'Forbidden zone' subduction of sediments to 150 km depth - The reaction of dolomite to magnesite + aragonite in the UHPM metapelites from western Tianshan, China

The solid-state reaction magnesite (MgCO₃) + calcite (aragonite) (CaCO₃) = dolomite (CaMg(CO_{3 2}) has been identified in metapelites from western Tianshan, China. Petrological studies show that two metamorphic stages are recorded in the metapelites: (1) the peak mineral assemblage of magnesite and calcite pseudomorphs after aragonite which is only preserved as inclusions within dolomite; and (2) the retrograde glaucophane-chloritoid facies mineral assemblage of glaucophane, chloritoid, dolomite, garnet, paragonite, chlorite and quartz. The peak metamorphic temperatures and pressures are calculated to be 560-600 °C, 4.95-5.07 GPa based on the calcite-dolomite geothermometer and the equilibrium calculation of the reaction dolomite = magnesite + aragonite, respectively. These give direct evidence in UHP metamorphic rocks from Tianshan, China, that carbonate sediments were subducted to greater than 150 km depth. This UHP metamorphism represents a geotherm lower than any previously estimated for subduction metamorphism (< 3.7 °C km^-1) and is within what was previously considered a 'forbidden' condition within Earth. In terms of the carbon cycle, this demonstrates that carbonate sediments can be subducted to at least 150 km depth without releasing significant CO₂ to the overlying mantle wedge.