Geochemical and U–Pb age constraints on the occurrence of polygenetic titanites in UHP metagranite in the Dabie orogen

Relict magmatic titanite was identified in the core of a few titanite grains with the overgrown rim of metamorphic titanite in UHP metagranite in the Dabie orogen. LA–ICPMS U–Pb dating gave Neoproterozoic ages for the magmatic titanite but Triassic ages for the metamorphic titanite. The magmatic and metamorphic titanites are clearly distinct by differences in petrological and geochemical compositions. The magmatic titanite occurs as residual cores that show bright BSE, the presence of allanite and quartz inclusions, low contents of CaO, Al2O3 and TiO2 but high contents of Fe2O3 and MgO. In trace elements, the magmatic titanite exhibits high REE and HFSE contents, distinctly negative Eu anomalies with flat MREE–HREE patterns, and high Th/U ratios. In contrast, the metamorphic titanite occurs as rims and grains of homogeneously dark BSE that contain inclusions of epidote, quartz, K-feldspar, rutile, biotite and phengite, and have relatively high contents of CaO, Al2O3 and TiO2, but low contents of Fe2O3 and MgO, and relatively low REE and HFSE contents, slightly negative Eu anomalies with HREE depletion relative to MREE, and low Th/U ratios. The Zr-in-titanite thermometry yields 727 to 877 °C at 0.5 to 1.0 GPa for the magmatic titanite, and 729 to 870 °C at 1.5 to 2.0 GPa for the metamorphic titanite. The Neoproterozoic U–Pb chronometric system of magmatic titanite survived the Triassic continental subduction-zone HP–UHP metamorphism. This suggests a relatively high closure temperature of > 800 °C for the titanite U–Pb system. The metamorphic titanite is principally a product of retrograde metamorphism during decompression exhumation at the transition from HP eclogite-facies to amphibolite-facies. Therefore, titanite holds a great potential to geochronological and petrogenetic studies of continental subduction-zone metamorphic rocks.

► Both magmatic core and metamorphic growth of titanites occur in UHP metagranite.
► Magmatic and metamorphic titanites show contrasts in BSE brightness, U-Pb ages and elemental composition.
► Magmatic titanite was crystallized from the granitic magma of Neoproterozoic age.
► Metamorphic titanite grew at retrogression towards amphibolite-facies in the Triassic.
► Titanite has the closure temperature of >800 °C for Pb diffusion during metamorphism.