Kyanite‐anthophyllite schist and southwest extension of the Dabie Mountains ultrahigh‐ to high‐pressure belt

Abstract

Abstract Kyanite‐anthophyllite schist preserves the first record of high pressure in the amphibolite‐facies unit of the SW Dabie Mountains, whereas ultrahigh‐ and high‐pressure (UHP and HP) metamorphism has been well documented by the occurrence of coesite, diamond and mafic eclogite in the SE Dabie Mountains. Textural evidence indicates that minerals of the kyanite‐anthophyllite schist formed mainly in two stages: (i) garnet + kyanite + antho‐phyllite + rutile formed at pressure in excess of 1.2 GPa at T < 650°C; (ii) cordierite±staurolite formed by reaction of anthophyllite + kyanite at P < 0.5 GPa, T∼530°C. Plagioclase and ilmenite replaced garnet and rutile respectively during decompression. In a still later stage, secondary biotite recrystallized, accompanied by sillimanite replacing kyanite, and spinel replacing staurolite. The P‐T information suggests that the amphibolite unit in the SW Dabie Mountains is part of the Triassic collision belt between the Sino‐Korean and Yangtze cratons. The P‐T paths of the UHP eclogite in the eastern Dabie Mountains and the HP kyanite‐anthophyllite schist in the SW Dabie Mountains show similar decompression and equivalent late stage Barrovian‐style metamorphism. Emplacement of voluminous granitoid at middle crustal levels between 134–118 Ma contributed to the development of the Barrovian‐type metamorphism in the Dabie Mountains.