Calc-silicate assemblages from the Kerala Khondalite Belt, southern India: implications for pressure-temperature-fluid histories

Abstract

This paper reports several new localities of wollastonite- and scapolite-bearing calc-silicate assemblages from the granulite-facies supracrustal Kerala Khondalite Belt (KKB), southern India. Based on mineralogy, these calc-silicate rocks are classified into four types: Type I, lacking wollastonite and grossular; Type II, wollastonite-bearing but grossular-absent; Type III, wollastonite- and grossular-bearing; and Type IV, dolomitic marbles. Detailed petrographic studies reveal a variety of reaction textures overprinting the polygonal granoblastic peak metamorphic assemblages in these rocks. The Type II calc-silicate rocks preserve reaction textures, including meionite breaking down to anorthite-calcite-quartz, wollastonite breaking down to calcite-quartz and meionite-quartz symplectites after K-feldspar and wollastonite. Type III calc-silicate rocks have porphyroblastic and coronal grossular. Grossular-quartz coronas separating wollastonite and anorthite and the development of grossular within the anorthite-calcite-quartz pseudomorphs of meionite form important retrograde reaction textures in this type. In Type IV dolomitic marble assemblages, meionite forming in grain boundaries of calcite and feldspars, forsterite rimmed by diopside-dolomite and the formation of grossular in feldspar-rich zones are the important textures. Calculated partial petrogenetic grids in the CaOAl₂O₃SiO₂CO₂ system are used to deduce the pressure-temperature-fluid evolution of the calc-silicate rocks. The Type II assemblages provide CO₂ activity estimates of > 0.5, with a peak metamorphic temperature of about 790°C. Initial cooling followed by later CO₂ influx can be deduced from reaction modelling in these calc-silicate rocks. Type III assemblages are characterized by internal fluid buffering throughout their tectonic history. The formation of coronal grossular indicates an initial cooling from peak metamorphic temperatures of about 830°C deduced from vapour-absent meionite and grossular equilibria. Type IV marble assemblages also indicate internal fluid buffering followed by localized CO₂ influx. Overall, the calc-silicate rocks of the KKB define peak metamorphic temperatures in the range of 790–850°C, with an internally buffered fluid composition during the peak conditions. Initial cooling was followed by localized carbonic fluid influx that also post-dated decompression deduced from other rock types in the KKB.