Abstract

The Chonos Metamorphic complex forms part of a belt of low-grade metamorphic rocks in the Chilean coastal Cordillera that are interpreted as Palaeozoic-Mesozoic accretionary complexes. It comprises metapsammopelitic schists, metabasites and metaironstones occurring in two contrasting units. Special attention during microprobe study of key samples was given to the chemical zonation of minerals. Subsequently, conventional geothermobarometry and that using thermodynamic calculations were applied. The Eastern belt comprises rocks that are metamorphosed to pumpellyite-actinolite facies conditions and show a low degree of deformation with well-preserved sedimentary and igneous structures. Maximum P-T conditions were around 5.5 kbar and 250-280 degrees C. The rocks of the Western belt are characterized by a transition between greenschist and albite-epidote-amphibolite facies metamorphism and show a penetrative tectonic transposition foliation S-2 formed close to the pressure maximum. Maximum P-T conditions vary around 8-10 kbar and 380-500 degrees C overstepping the stilpnomelane + phengite stability. High pressures in this belt are confirmed by regionally distributed phengites with high Si contents up to 3.5 Si per formula unit. Regional distribution of maximum temperatures is reflected by the composition of actinolitic hornblends within the metabasites. In a garnet-bearing metabasite of the Western belt, oscillatory growth zoning of garnet was observed. The composition of corresponding mineral inclusions suggests that a prograde P-T path during garnet growth evolved from 7.5 kbar and 375 degrees C to about 9.4 kbar and 500 degrees C. Late garnet grew synkinematically with penetrative deformation. The retrograde P-T path in the rocks of the Western belt is constrained by the composition of mainly late strain-free minerals and involves slight cooling during decompression. Both belts are part of a subduction system. The apparent P-T gap between the belts is due to their juxtaposition during exhumation. The Eastern belt constitutes the transition towards the backstop system of the accretionary prism that is represented by the Western belt whereas the absence of very low grade rocks west of the Western belt is attributed to tectonic erosion, which was possibly caused by subduction of a ridge.