Skip to main content
Log in

Fluid-induced alteration of monazite, magnetite, and sulphides during the albitization of a Palaeoproterozoic granite from the Jiao-Liao-Ji orogenic belt, North China Craton

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Monazite and magnetite are sensitive indicators of local fluid chemistry, pressure, and temperature during metasomatism. In this study, the role of fluids, during the metamorphism of a granite to metagranite, (Jiao-Liao-Ji orogenic belt, North China Craton), is explored via monazite, magnetite, and pyrite microtextures and mineral chemistry coupled with zircon and monazite Th–U–Pb dating. CL bright zircon cores (2163 ± 17 Ma) record the crystallization age of the granite. BSE dark monazite cores (1876 ± 36 Ma) are characterized by high U and Ca and low Nd contents. The surrounding BSE bright mantle (1836 ± 14 Ma) is characterized by abundant fine-grained huttonite inclusions, a high porosity, a high Th and Si content, and a low P, La, Ce, and Y content. The monazites are surrounded by a three-layered concentric corona consisting of first fluorapatite, followed by allanite, and then epidote. TiO2 in the primary magmatic magnetite (Mag1–1) has been mobilized to form a series of compositionally and texturally distinct magnetites (Mag1–2, Mag2, Mag3, Mag4, and Mag5) associated with ilmenite, rutile, and titanite reaction textures. Combined, these results suggest that external NaCl and sulphate-bearing fluids derived from a local sulphate-bearing evaporate infiltrated the granite and induced the formation of pyrite and enriched the pre-existing monazite in S at around 1904 Ma. In situ δ34S values for pyrite range from 13.03 ‰ to 13.41 ‰, which is typical of metamorphic pyrite. Sporadic synchysite-(Y) inclusions in the pyrite indicate a local CO2-rich component in the fluid. The BSE bright mantle around monazite formed from later fluids from the same local evaporite deposit during the decompression stage of the Jiao-Liao-Ji orogenic belt at around  ~ 1840 Ma, which overlaps with zircon dark rims at 1849 ± 12 Ma. This same Na-bearing fluid induced the albitization of the feldspars, formation of apatite–allanite–epidote coronas around monazite, and formation of rutile–titanite–epidote alteration textures associated with magnetite and ilmenite exsolved from the magnetite. During subsequent much later greenschist facies metamorphism, muscovite, chlorite, and Mag5 were precipitated along mineral grain boundaries, mineral cleavage, micropores, and fractures and pyrite experienced partial alteration to goethite.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

modified from Tian et al. 2017), eastern Liaoning Province, with the metagranite location (16KD67) marked by a star in a circle. Some granite and pegmatite ages are also marked

Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

taken from Heinrich et al. (1997). c Al + Mn vs. Ti + V diagram (Nadoll et al. 2014a) for the different magnetite types. d Sulfur isotopic compositions from the metagranite, the evaporite, and the metamorphic rocks in the Liaohe Group

Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank professor Andrew Putnis, researcher Shuai Guo, Zhonghua Tian, Pinghua Liu and Jia Cai for their helpful discussion. Two anonymous reviewers’ constructive comments and reviews are gratefully acknowledged.

Funding

This research is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Projects 92062214, 41890833, 41430210), the Chinese Geological Survey Bureau project (Grant nos. DD20160121) and Basic Scientific Research Foundation of the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (J2009).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lei Ji.

Additional information

Communicated by Daniela Rubatto.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ji, L., Liu, F., Harlov, D. et al. Fluid-induced alteration of monazite, magnetite, and sulphides during the albitization of a Palaeoproterozoic granite from the Jiao-Liao-Ji orogenic belt, North China Craton. Contrib Mineral Petrol 176, 81 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-021-01835-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-021-01835-z

Keywords

Navigation