Prograde metamorphic sequence of REE minerals in pelitic rocks of the Central Alps: implications for allanite-monazite-xenotime phase relations from 250 to 610 degrees C

The distribution of REE minerals in metasedimentary rocks was investigated to gain insight into the stability of allanite, monazite and xenotime in metapelites. Samples were collected in the central Swiss Alps, along a well-established metamorphic field gradient that record conditions from very low grade metamorphism (250 degrees C) to the lower amphibolite facies (600 degrees C). In the Alpine metapelites investigated, mass balance calculations show that LREE are mainly transferred between monazite and allanite during the course of prograde metamorphism. At very low grade metamorphism, detrital monazite grains (mostly Variscan in age) have two distinct populations in terms of LREE and MREE compositions. Newly formed monazite crystallized during low-grade metamorphism (