Discovery of Late Paleozoic retrograded eclogites from the middle part of the northern margin of North China Craton.

The retrograded eclogites have been discovered in the middle part of the northern margin of the North China Craton, which occur as lens or boudin within biotite-plagioclase gneisses in Paleoproterozoic Hongqiyingzi Group. The peak eclogite facies (P > 1.40-1.50 GPa, T = 680 -730°C) mineral assemblage is composed of garnet, omphacite and rutile (±quartz), which was overprinted by the granulite facies mineral assemblage of vermicular symplectite of sodic clinopyroxene and plagioclase which replaced the precursory omphacite, and then amphibolite facies retrograded minerals with characterization of Amp+Pl kelyphitic rim and symplectite, and amphibole replaced clinopyroxene. The protolith of retrograded eclogites is oceanic basalt formed at 438 ± 11 Ma. The peak eclogite facies metamorphic age of the retrograded eclogite is 325 ± 4 Ma. These relict eclogites may be formed by the subduction of Paleo-Asian oceanic crust beneath the North China Craton during Late Paleozoic. The discovery of relict eclogite in this paper provides a new insight into farther understanding of tectonic evolution of the northern margin of the North China Craton, and the relationship between the Paleo-Asian Ocean and the North China Craton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]