Young ages from old garnet in the polyphase metamorphic terrane of the Limpopo Belt, South Africa

Abstract The P–T–t path of high-grade metamorphic rocks is significant for understanding vertical motions and heating of the crust. In general, garnet is used to constrain P–T paths and metamorphic zircon is used to obtain t for different metamorphic stages. However, this approach may be complicated by polyphase tectonothermal events. The Central Zone of the Limpopo Belt in South Africa is a complex Precambrian metamorphic terrane that has experienced three distinct high-grade metamorphic events at 3.22 Ga (M1), 2.62 Ga (M2), and 2.02 Ga (M3), based on zircon dating. A previous investigation of a metapelite enclave in the Bulai pluton in the Central Zone showed that metamorphic zircon in th…