I am working on zircons of granitoids where the isolated zircon grains largely show oscillatory zoning revealed in CL images. My immediate attention to experts is that if those zircons originated by the magmatic processes or not?
Generally yes. But there can be similar looking features in metamorphic zircons, but these are less common. It would be helpful if you posted a photo of your grains.
As John I Garber pointed out, oscillatory zoning generally it's considered of magmatic origin. In my short experience I never see metamorphic zircons with oscillatory zoning. Another way to distinguish between magmatic- metamorphic zircons it's with the Th/U ratio (Th/U < 0.1 for metamorphic origin), but not always works as Moller et al 2003 highlights.
Moller et al 2003 The Use and Abuse of Th-U Ratios in the Interpretation of Zircon
In my knowledge there are two ways to form metamorphic zircon:
1) Precipitation from a melt by anatexis (Roberts & Fingers 1997). Solid crystallization / nucleation occurs due to Zr and Si diffusion processes as a consequence of mineral breakage reactions with sufficient amounts of Zr to favor the crystallization of new zircon (Hoskin & Black, 2000). The most common morphology of this type of zircon is oval, rounded and homogeneous, but with internal zoning. Precipitation from aqueous metamorphic fluids involves the dissolution of part of the zircon and re-precipitation of the dissolved material, nearby in the crystal itself or away from the dissolved zircon, so the habit may change.
2) Dynamic recrystallization of a preexisting zircon crystal (generally igneous) (Pidgeon, 1992; Hoskin & Black, 2000). Recrystallization usually occurs as recrystallization fronts or transgressive lobes cutting the original internal zoning texture. When this process does not occur completely, the crystal acquires domains of oscillatory zoning (of protolite zircon) and domains without zoning (recrystallized homogeneous areas) "phantom zoning ", that is partially recrystallized. The suggested mechanisms for recrystallization correspond with border migration and migration of intracrystalline defects (Hoskin & Black, 2000).
References cited:
ROBERTS, M.P., FINGER, F., 1997. Do U–Pb zircon ages from granulites reflect peak metamorphic conditions? Geology 25 (4), 319–322.
HOSKIN, P.W.O., BLACK, L.P., 2000. Metamorphic zircon formation by solid-state recrystallization of protolith igneous zircon. Journal of Metamorphic Geology 18, 423–439.
PIDGEON, R. T., 1992, Recrystallization of oscillatory zoned zircon: Some geochronological and petrological implications: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 110, p. 463–472.
You can also look the review of zircons textures made by Corfu et al 2003.
CORFU, F., HANCHAR, J. M., HOSKIN, P.W.O., KINNY, P., 2003. Atlas of zircon textures. In: Hanchar, J. M, Hoskin, P. W. O (eds) Zircon. Mineralogical Society of America and Geochemical Society, Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 53: 469-500.
I hope this information could help you with your research.
If you need the cited articles please tell me and I can send them to your email.
Maybe, the patterns of zonation of the zircons are critic in distinguishing magmatic vs metamorphic etc., like magmatic overgrowth on residual grains from the source region of the granite.
Oscillatory zoning in zircons is of magmatic origin. Sometimes the over growths on zircon give an impression of zoning...which you can over rule by careful observation.
The overgrowth may not be uniform throughout the grain margins but the zoning layers will be equal from all sides of the grain.
Thanks Dr. Latha for the scientific information. Yes, I have already reported oscillatory zoning in my samples but being questioned about the very existence of such phenomenon by one expert at a meeting that evolved confusion in my mind.
The geoscience of zircons is very advanced nowadays. To be sure that your zircon is igneous or metamorphic you may do EER geochemistry in your zircons. Due to the competition of rare elements in a fractionated granite will give a high Th/U ratio if monazite is magmatic crystal and first to crystalize.
I fully agree to your answer but surprised to note that monzonite is an igneous rock and not a mineral. You may correct it if it is not a typographic error. I suggest that it should be monazite.