Zircon U–Pb Dating and Lu-Hf Isotope of the Retrograded Eclogite from Chicheng, Northern Hebei Province, China

We report zircon U–Pb ages and Lu-Hf isotopic data from two sample of the retrograded eclogite in the Chicheng area. Two groups of the metamorphic zircons from the Chicheng retrograded eclogite were identified: group one shows characteristics of depletion in LREE and flat in HREE curves and exhibit no significant Eu anomaly, and this may imply that they may form under eclogite facies metamorphic condition; group two is rich in HREE and shows slight negative Eu anomaly indicated that they may form under amphibolite facies metamorphic condition. Zircon Lu-Hf isotopic of εHf from the Chicheng eclogite has larger span range from 6.0 to 18.0, which suggests that the magma of the eclogite protolith may be mixed with partial crustal components. The peak eclogite facies metamorphism of Chicheng eclogite may occur at 348.5–344.2 Ma and its retrograde metamorphism of amphibolite fancies may occur at ca. 325.0 Ma. The Hongqiyingzi Complex may experience multistage metamorphic events mainly including Late Archean (2494–2448 Ma), Late Paleoproterozoic (1900–1734 Ma, peak age = 1824.6 Ma), and Phanerozoic (495–234 Ma, peak age = 323.7 Ma). Thus, the metamorphic event (348.5–325 Ma) of the Chicheng eclogite is in accordance with the Phanerozoic metamorphic event of the Hongqiyingzi Complex. The eclogite facies metamorphic age of the eclogite is in accordance with the metamorphism (granulite facies or amphibolite facies) of its surrounding rocks, which implied that the tectonic subduction and exhumation of the retrograded eclogite may cause the regional metamorphism of garnet biotite plagioclase gneiss.

The Geology of the Snøfjella and Dovrefjella in Vestspitsbergen

The area yields marbles, schists, and quartzites, probably of Hecla Hoek age, a series similar in lithology to those in the Kongsfjorden region. Their structure and metamorphic condition fit in with the general picture of Caledonian trend and of increasing orogenic activity westwards. Later faulting along the western edge of a graben has broken this ground up into independent blocks as witnessed by the disposition of the Devonian conglomerates. The youngest rocks are a southerly outlier of the plateau basalts best seen around Woodfjorden, remnants of at least two flows are preserved, both of olivine basalt rich in olivine phenocrysts and carrying inclusions of a more alkaline rock type.

XXV.—Metamorphism in Relation to Structure in the Scottish Highlands

The main object of tho present paper is the consideration of the structure of the Central and S.W. Highlands as shown up by the metamorphic condition of the beds. This metamorphic condition has boon studied over the length and breadth of the country, mapped and deduced from very many outcrops in all districts. Sometimes it was possible to superpose the the details respecting the metamorphism upon the 1-inch maps of the Geological Survey, but in many other cases the areas were mapped upon the 6-inch scale. Naturally this work has taken a long time, for it has necessitated the collection of many thousands of specimens, and nearly 3000 rocks have been sliced and examined, since it is not always possible to define the limits of a metamorphic zone with precision by field work alone, and many rock types were encountered that rendered a more careful study advisable than was possible from the mere examination of a hand specimen.

Notes on the Portsoy Coastal District

During the summer of 1928 I spent a month making a detailed study of the metamorphic condition of the rocks in the magnificent section displayed along the Banffshire coast and in the immediate hinterland, and this work has been supplemented by examination of a number of rock slices cut from specimens then obtained, and also of those in the collection of the Sedgwick Museum mostly collected by Mr. Harker.

The Metamorphism of the South-West Highlands.

Last year, I published a theory of the structure of the South-West Highlands in which was included a short statement regarding the metamorphism of the district (1922, p. 92). It seems that movement and metamorphism in this particular region have been too closely contemporaneous to allow of a tectonist deriving much assistance, in the initial stages of his work, from a study of the metamorphic condition of the various rocks with which he has to deal. There is no suggestion anywhere of contrasted metamorphisms having been brought into contact as a result of thrusting. If, as I suppose, there have been great thrust-movements, these must, for the most part, have occurred before the conclusion of the metamorphic period.