39
Ordovician metamorphism and plutonism in the Sierra de Quilmes metamorphic complex: Implications for the tectonic setting of the northern Sierras Pampeanas (NW Argentina) S.H. Bqttner a,b, T , J. Glodny c , F. Lucassen c , K. Wemmer d , S. Erdmann b,e , R. Handler f , G. Franz b a Department of Geology, Rhodes University Grahamstown, South Africa b Institut fu ¨r Angewandte Geowissenschaften, Technische Universita ¨t Berlin, Germany c GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany d Institut fu ¨r Geologie und Dynamik der Lithospha ¨re (IGDL), Universita ¨t Go ¨ttingen, Germany e Dalhousie Department of Earth Sciences, Nova Scotia, Canada f Institut fu ¨r Geologie, Universita ¨t Salzburg, Austria Received 30 April 2004; accepted 26 January 2005 Available online 3 June 2005 Abstract Towards unravelling the geodynamic setting of the northern Sierras Pampeanas (NW Argentina) we describe the tectono- metamorphic and geochronologic evolution of sub-greenschist to granulite facies metamorphic sediments, granitoid plutons, and pegmatites in the Ordovician Sierra de Quilmes metamorphic complex. The protoliths of the metasediments are represented by a sequence of turbidites and minor calcsilicate rocks of the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Puncoviscana Formation. The metamorphic complex consists of four zones including the (1) chlorite, (2) biotite–muscovite, (3) garnet–cordierite–sillimanite, and (4) orthopyroxene zones. Zones (3) and (4) show an increasing degree of anatexis, reaching large-scale diatexis in the orthopyroxene zone at PT conditions exceeding ~800 8C and 600 MPa. At, or shortly after the metamorphic peak, the granitic to tonalitic Cafayate pluton intruded approximately along the boundary between anatectic and non-anatectic rocks. Retrograde near-isobaric cooling of the middle crust was accompanied by non-penetrative ductile shearing at granulite to amphibolite facies PT conditions. Evidence for significant prograde deformation is absent in the Sierra de Quilmes metamorphic complex. Monazite and titanite U–Pb isotopic data constrain the metamorphic peak in migmatites and calcsilicate rocks to be at or slightly prior to ~470 Ma. Retrograde amphibolite facies mineral reactions led to continuous formation of monazite and titanite during slow cooling between ~470 Ma and 455 Ma (U–Pb data). The composite Cafayate pluton intruded over a time interval of several million years between ~477 Ma (Sm–Nd isochron) and ~460 Ma (monazite and titanite U–Pb isochron), followed by pegmatites. A younger group of pegmatites was emplaced in the country rocks at the end of the Ordovician (~440 Ma, Rb–Sr mineral isochrons), postdating most of the retrograde shear zones. Resetting of the muscovite K–Ar and 40 Ar– 39 Ar system in 0024-4937/$ - see front matter D 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V. doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2005.01.006 T Corresponding author. Department of Geology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa. E-mail address: [email protected] (S.H. Bqttner). Lithos 83 (2005) 143 – 181 www.elsevier.com/locate/lithos

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    pegmatites. A younger group of pegmatites was emplaced in the country rocks at the end of the Ordovician (~440 Ma, RbSr

    mineral isochrons), postdating most of the retrograde shear zones. Resetting of the muscovite KAr and 40Ar39Ar system in

    Lithos 83 (2005) 143181

    www.elsevier.com/locate/lithosAbstract

    Towards unravelling the geodynamic setting of the northern Sierras Pampeanas (NW Argentina) we describe the tectono-

    metamorphic and geochronologic evolution of sub-greenschist to granulite facies metamorphic sediments, granitoid plutons,

    and pegmatites in the Ordovician Sierra de Quilmes metamorphic complex. The protoliths of the metasediments are represented

    by a sequence of turbidites and minor calcsilicate rocks of the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Puncoviscana Formation. The

    metamorphic complex consists of four zones including the (1) chlorite, (2) biotitemuscovite, (3) garnetcordieritesillimanite,

    and (4) orthopyroxene zones. Zones (3) and (4) show an increasing degree of anatexis, reaching large-scale diatexis in the

    orthopyroxene zone at PT conditions exceeding ~800 8C and 600 MPa. At, or shortly after the metamorphic peak, the graniticto tonalitic Cafayate pluton intruded approximately along the boundary between anatectic and non-anatectic rocks. Retrograde

    near-isobaric cooling of the middle crust was accompanied by non-penetrative ductile shearing at granulite to amphibolite facies

    PT conditions. Evidence for significant prograde deformation is absent in the Sierra de Quilmes metamorphic complex.

    Monazite and titanite UPb isotopic data constrain the metamorphic peak in migmatites and calcsilicate rocks to be at or

    slightly prior to ~470 Ma. Retrograde amphibolite facies mineral reactions led to continuous formation of monazite and titanite

    during slow cooling between ~470 Ma and 455 Ma (UPb data). The composite Cafayate pluton intruded over a time interval of

    several million years between ~477 Ma (SmNd isochron) and ~460 Ma (monazite and titanite UPb isochron), followed byOrdovician metamorphism and plutonism in the Sierra de Quilmes

    metamorphic complex: Implications for the tectonic setting of

    the northern Sierras Pampeanas (NW Argentina)

    S.H. Bqttnera,b,T, J. Glodnyc, F. Lucassenc, K. Wemmerd, S. Erdmannb,e,R. Handlerf, G. Franzb

    aDepartment of Geology, Rhodes University Grahamstown, South AfricabInstitut fur Angewandte Geowissenschaften, Technische Universitat Berlin, Germany

    cGeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, GermanydInstitut fur Geologie und Dynamik der Lithosphare (IGDL), Universitat Gottingen, Germany

    eDalhousie Department of Earth Sciences, Nova Scotia, CanadafInstitut fur Geologie, Universitat Salzburg, Austria

    Received 30 April 2004; accepted 26 January 20050024-4937/$ - s

    doi:10.1016/j.lit

    T CorrespondiE-mail addree front matter D 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.

    hos.2005.01.006

    ng author. Department of Geology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa.

    ess: [email protected] (S.H. Bqttner).

  • covi

    s me

    f ma

    phic

    osed

    lt tec

    etting

    dime

    ronolo

    LithosThe Ordovician high-grade metamorphism of the

    Famatinian event was accompanied by the formation

    of extensional marine sediment basins particularly at

    the northern margin of the Sierras Pampeanas (e.g.

    Bahlburg, 1991).

    Despite a large number of publications, the

    evolution and geodynamic setting of the Sierras

    Pampeanas is still the subject of controversy. Two

    conflicting models have been proposed, both with

    internal variations by different authors and, in the light

    of increasing data density and quality over the past 20

    years, evolutionary modifications. One school of

    thought follows concepts initially published by

    Ramos et al. (1986) and Ramos (1988) that have

    indicating subduction-related metamorphism are

    absent. The concept of continent collision and terrane

    amalgamation has been questioned in numerous

    publications on the basis of field observation, bio-

    stratigraphic, palaeomagnetic, sedimentological, geo-

    chemical, geochronological, and petrological data

    (e.g., Mon and Hongn, 1991; Bahlburg and Herve,

    1997; Bock et al., 2000; Franz and Lucassen, 2001;

    Acenolaza et al., 2002). The existence of proposed

    terranes in the northern Sierras Pampeanas and

    northern Chile has been challenged because of a

    consistent and uniform geochronologic and petrologic

    evolution across proposed suture zones (e.g., Lucas-

    sen et al., 2000). In a contrasting model, Lucassen etweakly deformed pegmatites and crystallisation of new mus

    attributed to minor late greenschist and sub-greenschist facie

    The massive Early Ordovician heat transfer, the absence o

    of non-penetrative deformation in the high-grade metamor

    thickening and continent collision models, as have been prop

    or stepwise extensional tectonics in a back-arc or a mobile be

    the northern Sierras Pampeanas in general. An extensional s

    agreement with the coeval formation of marine extensional se

    Argentina and southern Bolivia.

    D 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.

    Keywords: PTt(d) path; Anatexis; Near-isobaric cooling; Geoch

    1. Introduction

    The Sierras Pampeanas in northwestern Argentina

    (Fig. 1) were consolidated at the southwestern margin

    of Gondwana during the Middle Cambrian Pampean

    and the Ordovician to Devonian/Silurian Famatinian

    orogenies (e.g., Pankhurst and Rapela, 1998a; Lucas-

    sen and Becchio, 2003). The Sierras Pampeanas

    consist mainly of metamorphic equivalents of turbi-

    ditic sediments of the late Neoproterozoic to Early

    Cambrian Puncoviscana Formation, which have been

    interpreted as passive margin deposits formed along

    the palaeo-Pacific continental margin (e.g., Jezek et

    al., 1985). Large parts of the Puncoviscana Formation

    underwent regional metamorphism of up to granulite

    facies conditions during both the Pampean and

    Famatinian events, leading to large-scale anatexis

    and widespread plutonism in the Sierras Pampeanas.

    S.H. Buttner et al. /144favoured eastward subduction along an active Gond-

    wana margin, leading to the formation of a magmaticte in low-grade metamorphic sediments at ~400416 Ma is

    tamorphism and deformation.

    jor prograde deformation, and subsequent, prolonged phases

    zones during slow near-isobaric cooling contradict crustal

    for the southern Sierras Pampeanas. We suggest continuous

    tonic environment for the Ordovician Sierra de Quilmes, and

    of the northern Sierras Pampeanas in the Ordovician is in

    nt basins in vicinity of the Sierras Pampeanas in northwestern

    gy; Extensional tectonics

    arc and to successive and repeated collisional accre-

    tion of exotic and parautochthonous terranes in the

    latest Proterozoic and in the early Palaeozoic. These

    models are based mainly on large-scale structural

    patterns, tectonic models, and palaeo-magnetic data.

    They have been widely accepted, used, and modified

    in numerous later publications (e.g., Willner, 1990;

    Dalla Salda et al., 1992; Ramos, 1995; Rapela et al.,

    1998a; several contributions in Pankhurst and Rapela,

    1998b; Omarini et al., 1999), or served as tectonic and

    geodynamic background information for local and

    petrogenetic studies undertaken in the Sierras Pam-

    peanas (e.g., Otamendi et al., 1998, 1999).

    However, typical indications for the subduction of

    oceanic lithosphere, such as mafic or ultramafic rocks

    that have been interpreted as ophiolites (Lottner and

    Miller, 1986), are rare in the Sierras Pampeanas.

    Blueschist or eclogite facies metamorphic rocks

    83 (2005) 143181al. (2000) have interpreted the Pampean and Famati-

    nian orogenies as contiguous stages in the evolution

  • ithosCalama

    22 S

    Very low-grade to unmetamor-phosed Puncoviscana FormationMetamorphic and igneous base-

    Ordovician basin sediments

    Boliv

    ia70 W 66 W22 S

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lof an intra-cratonic mobile belt close to the south-

    western Gondwana margin. The evolution of the

    mobile belt culminated in widespread low-P/high-T

    metamorphism at 525500 Ma, followed by a long-

    standing high-thermal gradient regime in the mid

    crust, which persisted until Silurian time (Lucassen

    and Becchio, 2003).

    The tectono-metamorphic evolution of the northern

    Sierras Pampeanas is shown in a tilted segment of the

    crustal migmatites and high-grade metamorphic

    gneisses grade into upper-crustal medium- to very

    Sierrade Quilmes

    Tucuman

    Salta

    26 S

    32 S70 W 66 W

    Cafayate

    ? ment of the Sierras Pampeanas

    Chile

    Arge

    ntin

    a

    200 km

    26 S

    32 S

    Chile Argentina

    Parag.

    Ur.

    Bra.

    Fig. 1. Outcrop of the pre-Devonian basement (modified after

    Lucassen et al., 2000; SEGEMAR, 1997) including the central and

    northern Sierras Pampeanas, the Puncoviscana Formation, and the

    exposed relicts of the Ordovician sediment basins in northwestern

    Argentina. In the northern Sierra de Quilmes sediments of the

    Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Puncoviscana Formation grade in

    metamorphic rocks. Ordovician basins cover the basement of the

    Sierras Pampeanas and the Puncoviscana Formation. Mesozoic and

    Cenozoic westeast crustal shortening during the Andean Orogeny

    caused the northsouth trending outcrop of all units. The box shows

    the location of the map in Fig. 2.low-grade metasediments, exposing a metamorphic

    complex in a tilted crustal segment (Fig. 2). We

    consider the Sierra de Quilmes as a key area for the

    understanding of the crustal evolution in the northern

    Sierras Pampeanas, because rocks of various meta-

    morphic grades are accessible which sheare the same

    geological history at different levels of the crust.

    The sedimentary protoliths of the metamorphic

    rocks belong to the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian

    Puncoviscana Formation, which consists mainly of

    turbidites (Acenolaza et al., 1988; Jezek, 1990;

    Omarini et al., 1999) deposited in a large sediment

    basin that extended from Bolivia to central Argentina

    (~338S) roughly between 648 and 688W (Rapela et al.,1990). Sediment sources were cratonic parts of south-upper to middle crust forming the Sierra de Quilmes

    metamorphic complex. In this paper we present

    integrated data on the metamorphic and geochrono-

    logical evolution of a metapelitic to meta-greywacke

    sequence in a high thermal gradient environment, and

    correlate the PTt evolution with the timing of

    regional tectonics and granitic and pegmatitic pluton-

    ism. We discuss the tectono-metamorphic evolution in

    the high-grade metamorphic basement in the context

    of the coeval formation of sediment basins, which

    have covered large parts of the Sierras Pampeanas in

    northwestern Argentina. We propose a non-colli-

    sional, most likely extensional, geodynamic setting

    of the northern Sierras Pampeanas in the Ordovician

    and Silurian periods.

    2. Geologic setting of the Sierra de Quilmes

    The Sierras Pampeanas form large northsouth

    trending mountain ranges in central and northwestern

    Argentina between 248 and 348S and 648 and 688W(Fig. 1) and consist mainly of gneisses, schists,

    migmatites, phyllites, and, less commonly, marbles

    and metabasites. Low-P/high-T metamorphism with

    crustal anatexis, associated granitic plutonism and

    polyphase deformation are typical and widespread

    phenomena in the Sierras Pampeanas. At their north-

    ern end, in the Sierra de Quilmes (~268S, 668W), mid-

    83 (2005) 143181 145west Gondwana (Acenolaza et al., 1988; Schwartz and

    Gromet, 2004). The maximum stratigraphic age is

  • Tolombn

    Colalao del Valle

    Cafayate

    ?

    Chlorite zone

    Biotite-muscovite zone

    Garnet-cordierite-sillimanite zone

    Cafayate pluton

    Pegmatite swarms

    Sample loc. for geochronology

    Other loc. mentioned in text

    Opx

    Opx

    Opx

    Chl

    Bt+Ms

    532 Loc./sample No.

    Orthopyroxene zone and unclas-sified high-grade metamorphic basement

    PVCL/ sedimentary bedding

    55 Cleavage and stretching lineation in ductile shear zones

    52

    ?

    ?

    ?

    ?

    ?

    Bt+Ms

    Sil+CrdG

    rt

    ?

    ?

    ?

    ?

    ?

    43510 (K-Ar)

    45011 (K-Ar)

    45714 (K-Ar)

    42012 (K-Ar)

    468 (U-Pb)

    4429 (Sm-Nd) (a)

    4548 (Ar-Ar)

    4087 (Ar-Ar)

    4087 (Ar-Ar)

    4428 (Ar-Ar)

    4385 (Rb-Sr)

    4405 (Rb-Sr)

    441 (Rb-Sr)

    47711 (Sm-Nd)4608 (U-Pb)

    4603 (U-Pb)

    ~ 4028 (K-Ar)

    473 (U-Pb)

    ~ 3858 (K-Ar)

    459 (U-Pb)

    552

    MM 110MM72

    540, 542

    620

    0 1 0km

    MM 61

    477

    MM 22 MM 53

    551

    MM 26

    (12 km south)

    619

    526523

    515

    513

    465

    557

    482/83

    488

    496

    510

    472

    506

    532528

    556537

    554

    Angastaco Formation (Miocene)

    63

    47

    4651

    67

    56

    78

    52

    56

    69 58

    43

    6382

    51

    30

    655762

    73

    5382

    59

    5649

    71

    55

    45

    55

    6277

    55

    5174

    48

    62

    76

    32

    39

    51

    49

    65

    San Antonio

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181146

  • unknown but is probably Neoproterozoic (Schwartz

    and Gromet, 2004; and references therein). Sedimen-

    tation in the Puncoviscana basin ended at ~530 Ma

    (Durand, 1996, as cited in Rapela et al., 1998a).

    of plutons within, and in the vicinity of, the study area

    yielded Cambro-Ordovician ages (Rapela et al., 1982;

    Miller et al., 1991). Lower Ordovician-aged plutonism

    ~50 km north of the study area has been established

    (Becchio et al., 1999; Lucassen et al., 2001). Tectono-

    metamorphic events of Mesozoic and Palaeogene age

    ral n

    ester

    photo

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181 147Considerable proportions of the metamorphic rocks in

    the Sierras Pampeanas, including the Sierra de

    Quilmes, are metamorphic equivalents of Puncovis-

    cana sedimentary rocks (e.g., Jezek et al., 1985; Rapela

    et al., 1998a; Schwartz and Gromet, 2004).

    The Middle Cambrian Pampean Orogeny is

    believed to be a collisional event associated with

    terrane accretion and late-orogenic extensional col-

    lapse (Rapela et al., 1998a). Neither petrological nor

    geochronological data suggest that the Pampean

    Orogeny was of major importance in the Sierra de

    Quilmes. Although Pampean deformation at low

    temperatures of metamorphism might be hidden in

    the metamorphic complex, the Pampean Orogeny is

    not discussed in this study. During the consecutive

    Famatinian Orogeny (~490350 Ma; e.g., Rapela et

    al., 1998a) Ordovician sediments were deposited

    discordantly on top of the Puncoviscana Formation

    and other Cambrian sediments in marine extensional

    basins (Bahlburg, 1991, 1998; Bahlburg and Herve,

    1997; Bock et al., 2000). Relicts of these basins cover

    large parts in northwestern Argentina and southern

    Bolivia (Fig. 1), including the Puna, that adjoins the

    Sierra de Quilmes on the western side. Apart from

    minor and local occurrences of Early Silurian and

    Early Devonian sediments, no post-Ordovician sedi-

    ment record prior to the latest Carboniferous exists in

    northwestern Argentina (Bahlburg and Herve, 1997).

    Earlier studies on the Sierra de Quilmes have

    presented petrographic and some geothermobaromet-

    ric data from the southern part of the study area and

    determined medium-pressure granulite facies meta-

    morphism and deformation at high temperature (Rossi

    de Toselli et al., 1976; Toselli et al., 1978). Rapela

    (1976a,b) and Rapela et al. (1990) have studied the

    geochemical composition of several plutons and

    metamorphic Puncoviscana rocks in the northern

    Sierra de Quilmes. RbSr WR (whole rock) dating

    Fig. 2. The metamorphic complex of the Sierra de Quilmes. Mine

    metamorphic zones (abbreviations after Kretz, 1983). Note that the w

    Lithology and zone boundaries are assumed from aerial and satelliteof the metamorphic complex. (a)SmNd mineral isochron of a migmatitic

    discussed in the text.are not documented, or are of minor importance

    within the study area, and are therefore not described

    here. Details concerning the post-Palaeozoic evolution

    can be found in Del Papa (1999) and Salfity and

    Marqillas (1994). The Palaeozoic basement is overlain

    by fluvial conglomerates and arenites of the Miocene

    Angastaco Formation (Hongn et al., 1998), in the

    northern part of the study area (Fig. 2).

    3. Petrography of metamorphic zones in the Sierra

    de Quilmes metamorphic complex

    Between San Antonio and Tolombon (Fig. 2), the

    Sierra de Quilmes shows a continuous, northeast to

    southwest transition from very low- and low-grade

    metamorphic clastic sediments into amphibolite facies

    and migmatitic rocks. The protoliths were mainly

    turbiditic sediments of the Puncoviscana Formation

    (e.g., Toselli, 1990; Toselli and Rossi de Toselli,

    1990). Except for rare calcsilicate lenses and some

    metabasites, this metamorphic zonation is defined in

    rocks of a uniform psammo-pelitic to greywacke

    ames along zone boundaries highlight the index mineral(s) of the

    nmost parts of the area (marked with a b?Q) have not been mapped.graphs, gravel in river valleys, and extrapolation from mapped partsbased on UPb monazite data (467476 Ma; Lork and

    Bahlburg, 1993). KAr WR ages betweem ~450 and

    ~470 Ma (Adams et al., 1990) from Puncoviscana

    Formation metasediments in contact aureoles north of

    the study area were interpreted as recording Ordovi-

    cian contact metamorphism. More recent studies in

    the area of Colalao del Valle (Fig. 2) indicated an age

    of 442F9 Ma for the regional metamorphism anddeformation (SmNd mineral isochrons, Lucassen et

    al., 2000). The radiogenic isotope composition (Sr,

    Nd, Pb) of the Puncoviscana siliciclastic metasedi-

    ments and the Cafayate pluton indicate large propor-

    tions of recycled Palaeo- to Mesoproterozoic crustgneiss from Lucassen et al. (2000). The geochronological data are

  • Lithoscomposition. The composite granitic to tonalitic

    Cafayate pluton crosscuts the metasediments. Follow-

    ing the pluton emplacement, numerous pegmatites

    penetrated the pluton and its country rocks.

    The following sections describe important macro-

    scopic and microscopic characteristics of the meta-

    morphic zones and the plutonic rocks. In the high-

    grade metamorphic zones biotite, sillimanite and

    garnet have formed at different stages on the PT

    path. Subsript b1Q indicates mineral phases that haveformed prior to or during partial melting, whereas

    subscript b2Q refers to phases that have formed duringretrograde cooling. In cases, we also distinguish

    between mineral assemblages in the neosome and

    the mesosome. The latter consists of mineral assemb-

    lages that have formed during prograde heating but do

    not show evidence of anatexis. In the neosome

    leucocratic minerals dominate, melanosomes are

    generally rare. We use mineral reactions and petroge-

    netic grids to determine minimum temperatures for the

    peak and retrograde metamorphism in individual

    metamorphic zones. Geothermobarometric data from

    selected samples are presented in Section 4.

    3.1. The chlorite zone

    Very low-grade metamorphic Puncoviscana sedi-

    ments are common to the east and north of San

    Antonio (Fig. 2). This unit consists mainly of layered

    psammo-pelitic to greywacke sedimentary rocks with

    local occurrences of phyllites northeast of San

    Antonio. Sedimentary structures including Bouma

    sequences, compositional layering and cross-bedding

    (Fig. 3a) are well preserved and dominate their

    appearance in the field (Fig. 4a). Quartz-rich layers

    are generally thicker than psammo-pelitic layers, the

    average grain size is b10 Am, and there is no evidencefor temperature-controlled grain coarsening. Psammo-

    pelitic layers consist of quartz, chlorite, illitic clay

    minerals, extensively altered detrital biotite, white

    mica, K-feldspar, and occasional plagioclase. Grey-

    wacke layers are quartzfeldspar dominated. Locally,

    a non-penetrative, steeply west-dipping crenulation

    cleavage crosscuts the generally southeast dipping

    sedimentary bedding (Fig. 2). Due to lack of

    metamorphic assemblages suitable for thermobarom-

    S.H. Buttner et al. /148etry, no precise PT data for the chlorite zone are

    available. Illite crystallinity data from two samples(samples 620 A and C, Fig. 2) suggest very low-grade

    metamorphic conditions (available in the Electronic

    Data Supplement).

    3.2. The biotitemuscovite zone

    Increasing temperature of regional metamorphism

    is indicated by the presence of muscovite and

    brownish biotite neoblasts and by the breakdown of

    chlorite suggesting the reaction:

    Chl Kfs Ms Bt Qtz V 1(abbreviations after Kretz, 1983).

    In the chemical system KFMASH, reaction (1)

    takes place at upper greenschist facies conditions

    (~440 8C; Simpson et al., 2000; Fig. 5a). Theassemblage of the biotitemuscovite zone is Qtz

    BtMsPlFKfsFopaque mineral. Relicts of graded-and cross-bedding, and layers enriched in heavy

    minerals indicate a sedimentary origin of the composi-

    tional layering. Static quartz growth and recrystallisa-

    tion become increasingly important towards the west

    of the biotitemuscovite zone. The size of polygonal,

    microscopically strain-free quartz grains in psammitic

    layers increases from 30 to 50 Am near the chloritezone to 70150 Am at the margin to the garnetcordieritesillimanite zone, indicating temperature-

    controlled grain coarsening. The meta-greywacke

    layers do not show any secondary foliation. In the

    psammo-pelitic layers, biotite and muscovite show a

    shape-preferred orientation oblique to the sedimentary

    bedding (Fig. 3b). The absence of cleavage domains

    and microlithons, or any other evidence for pressure

    solution, indicates low-strain conditions associated

    with the generation of this foliation, or static oriented

    mica nucleation in a non-hydrostatic stress field

    (Passchier and Trouw, 1996).

    The compositional layering of initially sedimentary

    origin, manifested now by metamorphic or coarsened,

    initially detrital minerals, is referred to as Puncovis-

    cana compositional layering (PVCL, Figs. 3b and 4a).

    Domains, layers, or rafts showing the PVCL are

    present in all metasediments of the Cafayate area,

    including the migmatites and diatexites in the high-

    grade metamorphic zones, suggesting similar proto-

    liths in all zones of the metamorphic complex.

    83 (2005) 143181In the centre and the western part of the biotite

    muscovite zone, microcline twinning in K-feldspar

  • 1 mm

    (a)

    S2

    PVCL

    (b)

    1 mm

    Mes

    BtNPlN

    PlNQtzN

    QtzN

    (d)(c)

    Sil1Bt1

    700 m 1 mm

    BtN

    Opx

    Crd

    Pl

    Grt

    Grt

    Pl

    Bt1Grt

    Pl

    Qtz

    (e) (f)

    Crd/Pin

    MsC

    BtC

    1 mm

    Opx

    BtC

    MsRMsC

    BtR

    Opx3 mm

    CrdSil+Ms

    (g)

    Opx1 mm

    Mag QtzSil2

    St

    Crd

    Crd

    (h)

    Opx50 m

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181 149

  • (j)

    Lithos(i) CrdPin

    Grt1

    S.H. Buttner et al. /150suggests SiAl ordering during cooling below ~500 8C(Kroll et al., 1991). Further indication for amphibolite

    facies metamorphism are chessboard subgrain patterns

    in quartz, indicating PT conditions within the

    stability field of high-quartz (Kruhl, 1996; Fig. 5a).

    Bt2Bt1

    Bt1

    Grt2

    Ky

    500 m

    CrdSil+Bt2

    Bt1

    Bt1

    StKy Sil

    StKy

    Pin+Sil(k) (l)

    350 m

    Fig. 3. (a) Crossbedding in Puncoviscana Formation from the chlorite z

    Sample 477B, plane-polarised light (PPL). (b) Static or low-strain foliati

    (PVCL) obliquely. The absence of cleavage domains, microlithons, and elo

    Sample 488A, PPL. (c) Peak metamorphic sillimanite1 and biotite1 from t

    Migmatitic fabric in the garnetcordieritesillimanite zone. Quartz in n

    subgrains and local grain boundary migration. Magmatic PlN is undeformed

    growth during the formation of melt. The mesosome (Mes) consists of

    polarised light (CPL). (e) Orthopyroxenegarnetcordierite assemblage of

    Euhedral cotectic garnet shows flat zonation patterns (Fig. 7). The garnet

    growth. Rim compositions are similar to those of garnet in sample 532A

    Sample 557G, PPL. (f) Contact metamorphic growth of biotite (BtC), musc

    strain regional foliation defined by muscovite (MsR) and biotite (BtR). Pin

    contact aureole. Biotitemuscovite zone; sample 513, PPL. (g) Synkine

    retrograde ductile shear zone. Sample MM22, CPL. (h) Formation of retrog

    recrystallised cordierite. Phases were characterised using the SEM EDS det

    free cotectic garnet (Grt1) is mantled by a retrograde growth rim (Grt2) s

    breaks down to biotite2, sillimanite2/kyanite and garnet2 (reaction (5b)). In

    orthopyroxene zone, PPL. (j) Static replacement of peak-metamorphic g

    cooling. Cordierite is largely pinitised. Sample MM53, orthopyroxene zone

    and cordierite breakdown. Local formation of sillimanite and biotite2 sugge

    PPL. (l) Static retrograde replacement of sillimanite1 by muscovite. Biotite1supply according to reaction (5e). Sample 526/2; 250 m west of Loc. 52683 (2005) 143181Chessboard patterns occur along the western margin of

    the biotitemuscovite zone and in all higher-grade

    zones of the Sierra de Quilmes. The western margin of

    the biotitemuscovite zone is also defined by musco-

    vite breakdown reactions (see below).

    Grt

    Pin

    Crd

    Sil+Bt2

    1mm

    Ms

    Sil Ms

    Ms

    Bt1

    Bt1

    1 mm

    one. The mineral assemblage is QtzChlIllopaque mineralFKfs.on intersecting the horizontal Puncoviscana compositional layering

    ngated quartz grains indicates absence of major plastic deformation.

    he eastern garnetcordieritesillimanite zone. Sample 510, PPL. (d)

    eosome (QtzN) is slightly deformed as indicated by formation of

    . Random orientation of biotite in the neosome (BtN) indicates static

    finer-grained quartz, biotite, and plagioclase. Sample 528A, cross-

    the orthopyroxene zone. Biotite1 is part of the melano- or mesosome.

    at the lower right shows irregular shape due to retrograde solid state

    (Fig. 7). Note euhedral magmatic plagioclase inclusions in garnet.

    ovite (MsC) and poikiloblastic cordierite (Crd) overgrowing the low-

    itisation of cordierite is associated with hydrothermal activity in the

    matic replacement of cordierite by sillimanite and muscovite in a

    rade sillimanite, staurolite, magnetite and quartz along boundaries of

    ector. Garnetcordierite zone, SEM image, sample 496. (i) Inclusion-

    howing inclusions of sillimanite and biotite. Cordierite and biotite1a later stage, cordierite breaks down to pinite (Pin). Sample MM26B,

    arnet and cordierite by sillimanite and biotite2 during near-isobaric

    , PPL. (k) Retrograde formation of staurolite and kyanite by biotite1sts a retrograde PT path crossing the SilKy isograd. Sample 532A,

    does not show evidence for breakdown, suggesting fluid-assisted K+

    , CPL.

  • ithosDespite the large temperature range of ~440650

    8C within the biotitemuscovite zone the rocks areuniform in their mineral assemblage. The mineral

    assemblage and microstructures clearly indicate upper

    greenschist and amphibolite facies temperatures of

    metamorphism. The relatively low Al2O3 content of

    ~15 wt.% in the bulk composition of the Puncoviscana

    sediments (Becchio et al., 1999; Lucassen et al., 2001),

    which are greywackes rather than pelites (Taylor and

    McLennan, 1985), prevented the formation of pyro-

    phyllite. Consequently, neither chloritoid nor staurolite

    or garnet was formed during prograde greenschist and

    amphibolite facies metamorphism (Spear, 1993).

    A PT estimation for rocks along the boundary of

    the biotitemuscovite and the garnetcordieritesilli-

    manite zone (Fig. 2) is based on mineral reactions and

    field and thin section observation. In the field, the

    muscovite-out reaction

    Ms Qtz Kfs Sil1 V; 2the appearance of leucosomes (Fig. 4b) according to

    the reaction

    Ms=Kfs Pl Qtz V L; 3aand the low-/high-quartz transition (on the evidence of

    chessboard subgrain patterns; Kruhl, 1996) were

    mapped in an approximately 400 m wide zone. The

    isograds defining the three mineral reactions are

    closest to each other in PT space at 360 MPa and

    650 8C (Fig. 5a). We assume that these PTconditions, with an arbitrarily chosen uncertainty of

    F30 8C and F50 MPa, are the conditions of themetamorphic peak along the boundary of the biotite

    muscovite and the garnetcordieritesillimanite zone.

    3.3. The garnetcordieritesillimanite zone

    The garnetcordieritesillimanite zone is charac-

    terised by the formation of high-temperature mineral

    assemblages, anatexis and large-scale modification

    and overprinting of the PVCL. Increasing maximum

    temperature of metamorphism in the southern and

    western part of the study area led to increasing partial

    melting. The characteristic feature of these migmatites

    is the separation of mesosome and neosome, forming

    a usually parallel but locally anastomosing migmatitic

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Llayering (Fig. 4bd). Biotite-rich melanosomes are

    rare but occur locally along the eastern zone margin.Rafts and layers of non-anatectic plagioclasebiotite

    gneisses (Fig. 4c) of up to several meters in size are

    present in both the garnetcordieritesillimanite and

    the orthopyroxene zones. The gneissic rafts show the

    same mineral assemblage, texture, and layering as do

    the amphibolite facies rocks in the western part of the

    biotitemuscovite zone, indicating that all three zones

    derive from identical protoliths, i.e., the metasedi-

    ments of the Puncoviscana Formation. In both, the

    garnetcordieritesillimanite and the orthopyroxene

    zones, intercalated Kfsporphyric granites are com-

    mon. Their boundaries to the migmatites are diffuse,

    irregular, and gradational. The granite bodies vary in

    size from several meters to several hundred meters.

    Within the garnetcordieritesillimanite zone

    increasing grade of metamorphism from northeast to

    southwest is documented by (1) the formation of

    sillimanite, (2) the formation of QtzPlFKfs-bearingleucosome, (3) cordierite and/or garnet in leucosome,

    and (4) progressively increasing grain size in the

    leucosome reaching 11 cm (cordierite) to 18 cm

    (garnet) in diameter.

    Most likely, the muscovite breakdown and silli-

    manite forming reaction at the northeastern margin of

    the zone is reaction (2) (see above), forming the new

    mineral assemblage sillimanite1, biotite1, K-feldspar,

    plagioclase, and quartz (Fig. 3c). No relict textures of

    prograde white mica breakdown have been observed

    in thin section, suggesting that the reaction went to

    completion. The paragenesis sillimanite1biotite1 is

    common in the less anatectic eastern part, but occurs

    locally throughout the zone, possibly as a metastable

    relict. Occasionally, cordierite overgrows biotite and

    sillimanite, suggesting the reaction

    Bt1 Sil1 Qtz Crd Kfs V: 3bAnatexis is indicated by the presence of leucosome

    veins up to 5 mm thick and locally folded (Fig. 4b),

    and melt pockets of mm to cm in size, which become

    more abundant and larger going westward away from

    the eastern zone margin. The easternmost veins are

    garnet and cordierite-free and contain quartz, plagio-

    clase, and some K-feldspar suggesting reaction (3a).

    The magmatic origin of the veins is indicated by the

    euhedral shape of the feldspars (Vernon, 1986).

    Magmatic textures in folded veins suggest syn-

    83 (2005) 143181 151magmatic folding. Veins and leucosome layers with

    the assemblage QtzPlFKfs occur also towards the

  • S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181152

  • west of the garnetcordieritesillimanite zone and in

    the orthopyroxene zone, suggesting that reaction (3a)

    took place in all migmatites during crustal heating but

    became less important with increasing temperature or

    after the consumption of muscovite.

    In the leucosome veins and layers further towards

    the west, cordierite and garnet become more common.

    Depending on the melt forming reaction and the Fe/

    Mg ratio in the protolith and in the magma either

    garnet or cordierite, or both can be present. The latter

    garnet, plagioclase, and quartz (Fig. 3e), and in most

    cases with K-feldspar. The mesosome contains biotite,

    plagioclase and quartz. Nowhere are biotite1, garnet1,

    and quartz in contact, suggesting biotite breakdown

    according to the reactions:

    Bt1 Grt1 Qtz V Opx L 4a

    Bt1 Qtz V Opx L 4b

    hlorit

    onspi

    CL,

    igmat

    pres

    zone.

    stals

    ovisc

    ne. S

    ) abo

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181 153assemblage is more common in the central and

    western part of the garnetcordieritesillimanite zone.

    Occasionally, K-feldspar is absent as a cotectic phase,

    suggesting fluid-present melting. We address the

    significance and relative importance of fluid-present

    or fluid-absent melting in the migmatites of the Sierra

    de Quilmes metamorphic complex at the end of

    Section 3.4. Cordierite and/or garnet suggests break-

    down of sillimanite and biotite by the reactions:

    Bt1 Sil1 Qtz Grt1 Crd Kfs L 3cBt Sil Qtz Pl V Grt1 L 3dBt Sil Qtz Pl Grt1 Kfs L 3eBt1 Sil1 Qtz V Grt1 L 3f

    Most of these reactions indicate minimum temper-

    atures of metamorphism in excess of 650750 8C.Fig. 5a shows the positions of the isograds, the

    literature sources are referenced in the figure caption.

    3.4. The orthopyroxene zone

    The westernmost zone in the metamorphic com-

    plex of the Sierra de Quilmes contains orthopyroxene

    in leucosomes, usually coexisting with cordierite,

    Fig. 4. (a) Low-grade metamorphic Puncoviscana Formation in the c

    interbedding of greywacke and psammo-pelitic layers (PVCL) less c

    Antonio valley (see Fig. 2). (b) Magmatic veins crosscutting the PV

    garnetcordieritesillimanite zone. 250 m northeast Loc. 472. (c) M

    escaped along syn-magmatic shear zones (msz). Relics of PVCL are

    the garnetcordieritesillimanite zone, close to the orthopyroxene

    Leucosome layers contain mainly garnet. Occasional cordierite cry

    metamorphic cordierite in psammo-pelitic/pelitic layers of the Punc

    Cafayate, eastern margin of the Cafayate pluton. (f) Ductile shear zo

    top-west) displacement. Loc. 540. (g) Two ductile shear zones (SZOutside the shear zones the migmatitic fabrics remain largely undefo

    plagioclase and quartz show only minor anatexis or none.Bt1 Qtz Pl Opx Kfs L 4c

    Bt1 Grt1 Qtz Opx Crd Kfs L 4dIn greywackes and pelitic systems (XMg close to

    0.5) and in the stability field of sillimanite the

    reactions (4a) and (4b) take place between ~780 8Cand ~820 8C (Vielzeuf and Holloway, 1988). At mid-crustal level, the fluid-absent reactions (4c) and (4d)

    indicate minimum temperatures of ~750 8C (Clemensand Wall, 1981), and ~830 8C (Spear et al., 1999),respectively.

    Apart from the mineral assemblage, the migmatites

    of the orthopyroxene zone are similar to those in the

    garnetcordieritesillimanite zone, although the

    degree of partial melting and the proportion of

    unfoliated layers of syn-migmatitic granite is generally

    higher. Locally, these granites contain orthopyroxene.

    In this area cordierite is less common or absent, which

    possibly marks pressure-related cordierite breakdown.

    The peak-metamorphic mineral assemblages in the

    migmatites of the Sierra de Quilmes can be explained

    by either fluid-present (e.g., reactions (3a), (3d), and

    (4a)) or fluid-absent partial melting (e.g., reactions

    (3c), (3e), and (4c)). Several studies (e.g., Stevens and

    Clemens, 1993; Clemens and Droop, 1998) have

    e zone. The absence of metamorphic biotite makes the sedimentary

    cuous than in zones of higher-grade metamorphism. Loc. 551, San

    and gathering of magma in melt pockets, are characteristics of the

    ite from the central garnetcordieritesillimanite zone. Magma has

    erved in rafts. Upper San Antonio Valley. (d) Layered migmatite in

    A calcsilicate lens is oriented parallel to the migmatitic layering.

    reach up to 4 cm diameter. 250 m east of Loc. 557. (e) Contact

    ana Formation. Biotitemuscovite zone, 5 km southsouthwest of

    C-fabrics, CV shear bands, and j-clasts indicate top-to-the right (i.e.ut 1 cm thick overprint the migmatitic layering in sample MM61.rmed. Small mesosome (Mes) domains of fine-grained biotite,

  • shown that fluid-excess in high-grade metamorphic

    terrains is unlikely and that hydrous fluids, if present,

    are immediately dissolved in the melt, lowering aH2O.

    Therefore, fluid-present melting reactions are assumed

    to be less efficient than fluid-absent melting. However,

    in the Sierra de Quilmes the production of excess

    hydrous fluids is obvious by the prograde breakdown

    of chlorite and muscovite. These reactions can be

    inferred to have taken place in the migmatitic zones

    during crustal heating, because the migmatites derive

    from the same protoliths as the biotitemuscovite zone

    and the chlorite zone, where solid state dehydration

    reactions are obvious. Partial solid-state biotite break-

    does not crystallise from granitic/granodioritic melt at

    temperatures above ~720 8C (Whitney, 1975, 1988).This temperature was exceeded in most migmatites of

    the Sierra de Quilmes. We assume that melt produced

    by fluid-present melting reactions was removed from

    the source at, or shortly after, the thermal peak, and

    crystallised as intercalated Kfsporphyric granites.

    The diffuse and gradational contacts of the intercalated

    granites indicate the close relationship of granite

    formation and anatexis. At a larger scale, the formation

    of the Cafayate granite can be seen in this context (see

    below). After consumption of the excess hydrous fluid,

    anatexis continued by fluid-absent melting (reactions

    memb

    ~475

    atite

    nterpr

    etrog

    aximu

    onstra

    2A: g

    haded

    int oc

    4b), (

    eege (

    tiphas

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181154down (3b) might have supplied additional fluid during

    crustal heating or at the thermal peak in the high-grade

    metamorphic zones. It seems to be likely that the fluid

    phase remained close to its source and was available

    for fluid-present partial melting reactions at least in the

    early stages of anatexis. Two observations support this

    assumption: (1) Evidence for the efficient removal of

    fluids, such as abundant hydrothermal veins in the

    non- or weakly anatectic parts of the metamorphic

    complex, is absent. (2) K-feldspar, or another potas-

    sium-bearing mineral, is frequently absent in cordier-

    ite-, garnet-, or orthopyroxene-bearing leucosomes,

    although the melting reaction was biotite breakdown.

    This shows that K-feldspar was not always a cotectic

    phase, which fluid-absent melting reactions would

    have produced (e.g., (3c), (3e), and (4d)). It is obvious

    that potassium-rich melt has been removed after

    crystallisation of the cotectic mineral (Crd, Grt,

    Opx), and quartz and plagioclase. At mid-crustal

    levels and moderate or high water content, K-feldspar

    Fig. 5. (a) PTt evolution of medium- and high-grade metamorphic

    isobaric cooling of the migmatites after peak metamorphism at

    deformation ceased at amphibolite facies temperature before the migm

    data calculated from core compositions of the peak assemblage, i

    calculated from rim compositions of peak metamorphic minerals or r

    of mid-crustal migmatites in the Sierra de Quilmes. We assume m

    However, most calculated temperatures are in agreement with and c

    Samples 557G and MM61: orthopyroxene zone. Samples 506 and 53

    zone in the orthopyroxene zone. 513A: biotitemuscovite zone. S

    between biotitemuscovite and garnetcordieritesillimanite zone (jo

    (2): Spear and Cheney (1989); (3a): Holland (1979); (3b), (3f), (4a), (

    (1999); (3d), (3e), and (4c): Clemens (1984); (8): van Groos and H

    Massonne and Schreyer (1987). (b) (f) PT calculations using mulSolid lines show equilibria of the peak assemblage, dashed lines those

    conventional geothermobarometry are indicated in (c), (d), and (e).(3c), (3e), (4c), and (4d)), producing cotectic K-

    feldspar, which is present in many leucosomes. The

    importance of fluid-absent or fluid-present partial

    melting has varied locally and temporally in depend-

    ence of fluid availability, pressure, and temperature.

    3.5. The Cafayate pluton and its contact

    metamorphism

    The composite Cafayate pluton intruded roughly

    along the boundary between the biotitemuscovite and

    the garnetcordieritesillimanite zone, hence, at the

    transition between non-anatectic and anatectic Punco-

    viscana metasediments (Fig. 2). The pluton consists of

    at least four different granitoids ranging in composi-

    tion from granites to tonalites. The different types

    appear to be peraluminous (cordierite- and sillimanite-

    bearing) to metaluminous (epidote-bearing). More

    detailed petrographic and geochemical descriptions

    have been published previously (Rapela, 1976b;

    ers of the Sierra de Quilmes metamorphic complex. Retrograde near-

    Ma is accompanied by non-penetrative ductile shearing. Ductile

    s reached the stability field of kyanite at ~440 Ma (see text). C : PT

    eted as peak metamorphic conditions; R : retrograde equilibration

    rade assemblages. The arrow indicates the approximate cooling path

    m uncertainties of F100 MPa and F50 8C for PT calculations.ined by critical mineral assemblages and petrogenetic grids as well.

    arnetcordieritesillimanite zone. 542: Mylonite from a ductile shear

    circular field: metamorphic peak conditions along the boundary

    currence of reactions (2), (3a), and (8)). (1): Simpson et al. (2000);

    6) and (7): Vielzeuf and Holloway (1988); (3c) and (4d): Spear et al.

    1973); Al2SiO5 phase diagram: Holdaway (1971); Si in muscovite:

    e equilibria (TWEEQU 1.02 and 2.02; Berman, 1988, 1991, 1992).of the retrograde stage (details are given in the text). Results of

  • KyAnd

    Chl K

    fsBt

    Ms

    Qtz

    V[1]

    Si (Ms)=3

    .12

    Si (Ms

    )=3.08

    reg. met.513 A

    cont. met.

    KySil

    low

    -Qt

    zhi

    gh-Qt

    z

    SilAnd

    400 500 600 700 800 900T [C]

    [2]

    [3f]

    200

    400

    600

    800

    P [M

    Pa]

    [6]

    [8]

    ~475 Ma

    [4d]

    [4b]

    [7][3c

    ]

    [2] Ms+Qtz=Kfs+Sil+V[3a] Ms/Kfs+Pl+Qtz+V=L [3b] Bt+Sil+Qtz=Crd+Kfs+V[3c] Bt+Sil+Qtz=Grt+Crd+Kfs+L[3d] Bt+Sil+Qtz+Pl+V=Grt+L[3e] Bt+Sil+Qtz+Pl=Grt+Kfs+L[3f ] Bt+Sil+Qtz+V=Grt+L[4a] Bt+Grt+Qtz+V=Opx+L[4b] Bt+Qtz+V=Opx+L[4c] Bt+Qtz+Pl=Opx+Kfs+L[4d] Bt+Grt+Qtz=Opx+Crd+Kfs+L [6] Bt+Crd+Qtz+V=Grt+L [7] Bt+Crd+Qtz+V=Opx+L [3d]

    [2]

    [3a ]

    [3a]

    [4a]

    [3e]

    [4c]

    532AR

    ??

    557GC

    532AC

    542R

    506C

    542C

    ~475 Ma

    ~475 Ma

    ~440 Ma

    506R

    MM61C

    MM61R ??

    557GR

    [3b]

    100

    300

    500

    700

    300 500 700 900

    900

    P [M

    Pa]

    T [C]

    Sample 506

    6An+2Pyp

    +3Qtz

    2Gross+3C

    rd

    Gros

    s+Qt

    z+2P

    yp3C

    rd

    Alm

    +Ph

    lPy

    p+An

    n

    6Sil+

    5Gro

    ss+3C

    rd+

    2Ann

    2Alm

    +15

    An+2P

    hl

    [1] [2]

    [1] 2Alm+2Phl+5Qtz+4Sil=3Crd+2Ann[2] 6Sil+5Gross+3Crd+2Ann=2Alm+15An+2Phl[3] 2Alm+4Ky+2Phl+5Qtz=3Crd+2Ann

    4Sil+5Qtz+2Pyp3Crd

    Alm

    +Ph

    lPy

    p+An

    n

    4Ky+2Py+

    5Qtz

    3Crd

    [3]

    a

    b

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181 155

  • 100

    300

    500

    700

    300 500 700 900

    4Sil+5Qtz+2Pyp

    3Crd3Q

    tz+2Pyp+6A

    n

    3Crd

    +2Gross

    6Sil+

    5Gro

    ss+3C

    rd

    15An

    +2P

    yp

    Gros

    s+Qt

    z+2S

    il

    3An

    900P

    [MPa

    ]

    66Sil+10Pyp+8Alm

    +12V

    15Crd

    +6St

    8Alm+46Ky+12V

    6St+25Qtz

    12St+

    65Qtz

    +46P

    yp

    16Alm

    +69C

    rd+24

    V

    5Qtz+4K

    y+2Pyp

    3Crd

    5Qtz+

    2Pyp+

    4Ky

    3Crd

    6St+

    25Qt

    z8A

    lm+

    69Cr

    d+24

    V

    Sample 532A

    [1]

    [1] Alm+Phl=Pyp+Ann (Holdaway et al. 1997)

    9Qtz+6Pyp+4Ann

    3Crd+6Fsl+4Phl

    Alm

    +Ph

    lPy

    p+An

    n

    6Alm

    +2Ph

    l+9Qt

    z

    6Fsl+

    3Crd+

    2Ann

    4Alm+

    2Pyp+9

    Qtz

    6Fsl+3C

    rdSample 557G

    T [C]

    300 500 700 900 T [C]

    Alm

    +Ph

    lPy

    p +An

    n

    6An

    +2Pyp+3Q

    tz

    2Gross+3C

    rd

    [1] 2Qtz+2Phl+6An+2Alm=2Ann+3Crd+2Gross[2] Alm+Phl=Pyp+Ann

    (Holdaway et al., 1997; Holdaway, 2000)[3] Crd-Bt thermobaromerty

    (Holdaway and Lee, 1977)

    [1]

    [2]

    [3]

    c

    100

    300

    500

    700

    900

    P [M

    Pa]

    d

    Fig. 5 (continued).

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181156

  • ithose 900

    S.H. Buttner et al. / LRapela et al., 1998b, 1990). Parts of the contacts

    between different granitoids are irregular and diffuse,

    indicating their coexistence as magmas; others are

    300 500

    300 500

    Sample 542

    [1]

    [1] Gross+Qtz+2Sil=2An[2] Alm+Phl=Pyp+Ann

    100

    300

    500

    700

    P [M

    Pa]

    100

    300

    500

    700

    P [M

    Pa]

    f

    Sample MM61

    H: Bt-Grt thermometry and GASP barometry (Holdaway et al., 1997; Hol

    Fig. 5 (contiross

    83 (2005) 143181 157straight, suggesting intrusion into solid pre-existing

    parts of the pluton. At the eastern, northern, and

    southern pluton margins, the intruding magma cross-

    700 900

    700 900 T [oC]

    T [oC]

    3Sil+K

    fs+2G

    ross

    +Alm+

    V

    Ann+

    6An

    Sil+Q

    tz+Gr

    oss

    3An

    Kfs+

    Alm

    +V

    Ann+

    Qtz+

    Sil

    2Alm+G

    ross+Kfs+2V

    3Qtz+2An+2Ann

    [2]

    [2]

    2Sil+

    Qtz+

    G3A

    n

    Phl+

    Alm

    Ann+

    Pyp

    Phl+

    Alm

    Ann

    +Py

    p

    2Sil+

    Qtz+

    Gros

    s3A

    n

    H

    H

    daway, 2000)

    nued).

  • Lithoscuts the Puncoviscana metasediments litparlit with

    sharply defined and discordant contacts. Particularly

    along the southern margin the intrusive magma cuts

    the migmatitic layering. In contrast, the western

    contact is partly diffuse with gradual transitions from

    intrusive granite to in situ migmatite, suggesting the

    coexistence of plutonic and anatectic melt.

    Macroscopically conspicuous contact metamor-

    phism formed hornfels, cordierite and tourmaline

    schists at the eastern, northern, and locally at the

    southern margin of the pluton. Tourmaline (13 mm

    length), cordierite (13 cm diameter; Fig. 4e),

    muscovite and biotite (12 mm) are the most common

    contact-metamorphic minerals. There is no such

    evidence for contact metamorphism along the western

    contact, where the pluton grades into layered migma-

    tites, indicating near-peak PT conditions of the

    country rock during pluton emplacement.

    Contact-metamorphic minerals overgrow the pre-

    existing layering and the low-strain foliation of the

    Puncoviscana metasediments of the biotitemuscovite

    zone (Figs. 3f and 4e). Locally, regional metamorphic

    biotitemuscovite assemblages show grain coarsening

    or are overgrown by static new micas with slightly

    different composition (see Section 4). These new

    micas are overgrown by large cordierite crystals,

    possibly reflecting polyphase intrusions leading to

    several generations of contact minerals.

    3.6. Pegmatites

    Pegmatites occur as three distinct types. The oldest

    group of pegmatites has been seen only in the

    orthopyroxene zone and consists of disrupted, centi-

    metre- to meter-thick leucocratic dykes and lenses

    with diffuse margins, frequently intruding parallel to,

    but locally also discordant to the migmatitic layering

    of the country rock. This suggests a formation of the

    pegmatitic melt during regional anatexis and emplace-

    ment during or shortly after the formation of the

    migmatitic layering. These pegmatites consist of

    quartz, K-feldspar, and plagioclase. Tourmaline is

    rare and white mica is absent.

    A second, younger group of pegmatites (type 2)

    crosscuts its country rock along sharp contacts. They

    are most common in the garnetcordieritesillimanite

    S.H. Buttner et al. /158and biotitemuscovite zones but occur in all metamor-

    phic zones of the complex except the northern part ofthe chlorite zone. This group of pegmatites occurs as

    near-vertical dykes and dyke swarms. Their thickness

    varies between several centimetres and several meters.

    Most of them strike NNWSSE, parallel to the long

    axis of the pluton and the regional metamorphic

    layering. A minority strikes EW. The pegmatites are

    coarse- to very coarse-grained and contain K-feldspar,

    plagioclase, quartz, muscovite,Ftourmaline,Fapatite,Fgarnet, andFzircon. Some show evidence of plasticdeformation but most are undeformed and cut ductile

    shear zones (see Section 3.7). Magmatic quartz of

    isometric or irregular shape is weakly deformed with

    coarsely sutured grain boundaries, suggesting minor

    grain boundary migration but no recrystallisation (i.e.,

    no formation of new grains). Chessboard patterns, as

    well as prism-parallel subgrain boundaries are present,

    suggesting that the pegmatites crystallised at temper-

    atures near the high-/low-quartz transition (Kruhl,

    1996). Their crosscutting relationship with the mig-

    matitic layering and the shear zones indicates that the

    pegmatites postdate the anatexis and most of the

    ductile deformation in their host rocks. However, the

    formation of the pegmatitic melt might be related to

    continuing anatexis or plutonism at crustal levels

    deeper than the orthopyroxene zone. The persistence

    of high temperature until the upper Silurian (~ 420

    Ma) in the basement of the northern Sierras Pampea-

    nas has been shown by Lucassen and Becchio (2003).

    A third group of pegmatites (type 3) intruded into

    the Cafayate pluton. These pegmatites are petrograph-

    ically similar to the second group, but show transitional

    features to miaroles, suggesting a genetic relationship

    with the Cafayate pluton. We have dated type 2

    (samples 472B, 552, MM72, and MM110) and type 3

    pegmatites (samples 515B and 526; see Section 5).

    3.7. Shear zones and retrograde metamorphism

    The migmatites of the garnetcordieritesillimanite

    and orthopyroxene zones are affected by retrograde

    mineral reactions, which are partly associated with

    syn- to post-migmatitic ductile shear zones. Lower-

    grade metamorphic zones of the complex are much less

    deformed. In the migmatites, the earliest increment of

    deformation is coeval with the production of melt, as

    indicated by the escape of magma along syn-magmatic

    83 (2005) 143181shear zones in meta- and diatexites (Fig. 4c) and by

    syn-magmatic folding of leucosome veins (Fig. 4b).

  • Hence, the onset of deformation occurred at the

    thermal peak. Deformation in the migmatites contin-

    ued under high-grade metamorphism but in the solid

    state. Non-penetrative east-dipping ductile shear zones

    are oriented parallel to the migmatitic layering and

    show top-to-the west or top-to-the northwest sense of

    shear (Fig. 4f). The shear zone thickness ranges from a

    few centimetres to ~300 m. Ductile shearing also

    affected the Cafayate pluton. The shear zones overprint

    the migmatitic or magmatic mineral assemblage by

    recrystallisation and pressure solution, the latter

    indicated by enrichment of biotite in cleavage

    domains. Feldspar and cordierite show recrystallisa-

    tion. In other shear zones, cordierite is replaced by

    sillimanite (Fig. 3g). Recrystallised cordierite shows

    fine-grained staurolite, sillimanite2, quartz, and mag-

    netite along the grain boundaries (Fig. 3h), indicating

    amphibolite facies temperatures of deformation.

    Due to the non-penetrative style of deformation

    most migmatites do not show significant plastic

    deformation, and retrograde mineral assemblages with

    static textures and random mineral orientation are

    typical in these rocks. The retrograde metamorphic

    overprint is strongest in cordierite and garnet

    cordierite-bearing assemblages. Common reactions

    are inferred from replacement textures:

    Opx Kfs V Bt2 QtzFMag 5a

    Crd Bt1 Grt2 Bt2 Sil2=KyFV 5b(Fig. 3i)

    Grt1 Crd V Bt2 Sil2 5c(Fig. 3j)

    Bt1 Crd St Bt2 Sil2=KyFV 5d(Fig. 3k)

    Sil1 V Ms 5e(Fig. 3l).

    Garnet2, formed by reaction (5b), does not form

    individual crystals but poikilitic rim zones around

    garnet1, with small biotite, sillimanite, or quartz

    inclusions (Fig. 3h). The greenish biotite2 has slightly

    A

    2

    il/Ky

    d bio

    506B

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181 159F

    Bt12.0-3.5 wt% TiO

    St0.5-1.4 wt% ZnO

    S

    Grt

    Bt1+Crd=St+Sil/Ky+Bt2

    532A

    Fig. 6. AFM diagram for the retrograde breakdown of cordierite an

    cooling from granulite to amphibolite facies temperatures. Sampleshatched and shaded fields show the retrograde assemblage of samples 532

    contribution of garnet to the retrograde formation of staurolite and biotiteM

    + Qtz+ Kfs+ H2O

    Bt20.0-1.1 wt% TiO2

    black symbols: sample 506white symbols: sample 532A

    Crd

    506

    tite1 to biotite2, aluminosilicate and staurolite during near-isobaric

    and 532A come from the garnetcordieritesillimanite zone. TheA and 506, respectively. Petrographic evidence does not suggest the

    2 (Fig. 3k).

  • higher XMg than biotite1 and significantly lower TiO2content (Fig. 6). Garnet1 in the crystal core is

    compositionally identical to euhedral cotectic garnet1from other samples (Fig. 7). Garnet2 of the rim zone

    shows an increase in almandine and decrease in

    pyrope contents compared with garnet1. As sillimanite

    is absent at peak conditions, and the core of the garnet

    had formed during the magmatic stage, it is unlikely

    that the rim-proximal sillimanite inclusions are

    inherited relicts of the prograde stage. Thus, we

    interpret this texture as retrograde growth of garnet2 at

    the expense of biotite1 and cordierite, according to

    reaction (5b). Occasionally, spessartine contents

    increase slightly towards the rim (sample 532A; Fig.

    7). Retrograde garnet resorption cannot be excluded in

    these cases. However, manganese fractionation during

    retrograde garnet growth might be equally possible as

    manganese becomes available from cordierite break-

    down (reaction (5b)). Cordierite contains up to 0.5

    wt.% MnO (Table 1 and Electronic Data Supplement).

    All cordierite breakdown reactions produce amphib-

    olite facies index minerals, similar to the reactions

    observed in the retrograde shear zones. Kyanite occurs

    exclusively in static environments or post-kinemati-

    cally in shear zones, suggesting that deformation had

    ceased when the PT conditions of the migmatites

    reached the stability field of kyanite.

    4. Mineral chemistry and geothermobarometry

    Microchemical analyses were obtained using a

    wavelength dispersive CAMECA Cambax Microbeam

    (PAP/XMAS correction) at the Technische Universit7tBerlin and a JEOL JXA 733 Superprobe (ZAF

    correction) at Rhodes University. We used an accel-

    erating potential of 20 kVand a beam current of 1518

    nA. Beam widths were 5 Am for garnet and orthopyr-oxene analyses and 10 Am for feldspar, cordierite, andmica analyses. Ferric iron has been calculated for

    garnet and orthopyroxene according to charge balance

    and lattice site occupation. Fe3+ concentrations are

    core rimCrd

    350 m557G

    25

    MM 61

    40

    Alm -

    Prp

    Sps

    Grs

    And

    XMg*

    rim rim 1.6 mm core

    PlQtz

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 1431811600

    5

    10

    15

    20

    25

    30

    35

    40

    1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

    rim rim 5 mm core

    PlBt 532A

    mol%

    mol%

    0

    5

    10

    15

    20

    25

    30

    35

    1 4 876532 9 10 11 12

    Grt2Grt1

    Grt2

    Grt2Grt1Fig. 7. Zonation patterns of garnet from the high-grade metamorphic zones

    and interpretation see Section 4.1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 190

    5

    10

    15

    20

    mol%0

    5

    10

    15

    20

    25

    30

    35

    40

    30

    35

    40rim rim 900 m core

    Bt Bt542

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7

    40

    100

    Grt1

    Grt2Grt2

    Grt1

    mol%. Mineral phases in contact with garnet are indicated. For discussion

  • Table 1

    Representative electron microprobe analyses

    Sample Biotite

    MM61 MM61 MM61 557G 557G 557G 532A 532A 506A 506A 513 513

    Bt1 Bt2 Bt2 R Grt C I Opx R Crd Bt1 Bt2 Bt1 Bt2 rm cm

    SiO2 35.83 35.86 35.89 34.87 34.68 35.51 35.26 37.20 36.25 38.00 36.06 35.77

    TiO2 4.84 4.87 5.24 5.49 5.34 4.83 2.40 0.58 2.56 0.04 1.47 1.79

    Al2O3 16.75 17.08 16.89 15.79 15.47 16.52 18.09 19.01 16.32 18.47 18.93 18.80

    MgO 10.51 10.83 12.69 10.29 10.39 11.65 11.98 12.35 11.62 14.03 10.82 10.60

    CaO 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.03 0.02 0.00 0.09 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.05

    MnO 0.01 0.08 0.02 0.13 0.10 0.00 0.03 0.15 0.30 0.17 0.12 0.14

    FeO 17.84 17.09 14.39 18.01 17.94 16.30 16.51 15.37 19.36 14.36 17.48 17.89

    Na2O 0.01 0.04 0.03 0.07 0.04 0.07 0.29 0.31 0.29 0.46 0.33 0.32

    K2O 8.32 8.41 8.48 9.56 9.25 9.36 9.63 8.90 9.66 9.42 8.82 9.03

    F 0.58 0.67 0.77 1.01 0.90 1.28 0.49 0.54 0.33 0.63 0.40 0.37

    Total 94.75 94.93 94.52 95.29 94.13 95.53 94.68 94.58 96.71 95.59 94.46 94.76

    Cations: O=22

    Si 5.39 5.36 5.32 5.38 5.40 5.40 5.38 5.59 5.48 5.64 5.49 5.45

    Ti 0.55 0.55 0.58 0.64 0.63 0.55 0.28 0.07 0.29 0.00 0.17 0.20

    Al 2.97 3.01 2.95 2.87 2.84 2.96 3.25 3.37 2.91 3.23 3.39 3.37

    Mg 2.36 2.41 2.80 2.36 2.41 2.64 2.72 2.77 2.62 3.10 2.45 2.41

    Ca 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01

    Mn 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.04 0.02 0.02 0.02

    Fe 2.24 2.14 1.78 2.32 2.34 2.07 2.11 1.93 2.45 1.78 2.22 2.28

    Na 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.09 0.09 0.08 0.13 0.10 0.09

    K 1.59 1.60 1.60 1.88 1.84 1.82 1.87 1.71 1.86 1.78 1.71 1.75

    F 0.27 0.32 0.36 0.49 0.44 0.62 0.23 0.25 0.16 0.30 0.19 0.18

    Total 15.38 15.40 15.43 15.99 15.92 16.10 15.93 15.81 15.74 15.70 15.75 15.76

    XMg 0.51 0.53 0.61 0.50 0.49 0.44 0.56 0.59 0.52 0.64 0.52 0.51

    Sample Garnet

    MM61 MM61 557G 557G 532A 532A 542 542 506A 506A

    R C C R Crd C R Bt C R Bt Grt1 Grt2

    SiO2 38.17 38.48 37.20 37.09 37.38 37.57 38.52 37.39 37.26 37.25

    TiO2 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.14 0.03 0.00

    Al2O3 21.79 21.94 21.24 21.47 21.60 21.28 21.61 21.93 21.39 21.34

    Cr2O3 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.05 0.00 0.00

    Fe2O3 0.00 0.00 1.00 0.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.80 0.00

    MgO 6.25 7.35 6.36 5.84 5.66 3.53 6.05 4.07 4.89 3.65

    CaO 1.23 1.23 1.05 1.01 1.02 1.06 1.62 1.49 1.46 0.99

    MnO 1.84 1.88 2.11 1.34 2.48 3.74 1.58 1.39 4.02 3.38

    FeO 31.23 29.93 30.54 31.94 30.88 32.91 31.25 32.97 30.51 33.18

    Total 100.51 100.83 99.52 99.37 99.02 100.08 100.66 99.43 100.35 99.80

    Cations: O=24

    Si 5.98 5.97 5.91 5.91 5.96 6.02 6.02 5.97 5.92 5.99

    Ti 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00

    Al 4.02 4.01 3.98 4.03 4.06 4.02 3.98 4.13 4.00 4.04

    Cr 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00

    Fe3+ 0.00 0.00 0.12 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.00

    Mg 1.46 1.70 1.51 1.39 1.35 0.84 1.41 0.97 1.16 0.88

    Ca 0.21 0.20 0.18 0.17 0.17 0.18 0.27 0.25 0.25 0.17

    (continued on next page)

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181 161

  • Sample Garnet

    MM61 MM61 557G 557G 532A 532A 542 542 506A 506A

    R C C R Crd C R Bt C R Bt Grt1 Grt2

    Mn 0.24 0.25 0.28 0.18 0.34 0.51 0.21 0.19 0.54 0.46

    Fe2+ 4.09 3.88 4.06 4.26 4.12 4.41 4.09 4.40 4.05 4.46

    Total 16.01 16.02 16.04 16.03 16.00 15.97 15.98 15.94 16.03 15.99

    XMg 0.26 0.30 0.27 0.25 0.25 0.16 0.26 0.18 0.22 0.16

    Sample Cordierite

    557G 557G 532A2 532A2 506B 513

    C R Grt C R Grt Rn cm

    SiO2 48.14 48.91 49.04 48.38 49.29 48.39

    TiO2 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.01

    Al2O3 33.47 33.81 32.45 32.34 32.16 32.65

    MgO 9.79 10.91 8.39 8.80 8.64 8.54

    CaO 0.02 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.01

    MnO 0.07 0.07 0.41 0.47 0.34 0.43

    FeO 6.00 4.67 6.85 5.91 7.28 6.87

    Na2O 0.05 0.10 0.27 0.17 0.26 0.55

    K2O 0.02 0.05 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01

    Total 97.58 98.56 97.45 96.15 98.00 97.45

    Cations: O=18

    Si 4.95 4.95 5.06 5.04 5.07 5.01

    Ti 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

    Al 4.05 4.03 3.95 3.97 3.90 3.98

    Mg 1.50 1.65 1.29 1.37 1.32 1.32

    Ca 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

    Mn 0.01 0.01 0.04 0.04 0.03 0.04

    Fe 0.52 0.40 0.59 0.52 0.63 0.59

    Na 0.01 0.02 0.05 0.03 0.05 0.11

    K 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

    Total 11.03 11.05 10.99 10.98 11.01 11.06

    XFe 0.26 0.19 0.31 0.27 0.32 0.31

    Sample Staurolite

    532A 532A 506B

    R C Rn

    SiO2 36.96 39.73 26.75

    TiO2 0.03 0.28 0.65

    Al2O3 46.86 43.91 54.11

    MgO 1.60 1.89 1.57

    CaO 0.01 0.09 0.03

    MnO 0.65 0.51 0.70

    FeO 10.50 9.55 12.90

    ZnO 0.67 0.52 0.84

    Na2O 0.02 0.01 0.02

    K2O 0.04 0.38 0.01

    Total 97.34 96.87 97.57

    Cations: O=23

    Si 5.03 5.39 3.74

    Ti 0.00 0.03 0.07

    Al 7.51 7.02 8.92

    Table 1 (continued)

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181162

  • Sample Staurolite

    532A 532A 506B

    R C Rn

    Mg 0.32 0.38 0.33

    Ca 0.00 0.00 0.00

    Mn 0.07 0.06 0.08

    Fe 1.19 1.08 1.51

    Zn 0.07 0.05 0.09

    Na 0.00 0.00 0.01

    K 0.01 0.07 0.00

    Total 14.22 14.10 14.73

    XFe 0.79 0.74 0.82

    Sample Plagioclase

    C R

    Crd

    R

    Opx

    R

    Grt

    R

    Opx/Grt

    Rn

    Opx

    C C Rn R R C Rn R C C Rn R

    557G 557G 557G 557G 557G 557G 557G 506A 506A 506A 532A1 532A1 532A1 542 542 MM61 MM61 MM61

    SiO2 59.94 59.69 60.46 61.42 59.62 59.58 64.22 59.43 60.42 60.22 60.91 60.51 59.77 59.08 60.42 60.80 59.99 59.70

    Al2O3 25.08 24.99 24.73 24.11 25.00 24.71 22.84 25.22 25.72 25.92 25.15 24.25 24.79 25.86 24.72 25.15 25.22 26.26

    CaO 6.33 6.52 6.52 5.76 6.44 6.44 4.04 6.95 6.97 6.92 6.19 5.72 5.68 8.25 6.96 6.25 6.33 7.24

    MnO 0.01 0.04 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.07 0.03 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00

    FeO 0.06 0.20 0.22 0.00 0.22 0.33 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.16 0.16 0.13 0.09 0.03 0.15 0.20 0.00

    Na2O 7.58 7.48 7.41 8.64 7.34 7.49 0.00 7.67 7.68 7.16 7.94 8.22 8.25 7.02 7.67 7.46 7.57 6.82

    K2O 0.26 0.25 0.29 0.05 0.26 0.26 9.42 0.13 0.14 0.22 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.16 0.13 0.05 0.09 0.07

    Total 99.25 99.19 99.68 99.96 98.87 98.80 100.80 99.43 100.95 100.46 100.50 99.01 98.74 100.50 99.95 99.89 99.39 100.09

    Cations: O=8

    Si 2.69 2.68 2.70 2.73 2.68 2.69 2.82 2.66 2.67 2.66 2.69 2.72 2.69 2.63 2.69 2.70 2.68 2.65

    Al 1.32 1.32 1.30 1.26 1.33 1.31 1.18 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.31 1.28 1.32 1.36 1.30 1.32 1.33 1.37

    Ca 0.30 0.31 0.31 0.27 0.31 0.31 0.19 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.29 0.28 0.27 0.39 0.33 0.30 0.30 0.34

    Mn 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

    Fe 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00

    Na 0.66 0.65 0.64 0.74 0.64 0.65 0.00 0.67 0.66 0.61 0.68 0.72 0.72 0.61 0.66 0.64 0.66 0.59

    K 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.80 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00

    Total 4.99 4.99 4.98 5.01 4.98 4.99 5.00 5.01 5.00 4.97 4.99 5.00 5.01 5.00 4.99 4.96 4.98 4.96

    An 31.1 32.0 32.1 26.8 32.2 31.7 19.1 33.4 33.4 34.8 30.0 27.7 27.5 39.0 33.2 31.7 31.6 36.9

    Ab 67.4 66.5 66.2 72.9 66.3 66.8 79.8 66.1 66.1 64.4 69.6 72.0 72.2 60.1 66.1 68.1 68.0 62.8

    Or 1.5 1.5 1.7 0.2 1.5 1.5 1.4 0.7 0.8 1.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.9 0.7 0.3 0.5 0.4

    Sample Orthopyroxene

    C R Bt1 R Grt Rn Grt

    557G 557G 557G 557G

    SiO2 46.99 46.78 49.17 48.59

    TiO2 0.13 0.12 0.13 0.13

    Al2O3 5.62 5.59 3.79 4.07

    Cr2O3 0.06 0.08 0.02 0.00

    Fe2O3 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

    MgO 14.99 14.94 17.96 17.23

    CaO 0.10 0.10 0.12 0.06

    MnO 1.01 0.99 0.53 0.53

    FeO 30.55 30.88 27.47 28.78

    Na2O 0.03 0.04 0.01 0.00

    Table 1 (continued)

    (continued on next page)

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181 163

  • R Bt1

    557G

    0.01

    99.53

    1.84

    0.00

    0.26

    0.00

    0.00

    0.87

    0.00

    0.03

    1.01

    0.00

    0.00

    4.03

    53.6

    ntion

    tioned

    ct me

    Lithosgenerally very low. In biotite the total iron is given as

    FeO. Representative microprobe analyses are shown in

    Sample Orthopyroxene

    C

    557G

    K2O 0.00

    Total 99.49

    Cations: O=6

    Si 1.84

    Ti 0.00

    Al 0.26

    Cr 0.00

    Fe3+ 0.00

    Mg 0.88

    Ca 0.00

    Mn 0.03

    Fe2+ 1.00

    Na 0.00

    K 0.00

    Total 4.02

    XFe 53.2

    C: core composition; R: rim composition (neighbouring phase is me

    rim, usually closer than 30 Am); I: inclusion (host phase can be menphase is mentioned); M: composition of a matrix crystal; cm: conta

    Table 1 (continued)

    S.H. Buttner et al. /164Table 1 and in the Electronic Data Supplement. The

    essential petrographic characteristics of the samples

    used for geothermobarometry are given below; more

    information can be found in the Electronic Data

    Supplement.

    Temperatures and pressures were calculated using

    analyses from minerals in contact with each other

    using the multiphase equilibria (TWEEQU; Berman,

    1991), and several methods of conventional geo-

    thermobarometry. We have preferred the Berman

    method where possible. For thermobarometry we

    used both single analyses from co-existing mineral

    grains and average compositions. The results obtained

    from single analyses and average compositions show

    only minor differences and, if not mentioned other-

    wise, we present only the results obtained from

    average mineral compositions. Average compositions

    were calculated from at least five single analyses per

    mineral phase involved. Unless otherwise noted we

    have used the TWEEQU 2.02 and the BA95/BA96

    (Berman, 1988; Berman and Aranovich, 1996), and

    Fuhrman and Lindsley (1988) mixing models for

    biotite, garnet, cordierite, orthopyroxene, and plagio-

    clase, respectively. A water activity of aH2O=1 wasassumed and only stable reactions were calculated.

    Petrologic equilibrium was assumed from textural

    R Grt Rn Grt

    557G 557G

    0.02 0.02

    99.21 99.42

    1.90 1.88

    0.00 0.00

    0.17 0.19

    0.00 0.00

    0.00 0.00

    1.03 1.00

    0.00 0.00

    0.02 0.02

    0.89 0.93

    0.00 0.00

    0.00 0.00

    4.01 4.02

    46.1 48.3

    ed, if applicable); Rn: brim-nearQ composition (analysis close to the); Pr: analysis in a profile (when rim composition, the neighbouring

    tamorphic crystal; rm: regional metamorphic crystal.

    83 (2005) 143181evidence, such as straight grain boundaries, foam, or

    magmatic textures. More detailed petrographic and

    chemical descriptions, detailed EPM analyses, and

    GPS coordinates of sample locations are provided in

    the Electronic Data Supplement.

    In support of the PT estimations from mineral

    assemblages and reactions, and petrogenetic grids

    (Section 3) we have selected six samples from the

    biotitemuscovite zone (513A), the garnetcordierite

    sillimanite zone (506, 532A), and the orthopyroxene

    zone (557G, MM61, and 542) for geothermobarom-

    etry. The sample locations are shown in Fig. 2.

    Sample 513A is a layered Puncoviscana metasedi-

    ment of the regional metamorphic mineral assemblage

    QtzMsBtPlKfs from the biotitemuscovite zone.

    Contact metamorphic muscovite, biotite and cordierite

    overgrew the foliation of the regional metamorphic

    peak in the course of Cafayate pluton emplacement.

    Using average mica compositions for biotitemusco-

    vite geothermobarometry (Hoisch, 1989) in combina-

    tion with phengite barometry (Massonne and

    Schreyer, 1987), the regional metamorphic assem-

    blage was determined to have equilibrated at 459

    (F25) 8C and 280 (F100) MPa (Fig. 5a). The contact

  • ithosmetamorphic overprint occurred at slightly higher

    temperature but similar pressure (532 8C (F25) and240 (F100) MPa).

    Sample 506 comes from the central garnet

    cordieritesillimanite zone west of Tolombon (Fig.

    2). The leucosome consists of the assemblage QtzPl

    KfsCrdFGrtFBt1. Biotite1 and sillimanite1 occur inthe mesosome. Biotites in the mesosome and in the

    leucosome are compositionally identical. During the

    retrograde PT evolution, cordierite- and biotite1-

    breakdown formed staurolite and sillimanite2. Aver-

    age core compositions of the leucosome minerals

    CrdGrtPlQtzBt have been used to determine P

    and T using multiphase equilibria, yielding the

    intersection of seven independent mineral reactions

    close to 540 MPa and 745 8C (Fig. 5b). The rimcompositions equilibrated at 504 8C and 432 MPa, inagreement with the stability field of retrograde

    staurolite and kyanite. The latter is not present in

    sample 506 but occurs in samples from a locality

    nearby, and is a common retrograde mineral through-

    out the garnetcordieritesillimanite zone.

    Sample 532A is a migmatite from the garnet

    cordierite zone close to the margin of the orthopyr-

    oxene zone (Fig. 2), consisting of the assemblage Grt

    CrdPlBt1KfsQtz. In sample 532A, biotite1 coex-

    ists with garnet and cordierite, suggesting that reaction

    (3c) stopped after consumption of sillimanite1. The

    garnet zonation (Fig. 7) shows an almandine and

    spessartine increase towards the rim whereas pyrope

    decreases, leading to a drop in XMg from 0.25 to 0.15.

    Using average core compositions of garnet, cordierite,

    biotite1, and plagioclase, multiphase equilibria yielded

    an intersection of four independent mineral reactions

    at 806 8C and 620 MPa (Fig. 5c). A similar pressureof 570590 MPa has been obtained from cordierite

    biotitegarnet core compositions (Holdaway and Lee,

    1977). We interpret ~800 8C and ~600 MPa asmetamorphic peak conditions along the margin

    between the orthopyroxene and the garnetcordier-

    itesillimanite zones in the central part of the study

    area (Fig. 2). To constrain the PT conditions of the

    retrograde equilibration, the TWEEQU 1.02 software

    (Berman, 1992) has been used, because it allows the

    calculation of mineral reactions involving staurolite.

    Average garnet-, cordierite-, biotite-, and plagioclase-

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lrim compositions yielded two intersections at 620 8Cand 456 MPa (three reactions) and 575 8C and 422MPa (four intersections). In good agreement with

    these results, conventional biotitegarnet thermometry

    (Holdaway et al., 1997; Holdaway, 2000) yielded 590

    8C at 400 MPa using average rim compositions ofgarnet and biotite2. Hence, we interpret 420450 MPa

    and ~600 8C as conditions of the retrograde equilibra-tion of migmatites in the garnetcordieritesillimanite

    zone close to the orthopyroxene zone. The presence of

    retrograde sillimanite2 and kyanite (Fig. 3k) indicates

    the continuation of the PT path crossing the SilKy

    isograd.

    Sample 557G is a migmatite of the leucosome

    assemblage CrdPlQtzGrt1KfsOpx (Fig. 3e). The

    corresponding mesosome consists of biotite1, plagio-

    clase, and quartz. Locally, biotite forms a melanosome

    along the margin of leucosome and mesosome.

    Zoning profiles of cotectic garnet1 are flat, with a

    similar composition to garnet cores from sample 532

    A (Fig. 7). In contact with biotite of the melanosome,

    slightly higher almandine and lower pyrope contents

    led to a decrease in XMg from ~0.26 to ~0.21,

    suggesting retrograde garnet2 growth and equilibra-

    tion. PT values of 812 8C and pressures of 560 MPawere obtained by multiphase equilibria determinations

    (Fig. 5d). OpxGrtPl geothermobarometry (Lal,

    1993) yielded 825 8C at slightly higher pressure of610 MPa, supported by 810 8C (calculated for 600MPa) obtained from GrtOpx average core composi-

    tions (Bhattacharya et al., 1991; Aranovich and

    Berman, 1997). Using pairs of single orthopyroxene

    and garnet core analyses, temperature determinations

    scatter in an interval of 780840 8C (600 MPa). ThePT interval of 560610 MPa and ~800 8C is inagreement with the presence of orthopyroxene in

    felsic leucosomes in both fluid-absent and fluid

    present conditions (reactions (4a)(4d); see Section

    3.4 and Fig. 5a), and is interpreted as the PT

    maximum along the eastern margin of the orthopyr-

    oxenegarnet zone. Rims of garnet, biotite, plagio-

    clase and cordierite are assumed to have re-

    equilibrated after the thermal peak, reflecting PT

    conditions of the retrograde metamorphism. Average

    rim compositions yield an intersection of three

    independent mineral reactions at 450 MPa and 705

    8C (Fig. 5d). Conventional thermobarometry usinggarnetbiotite thermometry (Holdaway et al., 1997;

    83 (2005) 143181 165Holdaway, 2000) and biotitecordierite thermobarom-

    etry (Holdaway and Lee, 1977) gives slightly lower

  • Lithostemperatures but similar pressures of 620 8C and 400430 MPa. We have included the results of both

    conventional thermobarometry and multiphase equi-

    libria in the interpretation of the retrograde PT path.

    Sample MM61 comes from the southwestern part

    of the orthopyroxene zone, approximately 6 km west

    of the orthopyroxene-in isograd (Fig. 2). This sample

    is a coarse-grained, layered diatexite dominated by

    QtzKfsPl-rich leucosome, GrtBt2-rich melano-

    some, and small relics of a QtzBt1PlIlm-rich

    mesosome (Fig. 4g). For geothermobarometry we

    used garnet, biotite, and plagioclase core composi-

    tions from the neosome. Garnet shows composition-

    ally homogeneous cores (Fig. 7). In contact with the

    mesosome, biotite and ilmenite inclusions occur

    occasionally. Where garnet overgrows the mesosome,

    its composition becomes more iron- and calcium-

    rich, whereas the pyrope content drops. The spessar-

    tine content remains constant, suggesting that the rim

    zone reflects retrograde growth (garnet2). Garnet

    biotite thermometry using core compositions of

    neosome minerals yielded a fairly broad range of

    temperatures, depending on the calibration used,

    ranging from ~806 8C (Holdaway et al., 1997) to890940 8C (Thompson, 1976; Hodges and Spear,1982) and ~900 8C (TWEEQU 2.02, Berman, 1991;all calculated for 800 MPa). The mineral assemblage

    in the neosome includes plagioclase, garnet, and

    biotite, but no sillimanite as a magmatic phase.

    Sillimanite occurs only as fibrolite along plagioclase

    garnet grain boundaries and is most likely a retro-

    grade mineral. Hence, the results of GASP barom-

    etry, 824 MPa (TWEEQU) and 622 MPa (Holdaway,

    2000), are both controversial and equivocal. How-

    ever, the intersection of the multiphase equilibria

    curves in particular (~900 8C and 824 MPa; Fig. 5e)is in good agreement with the metamorphic field

    gradient defined by peak conditions of samples 513,

    506, 532A, and 557G (Fig. 5a). Garnetbiotite

    temperatures of ~900 8C are lower than the biotitebreakdown at low aH2O (~950 8C/800 MPa;Vielzeuf and Montel, 1994), and therefore not

    unrealistic for sample MM61, which comes from

    the highest-grade metamorphic part of the study area.

    Using average biotite, garnet and plagioclase rim

    compositions, garnetbiotite thermometry and GASP

    S.H. Buttner et al. /166yield 595 MPa and 694 8C, using TWEEQU 2.02.(Berman, 1991). Again, garnetbiotite temperaturesand GASP pressures using the calibrations of Hold-

    away et al. (1997) and Holdaway (2000, 2001) are

    lower in P and T (386 MPa and 652 8C for averagerim compositions). The results of geothermobarom-

    etry from sample MM61 confirm the high peak

    temperatures, exceeding 800 8C at middle to lowercrustal levels in the orthopyroxene zone, which have

    been obtained from sample 557G and from petroge-

    netic grids. The pressures calculated with conven-

    tional methods and multiphase equilibria differ by

    ~200 MPa for both, peak and retrograde equilibra-

    tions. The higher PT values from multiphase

    equilibria appear more plausible because the migma-

    tites at the sample location MM61 should have

    experienced higher pressure and temperature than the

    samples from close to the orthopyroxene-in isograd

    (532A and 557G). For methodological reasons

    (uncertain presence of Sil at the thermal peak) we

    have not used the results from MM61 to support our

    geodynamic model (see below).

    Sample 542 is a medium-grained mylonite from a

    retrograde shear zone within the orthopyroxene zone,

    consisting of the assemblage QtzBtGrtSilPl

    pinite. Elongated quartz lenses show chessboard

    patterns indicating deformation and annealing within

    the stability field of high-quartz (Kruhl, 1996). Both

    multiphase equilibria (Fig. 5f) and conventional

    garnetbiotite/GASP thermobarometry (TWEEQU

    2.02; Holdaway et al., 1997; Holdaway, 2000,

    2001) yield nearly identical results for both, core

    and rim compositions. Average core compositions

    yield 430 MPa and 665 8C (conventional methods)and 449 MPa and 675 8C with a slightly higher GrtBt temperature estimation (TWEEQU 2.02; Fig. 5f).

    These conditions were interpreted as the PT

    minimum for the onset of retrograde plastic solid

    state shearing in the orthopyroxene zone. Using the

    same methods as for core compositions, the rim

    compositions equilibrated at 440 MPa/610 8C and436 MPa/612 8C, respectively. These PT dataprobably reflect post-kinematic equilibration, because

    chessboard subgrain patterns in quartz indicate the

    formation of the quartz lenses at higher temperatures,

    in the stability field of high-quartz (Kruhl, 1996). As

    sample 542 comes from the orthopyroxene zone, it is

    evident that the peak conditions of the pre-mylonitic

    83 (2005) 143181protolith were similar to those of samples 557G or

    MM61.

  • 5. Geochronology

    In order to gather age data on regional meta-

    morphism, magmatic activity, retrograde shearing,

    and subsequent cooling, we selected six felsic

    pegmatites, one garnetaplite, one tonalite, two

    migmatites, two low-grade metapelites, and two

    calcsilicate rocks for isotopic dating. The pegmatites

    have been described in Section 3.6, while petro-

    graphic descriptions of other dated rock types can be

    on Re-single filaments. U and Pb isotopic analyses

    were conducted using a Finnigan MAT 262 at the

    GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ) Postdam. Instrumental

    mass-fractionation was corrected by 0.1% per a.m.u.

    The 2r reproducibility of the NBS SRM 981 Pbstandard is better than 0.1% for the 206Pb/204Pb and207Pb/204Pb ratios. Monazite U/Pb data were corrected

    for excess 206Pb following Scharer (1984), assuming a

    whole rock Th/U ratio of 0.5. The raw data were

    processed and ages calculated using the program

    ] STP

    S.H. Buttner et al. / Lithos 83 (2005) 143181 167found in the Electronic Data Supplement. Sample

    locations are shown in Fig. 2. KAr and 40Ar39Ar

    data on muscovite are presented in Table 2 and Fig. 8.

    RbSr, SmNd, and UPb internal mineral system-

    atics are given in Tables 35, and in the Electronic

    Data Supplement. The geochronological data set is

    summarised in Table 6. Petrographic descriptions and

    additional information on the geochonological data set

    can be found in the Electronic Data Supplement. The

    critical mineral assemblage of each dated rock is

    given in Table 6.

    5.1. Analytical methods

    5.1.1. UPb

    Monazite and titanite were separated using a

    magnetic separator and heavy liquids. Grains free of

    inclusions and alterations were hand-picked under the

    binocular microscope. Two different size fractions of

    monazite (~200 Am and ~100 Am) could be distin-guished in the sample 465. Before the addition of a205Pb235U tracer and dissolution of the sample in

    conc. H2SO4 (monazite) or HF (titanite) on a hot

    plate, the grains were cleaned in hot, dilute HNO3,

    ultraclean H2O, and acetone. Standard methods were

    used for chemical separation of Pb and U and loading

    Table 2

    KAr age determination

    Sample Spike [no.] K2O [wt.%]40Ar* [nl/g

    472 B Ms 2247 10.68 162.91

    515 B Ms 2246 10.23 171.35

    552 Ms 2245 10.21 161.87

    526 Ms 2244 10.41 171.29

    620 A Msb2Am 2699 5.69 83.08620 A Ms b0.2Am 2701 5.35 75.57

    620 C Ms b2Am 2700 6.29 90.72620 C Ms b0.2Am 2693 6.08 82.69packages PBDAT (rev. 1.24; Ludwig, 1993) and

    Isoplot/Ex (rev. 2.49; Ludwig, 2001).

    5.1.2. SmNd

    Sm and Nd concentrations were determined by

    isotope dilution using a mixed 149Sm150Nd spike.

    Sm and Nd isotope analyses were carried out on a

    Finnigan MAT 262 at the GFZ Postdam. Nd was

    analysed in dynamic, Sm in static mode. For age

    calculations, standard errors of F0.004% for143Nd/144Nd ratios and F1% for 147Sm/144Nd ratioswere assigned to the results. The value obtained for143Nd/144Nd of the La Jolla standard during the period

    of analytical work was 0.511852F0.000006 (n=6).Further analytical details are given in Kuhn et al.

    (2001).

    5.1.3. RbSr

    Both Rb and Sr concentrations were determined by

    isotope dilution using mixed 87Rb84Sr spikes.

    Determinations of Sr isotope ratios were carried out

    on a VG Sector 54 multicollector TIMS instrument

    (GFZ Potsdam) in dynamic mode. The value obtained

    for 87Sr/86Sr of the NBS standard SRM 987 during the

    period of analytical work was 0.710266F0.000012(n=25). Rb analyses were done on a VG Isomass 54

    40Ar* [%] Age [Ma] 2r-Error [Ma] 2r-Error [%]

    96.33 420 12 2.8

    97.75 457 14 2.9

    98.31 435 10 2.3

    97.00 450 11 2.4

    98.49 404 8 2.0

    97.51 392 8 2.197.99 400 8 2.0

    96.27 379 8 2.1

  • 00

    00

    Lithos300

    350

    400

    450

    500

    300

    350

    400

    450

    500

    0 20 40 60 80 1

    app

    aren

    t age

    [Ma]

    app

    aren

    t age

    [Ma]

    472 B

    515 B

    total gas age: 408 7 Ma

    total gas age: 454 8 Ma

    cumulative percentage 39Ar released

    0 20 40 60 80 139

    S.H. Buttner et al. /168single collector mass spectrometer (GFZ Postdam).

    The observed ratios were corrected for 0.25% per

    a.m.u. mass fractionation. Total procedural blanks

    were consistently below 0.15 ng for both Rb and Sr.

    For calculations of isochron parameters, standard

    errors of F0.005% for 87Sr/86Sr ratios and of F1%for Rb/Sr ratios were applied if individual analytical

    errors were smaller than these values. Further details

    are given in Hetzel and Glodny (2002).

    5.1.4. KAr

    Prior to analysis, purified micas were ground in

    pure ethanol to remove altered rims that might have

    suffered a loss of Ar or K. Argon isotopic composi-

    tions were measured in a Pyrex glass extraction and

    purification line coupled to a VG 1200 C noble gas

    mass spectrometer operating in static mode. The

    amount of radiogenic 40Ar was determined by isotope

    dilution using a highly enriched 38Ar spike from

    Schumacher, Bern (Schumacher, 1975). The spike

    was calibrated against the biotite standard HD-B1

    (Fuhrmann et al., 1987). The age calculations are

    based on the radioactive decay constants recommen-

    cumulative percentage Ar released

    Fig. 8. 40Ar39Ar laser step heating age-spectra of pegmatitic muscovite.

    symbols represents F1r.MM 110

    MM 72 B

    integrated age: 408 7 Ma

    integrated age: 442 8 Ma

    300

    350

    400

    450

    500

    app

    aren

    t age

    [Ma]

    300

    350

    400

    450

    500

    app

    aren

    t age