Abstract
Observed major element metasomatism in 5 amphibolite facies ductile fault zones can be explained as the inevitable consequence of aqueous fluid flow along normal temperature gradients under conditions of local chemical equilibrium. The metasomatism does not require the infiltration of chemically exotic fluids. Calculations suggest that metasomatized ductile fault zones are typically infiltrated by ∼105 moles H2O/cm2, fluid flow is in the direction of decreasing temperature, and fluids contain about 1.0 molal total chloride. Where available, stable isotopic alteration data confirm both flow direction and fluid fluxes calculated from major element metasomatism. The fluid fluxes inferred from metasomatism do not require large-scale fluid recirculation or mantle sources if significant lateral fluid flow occurs in the deep crust. Time-integrated fluid fluxes are combined with estimates of flow duration to constrain average flow rates and average permeabilities. Rocks in ductile fault zones are probably much more permeable during metasomatism (average permeabilities of 10-17 to 10-15 m2) than rocks normally are during regional metamorphism (10-21 to 10-18 m2). Estimated average fluid flow rates (3.5×10-3 to 0.35 m/yr) are insufficient, however, to significantly elevate ambient temperatures within ductile faults. Fluid flow in the direction of decreasing temperature may increase the ductility of silicate rocks by adding K to the rocks and thereby driving mica-forming reactions.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson GM, Burnham CW (1983) Feldspar solubility and the transport of aluminum under metamorphic conditions. Am J Sci 283A:283–297
Anderson GM, Pascal ML, Rao J (1987) Aluminum speciation in metamorphic fluids. In: Helgeson HC (ed) Chemical transport in metasomatic processes. Reidel, Dordrecht Boston Lancaster Tokyo, pp 297–321
Armstrong JT (1989) CITZAF: combined ZAF and phi-rho (Z) electron beam correction programs. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
Baumgartner LP, Ferry JM (1991) A model for coupled fluid-flow and mixed-volatile mineral reactions with applications to regional metamorphism. Contrib Mineral Petrol 106:273–285
Beach A (1980) Retrogressive metamorphic processes in shear zones with special reference to the Lewisian complex. J Struct Geol 2:257–263
Beach A, Tarney J (1978) Major and trace element patterns established during retrogressive metamorphism of granulite-facies gneisses, NW Scotland. Precamb Res 7:325–348
Berman RG (1988) Internally-consistent thermodynamic data for minerals in the system Na2O−K2O−CaO−MgO−FeO−Fe2O3−Al2O3−SiO2−TiO2−H2O−CO2. J Petrol 29:445–522
Berman RG (1990) Mixing properties of Ca-Mg-Fe-Mn garnets. Am Mineral 75:328–344
Bickle MJ, Baker J (1990) Advective-diffusive transport of isotopic fronts: an example from Naxos, Greece. Earth Planet Sci Lett 97:78–93
Bickle MJ, McKenzie D (1987) The transport of heat and matter by fluids during metamorphism. Contrib Mineral Petrol 95:384–392
Brady JB (1988) The role of volatiles in the thermal history of metamorphic terranes. J Petrol 29:1187–1213
Bridgwater D (1979) Chemical and isotopic redistribution in zones of ductile deformation in a deeply eroded mobile belt. In: Speed R, Sharp R (organizers) Proceedings of conference VIII Analysis of actual fault zones in bedrock. US Geol Surv open file report 79-1239, Menlo Park, California, pp 505–526
Bridgwater D, Myers JS (1979) Outline of the Nagssugtoqidian mobile belt of East Greenland. Rapp Grølands Geol Unders 89:9–18
Brodie KH (1979) Microstructural and geochemical studies of some deformed ultramafic rocks (Ph.D. thesis). University of London, London
Brodie KH (1980) Variations in mineral chemistry across a shear zone in phlogopite peridotite. J Struct Geol 2:265–272
Brodie KH, Rex D, Rutter EH (1989) On the age of deep crustal extensional faulting in the Ivrea zone, northern Italy. In: Coward MP, Dietrich D, Park RG (eds) Alpine tectonics (Geological Society Special Publication 45). Blackwell Scientific, Oxford London Edinburgh Boston Melbourne pp 203–210
Burwash RA, Krupicka J (1970) Cratonic reactivation in the Precambrian of western Canada. Part II. Metasomatism and isostasy. Can J Earth Sci 7:1275–1294
Chatterjee ND (1970) Synthesis and upper stability of paragonite. Contrib Mineral Petrol 27:244–257
Chatterjee ND, Flux S (1986) The modynamic mixing properties of muscovite-paragonite crystalline solutions at high temperatures and pressures, and their geological applications. J Petrol 27:677–693
Cluba H, Chacko T, Clayton RN, Goldsmith JR (1989) Oxygen isotope fractionations involving diopside, forsterite, magnetite, and calcite: application to geothermometry. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 53:2985–2995
Choukroune P, Gapais D (1983) Strain pattern in the Aar Granite (Central Alps): orthogneiss developed by bulk inhomogeneous flattening. J Struct Geol 5:411–418
Corbett GJ, Phillips GN (1981) Regional retrograde metamorphism of a high grade terrain: the Willyama complex, Broken Hill, Australia. Lithos 14:59–73
Coward MP, Dietrich D (1989) Alpine tectonics — an overview. In: Coward MP, Dietrich D, Park RG (eds) Alpine tectonics. (Geological Society Special Publication 45). Blackwell Scientific. Oxford London Edinburgh Boston Melbourne, pp 1–29
Coward MP, Park RG (1987) The role of mid-crustal shear zones in the Early Proterozoic evolution of the Lewisian. In: Park RG, Tarney J (eds) Evolution of the Lewisian and comparable Precambrian high grade terrains (Geol Soc Spec Pub 27). Blackwell Scientific, Oxford London Edinburgh Boston Palo Alto Melbourne, pp 127–138
Davis SR, Ferry JM (1993) Fluid infiltration during contact metamorphism of interbedded marble and calc-silicate hornfels. Twin Lakes area, central Sierra Nevada, California. J Metamorphic Geol 11 (in press)
Dipple GM, Ferry JM (1992) Fluid flow and stable isotopic alteration in rocks at elevated temperatures with applications to metamorphism. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 56 (in press)
Dipple GM, Wintsch RP, Andrews MS (1990) Identification of the scales of differential element mobility in a ductile fault zone. J Metamorphic Geol 8:645–661
Dixon J, Williams G (1983) Reaction softening in mylonites from the Arnaboll thrust, Sutherland. Scott J Geol 19:157–168
Drury SA (1974) Chemical changes during retrogressive metamorphism of Lewisian granulite facies rocks from Coll and Tiree. Scott J Geol 10:237–256
Etheridge MA, Cooper JA (1981) Rb/Sr isotopic and geochemical evolution of a recrystallized shear (mylonite) zone at Broken Hill. Contrib Mineral Petrol 78:74–84
Etheridge MA, Wall VJ, Vernon RH (1983) The role of the fluid phase during regional metamorphism and deformation. J Metamorphic Geol 1:205–226
Ferry JM (1989) Contact metamorphism of roof pendants at Hope Valley, Alpine County, California, USA. Contrib Mineral Petrol 101:402–417
Ferry JM, Dipple GM (1991) Fluid flow, mineral reactions, and metasomatism. Geology 19:211–214
Ferry JM, Spear FS (1978) Experimental calibration of the partitioning of Fe and Mg between biotite and garnet. Contrib Mineral Petrol 66:113–117
Fletcher RC, Hofmann AW (1974) Simple models of diffusion and combined diffusion-infiltration metasomatism. In: Hofmann AW, Giletti BJ, Yoder HS Jr, Yund RA (eds) Geochemical transport and kinetics (Carnegie Inst Wash Pub 634). Carnegie Inst, Washington, pp 243–259
Flux S, Chatterjee ND (1986) Experimental reversal of the Na−K exchange reaction between muscovite-paragonite crystalline solutions and a 2 molal aqueous (Na,K)Cl fluid. J Petrol 27:665–676
Fourcade S, Marquer D, Javoy M (1989) 18O/16O variations and fluid circulation in a deep shear zone: the case of the Alpine ultramylonites from the Aar Massif (Central Alps, Switzerland). Chem Geol 77:119–131
Friedman I, O'Neil JR (1977) Compilation of stable isotope fractionation factors of geochemical interest. U S Geol Surv Prof Pap 440-KK. U S Gov Print Off, Washington
Glen RA, Laing WP, Parker AJ, Rutland RWR (1977) Tectonic relationships between the Proterozoic Gawler and Willyama orogenic domains, Australia. J Geol Soc Aust 24.3:125–150
Gresens RL (1967) Composition-volume relationships of metasomatism. Chem Geol 2:47–65
Haar L, Gallagher JS, Kell GS (1984) Steam tables. Hemisphere Pub Co, Washington New York London
Handy MR, Zingg A (1991) The tectonic and rheological evolution of an attenuated cross section of the continental crust: Ivrea curstal section, southern Alps, northwestern Italy and southern Switzerland. Geol Soc Am Bull 103:236–253
Helgeson HC, Kirkham DH, Flowers GC (1981) Theoretical prediction of the thermodynamic behavior of aqueous electrolytes at high pressures and temperatures. IV. Calculation of activity coefficients, osmotic coefficients, and apparent molal and standard and relative partial molal properties to 600 °C and 5 kb. Am J Sci 281:1249–1516
Hemley JJ (1967) Aqueous Na/K ratios in the system K2O−Na2O−Al2O3−SiO2−H2O. Prog Abstr Ann Meet Geol Soc Am, pp 94–95
Hoernes S, Friedrichsen H (1978) Oxygen and hydrogen isotope study of the polymetamorphic area of the northern Ötztal-Stubai Alps (Tyrol). Contrib Mineral Petrol 67:305–315
Hofmann A (1972) Chromatographic theory of infiltration metasomatism and its application to feldspars. Am J Sci 272:69–90
Hull J (1988) Thickness-displacement relationships for deformation zones. J Struct Geol 10:431–435
Iiyama JT (1964) Étude des réactions d'éxchange d'ions Na−K dans la série muscovite-paragonite. Bull Soc Franç Minér Crist 87:532–541
Ilton ES, Eugster HP (1990) Partitioning of base metals between silicates, oxides, and a chloride-rich hydrothermal fluid. Part I. Evaluation of data derived from experimental and natural assemblages. In: Spencer RJ, Chou I-M (eds) Fluid-mineral interactions: a Tribute to H.P. Eugster (Geochem Soc Spec Pub 2). Geochem Soc, San Antonio, Texas, pp 157–169
Jamicson RA, Strong DF (1981) A metasomatic mylonite zone within the ophiolite aureole, St. Anthony complex, Newfoundland. Am J Sci 281:264–281
Jordan P (1988) The rheology of polymineralic rocks — an approach. Geol Rund 77:285–294
Kerrich R, Fyfe WS, Gorman BE, Allison I (1977) Local modification of rock chemistry by deformation. Contrib Mineral Petrol 65:183–190
Knipe RJ, Wintsch RP (1985) Heterogeneous deformation, foliation development, and metamorphic processes in a polyphase mylonite. In: Thompson AB, Rubie DC (eds) Metamorphic reactions. Kinetics, textures, and deformation. Springer, New York Berlin Heidelberg Tokyo, pp 180–210
Kronenberg AK, Kirby SH, Pinkston J (1990) Basal slip and mechanical anisotrophy of biotite. J Geophys Res B 95:19257–19278
Lagache M, Weisbrod A (1977) The system: two alkali feldspars-KCl−NaCl−H2O at moderate to high temperatures and low pressures. Contrib Mineral Petrol 62:77–101
Lasaga AC (1989) Fluid flow and chemical reaction kinetics in metamorphic systems: a new simple model. Earth Planet Sci Lett 94:417–424
Luce RW, Cygan GL, Hemley JJ, D'Angelo WM (1985) Some mineral stability relations in the system CaO−MgO−SiO2−H2O−HCl. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 49:525–538
Marquer D (1987) Transfert de matière et déformation progressive des granitoïdes. Exemple des massifs de l'Aar et due Gothard (Alps Centrales). Mem Docum Centre Arm Et Struct Socles, Rennes 10
Marquer D (1989) Transfert de matière et déformation des granitoïdes: aspects méthodologiques. Schweiz Mineral Petrogr Mitt 69:15–35
Marquer D, Gapais D, Capdevila R (1985) Comportement chimique et orthogneissification d'une granodiorite en faciès verts (Massif de l'Aar, Alps Centrales). Bull Minerál 108:209–221
Matsuhisa Y, Goldsmith JR, Clayton RN (1979) Oxygen isotopic fractionation in the system quartz-albite-anorthite-water. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 43:1131–1140
McCaig AM, Wickham SM, Taylor HP (1990) Deep fluid circulation in alpine shear zones, Pyrenees, France: field and oxygen isotope studies. Contrib Mineral Petrol 106:41–60
Munoz JL, Swenson A (1981) Chloride-hydroxyl exchange in biotite and estimation of relative HCl/HF activities in hydrothermal fluids. Econ Geol 76:2212–2221
Oelkers EH, Helgeson HC (1990) Triple-ion anions and polynuclear complexing in supercritical electrolyte solutions. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 54:727–738
O'Hara K (1990) State of strain in mylonites from the western Blue Ridge province, southern Appalachians: the role of volume loss. J Struct Geol 12:419–430
Oliver NHS, Valenta RK, Wall VJ (1990) The effect of heterogeneous stress and strain on metamorphic fluid flow, Mary Kathleen, Australia, and a model for large-scale fluid circulation. J Metamorphic Geol 8:311–331
O'Neil JR, Taylor HP Jr (1967) The oxygen isotope and cation exchange chemistry of feldspars. Am Mineral 52:1414–1437
Orville PM (1963) Alkali ion exchange between vapor and feldspar phases. Am J Sci 261:201–237
Owen JV (1988) Geochemical changes accompanying the mylonitization of diverse rock types from the Grenville front zone, eastern Labrador. Can J Earth Sci 25:1472–1484
Pascal ML, Anderson GM (1989) Speciation of Al, Si, and K in supercritical solutions: experimental study and interpretation. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 53:1843–1855
Passchier CW, (1985) Water-deficient mylonite zones — an example from the Pyrenees. Lithos 18:115–127
Pederson S Bridgwater D (1979) Isotopicre-equilibration of Rb-Sr whole rock systems during reworking of Archaean gneisses in the Nagssugtoqidian mobile belt, East Greenland. Rapp Grønlands Geol Unders 89:133–146
Phillips OM, (1990) Flow-controlled reactions in rock fabrics. J Fluid Mech 212:263–278
Pitzer KS (1983) Dielectric constant of water at very high temperature and pressure. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 80:4575–4576
Plimer JR (1975) The geochemistry of amphibolite retrogression at Broken Hill, Australia. N Jb Miner Mh 10:471–481
Schmid SM (1989) Episodes in Alpine orogeny. Geol Soc Am Abs Prog 21:A28
Shaw DM (1956) Geochemistry of pelitic rocks. Part III: Major elements and general geochemistry. Bull Geol Soc Am 67:919–934
Shea WT (1990) The experimental deformation of mica-rich schists: roles of fabric and mica content. Geol Soc Am Abs Prog 22:A140
Shock EL, Helgeson HC (1988) Calculation of the thermodynamic and transport properties of aqueous species at high temperatures and pressures: correlation algorithms for ionic species and equation of state predictions to 5 kb and 1000 °C. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 52:2009–2036
Simpson C, Wintsch RP (1989) Evidence for deformation-induced K-feldspar replacement by myrmekite. J Metamorphic Geol 7:261–275
Smith BM, Reynolds SJ, Day HW, Bodnar RJ (1991) Deep-seated fluid involvement in ductile-brittle deformation and mineralization, South Mountains metamorphic core complex, Arizona. Geol Soc Am Bull 103:559–569
Sørensen K (1983) Growth and dynamics of the Nordre Strømfjord shear zone. J Geophys Res B 88:3419–3437
Sverjensky DA, Hemley JJ, D'Angelo WM (1991) Thermodynamic assessment of hydrothermal alkali feldspar-mica-aluminosilicate equilibria. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 55:989–1004
Thompson JB Jr (1982) Reaction space: an algebraic and geometric approach. In: Ferry JM (ed) Characterization of metamorphism through mineral equilibria (Reviews in Mineralogy 10) Min Soc Am, Washington, D.C., pp 33–52
Thompson JB Jr, Waldbaum DR (1969) Mixing properties of sanidine crystalline solutions: III. Calculations based on two-phase data. Am Mineral 54:811–838
Walther JV, Orville PM (1982) Volatile production and transport in regional metamorphism. Contrib Mineral Petrol 79:252–257
Walther JV, Wood BJ (1984) Rate and mechanism in prograde metamorphism. Contrib Mineral Petrol 88:246–259
Weaver BL, Tarney J (1981) Lewisian gneiss geochemistry and Archaean crustal development models. Earth Planet Sci Lett 55:171–180
Webb SAC, Wood BJ (1986) Spinel-pyroxene-garnet relationships and their dependence on Cr/Al ratio. Contrib Mineral Petrol 92:471–480
White SH, Knipe RJ (1978) Transformation- and reaction-enhanced ductility in rocks. J Geol Soc Lond 135:513–516
Whitney JA, Hemley JJ, Simon FO (1985) The concentration of iron in chloride solutions equilibrated with synthetic granitic compositions: the sulfur-free system. Econ Geol 80:444–460
Wintsch RP, Andrews MS, Ambers CP (1990) Thrust napping versus fold napping in the Avalon terrane of southeastern Connecticut. In: Socci AD, Skehan JW, Smith GW (eds) Geology of the composite Avalon terrane of southern New England. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 245, Boulder, Colorado, pp 209–233
Wintsch RP, Sutter JF, Kunk MJ, Aleinikoff JN, Dorais MJ (1992) contrasting P-T-t paths: thermochronologic evidence for a late Paleozoic final assembly of the Avalon composite terrane in the New England Appalachians. Tectonics 11:672–689
Wolery TJ (1983) A computer program for geochemical aqueous speciation-solubility calculations: user's guide and documentation. Lawrence Livermore University, Livermore, California
Yardley BWD (1983) Quartz veins and devolatilization during metamorphism. J Geol Soc Lond 140:657–663
Zhu C, Sverjensky DA (1991) Partitioning of F−Cl−OH between minerals and hydrothermal fluids. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 55:1837–1858
Zingg A (1983) The Ivrea and Strona-Ceneri zones (southern Alps, Ticino and N-Italy) — a review. Schweiz Mineral Petrogr Mitt 63:361–392
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dipple, G.M., Ferry, J.M. Metasomatism and fluid flow in ductile fault zones. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 112, 149–164 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00310451
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00310451