Lawsonite eclogites and metasomatites of the Utarbaev Association of the Maksyutov complex

Abstract

Research subject. This article presents mineralogical, petrological and geochemical studies of lawsonite eclogites and metasomatites of the Utarbayev Аssociation of the Maksyutov complex. The Utarbayev Association forms an independent unit in the Maksyutovsky complex accretion structure. This Association features a variety of lawsonite-bearing metasomatites that form zonal halos in the frame of block-like diopside-grossular bodies included in the antigorite-serpentinite melange. The Utarbayev Association differs from typical lawsonite-blue shale complexes of collisional oro genes by the absence of mineral parageneses of lawsonite-bearing rocks of blue amphibolites.Methods. A microprobe analysis of the mineral composition was performed using a Cameca SX-100 microanalyzer. The content of petrogenic, rare and rare-earth elements was determined by X-ray spectroscopy (CPM-18) and mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS, ELAN-90). Results. An indicator mine ral paragenesis (Grt + Omp + Lws + Di) ± (Coe-Qz + Ttn) that characterizes lawsonite eclogite was found. Omphacite (Jd38–44) and unchanged lawsonite (Н2O-OH – 11.8%, Ca/Al = 0.48–0.51 и Fe/Al = 0.01 0.02%) are represented as inclusions in grossular-almandine garnet (Alm39–46Grs41–51), coesite – as microinclusions in omphacite. Thermobarometry (Grt-Omp, Grt-Omp-Ph) showed the following formation conditions of lawsonite paragenesis: T = 495–622°C under P = 2.2–2.4 GPa. The age of crystallization of lawsonite eclogite was found to be Lower Paleozoic (471–444 Ma).Conclusions. The lawsonite eclogite of the Utarbayev Association is similar to the complexes of «cold» eclogites, which are formed under the conditions of a very low geothermal gradient and are rarely preserved when removed into the upper crust. The latest review published in the «Journal of Metamorphic Geology» (2014) mentions 19 sites, where lawsonite eclogites were discovered on the earth’s surface. Тhe HP-UHP lawsonitebearing Utarbayev Rock Association complements this list.