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A petrogenetic grid for pelitic schists in the system SiO2-Al2O3-FeO-MgO-K2O-H2O

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Abstract

A quantitative petrogenetic grid for pelitic schists in the system KFMASH that includes the phases garnet, chlorite, biotite, chloritoid, cordierite, staurolite, talc, kyanite, andalusite, sillimanite, and pyrophyllite (with quartz, H2O and muscovite or K-feldspar in excess) is presented. The grid is based on thermodynamic data of Berman et al. (1985) and Berman (1988) for endmember KFASH and KMASH equilibria and natural Fe-Mg partitioning for the KFMASH system. Calculation of P-T slopes and the change in Fe/(Fe+Mg) along reactions in the KFMASH system were made using the Gibbs method. In addition, the effect on the grid of MnO and CaO is evaluated quantitatively. The resulting grid is consistent with typical Buchan and Barrovian parageneses at medium to high grades. At low grades, the grid predicts an extensive stability field for the paragenesis chloritoid+biotite which arises because of the unusual facing of the reaction chloritoid+biotite + quartz+H2O = garnet+chlorite+muscovite, which proceeds to the right with increasing T in the KFMASH system. However, the reaction proceeds to the left with increasing T in the MnKFASH system so the assemblage chloritoid + biotite is restricted to bulk compositions with high Fe/(Fe+Mg+Mn). Typical metapelites will therefore contain garnet+chlorite at low grades rather than chloritoid + biotite.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 12180, Troy, NY, USA

    Frank S. Spear

  2. Department of Geology, Amherst College, 01002, Amherst, MA, USA

    John T. Cheney

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  1. Frank S. Spear
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  2. John T. Cheney
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Spear, F.S., Cheney, J.T. A petrogenetic grid for pelitic schists in the system SiO2-Al2O3-FeO-MgO-K2O-H2O. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 101, 149–164 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00375302

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