GY303 Igneous &

Metamorphic Petrology
Lecture 10: Metamorphic Rock
Associations
Outline of this Presentation
• Graphical Representation of Metamorphic
Reactions and Mineral Assemblages
• Types of Metamorphic Reactions
• Metamorphism of Mafic and Ultramafic Igneous
Rocks
• Metamorphism of Aluminous Clastic Sedimentary
Rocks
• Metamorphism of Calcareous (carbonate) Rocks
Multi-component Systems
• Ternary phase diagrams are
the most useful
• Quaternary systems are used
but only as “projected” from
an apex to a ternary “face”
• Relatively pure minerals with
no significant solid solution
will plot as points
• Solid solution mineral phases
will generally plot as lines or
areas on a ternary phase
diagram
Example of Ternary Metamorphic
Phase Diagram
• Anhydrous CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 (CO2 saturated) system
• Most likely bulk compositions would fall into a divariant field
consisting of 3 phases

Bulk composition =
An + Q + Aluminosilicate

Figure 19-6:
CaO-Al2O3-
SiO2
Ternary
Eskola’s ACF Ternary
• Eskola (Father of Metamorphic Petrology)
• ACF: (all components in molecular proportions)
– A = Al2O3 + Fe2O3 – (Na2O + K2O)
– C = CaO – 3.3 P2O5
– F = FeO + MgO + MnO
• Diagram is a good phase model for calcareous
mud rocks
• Assumes that quartz is present in rock
ACF Calculation from Weight %
Oxides
• Oxides are converted to molecular Oxide Sample M.W. Mol.
proportions Oxide Prop.
Wt %
• A = Al2O3 + Fe2O3 – (Na2O + Oxide
K2O) = 0.1539 + 0.0019 – (0.029 +
0.0002) = 0.1266 SiO2 64.72 60.08 1.0771
• C = CaO – 3.33 (P2O5) = 0.2138 –
3.33(0.0015) = 0.2089 Al2O3 15.69 101.96 0.1539
• F = FeO + MgO + MnO = 0.0237 + Fe2O3 0.30 159.64 0.0019
0.0670 + 0.0042 = 0.0949
• A, C, F are then converted to FeO 1.70 71.85 0.0237
ternary proportions and plotted on
the ACF ternary graph MnO 0.30 70.94 0.0042
• A% = A/(A+C+F)*100 = 0.1266 /
(0.1266 + 0.2089 + 0.0949) *100 = MgO 2.70 40.30 0.0670
29.5%
CaO 11.99 56.08 0.2138
• C% = C/(A+C+F)*100 = 48.5%
• F% = F/(A+C+F)*100 = 22.0% Na2O 1.80 61.98 0.0290
K2O 0.02 94.20 0.0002
P2O5 0.21 141.94 0.0015
ACF Minerals Mineral Molecular A% C% F%
Formula

• Minerals: Anorthite, Epidote,

Grossular, Calcite, Anorthite CaAl2Si2O8 50 50 0
Wollastonite, Dolomite, (1CaO + 1Al2O3
Diopside, Tremolite, + 0FeO)
Hornblende, Talc, Grossular Ca3Al2Si3O12 25 75
Orthopyroxene, Chlorite, (3CaO + 1Al2O3
Garnet, Cordierite, Staurolite, + 0FeO)
Aluminosilicate
Alumino- Al2SiO5 100 0 0
• Note that Hornblende, Chlorite
silicate
and Garnet have significant
solid solution
• Chlorite and Garnet overlap in Diopside Ca(Mg,Fe)Si2O6 0 50 50
composition- which is present (1CaO +
depends on metamorphic 1(MgO,FeO) +
grade 0Al2O3
A’KF Ternary
• Useful as a companion to ACF diagrams for K-
bearing metamorphic minerals in aluminous
meta-sedimentary (metapelite) rocks
• A’KF:
– A’ = Al2O3 + Fe2O3 – (Na2O + K2O + CaO)
– K = K2O
– F = FeO + MgO + MnO
• Minerals: Muscovite, Biotite, K-Feld,
Aluminosilicate, Staurolite, Cordierite, Garnet,
Chlorite
ACF/A’KF Diagram
• Combined diagrams are a good way to view mineral
assemblages in most metasedimentary rocks
Figure 19-7 : ACF & A’KF Ternary graphs
AKFM Tetrahedron
• Projects bulk composition from Ms to the AFM ternary
“face”
• Assumes Q+Ms are always present in the metamorphic
rock
• Good for visualizing the variability of Chlorite, Biotite,
Garnet and Staurolite solid solution
AKFM Projection (From Ms)
AFM Ternary

• Good for Fe-Mg solid solution phases

 Ternary
“Tie-Lines”
• Define mineral phases in
equilibrium with bulk
composition
• Example (x) is in equilibrium
with St+Pl+Ga on the ACF
ternary
• Example (x) is in equilibrium
with Ga+St+Bi in the AFM
• Example (x) is in equilibrium
with Ga+St+Ms+Bi in the
A’KF indicating dis-
equlibrium or that the
composition is on a
univariant curve
Metamorphic Reactions on Ternary
Phase Diagrams
• In general the breakdown of a mineral
because it is unstable at current PT
conditions will cause a re-alignment of tie
lines and new 3-phase stability fields
• An example would be the loss of staurolite
in a schist due to the reaction:
St + Ms + Q = Ga + Bi + Sil + H2O
Metamorphic Reactions cont.
• Figure 20-5 (A) & (B): Compositions x, y, z contain different stable
assemblages at lower staurolite grade
• At higher grade (staurolite unstable) all 3 compositions contain the same
mineral assemblage Ga+Sill+Bi (but with different proportions).
Types of Metamorphic Reactions

• Most are dehydration reactions:

– Garnet + chlorite + muscovite = staurolite +
biotite + quartz + H2O
• Decarbonization reactions are common in
calcareous protoliths:
– CaCO3 + SiO2 = CaSiO3 (wollastonite) + CO2
Metamorphism of Mafic &
Ultramafic Rocks
• Seafloor Metamorphism: hydrothermal
seawater fluid circulates through new
ocean lithosphere
• Mafic Low Grade: Chl + Ab-Pl + Act + Ep
• Mafic Med. Grade: Pl + HBl + Ga
• Mafic High Grade: Cpx + Opx + Garnet +
Hbl
Ultramafic Protoliths

• Low grade: Chl + Ol + Talc + Trem

• Med grade: Chl + Ol + Anth + Trem
• High grade: Ol + Opx + Cpx + Spinel
ACF Ternary for Mafic Compositions

• Lower Greenschist Facies (Barrovian)

• Chl+Ep+Ct common
ACF Ternary for Mafic
Compositions/Lower Amphibolite
Facies
• Plagioclase is dominantly Ab
• Greenstones fall in Pl + Ep + Mg-Chl ternary
ACF for Mafic compositions/ Middle
Grade Barrovian Type
• Middle Amphibolite Facies
• Mafic basalt/gabbro = Pl + Hbl + Ga
ACF at Upper Amphibolite Facies/
Mafic compositions
• Upper amphibolite facies/ Granulite facies
• Mafic basalt/gabbro = Hbl + Pl + Cpx
ACF Granulite Facies for Mafic
Rocks
• Hornblende and other hydrated mineral phases
become unstable
• Opx may form in MgO+FeO rich compositions
Metamorphism of Aluminous Clastic
Rocks (Metapelites)
• Most sedimentary rocks are clastic, and
most clastic sediments are aluminous
shale, claystone or mudstones
• Chemical weathering favors concentration
of Al2O3 (most insoluble oxide)
Metamorphism of Pelites: Barrovian
Facies
• Pelites are the most likely crustal rock to
become metamorphosed
• Pelites are chemically reactive
• A’KF and AFM ternary diagrams are most
effective in displaying mineral
assemblages
Barrovian Isograds
• Each isograd indicates increasing grade (T)
 Example: Chlorite to
Biotite
• Isograd represents changing
stability area on phase diagram
Staurolite “Out” Reaction

• In some cases the loss of a mineral phase

is significant
Staurolite “Out” PT phase diagram

• St+Ms+Q = Als+Bt+Ga
Barrovian Pelitic Chlorite Zone

• Pelitic rocks (Aluminous shale protolith)

• Fine-grained slates, phyllites
• Qtz+Ms(phengite)+Chl+Ab
Barrovian Pelitic Biotite Zone

• First appearance of small biotite crystals in

a fine-grained schist (“spotted schist”)
• Qtz+Chl+Bi+Ab
• Note that the biotite producing reaction
may consume chlorite, but not all chlorite
will be consumed and some remains in
equilibrium with biotite.
Barrovian Pelitic Garnet Zone
• 1st appearance of small almandine (Fe) garnets
in schist
• Note that with the right bulk composition that
garnet may form before biotite
• Qtz+Ms+Bi+Ga+Ab
• Appearance of garnet is typically around 450C
• As more garnet is produced chlorite is consumed
entirely as increasing grade (T).
“Chlorite out, Garnet
in” Reaction
• Note that the Ga+Chl+Bi 3-phase
triangle on AFM ternary keeps
shifting to the right at higher grade.
• The Bulk composition remains in
the same position therefore Chl is
lost at the expense of Ga.
 Barrovian Pelitic Staurolite Zone
• Al-rich: Ga+St+Bi
• Fe-rich: Chl+St+Bi
Barrovian Pelitic Kyanite Zone

• This is the first occurrence in pelitic rocks

of a aluminosilicate phase (T=550C)
• Staurolite is lost to leave Ky+Bi+Ga
Q

Ga

Ky
Ms
Bi
 Barrovian Pelitic Sillimanite Zone

• Highest grade
attained without
loss of schistose
texture
• Sill+Ga+Bi
Sill (fibrolite)

Figure 22-9A : Sillimanite as fibrolite from a Sill+Ga+Bi+Ms+Q schist

Barrovian Pelitic
Sillimanite+Orthoclase zone
• Represents loss of
muscovite by the raction
Ms+Q = Sill+Ksp+H2O
• The production of K- Ga Bi
feldspar and loss of
muscovite usually produces
a gneissic texture from the Sill
former schist

Figure 22-9B: Coarse prismatic sillimanite (diamond shaped cross-section)

from a Q+Bi+Ga+Sill+Ksp gneiss
Buchan (Low-P) Pelitic Mineral
Assemblages
• The Buchan zone represents
geothermal gradients between
Hornfels (contact) and
Barrovian gradients (i.e. higher
T at equivalent P compared to
Barrovian)
• Key mineral phases are
Andalusite and Cordierite

Figure 22-14A,B,C: AFM diagrams for the Buchan metamorphic gradient

 Migmatitic (Partially Melted)
Metamorphic Rocks
• The upper end of metamorphism is
melting
• Melting does not occur equally in the
variable composition of
metasediments therefore the result
is migmatite (mixed rock)

Figure 22-15: migmatite exposure

Figure 22-16: Melting curve with important metamorphic reactions

Eutectic Melting in “Wet” Q-Pl-Ksp
system
• The eutectic of the Q-Pl-Ksp system is close to
the bulk composition of pelitic and arkosic
sandstone favoring melt production
• Resulting melts are S-type granite, and leave
behind granulite Ga+Cpx+Opx rocks

Figure 22-17: Q-Pl-Ksp igneous system.

Metamorphism of Calcareous
(Carbonate) Rocks
• Protolith would be limestone or dolostone
• Metamorphic fluid will contain significant
amounts of CO2
• Impure limestone and dolostone protoliths
contain more chemical components and
therefore produce more stable minerals at
a given P-T condition
Typical Mineral Assemblages in
Calcareous Protoliths
• Very low grade
– Pure marbles: Cc+Do+Qtz
– Impure marbles: Cc+Chl+Ab+Qtz
• Low grade
– Pure marbles: Cc+Do+Q+Tlc
– Impure marbles: Cc+Chl+Ms+Ab+Q
• Medium Grade
– Pure Marbles: Cc+Do+Q+Cpx+Trem
– Impure Marbles: Cc+Bi+Pl+Ca-Amph+Sph+Q+Ep
• High Grade
– Pure Marbles: Cc+Do+Ol+Wo
– Impure Marbles: Ca-Amph+Cpx+Ep+Ca-Pl+Sph+Q+Cc
• Very High/Contact
– Pure Marbles: Cc+Cpx+Ol+Wo
– Impure Marbles: Ca-Ga+Ca-Pl+Cpx+Sph+Q
Ca-Mg-Si Ternary: Low to Medium
Grade
• Dark gray=
pure
marble; light
gray =
siliceous
marble

Figure 23-5: Increasing grade from A to D.

Ca-Mg-Si Ternary: Medium to High
Grade

Figure 23-7: Grade increasing from A to D.

Exam Summary for Metamorphic
Rock Associations
• Know the definitions of the ternary classification
diagrams (ACF, AKF, AFM).
• A in ACF = Al2O3 + Fe2O3 – (Na2O + K2O)
• C in ACF = CaO – 3.3 P2O5
• F in ACF = FeO + MgO + MnO
• Know how to plot minerals on ACF, etc., for
example Anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8) = 1C + 1A + 0F
= 50%C + 50% A + 0%F
Exam Summary continued …
• Know what mineral assemblages are best for a particular
ternary (AFM is good for Fe-Mg solid solutions like
Garnet and Biotite)
• Be able to determine the stable mineral assemblage on a
ternary given a bulk rock composition
• Be able to explain the meaning of “crossing” tie lines
(i.e. sample is in disequilibrium or it happens to be
located on a univariant curve)
• Be able to predict mineral reactions or replacement
textures based on a bulk composition on 2 different
ternary diagrams representing a change in grade.