Metamorphism of metachert from the Southern Alps, New Zealand. A thermodynamic forward modelling study

<p>Scattered, scarce occurrences of garnet- and quartz-rich metamorphic rock, probably derived from Mn- and Fe-rich chert, occur within metamorphosed greywacke sequences worldwide. The metamorphism of such garnetiferous metacherts has not previously been investigated using modern thermodynamic forward modelling techniques due to the lack of appropriate, internally-consistent activity-composition (a–x) models for Mn-bearing minerals. The present study applies thermodynamic forward modelling using the recently-proposed a–x models of White et al. (2014) to investigate the metamorphism of garnetiferous metachert samples from the Southern Alps, New Zealand. Pressure-temperature (P–T) pseudosections are used in combination with results from petrography, element composition mapping using micro X-ray fluorescence (µXRF) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) methods, and garnet composition data from analytical transects by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), to study metachert metamorphism. All the samples are compositionally layered, so the possibility exists that an input bulk rock composition might not match the effective bulk composition at the site of garnet growth. If a mineral assemblage stability field in a calculated P–T pseudosection matched the mineral assemblage in the rock, this was taken as an initial indication of a permissible input bulk rock composition. In that case, refined constraints on the P–T conditions were sought by comparing calculated and measured garnet compositions. The studied rocks include samples that are carbonate-bearing, which require consideration of the effects of fluid composition in mixed H₂O–CO₂ fluids, as well as a sample in which the garnet is strongly zoned, texturally-complex, and inferred to be of polymetamorphic origin. The effects of element fractionation by that garnet were investigated by recalculating the P–T pseudosection using a new bulk rock composition with the garnet core content removed. In none of the samples did the calculated and observed composition isopleths for the garnet cores match, suggesting that initial garnet nucleation in these Mn-rich rocks was locally controlled. For most samples in which the calculated and observed mineral assemblages matched, successful estimates of the peak metamorphic conditions were obtained. A garnet chert (A12E) from the mylonite zone of the Alpine Fault at Vine Creek, near Hokitika, gave a tight intersection of composition isopleths, indicating peak metamorphic conditions of 510 °C/5.5 kbar, after recalculation to correct for element fractionation by the strongly-zoned garnet. This tight, modern constraint is within error of previously-reported results from traditional geothermobarometry (420–600 °C/5.9–13 kbar) and Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material (RSCM T = 556 °C) from nearby sites. A peak metamorphic estimate of 520–550 °C/7–10 kbar was obtained from a dolomite-bearing sample from the garnet zone near Fox Glacier (J34), in good comparison with published temperatures from Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material in nearby metagreywacke samples (526–546 °C). The prograde metamorphic P–T path was probably steep, based on growth of the garnet core at ~475535 °C/5–9 kbar. The successful results for these garnet chert samples show that the new a-x models for Mn-bearing minerals extend the range of rock types that are amenable to pseudosection modelling. Results obtained in this study also serve to highlight several possible concerns: a) garnet nucleation and initial growth in very Mn-rich rocks may be subject to local compositional or kinetic controls; b) bulk rock compositions may not always mimic the effective bulk composition; c) the existing a–x models for Mn-bearing minerals and white micas may need refining; and d) some rocks may simply be ill-suited to thermodynamic forward modelling. Items a) and b) may be indicated by the common observation of a mismatch between predicted and measured garnet composition isopleths for garnet cores, and by a mismatch between garnet composition isopleths and the appropriate mineral assemblage field for sample AMS01, from the mylonite zone, Hari Hari, Southern Alps. For item c) every P–T pseudosection calculated using the new a–x models for Mn-bearing minerals showed garnet stable to very low temperatures below 300 °C. In addition, the P–T pseudosection for an oligoclase-zone metachporphyroblasts of Fe-Ti oxides (magnetitert (Sample J36) from Hari Mare stream, Franz Josef - Fox Glacier, indicated that the white mica margarite should be present instead of plagioclase (oligoclase), for a rock in which oligoclase is present and margarite is absent, a problem previously noted elsewhere. Item d) is exemplified by a very garnet-rich ferruginous metachert sample (J35, garnet zone, headwater region, Moeraki River, South Westland) which proved impossible to model successfully due to its complex mineral growth and deformation history. This sample contained multiple generations of carbonate with differing compositions, amphibole (not incorporated for modelling with the new a–x models for Mn-bearing minerals), large e associated with smaller, possibly later-formed ilmenite), and the garnet bands were offset by late deformation. The garnetiferous metachert samples studied here preserve in their textures and compositions clues to their growth mechanism and metamorphic history. The textures in at least two of the samples are consistent with the diffusion controlled nucleation and growth model for garnet. This research has successfully used state of the art thermodynamic modelling techniques in combination with the latest internally consistent a-x models on Mn-rich metachert, for the first time, extracting P–T conditions of the metamorphism of garnetiferous metachert from the Southern Alps.</p>

Metamorphism of metachert from the Southern Alps, New Zealand. A thermodynamic forward modelling study

<p>Scattered, scarce occurrences of garnet- and quartz-rich metamorphic rock, probably derived from Mn- and Fe-rich chert, occur within metamorphosed greywacke sequences worldwide. The metamorphism of such garnetiferous metacherts has not previously been investigated using modern thermodynamic forward modelling techniques due to the lack of appropriate, internally-consistent activity-composition (a–x) models for Mn-bearing minerals. The present study applies thermodynamic forward modelling using the recently-proposed a–x models of White et al. (2014) to investigate the metamorphism of garnetiferous metachert samples from the Southern Alps, New Zealand. Pressure-temperature (P–T) pseudosections are used in combination with results from petrography, element composition mapping using micro X-ray fluorescence (µXRF) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) methods, and garnet composition data from analytical transects by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), to study metachert metamorphism. All the samples are compositionally layered, so the possibility exists that an input bulk rock composition might not match the effective bulk composition at the site of garnet growth. If a mineral assemblage stability field in a calculated P–T pseudosection matched the mineral assemblage in the rock, this was taken as an initial indication of a permissible input bulk rock composition. In that case, refined constraints on the P–T conditions were sought by comparing calculated and measured garnet compositions. The studied rocks include samples that are carbonate-bearing, which require consideration of the effects of fluid composition in mixed H₂O–CO₂ fluids, as well as a sample in which the garnet is strongly zoned, texturally-complex, and inferred to be of polymetamorphic origin. The effects of element fractionation by that garnet were investigated by recalculating the P–T pseudosection using a new bulk rock composition with the garnet core content removed. In none of the samples did the calculated and observed composition isopleths for the garnet cores match, suggesting that initial garnet nucleation in these Mn-rich rocks was locally controlled. For most samples in which the calculated and observed mineral assemblages matched, successful estimates of the peak metamorphic conditions were obtained. A garnet chert (A12E) from the mylonite zone of the Alpine Fault at Vine Creek, near Hokitika, gave a tight intersection of composition isopleths, indicating peak metamorphic conditions of 510 °C/5.5 kbar, after recalculation to correct for element fractionation by the strongly-zoned garnet. This tight, modern constraint is within error of previously-reported results from traditional geothermobarometry (420–600 °C/5.9–13 kbar) and Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material (RSCM T = 556 °C) from nearby sites. A peak metamorphic estimate of 520–550 °C/7–10 kbar was obtained from a dolomite-bearing sample from the garnet zone near Fox Glacier (J34), in good comparison with published temperatures from Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material in nearby metagreywacke samples (526–546 °C). The prograde metamorphic P–T path was probably steep, based on growth of the garnet core at ~475535 °C/5–9 kbar. The successful results for these garnet chert samples show that the new a-x models for Mn-bearing minerals extend the range of rock types that are amenable to pseudosection modelling. Results obtained in this study also serve to highlight several possible concerns: a) garnet nucleation and initial growth in very Mn-rich rocks may be subject to local compositional or kinetic controls; b) bulk rock compositions may not always mimic the effective bulk composition; c) the existing a–x models for Mn-bearing minerals and white micas may need refining; and d) some rocks may simply be ill-suited to thermodynamic forward modelling. Items a) and b) may be indicated by the common observation of a mismatch between predicted and measured garnet composition isopleths for garnet cores, and by a mismatch between garnet composition isopleths and the appropriate mineral assemblage field for sample AMS01, from the mylonite zone, Hari Hari, Southern Alps. For item c) every P–T pseudosection calculated using the new a–x models for Mn-bearing minerals showed garnet stable to very low temperatures below 300 °C. In addition, the P–T pseudosection for an oligoclase-zone metachporphyroblasts of Fe-Ti oxides (magnetitert (Sample J36) from Hari Mare stream, Franz Josef - Fox Glacier, indicated that the white mica margarite should be present instead of plagioclase (oligoclase), for a rock in which oligoclase is present and margarite is absent, a problem previously noted elsewhere. Item d) is exemplified by a very garnet-rich ferruginous metachert sample (J35, garnet zone, headwater region, Moeraki River, South Westland) which proved impossible to model successfully due to its complex mineral growth and deformation history. This sample contained multiple generations of carbonate with differing compositions, amphibole (not incorporated for modelling with the new a–x models for Mn-bearing minerals), large e associated with smaller, possibly later-formed ilmenite), and the garnet bands were offset by late deformation. The garnetiferous metachert samples studied here preserve in their textures and compositions clues to their growth mechanism and metamorphic history. The textures in at least two of the samples are consistent with the diffusion controlled nucleation and growth model for garnet. This research has successfully used state of the art thermodynamic modelling techniques in combination with the latest internally consistent a-x models on Mn-rich metachert, for the first time, extracting P–T conditions of the metamorphism of garnetiferous metachert from the Southern Alps.</p>

Barrovian-type metamorphism in the western domain of the Cordillera Darwin Metamorphic Complex, Fuegian Andes

&lt;p&gt;The Cordillera de Darwin Metamorphic Complex (CDMC) comprise metamorphosed supracrustal rocks and metaplutonic suites which records a unique tectonic evolution among the metamorphic complexes of the southernmost Andes. The pressure (P) and temperature (T) conditions determined in garnet-bearing schists in the Central Domain of the CDMC indicate a clockwise P-T path of metamorphism reaching burial depth as high as 12 kbar at ca. 620&amp;#176;C. This metamorphic event has been related to the closure of a marginal back-arc basin (Rocas Verdes Basin) and collision of an ensialic magmatic arc with the continent in the late Cretaceous. We focus on garnet-biotite schists intercalated within a huge block consisting of repeated sequences of metabasalts and amphibolites (Rocas Verdes Ophiolites), located in the Western Domain of the CDMC, at Seno Mart&amp;#237;nez. The chemical zonation of small garnet porphyroblasts (diameter of ca. 300 um) record two stages of metamorphism. Garnet is almost almandine in composition with lesser amounts of Ca, Mn and Mg. &amp;#160;The concentric zonation is characterized by relatively lower contents of Fe-Mg and higher contents of Ca-Mn in the core. Garnet bear tiny inclusions of clinozoisite, which is also present as isolated grains in the foliated matrix. Laths of biotite define the main foliation and have a nearly constant composition characterized by X&lt;sub&gt;Fe&lt;/sub&gt; of ca. 0.6. Two generations of phengitic white mica are identified on basis of Si content (a.pf.u.) varying between 3.20-3.30 (early generation) and of ca. 3.15 (late generation). To reconstruct the P-T conditions of metamorphism through thermodynamic modeling using the Perple_X software package, the bulk rock and mineral composition were considered. Using compositional isopleths of X&lt;sub&gt;Fe&lt;/sub&gt;, X&lt;sub&gt;Mg&lt;/sub&gt;, X&lt;sub&gt;Ca&lt;/sub&gt; and X&lt;sub&gt;Mn&lt;/sub&gt; in zoned garnet, Si content in white mica and X&lt;sub&gt;Fe&lt;/sub&gt; in biotite allow the constrain two stages of metamorphism (M1 and M2). The P-T conditions of M1, represented by the composition of the garnet core, are restricted to ca. 8 kbar and 400&amp;#176;C. M2 is restricted to ca. 7.5 kbar at 480&amp;#176;C, determined with the composition of the garnet rim, X&lt;sub&gt;Fe&lt;/sub&gt; in biotite and Si content in late phengitic white mica. Our preliminary results indicate that ophiolitic rocks and interleaved garnet-bearing schists were tectonically buried and metamorphosed in a relatively hot subduction interface characterized by a geothermal gradient of ca. 16&amp;#176;C/km, prior to the collision of the ensialic magmatic arc. Acknowledgements. This study was supported by the Fondecyt grant 1161818.&lt;/p&gt;

Near-isothermal exhumation of lower crust in the Caledonian Orogen: Metamorphic path of kyanite eclogite from the Danmarkshavn area, North-East Greenland Caledonides

&lt;p&gt;Kyanite eclogite from the North-East Greenland Caledonides &amp;#8211; the upper plate of the Caledonian orogeny &amp;#8211; preserves a mineral assemblage and petrographic texture that are consistent with an initial near-isothermal exhumation path. Two medium-grained kyanite eclogites from the Danmarkshavn area (76&amp;#176;46&amp;#8217;N, 18&amp;#176;40&amp;#8217;W) located west of the Germania Land shear zone contain the peak assemblage of garnet + omphacite + kyanite + phengite + amphibole + rutile. Subhedral garnet encloses monomineralic omphacite and polymineralic inclusions of clinopyroxene + plagioclase &amp;#177; quartz &amp;#177; amphibole &amp;#177; K-feldspar &amp;#177; kyanite. X-ray mapping of garnet indicates a homogenous core with a composition of Py&lt;sub&gt;51&amp;#8211;52&lt;/sub&gt;Alm&lt;sub&gt;28&amp;#8211;29&lt;/sub&gt;Gr&lt;sub&gt;19&amp;#8211;20&lt;/sub&gt;Sp&lt;sub&gt;0&amp;#8211;1&lt;/sub&gt;, along with a slightly zoned rim of Py&lt;sub&gt;54&lt;/sub&gt;Alm&lt;sub&gt;31&lt;/sub&gt;Gr&lt;sub&gt;15&lt;/sub&gt;Sp&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; that is replaced by a corona of symplectitic amphibole + plagioclase. Omphacite (X&lt;sub&gt;Na&lt;/sub&gt; up to 0.41), rarely present in the matrix, is indicated by symplectite of clinopyroxene + amphibole + plagioclase. Symplectites of corundum + plagioclase, spinel + plagioclase and sapphirine + plagioclase replace former kyanite. These symplectites are typically surrounded by a plagioclase corona with decreasing Ca (from X&lt;sub&gt;An&lt;/sub&gt; = 92&amp;#8211;97 to X&lt;sub&gt;An&lt;/sub&gt; = 47&amp;#8211;53) from the symplectite to the matrix. Isochemical phase equilibrium modeling along with homogenous garnet core and peak omphacite compositions yielded a peak metamorphic pressure-temperature (&lt;em&gt;P-T&lt;/em&gt;) condition at 1.9 GPa, 840 &amp;#730;C. Assuming local equilibrium at the microscopic scale, an attempt to model a symplectite of spinel + sapphirine + plagioclase after kyanite using a pseudosection yielded estimated &lt;em&gt;P-T&lt;/em&gt; conditions at 0.8&amp;#8211;1.3 GPa and 700&amp;#8211;900 &amp;#730;C. Integrating the calculated &lt;em&gt;P-T&lt;/em&gt; conditions and previous geochronological results, an initial exhumation path from 1.9 GPa to ~1.0 GPa from ~415&amp;#8211;390 Ma to ~375 Ma is nearly isothermal at around 800 &amp;#730;C.&lt;/p&gt;

Pristine metasomatic melt preserved in mantle rocks of the Bohemian Massif

&lt;p&gt;Melt inclusions of very unusual nature occur in garnets of eclogites of the Granulitgebirge, Bohemian Massif. This is one of the first direct characterization of a preserved metasomatic melt responsible for the formation of eclogites enclosed in garnet peridotites. The inclusions are micrometric, from glassy to fully crystalized as nanogranitoids and randomly distributed in the garnet core. Nanogranitoids contain kumdykolite/albite, phlogopite, osumilite and kokchetavite with a variable amount of quartz, pyroxene, carbonate and rare white mica. The melt has a granitic composition rather than basaltic or tonalitic/trondhjemitic as would be expected from the partial melting of ultramafic or mafic rocks and it is as well hydrous and peraluminous. The trace elements composition is also unusual for melts in mantle rocks with elements typical of continental crust (Cs, Li, B, Pb and Rb) and subduction zone (Th and U). Similar signatures, i.e. continental crust and subduction, are visible also in the whole rock trace elements in the form of high amounts of LILE and U. The eclogite major elements composition is similar to a Ca- and Fe - rich mafic rock akin more to the crust than to the mantle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The peculiar melt composition and the lack of a clear residue of a melting reaction in the eclogites suggest that this melt is external, i.e. metasomatic. It infiltered the peridotites during subduction of the continental crust at mantle depth and aided the transformation of basic layers, already in the peridotite, to eclogite. In addition, similar trace elements patterns to the melt reported here can be found in the so-called durbachite -ultrapotassic melanosyenite present in the high-grade Variscan basement- and in the garnet peridotites and garnet pyroxenites of the T-7 borehole. In both case metasomatism was suggested but the agent was just inferred based on the geochemical signature. All these occurrences suggest that mantle contaminated by melts from deeply subducted continental crust is widespread beneath the Bohemian Massif.&lt;/p&gt;

Paleoproterozoic Metamorphism of the Archean Tuntsa Suite, Northern Fennoscandian Shield

The Tuntsa Suite is a polymetamorphic Archean complex mainly consisting of metasedimentary gneisses. At least two strong metamorphic events can be distinguished in the area. The first took place at high temperatures in the Neoarchean at around 2.70–2.64 Ga, indicated by migmatisation and U-Pb ages of metamorphic zircon. During the Paleoproterozoic, metasedimentary gneisses were penetratively deformed and recrystallized under medium pressures producing staurolite, kyanite and garnet-bearing mineral assemblages. The suggested Paleoproterozoic PT path was clockwise where the temperature and pressure first increased to 540–550 °C and 6 kbar, crystallizing high Ca/low Mg garnet cores. The mineral compositions show that commonly garnet core was not in chemical equilibrium with staurolite but crystallized earlier, although garnet-staurolite-kyanite assemblages are common. The temperature and pressure increased to c. 650 °C and 8 kbars where staurolite and kyanite coexist. This was followed by decompression down to c. 550–600 °C and 3–4 kbars, shown by andalusite crystallization and cordierite formed in the breakdown of staurolite and biotite + kyanite. The observed garnet zoning where Mg increases and Ca decreases from the core to the rim was developed with both increasing and decreasing pressure, depending on the effective bulk composition. The U-Pb and Sm-Nd age determinations for monazite and garnet show that the Paleoproterozoic metamorphic cycle took place at 1.84–1.79 Ga, related with thrusting of the Lapland granulites onto the adjacent terranes and subsequent exhumation.

Tectono-metamorphic evolution and significance of shear-zone lithologies in Akebono Rock, Lützow-Holm Complex, East Antarctica

We describe a major shear zone exposed at Akebono Rock and discuss its deformation and metamorphic history, with a view to providing a better understanding of the geological history of the Lützow-Holm Complex. Three deformation episodes are recognized: D1 produced open folds (F1), boudinage and a regional ductile foliation, whilst the related metamorphic facies is characterized by stable garnet. F1 folding is dominantly preserved in the eastern part of the study area. During D2, an isoclinal to tight asymmetric F2 folds developed mainly in the west part of the region, accompanied by an S2 shear, under biotite facies retrograde metamorphism. The D3 episode involved the formation of the major shear zone, characterized by mylonite and L-tectonite fabrics, which took place at ~610–660°C and 4–5 kbar. Large, sigmoidal garnet core domains have S-shaped inclusion trails, suggesting that syntectonic garnet growth occurred before the formation of the shear zone. Estimated P-T conditions suggest that the sigmoidal garnet-bearing amphibolite was recrystallized at a deeper crustal level and was brought to a higher level during the formation of the shear zone. Crustal-scale deformation involving syntectonic recrystallization and shearing of Akebono Rock is a key issue for reconsidering the evolution of the Lützow-Holm Complex.

Regional Quartz Inclusion Barometry and Comparison with Conventional Thermobarometry and Intersecting Isopleths from the Connecticut Valley Trough, Vermont and Massachusetts, USA

A comparative analysis of Raman shifts of quartz inclusions in garnet was made along two traverses across the Connecticut Valley Trough (CVT) in western New England, USA, to examine the regional trends of quartz inclusion in garnet (QuiG) Raman barometry pressure results and to compare this method with conventional thermobarometry and the method of intersecting garnet core isopleths. Overall, Raman shifts of quartz inclusions ranged from 1·2 to 3·5 cm–1 over all field areas and displayed a south to north decrease, matching the overall decrease in mapped metamorphic grade. Raman shifts of quartz inclusions typically did not show systematic variation with respect to their radial position within a garnet crystal, and indicate that garnet probably grew at nearly isothermal and isobaric pressure–temperature (P–T) conditions. The P–T conditions inferred from conventional thermobarometry were in the range of ∼500–575 °C and ∼7·4–10·3 kbar over the sample suite and are in good agreement with previous published thermobarometry throughout the CVT. These P–T results are broadly consistent with QuiG barometry and also suggest that garnet grew isothermally and isobarically at near peak P–T conditions. However, P–T conditions and P–T paths inferred using either garnet core thermobarometry or garnet core intersecting isopleths yield results that are internally inconsistent and generally disagree with the pressure results from QuiG barometry. Garnet core isopleth intersections consistently plotted between the nominal garnet-in curve on mineral assemblage diagrams and the P–T conditions constrained by QuiG isomekes for the majority of the sample suite. Additionally, most samples’ P–T results from QuiG barometry and rim thermobarometry show marked disagreement from those derived from garnet core thermobarometry, compared with the minority that showed agreement within uncertainty. Pressures calculated from QuiG barometry ranged from 8·5 to 9·5 kbar along the traverses in western Massachusetts (MA) and central Vermont (VT) and from 6·5 to 7·5 kbar in northern VT indicating an increase in peak burial of 3–6 km from north to south. Along the western end of the central VT traverse, there are differences in measured Raman shifts and inferred peak pressures of up to 1 kbar across the Richardson Memorial Contact (RMC), indicating a possible fault contact with minor post-peak metamorphic shortening of up to ∼3 km. In contrast, along an east–west traverse in the vicinity of the Goshen Dome, MA, there was little observed variation in Raman shifts across the contact. By contrast, QuiG barometry clearly indicates significant discontinuities in peak pressure east of the Strafford Dome in central VT. This supports the interpretation that post-peak metamorphic shortening was necessary to juxtapose upper staurolite–kyanite zone rocks next to lower garnet zone pelites. Overall, it is concluded that garnet core thermobarometry and garnet core isopleths may provide unreliable results for the P–T conditions of garnet nucleation and inferred P–T paths during garnet growth unless independently verified. The consistency of QuiG results with rim thermobarometry indicates that peak metamorphic conditions previously reported for the CVT using garnet rim thermobarometry are robust and that variation in QuiG barometry results is a valuable tool to analyze structural features within a metamorphic terrane.

Metamorphic evolution of the Petersen Bay assemblage, Ellesmere Island: What can we learn about Pearya - Laurentia accretion?

&lt;p&gt;The accretion of the Pearya terrane to the northern margin of Laurentia plays an important role in the paleogeographic reconstructions for the Arctic region. Earlier workers proposed a timing of its juxtaposition spanning from Late Silurian (Trettin, 1998) to Late Ordovician (Klaper 1992). In this study, we focus on the pressure-temperature-time (P-T-t) evolution of the Petersen Bay assemblage. This subduction related unit crops out between the crystalline basement of Pearya and volcano-sedimentary sequence of Clements Markham fold belt. The highest grade rocks, garnet-kyanite-bearing schist (sample 17-66) and garnet-kyanite-staurolite garbenschiefer (sample 17-64) were selected for P-T studies and in-situ monazite U-Pb dating by sensitive high resolution ion microprobe.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thermodynamic modelling of sample 17-66 gives a P-T condition of 7.8-8.1 kbar and 590-610&amp;#176;C for garnet core formation, whereas a pseudosection calculated for the effective bulk composition indicates garnet rim growth at 8-9 kbar and 650-660&amp;#176;C. The QuiG Raman barometry coupled with Ti-in-biotite thermometry yield conditions of 6.5-7.5 kbar and 540-600&amp;#176;C for the garnet growth. The combination of QuiG barometry and Ti-in-biotite thermometry indicate garnet growth at 7.5-8 kbar and 500-550&amp;#176;C for the garbenschiefer sample.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Monazite shows distinctive zonation and 2, up to 3, domains were recognized based on textures and X-ray microprobe maps. For the sample 17-66, Monazite-I forms inclusions within garnet rims or cores of bigger matrix grains. It defines a weighted mean&amp;#160;&lt;sup&gt;206&lt;/sup&gt;Pb/&lt;sup&gt;238&lt;/sup&gt;U age of 397&amp;#177;2 Ma (n=18, MSWD=1.6). Monazite-II occurs in the matrix and gives an age of 385&amp;#177;2 Ma (n=19, MSWD=1.5).&amp;#160;Monazite-I from sample 17-64 yields a weighted mean &lt;sup&gt;206&lt;/sup&gt;Pb/&lt;sup&gt;238&lt;/sup&gt;U age of 394&amp;#177;2 Ma (n=11, MSWD=0.6). Monazite-II defines the age of 388&amp;#177;2 Ma (n=7, MSWD=0.8). Monazite-III was distinct only in garbenschiefer. It yields a younger age of 374&amp;#177;6 Ma (n=6, MSWD=3.1).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The P&amp;#8211;T data coupled with monazite dating suggest a Middle Devonian metamorphism of the Petersen Bay assemblage under amphibolite facies conditions. These new results suggest that the juxtaposition of the Pearya terrane, Petersen Bay assemblage and the Clemens Markham fold belt is Middle Devonian or younger, i.e. much younger than previously thought.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;References&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Klaper E.M. 1992. The Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the northern edge of North America: A structural study of Northern Ellesmere Island, Canadian Arctic Archipelago Tectonics, 11, 854&amp;#8211;870.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Trettin H.P. 1998. Pre-Carboniferous geology of the northern part of the Arctic Islands: Northern Heiberg Fold Belt, Clements Markham Fold Belt, and Pearya; northern Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere islands GSC Bulletin, 425, 401 p.&lt;/p&gt;