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Notes: Abstract Ductile shearing in the core of the Tauern Window, Austria, transformed metagranodiorite into Si-undersaturated garnet-chlorite-staurolite schist at a depth of c. 35–40 km during the Alpine orogeny. Four distinct zones have been recognized extending from the wallrock into the centre of the shear zone: Zone I—unaltered metagranodiorite with subordinate amphibolite; Zone II—biotite-white mica-garnet schist; Zone III—biotite-phengite schist; Zone IV—quartz-absent, garnet-chlorite-staurolite schist with garnets up to 10 cm across. Whole-rock analyses show a dramatic decrease in SiO2 from 〉65 wt% in Zone I to 〈35 wt% in Zone IV; Ca, Na, and Sr also decrease across the shear zone, whereas Al, Ti, Fe, Mg, P, Cr, Ni, Zn, and Rb all increase towards Zone IV. Mass-balance calculations indicate that shearing was accompanied by up to 60% volume loss near the centre of the shear zone. Comparison of the Tauern Window samples with other shear zones in granitic hosts indicates that silica loss accompanied by gains in Mg, Fe, and Ti is typical for volume-loss shear zones, but is distinctly different from the element behaviour exhibited in shear zones that are thought to represent approximately isovolumetric behaviour. In the samples studied here, volume loss appears to have resulted from channellized fluid flow during shearing, producing time-integrated fluid fluxes of ± 108 cm3 cm−2 in Zone IV. This large volume of fluid may have originated, in part, from dehydration of flysch carried beneath the metagranodiorites during Eocene movement on the North Penninic subduction zone. Development of an inverted thermal gradient during subduction would have allowed the fluid to scavenge large amounts of silica from the shear zone during ascent and heating.

Notes: Abstract Niuxinshan is a typical example of the numerous mesothermal gold deposits formed during Mesozoic tectono-magmatic reactivation of the Archean North China Craton in eastern Hebei province. Gold occurs in quartz-sulfide lodes in Archean amphibolites and also in greisen zones in the Mesozoic Niuxinshan granite stock. Four mineralization stages can be recognized from early to late: (1) quartz-K-feldspar, (2) quartz-pyrite, (3) quartz-polysulfide, and (4) quartz-carbonate. Gold mineralization mainly occurs in stages 2 and 3. Fluid inclusions in quartz and fluorite from greisen zones in the Niuxinshan granite, and inclusions in vein quartz and sphalerite from stages 1 to 3 in the amphibolites, have been studied by microthermometry. Three compositional types of inclusions are recognized: type 1 (Tp1) are H2O-CO2-bearing inclusions and include primary (Tp1-P) and secondary (Tp1-S) inclusions. These are found in quartz and fluorite from the greisen zones as well as in vein quartz and sphalerite from stages 1 to 3. The Tp1-P inclusions are considered to represent the gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids. Type 2 (Tp2-S) are secondary H2O-CO2 + solid phase inclusions in fluorite from the greisen zones. Type 3 (Tp3-S) are secondary aqueous inclusions with a solid phase which coexist with the Tp2-S in fluorite from the greisen zones. The Tp1-P inclusions show variable VCO2 (commonly 0.3 to 0.6) and XCO2 values (mainly 0.1 to 0.4). The salinities of inclusions cluster around 3 to 11 wt.% NaCl equivalent and their homogenization temperatures to the liquid phase (Th(L)) fall dominantly in the range of 260 to 360 °C. The compositional variations of inclusions in stage 1 probably result from exsolution of magmatic fluids at various stages; immiscibility or boiling of the fluids can be ruled out. The compositional variations of inclusions in the greisen zones and in vein stages 2 and 3 are attributed to cooling, mixing (dilution), and necking-down of the fluids. The Tp1-S and Tp2-S inclusions show salinities of 3 to 6 wt.% NaCl equivalent and XCO2 values of 0.04 to 0.17. Th(L) clusters at 240 to 260 °C. The Tp3-S inclusions have salinities of 3 to 6 wt.% NaCl equivalent and Th(L) of 170 to 240 °C. Isochoric reconstructions, combined with oxygen and sulfur isotope geothermometry of mineral pairs, give trapping P-T conditions for the gold-bearing fluids. The greisen zones formed at 310 to 460 °C and 1.3 to 3.7 kbar; stage 1 veins at 300 to 430 °C and 1.2 to 3.7 kbar; stage 2 veins at 290 to 380 °C and 1 to 3 kbar; stage 3 veins at 250 to 350 °C and 1 to 3 kbar. H2O-CO2 fluids with low to moderate salinities and moderate to high densities (0.66 to 1.01 g/cm3) dominated at early mineralization stages, and evolved towards H2O-richer and CO2- and less saline fluids through time. The retrograde P-T evolution probably resulted from regional uplift and cooling of gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids. The gold bisulfide complex was dominant in the fluids during mineralization and gold deposition was mainly induced by decreases of temperature and pressure, as well as destabilization of the bisulfide complex during sulfidization of wall rocks.

Notes: Abstract The Nuweibi albite granite is one of 14 known Sn-Ta-Nb bearing granitoids in the Eastern Desert region of Egypt. The granite is a highly leucocratic, albite-rich rock with accessory columbite-tantalite, cassiterite, microlite and ixiolite as well as topaz, garnet and white mica. Ages of 450–600 Ma were obtained from zircons by the 207Pb/206Pb evaporation method. Great uncertainty is caused by the small size and poor quality of the grains, but the precision is sufficient to indicate that the granite is late- or postorogenic with respect to the Panafrican orogeny. The Nuweibi granite is divided into a western and an eastern part by a regional fault. Both parts of the granite are compositionally similar but there are important differences and a clear compositional gap between them, so they are considered separate facies of an intrusive complex. The eastern part of the granite is more highly mineralized, has higher modal albite contents and higher Ta/Nb ratios, both in the whole rock and in the ore minerals. It is suggested that the two parts of the granite evolved from a common source and were emplaced sequentially, the eastern part representing a later, more fractionated magma. Textural evidence strongly suggests that the granite has a magmatic origin overall, but disturbance of geochemical trends at the whole-rock scale and at the scale of zoning profiles in individual grains of columbite-tantalite indicate post-magmatic overprinting. By analogy with other Ta-bearing albite granites, the sodic bulk composition of the Nuweibi granite can be explained by fluorine enrichment in the magma. Fluorine contents in the magma were high enough to stabilize topaz, and muscovites contain 2–4 wt.%. F. However, whole-rock F contents are low. We speculate that the low Ca, Al and P contents of the magma prevented abundant F-bearing minerals to form and led to loss of fluorine to now-eroded roof rocks.

Notes: Abstract Margarite and Paragonite are found coexisting in amphibolites of the Untere Schieferhülle in the area of the upper Schlegeistal (Zillerthal Alps, Northern Tyrol). These amphibolites are metamorphosed under conditions of the low grade amphibolite facies. The chemical composition of the two micas was determined by the electron microprobe. A maximum of 14 Mol-% margarite and 18 Mol-% muscovite enters into the paragonite, the margarite being entered by 20 to 50 Mol-% paragonite and a maximum of 10 Mol-% muscovite. There seems to be a solubility gap between margarite and paragonite in a range between 15 and 50 Mol-% margarite. At their margins the margarites and paragonites breakdown into a mixture of feldspar and into a fine, microscopically not identifiable phase. Plagioclases having An 28 to An 42 result from breakdown of paragonite, feldspars between An 50 and An 60 probably arose from breakdown of margarite. A definite statement on this probelem is not possible because the smallness and the inhomogeneity of the feldspar grains. Based on the experimental data concerning the stability of margarite, paragonite (±quartz, ±CO2) and kyanite, the P-T-range of the metamorphosis is discussed.

Notes: Abstract The chemical composition of the various rocks of the Cima d'Asta Intrusion were investigated. On the basis of 29 analyses it is concluded that the granodioritic rocks of the central area of the intrusion belong to the trondhjemitic, leuco-granodioritic and granodioritic magma types, whereas the quartzdioritic rocks of the southwestern border belong to melaquartzdioritic to quartzdioritic magma types. Xenoliths occuring in the top region of the Cima d'Asta massive are chemically and mineralogically identical with the quartzdioritic rocks of the southwestern border. 17 biotites separated from various rocks of this area were analysed. On the basis of their octahedral occupancies the biotites of the quartzdioritic rocks and those of the quartzdioritic xenoliths are both akin to the phlogopite-annite series. On the other hand the biotites of the granodioritic rocks are more closely related to the eastonite-siderophyllite series. A notable feature of the phlogopitic biotites is their high content in calcium. The beryllium contents of 82 rocks and of the biotites separated from these rocks substantiate the chemical and mineralogical identity of the quartzdioritic xenoliths with the quartzdioritic border rocks. Because of this identity an ultrametamorphic and possibly hybrid origin of the Cima d'Asta rocks is considered.

Notes: Abstract It is shown in 4 geochemical profiles that in the Cima d'Asta pluton the quartzdioritic rocks continually change into granitic rocks. This continuous transition contradicts the opinion, that in this region three sharply defined intrusions of granitic, granodioritic, and quartzdioritic composition exist. The granodiorite is considered a transition zone, where the chemical composition of the quartzdiorite changes into a granitic composition. Near the contact the granodioritic zone is of less extension than in the further distant parts.

Notes: Abstract A systematic error in the determination of the Fe, Mg contents of biotites by X-ray intensity measurements of the 001 reflections by the Franzini and Schiaffino-method is investigated. It was found that the results are strongly influenced by the number of vacancises within the octahedral layer, and in the interlayer of the investigated biotites.

Notes: Abstract The chemical composition of carbonates with fine-grained exsolutions from a series of regionally metamorphosed rockes of the Zillertal Alps (Tyrol, Austria) have been studied by the electron microprobe. The matrix is nearly pure calcite, the exsoluted phase ankerite. The exsoluted ankerite contains twice as much manganese as the calcitic matrix. The Sr-contents of matrix and exsoluted calcite show no correlation.

Notes: Abstract New Hornblende K-Ar and 39Ar-40Ar and mica Rb-Sr and K-Ar ages are used to place specific timemarks on a well-constrained pressure-temperature path for the late Alpine metamorphism in the Western Tauern Window. After identification of excess 40Ar, the closure behavior of Ar in hornblende is compared with that of Sr and Ar in phengite and biotite. Samples were collected in three locations, whose maximum temperatures were 570° C (Zemmgrund), 550° C (Pfitscher Joch), and 500–540° C (Landshuter Hütte). The average undisturbed age sequence found is: Phengite Rb-Sr (20 Ma)〉hornblende K-Ar (18 Ma)〉phengite K-Ar (15 Ma)〉biotite Rb-Sr, K-Ar (13.3 Ma)〉apatite FT (7 Ma). Except for the phengite Rb-Sr age, the significance of which is debatable, all ages are cooling ages. No compositional effects are seen for closure in biotite. Additionally, Rb-Sr phengite ages from shearzones possibly indicate continuous shearing from 20 to 15 Ma, with reservations regarding the validity of the initial Sr correction and possible variations of the closure temperatures. The obviously lower closure temperature (T c) for Ar in these hornblendes than for Sr in the unsheared phengites indicates that the T c sequence in the Western Tauern Window is different from those observed in other terrains. In spite of this discrepancy, valuable geological conclusions can be drawn if the application of closure temperatures is limited to this restricted area with similar T, P and $$P_{H_2 O}$$ : (1) All ages of samples located on equal metamorphic isotherms decrease from east to west by about 1 Ma which is the result of a westward tilting of the Tauern Window during uplift. (2) In a PT-path, the undisturbed cooling ages yield constantly decreasing uplift rates from 3.6 mm/a to 0.1 mm/a. (3) Use of recently published diffusion data for Ar in hornblende (T c=520° C) and biotite (T c=320° C) suggests an extrapolated phengite closure temperature for Sr at 550° C. This suggests that the prograde thermal metamorphism at this tectonic level of the Tauern Window lasted until some 20 Ma ago.