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The metamorphic evolution of mafic rocks in the Tugela Terrane, Natal Belt, South Africa

Council for Geoscience, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Present Address: Kai Batla Minerals Industry Consultants, P.O.Box 41955, Craighall, 2024, Gauteng, South Africa e-mail: abisnath{at}kaibatla.co.za

S. McCourt

School of Geological Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville Campus) Durban, South Africa. e-mail: mccourts{at}ukzn.ac.za

H.E Frimmel

Department of Geological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa. Present Address: Division for Geodynamics and Geomaterials Research, Institute of Geography, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074, Würzburg e-mail: hartwig.frimmel{at}uni-wuerzburg.de

S.B.N. Buthelezi

School of Geological Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville Campus) Durban, South Africa. Present Address: Kai Batla Minerals Industry Consultants, P.O.Box 41955, Craighall, 2024, Gauteng, South Africa e-mail: sbuthelezi{at}kaibatla.co.za

New petrological and mineral chemical data indicate a clockwise P-T path for medium- to high-grade metamorphic mafic rocks in different thrust sheets of the Tugela Terrane within the Mesoproterozoic Natal Belt in KwaZulu-Natal (eastern South Africa). Three metamorphic stages are distinguished: (i) an early upper amphibolite- to lower granulite-facies metamorphic event (M₁) is indicated by rare relics of clinopyroxene; (ii) mineral chemical and textural equilibration during M₂ at calculated pressure-temperature conditions of 4.5 to 6 kbar and 693 to 750°C; and (iii) partial diffusional resetting of mineral compositions during subsequent uplift and exhumation (M₃) under lower amphibolite- to greenschist-facies conditions. No major differences were noted in the tectono-thermal regimes at which each of the respective thrust sheets were deformed suggesting that the Tugela Terrane was a homogenous package and experienced uniform P-T conditions. The new data acquired in this study contribute to an improvement in the ongoing development of a tectono-thermal and geodynamic model for the Natal Belt.