A record of ultrahigh temperature metamorphism in the Dabie orogen during Triassic continental collision

Abstract

Ultrahigh temperature (UHT) metamorphism is traditionally recognized by the development of characteristic mineral associations in Mg–Al-rich metapelitic rocks. However, recognition of UHT metamorphism in non-supracrustal rocks is more difficult. UHT metamorphic conditions are recorded by a migmatite from the North Dabie Terrane (NDT) of the Dabie orogen, east China. The migmatite is composed of intercalated layers of melanosome and K-feldspar-rich leucosome. Zircon grains in the migmatite have a core–rim structure comprising a metamorphic core and an anatectic rim. The metamorphic cores have low U contents (mainly <657 ppm) and low Th/U ratios (<0.2), and are depleted in heavy rare earth element (HREE). The metamorphic domains yield concordant 206Pb/238U ages ranging from 205.1 ± 4.8 Ma to 248.0 ± 4.1 Ma with a weighted mean of 217.7 ± 4.3 Ma (n = 20, MSWD = 4.2). They contain a granulite-facies inclusion assemblage of garnet + clinopyroxene + plagioclase + quartz + rutile. Conventional geobarometry and Ti-in-zircon thermometry constrain P–T conditions to approximately 11–12 kbar and 900–950 °C, suggesting UHT metamorphism. The discovery of Triassic UHT metamorphism in the Dabie orogen, which was previously best known for ultrahigh pressure metamorphism, provides new insights into the thermal structure and geodynamics of the orogeny during continental collision. The anatectic rims of zircon grains have relatively high U contents and low Th/U ratios (<0.14), and are enriched in HREE. They yield concordant 206Pb/238U ages of 133.6 ± 1.1 Ma to 156.4 ± 2.2 Ma, indicating that anatexis occurred during post-collisional collapse of the Dabie orogen.