles ranging from
Cambrian to Middle Devonian with the maximum deformation in Middle
Devonian time. The eastern part (called the New England geosyncline) has
sedimentary piles ranging from Ordovician to Late Permian with the maximum
deformation in Late Permian time (Crook, 1969). The easternmost part of the
continent near Brisbane has a still younger sedimentary pile extending from the
Permian to Early Cretaceous, after which it was deformed. The deposition in this
region is roughly simultaneous with that in the New Zealand geosyncline.
Volcanism in the Tasman geosyncline is basic and acidic. There are three big
serpentinite belts.
The K- Ar ages of granitic rocks show a regular eastward decrease from
Silurian to Permian in the Melbourne-Canberra-Sydney region of southeastern
Australia (Evernden and Richards, 1962).
The thick sedimentary piles in the Tasman geosyncline were subjected to
widespread low-temperature recrystallization in the zeolite, prehnite-pumpellyite
and greenschist facies (e.g. Packham and Crook, 1960).
The Hill End trough and the Cowra trough run in a N-S direction to the east
and west of Canberra respectively with the Canberra-Molong ridge between
them. They are all within the Lachlan geosyncline. Smith (1969) has described
recrystallization in these zones in an area about 180 km north of Canberra. The
rocks on the ridge are non-schistose and mainly in the prehnite-pumpellyite facies,
whereas those in the Hill End trough are schistose and tend to show a higher
temperature of recrystallization up to the biotite zone (greenschist facies).
In a region south of Canberra, two high-temperature metamorphic belts run
in a N-S direction in the Hill End and Cowra troughs. They are of the
low-pressure type, being associated with granitic rocks. The Cooma area in the
Hill End trough (Joplin, 1942, 1943, 1968; Pidgeon and Compston, 1965), and
the Wantabadgery-Tumbarumba area in the Cowra trough (Vallance, 1953,
1960, 1967) are well documented. The metamorphic rocks in these areas are
mostly schists and gneisses of pelitic and psammitic composition, producing
andalusite, cordierite and sillimanite (§§ 4-1 and 7A-3).
The occurrence of glaucophane has been reported from a few localities in
New South Wales and Queensland in the easternmost part of the Tasman
geosyncline. Especially in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, glaucophane is
accompanied by lawsonite (Joplin, 1968, p. 100). Their geologic relations and
significance are not clear.
382/METAMORPHIC BELTS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
o
,MTL
100 ,
200 km
/
Western Province
(Tasman Metamorphic Belt)
• Glaucophane-schist facies
~
Stewart .1.
Island ::. • "'MTL
~ Epidote-amphibolite and
~ amphibolite facies
MTL : Median Tectonic line
Fig. 16-2 Metamorphic belts in New Zealand. (After Landis and Coombs,
1967.)
Tectonic Line, has been found between the two. It is to be noted that the
southernmost part of the fault shows strong bending toward the Campbell
Plateau (fig. 16-2).
The geologic and geophysical similarity of the paired belts with those in
Japan has been emphasized by Hattori (1968).
384/METAMORPHIC BELTS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
Western Province
This province is divided into the South and North blocks by the Alpine fault.
The South block is mainly composed of metamorphic and associated granitic
rocks. The metamorphic rocks are gneisses and amphibolites recrystallized at
medium or high temperatures. The North block is composed of granitic rocks
accompanied by unmetamorphosed sediments and low- or medium-temperature
schists. The oldest formation may be Precambrian. Fossiliferous formations
range from the Cambrian to the Permian.
Sedimentation in early Palaeozoic time was of a geosynclinal nature with a
total thickness of not less than 15 km. The name Buller geosyncline has been
proposed.
Radiometric dating by the Rb-Sr method has indicated that at least two
orogenies with plutonism and metamorphism occurred in the Buller geosyncline
(Aronson, 1968): the earlier one about 350-370 m.y. ago (Devonian) and the
later about 100-120 m.y. ago (middle Cretaceous). These are called the Tuhua
and Rangitata orogenies respectively.
The metamorphic terrane formed in the western province by the Rangitata
orogeny is called the Tasman metamorphic belt. It ranges from the greenschist to
the granulite facies. Garnet, chioritoid, staurolite, andalusite, sillimanite and
cordierite occur, suggesting a low-pressure facies series.
Eastern Province
During or immediately after the Tuhua orogeny, the region lying east of the
Tuhua orogenic belt became a basin for intense sedimentation. This is called the
New Zealand geosyncline. Sediment piles, more than 10 km thick, mainly
composed of graywacke, siltstone and pyroclastic materials, were deposited from
Carboniferous to Jurassic time.
Nearly all the rocks in this province are more or less metamorphosed. Landis
and Coombs (1967) call the terrane the Wakatipu metamorphic belt. As is shown
in fig. 16-2, zones of different metamorphic facies tend to run generally along
the Median Tectonic line. Rocks of the zeolite, prehnite-pumpellyite, glauco-
phane-schist, and greenschist facies are widespread. Lawsonite occurs in one
part. A narrow zone along the Alpine fault is in the epidote-amphibolite and
amphibolite facies. The well-recrystallized part of the Wakatipu metamorphic
belt is called the Haast schist group, which includes the Otago schists (Hutton and
Turner, 1936; Hutton, 1940; Brown, 1967) in the southern part of the South
Island and the Alpine schists along the Alpine fault (Reed, 1958; Mason, 1962;
Cooper and Lovering, 1970).
The zeolite and prehnite-pumpellyite facies regions in the southern and
central parts of South Island have become famous through the studies of
Coombs (1954, 1960) and Coombs et al. (1959), as reviewed in § 6A-4.
Stilpnomelane is common and piedmontite occurs rarely. Progressive increase of
16-3 NEW ZEALAND/385
metamorphic temperature towards the west is clearly noticed in the Alpine
schists, whereas the Otago schists show an axis of maximum metamorphic
temperature.
Gabbro and serpentinite of Permian age occur in the western part of this
province near the Median Tectonic Line. Small amounts of dioritic and granitic
rocks probably of Permian age also occur along the western margin of the
province. There are no plutonic bodies in the eastern part of the New Zealand
geosyncline.
Landis and Coombs (1967) have emphasized that the New Zealand geo-
syncline is auto-cannibalistic. Thus, sedimentation is immediately followed by
burial metamorphism in the zeolite or prehnite-pumpellyite facies. Some of the
rocks formed in this way are exposed to erosion and transported into a
newly-formed adjacent depositional basin. Then the new deposits are subjected
to another phase of burial metamorphism. Sedimentation, burial metamorphism
and erosion proceeded simultaneously.
The K-Ar ages of schists of the prehnite-pumpellyite and greenschist facies
are 140-100 m.y., Le. early to middle Cretaceous (Harper and Landis, 1967).
This corresponds to the Rangitata orogeny. This regional metamorphism took
place after the Late Jurassic completion of sedimentation and the accompanying
burial metamorphism. It is to be noted that metamorphic rocks of the
glaucophane-schist facies have given Cretaceous ages though their age of
deposition is Late Permian. They would have formed by the Rangitata orogeny
rather than by early phases of burial metamorphism.
The metamorphic climax of the Haast schist group is considered to have
occurred about 130-140 m.y. ago. This value is observed in the high prehnite-
pumpellyite facies rocks. With increasing grade of metamorphism the observed
K-Ar and Rb-Sr ages tend to decrease down to 100 m.y., perhaps because the
higher grade rocks maintained a higher temperature for a longer period.
Metamorphic rocks exposed at a distance less than 30 km from the Alpine fault
show anomalously low ages.
The Wakatipu metamorphic belt is obliquely cut by the Alpine fault. Thus, a
zone of glaucophane-schist facies rocks and serpentinites, for example, occurs to
the east of the fault in the southern part of South Island. Its northward
continuation appears to the west of the fault near the northern end of the
Island.
The New Zealand geosyncline extends northward to form the basement of
North Island. The northward extension of the serpentinite belt in the geo-
syncline shows a gradual change of direction toward the northwestern projection
of North Island. The Median Tectonic Line seems to extend roughly along the
west coast of North Island. The extension of the New Zealand geosyncline
appears to continue to the Norfolk Ridge.
Chatham Island, 800 km east of South Island, is known to be composed of
386/METAMORPHIC BELTS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC
16-4 CELEBES
The north arm, the western part of central Celebes, and the south arm together
constitute the inner arc, where late Mesozoic and Tertiary granitic rocks are
widespread in association with biotite-rich schists (van Bemmelen, 1949).
The granitic masses of the inner arc are cut abruptly on the eastern side by a
great fault, called the Median Line, trending north-south. Mylonite has been
formed along the Line.
Southeast
Arm
o, 100
,
km
The Yap Islands are situated in the Pacific about 1300 km east of the Philippine
Islands. They are on an island arc forming a southeastern border of the
Philippine Sea. There is a trench, about 8500 m deep, on the southeast side of
the island.
The island arcs bordering the Philippine Sea (i.e. the Izu-Bonin, Mariana, Yap,
and Palau Arcs) are generally composed of volcanic rocks and associated
sediments from the early Tertiary to the present. For example, the oldest rocks
exposed on Guam and Saipan are Eocene (or possibly slightly older) pyroclastics
(basaltic, andesitic and dacitic in composition). The Yap Islands, however, differ
from all the rest in having a basement of crystalline schists. Our interest is in the
characteristics of regional metamorphic rocks produced in such a place very far
from any continents.
There are four principal islands in the Yaps, close to one another. The
metamorphic rocks, known as the Yap formation, are exposed in an area about
10 km across in the main island and in smaller areas in other islands. Their age is
not known, but they are unconformably covered by Miocene beds.
The metamorphic rocks are actinolite greenschists and amphibolites. They
were derived from basic igneous materials, some of which may have been
abyssal tholeiites. The amphibolites contain blue-green hornblende. Schistosity
is well developed and generally strikes northeastward, roughly parallel to the
elongation of the arc. Relict minerals are rare. The temperature of meta-
morphism increases southeastward. The metamorphic rocks are accompanied by
small masses of serpentinite (Tayama, 1935; Johnson, Alvis and Hetzler, 1960;
Shiraki, 1971).
The Miocene breccias overlying the schists are reported to contain fragments
16-6 YAP ISLANDS/389
not only of schist, amphibolite and serpentinite, but also of amphibole granite,
amphibole syenite, and gabbro. The sources of the latter rocks are not known.
The breccias are covered by Miocene volcanics made up of basaltic and andesitic
pyroclastics and lavas. Since then, there has been no volcanism in the Yaps in
spite of the presence of a deep trench to the east.
Chapter 17
Tectonics of Regional
Metamorphic Belts
2. Metamorphic belts formed beneath ordinary island arcs. This type of belt
could be forming now beneath the Northeast Japan and Kurile Arcs, where the
oceanic plate of the Pacific is being underthrust. The Mesozoic paired belts in
New Zealand (chapter 16) and the late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic paired belts in
southwest Japan (chapter 15) may have formed in a similar way beneath
ordinary island arcs, though it is also conceivable that they may have formed on
the margin of the nearby continents of that time and drifted afterwards to form
island arcs.
3. Metamorphic belts formed beneath reversed island arcs. This type of belt
would be forming now beneath the New Hebrides Islands, where the plate of the
adjacent marginal sea is being underthrust (cf. Isacks and Molnar, 1971). The
paired metamorphic belts in Hokkaido (fig. 3-10) could have been formed by the
eastward underthrusting of the marginal sea plate beneath the Sakhalin Arc.
Paired metamorphic belts can form in any of the three categories. All the
metamorphic belts in these categories may be expected to show a tendency to be
paired only if the velocity of plate descent is rapid (§ 17-2).
17-2 VARIATION IN THE RATE OF PLATE CONVERGENCE/391
Contrast in the Rate of Plate Motion between the Pacific and Atlantic
Though the pattern of spreading in the Pacific should have undergone a number
of changes since early Mesozoic time, the rapidity of the plate motion has
apparently continued to the present. The recent rate of spreading in the East
392/TECTONICS OF REGIONAL METAMORPHIC BELTS
Pacific Rise is as high as 2-6 cm/year in contrast to the rate of 1-2 cm/year in
the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and it has been demonstrated that the contrast has
existed at least since late Mesozoic time (Heirtzler et al. 1968).
Presumably, the plate motion in the Pacific was fairly rapid in the Palaeozoic
so that atypical high-pressure metamorphic belts were formed in many parts of
the circum-Pacific region, and it became very rapid in the Mesozoic so as to
produce typical high-pressure belts. It may be considered that arc-trench systems
of group I in table 4-4 can produce typical high-pressure belts and paired belts.
It appears that the Atlantic Ocean has closed and-opened repeatedly, and this
caused the orogenies of the Appalachian, Caledonian and even older belts
(Wilson, 1966; Dietz and Holden, 1966; Dewey, 1969). We may consider that
usually the velocity of plate descent in the Atlantic regions was not high enough
to produce well-developed belts of glaucophane schists. Metamorphic belts of
the medium-pressure type could have formed instead.
However, the medium- and low-pressure Caledonian metamorphic beIt of the
Scottish Highlands may be regarded as being paired with the poorly developed
glaucophane-schist area of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. This pair was
formed probably in the Early Ordovician. Presumably the Benioff zone at that
time was inclined to the north, but a new Benioff zone inclined to the south
may have been formed in Late Or~ovician time so as to produce a volcanic arc to
the south (Fitton and Hughes, 1970).
high-pressure metamorphism took place tens of million years prior to the ridge
descent.
In both cases, high-pressure metamorphism was halted about 30 or 40 million
years prior to the ridge descent. Conceivably, the descending oceanic litho-
spheres in and near the ridges were still hot enough to increase the geothermal
gradients in the subduction zones, and thereby to put an end to high-pressure
metamorphism. For a period around the ridge descent, magmatism took place
over an unusually wide zone_in the Western United States and in East Asia
(Miyashiro, 1973; S. Uyeda and A. Miyashiro, in preparation).
the lines mentioned above. According to their results, a very low or even a
negative temperature gradient is expected in the lithosphere during the first
several tens of millions of years of plunging. When the shear-strain heating or
frictional heating is intense along the upper surface of the plunging body, this
part may be heated up so strongly that a large amount of magma is produced.
Since the basic layer of the original oceanic crust would be present along the
upper surface, the resultant magma would be andesitic and its rise would cause
an increase in the volume of the continental crust above.
Another approach, free from any complexity due to the model adopted, is
the use of the thermal relaxation time T, which is one of the simplest measures
of the rate of temperature variation in a body heated from the outside. The
thermal relaxation time of heat conduction for a body of size H and of thermal
diffusivity k, is represented by H2/k, which represents the approximate time
needed to heat the body to lIe or 1/2'72 of the possible maximum heating
upder the given conditions. When we take k = 10-2 cm 2 sec- 1 , which is a
well-accepted order of magnitude for the thermal diffusivity of the material in
the earth's crust, the thermal relaxation time for a crustal or lithospheric layer
10, 30 or 100 km thick is roughly 3, 30 or 300 m.y. respectively (Shimazu,
1961).
The development of a geosyncline is usually a process of the order of 100
m.y. in duration. A geosynclinal pile, 10-20 km thick, for example, will be
heated in accordance with the slow sinking during its development with no
marked time lag. On the other hand, when such a pile descends rapidly within a
period of a few million years, unusually low geothermal gradients will form in it.
This may be the case with individual phases of the Franciscan metamorphism.
If a lithosphere, 100 km thick, plunges in a period ofless than 100 m.y., a
marked time lag in heating should take place, leading to the occurrence of
unusually low geothermal gradients and high-pressure regional metamorphism.
-_
........ .........50 km
'
Fig. 17-1 Major faults in and around the Sanbagawa high-pressure meta-
morphic terrane in Shikoku, Japan. Approximately the region between the
Median Tectonic Line and the Kurosegawa Tectonic Zone belongs to the
Sanbagawa belt, though the southern limit of recrystallization is obscure.
402/TECTONICS OF REGIONAL METAMORPHIC BELTS
metamorphic terrane which is paired with the Sanbagawa. Hence, this segment
of the Median Tectonic Line was formed distinctly later than the Ryoke and
Sanbagawa metamorphism, and the Sanbagawa high-pressure terrane should have
been uplifted along the Line, though this does not preclude the possibility that
the movement of the Line involved a strike-slip component.
The Northeast Japan Arc (Le. northeast Honshu) has been active since the
Miocene. As is schematically shown in fig. 3-11, it is composed of the outer
non-volcanic arc and the inner volcanic arc with a large tectonic line, called the
Morioka-Shirakawa Line (S in the figure) between them. The Line was detected
by a gravity survey by Tsuboi et al. (1953- 6), though the fault is entirely
covered by younger sediments. The outer arc is characterized by high values of
positive Bouguer anomalies. It is conceivable that the outer arc has been uplifted
since the Miocene along this fault, with resultant approach to the surface of a
Miocene high-pressure metamorphic complex in the crust on the oceanic side of
this fault. Since the isostatic anomalies in the outer arc are of the order of +100
mgal, the uplift cannot be ascribed to the buoyancy of a thickened crust. The
uplift could be due to the continentward push exerted by the Pacific plate on
the prismatic block above the descending slab.
Double Arcs
The Northeast Japan Arc is an example of a presently active double arc. As
shown in figs. 3-11 and 17-2, it is composed of the following three parallel
structural elements from east to west: (a) the Japan Trench on the outermost
side, (b) the Kitakami Mountains and Abukuma Plateau which represent the
non-volcanic outer arc, mainly composed of Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks and
Mesozoic granites, and (c) the chains of Quaternary volcanoes which constitute
the volcanic inner arc. In this case, the double arc structure is slightly obscured
as the valley between the volcanic and the non-volcanic arc is above sea level.
Figure 17-2 shows SOO-meter contours above sea level to reveal the topographic
characteristics of the double arc.
The Ryukyu Islands also are a double arc, in which a trench is on the eastern
side, the non-volcanic outer arc lies in the median zone, including all the bigger
islands· of Ryukyu, and the volcanic inner arc, being on the western side, is
represented by small volcanic islands and submarine volcanoes.
On the other hand, in the double arc of the Kuru Islands, the volcanic inner
arc is better developed than the non-volcanic outer one. The Izu-Bonin Arc also
has a double arc structure, in which the Bonin Islands constitute an outer arc. To
the north of Bonin, an outer arc does not exist. The Kuril and Izu-Bonin Arcs
have deep trenches on the outermost zone.
The volcanic front (§IS-1, fig. IS-2) approximately represents the ocean-side
limit of the volcanic inner arc. The distance between the trench axis and the
volcanic front is about 200-300 km in the above double arcs.
Thus, many of the present-day island arcs are double arcs, and we may
consider that a double arc is a typical state of presently active island arcs. At
an early stage of its development, the non-volcanic outer arc may not be formed
with resultant formation of a single arc.
/
!
\
Japan Sea
Kitakami
, Mountains
,,
".' Pacific Ocean
o 100 200 km
Fig. 17-2 Topography of the Northeast Japan Arc. The present-day coast
line is shown by dotted lines. Horizontal ruling indicated areas more than
500 metres above sea level. Quaternary volcanoes are shown by solid
circles. The areas more than 7,000 metres deep in the Japan Trench are
stippled.
406jTECTONICS OF REGIONAL METAMORPHIC BELTS
Trench Zone. This zone includes the Japan Trench and a zone on its immediate
west. It is characterized by a negative isostatic anomaly and low heat flow. The
epicenters of shallow earthquakes are highly crowded.
Probably this zone has been subjected to continual subsidence and sediment-
ation from the Miocene to the present, and may be regarded as a geosyncline.
The Pacific plate should be plunging into the depths along this zone. This plunge
probably brought the sediment piles deep into the mantle, and they would have
undergone metamorphism probably of the high-pressure type. The observed low
heat-flow zone should correspond to a low geothermal gradient (fig. 17-3).
The plunging plate reaches a depth of about 700 km beneath the north-
western part of the Japan Sea, though such a great depth is not shown in figs.
3-11 and 17-3.
Non- Volcanic Outer Arc. The outer half of the arc-trench gap is a submarine
slope with negative isostatic anomalies and has already been included in the
above trench zone, whereas the inner half of the gap is an elevated non-volcanic
arc with positive isostatic anomalies. In so far as arcuate ridges above sea level
are concerned, this zone may be separated from other zones and be treated as a
non-volcanic outer arc in contrast to volcanic inner arc. This zone has low heat
flow like the above trench zone.
The non-volcanic arc, consisting of the Abukuma Plateau and the Kitakami
Mountains, underwent continual uplift as rigid blocks, probablY since the
Miocene. The western limit of this region is the Morioka-Shirakawa Line
discussed above (§ 17-6).
Although granitic and metamorphic rocks are widely exposed in this arc, they
are all the result of the Late Mesozoic orogeny and possibly of older ones. The
metamorphic complexes formed since the Miocene, if any, have not been
exposed yet.
Volcanic Inner Arc. The volcanic inner arc is made up of mountain ranges in the
central and the Japan Sea side zone of Honshu. Miocene and Pliocene granitic
masses also occur in this region. Subsidence took place in many areas and small
scale geosynclinal accumulations were formed in the Miocene.
The present heights of volcanoes are the result partly of volcanic accumul-
ations and partly of the tectonic upheaval of their basements. In the geologic
past, the altitudes of this zone changed by the upheaval and subsidence of its
parts. The present high altitude may be rather fortuitous.
17-7 METAMORPHIC BELTS IN THE MAIN PART OF JAPAN/407
+100 mgal
Isostatic anomaly
----------------------~~r_--~~~~------~O
---
-100
~---------']T:OoO
2
________________________---''--____H_e_at.L-fl_oW
________ mW m-
_
Honshu
Japan Sea I nner arc Outer arc Japan Pacific
• Trench Ocean
-10
-20
I
-30
-40
t -50
Fig. 17-3 E.-W. cross section of the Northeast Japan Arc. For the
topography, see Fig. 17-2.
Japan Sea. The Japan Sea region has an abnormally high heat flow, generally
between 80 and 130 mW m- 2 (2-3 ILcal cm- 2 sec-I). The Okhotsk and East
China Seas as well as the region to the immediate west of the Izu-Bonin Arc
show a similar high heat flow. Hence, this is probably an essential feature of
active island arcs.
The high heat flow should be related to the origin of the marginal seas.
Shallow earthquakes are rare in these seas (Barazangi and Dorman, 1969). There
is no feature suggesting the existence of an active mid-oceanic ridge. The
convective rise of-upper mantle materials together with the rise of magmas and
associated aqueous fluids could create the new lithospheres under the marginal
seas (fig. 3-11), and could also cause high heat flow.
Analogy between the Present-day Northeast Japan Arc and the Late Mesozoic
Southwest Japan Arc
The metamorphism of the Ryoke-Sanbagawa pair took place probably in
Jurassic and Cretaceous time. At and immediately after that time, there were
four tectonically distinct zones along the Southwest Japan Arc, which corres-
pond to the above-discussed four zones of the present-day Northeast Japan Arc
(Matsuda and Uyeda, 1971). The zones are as follows from south to north (fig.
17-1):
1. Shimanto geosyncline. This was probably a trench zone with thick
geosynclinal accumulations. The plunge of the oceanic plate from the trench
would have brought not only the new Mesozoic sedimentary pile but also
Palaeozoic formations under it on the north side into great depths.
2. Sanbagawa high-pressure metamorphic belt. This probably represents the
Palaeozoic terrane which was under and on the north side of the above
geosynclinal pile and was involved in the plunge of the oceanic plate. Sub-
sequently, the Palaeozoic rocks were uplifted and exposed at the surface. This
zone probably corresponds to the non-volcanic outer arc of the present-day
double arcs of northeast Japan.
3. Ryoke belt. This zone is characterized by low-pressure, high-temperature
metamorphism and abundant granitic and rhyolitic activity. During the meta-
morphism this zone probably showed high heat-flow values and volcanism just
like the present-day inner arc of northeast Japan. However, the Ryoke meta-
morphic belt is about 50 km wide in reconstruction, and is narrower than the
present-day inner arc, which is about 150 km wide. Therefore, the belt probably
corresponds only to an oceanic-side zone of the inner arc of northeast Japan.
4. Region of granitic activity on the continental side of the Ryoke belt. The
abundance of granitic masses suggests the occurrence of high heat flow at that
time. lienee, this zone may be regarded as corresponding to the continental side
part of the inner arc of northeast Japan, possibly together with a part of the
Japan Sea.
Chapter 18
~etalDorphic Structure
of Continental Crusts
The North American and the European Continent have a vast Precambrian
craton surrounded by Phanerozoic orogenic belts. On the eastern side of the
Asiatic Continent and of the Australian Continent, the outermost zones of
Phanerozoic orogenic belts form island arcs which are separated from the
continents by marginal seas such as the Japan and the Tasman Sea.
The thickness of the crust, as defined by the depth to the Moho dis-
continuity, is usually 30-50 km for Precambrian cratons, but is more highly
varied and commonly thinner for younger orogenic belts. The rock-pressure is
about 10 and 15 kbar at depths of 35 and 50 km respectively.
The observed seismic velocities in the continental crust increase generally
downwards:
Vp(km sec-I)
Upper crust 5·8-6·3
Lower crust 6·6-7·2
This increase is too great to be accounted for simply by the effect of pressure.
Thus, it is believed that the crusts of shields show general changes in chemical
composition with depth. Just as the exposed surface of shields are made up of
varied rocks, the depths would also be heterogeneous. However, the average
composition could become more basic with increasing depth. The thicknesses of
the more acidic upper part and the more basic lower part for various regions are
given in table 18-1.
There is a substantial difference in heat-flow values between Precambrian
cratons (including shields) and Phanerozoic orogenic belts. Lee and Uyeda
(1965) have given the following average figures:
mWm- 2 Ilcal cm- 2 sec- I
Precambrian shields 38 0·92
Cratons covered by Phanerozoic sediments 64 1·54
Palaeozoic orogenic regions 51 1·23
Mesozoic-Cenozoic orogenic regions 80 1·92.
410/METAMORPHIC STRUCTURE OF CONTINENTAL CRUSTS
Upper Lower
crust crust Total
Vp (km sec-I) (5.8-6.3) (6.6-7.2) thickness
Upper Crust
Precambrian shields are mainly composed of granitic rocks and quartzo-
feldspathic gneisses, together with other metasediments and metabasites (§ 1-5).
The average chemical composition of the surface exposures of a shield has
been calculated by Sederholm (1925) for the Finnish part of the Baltic Shield
and by Shaw et aZ. (1967) and Eade and Fahrig (1971) for the Canadian Shield,
as given in table 18-2. The compositions are similar to those of granodiorite,
mica gneiss or graywacke in major elements, but differ from granodiorite
markedly in some trace elements.
Lower Crust
Since the lower crust of shields is more basic than the upper, many authors have
considered that the upper and the lower crusts are composed of granitic and
gabbroic (or basaltic) rocks respectively. Poldervaart (1955), Pakiser and
Robinson (1966) and Ronov and Yaroshevsky (1969) calculated the average
chemical composition of the crust on the basis of such models.
Ringwood and Green (1966a, b) have, however, criticized such models. If
PH,o is equal or close to Ps in continental crusts, the Pg-T condition of the
lower crust as discussed in the preceding section should be usually in the
18-2 PRECAMBRIAN SHIELDS/411
Note: Average trace element content for the Canadian Shield is (in p.p.m.): Be 1·3,
Ga 14, Cr 99, V 53, Li 22, Ni 23, Co 21, Cu 14, Zr 400, Sr 340, Ba 1070, Rb 118,
U 2.5, Th 10.3 (Shaw etal. 1967; Shaw, 1968); and Cr 77, Ni 20, Sr 380, Ba 730,
U 1.5, Th 10.8 (Eade and Fahrig, 1971).
At 2 kbar At 10 kbar
Partial Melting
The present surface of Precambrian shields is commonly in the amphibolite and
granulite facies. During the metamorphism it was probably common for some
extent of partial melting to take place. At the same time, on the other hand, the
deeper levels within the crust would generally have been at higher temperatures.
The lower crust accordingly would have been subjected to a considerable extent
of partial melting. It is natural therefore to ascribe the crustal layering partly to
partial melting, though there should be many other relevant factors of which we
are quite ignorant.
The melts should usually be of granitic composition, and would move
upwards through the crust owing to their lower density. They may join to form
big granitic bodies, or may remain in a more dispersed state. Upward movement
of such melts would increase the acidic character of the upper crust, leaving
generally more basic solid residues in the lower crust.
Granulite·Facies Terranes
Ramberg (1951, 1952) has pointed out the possibility that granulite facies
metamorphic rocks now exposed on earth might once have been in the lower
crust and basified during metamorphism, though he preferred chemical diffusion
in the solid state to partial melting as a possible mechanism of basification.
Small· scale basification in a granulite facies zone was demonstrated by Engel
and Engel (1958, 1962a) for both metasediments and metabasites of the
18-3 VERTICAL DIFFERENTIATION OF CONTINENTAL CRUSTS /413
Adirondacks (§ 8A-7). On a larger scale, Eade, Fahrig and Maxwell (1966) and
Bade and Fahrig (1971) calculated average chemical compositions of amphi-
bolite- and granulite-facies terranes in a part of the Canadian Shield. Granulite
facies rocks occur in a great number of separate irregular areas surrounded by
amphibolite facies areas. The granulite facies terranes are slightly higher in FeO
and CaO, but slightly lower in Si0 2 and K2 0 than the amphibolite facies ones.
There are a number of wide terranes of granulite facies rocks in the Australian
Shield. They may be classified into the three sub facies representing different
rock-pressures that were shown in fig. 12-2. The majority of the granulite facies
terranes belong to the low-pressure subfacies and are usually dominated by
acidic rocks, though the rest belong to the two higher pressure sub facies and are
generally dominated by moderately acidic, intermediate and basic rocks. The
latter terranes were probably metamorphosed and partially melted in the lower
crust and later tectonically uplifted to their present level. They should show the
chemical characteristics of the lower crust. Thus, Lambert and Heier (1968) have
made a detailed chemical investigation of such rocks. The rocks of the
amphibolite facies are generally similar in chemical composition to those of the
lower-pressure subfacies of the granulite facies. On the other hand, the rocks of
the two higher pressure sub facies of the granulite facies show an effect of
basification: decreases of Si0 2 , K2 0, Rb and U, and increases of total iron, MgO
and CaO. The K/Rb ratio tends to increase in the process.
The 'K/Rb ratio of ordinary continental igneous rocks varies in a range of
200-400. Metamorphic rocks in the· amphibolite and lower facies show a similar
range, whereas those in the granulite facies tend to show higher values. Sighinolfi
(1969, 1971) has demonstrated that both K and Rb contents have decreased and
the K/Rb ratio has increased in granulite facies basements of the Western Alps
and Brazil.
Since Phanerozoic orogenic belts give much higher heat-flow values than
Precambrian shields, there must be a chemical difference in their crust and/or
underlying mantle.
The crust of shields could be strongly layered with the lower crust and the
underlying upper mantle impoverished in radioactive elements, and a consider-
able part of the original upper crust containing abundant radioactive elements
may have been eroded away. The more radioactive materials removed from the
upper part of shields would be mainly deposited in the adjacent Phanerozoic
geosynclines. This ultimately contributes to the increase of the radioactive
content of the Phanerozoic belts.
It has been widely believed that the Precambrian shields have been eroded to
much deeper levels than the Phanerozoic terranes. However, the common
occurrence of andalusite in the former casts a serious doubt on this belief. As far
as regional metamorphic terranes are concerned, there should be no great
difference in the depth of denudation between the Precambrian and the
Phanerozoic. Therefore, the common occurrence of granulite facies rocks in the
shields but not in the Phanerozoic belts suggests that the metamorphism was
generally more intense in the Precambrian terranes than in the Phanerozoic. If
this is the case, the crust of the Phanerozoic belts may not have been as strongly
layered as that of the Precambrian, and the erosion of the upper layer would not
have seriously changed the average compositions of the Phanerozoic belts.
On the other hand, compositional change of continental crusts with geologic
age of formation is also possible. Phanerozoic orogenic belts may have differed
in composition from early Precambrian ones at the time of their formation. For
example, Engel (1963) and Engel and Engel (1964a) have claimed that the first
continental crust in the present site of North America was formed on an oceanic
crust, and that the early continental crust was similar to the crust in present-day
island arcs and their vicinities, the composition of successively added new
continental crusts becoming gradually more similar to that of Phanerozoic
orogenic belts. In other words, the crust newly added by accretional growth of
continents becomes poorer in basic volcanics and richer in acidic volcanics, and
the maturity and sorting of sedimentary rocks increases with decreasing age.
Graywacke was dominant among the earliest sediments, whereas shale, quartzite
and carbonate rocks become important in late Precambrian and younger
sediments.
The Franciscan of California, the New Zealand geosyncline and some other
younger terranes are rich in basic volcanics and graywacke, and hence are
inconsistent with this view.
There are, however, strong opponents to the idea of continental growth and
progressive development of acidic crust. Wynne-Edwards and Hansan (1970), for
18-4 PHANEROZOIC OROGENIC BELTS /415
instance, have insisted that new orogenic belts are always formed on sialic
basements of older belts, and there is little or no evidence for the significant
increase of sial on earth with geologic time, and that the compositional
difference between the continental crust and the uppermost mantle was greatest
in the earliest geologic time and has decreased since then by upward intro-
duction of basic magma into the crust.
Chapter 19
Metabasalts
The majority of metabasalts so far dredged are non-schistose or only weakly
418/oCEAN-FLOOR METAMORPHISM AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE
Metagabbros
Most metagabbros preserve their original texture. They are in the greenschist and
amphibolite facies. However, some of them have suffered retrogressive changes
in the zeolite facies.
There are unmetamorphosed basalts as well as metabasalts on mid-oceanic
ridges, whereas nearly all gabbroic rocks are more or less metamorphosed. The
metabasalts are usually in the zeolite or greenschist facies, whereas the meta-
gabbros are usually in the greenschist or amphibolite facies. These two facts
suggest the common presence of gabbroic rocks in relatively deep levels beneath
the ridges.
In view of the small thickness of the oceanic crust, the temperature of typical
amphibolite facies would be too high to be realized within the crust even
beneath the crest of mid-oceanic ridges. It follows that some metagabbros were
probably consolidated and then recrystallized in the upper mantle.
Most metagabbros preserve their original chemical composition. However,
some metagabbros underwent chemical migration similar to that in metabasalts.
In other words, introduction of Na20 occurred in the zeolite facies, and a
decrease of CaO and variations of Si0 2 occurred in the greenschist facies
(Miyashiro et al. 1971).
It is to be noted that chemical migration is much more intense in the zeolite
and greenschist facies than in the amphibolite facies. Amphibolite facies rocks
19·3 SIGNIFICANCE OF OCEAN·FLOOR METAMORPHISM /419
have not undergone the intense metasomatism characteristic of lower tempera·
tures.
too shallow a depth to be ascribed to heating above the Curie point. The
demagnetized layer of the crust is probably composed of metabasalts, meta-
dolerites and metagabbros. During metamorphic recrystallization, the strong
thermo-remanent magnetism of igneous rocks should disappear and instead
chemical remanent magnetization should appear. The latter, however, is
negligible in strength in comparison with the former (Miyashiro et al. 1971).
Layers 2 and 3
Seismologically, the oceanic crust beneath normal oceanic basins is usually
divided into three layers. Layer 1 represents unconsolidated sediments. Basaltic
volcanics containing a considerable amount of pyroclastic or fragmental
materials show a seismic velocity corresponding to that oflayer 2, and gabbros,
metabasalts and metagabbros show a seismic velocity corresponding to layer 3.
Accordingly, layers 2 and 3 may be regarded as being composed of such
materials in many cases.
However, it is known that layer 3 is absent beneath the crest of Mid-Atlantic
Ridge, and instead layer 2 is thicker there than beneath ordinary oceanic crust
(Talwani, I.e Pichou and Ewing, 1965). This must be accounted for.
The rough topography of the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is probably a
surface manifestation of strong fault movements, which should cause fracturing
within the crust and the upper mantle. Intensely fractured metabasites show a
marked decrease of seismic velOCity in comparison with unfractured rocks. This
could lead to the disappearance oflayer 3, and the complementary thickening of
layer 2.
The crestal crust would move laterally, eventually entering the region where
no more fracturing takes place. The openings in the fractured metabasites and in
the overlying pyroclastic accumulations would be gradually filled by low-
temperature mineral veins. The filling would occur more easily in the lower part
of the crust, thus resulting in the generation of a coherent crustal plate, which
should be layer 3. Thus, the boundary between layers 2 and 3 in this case is not
the same as the boundary between volcanics containing pyroclastic materials and
the metamorphosed and unmetamorphosed solid rocks.
In the East Pacific Rise, fault movements are not so intense judging from its
smooth topography. There, layer 3 exists beneath the crest and flanks.
Chapter 20
Classification
Weak cataclasis produces tectonic breccias, which are mainly made up of angular
rock-fragments set in a subordinate matrix of more highly crushed materials.
With advanced cataclasis, the proportion of crushed materials increases, and
eventually aphanitic rocks form. Large crystals and large rock-fragments which
have survived crushing in rocks subjected to advanced cataclasis are called
porphyroclasts.
Rocks subjected to advanced cataclasis are classified here into five groups
(Read, 1964; Higgins, 1971), as follows:
1. Incoherent cataclastic rocks are generally believed to form at low con-
fining pressure under near-surface conditions. These include fault breccia, fault
gouge and fault pug in order of increased crushing.
2. Structureless cataclasites are coherent rocks showing a mortar texture
without foliation or preferred orientation. This texture is characterized by the
presence of porphyroclastic minerals set in a matrix of finely-crushed material.
The name cataclasite was originally coined to represent structureless cataclastic
metamorphic rocks by Grubenmann and Niggli (1924), but was used afterwards
422/CATACLASTIC METAMORPHISM ALONG TRANSFORM FAULTS
Field Relations
On and near the surface of the earth, block movement produces a sharp fault
plane or a sharply-limited narrow fault zone, which is filled with incoherent
cataclastic rocks. At greater depths, a similar block movement appears to
produce usually an ill-defmed fault zone which is made up of coherent
cataclastic rocks.
20-2 SAN ANDREAS FAULT ZONE IN CALIFORNIA/423
Higgins (1971) has suggested that within such a fault zone mylonites are
formed in a zone where deformational movement is especially intense, and the
mylonite zone grades into zones of cataclastic rocks accompanied by a
considerable extent of recrystallization (such as blastomylonites and mylonite
gneisses), which in tum grade outwards into ordinary schists and gneisses. In
such a fault zone, structureless cataclasites usually occur in relatively well-
defined zones, which are either parallel or oblique to the zone of mylonites. It is
said that such structureless cataclastic rocks are younger than the mylonites and
other cataclastic rocks showing flow structure.
In many areas, sharp faults accompanied by incoherent cataclastic rocks cut
through the zones of mylonites and structureless cataclasites. These faults appear
to represent movements at still later times. The San Andreas fault along which
the movement of the San Francisco earthquake occurred, for example, is such a
sharp fault cutting through a wide, old zone of mylonites.
A transform fault should extend from the surface to the base of the
lithosphere. With increasing depth, the temperature and confining pressure
should increase with resultant change in the nature of cataclastic metamorphism.
However, we have no clear knowledge of this change.
The San Andreas fault cuts through California in a SE-NW direction (fig. 13-3).
Its total exposed length is about 1000 km. The cumulative right-lateral
displacement since the Jurassic is estimated at about 550 km (Hill and Dibblee,
1953).
It is widely believed that this fault is now a transform which connects the
Gulf of California segment of the East Pacific Rise with its Northeast Pacific
segment, i.e. the Gorda Ridge (Wilson, 1965; Suppe, 1970). The Pacific plate is
in contact with the North American plate along this fault. Prior to the middle
Tertiary, the whole length of the East Pacific Rise was probably off the west
coast of North America. The plate spreading eastwards from the Rise, called the
Farallon plate, was being subducted in the trench zone along the west coast of
North America, whereas the present Pacific plate was at that time spreading
westwards from the Rise. Thus, the Pacific plate was separated from the North
American plate by the Farallon plate. The San Andreas fault became the
boundary between the Pacific and North American plates in middle Tertiary
time when the Farallon plate was consumed (Atwater, 1970). The nature of the
San Andreas fault prior to middle Tertiary time is not clear.
In detail, the fault is a complex zone, up to several km wide, of cataclastic
rocks cut by a large number of subparallel faults (e.g. Dickinson, 1966). The
most recent great movement along a fault within the fault zone took place
424/CATACLASTIC METAMORPHISM ALONG TRANSFORM FAULTS
during the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Cataclastic rocks observed at the
present surface were probably formed at various depths.
The mylonites in the fault zone in an area south of San Francisco were
described by Waters and Campbell (1935). The exposed rocks are heterogeneous
breccias, which are composed of angular blocks of a great variety of rocks such
as metabasalt, serpentinite, quartz diorite, and quartzite, embedded in a
dark-coloured aphanitic mylonite matrix. The mylonite matrix grades into the
blocks with gradual changes in colour, grain size and the degree of banding. The
mylonites show well-developed banding (lamination), which produces a· rock
cleavage similar to that of slate. The banding usually strikes parallel with the
strike of the fault zone, and usually dips nearly vertically, though local variations
and contortions appear.
Every stage in the crushing of original coarse-grained rocks to a submicro-
scopic paste can be observed. In general, crushing begins with the fracturing of
the rock into a coherent breccia whose fragments are megascopically visible.
Further movement result!! in the formation of a thin ftlm of crush powder
between the mineral grains forming mortar structure. The next stage is the
development of a closely spaced series of microscopic shears in the individual
mineral grains. Then, fIlms of pulverized material form and grow along the
shears, until finally the uncrushed material between adjacent shears is isolated as
streaks, lenticles and irregular masses in the powdery matrix. Complete milling
of the rock to a submicroscopic powder takes place only rarely. Some bands in
extremely fmely pulverized mylonites are dark between crossed polars.
In all the mylonites, w~ fmd at least some recrystallization in the matrix. The
most common newly formed minerals are quartz and chlorite.
The Alpine fault cuts through the South Island of New Zealand in a NE-SW
direction (fig. 16-2). The r;umulative right-lateral movement since Jurassic time is
estimated at about 480 km as mentioned before. The fault could be a transform
fault connecting the Tongll-Kermadec trench with another trench on the west
side of the Macquarie Rise, though the possibility of other interpretations has
not been precluded.
Cataclastic rocks of ~ the four classes mentioned above, occur in a zone, up
to about 2 km wide, along the fault (Reed, 1964). The incoherent rocks have
been ascribed to near-surface crushing during relatively recent (probably Quater-
nary) movement. Structureless cataclasites and mylonites have been ascribed to
different types of movement at greater depth in older geologic times. A
gradation has been observed from a mylonite zone to the original Haast schists.
Newly formed minerals including chlorite, epidote and carbonate are wide-
spread.
20-4 CATACLASTIC ROCKS IN OCEAN FLOORS/425
Cataclastic metamorphic rocks have been found to occur along fracture zones
across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. They could have formed by movement along
transform faults (Miyashiro et al. 1971). However, the degree of crushing in.the
examples reported to date is not high.
St Paul's Rocks in the equatorial Atlantic is a group of small islands made up
of well-mylonitized peridotites and related rocks (Tilley, 1947; Melson et al.
1967). The islands are located near the junction of the St Paul's fracture zone
with the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The mylonitization may simply be a
result of upward intrusion of the ultrabasic mass in the solid state, or
alternatively it may be related to the transform fault and/or normal faults in the
crest of the Ridge. The banding of the mylonite is vertical and strikes nearly
north-south. In other words, the banding is roughly perpendicular to the trend
of the fracture zone.
Appendix
History of the Study
of Metamorphism
was not settled until the middle of the nineteenth century. According to the
common view at that time, gneisses were formed in the oldest geologic age, and
then schists were formed, being followed by phyllites. Fossiliferous sedimentary
rocks were considered to have been formed at a still later time.
In the meanwhile, transitional relationships between unmetamorphosed
sediments and schists were found at places. Thus, a greater number of geologists
gradually came to think that some or all of the phyllites and schists are
metamorphic in origin.
The distinction between contact and regional metamorphism is said to have been
first noticed in the middle of the nineteenth century by Elie de Beaumont and
A. Daubre. The term regional metamorphism was proposed by the latter
author.
The geosynclinal theory for mountain building was formulated in the period
1859-1910 by James Hall, J. D. Dana, and E. Haug. The widespread
occurrence of regional metamorphic rocks in orogenic belts attracted the
attention of all these authors. The high temperature, high pressure, and
deformational movement in the depths of geosynclinal piles were considered to
be the cause of metamorphism.
Though I am not familiar with the publications of this period, it appears that
there were two contrasting views on the cause of regional metamorphism. One
school of geologists stressed the importance of high temperature in the depths of
the earth and effects of plutonic masses as the agents of regional metamorphism,
while the other school emphasized the effects of pressure (hydrostatic or
non-hydrostatic) and deformational movement.
The former school included many geologists in Britain and France, some of
whom used the name of 'plutoniC metamorphism' for regional metamorphism.
The effect of water and other materials emanating from the associated plutonic
masses was especially emphasized by French authors.
The latter school who accentuated the effects of pressure and deformational
movements included many German and Swiss geolOgists. They used the name
of 'dynamic' or 'dislocation metamorphism' for regional metamorphism. The
term 'dynamic metamorphism' (or dynamometamorphism) was proposed in
1886 by H. Rosenbusch, who was a great master in descriptive petrography. This
term, and the idea attached to it, were propagated by his students and pervaded
generations of geologists all over the world.
Furthermore, some later authors began to use the names of dynamic and
dislocation metamorphism to denote cataclastic metamorphism (i.e. intense
mechanical deformation of rocks). Many other names were introduced to
3. GOLDEN AGE OF MICROSCOPIC PETROGRAPHY /431
represent the supposedly dominant agents such ~ thermal and dynamothermal
metamorphism. This increased the confusion of nomenclature.
Metamorphic rocks closely associated with granitic rocks are widely exposed
in Britain and France, whereas the Alpine metamorphic rocks are rarely
accompanied by granitic ones. This difference may have been a part of the
factual basis underlying the contrasting views on regional metlmlorphism.
Criticism of the hypothesis of stress minerals was inevitable for the establish-
ment of metamorphic petrology along Eskola's lines. For example, my proposal
of the inverted-Y model for the phase diagram of Al2 SiO s minerals (Miyashiro,
1949) was originally designed to defend Eskola's standpoint against Harker's
under the circumstance of those days.
In the 1950s, most of the minerals characteristic of schists were synthesized
under conditions which did not include non-hydrostatic stress. Thus, Harker's
hypothesis of stress minerals gradually waned and disappeared, though the
problem of the thermodynamic effects of non-hydrostatic stress has not been
completely solved yet.
V. M. Goldschmidt (1888-1947)
Victor Moritz Goldschmidt was born in Zurich as a son of a chemistry professor,
but was educated in Oslo (then called Christiania) and became a professor of
crystallography, mineralogy and petrology there.
In 1911, he published a voluminous work on the pyroxene-hornfels facies
contact metamorphism of the Oslo area at the age of 23 (§ 10-1). It contained
the first successful application of the phase rule to the study of metamorphic
mineral assemblages. Then he calculated from thermochemical data the equi-
librium curve for the reaction to form wollastonite under the condition of Peo ,
::; Ps (Goldschmidt, 1912a). This curve gave the first numerical reference scale
for the temperature of metamorphism.
Later he published one of the earliest successful maps of progressive
metamorphic zones in the Trondheim area (Goldschmidt, 1915) as mentioned in
the preceding section, and a laborious study of metasomatism in the Stavanger
area (Goldschmidt, 1921). All these studies were epoch-making in the relevant
branches of metamorphic geology. However, after World War I, his interest was
turned to the distribution of minor elements in the crust, and to crystal
chemistry.
5. INVESTIGA nON OF EQUILIBRIUM MINERAL ASSEM BLAGESj435
He had a strong influence upon Eskola, Barth and Ramberg. Barth began
his scientific career as a co-worker of Goldschmidt in the 1920s. Victor
Goldschmidt, the famous morphological crystallographer of Heidelberg, was not
blood-related to V. M. Goldschmidt.
mineral changes (e.g. Eskola, 1922), the elaboration of the metamorphic facies
with reference to progressive metamorphism was made mainly by T. Vogt (1927)
and Barth (1936). T. Vogt was a son of J. H. L. Vogt. The petrographic data
from the Scottish Highlands were also very useful. Barth's (1936) study on
regional metamorphism of Dutchess County, New York, played an important
role in the propagation of North European concepts of metamorphic geology to
the United States (e.g. see Balk, 1936, p. 690).
At last, Eskola wrote a comprehensive systematic description of his doctrine
of metamorphism as a part of the book Die Entstehung der Gesteine (Berlin,
1939). This book is the monument of the North European metamorphic
geology. However, its circulation outside Germany was hindered by World War II
that began shortly after its publication, and the unsold copies were burned
during the war.
The doctrine of Eskola became popular around 1950 through the textbooks
written by Turner (1948), Turner and Verhoogen (1951), Barth (1952) and
Ramberg (1952).
schists to the effects of peculiar pore solutions emitted from associated basic and
ultrabasic rocks. The latter view was more popular than Eskola's in the 19408
and the early 1950s. It was probably a brief discussion written by de Roever
(1955b) and the discovery of jadeite in apparently unmetarnorphosed gray-
wackes of the Franciscan (Bloxam, 1956) that marked a turning point in the
general trend of thinking in favour of Eskola's.
Even among the advocates of Eskola's view, the genetic relation of glauco-
phane-schist facies metamorphism to other facies was not clear. Many students
of glaucophane-schists presumed at that time that the whole terranes had been
metamorphosed under virtually the same P-T conditions. The best way for
establishing the glaucophane-schist facies was to demonstrate the existence of
progressive metamorphism including a zone of the facies. This was made for the
first time by Banno (1958; also Miyashiro and Banno, 1958) in the Omi area
of Japan. Shortly after this, the progressive nature of the Sanbagawa
metamorphism was demonstrated by Seki (1958) in the Kanto Mountains and
Banno in the Bessi area (§ 7A -9).
Ernst (1961) demonstrated that glaucophane can be syntheSized even at a low
pressure and high temperature on its own composition. This finding contributed
greatly to the clarification of the point that the formation of glaucophane is
controlled by the complicated combination of physical conditions and chemical
compositions, whereas jadeite and lawsonite are related more directly to the
externally controlled conditions of the glaucophane-schist facies.
The nature and the extent of the diversity of regional metamorphism have
been clarified around 1960 (Miyashiro, 1961a; § 3-3). An international project for
the cartography of metamorphic belts of the world has been undertaken since
1967 under the leadership ofR. J. Zwart of Leiden (e.g. Zwart et al. 1967).
boundaries and mosaic fissures but not by mechanical flow. A truly fluid phase
existed not in grain boundaries but as inclusions in minerals and only occasion-
ally in open spaces within rocks. Thus he distinguished between rock-pressure
and fluid-pressure.
Danielsson (1950) published a strict thermodynamic calculation of the
equilibrium curve of the wollastonite reaction, where Peo , and Ps were
distinguished. This work served well as an example of the treatment of
volatile-liberating reactions. Meanwhile, the thermodynamics of such reactions
were beautifully treated from a much more general standpoint by J. B.
Thompson (1955).
Korzhinskii (1936, 1959) and J. B. Thompson (1955, 1970) formulated the
thermodynamics of open systems, which would give a theoretical basis to the
chemical treatment of metamorphic processes. The usefulness of thermo-
chemical method was demonstrated in the 1950s, especially in combination with
synthetic methods. Detailed work was done, for example, on the stability
relation of jadeite.
Temperature of metamorphism
The relative temperatures of metamorphic facies were easily known from the
study of progressive metamorphism and dehydration reactions. The numerical
values of temperature were much more difficult to obtain.
Harker (1932, p. 209) stated that the recrystallization of muscovite could
take place even in cataclastic metamorphism at 'ordinary temperature' and hence
he appears to consider that the low temperature limit of the chlorite zone in the
Scottish Highlands probably approaches the 'ordinary temperature' (which
probably means the surface temperature).
This view was nearly unanimously supported to the 1950s. Thus, the chlorite
zone of regional metamorphism, for instance, was considered to represent a
temperature range of about 0-250 °c in textbooks published in the 1950s and
early 1960s. The temperatures of other grades were estimated so as to be
consistent with this. Thus, the temperature range of the amphibolite facies was
considered as about 350-600 °c, too low to cause partial melting of meta-
morphic rocks. This strengthened the belief of some geologists in the meta-
morphic origin of granites (see Miyashiro, 19720).
The first strong impact to revise the estimates of metamorphic temperatures
came from the establishment of the zeolite and prehnite-pumpellyite facies by
Coombs (1954, 1960, 1961) combined with experimental works on zeolite
syn thesis. A considerable range of temperature corresponding to these two facies
must be interposed between the ordinary surface temperature and the tempera-
ture of chlorite-zone metamorphism. Thus, the estimated temperature of the
chlorite zone increased by about 300°C.
The second strong impact came from the synthetically determined tempera-
tUre of the triple point of Al2 SiO s . Experiments in the first half of the 1960s
gave a temperature of 300°C or 390 °c for this point. However, R. C. Newton
(1966b) gave 520°C, and then Althaus (1967) and Richardson et al. (1969) gave
a temperature around 600°C for it.
According to this new scale of temperature, partial melting would take place
relatively commonly in regional metamorphism. This has shed a new light on the
problem of material migration in metamorphism.
From the beginning of the twentieth century, most of the brilliant petrol-
ogists have had a romantic vision in the application of physics and chemistry to
440/HISTORY OF THE STUDY OF METAMORPHISM
petrology. Reactions in the earth's crust should be governed by the same laws as
for those done in the laboratory. It was expected that petrology should become
the experimental physical chemistry applied to the crust. The determination of
the temperature and pressure of geologic processes was regarded even as the aim
of petrology. This vision appears to have been realized to a certain extent,
though much more remains to be done.
In this respect, Winkler's book, Petrogenesis of Metamorphic Rocks, (1965,
1967) most clearly represents the present-day atmosphere of petrology. It
represent'I the triumphal song of experimental studies.
Earth science has begun to change radically in the last decade. Radiometric
dating has greatly modified our views on the structure and historical develop-
ment of orogenic belts and continental crusts. Seismic and gravity studies have
clarified the structure of the crust and upper mantle. Particularly important is
the recent progress in the study of ocean floors. This has led to the hypotheses
of ocean-floor spreading and plate tectonics.
These hypotheses have aroused a new accelerated progress in the study of the
solid earth. All branches of geology and geophysics are now beginning to
collaborate in the establishment of unified earth science.
It is happy that metamorphic petrology has advanced in the last decade so
markedly as to be able to meet the new situation. We can estimate the
temperature and pressure of metamorphism with considerable reliability, and
such estimated values may be used in the construction of geologic models for
orogenic processes and ocean-floor spreading along with geophysical data.
Marked advance in the petrologiC survey in many regions has clarified the nature
and diversity of regional metamorphism and related magmatism. The tectonic
Significance of metamorphism has been well established. Thus, metamorphic
geology is playing an important role in the unified earth science in the
framework of plate tectonics (Miyashiro, 1972a, b). This book is intended to
outline metamorphic geology along this line.
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Index