New finding of sillmanite in sapphirine-bearing granulites from Pedapalli, NE part of the Eastern Dharwar Craton, India

Abstract

We report the occurrence of sillimanite in sapphirine-bearing granulites near Pedapalli town in the north eastern part of the Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC). The sapphirine-bearing granulites of the Pedapalli area display evidence of metamorphic reactions involved in the formation of diverse mineral assemblages documented in different types of reaction textures. The common stable assemblage contains sapphirine-spinel-orthopyroxene-cordieriteplagioclage-corundum-sillimanite. The P-T evolution of these sapphirine granulites has been constrained by using the TWEEQU program. Temperature of formation of sapphirine-spinel assemblages is high, around 800 °C, and pressure ca. 8 kbar. The assemblage reported in this study has important bearing on the high-temperature metamorphism and exhumation history of the EDC.