Deformation-enhanced recrystallization of titanite drives decoupling between U-Pb and trace elements

Titanite is a common accessory mineral that is useful in determining both age (U-Pb isotopes) and pressure-temperature (P–T) conditions (trace-element composition: Zr, rare earth elements (REE)). However, titanite has a propensity to recrystallize during metamorphism, fluid flow, and deformation, wh...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gordon, S.M., Kirkland, Chris, Reddy, Steven, Blatchford, H.J., Whitney, D.L., Teyssier, C., Evans, Noreen, McDonald, B.J.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: ELSEVIER 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160104637
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91487
_version_ 1848765527692935168
author Gordon, S.M.
Kirkland, Chris
Reddy, Steven
Blatchford, H.J.
Whitney, D.L.
Teyssier, C.
Evans, Noreen
McDonald, B.J.
author_facet Gordon, S.M.
Kirkland, Chris
Reddy, Steven
Blatchford, H.J.
Whitney, D.L.
Teyssier, C.
Evans, Noreen
McDonald, B.J.
author_sort Gordon, S.M.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Titanite is a common accessory mineral that is useful in determining both age (U-Pb isotopes) and pressure-temperature (P–T) conditions (trace-element composition: Zr, rare earth elements (REE)). However, titanite has a propensity to recrystallize during metamorphism, fluid flow, and deformation, which can result in modifications to its isotopic and trace-element compositions. This modification has implications for the interpretation of titanite dates and the evaluation of pressure–temperature–time paths. The impact of deformation and recrystallization on trace-element mobility in titanite is investigated through microstructural and compositional mapping of titanite crystals from a sheared orthogneiss within an ultrahigh-pressure domain of the Western Gneiss Region (WGR), Norway. Results show that optically coherent titanite single crystals deformed in the dislocation creep regime and recrystallized by the process of grain-boundary migration, forming aggregates of titanite grains. Some of the aggregate grains record Caledonian-exhumation dates, whereas others have an inherited isotopic composition. Individual grains within the aggregate, regardless of their U-Pb isotopic composition, contain patchy zoning that formed during syn- to post-recrystallization fluid alteration and that is characterized by generally decreasing Ca and Ti and increasing Al and Fe from cores to rims. However, Zr and Sr concentrations are broadly zoned with respect to the long axis of the host crystal, without regard for the aggregate grain boundaries. REE do not show any obvious correlation with microstructure or age. These results indicate that many trace elements in titanite are unaffected by multi-stage, deformation-driven recrystallization; in contrast, Pb is variably mobile in these deformed titanite crystals. The combination of microstructural and high-spatial resolution geochemical and isotopic data reveals the potential extent of decoupling between the U-Pb isotopic system and the behavior of trace elements as pressure–temperature conditions change through time.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T11:36:40Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-91487
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-14T11:36:40Z
publishDate 2021
publisher ELSEVIER
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-914872023-05-09T04:16:30Z Deformation-enhanced recrystallization of titanite drives decoupling between U-Pb and trace elements Gordon, S.M. Kirkland, Chris Reddy, Steven Blatchford, H.J. Whitney, D.L. Teyssier, C. Evans, Noreen McDonald, B.J. Science & Technology Physical Sciences Geochemistry & Geophysics titanite U-Pb geochronology trace elements deformation UHP terrane petrochronology Titanite is a common accessory mineral that is useful in determining both age (U-Pb isotopes) and pressure-temperature (P–T) conditions (trace-element composition: Zr, rare earth elements (REE)). However, titanite has a propensity to recrystallize during metamorphism, fluid flow, and deformation, which can result in modifications to its isotopic and trace-element compositions. This modification has implications for the interpretation of titanite dates and the evaluation of pressure–temperature–time paths. The impact of deformation and recrystallization on trace-element mobility in titanite is investigated through microstructural and compositional mapping of titanite crystals from a sheared orthogneiss within an ultrahigh-pressure domain of the Western Gneiss Region (WGR), Norway. Results show that optically coherent titanite single crystals deformed in the dislocation creep regime and recrystallized by the process of grain-boundary migration, forming aggregates of titanite grains. Some of the aggregate grains record Caledonian-exhumation dates, whereas others have an inherited isotopic composition. Individual grains within the aggregate, regardless of their U-Pb isotopic composition, contain patchy zoning that formed during syn- to post-recrystallization fluid alteration and that is characterized by generally decreasing Ca and Ti and increasing Al and Fe from cores to rims. However, Zr and Sr concentrations are broadly zoned with respect to the long axis of the host crystal, without regard for the aggregate grain boundaries. REE do not show any obvious correlation with microstructure or age. These results indicate that many trace elements in titanite are unaffected by multi-stage, deformation-driven recrystallization; in contrast, Pb is variably mobile in these deformed titanite crystals. The combination of microstructural and high-spatial resolution geochemical and isotopic data reveals the potential extent of decoupling between the U-Pb isotopic system and the behavior of trace elements as pressure–temperature conditions change through time. 2021 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91487 10.1016/j.epsl.2021.116810 English http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160104637 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LE130100053 ELSEVIER fulltext
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Geochemistry & Geophysics
titanite
U-Pb geochronology
trace elements
deformation
UHP terrane
petrochronology
Gordon, S.M.
Kirkland, Chris
Reddy, Steven
Blatchford, H.J.
Whitney, D.L.
Teyssier, C.
Evans, Noreen
McDonald, B.J.
Deformation-enhanced recrystallization of titanite drives decoupling between U-Pb and trace elements
title Deformation-enhanced recrystallization of titanite drives decoupling between U-Pb and trace elements
title_full Deformation-enhanced recrystallization of titanite drives decoupling between U-Pb and trace elements
title_fullStr Deformation-enhanced recrystallization of titanite drives decoupling between U-Pb and trace elements
title_full_unstemmed Deformation-enhanced recrystallization of titanite drives decoupling between U-Pb and trace elements
title_short Deformation-enhanced recrystallization of titanite drives decoupling between U-Pb and trace elements
title_sort deformation-enhanced recrystallization of titanite drives decoupling between u-pb and trace elements
topic Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Geochemistry & Geophysics
titanite
U-Pb geochronology
trace elements
deformation
UHP terrane
petrochronology
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160104637
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP160104637
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91487