Anatomy of a low temperature zircon outgrowth

Hay, D., Dempster, T. , Lee, M. and Brown, D.J. (2010) Anatomy of a low temperature zircon outgrowth. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 159(1), pp. 81-92. (doi: 10.1007/s00410-009-0417-2)

Abstract

Outgrowths of zircon and xenotime are abundant on detrital zircon in a greenschist facies regional metamorphic slate from the Scottish Highlands. Back-scattered electron images reveal that ca. 3-μm wide zircon outgrowths are porous, inclusion-rich and contain fine-grained intergrowths with xenotime. Focused ion beam milling, transmission electron microscopy and low-voltage scanning transmission electron microscopy show that the outgrowth microstructure is complex, composed of mis-orientated nano-crystalline zircon and a poorly crystalline zircon–xenotime complex. Well-defined micron-sized xenotime is also present within the outgrowth. Micro-textures show that the outgrowth developed in a polyphase history during cooling and exhumation. Accommodation space for the outgrowth is probably generated by a combination of thermal decompaction and the migration of defects in adjacent quartz driven by the force of crystallisation. Zircon may be unique in its ability to record textural evidence of events during uplift and exhumation that are not recorded in major silicate phases.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hay, Mr Duncan and Dempster, Dr Tim and Brown, Dr David and Lee, Professor Martin
• Authors: Hay, D., Dempster, T., Lee, M., and Brown, D.J.
• Subjects: Q Science > QE Geology
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
• Journal Name: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology
• ISSN: 0010-7999
• ISSN (Online): 1432-0967
• Published Online: 23 June 2009