An oxygen buffer for some peraluminous granites and metamorphic rocks.

The mineral assemblage biotite-garnet-muscovite-magnetite-quartz and its sub-sets are common in many peraluminous granites, schists and gneisses. If the biotite and garnet are reasonably iron-rich, then the system is a useful buffer for fO2. Available thermochemical data indicate that, in T-fO2 space, the buffer curve is located between the hematite-magnetite curve and the quartz-magnetite-fayalite curve, in a region that previously had no buffer curve applicable to peraluminous rocks. -J.A.Z.