Pressure–Temperature–Time Evolution of a Polymetamorphic Paragneiss With Pseudomorphs After Jadeite From the HP–UHP Gneiss-Eclogite Unit of the Variscan Erzgebirge Crystalline Complex, Germany

Abstract

A quartz-rich paragneiss from the Variscan Erzgebirge Crystalline Complex (ECC) was studied in detail because of abundant millimetre-sized and clearly oriented pseudomorphs after a sodic mineral interpreted to have been jadeite. This mineral, or pseudomorphs after it, is rarely found in extensive high-pressure (HP)–ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terranes worldwide despite reported pressure–temperature (P–T) conditions suitable for the formation of jadeite in common paragneisses and orthogneisses. In the studied rock, which contains abundant large and oriented potassic white mica flakes and minor millimetre-sized garnet grains, the pseudomorphs consist of clusters of small albite grains with thin phengitic muscovite flakes in between. X-ray maps for Ca and Mg in garnet demonstrate that an early generation of this mineral (Gt1) was corroded and subsequently overgrown by a Ca-richer generation (Gt2). White mica is phengite with maximum Si contents of 3.42 atoms per formula unit. P–T conditions of 0.85 GPa and 650°C and 1.7 GPa and 660°C were derived for the formation of Gt1 and Gt2 rim + Si-rich phengite, respectively, using pseudosection modelling. The latter conditions representing the pressure peak experienced by the paragneiss are compatible with the original presence of jadeite and possibly paragonite as well. This metamorphic peak occurred at 338.4 ± 2.3 (2σ) Ma based on in situ dating of monazite grains with the electron microprobe. A single monazite age of 386.4 ± 10.5 (2σ) Ma is related to the formation of Gt1. Thus, a Late Devonian metamorphism is suggested here for the first time to have occurred in ECC gneisses before the major HP event in the Early Carboniferous. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the eclogite-facies gneisses of the Gneiss-Eclogite Unit of the ECC experienced peak pressures of not more than 2 GPa in contrast to recent proposals of an extensive UHP area in this unit. In addition, it is suggested that the localized occurrence of UHP rocks surrounded by other lithologies otherwise lacking evidence for UHP conditions should be interpreted with caution with respect to their regional extent and significance.