Pre-metamorphic controls on the propagation of fluid-driven reaction fronts at greenschist-facies metamorphic conditions

• In this study we show that pre-metamorphic mineralogical and chemical heterogeneities control fluid flow and fluid-driven propagation of reaction fronts during regional metamorphism. The study was undertaken at Port Ellen, Islay, in SW Scottish Highlands. Here, basaltic sills have been partially carbonated by H2O-CO2 fluids at greenschist-facies conditions. This has led to mineral zonation with carbonate poor sill interiors separated from carbonate-rich sill margins by reaction fronts. The sills which were studied are partially carbonated and reaction fronts are well-preserved. These sills are unique for the Scottish Highlands in that they show excellent evidence of 1) extensive magmatic flow differentiation and 2) spilitization having occurred before greenschist-facies metamorphism. Magmatic flow differentiation concentrated large (up to 3 cm) phenocrysts of plagioclase in the sill interior and spilitic alteration produced layers of segregated epidote and caused albitization of these plagioclase phenocrysts resulting in their preservation throughout greenschist-facies metamorphism. Coupled with this pre-metamorphic mineralogical zonation, sill margins where enriched in Ti, Fe, P, HFSEs and REEs whereas the sill interiors were enriched in Al, Na and LILEs. In this study, we show spatial correlation of metamorphic reaction fronts with pre-metamorphic mineralogical zonation produced by magmatic flow differentiation (plagioclase phenocrysts size distributions) and epidote segregations produced by spilitization. We infer a pre-metamorphic mineralogical and chemical control on the positions of fluid-driven metamorphic reaction fronts. Based on mineralogical and chemical profiles across these sills and reaction textures preserved within them, we conclude that availability of reactant minerals and mechanical factors, such as volume change in epidote and foliation development due to chlorite formation are primary controls of fluid-driven reaction front propagation during metamorphism. We further suggest that elevated oxygen fugacity in the sill margins may have further promoted carbonation.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Geologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Geology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Carbonation

fluid-rock interaction

magmatic flow differentiation

metamorphic fluid flow

spilitization

Geology

geologi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)