Monazite behaviour during metamorphic evolution of a diamond-bearing gneiss: a case study from the Seve Nappe Complex, Scandinavian Caledonides

Abstract

Abstract Monazite is a common mineral in metapelitic rocks including those which underwent ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphism. During metamorphic evolution monazite adapts its composition to the changing mineral assemblage, especially in its heavy rare earth element contents. We studied this process in diamond-bearing gneiss containing monazite, from Saxnäs in the Seve Nappe Complex of the Scandinavian Caledonides. Although the rock has been re-equilibrated under granulite facies and partial melting conditions, it still preserves minerals from the UHP stage: garnet, kyanite, rutile, and especially diamond. Microdiamonds occur in situ as inclusions in garnet, kyanite and zircon, either as single-crystals or polyphase inclusions with Fe-Mg carbonates, rutile and CO2. Both monazite and diamond occur in the rims of garnet showing the highest pyrope content and a secondary peak of yttrium. Such a position indicates thermally activated diffusion under high temperature at the end of prograde metamorphism. Monazite compositions show negative Eu anomalies, which we interpret to be inherited from the source rock, not reflecting the coexistence with plagioclase and/or K-feldspar which are unstable at UHP conditions. Our results suggest that the effect of whole-rock composition may be more important than that of coexisting phases. The UHP monazite was most likely formed from allanite during subduction and prograde metamorphism. The monazites included in garnet and kyanite are mostly unaltered, whereas those in the matrix show breakdown coronas consisting of apatite, REE-epidote/allanite and REE carbonate, likely formed due to pressure decrease and cooling. U-Th-Pb chemical age dating of monazites yields an isochron centroid age of 472 ±3 Ma. We interpret this age as monazite growth under UHP conditions related to subduction of the Baltica continental margin in Early Ordovician time.