Progressive metamorphism in a crustal‐scale shear zone: an example from the Léon region, north‐west Brittany, France

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper describes the progressive metamorphism and deformation of a series of metasediments, Le Conquet Schists and their higher grade equivalents, which occur as tectonically emplaced screens within a sequence of foliated gneisses, the Gneiss de Brest and Gneiss de Lesneven. The sequence exhibits a steep south to north increase in metamorphic grade from garnet‐staurolite schist to sillimanite gneiss and sillimanite‐K‐feldspar migmatite. The relationship of mineral growth to foliation development has been established for individual screens. At least five phases of deformation (D1‐D5) are preserved. Analysis of porphyroblast inclusion trails is used to demonstrate sequential mineral growth during the successive development of orthogonal foliations S1‐S4. Porphyroblasts continued to grow during the subsequent development of C‐S mylonite fabrics and extensional crenulation cleavages which are genetically related to a series of high‐strain zones (D5). Mineral assemblages, phase relations and mineral chemistry are consistent with porphyroblast growth being the result of continuous reactions. Microstructure‐porphyroblast relations are used to show that although mineral growth proceeded during continuous reactions, these only operated episodically. Phase relations, mineral chemistry and P‐T estimates are used to constrain P‐T trajectories and these are linked to the deformation histories within individual screens. A comparison between the resulting pressure‐temperature‐deformation paths is used to demonstrate that the metamorphic peak occurred progressively later and at successively lower pressures with increasing metamorphic grade. It is suggested that the early evolution of the belt is the result of crustal thickening by overthrusting. The subsequent history is one of progressive heating and unroofing of the higher grade rocks in a dextral strike‐slip transtensional shear zone.