Episodic fluid action during exhumation of deeply subducted continental crust: Geochemical constraints from zoisite–quartz vein and host metabasite in the Dabie orogen

A combined study of mineral compositions and zircon U–Pb ages was carried out for a zoisite―quartz vein and its host retrograded eclogite in the Dabie orogen. The results reveal two episodes of fluid action during exhumation of the deeply subducted continental crust. The vein has a mineral paragenesis of quartz + zoisite + epidote + white mica + garnet + rutile + zircon + apatite, which is almost the same as that of the host retrograded eclogite characterized by symplectites after omphacite and/or garnet in the eclogite. Residues of magmatic zircon in the vein are similar to those in the eclogite, suggesting local sources of the metamorphic fluid for veining and physical transport of the tiny accessory mineral from the host rock to veins. There are significant differences in major and trace elements between vein-forming minerals, which are attributed to two episodes of fluid action for veining. Metamorphic zircon from the vein yields concordant U–Pb ages of 215 ± 4 to 218 ± 4 Ma. Trace element analysis indicates its precipitation from aqueous fluid during two distinct episodes under eclogite-facies and amphibolite-facies conditions, respectively. Ti-in-zircon and Zr-in-rutile thermometries yield variable temperatures from 537 to 683 °C. Thus the veining postdates the UHP metamorphic event at 225–240 Ma and took place during transition from HP eclogite-facies recrystallization to amphibolite-facies retrogression during the exhumation. The host eclogite was also retrograded in this stage to form metabasites such as amphibole eclogite to garnet amphibolite. The abundant occurrence of zoisite, epidote and phengite in the vein suggests that the metamorphic fluid is rich in Si, Al, Ca and K. The fluid composition is estimated in terms of zoisite composition and zoisite/fluid partition coefficients. The results suggest strong enrichment of LREE, Th, U, Pb, Sr, Rb and Ba, moderate enrichment of HREE, but significant depletion of HFSE. In this regard, the occurrence of metamorphic zircon and rutile in the vein suggests very local saturation of Zr and Ti in the Zo–Qtz vein-forming fluid. Therefore, the two episodes of fluid action would occur at the transition from eclogite to amphibolite facies during the exhumation and proceed with different fluid compositions and different flow behaviors. One was channelized under the eclogite-facies conditions, whereas the other is pervasive under the amphibolite-facies conditions. This provides robust constraints on the time, origin and property of metamorphic fluid during the exhumation of deeply subducted continental crust.

► Two stages of metamorphic mineral growth in zoisite–quartz vein inside UHP metabasite.
► Two episodes of fluid action occurred inside an UHP slice during exhumation of deeply subducted continental crust.
► Veining took place at the transition from HP eclogite-facies recrystallization to amphibolite-facies retrogression.
► Similarity in metamorphosed zircon suggests the physical transport of magmatic cores from wallrock to veining space.
► Fluid flow was channelized at eclogite-facies conditions but pervasive at amphibolite-facies conditions.