Formation Depth of Coesite-Bearing Eclogite, Dabie UHPM Zone, China

The plastic deformation of garnet in coesite bearing eclogite, quartz eclogite and garnet amphibolite of the UHPM complex in Yingshan County in the Dabie Mountains has been studied. The stress generated by the strong tectonic movement was an important component of the total pressure that resulted in the formation of the eclogite in the Dabie UHPM zone. The three dimensional tectonic principal stresses and additional tectonic stress induced hydrostatic pressure [ p_s= (σ₁+ σ₂+ σ₃) /3] are reconstructed according to the differential stress and the strain ratio (α) of the garnet in the minor coesite bearing eclogite of the Yingshan County. Then the gravity induced hydrostatic pressure (p_g) is calculated following the equation p minus p_s, where p is estimated to be 2.8 GPa based on the quartz coesite geobarmeter. Therefore, the thickness of the rock column overlying the coesite bearing eclogite in the Ying shan County is determined ≥32 km. This estimation, significantly different from ≥100 km, the previous one obtained solely based on the weight/specific weight ratio (W/SW), offers a proper explanation for the puzzle that no tracer of the addition of mantle derived material has been found in the Dabie UHPM zone during the process of UHPM, although a number of researchers claim that this process took place at the depth of the mantle (≥100 km). It is concluded that attention should be paid to the additional tectonic stress induced hydrostatic pressure in the study of UHPM zones.