ARTICLE IN PRESS

Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Chemie der Erde

journal homepage: www.elsevier.de/chemer

Morphology and growth trends of accessory zircons from various granitoids of the South-western Bohemian Massif (Moldanubicum, Austria)
Robert Sturm
Brunnleitenweg 41, A-5061 Elsbethen, Austria

a r t i c l e in fo
Article history: Received 18 November 2008 Accepted 17 May 2009 Keywords: Zircon Morphology Typology scheme Growth imaging Bohemian Massif Granitoid Electron microprobe

abstract
As the main objective of the present study, the morphological development of accessory zircons from four granitoids (pearl gneiss, ne-grained granite, coarse-grained gneiss, and Weinsberg granite) of the South-western Bohemian Massif was described in detail. On the one hand, this was realized by the classical approach, including a statistical evaluation of external zircon morphologies with the typology scheme. On the other hand, direct insight into the growth of single crystals was established by the production of crystal sections parallel and perpendicular to the crystallographic c-axis and by their subsequent imaging with the electron microprobe. Regarding the second method, eventual morphological trends were represented as a function of the growth rates of single crystal forms. Except for the coarse-grained gneiss, zircon crystals of the investigated granitoids show similar morphological trends according to both methods, starting with a dominant {1 0 0} prism and equally sized pyramids. Final crystal habit, however, is marked by the predominance of {1 1 0} and {2 1 1}. Zircon crystals from the coarse-grained gneiss run through a completely different development with a change of the prism habit from {1 1 0} to {1 0 0} and a more or less static growth of {1 0 1} with only slight modications in size. Comparison of the results with data from the literature underlines the role of magma chemistry, magma temperature, and cooling rate as the main factors responsible for growth trends of accessory zircon. & 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction As demonstrated by numerous studies conducted during the past decades, the morphological development of accessory zircon may be evaluated as rather uniform within a given granite type, but, on the other hand, may vary signicantly between two different granite types (e.g. Poldervaart, 1956; Larsen and Poldervaart, 1957; Sansoni, 1962; Frasl, 1963; Hoppe, 1962, 1963; Pupin and Turco, 1972; Pupin, 1980; Vavra, 1994; Steyrer and Sturm, 2002; Sturm and Steyrer, 2003; Scherer et al., 2007). According to a widely accepted doctrine, formation of a rockspecic crystal habit is chiey controlled by physical and chemical factors including magma chemistry, content of volatile phases in the magma, and velocity of magma cooling (Pupin, 1980, 1985; Sunagawa, 1984; Vavra, 1990, 1994). This circumstance is impressively underlined by a comparison of, e.g., the I-type granites being characterized by a predominance of zircon crystals with the at pyramid {1 0 1} and the petrogenetically different S-type granites, which mainly include zircon crystals with the steep pyramid {2 1 1} (e.g. Pupin, 1980; Sturm, 1999).

Tel.: + 43 662 633321.

E-mail address: Robert.Sturm@sbg.ac.at 0009-2819/$ - see front matter & 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.chemer.2009.05.001

Concerning the exact progress of zircon crystal growth during early and intermediate stages of magmatic crystallization, various scientic theories based on external crystal shapes were developed in the past decades (Poldervaart, 1956; Hoppe, 1963; Pupin and Turco, 1972). However, an unequivocal clarication of this complex question was not permitted until the application of specic crystal preparation techniques and related microscopic methods of documentation. Initial theories regarding the morphological development of zircon (Poldervaart, 1956; Larsen and Poldervaart, 1957) supposed a somewhat static crystal growth with constant crystal habit and uniform growth rates throughout the whole crystallization process. This rather simple growth model was disproved very soon by extensive light-microscopic studies of granite-specic zircon populations. The investigations of, e.g., Frasl (1963), Hoppe (1963), Veniale et al. (1968), and Kohler (1970) could demonstrate that, contrary to the prevailing doctrine, the zircon habit may undergo numerous modications during crystal growth. A preliminary statistical evaluation of the whole number of crystal forms occurring within a granite-specic zircon population was conducted by Pupin and Turco (1972), thereby introducing the so-called typology diagram, where crystal shapes are arranged according to the proportions of the pyramid and prism faces. By extensively applying the diagram to zircon populations separated from petrogenetically different granites,

ARTICLE IN PRESS
186 R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196

the authors succeeded in the denition of morphological growth trends (Typological Evolutionary Trend or T.E.T.) that should express any changes of the zircon habit occurring during crystallization. Pupin (1980) extended this revolutionary model by the hypothesis that, depending on the investigated granites, entire morphological growth trends indeed may start from different initial crystal shapes but ultimately take on similar nal shapes (G-type and adjacent subtypes in the typology diagram). New aspects of zircon crystal growth could be obtained by innovative preparation methods developed in the 1990s and the recent decade (e.g. Paterson et al., 1989; Vavra, 1990; Benisek and Finger, 1993; Sturm, 1999, 2004). With the help of these partly time-consuming techniques, single zircon crystals were sectioned parallel or perpendicular to their main crystallographic axes, by means of which a direct insight into the growth of pyramids and prisms was realized for the rst time. By a carefully directed cathodoluminescence or electron microprobe study of crystal sections produced from representative grains of different zircon populations, the development of crystal morphology could be documented and quantied on the basis of crystal face-specic growth rates (Vavra, 1993; Sturm, 2004). Results of these investigations among others exhibited that the growth trends propagated by Pupin (1980) have to be extended successively and that many studies are necessary in future to complete the knowledge in this complex scientic eld. In the work presented here, a detailed insight into the morphological development of zircon crystals from four granitoids of the South-western Bohemian Massif is provided. Besides the classical statistical evaluation of external crystal shapes according to the scheme of Pupin (1980), zircon growth was also quantied exactly by the direct measurement of pyramidal and prism growth bands on respective crystal sections. Possible discrepancies between growth trends obtained from the classical method and those obtained from the modern technique are discussed.

according to previously published preparation procedures (Benisek and Finger, 1993; Vavra, 1994; Sturm, 1995). Photographic documentation of the produced crystal sections was again conducted with the electron microprobe using the following basic device settings: backscattered electron mode, accelerating voltage of 15 kV, and beam current of 3040 nA. Single crystal growth increments recognizable on the respective sections were computed on the basis of the methods introduced by Vavra (1993), thereby plotting differences of the pyramidal and prism growth band widths, ri{2 1 1} ri{1 0 1} and ri{1 1 0} ri{1 0 0}, against the central distance of a selected reference face. Possible trends of the morphological development were determined by calculating regression lines through the data points. Besides the measurement of growth bands according to the scheme of Fig. 1, also total growth rates of the main crystal faces were plotted into respective diagrams, considering 20 zircon grains per sample (see Fig. 9).

3. Petrography and geochemistry of the investigated granitoids The four granitoids of the study presented here are located at the South-western margin of the Bohemian Massif (Fig. 2) and were most probably formed under anatectic conditions (Frasl and Finger, 1991). The investigated rocks include, on the one hand, the Weinsberg granite (type II) and the so-called coarse-grained gneiss (Schlierengranit), both being classied as I-type granitoids, and, on the other hand, the pearl gneiss and negrained granite (Zweiglimmergranit), both of which may be assigned to the S-type granitoids. The petrography and geochemistry of the rocks coarsely summarized in Fig. 3 are described in detail by Thiele (1962), Fuchs and Thiele (1968), Liew et al. (1989), Finger (1986), Frasl and Finger (1991), and Sturm (1995). The pearl gneiss is characterized by ne-grained layers of biotite and quartz, into which rounded clasts of oligoclase (pearls) with diameters of several millimetres are embedded. The main petrography of the granitoid consists of oligoclase (40 50 vol%), biotite and mica (1530 vol%), quartz (2030 vol%) as well as smaller amounts of K-feldspar and cordierite (both up to 10 vol%). In geochemical respects, the rock contains a signicantly enhanced amount of Al, resulting in a higher Al2O3/(CaO+Na2O+ K2O) ratio with respect to the other granitoids. The concentrations of Zr and Nb may be evaluated as moderate, while contents of Y, Sr, and Ba are remarkably increased. The geochemical data underline the hypothesis, according to which the pearl gneiss

2. Materials and methods From the four granitoids considered for the present study sample volumes between 500 and 1000 cm3 were prepared for zircon crystal separation, whereby one or more rock pieces were collected from a single site. Thereby, separation of zircon crystals was conducted according to a standard procedure (e.g. Pupin, 1980; Sturm, 1995), among others including the crushing, milling, and sieving of the rock material as well as a subsequent mineral separation in a magnetic eld and a high-density liquid (tetrabromine-ethane, 2.96 g cm 3). For light-microscopic investigations a part of the zircon crystal fraction enriched in this way was distributed on glass slides and embedded in a highly refractive liquid phase (Canada balsam or Cargile Meltmount articial resin; Frasl, 1963). To study the external crystal morphology more in detail, 2030 zircon grains of each granitoid were mounted on special slides using epoxy resin. After covering the specimens with carbon, zircon crystals were studied with the electron microprobe (type JEOL JXA-8600) at the Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, University of Salzburg, whereby the following device settings were used: secondary electron mode, accelerating voltage of 15 kV, and beam current of 3 nA. The statistical evaluation of external crystal shapes observed by light and electron microscopies was carried out according to the scheme of Pupin and Turco (1972) as well as Pupin (1980), considering 200 grains per sample. For the investigation of the crystal-specic morphological development, 30 undamaged zircon grains of each sample were sectioned parallel or perpendicular to the crystallographic c-axis

Fig. 1. Measurement of prismatic and pyramidal growth bands on zircon crystal sections oriented perpendicular and parallel to the crystallographic main axis. For an appropriate determination of morphological trends, ri{1 1 0} ri{1 0 0} and ri{2 1 1} ri{1 0 1} are plotted in diagrams against the central distance of a reference form ({0 1 1}). Through the obtained data points regression lines are tted (see Fig. 9).

ARTICLE IN PRESS
R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196 187

Fig. 2. Geological map of the Variscan basement in Central Europe (A) and the Bohemian Massif with its various tectonometamorphic units (B). The detailed map (C) exhibits the geological units of the South-western margin of the Bohemian Massif as well as the locations of the sample points (modied after Frasl et al., 1965). Samples: (1) pearl gneiss, (2) coarse-grained gneiss, (3) ne-grained gneiss, and (4) Weinsberg granite.

Fig. 3. Appearance, classication of the magmatic source, petrography, geochemistry (Frasl and Finger, 1991), and geographic details of the investigated granitoids. Sample volumes used for zircon extraction ranged from 500 to 1000 cm3.

developed from highly metamorphic gneisses of sedimentary origin (Fuchs and Thiele, 1968; Frasl and Finger, 1991). The calcalkalic coarse-grained gneiss, whose name is derived from the medium- to coarse-grained feldspars (diameter: 15 cm), also represents a granitoid with anatectic origin. Main mineral phases of the rock include plagioclase (3050 vol%),

K-feldspar (2030 vol%), quartz (2030 vol%), biotite (1020 vol%), and in rare cases also amphibole (up to 5 vol%). Regarding its major element geochemistry, the coarse-grained gneiss is conspicuous due to its enhanced concentrations of alkali elements (mainly K), Ca, and Al, while among the trace elements Rb, Sr, Zr, and Ba exhibit most remarkable concentrations (Fig. 3).

ARTICLE IN PRESS
188 R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196

The ne-grained granite of this study may be assigned to a series of late- to post-Variscan S-type granitoids, a common characteristic of which is the ne to intermediate granulation. The petrography of the rock consists of K-feldspar (3035 vol%), plagioclase (2530 vol%), quartz (2530 vol%), biotite (ca. 10 vol%), and white mica (up to 5 vol%). In the geochemical respect, the ne-grained granite may be categorized as moderately peralumic and shows decreased concentrations of Ba, Zr, and Sr (Fig. 3). The Weinsberg granite, from which two petrogenetically different types were distinguished in the past, is characterized by tabular K-feldspars up to 15 cm in size. Besides this with 3040 vol% dominant mineral phase, the Weinsberg granite also consists of plagioclase (2030 vol%), quartz (ca. 20 vol%), and biotite (ca. 10 vol%). Accessory minerals include zircon, apatite, titanite, monazite, and xenotime. Concerning its geochemistry, the rock exhibits increased concentrations of Al and K but only moderate concentrations of Na and Ca, whereas among the trace elements a signicant predominance of Zr and Ba and a subordinate content of Nb and Y is observed. Since K-feldspars of the Weinsberg granite are not marked by any alignment due to mechanical metamorphosis, the granite mainly bears intrusive qualities and is commonly interpreted as a product of continental crust melted by anatexis (Frasl and Finger, 1991).

4. Results 4.1. Investigations of the external zircon crystal morphology According to the results of the light- and electron-microscopic investigations summarized in Figs. 4 and 5 most remarkable differences of the external zircon crystal morphology are recognizable as expected between the S-type and the I-type granitoids. Therefore, zircon crystals separated from the pearl gneiss (Figs. 4A and 5A) are commonly characterized by an unequivocal predominance of the pyramidal form {2 1 1} over the pyramidal form {1 0 1}, whereas the prism form {1 1 0} usually surpasses the competing form {1 0 0} in size. Former rock deformation is indicated by partly extensive rounding of the pyramidal tops and the frequent occurrence of mm-sized corrosion pits. The mean length/width ratio of the zircon grains amounts to 2.35, indicating a somewhat stocky to normal crystal growth. Accessory zircon separated from the coarse-grained gneiss (Figs. 4B and 5B) may be characterized by a habit with a clear predominance of the forms {1 0 1} and {1 0 0} over {2 1 1} and {1 1 0}. Similar to the pearl gneiss, regional metamorphosis has also left its traces on single grains, ranging from weak and medium supercial damages to grain fractures. The length/width ratio of the zircon crystals is subject to remarkable variations, i.e. besides very stocky grains with respective ratios between 1.0 and 1.5 also elongated crystals with ratios greater than 5 can be discovered in the zircon population. Regarding their external morphology, zircon crystals occurring in the ne-grained granite exhibit unequivocal similarities compared to the crystals from the pearl gneiss (Figs. 4C and 5C). Differences of the zircon habit between both granitoids mainly concern the size-specic predominance of the pyramid {2 1 1} and the prism {1 1 0}, which is even more clearly pronounced in the ne-grained granite. Length/width ratios of the crystals are normally greater than 3.0. Zircon crystals separated from the Weinsberg granite are characterized by largely balanced size proportions between the pyramidal forms {2 1 1} and {1 0 1} as well as the prism forms {1 1 0} and {1 0 0} (Figs. 4D and 5D). Similar to the other

granitoids, the grains show various damages due to metamorphic processes affecting the host rock. As a specic characteristic the fraction of twinned crystals is clearly enhanced compared to the zircon populations of the other rocks (note crystals 3 and 6 in Fig. 4D). Length/width ratio of the studied grains varies between 2.0 and 8.0, indicating normal to unequivocally elongated crystal growth. Results of the statistical evaluation of the external zircon crystal shapes according to the typology scheme of Pupin and Turco (1972) are summarized in Fig. 6. In the pearl gneiss, subtypes S1, S6, and S7 occur with relative frequencies of 1020%, whereas the adjacent subtypes commonly show frequencies between 2% and 10% and therefore are of decreased importance. In the coarse-grained gneiss, a general predominance of the subtypes S23S25 and an occurrence of the J-subtypes, indicating the complete absence of the prism form {1 1 0}, is noticeable. Similar to the pearl gneiss, also the ne-grained granite is marked by a preponderance of the subtype S1, whereas the Q- and L-subtypes remarkably increase in signicance. Regarding the Weinsberg granite, the zircon population is mainly composed of the subtypes S7, S12, and S17, whereby a slight tendency towards the steep pyramid can be recognized. The typology diagrams of Fig. 6 additionally contain indices of the typological statistics outlined by Pupin (1980) and resulting typological trends represented as arrows. Except for the coarse-grained gneiss, where the arrow points from subtype S15 towards subtype S24, computed trend lines run from zircon crystal morphologies with prevailing prism form {1 0 0} and nearly equally sized pyramidal forms towards morphologies with clear predominance of {1 1 0} and {2 1 1}.

4.2. Studies on the internal morphological development The growth of zircon crystals from the four granitoids presented here can be approximated using the parallel and perpendicular crystal sections of Figs. 7 and 8. Zircon grains from the pearl gneiss commonly dispose of rapidly oscillating growth zones that have developed around a dark or, in rarer cases, a bright inherited core. On the parallel sections, the pyramidal form {2 1 1} generally exhibits a continuous increase in size, resulting in the external predominance of the steep pyramid over the at pyramid (Fig. 7A). Prism growth is frequently characterized by a change of the habit, whereby at medium growth stages the form {1 0 0} is successively displaced by the form {1 1 0} (Fig. 8A). Zircon crystals revealing regular patterns of growth bands are sometimes characterized by a clearly visible sector zoning (e.g. grain no. 1 in Fig. 8A). Phenomena of dissolution and recrystallization caused by high-grade metamorphic processes affect the whole crosssection only in rare cases, but may be observed more frequently at the marginal areas of the respective sections. A major characteristic of zircon crystals from the coarse-grained gneiss is the well-rounded and brightly appearing inherited core, which is enclosed by a rather weakly developed pattern of growth zones. Pyramidal development is often subject to a constant growth of the form {1 0 1}, whereas the steep pyramid {2 1 1} shows a decreased importance (Fig. 7B). Concerning prism growth, either a predominance of the form {1 0 0} throughout the entire crystallization process or a change from {1 1 0} to {1 0 0} during medium developmental stages is given (Fig. 8B). In zircon crystals separated from the ne-grained granite, a clear pattern of dark and bright growth zones enclosing a dark inherited core can be determined. While during more initial growth stages the pyramid {1 0 1} may surpass the form {2 1 1} in size, at nal growth stages the at pyramid continuously loses its initial signicance (Fig. 7C). Longitudinal sections of numerous

ARTICLE IN PRESS
R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196 189

Fig. 4. Light-microscopic images of zircon crystals separated from the studied granitoids: (A) pearl gneiss, (B) coarse-grained gneiss, (C) ne-grained granite, and (D) Weinsberg granite (bars: 100 mm).

crystals exhibit bright rims in the BSE image, indicating a possible enrichment of heavy elements (i.e. elements with high Z) in these areas. Additionally, specic structures caused by dissolution and recrystallization processes are unequivocally discernible on several sections. On the cross-sections two different developmental trends may be distinguished, i.e. the replacement of an initial form {1 0 0} by the form {1 1 0}, and the rather

constant predominance of the form {1 1 0} without any signicant change in proportion during crystal growth (Fig. 8C). Crystals from the zircon population of the Weinsberg granite frequently show numerous concentric growth shells represented by dark and bright incremental zones on both the longitudinal and cross-sections. Pyramidal development is commonly characterized by a continuous increase in size of the form {2 1 1}. In rarer

ARTICLE IN PRESS
190 R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196

Fig. 5. SEM images of selected zircon crystals from the studied granitoids for the detailed determination of the external morphology and the computation of supercial damages caused by metamorphosis: (A) pearl gneiss, (B) coarse-grained gneiss, (C) ne-grained granite, and (D) Weinsberg granite (bars: 100 mm).

cases pyramidal growth may also take place in favour of the form {1 0 1} (Fig. 7D). The inherited core has a rounded or irregular shape and often shows typical characteristics of metamictization. On the cross-sections different prism growth trends are discernible, whereby in most cases a respective form with initial predominance also determines the external morphology. On some crystal sections, the conventional growth zoning is added by a partly strongly developed sector zoning (e.g. grain no. 3 in Fig. 8D).

4.3. Quantication of crystal growth As shown by the results of growth band measurement summarized in Figs. 9 and 10, for zircon crystals from all investigated granitoids signicant pyramidal and prism growth trends could be computed by linear regression (Fig. 9). As all factors included in the computation may be explained by a normal distribution, application of the regression

ARTICLE IN PRESS
R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196 191

Fig. 6. Typological statistics of the investigated zircon populations: (A) pearl gneiss, (B) coarse-grained gneiss, (C) ne-grained granite, and (D) Weinsberg granite. The upper image (Sturm and Steyrer, 2003) represents an overview of the most important crystal types according to Pupin and Turco (1972). The diagrams illustrated below additionally contain parameters of the typological statistics (Pupin, 1980) as well as respective typological trends (dashed arrows). The parameters I.A. and I.T. describe the coordinates of the mean point of a given typological trend (white dots), whereby I.A. represents the x-axis of the typology diagram and I.T. the y-axis. Each axis is subdivided into eight units ranging from 100 to 800 (graph A; Pupin, 1980, Fig. 2). SA and ST denote the respective standard deviations belonging to the mean values described above, and ST/SA represents the slope of the typological trend. Bold arrows represent those morphological trends derived from the analysis of longitudinal and transverse crystal sections.

technique is highly justied. Second, linear trends, although not well explaining the distribution of the data points in all cases, are sufcient for the investigation of growth developments. Concerning the pearl gneiss, the calculated trend lines indicate a change of the prism habit from {1 0 0} to {1 1 0} at medium growth stages as well as a continuous predominance of the steep pyramid {2 1 1}. For the coarse-grained gneiss a prism growth trend running contrary to that of the pearl gneiss is obtained, i.e. the average prism habit changes from {1 1 0} to {1 0 0}. Pyramidal development is marked by a nearly horizontal trend line and thus can be evaluated as static, with {1 0 1} preserving its size over the whole crystallization process. Respective trend lines derived from the growth band analysis of zircon crystals from the ne-grained granite

indicate a signicantly increasing predominance of both the prism {1 1 0} and the pyramid {2 1 1}, thereby underlining the observations described in the preceding section. Regarding the Weinsberg granite, prism growth trend exhibits a more static growth with insignicant increase in size of {1 0 0}. Pyramidal growth, on the other side, mainly takes place in favour of {2 1 1}, which is conrmed by the negative slope of the respective trend line. Total growth measurement of pyramids and prisms, which is simply dened as the sum of growth increments occurring for each form, represents an alternative way for the determination of average external crystal shapes (Fig. 10). The position of the data points essentially conrms the knowledge obtained from microscopic and typological investigations.

ARTICLE IN PRESS
192 R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196

Fig. 7. BSE images of zircon crystal sections oriented parallel to the main crystallographic axis: (A) pearl gneiss, (B) coarse-grained gneiss, (C) ne-grained granite, and (D) Weinsberg granite (symbols: closed circles {2 1 1}, open circles {1 0 1}; bars: 100 mm).

5. Discussion By the use of specic preparation techniques giving an insight into the growth of single zircon crystals, the scientic hypothesis formulated in the 1960s and studied in detail by Pupin (1980), according to which zircon grains may run through different morphological developments during the crystallization process,

can be essentially underlined in the present contribution. Concerning the four granitoids documented here, two different trends of the morphological development of the crystal habit could be determined, using longitudinal and cross-sections of selected zircon crystals. While accessory zircon separated from the S-type granitoids (pearl gneiss, ne-grained granite) and the Weinsberg granite are commonly characterized by an increase in

ARTICLE IN PRESS
R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196 193

Fig. 8. BSE images of zircon crystal sections oriented perpendicular to the main crystallographic axis: (A) pearl gneiss, (B) coarse-grained gneiss, (C) ne-grained granite, and (D) Weinsberg granite (symbols: closed squares {1 1 0}, open squares {1 0 0}; bars: 30 mm).

size of the steep pyramid {2 1 1} and a frequently occurring change of the prism habit from early to late growth stages, accessory zircon separated from the coarse-grained gneiss (I-type granitoid) shows a more static pyramidal and prism growth with constant predominance of {1 0 1} and {1 0 0}. Only in exceptional cases, a successive replacement of the form {1 1 0} by the form {1 0 0} can be observed on cross-sections of crystals from this granitoid.

Except for the coarse-grained gneiss, nearly identical trends can be obtained by application of the classical typology statistics (Fig. 6; Pupin and Turco, 1972; Pupin, 1980), underlining the signicance of this time-saving technique for the solution of respective scientic problems. Advantages combined with the production of zircon crystal sections were discussed in detail by Vavra (1993). According to the author, growth rates of single crystal faces are

ARTICLE IN PRESS
194 R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196

Fig. 9. Quantitative evaluation of prism and pyramidal growth of zircon crystals separated from the investigated granitoids: (A) pearl gneiss, (B) coarse-grained gneiss, (C) ne-grained granite, and (D) Weinsberg granite. Trend lines obtained from linear regression analysis provide information on the average morphological development of respective zircon crystal forms (see Fig. 6 and text). x- and y-values of all diagrams have been tested for normal distribution, and respective histograms and parameters (m mean value, s standard deviation) are added.

mainly controlled by crystal growth kinetics, thereby most remarkably reecting the physical and chemical characteristics of the crystallization milieu. Furthermore, the morphological

development of a crystal, no matter to which symmetry class it belongs, may be completely decoded by the quantitative data obtained from growth band measurement. Vavra (1993) nally

ARTICLE IN PRESS
R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196 195

Fig. 10. Statistical computation of the external crystal morphologies by plotting total prismatic and pyramidal growth. Position of the obtained points chiey corresponds very well to the results derived from light and electron microscopy (see Figs. 4 and 5).

argues that the application of the crystal preparation technique is not subject to any limitations regarding the number of crystal faces, so that also minerals with higher crystallographic complexity than zircon could be considered for similar questions. The present contribution seems to be another conrmation of the fact that the morphological development of accessory zircon is signicantly controlled by magma chemistry. Therefore, in magmatic milieus with enhanced contents of Al and moderate to high concentrations of K, Na, and Ca, preference of the external crystal habit {2 1 1}+ {1 1 0} is given. At initial stages of the growth process, a predominance of the habit {1 0 1} +{1 0 0} is frequently observable, which according to the results presented in the literature hitherto is continuously replaced by the forms {2 1 1} and {1 1 0} due to the adsorption of growth-blocking elements or molecules on the respective crystal faces (e.g. Benisek and Finger, 1993; Vavra, 1994; Sturm, 2004). Present results obtained for the growth of zircon crystals from the pearl gneiss perfectly correspond to respective data introduced by Sturm (1999), where single crystals separated from this rock were subject to a combined section parallel and perpendicular to the crystallographic main axis. Similar morphological growth trends as those documented for the S-type granitoids could be already determined by Pupin (1980) for the high-Al leucogranites of the Central Massif in France. According to the author, zircon crystals separated from these rocks more probably tend to the nal habit {1 0 1} 7 {2 1 1}+ {1 1 0} (Fig. 7 in Pupin, 1980), representing a main difference to the present results. An image being completely contrary to that of the S-type granitoids is given for the zircon crystal growth in a magmatic environment with high content of calcalkalic elements (and K) but decreased concentrations of Al, where accessory zircon preferentially develops the external habit {1 0 1}+ {1 0 0}. In many cases, this morphology is already determined at initial stages of crystallization, subsequently running through a static growth process with nearly constant proportions of the single crystal faces. Concerning the initial habit {1 0 1}+ {1 1 0}, which has already been described by Sturm (1999) for zircon crystals of the coarse-grained gneiss, a growth-blocking effect contrary to that described above occurs, i.e. development of {1 0 0} is inhibited (Benisek and Finger, 1993). Vavra (1994) documents similar phenomena for zircon crystals from calcalkalic granitoids of the Budduso pluton on Sardinia, thereby leading back the signicantly decreased growth rates of the prism {1 0 0} to the temporary supersaturation of Zr in the magma. According to the

Fig. 11. Possible limitations occurring with the use of longitudinal and crosssections for the study of the morphological development of a given zircon crystal population. An appropriate quantication of prism growth (left column) is only guaranteed by a perfect cut through the prismatic part of the crystal, whereas respective sections through the pyramidal part are often unusable for growth diagnoses. A contrary situation is given for the investigation of pyramidal crystal growth (right column), which may also be carried out on non-median crystal sections.

author, low supersaturation of this element causes a decreased growth of {1 0 0} and vice versa. Further factors controlling the development of {1 0 0} could not be decoded hitherto. The study of morphological trends based on oriented crystal sections has, besides the high sacrice of time, the essential drawback that some crystal sections deviating from the ideal median position are not appropriate for detailed typological diagnoses. As illustrated in Fig. 11, this restriction is mainly given

ARTICLE IN PRESS
196 R. Sturm / Chemie der Erde 70 (2010) 185196

for cross-sections cutting the pyramidal part of the zircon crystal. Longitudinal sections with signicant deviation from the median plane, on the other side, still provide a usable image of the size proportions of the pyramidal faces. However, growth rates measured on such sections have to be corrected according to Vavra (1993). From the study presented here it may be concluded that the determination of crystal shapes within a zircon population as well as the decoding of respective morphological trends is made possible to a certain extent by the application of statistical evaluations of the external zircon shapes (Pupin, 1980). To obtain highly reliable predictions for the evolution of zircon morphologies within a given host rock, methods allowing an insight into zircon growth development have to be applied, which are much more time-consuming than the light-microscopic techniques.

Acknowledgements The author is indebted to H.P. Steyrer for his immediate support during rock preparation. A. Benisek is thanked for his help during crystal preparation and work with the electron microprobe. References
Benisek, A., Finger, F., 1993. Factors controlling the development of prism faces in granite zircons: a microprobe study. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 114, 441451. Finger, F., 1986. Die synorogenen Granitoide und Gneise des Moldanubikums im (Oberosterreich). Gebiet der Donauschlingen bei Obermuhl Jb. Geol. B.-A. 28, 383402. Frasl, G., 1963. Die mikroskopische Untersuchung der akzessorischen Zirkone als eine Routinearbeit des Kristallingeologen. Jb. Geol. B.-A. 106, 405428. Frasl, G., Fuchs, G., Kurzweil, H., Thiele, O., Vohrytzka, K., Vohrytzka, E., Zirkel, E., 1965. Ubersichtskarte des Kristallins im westlichen Muhlviertel und im Sauwald Oberosterreichs. Mastab 1:100.000. Geol. B.-A., Wien. Frasl, G., Finger, F., 1991. Geologisch-petrographische Exkursion in den ohmischen osterreichischen Teil des sudb batholiths. Beih. Eur. J. Mineral. 3, 2340. Fuchs, G., Thiele, O., 1968. Erlauterungen zur Ubersichtskarte des Kristallins im westlichen Muhlviertel und im Sauwald, Oberosterreich. Geol. B.-A., Wien. Hoppe, G., 1962. Die akzessorischen Zirkone aus Gesteinen des Bergeller und des Adamello-Massivs. Chem. Erde 22, 245263.

Hoppe, G., 1963. Die Verwendbarkeit morphologischer Erscheinungen an petrogenetische Auswertungen. Abhandlungen akzessorischen Zirkonen fur Bergbau, Berlin. der Deutschen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Klasse fur Kohler, H., 1970. Die Anderung der Zirkonmorphologie mit dem Differentiationsgrad eines Granits. N. Jahrb. Min. Mh. 9, 405420. Larsen, L.H., Poldervaart, A., 1957. Measurement and distribution of zircons in some granitic rocks of magmatic origin. Mineral. Mag. 31, 544546. Liew, T.C., Finger, F., Hock, V., 1989. The Moldanubian granitoids of Austria: chemical and isotopic studies bearing on their environmental setting. Chem. Geol. 76, 4155. Paterson, B.A., Stephens, W.E., Herd, D.A., 1989. Zoning in granitoid accessory minerals as revealed by backscattered electron imagery. Mineral. Mag. 53, 5561. Poldervaart, A., 1956. Zircon in rocks: 2. Igneous rocks. Am. J. Sci. 254, 521554. Pupin, J, 1980. Zircon and granite petrology. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 73, 207220. Pupin, J.P., 1985. Magmatic zoning of Hercynian granitoids in France based on zircon typology. Schweiz. Mineral. Petrogr. Mitt. 65, 2956. Pupin, J.P., Turco, G., 1972. Une typologie originale du zircon accessoire. Bull. Soc. ral. Cristallogr. 95, 348359. Fr. Mine Sansoni, G., 1962. Zur zirkonfuhrung des syenits aus dem ratsbruch im plauenschen grund bei dresden. Chem. Erde 22, 579585. Scherer, E.E., Whitehouse, M.J., Munker, C., 2007. Zircon as a monitor of crustal growth. Elements 3, 1924. Steyrer, H.P., Sturm, R., 2002. Stability of zircon in a low-grade ultramylonite and ville, Switzerland. its utility for chemical mass balancing: the shear zone at Mie Chem. Geol. 187, 119. Sturm, R., 1995. Geologisch-petrographische Bearbeitung eines cordieritfuhrenden Mylonits und seiner Umrahmung im Bereich des Pfahls, oberosterreichisches Moldanubikum. Unpublished Diploma Thesis, University of Salzburg. Sturm, R., 1999. Longitudinal and cross section of zircon: a new method for the investigation of morphological evolutional trends. Schweiz. Mineral. Petrogr. Mitt. 79, 309316. Sturm, R., 2004. Imaging of growth banding of minerals using 2-stage sectioning: application to accessory zircon. Micron 35, 681684. Sturm, R., Steyrer, P., 2003. Use of accessory zircon for the quantication of volume changes in ductile shear zones cutting plutonic rocks. Chem. Erde 63, 3154. Sunagawa, I., 1984. Growth of crystals in nature. In: Sunagawa, I. (Ed.), Materials Science of the Earths Interior. Terra Scientic, Tokyo, pp. 63105. .). Verh. Geol. Thiele, O., 1962. Neue geologische Ergebnisse aus dem Sauwald (O.O B.-A., 117129. Vavra, G., 1990. On the kinematics of zircon growth and its petrogenetic signicance: a cathodoluminescence study. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 106, 90 99. Vavra, G., 1993. A guide to quantitative morphology of accessory zircon. Chem. Geol. 110, 1528. Vavra, G., 1994. Systematics of internal zircon morphology in major Variscan granitoid types. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 117, 331344. of accessory Veniale, F., Pigorini, B., Sogetti, F., 1968. Petrological signicance zircon in the granites from Baveno, M. Orfano and Alzo (North Italy). In: Proceedings of the 23rd International Geological Congress, vol. 13, pp. 243268.