Fluid inclusions in high-pressure granulites of the Pan-African belt in Tanzania (Uluguru Mts): a record of prograde to retrograde fluid evolution

Abstract

The high-pressure granulites of the Uluguru Mountains are part of the Pan-African belt of Tanzania, the metamorphic evolution of which is characterized by an anticlockwise P-T path. Mineral assemblages that represent distinct metamorphic stages are selected for fluid inclusion studies in order to deduce the fluid evolution in metapelites and pyroxene granulites from the prograde to the retrograde stage. Fluid inclusion data improve the petrologically derived P-T path and confirm the anticlockwise evolution. Fluid inclusions in quartz enclosed in garnet porphyroblasts in metapelites preserve prograde fluids of CO2–N2 composition and later-trapped pure CO2. During isochoric heating at temperatures near the peak of metamorphism, deformation and recrystallization led to fluid homogenization yielding N2-poor CO2 composition in the metapelites. Near-peak CO2–N2 fluid inclusions in quartz of metapelites and CO2 inclusions in garnet-pyroxene granulites are characterized by perfect negative crystal shape. Garnet formed in veins and as coronas around orthopyroxene represent the near-isochoric/isobaric cooling stage which is characterized by high-density CO2-rich fluid inclusions. Up to 15 mol% N2 in some primary CO2 inclusions in corona garnet indicate small-scale fluid heterogeneity during the static garnet growth. The fact that high-density fluid inclusions are preserved, suggests a shallow dP/dT slope of the uplift path. Nevertheless, some fluid inclusions decrepitated or re-equilibrated and low-density CO2 inclusions were trapped in the garnet-pyroxene granulite while N2–CH4 inclusions formed in the metapelites. Different fluid compositions in metapelite and metabasite argue for an internal control of the fluid composition by phase equilibria. In shear zones where the pyroxene granulite was transformed into scapolite-biotite schist, CO2–N2 and low-density N2–CH4 fluid inclusions indicate several stages of tectonic activity and suggest fluid influx from the nearby metapelites. High- and low-salinity aqueous inclusions observed beside CO2 inclusions in garnet-pyroxene granulites, in vein quartz and shear zones could be of high-grade origin but are mainly re-equilibrated or re-trapped along healed microfractures during lower-grade stages.