Rare-earth elements distribution in granulite-facies marbles: a witness of fluid–rock interaction

The rare earth element (REE) distribution of marbles from Tranomaro (SE Madagascar) shows that the marbles have interacted with syn-metamorphic fluids during the Panafrican granulite-facies metamorphism. The Tranomaro area is characterized by an extensive development of pyroxenites (skarns) variably mineralized in uranothorianite and enriched in REE, Zr. Across a meter-scale marble-pyroxenite contact, the REE content increases from the most remote marble sample to the contact with the pyroxenite (La from 19.8 to 129 ppm). REE patterns in enriched marbles display a strong negative Eu anomaly similar to those of pyroxenites. This peculiar type of REE distribution results from fluid infiltration. On a regional scale, some marbles have similar REE characteristics (progressive development of Eu anomaly together with REE enrichment) showing that some of them have interacted with fluids. Infiltration was hardly recognizable using C and O isotopic signatures because large isotopic variations were introduced during the pre-granulitic history. Then, REE distribution in high-grade marble may be helpful in monitoring syn-metamorphic fluid flow. In the present case, it is a more reliable tracer of fluid infiltration than stable isotopic compositions.