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Local, mid-crustal granulite facies metamorphism and melting: an example in the Mount Stafford area, central Australia

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High-temperature Metamorphism and Crustal Anatexis

Part of the book series: The Mineralogical Society Series ((MIBS,volume 2))

Abstract

This chapter describes amphibolite to granulite facies regional metamorphism and partial melting that occurred at remarkably low pressure (around 2–4.5 kbar) in a section of Proterozoic crust at c. 1820 Ma ago (Collins et al. 1989b), and discusses processes responsible for unusually high temperatures at such shallow-crustal pressures. A relatively small area (about 260 km2) of low-pressure regional metamorphic rocks (mainly metapelites and metapsammites, with subordinate mafic rocks) occurs in the Mount Stafford region, at the northwestern end of the Anmatjira Range, central Australia (Fig. 11.1). The rocks belong to the Lander Rock Beds of the Proterozoic Arunta Block, and were deposited about 1870 Ma ago, on the basis of correlation with similar rocks of that age in the Warramunga Group of the Devonport Basin (Blake & Page 1988). Primary sedimentary features can be recognized throughout the Mount Stafford area, even in the highest-grade rocks, and the metamorphic isograds appear to cut the near-flat-lying sediments.

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Authors
  1. R. H. Vernon
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  2. G. L. Clarke
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  3. W. J. Collins
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Birmingham, UK

    J. R. Ashworth

  2. University of Maryland, USA

    M. Brown

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© 1990 J.R. Ashworth, M. Brown & contributors

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Vernon, R.H., Clarke, G.L., Collins, W.J. (1990). Local, mid-crustal granulite facies metamorphism and melting: an example in the Mount Stafford area, central Australia. In: Ashworth, J.R., Brown, M. (eds) High-temperature Metamorphism and Crustal Anatexis. The Mineralogical Society Series, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-3929-6_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-3929-6_11

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