TL;DR: Garnet-biotite thermometry on garnet interiors and phlogopite inclusions in corundum yields temperatures of ca. 850°C for the M1 stage.
Abstract: Sequential reaction textures in Archaean garnet-corundum-sapphirine granulites from the Central Zone of the Limpopo Belt document a progression from early, coarse-grained, high-pressure (P > 9.5 kbar) granulite-facies assemblages (M1) to late, low-pressure (P <6 kbar) granulite-facies sub-assemblages (M2).
The stable M1 assemblage was garnet (57% pyrope; Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 62) + sapphirine + corundum + gedrite + phlogopite + rutile. Late-M1 boron-free kornerupine grew at the expense of garnet and corundum, and coexisted with garnet, sapphirine and gedrite. Partial or complete breakdown of coarse garnet and kornerupine during M2 resulted in the development of pseudomorphs and coronas consisting of fine-grained symplectic intergrowths of cordierite, gedrite and sapphirine (later, spinel).
The majority of reaction textures can be explained in terms of a stable reaction sequence, and a model time-sequence of mineral facies can be constructed. When compared with a qualitative petrogenetic grid of (Fe, Mg)-discontinuous reactions in the FMASH multisystem sapphirine-garnet-corundum-spinel-cordierite-gedrite-kornerupine, the facies-sequence indicates decompression at essentially constant T assuming constant a(H2O).
Exhumation of M1 corundum inclusions during M2 breakdown of kornerupine resulted in production of metastable spinel by a disequilibrium reaction with gedrite. A second disequilibrium reaction of the spinel with cordierite produced sapphirine. The operation of such reaction while pressure was decreasing (the opposite dP from that implied by the texture if assumed to be the product of an equilibrium reaction) has serious implications for the use of reaction textures in the construction of P-T vectors.
Garnet-biotite thermometry on garnet interiors and phlogopite inclusions in corundum yields temperatures of ca. 850°C for the M1 stage. A minimum late-M1 pressure of ca. 7 kbar is indicated by the former association of kornerupine and corundum. Relict M1 kyanites reported by other workers indicate a minumum early-M1 pressure of 9.5 kbar, implying metamorphism at depths of at least 33 km (probably 38km). The high-pressure granulite-facies metamorphism was followed by an almost isothermal pressure decrease of > 5 kbar, indicative of rapid uplift. The P-T path is interpreted as the product of a single metamorphic cycle which probably took place in response to tectonic thickening of the crust. Such a process contrasts with the extensional origin recently proposed for isobarically cooled granulite-facies terranes.
TL;DR: Sapphirine is associated with cordierite-garnet-sillimanite bearing granulitic gneisses in a Precambrian metamorphic terrain displaying amphibolite-granulite transition facies as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Silica-deficient rocks in which sapphirine coexists with cordierite, gedrite, chondrodite, spinel, corundum and phlogopite in various parageneses, occur in association with cordierite-garnet-sillimanitebearing granulitic gneisses in a Precambrian metamorphic terrain displaying amphibolite-granulite transition facies. Brucite coexists with spinel and corundum and its unusual stability in this environment has been attributed to its significant fluorine content. Kornerupine occurs as armoured relics within cordierite in one sample of the sapphirine-spinel-cordierite-phlogopite-bearing rock. Sapphirines (X Mg 0.77 to 0.92) plot near the 7∶9∶3 composition.X Mg varies in the order: chondrodite and brucite>gedrite>cordierite >phlogopite>sapphirine>spinel.
TL;DR: Sapphirine, kornerupine, and the associations of these minerals and mineral associations are reported from 23 localities in south India (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and southern Karnataka) as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Sapphirine, kornerupine, and the associations sillimanite-orthopyroxene and sillimanite-gedrite are reported from 23 localities (or areas of closely spaced localities) in Fermor's (1936) charnockitic region and in transitional zones to Fermor's non-charnockitic region in south India (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and southern Karnataka). The rocks containing these minerals and mineral associations are believed to have a pelitic sedimentary precursor. They are in general closely associated with khondalite (garnet-sillimanite gneiss), quartzite, and calc-silicate rocks, and less commonly with metabasites of presumed metavolcanic origin. However, the sapphirine occurrences in the Sittampundi anorthosite complex, where sapphirine and sillimanite-gedrite are found in reaction zones between anorthosite and chromite layers, are an exception. Assemblages of sapphirine with garnet and sillimanite are not rare, but sapphirine in direct contact with quartz, which has not previously been reported from south India, was found at Paderu, Vishakhapatnam District, A. P. Kornerupine occurs with sillimanite at three localities but with orthopyroxene only at Ganguvarpatti, a new locality for kornerupine. Temperatures and pressures calculated from pyroxenes, garnets, and feldspars in associated rocks suggest that sapphirine, kornerupine, and sillimanite-orthopyroxene crystallized at 800-850°C and 6-10 kbar in the charnockitic region and sapphirine at 780°C in a transition zone between the granulite and amphibolite-facies near Sargur. Water partial pressure during the metamorphism was significantly less than total pressure. Regional differences in pressure are reflected in the distribution of mineral assemblages: sillimanite-orthopyroxene is found in Madras and Andhra Pradesh, but is conspicuously absent in the Palni Hills, where spinel-cordierite is an important assemblage. Sapphirine and sillimanite-orthopyroxene (and sillimanite-gedrite) are restricted to rocks relatively rich in Al 2 O 3 with high Mg/Fe ratios relative to khondalite. Kornerupine appears to be confined to rocks containing boron. These special rock compositions (except Sittampundi) are believed to reflect unusual compositions of the precursor pelitic sediments rather than changes in chemistry during metamorphism.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated matrix effects in secondary-ion mass spectrometric (SIMS) analysis of light elements (H, Li, Be, B, and F) in epoxy-mounted in a known crystallographic orientation relative to the primary-ion beam.
Abstract: Matrix effects in secondary-ion mass spectrometric (SIMS) analysis of light elements (H, Li, Be, B, and F) have been investigated in phenacite, kornerupine, danburite, axinite, spodumene, tourmaline, hambergite, and mica,all of which were epoxy-mounted in a known crystallographic orientation relative to the primary-ion beam. As reference chemical information, we used data from electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) and from single-crystal structure-refinement (SREF) on the same crystals used for SIMS. Quantification of secondary-ion intensities into concentrations was done using Si as the reference matrix element. The results indicate that matrix effects due to crystallographic orientation are <10% relative, or below analytical uncertainty for most analyzed elements. In dioctahedral mica, there is a difference in H/Si ion yield (IY) of -25% relative when the crystal is analyzed parallel and orthogonal to the main cleavage (which is perpendicular to the c axis). The magnitude of this effect is significant and higher than our SIMS accuracy for H in micas: ′10% relative. Among the analyzed elements, Be is affected least by matrix effects, even when present as a major element. The most significant chemical effects on SIMS analysis of H, Li, F, and B in silicates seem to be related to the Fe (+Mn) content of the matrix: the light-element IY decreases as the Fe (+Mn) content increases, as previously seen in tourmaline, axinite, and kornerupine. Silicon and Al seem to have complementary and opposite effects on IY with respect to Fe and Mn. The agreement between SIMS and SREF is close for most light elements when they are present as major constituents. The results of our study also show that analytical problems are still present for B by EMPA, and this technique may not be adequate to measure B accurately in some minerals.