Transformation of Kyanite to Andalusite in the Benamocarra Unit (Betic Cordillera, S
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Eur. J. Mineral. 2016, 28, 337–353 Published online 5 January 2016 Transformation of kyanite to andalusite in the Benamocarra Unit (Betic Cordillera, S. Spain). Kinetics and petrological significance 1, 2 1, ANTONIO SA´ NCHEZ-NAVAS *,ELISA MACAIONE ,RITA DE CASSIA OLIVEIRA-BARBOSA **, 2 3 ANTONIA MESSINA and AGUSTI´N MARTI´N-ALGARRA 1 Departamento de Mineralogı´a y Petrologı´a and IACT (CSIC-UGR), Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain *Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] 2 Dipartimento di Dipartimento de Scienze della Terra-Universita di Messina. Salita Papardo 98122 Messina, Italy 3 Departamento de Estratigrafı´a y Paleontologı´a and IACT (CSIC-UGR), Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain **Present address: Instituto de Geocieˆncias, Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Federal do Para´, Campus Universita´rio do Guama´, Rua Augusto Correˆa 1 - Campus Ba´sico - CEP: 66075-110, Belem, Para´, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: Kyanite is directly replaced by andalusite in quartz–plagioclase veins included within graphite-bearing micaschists of the Alpine Benamocarra Unit (Betic Cordillera, Spain). Electron back-scattered diffraction indicates that: i) precursory kyanite contains planar defects; ii) andalusite growth was crystallographically controlled by the kyanite; and iii) the structure of both Al2SiO5 phases shares nearly the closest-packed oxygen array and chains of edge-sharing octahedra. The small entropy difference of the kyani- te–andalusite polymorphic inversion makes it difficult to overcome the energy barrier of this transformation. The driving force needed for the kyanite-to-andalusite reaction was a temperature (T) increase during a pre-Alpine tectonometamorphic evolution. The low-P/medium-T metamorphic conditions that affected the rocks studied took place in relation to a late Variscan extensional collapse. The reaction pathway proposed here corresponds to the first part of a poly-orogenic tectonometamorphic evolution, consisting of a pre-Alpine metamorphism of high thermal gradient with mainly static growth of porphyroblasts, followed by an essentially dynamic metamorphism during the Alpine orogeny. Key-words: polymorphic transformation; kinetics; kyanite; andalusite; aluminium silicate; metamorphism. 1. Introduction metamorphic events (e.g., Priem et al., 1966; Boulin et al., 1969; Bernard-Griffiths et al., 1977; Andriessen Orogenic cores frequently record complex polymeta- et al., 1991; Montel et al., 1995) were considered incon- morphic histories. An example of a complex polymeta- clusive or else lacking in regional significance. In fact, morphic history can be found in pre-Mesozoic before the publication of a few recent papers (Sa´nchez- metamorphic successions of the Alpine Internal Domains Navas et al., 2012, 2014), no direct field or petrographic of the Betic Cordillera (Spain) and the Rif (Morocco). evidence related to the Variscan orogenesis had been found Recent studies have demonstrated that the Alpine evolu- by most workers in the Alpujarride Complex of the Betic tion overprinted Variscan and older orogenic events in the zone (e.g., Torres-Rolda´n, 1974, 1981; Tubı´a et al., 1997; Nevado-Filabride, the Alpujarride-Sebtide and the Garcı´a-Casco et al., 1993; Garcı´a-Casco & Torres-Rolda´n, Malaguide-Ghomaride complexes (e.g. Puga et al., 1975; 1996, 1999; Azan˜o´n et al., 1998; Argles et al., 1999; Soto Bouybaoue`ne et al., 1998; Martı´n-Algarra et al., 2009a and & Platt, 1999). Moreover, Alpujarride-Sebtide rocks of b; Rosetti et al., 2010, 2013; Go´mez-Pugnaire et al., 2012; variable metamorphic grades dated with different radio- Sa´nchez-Navas et al., 2012, 2014). Variscan U-Pb ages metric systems (Rb-Sr, K-Ar-Ar, Sm-Nd and U-Pb) gave obtained from zircon and monazite single crystals in pre- systematically Alpine ages (e.g., Loomis, 1975; Priem Mesozoic rocks have been interpreted as related to high- et al., 1979; Michard et al., 1983; Zeck et al., 1989a and grade metamorphic or magmatic events (Zeck & b, 1996; Monie´ et al., 1991, Monie´ et al., 1994; Sa´nchez- Whitehouse, 1999, 2002; Montel et al., 2000; Zeck & Rodrı´guez et al., 1996; Platt & Whitehouse, 1999; Rossetti Williams, 2001). Before zircon dating, the isotopic ages et al., 2010, 2013). Integrated field and detailed micro- supporting the existence of pre-Alpine tectono- structural studies of mineral transformations in relation to eschweizerbart_xxx 0935-1221/16/0028-2518 $ 7.65 DOI: 10.1127/ejm/2016/0028-2518 # 2015 E. Schweizerbart’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, D-70176 Stuttgart 338 A. Sa´nchez-Navas et al. the tectono-metamorphic evolution are essential to distin- tectonic units in the Malaga area are totally made up guish the part of the metamorphic mineral associations and of medium- to high-grade metamorphic rocks (Fig. 1b). tectonic fabrics currently visible in the Alpujarride rocks In this work, we study rocks belonging to the that belong to Alpine or to pre-Alpine (Variscan, and Benamocarra Unit (Aldaya et al., 1979; Elorza, 1982), perhaps older) events. which is located just below the Malaguide Complex to The three polymorphs of Al2SiO5 are important index the east of Malaga (Fig. 1c). minerals to unravel pressure (P) and temperature (T) con- The Benamocarra Unit is composed of Alpujarride- ditions during regional and contact metamorphism. The like graphite-rich metapelites and metapsammites cross- P-T phase equilibria involving kyanite, andalusite and silli- cut by dikes of mafic subvolcanic rocks (Fig. 1d) with a manite are affected by considerable uncertainty in calibra- gradual upward decrease in metamorphic grade (e.g. tion experiments, and erroneous petrological interpretations Elorza & Garcı´a-Duen˜as, 1981; Ruiz-Cruz, 1997; Ruiz- of the presence of coexisting polymorphs in rocks derive Cruz & Rodrı´guez-Jime´nez, 2002). The Benamocarra from the sluggish kinetics of reactions involving the alumi- Unit overlies the Torrox Unit, the widest and most nium silicates (Kerrick, 1990). The reaction mechanisms in typical Upper Alpujarride Unit in the area, from which the transformation of pre-Alpine andalusite porphyroblasts it is detached by an extensional contact (Alonso-Cha´vez to Alpine small-sized kyanite and fibrolite (both related to & Orozco, 2012). The Torrox Unit is made of a gneissic Alpine foliations) in metapelitic rocks of the Upper complex at its base (Sa´nchez-Navas, 1999; Sa´nchez- Alpujarride Torrox Unit were studied by Sa´nchez Navas Navas et al., 2014), surrounded by a monotone succes- et al. (2012). In the present study, we examine the transfor- sion of dark-coloured and graphite-bearing St-Grt-Ky- mation of pre-Alpine kyanite porphyroblasts to pre-Alpine And-Fi micaschists (Sa´nchez-Navas et al., 2012) with andalusite porphyroblasts in medium-T metapelites of the metamorphic grade decreasing upwards. The upper part Benamocarra Unit, which tectonically overlies the Torrox of the pre-Mesozoic succession of the Torrox Unit is Unit. This transformation was observed in the field first, and made of andalusite-bearing graphite-rich metapelites and further confirmed by microstructural studies. This allows a metapsammites that are similar to the rocks that consti- detailed discussion of the crystallographic and kinetic con- tute the lower part of the Benamocarra Unit. trols of the Ky ! And transformation, and on the geological The rock succession of the Benamocarra Unit is consequences of this transformation. We also describe tex- described in more detail below. It underlies a thick succes- tural relations and mineral chemistry of the enclosing poly- sion of fine-grained low-grade to very low-grade schists, metamorphic, medium-T, graphite-bearing, Ms þ Bt þ Pl slates, psammites, and stretched conglomerates of early Æ Cld Æ Grt Æ St Æ Ky Æ And Æ Crd micaschists (abbre- Palaeozoic or older age, which constitute the stratigraphic viations after Whitney & Evans, 2010). Finally, we discuss base of the Malaguide Complex (Morales Formation: the geological significance of the Ky ! And transformation Martı´n-Algarra, 1987) and which are also crosscut by as well as of the textures and mineral chemistry of the rocks dikes identical to those of the Benamocarra Unit studied, in order to decipher the pre-Alpine vs. Alpine (Fig. 1d). The contact between the two rock successions polymetamorphic history of the Benamocarra Unit. corresponds to a low-angle extensional fault, which often is difficult to recognize in the field (Fig. 1c). Consequently, according to regional geological studies, it is debated whether the Benamocarra Unit constitutes the base of the 2. Geological setting Malaguide Complex or is a part, detached by low-angle faults, of the top of the highest Alpujarride (Torrox) Unit in The Alboran-Kabylia-Peloritani-Calabria (AlKaPeCa) the area (Aldaya et al., 1979; Elorza & Garcı´a-Duen˜as, Alpine metamorphic belt (Bouillin et al., 1986) includes 1981; Elorza, 1982). the internal domains of the Western Mediterranean Alpine The stratigraphically lower beds of the Malaguide Belts before its post-collisional Mid- to Late Miocene Complex (Morales Fm.) are strongly foliated metapelites disintegration (Fig. 1a). This belt resulted from the Early and metapsammites affected by low-grade metamorphism Miocene collision of Iberia and Africa against the Meso- (Ruiz-Cruz, 1997; Ruiz-Cruz & Rodrı´guez-Jime´nez, Mediterranean Microplate (Durand-Delga & Fontbote´, 2002). The lowest part of the Morales Fm. contains abun- 1980), which was a continental crustal block detached dant sericitized relics of