Reduced amphibolite facies conditions in the Precambrian continental crust of the Siberian craton recorded by mafic granulite xenoliths from the Udachnaya kimberlite pipe, Yakutia

It is widely accepted that granulite xenoliths from kimberlites provide a record of granulite facies metamorphism at the basement of cratons worldwide. However, application of the phase equilibria modeling for seven representative samples of mafic granulites from xenoliths of the Udachnaya kimberlite pipe, Yakutia, revealed that a granulitic garnet + clinopyroxene + plagioclase +/- orthopyroxene +/- amphibole +/- scapolite mineral assemblage was likely formed in the middle crust under amphibolite facies conditions (600-650 degrees C and 0.8-1.0 GPa) in a deficiency of fluid. Clinopyroxene in the rocks is characterized by elevated aegirine content (up to 10 mol.%) both in the earlier magmatic cores and in the later metamorphic rim zones of the grains. Nevertheless, the phase equilibrium modeling for all samples indicates surprisingly reduced conditions, i.e. oxygen fugacity 1.6-3.3 log units below the FMQ (Fayalite-Magnetite-Quartz) buffer. In contrast, the coexistence of Fe-Ti oxides indicates temperatures of 850-990 degrees C and oxygen fugacity about lg(FMQ) +/- 0.5, conditions which correspond to earlier stages of rock evolution. Reduction of oxygen fugacity during cooling is discussed in the context of the evolution of a complex fluid. The reconstructed P-T conditions for the final equilibration in the mafic granulites indicate that temperatures were similar to 250 degrees C higher than those extrapolated from the continental conductive geotherm of 35-40 mu W/m(2) deduced from peridotite xenoliths of the Udachnaya pipe. Although the granulites resided in the crust for a period for at least 1.4 Ga, they did not re-equilibrate to the temperatures of the geotherm, likely due to the blocking of mineral reactions under relatively low temperatures and fluid-deficient conditions

Automated summary

The study of granulite xenoliths from the Udachnaya kimberlite pipe in Yakutia revealed a mineral assemblage formed under amphibolite facies conditions with reduced oxygen fugacity and elevated temperatures. The rocks did not equilibrate to the temperatures of the geotherm due to mineral reactions being blocked under relatively low temperatures and fluid-deficient conditions.