J. metamorphic Geol.

, 2003, 21, 6580

Deep in the Heart of Dixie: Pre-Alleghanian Eclogite

and HP Granulite Metamorphism in the Carolina Terrane,
South Carolina, USA
J. W. SHERVAIS,1 A. J. DENNIS,2 J. J. MCGEE3 AND D. SECOR3
1
Department of Geology, Utah State University, Logan UT, 84322, USA (shervais@cc.usu.edu)
2
Department of Geology and Biology, University of South Carolina, Aiken SC 29801, USA
3
Department of Geological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia SC, 29208, USA

ABSTRACT

The central part of the Carolina terrane in western South Carolina comprises a 30 to 40 km wide zone of
high grade gneisses that are distinct from greenschist facies metavolcanic rocks of the Carolina slate belt
(to the SE) and amphibolite facies metavolcanic and metaplutonic rocks of the Charlotte belt (to the
NW). This region, termed the Silverstreet domain, is characterized by penetratively deformed felsic
gneisses, granitic gneisses, and amphibolites. Mineral assemblages and textures suggest that these rocks
formed under high-pressure metamorphic conditions, ranging from eclogite facies through high-P
granulite to upper amphibolite facies.
Mac rocks occur as amphibolite dykes, as metre-scale blocks of coarse-grained garnet-clinopyroxene
amphibolite in felsic gneiss, and as residual boulders in deeply weathered felsic gneiss. Inferred
omphacite has been replaced by a vermicular symplectite of sodic plagioclase in diopside, consistent with
decompression at moderate to high temperatures and a change from eclogite to granulite facies conditions. All samples have been partially or wholly retrograded to amphibolite assemblages. We infer the
following P-T-t history: (1) eclogite facies P-T conditions at 1.4 GPa, 650730 C (2) high-P granulite
facies P-T conditions at 1.21.5 GPa, 700800 C (3) retrograde amphibolite facies P-T conditions at
0.91.2 GPa and 720660 C. This metamorphic evolution must predate intrusion of the 415 Ma
Newberry granite and must postdate formation of the Charlotte belt and Slate belt arcs (620 to 550 Ma).
Comparison with other medium temperature eclogites and high pressure granulites suggests that these
assemblages are most likely to form during collisional orogenesis. Eclogite and high-P granulite facies
metamorphism in the Silverstreet domain may coincide with a
570535 Ma event documented in the
western Charlotte belt or to a late Ordovician-early Silurian event. The occurrence of these high-P
assemblages within the Carolina terrane implies that, prior to this event, the western Carolina terrane
(Charlotte belt) and the eastern Carolina terrane (Carolina Slate belt) formed separate terranes. The
collisional event represented by these high-pressure assemblages implies amalgamation of these formerly
separate terranes into a single composite terrane prior to its accretion to Laurentia.
Key words: amphibolite; Carolina terrane; southern Appalachians; eclogite; HP granulite.

INTRODUCTION

High-pressure granulites, characterized by the orthopyroxene-free assemblage Grt + Cpx + Pl Qtz,

comprise a newly recognized subfacies transitional
between plagioclase-free eclogites and orthopyroxenebearing granulites (Pattison, 2003). OBrien & Rotzler,
2003) distinguished two varieties of high-P granulite:
ultra-high temperature assemblages with melt reaction
textures, and medium-T, high-P assemblages (700
850 C, 1.01.4 GPa) that overprint former eclogite
facies assemblages. Like medium temperature (MT)
eclogites (Carswell, 1990), the medium-T, high-P
granulite subfacies is typically associated with collisional orogens, which form in tectonically thickened
arc or continental crust, typically in response to the
attempted subduction of an arc or continental margin
 Blackwell Science Inc., 0263-4929/03/$15.00
Journal of Metamorphic Geology, Volume 21, Number 1, 2003

during collision (e.g. Carswell, 1990; OBrien & Rotzler, 2003). In many areas, these rocks are commonly
associated with retrogressed felsic gneisses that were
originally cofacial with the enclosed eclogites (e.g.
Cuthbert & Carswell, 1990; Cuthbert et al., 2000;
OBrien et al., 1990).
The eastern margin of North America in the
southern and central Appalachians comprises a tectonic collage of terranes that formed in exotic locations
during the late Neoproterozoic through early Palaeozoic, and were subsequently accreted to Laurentia
during the mid- to late Palaeozoic (Williams &
Hatcher, 1983; Secor et al., 1983; Horton et al., 1989,
1991; van Staal et al., 1998). These exotic terranes
evolved independently of Laurentia for much of their
existence, and preserve evidence of orogenic and
magmatic events that are not observed in Laurentia.
65

66 J. W. SHERVAIS ET AL.

Fig. 1. Regional geology of the southern

Appalachians, showing principal sub-divisions, including the Carolina terrane (pale
grey), the Blue Ridge terrane (dark grey), the
Inner Piedmont terrane, and the Atlantic
Coastal Plain. Rocks of the Inner Piedmont
terrane (including the Chauga belt) and the
Carolina terrane (including the Charlotte
belt, the Carolina Slate belt, and the Kings
Mountain belt [KMB]) are all exotic to
North America.

One of the most extensive of these exotic periGondwana terranes is the Carolina terrane, which
comprises a large portion of the southern Appalachian
orogen east of the Blue Ridge province (Secor et al.,
1983; Fig. 1). The Carolina terrane is an exotic
Avalonian terrane that originally formed adjacent to
Gondwana in the late Neoproterozoic, and was not
accreted to Laurentia until the mid- to late Palaeozoic
(Secor et al., 1983; Williams & Hatcher, 1983).
We have recently re-examined a little known
occurrence of high-P granulite and amphibolite, with
an inferred MT eclogite precursor, within the central
part of the Carolina terrane (Dennis et al., 2000).
These rocks, which were originally interpreted as
pyroxene-bearing garnet amphibolites, contain relict
garnet-pyroxene-plagioclase assemblages that record a
previously unrecognized episode of eclogite transitional to medium temperature HP granulite facies
metamorphism within the Carolina arc terrane. This
event has broad implications for the evolution of the
southern Appalachians, and for models of metamorphism and exhumation in accreted arc terranes
in general. We present here a rst look at these
newly discovered high pressure rocks, their inferred
PTt history and some tectonic implications of their
occurrence.
ECLOGITES AND GRANULITES OF THE
CAROLINA TERRANE
Regional Setting
The Carolina terrane in the southern Appalachians is a calc-alkaline
island arc that is exotic to Laurentia and does not share a common
history with North America until the late Palaeozoic Alleghanian
orogeny (Fig. 1). It is largely Neoproterozoic in age but includes
sections of early to middle Cambrian age (Secor et al., 1983; Samson
et al., 1990; Shervais et al., 1996; Dennis & Shervais, 1996; Wortman
et al., 2000). Recent eld and geochronological studies show
that the Carolina terrane formed during two major episodes of arc
magmatism at
620 Ma and
550 Ma (Dennis & Wright, 1997;
Heatherington et al., 1996).

The Carolina terrane has been divided into three belts with different metamorphic and petrological characteristics: (1) the Kings
Mountain belt, which consists of greenschist facies mac metavolcanic rocks and forms the north-western margin of the Carolina
terrane; (2) the Charlotte belt, which consists largely of lower to
middle amphibolite facies, dominantly mac metavolcanic and metaplutonic rocks; and (3) the Carolina Slate belt, which is dominated by
low-grade (greenschist to subgreenschist) felsic metavolcanic rocks
with subordinate mac lavas and mudstones (Fig. 1).
The Carolina terrane was metamorphosed and ductilely deformed
during the latest Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian (Dennis &
Wright, 1995, 1997; Hibbard & Samson, 1995; Barker et al., 1998).
Metamorphism and ductile deformation resulting from the Alleghanian (
320 Ma) collision of Laurentia and Gondwana is
restricted to narrow shear zones which separate broad zones containing older fabric and mineral assemblages (e.g. Secor et al., 1986;
Dallmeyer et al., 1986; Horton et al., 1989; Horton & Dicken, 2001).
The Charlotte belt was intruded by a suite of undeformed Devonian
gabbros and granitoids (
400 Ma; McSween et al., 1991) that crosscut regional foliation and mark the upper age limit of penetrative
deformation within most of the terrane.
The exotic nature of the Carolina terrane is shown clearly by the
occurrence of a diverse Middle Cambrian peri-Gondwanan trilobite
fauna in the Carolina Slate belt (Samson et al., 1990). In addition,
combined eld-geochronological studies have shown that metamorphic fabric in most of the Carolina terrane formed prior to 535 Ma,
approximately coeval with the rift-drift transition on the Laurentian
margin (Dennis & Wright, 1995, 1997; Hibbard & Samson, 1995;
Barker et al., 1998).

Field Occurrence of High-Pressure Rocks

The boundary between the Charlotte belt and the Slate belt in central
South Carolina comprises a 30-km wide zone of high grade gneisses
that are distinct from less highly deformed amphibolite facies
(dominantly) mac rocks of the Charlotte belt (to the northwest) and
low-grade felsic metavolcanic rocks of the slate belt (to the southeast; Fig. 2). This region, termed the Silverstreet domain, consists of
high-grade felsic biotite gneisses, granitic gneisses, and amphibolites
that form the SE margin of the Charlotte belt (Secor et al., 1982,
1988; Halik, 1983; Hauck, 1984). The Silverstreet domain is intruded
by the undeformed early Devonian Newberry granite (415 9 Ma;
Fullagar, 1981; Samson & Secor, 2000), which cross-cuts regional
foliation and includes xenoliths of sheared and foliated country rock.
The age of this pluton represents an uppermost age limit for
formation and deformation of rocks in the Silverstreet domain.
The Silverstreet domain is bounded to the north and south by
shear zones. A variety of eld studies have demonstrated that the

DEEP IN THE HEART OF DIXIE 67

e nt
re R e

tmi
Whi Clinton

Joanna

Newberry NW

c. 414 8 Ma (U-Pb z) Newberry granite

Whitmire S

Blair

High grade Silverstreet domain:

eclogite, high-P granulite and
enclosing felsic gneisses

3430'N

edmont
ear zone
er Pi
ek sh
e
n
r
n
E
C
I
r
:
eave E
r a nt

81W

Clinton

+
+

+
+

c. 295 4 Ma (Rb-Sr w.r.)

Winnsboro granite

Salem X-roads

Little Mountain metatonalite orthogneiss

E known eclogite - high P granulite localities

Wateree L.

Newberry granite
414 8 Ma U-Pb z.
Cross Hill

L.

Bush River

re

en

wo

od

S t o ne

Pomaria

Newberry E

Newberry W

Winnsboro granite
295 2 Rb-Sr w.r.

y H i ll

area of Secor and others (1982)

investigation outlined in dash

Jenkinsville

ss
ognei

orth

Mesozoic brittle faults

Orientation of some major structures
in Carolina slate belt and Kiokee belt

Little Mtn
metatonalite 550 4 Ma U-Pb z.

82W

Dyson

Chappells

Silverstreet

Carolina slate belt and

34N

Kiokee b

Prosperity

Little Mtn

elt

7.5' quadrangles indicated and named

in SE corner. This report focussed on
quadrangles shown in bold.

Chapin

Lake Murray

Columbia
Good Hope

Saluda N

Denny

Delmar

Fig. 2. Geological map showing location of eclogite high pressure granulite-bearing Silverstreet domain of the Charlotte belt relative
to the Carolina Slate belt and the Whitmire reentrant of the Inner Piedmont. Capital E shows location of known eclogite granulite
blocks.
boundary between the high-grade gneisses of the Silverstreet domain
and the Carolina Slate belt is a fault over much of its length, but its
geometry and kinematics are not known (e.g. Dennis et al., 2000;
Ofeld, 1995; Ofeld & Sutphin, 2000; Secor et al., 1988, 1989). It is
inferred to be a normal fault in part because it juxtaposes high-grade
Charlotte belt rocks against low-grade Slate belt rocks. Locally,
however, it can be demonstrated that most recent ductile motion
along the Stony Hill orthogneiss was right lateral, based on composite planar fabric and asymmetric porphyroclasts (Dennis et al.,
2000). The northern margin of the Silverstreet domain is a 10-km
wide, E-W trending ductile shear zone (Beaver Creek shear zone)
with dextral shear sense indicators that separates it from less
deformed rocks of the Charlotte belt (West, 1998).
Mac rocks in less deformed parts of the Silverstreet domain form
amphibolite dykes up to
20 cm thick that are oriented parallel to
regional foliaton. In more deformed areas, isolated metre-scale
blocks within felsic gneiss are interpreted to represent boudinaged
mac dykes (Fig. 3). In many areas, these blocks form residual
boulders that have weathered out of the felsic gneisses; where these
occur in at upland terrain they are interpreted to be approximately
in place.
Retrogressed eclogite and high-P granulite assemblages commonly
are preserved in the cores of these isolated blocks. Blocks with relict
high-pressure assemblages are found within the Beaver Creek shear
zone along the north side of the Silverstreet domain and as residual
boulders near the centre of the terrane, south of the Newberry
granite, and clearly outside of the Beaver Creek shear zone (Fig. 2).
Foliation in the shear zone wraps around the eclogite blocks and
clearly postdates eclogite formation.

Mineralogy and Mineral Chemistry

Mac rocks that preserve high-pressure assemblages are modally
diverse with
2040% pink garnet, 2060% green, diopsidic clinopyroxene, 1545% hornblende, up to 10% plagioclase, and 35%
ilmenite, with accessory rutile, epidote, apatite, zircon, titanite and
calcite (e.g. Libby & Carpenter, 1969). Relict garnet and pyroxene
grains are up to 1 cm diameter, but typical grain size for relict phases
is
13 mm (Fig. 4). In thin section, hornblende, plagioclase and
ilmenite replace clinopyroxene, while garnet is replaced along its
margins by kelyphitic intergrowths of plagioclase with hornblende

Fig. 3. Field photo of eclogite block in felsic gneiss of Beaver

Creek shear zone. Block is about 1.5 m across, with a trapezoidal
shape; foliation in the shear zone wraps around the block. This
and other blocks were sampled using portable core drill.

and minor epidote. Calcite forms irregular veins and patches. Epidote, quartz, plagioclase, hornblende and oxides are also found as
inclusions in garnet, with epidote being the dominant inclusion
phase. Representative electron microprobe analyses from one sample
are presented in Table 1; these data are presented graphically in
Fig. 5. Analytical methods are presented in Appendix A: Methods.
Where it has been well preserved, diopside is characterized by a
vermicular symplectite of sodic plagioclase (An15)22) that we infer
represents the breakdown of omphacite; this is clearly shown by both
BSE images and high-resolution X-ray composition maps of the
symplectites (Fig. 6). The diopside contains about 15% jadeite
component, but modal reconstruction (see Appendix A: Methods)
suggests that primary omphacite contained 30% jadeite. The
reconstructed omphacite is presented in Table 1.
The breakdown of omphacite to diopside + plagioclase symplectite is commonly observed in high-P granulites after a medium

68 J. W. SHERVAIS ET AL.

Fig. 4. Probe mount (2.5 cm diameter) of

eclogite granulite from central Carolina
terrane, sample NEW-13. Pink garnet,
pale green pyroxene and pyroxene-plagioclase symplectite, brown dark
green hornblende, clear plagioclase or
calcite, black ilmentite or Fe-oxides. Note
plagioclase-rich kelyphite rims on garnet.
temperature eclogite assemblage, and is consistent with decompression at moderate to high temperatures (e.g. Elvevold & Gilotti, 2000;
OBrien & Rotzler, 2003). The inferred primary assemblage
omphacite + garnet rutile is consistent with formation under
eclogite facies conditions, whereas the observed assemblage diopside
+ plagioclase + garnet represents high pressure granulite facies
conditions (Galan & Marcos, 2000; Cooke et al., 2000; Pattison,
2003; OBrien & Rotzler, 2003). The breakdown of diopside and
garnet to form amphibole + plagioclase + epidote + ilmenite
represents nal equilibration under amphibolite facies conditions.
Formation of amphibolite occurred in two stages. The rst is represented by aluminous pargasite and relatively calcic plagioclase
(An26)53), which replace diopside + sodic plagioclase symplectites;
the second is represented by magnesian pargasite and more sodic
plagioclase (An17)22) which replace both diopside and garnet. Calculated hornblende-plagioclase temperatures (next section) suggest
that the aluminous pargasite-calcic plagioclase pairs formed at higher
temperatures than the magnesian pargasite-sodic plagioclase pairs,
and that they are closely associated with the high-P granulite
assemblages.
High resolution X-ray composition maps of garnet show two
distinct growth zones (Fig. 7). The inner zone is enriched in Mn and
Fe, the outer zone is enriched in Ca and Mg. The Ca and Fe X-ray
maps show a sharp interface between the inner core and the outer
mantle, while Mg and Mn show smooth, continuous zoning proles
(Fig. 7). Note that these garnet are generally not symmetrically
zoned: the centre of growth typically lies close to one edge of the
grain. In the example shown here, several small spessartine-rich
garnet cores (seen as high Mn spots in the X-ray maps) have been
subsumed by the garnet mantle as it grew.
Compositional proles selected to traverse from the true core to
rim conrm these trends. A 1500-lm traverse of the grain mapped in
Fig. 7 shows smooth proles for pyrope (Prp) and spessartine (Sps),
and sharp steps in proles for grossular (Grs) and almandine (Alm;
Fig. 8). Proles for three additional garnet are shown in Fig. 9,
scaled to percentage of total grain radius. Although these three
grains vary somewhat in their innermost core compositions (Grs,
Sps), they display consistent proles for all elements, with (a) an

inner zone (0 to 55% of radius) that is low in Grs and Prp, and high
in Alm and Sps, and (b) an outer zone (60 to 100%) that is higher in
Grs and Prp, and lower in Alm and Sps (Fig. 9). All grains exhibit a
sharp increase in Grs and decrease in Alm at the transition (c. 60% of
grain radius) that implies an abrupt change in growth history.

RESULTS
Geothermobarometry

We infer from the data presented above that the garnet

cores formed during prograde metamorphism at
greenschist or amphibolite facies conditions, followed
by growth of the garnet mantles at eclogite (GrtOmp-Rt) and then high-P granulite facies conditions
(Grt-Di-Hbl-Pl-Ilm); retrograde metamorphism in the
amphibolite facies resulted in the breakdown of garnet
and formation of the late Hbl-Pl-Ilm assemblage.
Because these rocks experienced a range of metamorphic conditions, a number of assumptions are made in
determining which compositions to use for thermobarometry.
We assume that the reconstructed omphacite was in
equilibrium with the more Mg-Ca-rich mantles of the
garnet, and that the diopside-plagioclase symplectites
were in equilibrium with the more Mg-Ca-rich,
Fe-poor outermost rims of the garnet (e.g. Fig. 9). For
purposes of calculation, three garnet mantle compositions were used: (a) an average of all garnet mantles
from the prole shown in Table 1a (b) an average of all
garnet mantles in Fig. 9, from 65 to 99% of grain
radius, and (c) the garnet mantle farthest from the

Table 1a. Garnet analyses, prole of single large garnet crystal in sample NEW-1. Garnet formulae per 12 oxygen.
Distance from
Centre lm
SiO2
TiO2
Al2O3
FeO
MnO
MgO
CaO
Na2O
K2O
Cr2O3
Sum
Si
Ti
Al
Fe2+
Mn
Mg
Ca
Na
K
Cr
Pyrope
Almandine
Spessartine
Grossular

Core
1

Core
51

Core
204

Core
255

Core
306

Core
508

Core
559

Core
610

Core
762

Core
813

Core
863

Core
914

Core
1016

Mantle
1117

Mantle
1168

Mantle
1270

Mantle
1371

Mantle
1472

37.54
0.11
21.37
29.37
1.60
2.41
8.62
0.03
0.00
0.00
101.03
2.968
0.006
1.991
1.942
0.107
0.284
0.730
0.004
0.000
0.000
9.3
63.4
3.49
23.8

37.48
0.10
21.40
28.82
1.49
2.33
9.28
0.03
0.00
0.00
100.94
2.963
0.006
1.995
1.906
0.100
0.275
0.786
0.005
0.000
0.000
9.0
62.1
3.26
25.6

37.64
0.09
21.59
28.86
1.27
2.36
9.34
0.03
0.00
0.00
101.19
2.965
0.005
2.004
1.901
0.085
0.277
0.789
0.005
0.000
0.000
9.1
62.3
2.79
25.9

37.67
0.12
21.37
29.07
1.14
2.39
9.41
0.03
0.00
0.00
101.20
2.969
0.007
1.985
1.916
0.076
0.281
0.795
0.004
0.000
0.000
9.2
62.5
2.48
25.9

37.35
0.12
21.54
29.00
1.07
2.40
9.44
0.04
0.00
0.00
100.94
2.952
0.007
2.006
1.917
0.071
0.282
0.799
0.006
0.000
0.000
9.2
62.5
2.31
26.0

37.42
0.10
21.71
28.93
0.81
2.38
9.73
0.03
0.00
0.00
101.11
2.949
0.006
2.017
1.907
0.054
0.280
0.821
0.004
0.000
0.000
9.1
62.3
1.76
26.8

36.94
0.10
21.46
28.88
0.75
2.39
9.87
0.03
0.00
0.00
100.42
2.937
0.006
2.011
1.920
0.051
0.283
0.841
0.005
0.000
0.000
9.1
62.0
1.65
27.2

36.89
0.07
21.44
28.82
0.68
2.48
9.92
0.00
0.00
0.00
100.30
2.936
0.004
2.011
1.918
0.046
0.294
0.845
0.000
0.000
0.000
9.5
61.8
1.48
27.2

37.28
0.13
21.32
28.97
0.47
2.62
9.88
0.01
0.00
0.00
100.68
2.951
0.007
1.989
1.918
0.031
0.309
0.838
0.002
0.000
0.000
10.0
62.0
1.00
27.1

37.27
0.10
21.25
28.93
0.37
2.68
9.84
0.02
0.00
0.01
100.46
2.956
0.006
1.986
1.918
0.025
0.317
0.836
0.003
0.000
0.000
10.2
62.0
0.81
27.0

37.10
0.12
21.30
29.05
0.38
2.76
9.79
0.04
0.00
0.00
100.54
2.943
0.007
1.991
1.927
0.025
0.326
0.832
0.005
0.000
0.000
10.5
62.0
0.80
26.8

37.54
0.07
21.30
29.17
0.32
2.93
9.64
0.00
0.00
0.00
100.98
2.959
0.004
1.979
1.923
0.021
0.345
0.814
0.000
0.000
0.000
11.1
62.0
0.68
26.2

37.39
0.11
21.27
28.46
0.20
3.09
9.90
0.02
0.00
0.00
100.43
2.957
0.007
1.982
1.882
0.013
0.365
0.839
0.003
0.000
0.000
11.8
60.7
0.42
27.1

37.21
0.07
21.46
27.69
0.12
3.34
10.38
0.05
0.00
0.00
100.31
2.941
0.004
1.998
1.830
0.008
0.394
0.878
0.007
0.000
0.000
12.7
58.8
0.26
28.2

37.24
0.17
21.27
27.27
0.12
3.25
10.73
0.06
0.00
0.00
100.12
2.947
0.010
1.984
1.805
0.008
0.383
0.910
0.010
0.000
0.000
12.3
58.1
0.26
29.3

37.81
0.08
21.49
27.20
0.13
3.33
10.71
0.04
0.00
0.03
100.81
2.964
0.005
1.985
1.783
0.009
0.389
0.899
0.006
0.000
0.002
12.6
57.9
0.29
29.2

37.81
0.09
21.46
26.68
0.10
3.39
11.10
0.02
0.00
0.01
100.65
2.964
0.005
1.983
1.750
0.006
0.396
0.932
0.003
0.000
0.001
12.8
56.7
0.19
30.2

37.86
0.17
21.31
26.53
0.12
3.47
11.10
0.04
0.00
0.00
100.59
2.969
0.010
1.970
1.740
0.008
0.405
0.933
0.005
0.000
0.000
13.1
56.4
0.26
30.2

Table 1b. Pyroxene (6 oxygen), hornblende (23 oxygen), and feldspar (8 oxygen) analyses from eclogite granulite sample NEW-1.
Di

Omp

Hbl adj

Hbl adj

actinolite

Pl in Di

Pl in Di Pl in Di Pl in Di Pl in Di Pl in Di Pl in Di Pl in Di Pl in Di Interstitial Pl Interstitial Pl Interstitial Pl Interstitial Pl Interstitial Pl Interstitial Pl

50.64
0.32
4.2
11.85
0.1
11.45
19.45
1.42
0.05
0.01
99.43
1.917
0.009
0.187
0.375
0.003
0.646
0.789
0.1042
0.002
0.000

51.66
0.18
3.47
11.03
0.07
10.69
20.27
1.74
0.01
0.00
99.10
1.958
0.005
0.155
0.350
0.002
0.604
0.823
0.128
0.001
0.000

51.50
0.26
9.36
9.61
0.08
9.21
16.51
3.47
0.07
0.01
100.00
1.937
0.007
0.415
0.302
0.003
0.516
0.665
0.253
0.003
0.000

42.17
1.11
11.95
18.90
0.07
9.46
11.53
1.93
0.36
0.00
97.48
6.400
0.127
2.137
2.399
0.009
2.140
1.874
0.568
0.070
0.000

41.52
1.11
12.72
18.87
0.08
9.34
11.26
2.08
0.43
0.01
97.41
6.311
0.127
2.278
2.398
0.010
2.116
1.834
0.613
0.083
0.001

48.42
0.73
6.20
15.63
0.06
13.01
11.89
1.01
0.19
0.02
97.14
7.172
0.081
1.083
1.936
0.008
2.871
1.887
0.290
0.035
0.003

62.16
0.51
22.55
0.33
0.00
0.01
4.25
8.24
0.08
0.00
98.14
2.796
0.017
1.196
0.013
0.000
0.001
0.205
0.719
0.005
0.000

63.60
0.02
22.36
0.23
0.02
0.01
3.19
9.10
0.09
0.00
98.61
2.838
0.001
1.176
0.009
0.001
0.001
0.153
0.787
0.005
0.000

64.75
0.00
22.41
0.25
0.00
0.00
3.14
9.00
0.12
0.00
99.66
2.854
0.000
1.165
0.009
0.000
0.000
0.148
0.769
0.007
0.000

63.57
0.02
23.09
0.38
0.00
0.00
3.63
8.87
0.11
0.00
99.67
2.812
0.001
1.203
0.014
0.000
0.000
0.172
0.761
0.006
0.000

63.85
0.00
22.50
0.25
0.00
0.00
3.23
9.06
0.07
0.01
98.97
2.838
0.000
1.179
0.009
0.000
0.000
0.154
0.781
0.004
0.001

63.78
0.02
23.06
0.26
0.00
0.00
3.77
8.83
0.09
0.00
99.80
2.815
0.001
1.200
0.009
0.000
0.000
0.179
0.755
0.005
0.000

64.11
0.01
22.68
0.30
0.00
0.00
3.29
8.89
0.13
0.00
99.43
2.836
0.001
1.183
0.011
0.000
0.000
0.156
0.763
0.007
0.000

64.65
0.03
22.41
0.24
0.00
0.00
2.94
9.29
0.10
0.00
99.65
2.851
0.001
1.165
0.009
0.000
0.000
0.139
0.794
0.005
0.000

63.81
0.08
22.63
0.28
0.00
0.00
3.43
8.91
0.10
0.00
99.24
2.830
0.003
1.183
0.010
0.000
0.000
0.163
0.766
0.006
0.000

59.76
0.04
25.27
0.18
0.00
0.00
6.46
7.39
0.03
0.00
99.13
2.678
0.001
1.335
0.007
0.000
0.000
0.311
0.642
0.002
0.000

58.52
0.06
26.32
0.21
0.00
0.00
7.51
6.87
0.05
0.00
99.54
2.621
0.002
1.390
0.008
0.000
0.000
0.361
0.596
0.003
0.000

60.83
0.00
25.55
0.26
0.00
0.00
5.81
6.92
0.07
0.00
99.43
2.703
0.000
1.338
0.010
0.000
0.000
0.277
0.597
0.004
0.000

60.06
0.00
25.19
0.09
0.00
0.00
5.89
6.75
0.04
0.00
98.02
2.705
0.000
1.337
0.004
0.000
0.000
0.284
0.590
0.002
0.000

58.82
0.00
26.31
0.16
0.00
0.00
7.35
6.42
0.04
0.00
99.09
2.638
0.000
1.390
0.006
0.000
0.000
0.353
0.559
0.002
0.000

54.44
0.00
28.75
0.28
0.00
0.00
10.34
5.22
0.01
0.00
99.04
2.473
0.000
1.539
0.011
0.000
0.000
0.503
0.460
0.001
0.000

DEEP IN THE HEART OF DIXIE 69

SiO2
TiO2
Al2O3
FeO
MnO
MgO
CaO
Na2O
K2O
Cr2O3
Sum
Si
Ti
Al
Fe2+
Mn
Mg
Ca
Na
K
Cr

Di

70 J. W. SHERVAIS ET AL.

Table 1c. Hornblende-plagioclase pairs from retrograded eclogite granulite sample NEW-1.
Sample#

Hb-1a

Hb-2a

Hb-2b

Hb-3a

Hb-4a

Hb-5b

Hb-6a

Hb-6c

Hb-8

Hb-8a

Hb-9

Hb-10

Hb-11

Hb-12

SiO2
TiO2
Al2O3
Cr2O3
Fe2O3
FeO
MnO
MgO
CaO
Na2O
K2O
H2O
Total
Si
Ti
Al
Cr
Fe3+
Fe2+
Mn
Mg
Ca
Na
K

39.97
1.28
13.58
0.02
6.01
12.56
0.04
9.27
11.61
2.09
0.55
2.00
98.98
6.053
0.146
2.425
0.002
0.685
1.592
0.006
2.092
1.885
0.614
0.106

37.91
1.28
16.39
0.01
6.19
11.83
0.05
8.64
11.72
2.22
0.66
2.00
98.90
5.749
0.146
2.929
0.001
0.707
1.501
0.006
1.952
1.904
0.654
0.128

39.84
1.45
14.33
0.01
5.56
11.86
0.05
9.65
11.65
2.17
0.54
2.00
99.11
5.998
0.164
2.544
0.002
0.630
1.493
0.007
2.165
1.879
0.633
0.103

42.00
0.87
11.69
0.01
6.26
12.34
0.04
10.01
11.72
1.85
0.38
2.00
99.17
6.316
0.098
2.074
0.001
0.709
1.552
0.004
2.243
1.889
0.540
0.073

40.88
1.31
12.54
0.02
6.30
12.97
0.03
9.42
11.55
2.04
0.45
2.00
99.51
6.162
0.149
2.228
0.002
0.715
1.635
0.004
2.115
1.866
0.597
0.087

40.82
0.54
13.80
0.01
6.72
12.95
0.08
8.88
11.63
2.00
0.49
2.00
99.92
6.124
0.061
2.441
0.001
0.759
1.625
0.010
1.987
1.869
0.581
0.093

40.65
0.88
13.16
0.02
6.84
13.96
0.08
8.48
11.67
2.03
0.46
2.00
100.23
6.120
0.100
2.335
0.002
0.775
1.757
0.010
1.902
1.883
0.592
0.088

42.44
1.32
10.33
0.02
5.77
14.21
0.06
9.50
11.42
1.89
0.37
2.00
99.33
6.419
0.151
1.842
0.002
0.656
1.798
0.008
2.141
1.851
0.555
0.072

42.57
1.41
11.03
0.00
5.13
11.81
0.03
11.03
11.44
1.93
0.55
2.00
98.93
6.384
0.159
1.951
0.000
0.579
1.481
0.004
2.465
1.839
0.560
0.105

43.46
1.33
10.22
0.00
5.05
11.42
0.01
11.52
11.83
1.75
0.36
2.00
98.95
6.490
0.149
1.800
0.000
0.567
1.426
0.001
2.563
1.893
0.507
0.069

39.38
0.88
14.98
0.00
7.02
12.28
0.05
8.74
11.54
2.15
0.51
2.00
99.53
5.935
0.100
2.661
0.000
0.796
1.548
0.006
1.964
1.863
0.627
0.097

40.76
0.96
13.43
0.00
6.75
11.44
0.00
10.01
11.97
1.99
0.48
2.00
99.79
6.092
0.108
2.367
0.000
0.760
1.430
0.000
2.229
1.917
0.577
0.092

42.99
1.11
11.04
0.00
5.27
12.31
0.04
10.68
11.79
1.80
0.42
2.00
99.45
6.419
0.125
1.944
0.000
0.592
1.537
0.005
2.377
1.887
0.522
0.080

40.97
1.00
12.97
0.00
6.52
11.93
0.02
9.87
11.85
1.99
0.46
2.00
99.58
6.145
0.112
2.293
0.000
0.736
1.497
0.003
2.206
1.905
0.577
0.089

Plagioclase
SiO2
Al2O3
CaO
Fe2O3
Na2O
K2O
Total
Si
Al
Ca
Fe3+
Na
K
Xalbite

Pl-1a
64.89
23.30
3.03
0.21
7.61
0.06
99.10
2.855
1.209
0.143
0.008
0.649
0.004
0.82

Pl-2a
54.44
28.75
10.34
0.28
5.22
0.01
99.04
2.473
1.540
0.503
0.011
0.460
0.001
0.48

Pl-2b
60.06
25.19
5.89
0.09
6.75
0.04
98.02
2.705
1.337
0.284
0.004
0.590
0.002
0.67

Pl-3a
64.71
23.60
3.23
0.13
7.46
0.07
99.19
2.845
1.223
0.152
0.005
0.636
0.004
0.80

Pl-4a
58.82
26.31
7.35
0.16
6.42
0.04
99.09
2.638
1.391
0.353
0.006
0.559
0.002
0.61

Pl-5b
57.81
26.85
7.99
0.22
6.41
0.04
99.31
2.597
1.422
0.385
0.008
0.558
0.002
0.59

Pl-6a
58.09
27.44
8.50
0.18
6.24
0.03
100.47
2.582
1.437
0.405
0.007
0.538
0.001
0.57

Pl-6c
64.30
23.35
3.29
0.25
8.68
0.09
99.95
2.825
1.209
0.155
0.009
0.739
0.005
0.82

Pl-8
64.70
23.46
2.75
0.13
7.46
0.09
98.56
2.856
1.221
0.130
0.005
0.639
0.005
0.83

Pl-8a
65.71
23.49
2.70
0.15
7.42
0.10
99.56
2.869
1.209
0.126
0.005
0.628
0.005
0.83

Pl-9
62.40
24.69
4.84
0.18
7.14
0.06
99.30
2.7620
1.288
0.230
0.007
0.613
0.003
0.73

Pl-10
63.95
23.88
3.53
0.22
7.40
0.07
99.04
2.822
1.242
0.167
0.008
0.633
0.004
0.79

Pl-11
65.38
24.52
2.98
0.20
7.26
0.10
100.46
2.834
1.253
0.139
0.007
0.610
0.006
0.81

Pl-12
60.83
25.55
5.81
0.26
6.92
0.07
99.43
2.703
1.338
0.277
0.010
0.597
0.004
0.68

Wo 50

Diopside
Jadeite

600 C
800 C
1000 C

B
1200 C

1000 C

Enstatite
Reconstructed
Omphacite

Interstitial Plagioclase

Exsolved
Diopside
DiHd

Plagioclase Symplectite
in Pyroxene
to EnFs

Fig. 5. Mineral data from eclogite granulite sample NEW-2:

(a) Jadeite-high Ca Px-Low Ca Px ternary plot, showing analyzed
pyroxene (squares) and reconstructed omphacite (X); (b) pyroxene
quadrilateral plot showing analyzed pyroxene (squares), along
with temperature contours of Lindsley & Anderson (1983);
(c) albite corner of the feldspar ternary, showing compositions
of plagioclase symplectite in diopside (open) and interstitial
plagioclase associated with hornblende (closed).

centre of the grain in Table 1a (but not the rim), corresponding to the analysis at 1371 lm. For the garnet
rim compositions, we used the garnet rim from
Table 1a (at 1472 lm) and the average rims of the
three garnet shown in Fig. 9. Garnet-pyroxene temperatures were calculated using the calibrations of Ellis
& Green (1979) and Powell (1985).
Because there is no indication of primary plagioclase
in equilibrium with omphacite, only minimum pressures are estimated for the inferred eclogite assemblage
using the plagioclase in diopside symplectite as a
proxy, using the diopside-plagioclase-garnet-quartz
(Newton & Perkins, 1982; Powell & Holland, 1988;
Moecher et al., 1988), and albite-jadeite-quartz geobarometers (Holland, 1980). For the high-P granulite
assemblage, we used diopside-plagioclase-garnetquartz (Newton & Perkins, 1982; Powell & Holland,
1988; Moecher et al., 1988) to estimate pressure, and
the jadeite content of clinopyroxene geobarometer of
Carswell & Harley (1990), to give a minimum pressure
for the eclogite assemblage.
For hornblende-bearing assemblages, the garnethornblende (Graham & Powell, 1984) thermometer and
garnet-plagioclase-hornblende-quartz geobarometer
(Kohn & Spear, 1989, 1990), were used, taking only the

Fig. 6. X-ray composition maps of diopside-sodic plagioclase symplectites ( former omphacite) surrounded by hornblende, plagioclase, garnet, and calcite. (A) Mg map,
New-1; (B) Ca map, New-1; (C) Al map, 3080E (D) Al map, 3080E. (A, B) Field of view 5 mm, hotter colours equal higher concentrations. Note shapes of the diopsideplagioclase-hornblende aggregates, which seem to pseudomorph the primary omphacite. (C, D) Field of view 2.5 mm. Lighter shades higher concentrations.

DEEP IN THE HEART OF DIXIE 71

Fig. 7. X-ray maps of zoned garnet surrounded by hornblende with minor plagioclase and ilmenite. A Fe, B Mn, C Mg, D Ca. Garnet has high Mn and Fe
in core, with higher Mg and Ca in mantle. Note the sharp contact between the inner garnet core and the outer garnet mantle seen clearly in the Fe and Ca X-ray maps.
Note also the small garnet cores (high Mn and Fe, low Ca and Mg) that have been subsumed by the garnet mantle. Hotter colours equal higher concentration in Fe, Mn,
and Mg; darker blue equals higher Ca. Black line in A is approximate location of line prole (Table 1a). Field of view is 5 mm in all maps.

72 J. W. SHERVAIS ET AL.

Fig. 8. Prole of single large garnet grain, from centre to rim.

Distance from rim in lm. Note sharp increase in Grs (CaO) and
decrease in Alm (FeO) at around 1150 lm. Pyr (MgO) shows
less precipitous increase, Sps (MnO) decays exponentially
toward rim.

outermost rim analysis of the garnet in Table 1a and

selected hornblende-plagioclase pairs from Table 1c.
Hornblende-plagioclase temperatures (Holland &
Blundy, 1994) were also calculated using the data from
Table 1c, which represent adjacent hornblende-plagioclase pairs from a range of textural associations. We
also used GRIPS (garnet-rutile-ilmenite-plagioclasesilica, Bohlen & Liotta, 1986) to estimate pressure, since
ilmenite is associated with the hornblende-forming
reactions.
Calculation of equilibrium T-P conditions was carried out using the program GTB of Spear & Kohn
(2001), and the hornblende-plagioclase program of
Holland & Blundy (1994). The pyroxene quadrilateral
thermometer of Lindsley & Anderson (1983) is used
for diopside (but not reconstructed omphacite) because
its nonquadrilateral components are less than 20%

(Fig. 5). The results from this graphical solvus thermometer
700800 C, or up to
50 C higher than
results from the garnet rim-diopside thermometers
(700750 C). Garnet-clinopyroxene temperatures
were calculated using stoichiometry to partition total
Fe between Fe2+ and Fe3+; calculation of Fe3+ stoichiometrically is strongly dependent on analytical
precision and generally overestimates Fe3+ in pyroxene
due to vacancies in the pyroxene lattice (e.g. Robinson,
1980). Calculation of garnet-diopside temperatures
assuming total Fe as Fe2+ results in temperatures
5080 C higher than those using calculated Fe3+
(Table 2). The c. 50 C difference between the pyroxene solvus temperatures and garnet-diopside temperatures calculated here probably results from the
overestimation of Fe3+ using stoichiometry.
Variations in hornblende-plagioclase temperatures
correlate with texture and composition, as noted earlier. Aluminous pargasite and calcic plagioclase that
replace diopside-plagioclase symplectites formed at
higher temperatures than the magnesian pargasite and
sodic plagioclase that replace garnet and form the
groundmass in highly amphibolitized samples. Figure 10 shows hornblende-plagioclase temperatures as a
function of plagioclase composition at 1.2 GPa, which
is the mean pressure calculated for these assemblages.
The high temperature hornblende-plagioclase assemblage clearly replaces pre-existing diopside-plagioclase
symplectites, but formed at similar temperatures and
pressures, probably in response to increased PH2O
during the thermal peak; we speculate that this water
must have come from dehydration reactions in the
enclosing felsic gneisses.
Using the data and methods described above, the
following equilibration conditions are suggested for
each stage of metamorphism, with each diagnostic
assemblage shown in parentheses:
(1) Eclogite facies metamorphism of a mac protolith
(garnet mantle + omphacite + rutile) at 650730 C
and 1.4 GPa.
(2) HP granulite facies conditions during decompression (garnet rim + diopside + pargasite I + plagioclase) at 700800 C and 1.21.5 GPa.
(3) Amphibolite facies conditions (pargasite II +
plagioclase + ilmenite epidote) at 660 C to 720 C
and 0.91.2 GPa.
These data are summarized in Table 2 and Fig. 11,
which depicts the calculated equilibria for various
mineral associations and facies with ellipses that
overlie the intersection of geothermometer and geobarometer equilibria for each stage of metamorphism.
In the absence of primary plagioclase, the pressure
estimated for the eclogite assemblage (P 1.4 GPa)
is a minimum equilibration pressure; this may be
lowered somewhat based on the high Fe content of the
sample, but may also be considerably higher (Carswell
& Harley, 1990). The equilibration pressures of the
HP granulite assemblage (1.21.5 GPa) are well

DEEP IN THE HEART OF DIXIE 73

3.5

2.5

1.5

0.5

Fig. 9. Combined proles of three garnet grains in sample NEW-1, scaled to percent
radius of grain. Note sharp increase in Grs (CaO) and decrease in Alm (FeO) at around
60% of total radius. Pyr (MgO) shows less precipitous increase, Sps (MnO) decays
exponentially toward rim.

Table 2. Summary of T-P data for high-P mac lithology from Silverstreet domain. Numbers in brackets refer to references listed
below.
Assemblage

Facies

Themometer

Eclogite

Grt-Cpx

650730 C @1.4 GPa [1,2]

Grt-Cpx-Pl-Qtz
Jd-Ab-Qtz

High P Granulite

Grt-Cpx
Grt-Cpx
Cpx Solvus
Grt-Hbl
Hbl-Pl
Grt-Hbl
Hbl-Pl

700750 C @1.21.5 GPa [1,2]

760780 C @1.21.5 GPa [1,2]*
700800 C [3]
770820 C @1.2 GPa [4]
760830 C @1.2 GPa [5]
660775 C @1.2 GPa [4]
690740 C @1.2 GPa [5]

Grt-Cpx-Pl-Qtz

Amphibolite

Temperature

Barometer

Grt-Hbl-Pl-Qtz
GRIPS
Grt-Cpx-Pl-Qtz
GRIPS

Pressure
> 1.3 GPa @700 C [6]
> 1.5 GPa @700 C [7,8]
> 1.4 Gpa @700 C [9]
1.2 GPa @800 C [6,7]
1.5 GPa @800 C [7,8]
1.21.5
1.21.5
1.01.2
1.01.2

GPa
GPa
GPa
GPa

@800
@800
@700
@675

C
C
C
C

[10]
[11]
[10]
[11]

References [1] Ellis & Green (1979); [2] Powell (1985); [3] Lindsley & Anderson (1983); [4] Graham & Powell (1984); [5] Holland & Blundy (1994); [6] Newton & Perkins (1982); [7] Powell &
Holland (1988); [8] Moecher et al. (1988); [9] Holland (1980); [10] Kohn & Spear (1989); [11] Bohlen & Liotta (1986). All temperatures with Fe3+ correction except *.

constrained since plagioclase and quartz are present in

both assemblages.
The conditions calculated for these assemblages
imply a clockwise pressure-temperature-time (P-T-t)
path (Fig. 11). The clockwise P-T-t conguration is
consistent with models that involve collision of large
continental or arc blocks, where one block is thrust
beneath another (high pressure at relative low temperatures) and then rebounds to an equilibrium
geothermal gradient when the block is exhumed during
uplift (England & Thompson, 1984). Based on the
preservation of primary zoning proles in the garnet at
temperatures up to 800 C, we suggest that uplift and
cooling must have been relatively rapid after peak
metamorphic conditions were reached (OBrien, 1997;
Cooke et al., 2000).

Protolith of mafic boudins and layers

Field relations suggest that protoliths of the mac

boudins and layers were originally mac dykes intruded into the more abundant felsic gneisses that compose the country rock of the Silverstreet domain.
Whole rock analyses presented here (Table 3) and
elsewhere (Dennis & Shervais, 1991, 1996) show that
the felsic gneisses were derived from arc-related felsic
to intermediate composition metavolcanic and metaplutonic rocks of Charlotte belt afnity.
Most of the mac boudins and dykes are basaltic in
composition, with SiO2
50%, MgO
68%,
FeO*
10% and TiO2
13% (Fig. 12). These
compositions are typical of oceanic basalts, but are too
high in TiO2 to represent arc-related high-alumina

74 J. W. SHERVAIS ET AL.

840
Hbl-Pl Temperatures

820

T@1.0 GPa

800
780
760
740
720
700
680
0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

1.00

Albite
Fig. 10. Plot of hornblende-plagioclase temperatures at 1.0 GPa
pressure, using Holland & Blundy (1994), as a function of
plagioclase composition. The strong correlation of calculated
temperature with composition is consistent with observed
changes in assemblage and texture.

Combined P-T path for

Silverstreet domain
Eclogite

1.6

1
High-P

2 Granulite
P GPa

1.2

3
Amphibolite
0.8

1 = Eclogite Gt-Omp
2 = Granulite Gt-Cpx-Hb-Pl
3 = Amphibolite Gt-Hb-Pl-Ilm

0.4

0
400

500

600

700

800

900

T C
Fig. 11. P-T-t plot showing clockwise path, with isobaric
heating from granulite to hornblende granulite assemblages.
1 inferred eclogite (reconstructed omphacite-plagioclase-garnet mantles; minimum pressures only); 2 high-pressure
granulite (diopside-pargasite-plagioclase-garnet rims-ilmenite);
3 amphibolite (pargasite II-plagioclase-ilmenite-epidote).

basalts. Two samples are somewhat unusual ferrobasalts, with SiO2
41%, MgO
6%, FeO*

1518%, and TiO2
2.53.5% (Fig. 12). They are
chemically equivalent to evolved tholeiitic basalts, with
very low Cr and Ni (<50 p.p.m). Similar ferrobasaltic
compositions were reported by Dal Piaz & Lombardo
(1986), Galan & Marcos (2000), and Will & Schmadicke (2001). All of the basalts and ferrobasalts studied
here can be classied as mid-ocean ridge basalts or
ocean island basalts using geochemical discrimination
plots such as Ti-V and Ti-Zr (Fig. 13; Shervais, 1982;
Pearce & Cann, 1973). This oceanic afnity contrasts
with the characteristic arc-related compositions of the
surrounding felsic to intermediate gneisses and other
rocks of the Charlotte belt (Dennis & Shervais, 1991,
1996). Similar relationships are observed in the Proterozoic Nagssugtoqidan mobile belt of east Greenland
(Messiga et al., 1990).
DISCUSSION
Tectonic setting of high pressure metamorphism

The equilibration conditions calculated here imply a

clockwise P-T-t path for mac rocks of the Silverstreet
domain, consistent with collision of two crustal blocks
during attempted subduction of one of these blocks.
These conditions are similar to those inferred for other
medium temperature eclogites and related high-pressure granulites (e.g. Carswell & OBrien, 1993; Galan
& Marcos, 2000; Cooke et al., 2000; Will & Schmadicke, 2001; OBrien & Rotzler, 2003). In many cases,
medium temperature eclogites are associated with
continent-continent collisions, as seen in the Norwegian and Greenland Caledonides (Krogh, 1982; Cuthbert & Carswell, 1990; Cuthbert et al., 2000; Elvevold
& Gilotti, 2000) and the Variscan foldbelts of central
Europe (OBrien et al., 1990; Galan & Marcos, 2000;
Cooke et al., 2000; Will & Schmadicke, 2001; OBrien
& Rotzler, 2003).
The Kohistan arc terrane of northern Pakistan may
provide the closest analogue to the rocks studied here,
because it involves collision of an island arc with a
continental margin (Jan & Howie, 1981; Coward et al.,
1987; Khan et al., 1989). High pressure granulites of
the Jijal complex formed at the base of the Kohistan
arc, possibly during its amalgamation with Asia (e.g.
Coward et al., 1987; Khan et al., 1989). It was exposed
during the subsequent collision of India with the combined Kohistan-Asia block, during which Kohistan was
in the upper plate of the collision (Coward et al., 1987).
The c. 450 Ma eclogites of the Eastern Blue Ridge
province of the southern Appalachians are not related
to the MT eclogite HP granulites from the Carolina
terrane described here. The Blue Ridge eclogites are
interpreted as low temperature (LT) eclogites formed
during the subduction of Ordovician oceanic crust
beneath the Inner Piedmont terrane (Willard & Adams,
1994; Adams et al., 1995; Adams & Trupe, 1997). These

DEEP IN THE HEART OF DIXIE 75

Table 3. Whole rock major and trace element analyses by X-ray uorescence.
Sample#
Rock
type

3080
Ferrobasalt

NEW-2
Ferrobasalt

30701
Basalt

30702
Basalt

30703
Basalt

30704
Basalt

3071UP
Amphibolite dyke

3071 A
Mac
boudin

3071B
Mac
boudin

3071C
Mac
boudin

30714
Amphibolite dyke

30715
Amphibolite dyke

3071 FG
Felsic
Gneiss

3025 A
Felsic
Gneiss

3025B
Felsic
Gneiss

SiO2
TiO2
Al2O3
Fe2O3
MnO
MgO
CaO
Na2O
K2 O
P2O5
Total
p.p.m.
Nb
Zr
Y
Sr
Rb
Sc
V
Cr
Ni
Cu
Zn
Ba

41.7
2.77
16.24
16.70
0.13
5.61
13.51
2.09
0.176
0.100
99.03

41.5
3.60
13.01
20.36
0.18
6.48
11.30
2.10
0.209
0.076
98.84

50.1
0.54
16.86
7.38
0.13
8.65
11.48
2.72
0.606
0.045
98.47

49.8
1.20
13.50
12.11
0.20
8.00
12.31
2.57
0.39
0.106
100.18

49.1
1.31
13.70
11.71
0.22
7.83
12.87
2.20
0.398
0.094
99.43

50.4
1.32
13.32
13.12
0.20
5.83
13.18
2.03
0.132
0.163
99.71

51.0
1.14
15.10
10.69
0.17
6.67
10.92
2.91
1.091
0.090
99.79

49.3
2.56
16.20
11.66
0.17
5.81
10.43
1.70
0.956
0.498
99.25

50.4
3.15
15.36
12.70
0.16
5.84
9.46
1.78
0.495
0.450
99.82

49.3
3.12
15.67
12.37
0.20
5.82
10.10
1.57
0.697
0.481
99.36

50.3
2.05
12.69
14.23
0.25
5.83
10.36
2.21
1.228
0.224
99.40

48.0
1.24
15.01
11.66
0.20
6.75
13.06
1.99
0.707
0.112
98.76

54.9
1.16
19.88
9.93
0.08
2.49
2.96
4.98
2.948
0.031
99.31

60.6
0.89
16.53
8.37
0.33
1.17
3.69
4.16
3.006
0.123
98.84

60.0
0.88
16.79
8.54
0.33
1.24
3.87
4.29
2.903
0.145
98.94

2.4
66
17
937
5
50.1
666
30
8
46
117
34

2.5
32
14
100
4
52.6
734
43
18
107
124
19

1.4
33
14
180
19
40.3
171
259
158
107
47
13

2.8
60
23
59
7
38.3
309
288
78
96
88
85

3.3
64
23
116
6
44.2
324
283
63
90
87
117

3.2
61
20
85
5
41.7
341
76
69
44
93
12

4.7
65
22
210
15
36.1
293
125
65
62
86
77

21.1
230
37
548
47
35.1
363
160
67
31
90
bdl

25.9
273
42
367
13
39.2
438
185
49
9
98
bdll

25.2
244
37
436
33
37.6
397
186
55
30
89
bdl

9.5
122
37
133
20
39.2
406
65
48
138
112
26

3.3
69
28
274
15
51.2
325
268
112
148
99
168

23
177
13
255
160
10.2
172
123
79
121
116
365

12.1
259
59
422
55
8
70
10
8
41
81
659

12.3
273
63
418
53
9.4
82
15
10
29
85
586

Note: Major elements in weight percentage oxide, trace elements in p.p.m.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

Fig. 12. Harker diagrams for eclogite high-P granulites of the Silverstreet domain, along with three felsic gneiss host rocks. Plots show
SiO2 vs. (a) TiO2 (b) FeO* (c) MgO and CaO (d) Na2O and K2O (e) Cr and Ni p.p.m., and (e) Zr p.p.m.

rocks were preserved in thrust sheets during the Alleghanian collision of North America with Gondwana in
the late Palaeozoic (Stewart et al., 1997).
Regional Implications

One conclusion that seems inescapable at this time is

that the Carolina terrane, as it is now understood, is a
composite terrane composed of two previously unrelated arcs: the Charlotte belt arc and the Carolina
slate belt arc. Amalgamation of these two arcs to
form the Carolina terrane must have occurred far

from Laurentia, and prior to accretion of the Carolina terrane to the Laurentian margin (Late Palaeozoic). Since the Silverstreet domain appears to be part
of the Charlotte belt and may represent in part the
infrastructure of the Charlotte belt arc, subduction
polarity during amalgamation of the Charlotte belt
arc with the Carolina slate belt arc must have been to
the SE (present day co-ordinates; Fig. 14). That is,
the Charlotte belt arc formed part of the lower plate
assemblage that was over-ridden by the Carolina slate
belt arc (which formed part of the upper plate of the
subduction zone).

76 J. W. SHERVAIS ET AL.

800
V ppm

700
600

10
20

Ferrobasalts

ARC
MORB

500

50

400
Basalts
300
200
Felsic Gneiss

100
0
0

5000

25000

10000
15000
Ti ppm

20000

25000

Ti ppm
20000

ferro-basalts

15000
MORB

10000

felsic gneiss
5000

Calc-alkaline

Uplift and Exhumation

IAT
0

assemblage that was active at the time of collision; this

is not observed in the Goochland terrane.
The high pressure metamorphic event documented
here must predate the c. 415 Ma Newberry granite
(which is unaffected by the amphibolite facies overprint, and contains xenoliths of the sheared felsic
gneisses which host the eclogites), and it must postdate
formation of the Carolina arc (c. 620 to 550 Ma;
Dennis et al. 1997; Dennis & Wright, 1997; Samson
et al., 1995; Wortman et al., 1996, 2000; Barker et al.,
1998). High-P metamorphism may coincide with the c.
535 Ma collisional event documented in the western
Charlotte belt by Dennis & Wright (1997), or it may
represent an older, as yet unrecognized collisional
event that occurred within the Carolina terrane prior
to its amalgamation with Laurentia.
The occurrence of MORB-chemistry dykes in the
roots of the arc implies that prior to its collision and
partial subduction beneath the Slate belt arc, the
Charlotte belt-Silverstreet arc may have collided with
and over-ridden an active spreading centre. This is
consistent with the collision of two arcs that were
originally separated by a spreading centre, which
would have to be consumed before collision of the two
arcs could occur (Fig. 14). It may also explain the high
temperatures and isobaric heating observed in the
Silverstreet domain.

50

100

150
Zr ppm

200

250

300

Fig. 13. Ti-V and Ti-Zr plots for eclogite granulite blocks
from Silverstreet domain, showing MORB OIB afnities of
the mac rocks.

Alternatively, Hibbard & Samson (1995) have suggested that collision between Carolina and the Grenville-aged Goochland terrane of eastern Virginia
(Farrar, 1984) might be responsible for the metamorphic fabric of the western Carolina terrane.
Mueller et al. (1996) and Heatherington et al. (1996)
have presented results based on their work in North
Carolina that suggest a swing in Nd isotopic compositions of Carolina lavas from strongly positive eNd to
near 0 or even negative at approximately the Cambrian
boundary. A complex collision between a c. 1.1 Ga
continental fragment and some portion of the Carolina
composite terrane could explain this observed swing in
isotopic compositions and some of the xenocrystic
zircon in Albemarle Group lavas from the North
Carolina slate belt. Subsequent terrane dispersal
during postcollisional strike-slip faulting could be
responsible for the present disposition of high pressure
rocks far from the present outcrop belt of the
Goochland terrane. However, since the Charlotte beltSilverstreet arc must have been in the lower plate of the
collision, the upper plate would have to include an arc

High-pressure, MT granulites eclogites of the Silverstreet domain were exhumed and cooled extremely
rapidly, as shown by the preservation of prograde
zoning proles in garnet that formed at 660820 C
(e.g. OBrien, 1997). These proles could not persist if
the boudins were held for long times at such high
temperatures. Exhumation of high-P metamorphic
rocks involves two related problems: (1) a driving force
for uplift of the crust, and (2) the dominant mechanism
for exhumation erosion vs. low-angle normal faulting
(Jamieson & Beaumont, 1989). In this context, uplift
refers to upward movement with respect to a xed
datum, whereas exhumation refers to unroong and
movement to lower lithostatic pressures (Jamieson &
Beaumont, 1989; Ring et al., 1999).
There are two possible models that may drive the
uplift of deeply buried rocks in subduction zones or
collision zones, both related to the buoyancy of crustal
rocks at depth: (1) the buoyancy of tectonically thicken
crust when material is removed from the upper crust
by erosion or faulting, or (2) break-off of the subducting slab, thus removing slab pull and allowing the
subducting crust to return buoyantly to the surface
(von Blanckenburg & Davies, 1995; Ernst et al., 1997).
We favour the slab breakoff model as the release
mechanism for uplift, because it is a logical consequence of the partial subduction of a buoyant block
attached to oceanic lithosphere, and because the two
arcs involved in this collision (Charlotte belt, Slate

DEEP IN THE HEART OF DIXIE 77

Fig. 14. Model for collision and amalgamation of the Charlotte belt Slate belt arcs. Stage 1: convergence of Charlotte belt and Slate
belt arcs, separated by mid-ocean ridge spreading centre; Stage 2: collision of Charlotte belt with MOR, emplacement of MORB
composition dykes into infrastructure of the arc; Stage 3: continued convergence of Charlotte belt and Slate belt arcs, with detachment
and sinking of subducted lithosphere; Stage 4: collision of Charlotte belt and Slate belt arcs, with eclogite facies metamorphism of
Charlotte belt arc infrastructure; Stage 5: delamination and sinking of oceanic lithosphere at leading edge of Charlotte belt arc,
followed by rapid uplift and exhumation of Charlotte belt infrastructure; granulite and then amphibolite facies overprint during
exhumation; Stage 6: postcollisional Carolina terrane compositer arc; later arc volcanism and sedimentation may represent overlap
assemblages that postdate suture; later reactivation of suture during Alleghanian sinistral shear?

belt) were likely too thin to generate great thicknesses

of crust. In addition, it would allow isobaric heating
followed by sudden and rapid pressure release and
cooling.
Exhumation, dened as the return of deeply buried
rocks to the surface, is generally driven either by erosion, low-angle normal faulting, or both; ductile
extension of the crust or lithosphere is slow and cannot
account for more than a small fraction of exhumation
(Ring et al., 1999). Erosion and low-angle normal
faulting both operate at similar rates (513 km Myr) 1
for erosion, 510 km Myr)1 for normal faulting) and
either can account for the rapid cooling required to
preserve the growth zoning in garnet. In the case of the
Silverstreet domain, we suggest that low angle faulting
was the dominant process, because the fault contact
between the Charlotte belt and Slate belt removes a
signicant thickness of metamorphic section (c. 14 km)
and juxtaposes terranes with signicantly different
metamorphic facies. Clearly, this process must have
been aided by rapid erosion to remove material from
the footwall, but erosion alone cannot account for the
juxtaposition of terranes with distinctly different
metamorphic grades and palaeodepths (Platt, 1986,
1993).
CONCLUSIONS

Mac meta-igneous rocks found along the boundary

between the Charlotte belt and the Carolina Slate belt
preserve metamorphic phase assemblages that imply

progressive retrogressive metamorphism under eclogite, high pressure granulite, and amphibolite facies
conditions. These rocks dene a clockwise P-T-t path,
consistent with collision and partial subduction. We
suggest that this collision may have occurred during
amalgamation of the Charlotte belt to the Carolina
Slate belt to form the composite Carolina terrane that
was later accreted to Laurentia.
Our conceptual model for this collision, based on the
data discussed above, is outlined in Fig. 14. In stage 1,
the Charlotte belt arc and the Slate belt arc face one
another across an active spreading centre. The Charlotte belt arc over-rides this spreading centre in stage 2,
leading to the emplacement of MORB composition
dykes in the dominantly felsic arc basement. By stage
3, the Charlotte belt arc became extinct and attached
to oceanic crust still subducting beneath the Slate belt
arc. Collision occurred during stage 4, with the
Charlotte belt arc in the lower plate being partially
over-ridden by the Slate belt arc, leading to the highpressure metamorphism at eclogite and high-P granulite facies conditions. During stage 5 the subducting
oceanic slab broke off, allowing rapid exhumation
of the Charlotte belt arc basement, possibly along a
low-angle normal fault. Finally (stage 6) subduction
was re-established beneath the combined Charlotte
belt-Slate belt arc with renewed volcanism and plutonism, and possible reactivation of the suture as a
high-angle transcurrent structure. Further work is
needed to rene and test this model in other parts of
the Carolina terrane.

78 J. W. SHERVAIS ET AL.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors thank R. Jamieson and J. Gilloti for their

thoughtful and detailed reviews, A. Indares for editorial handling, and especially M.J. Kohn for discussions of thermobarometry issues. We also thank
A. Bell and M. A. Jones (deceased) for assistance in the
eld. This work was supported by NSF grant
EAR9805159 to Dennis and Shervais.
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APPENDIX: METHODS

Omphacite was reconstructed from diopside-plagioclase symplectite by acquiring a series of BSE images on different diopside grains,
which were then segmented in the Cameca image analysis software to
recover the proportion of plagioclase in diopside. Results for all
grains imaged were around 20% modal plagioclase. The inferred
omphacite composition was reconstructed by converting the average
composition of plagioclase in symplectite to a mineral formula
and subtracting one mole of SiO2 to create jadeite. The jadeite
formula was converted back to weight% oxide and mixed with the
average composition of diopside in 20 : 80 proportions to create
omphacite.
Calculation of Fe3+/Fe2+ by stoichiometry for thermobarometry
followed method of Spear (1993).

All minerals were analyzed on the Cameca SX-50 electron microprobe at the University of South Carolina using natural and synthetic mineral standards from the Smithsonian Institution;
operating conditions were typically 20 KV at 25 nA. Data reduction
was carried out using the Cameca implementation of the phi-rho-z
algorithm (Pouchou & Pichoir, 1991). Large area X-ray composition mapping was carried out in stage mode using four xed
wavelength spectrometers in conjunction with the backscattered
electron (BSE) diodes. Typical maps are 512 512 pixels with a step
size 10 lm and dwell time of 200 milliseconds, for a total area scanned
of 5.0 5.0 mm and an analysis time of about 14 h per map.

Received 26 October 2001; revision accepted 8 July 2002.