Oriented quartz + calcic amphibole inclusions in omphacite from the Saualpe and Pohorje Mountain eclogites, Eastern Alps-An assessment of possible formation mechanisms based on IR- and mineral chemical data and water storage in Eastern Alpine eclogites

Author(s)
Jürgen Konzett, Eugen Libowitzky, Clivia Hejny, Christine Miller, Alberto Zanetti
Abstract

The compn. of mineral phases and their modal proportions have been detd. for three representative Eoalpine eclogites from the Saualpe type locality/Eastern Austria (sample SKP31) and the Pohorje Massif/Slovenia (CM31/03 and CM15/01) using electron microprobe, laser ICP-MS, IR spectroscopy and modal anal. to evaluate possible mechanisms for the formation of composite oriented calcic amphibole + quartz inclusions (COIs) in omphacite and to assess the relative importance of hydrous and nominally anhyd. phases as H2O carriers in these eclogites. For omphacites in CM31/03 with a zonal distribution of COIs, a comparison of water and trace element concns. of areas contg. COIs and those free of COIs and a comparison with the trace element concn. of calcic amphibole indicate that COIs have formed through an open-system alteration of clinopyroxene and not through a closed system exsoln. process. In sample SKP31, both textural and mineral chem. evidence suggests that COIs did not form by exsoln. involving a Ca-Eskola component in clinopyroxene but formed by progressive growth under eclogite-facies P-T conditions and prior to the onset of retrogressive symplectite formation analogous to the formation of poikiloblastic quartz-calcic amphibole grains in the matrix. Bulk H2O contents of the eclogites are between ca. 750 and 2150 ppm with 6-25% of the total water contributed by nominally anhyd. minerals (NAMs). Because of high modal amts. of 37-65%, omphacite is the major nominally anhyd. water carrier, contg. 145-580 ppm H2O with significant concn. variations on a thin section scale. Due to their very low H2O concns. of <5-10 ppm (garnet, kyanite) or insignificant modal amts. 3% (rutile) the remaining NAMs contribute less than 1.5% to the bulk eclogite H2O content. Calcic amphibole forming part of COIs may be a major carrier of H2O as evidenced by CM31/03 contg. both COIs and texturally primary calcic amphibole.

Organisation(s)
Department of Mineralogy and Crystallography
External organisation(s)
Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck, Università degli studi di Pavia
Journal
Lithos
Volume
106
Pages
336-350
No. of pages
15
ISSN
0024-4937
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2008.09.002
Publication date
2008
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
1030 Physics, Astronomy, 105116 Mineralogy
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/53657216-46ca-4d46-a32d-fc110ba6962b