High-pressure Ca metasomatism of metabasites (Mont Avic, Western Alps): insights into fluid–rock interaction during subduction

Abstract

The study of rock chemistry is a milestone in understanding fluid–rock interactions and fluid migration in subduction zones. When combined with thermodynamic models, it can provide direct insight into fluid composition, metasomatic reactions, and pressure–temperature (P–T) conditions, as well as their role in rock deformation. Here, a shear zone – located in the Mont Avic area of the Zermatt-Saas zone (Western Alps) – is analyzed. This shear zone consists of several blocks of different lithotypes, including a Ca-rich metasomatite block embedded in a serpentinite mylonitic matrix, and structurally underlies a coherent eclogitic mafic unit. This work aims to estimate the pressure–temperature conditions of the Ca-rich metasomatism and the amount of fluid involved. The brecciation exhibits mosaic breccia textures with clasts comprising ∼80 vol % of garnet, together with omphacite, epidote, titanite, rutile, and apatite hosted in an omphacite matrix. Quantitative chemical mapping of the garnet reveals primary garnet cores with embayment and lobate edges with a chemical composition similar to unaltered reference eclogite garnet. These primary garnet cores are overlain by Ca-rich metasomatic garnet rims with oscillatory chemical zoning. The oscillatory chemical zoning, together with the morphology of the primary garnet cores, suggests repeated influxes of external Ca-rich fluid that destabilized the primary garnet cores and promoted the growth of Ca-rich rims. Mass balance calculations between precursor metabasite and Ca-metasomatite indicate multiple fluid sources involving dehydrated serpentinite, calcic metasediments, and metabasites with time-integrated fluid fluxes calculated between 11.5×103 and 5.5×104 mfluid3 mrock-2, consistent with channelized fluid flow in an open system. Thermodynamic modeling of garnet from unbrecciated and non-metasomatized metabasites – from the Savoney eclogitic mafic unit – indicates peak metamorphic conditions of 2.5±0.1 GPa and 535±40 °C, consistent with regional estimates. Pressure–temperature conditions of metasomatism were constrained using P–X and T–X phase modeling (where X represents changes in bulk CaO and Na2O composition) between 2.6–2.2 GPa and 570–500 °C, showing that Ca-rich fluid percolation occurred close to the metamorphic peak (i.e., prograde to the peak or early exhumation path).