Accessory phase controls on the geochemistry of crustal melts and restites produced during water-undersaturated partial melting

Abstract

The profound geochemical conseqences of accessory phase behaviour during partial melting of highgrade metapelites are demonstrated with reference to two geochemically distinct crustal melts produced by biotite dehydration melting reactions under granulite facies (kbar, 860°CC) conditions. These two leucogneiss suites, from the Brattstrand Bluffs coastline, eastern Antarctica, have similar field relations, transport distances (10–100 s of metres) and major element chemistry. Type 1 leucogneisses have low Zr, Th and LREE, positive Eu anomalies and Zr/Zr* and LREEt/LREEt * values less than 1.0 (i.e. less than required to saturate the melt). Mass balance constraints suggest that these melts have been extracted before equilibration with host melanosomes. The dry, peraluminous nature of vapour-undersaturated melts inhibits monazite and zircon solubility and results in concentration of these phases in the residue. Melts are consequently depleted in LREE and HREE. Melanosomes show complementary enrichment in LREE, while HREE patterns are dominated by residual garnet. Type 2 leucogneisses, in contrast, have strongly enriched Zr, Th and LREE abundances, negative Eu anomalies and Zr/Zr* and LREEt/LREEt *>1 resulting from accessory phase entrainment. Vapour-absent partial melting under moderate (6–8 kbar) pressure granulite-facies conditions of a pelitic source containing monazite is likely to give disequilibrium melts depleted in LREE and HREE as monazite and garnet are concentrated in the residue. If temperatures are high enough (850–870° C) to permit relatively large degrees of partial melting then the feldspar component of the source will be removed almost completely, giving melts with large positive Eu anomalies. Melts formed under vapour-present conditions are unlikely to show such extreme LREE and HREE depletion or positive Eu anomalies, even at high degrees of partial melting. Disequilibrium melting coupled with source entrainment could fortuitously produce REE and trace element signatures similar to those typical of S-type granites and usually ascribed to equilibrium melting conditions.