Stability and isotopic dating of monazite and allanite in partially molten rocks: Examples from the Central Alps

Abstract

We investigated the stability of monazite and allanite as a function of bulk rock composition within several types of Tertiary Alpine anatexites, characterized by different compositions and melting reactions, but similar P-T conditions of melting. The investigated rocks consist of: (1) orthogneisses in which the melting reaction was triggered by water infiltration from the Bergell pluton; (2) anatectic tonalites, which were affected by water-assisted melting; and (3) metapelitic migmatites, which underwent muscovite dehydration melting. The studied anatexites cover a large range of Ca contents and water activities during partial melting, and allow an assessment of how much these parameters affect the stability of accessory phases. The different melting reactions that affected these rocks generated different water activities during the melt-present stage; they were highest in the water-saturated, contact metamorphic anatexites, and lowest in the metapelitic anatexites that underwent dehydration melting. These differences go together with different accessory phases within the migmatites. Whereas metapelitic anatexites only contain monazite, anatexites derived from tonalitic and granodioritic protoliths mainly contain allanite. This is consistent with observations made on Tertiary Alpine anatexites, suggesting that the growth of specific accessory phases is determined by the water activity and Ca content during melting. We measured single-grain monazite U/Pb isotope ages. One grain has relics of old cores, which have also been detected in Y-zonation patterns of the monazite. The data of unzoned monazites indicate partial melting in the Southern Steep Belt between 30.78 ± 0.14 and 28.10 ± 0.28 Ma. © 2009 Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel.