TOURMALINITES FROM THE STRATIFORM PERALUMINOUS METAMORPHIC SUITE OF THE CENTRAL NAMAQUA MOBILE BELT (SOUTH-AFRICA)

Tourmalinites as proximal facies equivalents of stratiform peraluminous metamorphic rocks occur stratigraphically below base metal deposits and above thick metarhyolite horizons. Their premetamorphic protoliths are believed to have originated by tourmaline precipitation from exhalative B-, F- and W-rich brines also transporting aluminous clay colloids and dissolved silica. Tourmaline chemistry is used as an effective petrogenetic sensor. The tourmalines are Al-saturated, alkali-deficient dravite-schorl solid solutions, which are in the compositional range of tourmalines originated by exhalative processes. F-substitution in tourmalines is governed by Fe-F-avoidance. F is relatively enriched in the tourmalines and can potentially be used as a tracer for the source of primary hydrothermal solutions. Ti is introduced into the tourmalines by the substitution scheme Ti + Al(IV) = Al(Y) + Si. The high Ti-contents of the tourmalines as well as those of coexisting muscovites represent evidence of high-temperature metamorphism. Many tourmalines exhibit continuous zoning, which can partly be attributed to external fluid influx near peak metamorphic conditions.