TOURMALINE AS A PETROGENETIC INDICATOR MINERAL IN THE HAUT-ALLIER METAMORPHIC SUITE, MASSIF CENTRAL, FRANCE

Tourmaline is a ubiquitous accessory phase in rocks spanning a wide range of P-T-X conditions; owing to its compositional sensitivity to variations in such conditions, it is potentially an ideal indicator mineral. Here, we apply a variety of tools to reconstruct the P-T-X history of the Variscan met...

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Main Authors: van Hinsberg, V, Schumacher, J
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2011
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author van Hinsberg, V
Schumacher, J
author_facet van Hinsberg, V
Schumacher, J
author_sort van Hinsberg, V
collection OXFORD
description Tourmaline is a ubiquitous accessory phase in rocks spanning a wide range of P-T-X conditions; owing to its compositional sensitivity to variations in such conditions, it is potentially an ideal indicator mineral. Here, we apply a variety of tools to reconstruct the P-T-X history of the Variscan metamorphic basement of the central Massif Central in Prance using tourmaline compositions and zoning. Tourmaline thermometry, using the temperature dependence of element partitioning among sectors in individual grains, indicates that these grains record and preserve the full metamorphic history of their host rocks, from nucleation at 350°C along the prograde path to a peak at 650°C, and down to 450°C on the retrograde path. Using major- and trace-element compositions, we are able to recognize specific reactions and changes in mineral assemblage and use these to constrain the prograde path of these rocks. Combining P-T constraints with experimentally determined partitioning of Na between fluids and tourmaline provides a record of Na concentrations in the metamorphic fluid for the entire metamorphic path. These results show that tourmaline can provide a fully quantitative record of the P-T-X conditions in its host environment during growth. This is especially valuable for the prograde history, where most of its growth takes place, and for which few other reliable sources of information are available. Tourmaline, therefore, has the potential to become the prime indicator mineral for P-T-X conditions in a wide variety of geological environments.
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spelling oxford-uuid:717fe3f0-7ec0-41c5-875a-4d3a214ff65b2022-03-26T19:43:59ZTOURMALINE AS A PETROGENETIC INDICATOR MINERAL IN THE HAUT-ALLIER METAMORPHIC SUITE, MASSIF CENTRAL, FRANCEJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:717fe3f0-7ec0-41c5-875a-4d3a214ff65bEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2011van Hinsberg, VSchumacher, JTourmaline is a ubiquitous accessory phase in rocks spanning a wide range of P-T-X conditions; owing to its compositional sensitivity to variations in such conditions, it is potentially an ideal indicator mineral. Here, we apply a variety of tools to reconstruct the P-T-X history of the Variscan metamorphic basement of the central Massif Central in Prance using tourmaline compositions and zoning. Tourmaline thermometry, using the temperature dependence of element partitioning among sectors in individual grains, indicates that these grains record and preserve the full metamorphic history of their host rocks, from nucleation at 350°C along the prograde path to a peak at 650°C, and down to 450°C on the retrograde path. Using major- and trace-element compositions, we are able to recognize specific reactions and changes in mineral assemblage and use these to constrain the prograde path of these rocks. Combining P-T constraints with experimentally determined partitioning of Na between fluids and tourmaline provides a record of Na concentrations in the metamorphic fluid for the entire metamorphic path. These results show that tourmaline can provide a fully quantitative record of the P-T-X conditions in its host environment during growth. This is especially valuable for the prograde history, where most of its growth takes place, and for which few other reliable sources of information are available. Tourmaline, therefore, has the potential to become the prime indicator mineral for P-T-X conditions in a wide variety of geological environments.
spellingShingle van Hinsberg, V
Schumacher, J
TOURMALINE AS A PETROGENETIC INDICATOR MINERAL IN THE HAUT-ALLIER METAMORPHIC SUITE, MASSIF CENTRAL, FRANCE
title TOURMALINE AS A PETROGENETIC INDICATOR MINERAL IN THE HAUT-ALLIER METAMORPHIC SUITE, MASSIF CENTRAL, FRANCE
title_full TOURMALINE AS A PETROGENETIC INDICATOR MINERAL IN THE HAUT-ALLIER METAMORPHIC SUITE, MASSIF CENTRAL, FRANCE
title_fullStr TOURMALINE AS A PETROGENETIC INDICATOR MINERAL IN THE HAUT-ALLIER METAMORPHIC SUITE, MASSIF CENTRAL, FRANCE
title_full_unstemmed TOURMALINE AS A PETROGENETIC INDICATOR MINERAL IN THE HAUT-ALLIER METAMORPHIC SUITE, MASSIF CENTRAL, FRANCE
title_short TOURMALINE AS A PETROGENETIC INDICATOR MINERAL IN THE HAUT-ALLIER METAMORPHIC SUITE, MASSIF CENTRAL, FRANCE
title_sort tourmaline as a petrogenetic indicator mineral in the haut allier metamorphic suite massif central france
work_keys_str_mv AT vanhinsbergv tourmalineasapetrogeneticindicatormineralinthehautalliermetamorphicsuitemassifcentralfrance
AT schumacherj tourmalineasapetrogeneticindicatormineralinthehautalliermetamorphicsuitemassifcentralfrance