Low-temperature intracrystalline deformation microstructures in quartz

A review of numerous genetic interpretations of the individual low-temperature intracrystalline deformation microstructures in quartz shows that there is no consensus concerning their formation mechanisms. Therefore, we introduce a new, purely descriptive terminology for the three categories of intracrystalline deformation microstructures formed in the low-quartz stability field: fine extinction bands (FEB), wide extinction bands (WEB) and localised extinction bands (LEB). The localised extinction bands are further subdivided into blocky (bLEB), straight (sLEB) and granular (gLEB) morphological types. A detailed polarised light microscopy study of vein-quartz from the low-grade metamorphic High-Ardenne slate belt (Belgium) further reveals a series of particular geometric relationships between these newly defined intracrystalline deformation microstructures. These geometric relationships are largely unrecognised or underemphasised in the literature and need to be taken into account in any future genetic interpretation. Based on our observations and a critical assessment of the current genetic models, we argue that the interpretation of the pertinent microstructures in terms of ambient conditions and deformation history should be made with care, as long as the genesis of these microstructures is not better confined.