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Fractionation of carbon and oxygen isotopes and magnesium between coexisting metamorphic calcite and dolomite

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Abstract

Fractionations of carbon and oxygen isotopes and magnesium between coexisting dolomite and calcite have been determined for marbles and calcareous schists of a wide variety of metamorphic environments from Vermont and the Grenville Province of Ontario. Concordant equilibrium fractionations are given by 83% of the samples. Calibration of the isotopic thermometers using the Mg-calcite solvus thermometer gave in the temperature range: 650°>T°>100°C

$$ \begin{gathered} 1,000\ln \alpha _{D - Ct}^{O^{18} } = 0.45 (10^6 T^{ - 2} ) - 0.40 \hfill \\ 1,000\ln \alpha _{D - Ct}^{O^{18} } = 0.18 (10^6 T^{ - 2} ) + 0.17. \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$

These isotopic fractionation expressions differ significantly from the experimentally derived relations, including the dolomite-Mg-calcite C13 partial exchange experiments of this study.

Temperature ranges obtained for the metamorphic zones of Vermont are: chlorite zone, 210° to 295° C; biotite zone, 255° to 400° C; staurolite-kyanite zone, 110° to 550° C. In amphibolite-facies rocks the quenched partition relations can be complex. The temperature of quench or recrystallization may be as large as 400° C below the inferred metamorphic maximum. Oxygen isotope disequilibrium in high grade rocks, particularly from the Chester dome area, Vermont, is characterized by large negative δO 18D –δO 18Ct values.

The size of the equilibrium exchange system for carbon and oxygen isotopes and magnesium is small, less than a few inches across the inferred relict bedding. This is attributed to the lack of a mobile pore fluid except in systems undergoing decarbonation. C13/C12 ratios in Grenville and Vermont marbles and O18/O16 ratios in Grenville and greenschist-facies Vermont carbonates span the range of ancient limestones. Staurolite-kyanite zone calcareous schists and marbles from the Chester dome area, Vermont are depleted in O18(δO18=12 to 20‰) due to equilibrium or disequilibrium decarbonation and some partial exchange.

Extrapolation of the dolomite-calcite fractionation expressions to 20° C indicates that dolomite is enriched in O18 by about 4.9‰ and in C13 by about 2.4‰.

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  1. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas

    Simon M. F. Sheppard

  2. Department of Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Henry P. Schwarcz

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  1. Simon M. F. Sheppard
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Sheppard, S.M.F., Schwarcz, H.P. Fractionation of carbon and oxygen isotopes and magnesium between coexisting metamorphic calcite and dolomite. Contr. Mineral. and Petrol. 26, 161–198 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00373200

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