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The metamorphic paragenesis of cordierite in pelitic rocks

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Abstract

A petrogenetic grid is constructed for mineral assemblages occurring in metapelitic rocks, particularly those involved in the paragenesis of cordierite. The most useful assemblages for estimating pressures and temperatures are staurolite-cordierite, cordierite-biotite-Al2SiO5 and cordierite-hypersthene. Cordierite is stable with kyanite, sillimanite or andalusite. At high pressures cordierite is Mg-rich so that pelitic rocks typically do not contain the phase. Cordierite is stable at temperatures less than 500° C but does not commonly appear in metapelitic rocks until the garnet-chlorite, chlorite-staurolite or chlorite-Al2SiO5 tie-lines are broken. At high metamorphic grades, the assemblage garnet-hypersthene-cordierite indicates relatively low pressures, and the assemblage hypersthene-cordierite-sillimanite relatively high pressures. It is clear however, that the absence of cordierite is of little use in characterizing a metamorphic facies unless an alternate mineral assemblage can be shown to be more stable.

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  1. Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, 02912, Providence, Rhode Island

    Paul C. Hess

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Hess, P.C. The metamorphic paragenesis of cordierite in pelitic rocks. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 24, 191–207 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376047

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376047

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