Tourmaline, an indicator of external Mg-contamination of granitic pegmatites from host serpentinite; examples from the Moldanubian Zone, Czech Republic

Abstract

Dominant primary solidus and minor subsolidus tourmalines from a variety of granitic pegmatites enclosed in serpentinites of the Moldanubian Zone, Czech Republic were examined, mainly by electron probe micro-analyser, to reveal the degree of external Mg(Ca)-contamination from their host rocks. The rocks include: (i) homogeneous to slightly heterogeneous nests of plagioclase-tourmaline rocks (group A) of anatectic or metasomatic origin, (ii) subhomogeneous to simply zoned barren pegmatite dikes (group B), and (iii) Li-bearing zoned pegmatite dikes of rare-element class (group C). The plagioclase-tourmaline rocks (group A) show spatial relation to pegmatites of the group B. Mostly black primary tourmalines (dravite, oxy-dravite, uvite, schorl, oxy-schorl, fluor-schorl) show extensive Mg- and Ca-contamination (group A), moderate Mg- and locally minor Ca-contamination (group B plus the locality Věžna I of the group C) and weak Mg-contamination of the tourmaline solely from outermost pegmatite units (group C); tourmalines from internal units of the pegmatites are typically Mg-free. The substitution mechanisms include MgR2+ −1 (R2+ = Fe2+ > Mn2+) in all groups, NaR2+ (□Al)−1 and R2+ (OH) (AlO)−1 in Ca-poor tourmalines and CaO (NaOH)−1 combined with the substitution CaR2+ (NaAl)−1 in Ca-enriched tourmalines (group A). Both Mg- and Ca-contamination events were very likely contemporaneous. The extent of contamination is higher in small and texturally simple plagioclase-tourmaline rocks (group A). Larger and more highly evolved Li-bearing pegmatites (group C) with zoned internal structure show a high degree of undercooling; consequently, rapid crystallization of outer zones with biotite and/or tourmaline depleted melt in almost all Mg and isolated the pegmatite body from further external contamination during solidus crystallisation. The granitic pegmatites (group B and group C) were open to the host serpentinite during early solidus crystallization immediately after emplacement of melt and then in early and/or late subsolidus crystallization (hydrothermal stage); in plagioclase-tourmaline rocks (group A) the system was likely continuously open to host serpentinite. This study affirms tourmaline as a very useful indicator of external contamination and elevated contents of Mg in tourmaline or in other minerals are the most reliable sign of external contamination in granitic rocks.