Vol. 62 | 2026

P–T conditions of anthophyllite- and garnet-bearing metapelites of the Nunatarsuaq domain, Nagssugtoqidian orogen, West Greenland

RESEARCH ARTICLE
19-08-2026 — Updated on 17-08-2026
Valdemar Oksfeldt Enevoldsen
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Thomas Find Kokfelt
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Andrew J. Locock
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Trine Ravn-Jonsen
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Kristine Thrane
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Tod Waight
+
James M. Scott
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
19-08-2026 — Updated on 17-08-2026
Thin section of garnet
Abstract
Data Availability Statement
Supplementary Files
Funding
Downloads
References
Keywords

Amphibolite facies, Anthophyllite, Greenland, Nagssugtoqidian, P–T conditions

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Valdemar Oksfeldt Enevoldsen, Thomas Find Kokfelt, Andrew J. Locock, Trine Ravn-Jonsen, Kristine Thrane, Tod Waight, James M. Scott

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

GEUS Bulletin is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal published by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). This article is distributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence, permitting free redistribution and reproduction for any purpose, even commercial, provided proper citation of the original work. Author(s) retain copyright over the article contents. Read the full open access policy.

Abstract

Anthophyllite- and garnet-bearing metapelites from the Nunatarsuaq domain, located north of the UNESCO World Heritage site Ilulissat Icefjord (Kangiata Sullua) in Greenland at the northern margin of the Nagssugtoqidian orogen, enable a first quantitative assessment of the conditions of metamorphism in the area. Geothermobarometry undertaken on metapelites from a representative section of the domain indicates peak metamorphic conditions of c. 700–750°C and c. 8–9.5 kbar implying burial to mid–lower-crustal depths during deformation. The high-temperature range is consistent with the occurrence of widespread textural evidence for partial melting in the rocks. Retrograde chlorite, epidote and actinolite along with reverse zoning of Mn in garnet rims record subsequent cooling and hydration during exhumation into lower amphibolite to greenschist facies conditions, although the timing is unclear. The recognition of upper-amphibolite facies metamorphic conditions indicates that the Nunatarsuaq domain likely shared a common Palaeoproterozoic 1.82–1.81 Ga metamorphic event, probably associated with crustal thickening during collision of the Rae and North Atlantic cratons in the Nagssugtoqidian orogen. These findings reveal that the Nunatarsuaq domain preserves a higher-grade metamorphic imprint than previously recognised and refine the metamorphic architecture of the northern Nagssugtoqidian orogen.

Keywords

Amphibolite facies, Anthophyllite, Greenland, Nagssugtoqidian, P–T conditions

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Valdemar Oksfeldt Enevoldsen, Thomas Find Kokfelt, Andrew J. Locock, Trine Ravn-Jonsen, Kristine Thrane, Tod Waight, James M. Scott

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

GEUS Bulletin is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal published by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). This article is distributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence, permitting free redistribution and reproduction for any purpose, even commercial, provided proper citation of the original work. Author(s) retain copyright over the article contents. Read the full open access policy.

Data Availability Statement

Two additional files are available as supplementary information. SEM and EPMA data are available, sorted by sample, in an accompanying Excel file Supplementary File S1.xlsx. Precision of standards are available in Supplementary File S2.xlsx.

Supplementary Files

Funding

This study was supported by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) and Ministry of Mineral Resources, Government of Greenland, as well as the Institut for Geoscience, Aarhus University, Denmark.

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