ИСТИНА

Сhloride-rich brines coexisting with CO2-rich fluids are an important agent of high-grade metamorphism and metasomatism in the lower to middle crust. Thermodynamic and transport properties of the chloride-rich fluids are well constrained both theoretically and experimentally. Nevertheless, their effects on complex natural assemblages are poorly understood and demand systematic experimental study. We report results of the experiments on interaction of the biotite-amphibole gneiss from the Sand River formation (Limpopo Complex, South Africa) with the H2O-CO2, H2O-CO2-KCl, H2O-CO2-NaCl, and H2O-CO2-(K, Na)Cl fluids at 5.5 kbar, 750 and 800OC, the chloride/(H2O+CO2) ratio varying from 0 до 0.1, and molar CO2/(CO2+H2O) = 0.5. Experiments were carried out using internally-heated gas pressure vessel. Major purposes of the experiments were to trace changes in phase assemblages in dependence on temperature, salt concentration in a fluid, KCl/NaCl ratio and to show a possibility for partial melting. Heating of the gneiss both at 750 and 800OC without any fluid produced no visible changes in its phase assemblage. Interaction of the gneiss with the H2O-CO2 fluid at 750ОС did not significantly influence on its phase assemblage, as well. Addition of KCl in the H2O-CO2 fluid at 750ОС resulted in the formation of reaction textures consisting of clinopyroxene and K-feldspar around biotite and amphibole at the contacts with plagioclase. No evidence for partial melting was detected in the samples interacted with the H2O-CO2 and H2O-CO2-KCl fluids at 750ОС. Addition of NaCl provokes melting with formation of trachytic and trachyandesitic melts along with the new assemblages Cpx+Kfs+Pl+Ti-Mt and Cpx+Amp+Pl+Ti-Mt. Characteristic of feature of amphiboles, forming in the NaCl-rich fluids is their elevated Na2O content. Products of the runs at 750OC do not contain orthopyroxene. This phase appears at 800OC as a result of biotite breakdown in presence of the H2O-CO2 fluid. It is accompanied by dacitic melt and Ti-magnetite. Newly formed assemblages regularly change with an increase of the KCl content in the fluid: Opx+Ti-Mt+melt  Opx+Amp+Ilm+Ti-Mt + melt  Opx+Cpx+Ilm+melt  Cpx+ Ilm+melt. In this sequence, the melt evolves toward potassic rhyolitic composition. Orthopyroxene appears in assemblage with sodic amphibole in equilibrium with NaCl-rich fluids, as well. Present experiments allow conclusion that the interaction of the biotite-amphibole gneiss with the H2O-CO2-(K, Na)Cl fluids can be accompanied by a partial melting at 750-800ОС. Melting progress is vitally depends on the NaCl/KCl ratio in a fluid. NaCl intensifies melting because of higher solubility of Cl and CO2 in the sodic melts in comparison to the potassic varieties. Charnockitic and mangeritic assemblages (Opx+Сpx+Kfs+Pl) form in presence of the partial melts at temperature 800ОС and are stable in presence of KCl-bearing fluids with relatively low salt concentrations (H2O/(KCl+H2O) < 0.015). Fluids of higher salinity result in formation syenitic and monzonitic assemblages (Cpx+Amp+Kfs+Pl). Applicability of the experimental data is demonstrated by mineral assemblages of local-scale dehydration zones in the high-grade terrains.