Eclogites from the Chinese continental scientific drilling borehole, their petrology and different P‐T evolutions

Abstract

Abstract Four phengite‐bearing eclogites, taken from different depths of the Chinese continental scientific drilling (CCSD) borehole in the Sulu ultrahigh pressure terrane, eastern China, were studied with the electron microprobe. The compositional zonations of garnet and omphacite are moderate, whereas phengite compositions generally vary significantly in a single sample from core to rim by decrease of the Si content. Various geothermobarometric methods were applied to constrain the P‐T conditions of these eclogites on the basis of the compositional variability of the above minerals. The constrained P‐T path for sample B218 is characterized by pressure decrease from ca 3.0 GPa (ca 600°C) to 1.3 GPa (ca 550°C). Eclogite B310 yielded P‐T conditions of 3.0 GPa and 750°C. The path for eclogite B1008 starts at about 650°C and 3.6–3.9 GPa (stage I) followed by a pressure decrease to 2.8–3.0 GPa and a significant temperature rise (stages II and IIIa, 750–810°C). Afterwards, this rock cooled down to 620–660°C at still high pressures (2.5–2.7 GPa, stage IIIb). Retrograde conditions were about 670°C and 1.3 GPa (stage IV). Eclogite B1039 yielded a P‐T path starting at ca 600°C and 3.3–3.9 GPa (stage I). A pressure decrease to about 3.0 GPa (stage II, 590–610°C) and then a moderate isobaric temperature increase to ca 630°C (stage III) followed. Stage IV is characterized by temperatures of 650°C at pressures close to 1.3 GPa. During and after this stage (hydrous) fluids partially rich in potassium penetrated the rocks causing minor changes. Relatively high oxygen fugacities led to andradite and magnetite among the newly formed minerals. We think that the above findings can be best explained by mass flow in a subduction channel. Thus, we conclude that the assembly of UHP rocks of the CCSD site, eclogites, quartzofeldspathic rocks, and peridotites, cannot represent a crustal section that was already coherent at UHP conditions as it is the common belief currently. The coherency was attained after significant exhumation of these UHP rocks.