Pink manganian phengite in a high P/T meta-conglomerate from northern Syros (Cyclades, Greece)

A new occurrence of Mn-rich rocks was discovered within the high-pressure/low-temperature metamorphic rocks on the Palos peninsula of Syros (Greece). Near the summit of Mount Prionas, a meta-conglomerate consists of calcite (~63 wt%), pink manganian phengite, blue–purple manganian aegirine–jadeite, microcline, albite and quartz. In addition, it contains abundant braunite-rich aggregates (up to ~1.5 cm in diameter) that include hollandite [(Ba0.98–1.02K<0.01Na<0.02Ca<0.03) (Mn 1.02–1.52 3+ Fe 0.38–0.88 3+ Ti0.29–0.92Mn 5.11–5.76 4+ )O16], barite and manganian hematite. Due to metamorphic recrystallization and deformation, the contacts between clasts and matrix are blurred and most clasts have lost their identity. In back-scattered electron images, many aegirine–jadeite grains appear patchy and show variable jadeite contents (Jd10–67). These pyroxenes occur in contact with either quartz or albite. Manganian phengite (3.41–3.49 Si per 11 oxygen anions) is of the 3T type and contains 1.4–2.2 wt% of Mn2O3. At the known P–T conditions of high-pressure metamorphism on Syros (~1.4 GPa/ 470 °C), the mineral sub-assemblage braunite + quartz + calcite (former aragonite) suggests high oxygen fugacities relative to the HM buffer (+7 ≤ ∆fO2 ≤ + 17) and relatively high CO2 fugacities. The exact origin of the conglomerate is not known, but it is assumed that the Fe–Mn-rich and the calcite-rich particles originated from different sources. Braunite has rather low contents of Cu (~0.19 wt%) and the concentrations of Co, Ni and Zn are less than 0.09 wt%. Hollandite shows even lower concentrations of these elements. Furthermore, the bulk-rock compositions of two samples are characterized by low contents of Cu, Co and Ni, suggesting a hydrothermal origin of the manganese ore. Most likely, these Fe–Mn–Si oxyhydroxide deposits consisted of ferrihydrite, todorokite, birnessite, amorphous silica (opal-A) and nontronite. Al/(Al + Fe + Mn) ratios of 0.355 and 0.600 suggest the presence of an aluminosilicate detrital component.