Metamorphic Facies
Victor Goldschmidt (1911, 1912a), contact
metamorphosed pelitic, calcareous, and
psammitic hornfelses in the Oslo region
Relatively simple mineral assemblages (< 6
major minerals) in the inner zones of the
aureoles around granitoid intrusives
Equilibrium mineral assemblage related to X bulk
Metamorphic Facies
Pentii Eskola (1914, 1915) Orijärvi, S. Finland
Rocks with K-feldspar + cordierite at Oslo
contained the compositionally equivalent pair
biotite + muscovite at Orijärvi
Eskola: difference must reflect differing physical
conditions
Finnish rocks (more hydrous and lower volume
assemblage) equilibrated at lower temperatures
and higher pressures than the Norwegian ones
Metamorphic Facies
On the basis of predictable relationship b/w rock
composition and mineral assemblage, and the
worldwide occurance of identical mineral
assemblages, Eskola (1915) developed the
concept of metamorphic facies.
In any rock or metamorphic formation which has
arrived at a chemical equilibrium through
metamorphism at constant temperature and
pressure conditions, the mineral composition is
controlled only by the chemical composition. We
are led to a general conception which the writer
proposes to call metamorphic facies.”
Metamorphic Facies
It is a function of metamorphic P/T condition and
bulk rock composition.
Same sets of minerals will develop at a fixed bulk
rock composition and a particular P/T conditions.
Thus, conversely, by studying the minerals, we
can get an idea about its bulk rock composition
and metamorphic P/T condition under which they
had developed.
Metamorphic Facies
Eskola (1920) proposed 5 original facies:
Greenschist
Amphibolite
Hornfels
Sanidinite
Eclogite
Easily defined on the basis of mineral
assemblages that develop in mafic rocks
Metamorphic Facies
In his final account, Eskola (1939) added:
Granulite
Epidote-amphibolite
Glaucophane-schist (now called Blueschist)
... and he changed the name of the hornfels facies
to the pyroxene hornfels facies
Metamorphic Facies
Temperature
Sanadinite
Formation of Zeolites
Facies
Epidote- Pyroxene-
Greenschist Amphibolite
Pressure
Amphibolite Hornfels
Facies Facies
Facies Facies
Granulite
Facies
Glaucophane-
Schist Facies Eclogite
Facies
Fig. The metamorphic facies proposed by Eskola and their relative temperature-pressure
relationships. After Eskola (1939) Die Entstehung der Gesteine. Julius Springer. Berlin.
Metamorphic Facies
Several additional facies types have been proposed.
Most notable are:
Zeolite
Prehnite-pumpellyite
...resulting from the work of Coombs in the “burial
metamorphic” terranes of New Zealand
Fyfe et al. (1958) also proposed:
Albite-epidote hornfels
Hornblende hornfels
Metamorphic Facies
Fig. Temperature-
pressure diagram
showing the generally
accepted limits of the
various facies used in this
text. Boundaries are
approximate and
gradational. The
“typical” or average
continental geotherm is
from Brown and Mussett
(1993). Winter (2001) An
Introduction to Igneous
and Metamorphic
Petrology. Prentice Hall.
Metamorphic Facies
Table 1. The definitive mineral assemblages that
characterize each facies (for mafic rocks).
Table 25-1. Definitive Mineral Assemblages of Metamorphic Facies
Facies Definitive Mineral Assemblage in Mafic Rocks
Zeolite zeolites: especially laumontite, wairakite, analcime
Prehnite-Pumpellyite prehnite + pumpellyite (+ chlorite + albite)
Greenschist chlorite + albite + epidote (or zoisite) + quartz ± actinolite
Amphibolite hornblende + plagioclase (oligoclase-andesine) ± garnet
Granulite orthopyroxene (+ clinopyrixene + plagioclase ± garnet ±
hornblende)
Blueschist glaucophane + lawsonite or epidote (+albite ± chlorite)
Eclogite pyrope garnet + omphacitic pyroxene (± kyanite)
Mineral assemblages in mafic rocks of the facies of contact meta-
Contact Facies
morphism do not differ substantially from that of the corresponding
regional facies at higher pressure.
After Spear (1993)
It is convenient to consider metamorphic facies in 4 groups:
1) Facies of high pressure
The blueschist and eclogite facies: low molar volume
phases under conditions of high pressure
Blueschist facies occurs in areas of low T/P gradients,
characteristically developed in subduction zones
Eclogites are stable under normal geothermal
conditions
May develop wherever mafic magmas solidify in the deep
crust or mantle: crustal chambers or dikes, sub-crustal
magmatic underplates, subducted crust that is redistributed
into the mantle
Metamorphic Facies
2) Facies of medium pressure
Most metamorphic rocks now exposed belong to the
greenschist, amphibolite, or granulite facies
The greenschist and amphibolite facies conform to the
“typical” geothermal
gradient
Metamorphic Facies
3) Facies of low pressure
Albite-epidote hornfels, hornblende hornfels, and
pyroxene hornfels facies: contact metamorphic
terranes and regional terranes with very high
geothermal gradient.
Sanidinite facies is
rare- limited to
xenoliths in basic
magmas and the
innermost portions of
some contact aureoles
adjacent to hot basic
intrusives
Metamorphic Facies
4) Facies of low grades
Rocks often fail to recrystallize thoroughly at very low
grades, and equilibrium is not always attained
Zeolite and prehnite-
pumpellyite facies are
thus not always
represented, and the
greenschist facies is
the lowest grade
developed in many
regional terranes
Metamorphic Facies
Combine the concepts of isograds, zones, and facies
Examples: “chlorite zone of the greenschist facies,” the
“staurolite zone of the amphibolite facies,” or the
“cordierite zone of the hornblende hornfels facies,” etc.
Metamorphic maps typically include isograds that
define zones and ones that define facies boundaries
Determining a facies or zone is most reliably done
when several rocks of varying composition and
mineralogy are available
Fig.. Typical mineral changes that take place in metabasic rocks during progressive metamorphism in the medium
P/T facies series. The approximate location of the pelitic zones of Barrovian metamorphism are included for
comparison. Winter (2001) An Introduction to Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology. Prentice Hall.
Facies Series
Miyashiro (1961) proposed five facies series, most of
them named for a specific representative “type locality”
The series were:
1. Contact Facies Series (very low-P)
2. Buchan or Abukuma Facies Series (low-P
regional)
3. Barrovian Facies Series (medium-P regional)
4. Sanbagawa Facies Series (high-P, moderate-T)
5. Franciscan Facies Series (high-P, low T)
Different facies Series
Figure: Metamorphic field gradients (estimated P-T conditions along surface traverses directly up metamorphic grade) for
several metamorphic areas. After Turner (1981). Metamorphic Petrology: Mineralogical, Field, and Tectonic Aspects. McGraw-
Hill.
Fig. Temperature-
pressure diagram
showing the three
major types of
metamorphic
facies series
proposed by
Miyashiro (1973,
1994). Winter
(2001) An
Introduction to
Igneous and
Metamorphic
Petrology.
Prentice Hall.
Plate tectonics and metamorphic facies
