Petrography and Geothermobarometry of the Mica Schists of Khalaj (Southern Mashhad)

The fibrolite garnet staurolite mica schist and staurolite garnet mica schist cropped out around the northwest of Khalaj, south of Mashhad in a SE_NW direction along the metamorphic complex of Kuh-e-Majuni. They have similar mineralogy and consist of quartz, annite, staurolite, almandine, muscovite, zircon, and ilmenite; however, fibrolite in fibrolite garnet staurolite mica schist, and chlorite and tourmaline in the staurolite garnet mica schist are additionally found. Application of garnet - biotite thermometry and GBMAQ barometry indicates the temperatures and pressures of 560 and 605 °C / 3.5 and 5 kilobar for fibrolite garnet staurolite mica schist and temperatures of 489 and 547 °C (in 3.5 to 5 kilobar) for the staurolite garnet mica schist. Pressure and temperature increasing during the garnet growth indicates the effect of regional and contact thermal metamorphism on these rocks. Based on mineral paragenesis in KFMASH system, the metamorphic degree of regional metamorphism was about lower amphibolite (in staurolite garnet mica schist) to middle amphibolite facies (in fibrolite garnet staurolite mica schist). Meanwhile, intrusion of the Khalaj granitoid and its thermal diffusion raised the metamorphic temperature up to lower amphibolite facies (in staurolite garnet mica schist) and middle amphibolite facies (in fibrolite garnet staurolite mica schist), and consequently, this caused the fibrolite formation in the sample close to the pluton (i.e. fibrolite garnet staurolite mica schist).