Variscan amphibolite-facies rocks from the Kurtoğlu metamorphic complex (Gümüşhane area, Eastern Pontides, Turkey)

Abstract

The Kurtoglu metamorphic complex, that forms part of the pre-Liassic basement of the Sakarya zone in northern Turkey, consists of at least two tectonic units. Blueschist-facies rocks of unknown metamorphic age in the southern part of the complex are tectonically overlain by Variscan low-pressure high-temperature metamorphic rocks. The latter comprise mica schists and fine-grained gneisses, cut by metaleucogranitic dikes, as well as migmatitic biotite gneisses and subordinate amphibolite intercalations. Structural data indicate that metamorphism and penetrative deformation occurred after dyke intrusion. Peak metamorphic conditions of the mica schists, fine-grained gneisses and metaleucogranites are estimated to ∼650°C and ∼0.4 GPa, based on phase relationships in the system NCKFMASH, Fe–Mg partitioning between garnet and biotite as well as garnet-aluminosilicate-quartz-plagioclase (GASP) and garnet-plagioclase-biotite-quartz (GBPQ) barometry. Peak temperatures of the migmatitic biotite gneisses and amphibolite intercalations are not well constrained but might have been significantly higher (690–740°C), as suggested from hornblende-plagioclase thermometry. 40Ar–39Ar incremental dating on muscovite and biotite fractions from the mica schists and fine-grained gneisses yielded plateau ages of ∼323 Ma. Significantly older model ages of ∼329 and ∼337 Ma were obtained on muscovite fractions from two metaleucogranite samples. These fractions contain both relict igneous and newly formed metamorphic muscovite.