High-pressure granulites from Carire, Borborema Province, NE Brazil: Tectonic setting, metamorphic conditions and U-Pb, Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd geochronology

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Geochronology of the lpanema layered mafic-ultramafic complex, Minas gerais, Brazil: Evidence of extension at the meso-neoproterozoic time boundary

The mafic/ultramafic Ipanema Layered Complex (ILC), Minas Gerais Brazil, consists of seven individual bodies. These units crosscut polyphase orthogneisses and interlayered paragneisses of the Paleoproterozoic Juiz de Fora Complex. Intrusive granitoids tectonically related to [lie Neoproterozoie Aracuai orogen are also present in the study area.A Sm-Nd whole-rock linear array for seven samples metapyoxenites, metaperidotiles, metagabbro. and meta-anorthosite) from the Santa Cruz massif, the largest body of the ILC. suggest that it was emplaced at 1104 +/- 78 Ma the original magma was derived from a depleted mantle source (epsilon(Ndt)= +3.8). U-Pb single-grain zircon stud of a meta-anorthosite yields all upper intercept age of 1719 +/- 4 Ma, which is interpreted to represent inheritance. The lower intercept at 630+/-3 Ma indicates (hat a Neoproterozoic tectonothermal episode overprinted the ILC, this event occurred under upper-amphiolite-, to granulite-facies conditions. The 630 Ma episode is consistent with the timing of regional metamorphism and deformation of the adjacent Aracuai orogen (Brasiliano collage). Emplacement of the ILC and other coeval metamafies and meta-ultramafics (of alkaline affinity) in the re, oil is attributed to early extension tectonics, accompanying accretion of the Rodinia super- continent during the Mesoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic time boundary.

The Serido Group of NE Brazil, a late Neoproterozoic pre- to syn-collisional basin in West Gondwana: insights from SHRIMP U-Pb detrital zircon ages and Sm-Nd crustal residence (T-DM) ages

The Serido Group is a deformed and metamorphosed metasedimentary sequence that overlies early Paleoproterozoic to Archean basement of the Rio Grande do Norte domain in the Borborema Province of NE Brazil. The age of the Serido Group has been disputed over the past two decades, with preferred sedimentation ages being either Paleoproterozoic or Neoproterozoic. Most samples of the Serido Formation, the upper part of the Serido Group, have Sm-Nd T-DM ages between 1200 and 1600 Ma. Most samples of the Jucurutu Formation, the lower part of the Serido Group, have T-DM ages ranging from 1500 to 1600 Ma; some basal units have T-DM ages as old as 2600 Ma, reflecting proximal basement. Thus, based on Sm-Nd data, most, if not all, of the Serido Group was deposited after 1600 Ma and upper parts must be younger than 1200 Ma.Cathodoluminescence photos of detrital zircons show very small to no overgrowths produced during ca. 600 Ma Brasiliano deformation and metamorphism, so that SHRIMP and isotope dilution U-Pb ages must represent crystallization ages of the detrital zircons. Zircons from meta-arkose near the base of the Jucurutu Formation yield two groups of ages: ca. 2200 Ma and ca. 1800 Ma. In contrast, zircons from a metasedimentary gneiss higher in the Jucurutu Formation yield much younger ages, with clusters at ca. 1000 Ma and ca. 650 Ma. Zircons from metasedimentary and metatuffaceous units in the Serido Formation also yield ages primarily between 1000 and 650 Ma, with clusters at 950-1000, 800, 750, and 650 Ma. Thus, most, if not all, of the Serido Group must be younger than 650 Ma. Because these units were deformed and metamorphosed in the ca. 600 Ma Brasiliano fold belt during assembly of West Gondwana, deposition probably occurred ca. 610-650 Ma, soon after crystallization of the youngest population of zircons and before or during the onset of Brasiliano deformation.The Serido Group was deposited upon Paleoproterozoic basement in a basin receiving detritus from a variety of sources. The Jucurutu Formation includes some basal volcanic rocks and initially received detritus from proximal 2.2-2.0 Ga (Transamazonian) to late Paleoproterozoic (1.8-1.7 Ga) basement. Provenance for the upper Jucurutu Formation and all of the Serido Formation was dominated by more distal and younger sources ranging in age from 1000 to 650 Ma. We suggest that the Serido basin may have developed as the result of late Neoproterozoic extension of a pre-existing continental basement, with formation of small marine basins that were largely floored by cratonic basement (subjacent oceanic crust has not yet been found). Immature sediment was initially derived from surrounding land; as the basin evolved much of the detritus probably came from highlands to the south (present coordinates). Alternatively, if the Patos shear zone is a major terrane boundary, the basin may have formed as an early collisional foredeep associated with south-dipping subduction. In any case, within 30 million years the region was compressed, deformed, and metamorphosed during final assembly of West Gondwana and formation of the Brasiliano-Pan African fold belts. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

U-Pb geochronology of the southern Brasília belt (SE-Brazil): Sedimentary provenance, Neoproterozoic orogeny and assembly of West Gondwana

The Brasília belt borders the western margin of the São Francisco Craton and records the history of ocean opening and closing related to the formation of West Gondwana. This study reports new U-Pb data from the southern sector of the belt in order to provide temporal limits for the deposition and ages of provenance of sediments accumulated in passive margin successions around the south and southwestern margins of the São Francisco Craton, and date the orogenic events leading to the amalgamation of West Gondwana. Ages of detrital zircons (by ID-TIMS and LA-MC-ICPMS) were obtained from metasedimentary units of the passive margin of the São Francisco Craton from the main tectonic domains of the belt: the internal allochthons (Araxá Group in the Áraxá and Passos Nappes), the external allochthons (Canastra Group, Serra da Boa Esperança Metasedimentary Sequence and Andrelândia Group) and the autochthonous or Cratonic Domain (Andrelândia Group). The patterns of provenance ages for these units are uniform and are characterised as follows: Archean- Paleoproterozoic ages (3.4-3.3, 3.1-2.7, and 2.5-2.4Ga); Paleoproterozoic ages attributed to the Transamazonian event (2.3-1.9Ga, with a peak at ca. 2.15Ga) and to the ca. 1.75Ga Espinhaço rifting of the São Francisco Craton; ages between 1.6 and 1.2Ga, with a peak at 1.3Ga, revealing an unexpected variety of Mesoproterozoic sources, still undetected in the São Francisco Craton; and ages between 0.9 and 1.0Ga related to the rifting event that led to the individualisation of the São Francisco paleo-continent and formation of its passive margins. An amphibolite intercalation in the Araxá Group yields a rutile age of ca. 0.9Ga and documents the occurrence of mafic magmatism coeval with sedimentation in the marginal basin. Detrital zircons from the autochthonous and parautochthonous Andrelândia Group, deposited on the southern margin of the São Francisco Craton, yielded a provenance pattern similar to that of the allochthonous units. This result implies that 1.6-1.2Ga source rocks must be present in the São Francisco Craton. They could be located either in the cratonic area, which is mostly covered by the Neoproterozoic epicontinental deposits of the Bambuí Group, or in the outer paleo-continental margin, buried under the allochthonous units of the Brasília belt. Crustal melting and generation of syntectonic crustal granites and migmatisation at ca. 630Ma mark the orogenic event that started with westward subduction of the São Francisco plate and ended with continental collision against the Paraná block (and Goiás terrane). Continuing collision led to the exhumation and cooling of the Araxá and Passos metamorphic nappes, as indicated by monazite ages of ca. 605Ma and mark the final stages of tectonometamorphic activity in the southern Brasília belt. Whilst continent-continent collision was proceeding on the western margin of the São Francisco Craton along the southern Brasília belt, eastward subduction in the East was generating the 634-599Ma Rio Negro magmatic arc which collided with the eastern São Francisco margin at 595-560Ma, much later than in the Brasília belt. Thus, the tectonic effects of the Ribeira belt reached the southernmost sector of the Brasília belt creating a zone of superposition. The thermal front of this event affected the proximal Andrelândia Group at ca. 588Ma, as indicated by monazite age. The participation of the Amazonian craton in the assembly of western Gondwana occurred at 545-500Ma in the Paraguay belt and ca. 500Ma in the Araguaia belt. This, together with the results presented in this work lead to the conclusion that the collision between the Paraná block and Goiás terrane with the São Francisco Craton along the Brasília belt preceded the accretion of the Amazonian craton by 50-100 million years. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Zircon fission track and U-Pb dating methods applied to São Paulo and Taubaté Basins located in the southeast Brazil

Zircon samples from the Cenozoic São Paulo and Taubaté Basins and Mantiqueira Mountain Range (southeast Brazil) were concomitantly dated by zircon Fission Track Method (FTM) and in situ U-Pb dating method. While FTM detrital-zircon data are ideally used to provide low-temperature information, U-Pb single detrital grain ages record the time of zircon formation in igneous or high grade metamorphic environments. This methodology may be used to study the possible sources of the basins sediments. The results suggest that the São Paulo Basin is composed of sediments from just one source, the Mantiqueira Mountain Range. On the other hand, the Taubaté Basin presents further sediment sources besides the Mantiqueira Mountain Range. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geology, petrology and geochronology (Pb-Pb) of the Serra da Bocaina Formation: evidence of an Orosirian Amoguijá Magmatic Arc in the Rio Apa Terrane, south of the Amazonian Craton

Neste trabalho apresentam-se os resultados do mapeamento geológico e caracterização petrológica da Formação Serra da Bocaina, pertencente ao Arco Magmático Amoguijá do Terreno Rio Apa, sul do Cráton Amazônico. A Formação Serra da Bocaina, na serra da homônima, consiste de rochas vulcânicas paleoproterozoicas de composição intermediária a predominantemente ácida, classificadas como andesito e riolitos, subdivididas em cinco fácies petrográficas sendo quatro piroclásticas e uma efusiva, que mantêm contato tectônico, a leste, com o Granito Carandá. Nas rochas estudadas estruturas tectônicas são formadas em duas fases deformacionais compressivas de natureza dúctil e dúctil-rúptil, respectivamente. A primeira fase, mais intensa, é observada ao longo de toda a área estudada e é responsável pela Zona de Cisalhamento Santa Rosa enquanto a segunda fase é mais discreta e localizada. O tratamento geoquímico indica que essas rochas foram geradas num ambiente de arco-vulcânico a partir de um magmatismo calcioalcalino de médio a alto-K, peraluminoso. Estas rochas retratam um evento magmático extrusivo, de natureza explosiva, relacionado à evolução do Arco Magmático Amoguijá, conforme resultado Pb-Pb em zircão de 1877,3 ± 3,9 Ma., interpretada como idade de cristalização destas rochas.

Geology, Geochemistry, and Geochronology (U-Pb) of the Rio Fortuna Gneiss - Serra do Baú Intrusive Suite - Paraguá Terrane - SW Amazonian Craton

O Gnaisse Rio Fortuna aflora na região da serra Santa Bárbara, nas imediações do Destacamento Militar Fortuna, na fronteira Brasil-Bolívia. Estes ortognaisses estão inseridos no Terreno Paraguá, em um setor afetado pela Orogenia Sunsás (1.0 a 0.9 Ga.). São classificados como ortognaisses de composição monzo a granodiorítica, com registros de, no mínimo, três fases de deformação. Idade U-Pb em zircão de 1.711 ± 13 Ma obtida por ablação a laser MC-ICP-MS, é considerada como correspondendo à idade de cristalização do protólito ígneo. Geoquimicamente, essas rochas constituem uma sequencia ácida formada por um magmatismo subalcalino, do tipo cálcio-alcalino de alto potássio, metaluminoso a peraluminoso.

U-Pb zircon ages of orthogneisses and supracrustal rocks of the Cariris Velhos belt: Onset of Neoproterozoic rifting in the Borborema Province, NE Brazil

New geochronological and geochemical constraints on Precambrian sedimentary and volcanic successions exposed in the western part of the Central Domain of the Borborema Province, NE Brazil, indicate the presence of two distinct tectono-stratigraphic complexes: Riacho Gravata and Sao Caetano. Both complexes and associated orthogneisses are referred in the literature as the Cariris Velhos belt, having depositional, extrusive, or intrusive ages within the interval 985-913 Ma. The Riacho Gravata complex consists of bimodal (but mostly felsic) volcanic and volcanoclastic rocks, muscovite+/-graphite schists, quartzites, and marble with local occurrences of banded-iron-formation. The Sao Caetano complex mainly consists of metagreywackes, marbles, calc-silicate rocks, and rare meta-mafic rocks. Meta-mafic rocks from both complexes have geochemical signatures similar to those of continental flood basalts, with epsilon Nd (1.0 Ga) values ranging from -1.0 to -2.8. Felsic volcanic rocks from the Riacho Gravata complex show epsilon Nd (1.0 Ga) values ranging from -1.0 to -7.4 and geochemical signatures similar to A(2)-type granitoids. New SHRIMP U-Pb zircon data from felsic volcanic rocks within the Riacho Gravata complex yielded ages of 1091 +/- 13 Ma and 996 +/- 13 Ma. In contrast, meta-graywackes from the Sao Caetano complex show a maximum deposition age of ca. 806 Ma in the northern part and ca. 862 Ma in the southern part of the outcrop area. The orthogneisses show epsilon Nd (1.0 Ga) values ranging from 1.0 to -4.2 with U/Pb TIMS and SHRIMP ages ranging from 960 to 926 Ma and geochemical signatures of A(2)-type granitoids. The data reported in this paper suggest at least two periods of extension within the Central Domain of the Borborema Province, the first starts ca. 1091 Ma with magmatism and deposition, creating the Riacho Gravata basin and continued intrusion of A-type granites to 920 Ma. A second rift event, which reactivated old faults, generated a basin with a maximum deposition age of ca. 806 Ma. Furthermore, the oldest granitoids cutting these metasedimentary rocks have crystallization ages of ca. 600 Ma. This suggests that the second rift event could be early Brasiliano in age. The resulting Sao Caetano basin received detritus from a variety of sources, although detritus from the Riacho Gravata complex dominated. Deposition ages of the Riacho Gravata and the Sao Caetano complexes are coeval with deposits in other basins of the Borborema Province (Riacho do Tigre in the Central Domain; Macurure and Maranco in the Sergipano Belt of the Southern domain). The Macaubas Group from SE Brazil and its counterparts in Africa, the Zadanian and Mayumbian Groups, in the western edge of the Congo Craton are also coeval. Closure of the Riacho Gravata and Sao Caetano basins occurred during the Brasiliano convergence (705-600 Ma). During the last stage of convergence, ca. 612 Ma, pull-apart basins were created and filled; final basin closure took place 605-592 Ma, after deposition ceased. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geochronology of metasomatic events

In order to date any geological event, suitable mineral geochronometers that record that and only that event must be identified and analyzed. In the case of metasomatism, recrystallisation is a key process that controls both the petrology and the isotopic record of minerals. It can occur both in the form of complete neocrystallisation (e.g. in a vein) and in the form of pseudomorphism, whereby dissolution/reprecipitation at the submicroscopic scale plays a central role. Recrystallisation may be complete or not, raising the possibility that relicts of a pre-metasomatic assemblage may be preserved. Because recrystallisation is energetically less costly at almost any temperature than diffusion, and because radiogenic isotopes (except 4He) never diffuse faster than major elements forming the mineral structure, there is a strong causal link between petrographic relicts and isotopic inheritance (as demonstrated for zircon, monazite, titanite, amphibole, K-feldspar, biotite, and muscovite). Metasomatic assemblages commonly contain such mixtures between relicts and newly formed phases, whose geochronology is slightly more complex than that of simple, ideal systems, but can be managed by techniques that have become routine in the last decade and which are described in this chapter. Because of its crucial role in controlling the isotope systematics, the petrogenesis of a mineral needs to be understood in extreme detail, especially using microchemical analyses and micro-imaging techniques, before mineral ages can be correctly interpreted. As the occurrence of recrystallization is limited by the availability of water, minerals act as “geohygrometers” that allow constraints to be placed on the nature and age of fluid circulation episodes, especially metasomatic events.

An integrated biostratigraphy (conodonts and foraminifers) and chronostratigraphy (paleomagnetic reversals, magnetic susceptibility, elemental chemistry, carbon isotopes and geochronology) for the Permian-Triassic strata of Guandao section

The chronostratigraphy of Guandao section has served as the foundation for numerous studies of the end-Permian extinction and biotic recovery in south China. Guandao section is continuous from the Permian-Triassic boundary to the Upper Triassic.Conodonts enable broad delineation of stage and substage boundaries and calibration of foraminifer biostratigraphy as follows. Changhsingian- Griesbachian: first Hindeodus parvus, and first appearance of foraminifers Postcladella kalhori and Earlandia sp. Griesbachian-Dienerian: first Neospathodus dieneri, and last appearance of foraminifer P. grandis. Dienerian-Smithian: first Novispathodus waageni and late Dienerian first appearance of foraminifer Hoyenella ex gr. sinensis. Smithian-Spathian: first Nv? crassatus and last appearance of foraminifers Arenovidalina n. sp. and Glomospirella cf. vulgaris. Spathian-Aegean: first Chiosella timorensis and first appearance of foraminifer Meandrospira dinarica. Aegean-Bithynian: first Nicoraella germanica and first appearance of foraminifer Pilammina densa. Bithynian-Pelsonian: after last Neogondolella regalis, prior to first Paragondolella bulgarica and first appearance of foraminifer Aulotortus eotriasicus. Pelsonian-Illyrian: first Pg. excelsa and last appearance of foraminifers Meandrospira ? deformata and Pilamminella grandis. Illyrian-Fassanian: first Budurovignathus truempyi, and first appearance of foraminifers Abriolina mediterranea and Paleolituonella meridionalis. Fassanian-Longobardian: first Bv. mungoensis and last appearance of foraminifer A. mediterranea. Longobardian-Cordevolian: first Quadralella polygnathiformis and last appearance of foraminifers Turriglomina mesotriasica and Endotriadella wirzi. The section contains primary magnetic signature with frequent reversals occurring around the Permian-Triassic, Olenekian-Anisian, and Anisian-Ladinian boundaries. Predominantly normal polarity occurs in the lower Smithian, Bithynian, and Longobardian-Cordevolian. Predominantly reversed polarity occurs in the upper Griesbachian, Induan-Olenekian, Pelsonian and lower Illyrian. Reversals match well with the GPTS. Large amplitude carbon isotope excursions, attaining values as low as -2.9 per mil d13C and high as +5.7 per mil d13C, characterize the Lower Triassic and basal Anisian. Values stabilize around +2 per mil d13C through the Anisian to Carnian. Similar signatures have been reported globally. Magnetic susceptibility and synthetic gamma ray logs show large fluctuations in the Lower Triassic and an overall decline in magnitude of fluctuation through the Middle and Upper Triassic. The largest spikes in magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray, indicating greater terrestrial lithogenic flux, correspond to positive d13C excursions. Several volcanic ash horizons occur in the Lower Triassic and Olenekian-Anisian boundary. High resolution U-Pb analysis of zircons provide a robust age of 247.2 Ma for the Olenekian-Anisian boundary.

Zircon U-Pb and Hf-O analysis of porphyries from the Duolong porphyry Cu-Au deposit in the Bangongco copper belt, central Tibet

The Duolong porphyry Cu-Au deposit (5.4 Mt at 0.72% Cu, 41 t at 0.23 g/t Au), which is related to the granodiorite porphyry and the quartz-diorite porphyry from the Bangongco copper belt in central Tibet, formed in a continental arc setting. Here, we present the zircon U-Pb ages, geochemical whole-rock, Sr-Nd whole-rock and zircon in-situ Hf-O isotopic data for the Duolong porphyries. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) zircon U-Pb analyses for six samples yielded consistent ages of ~118 Ma, indicating a Cretaceous formation age. The Duolong porphyries (SiO2 of 58.81-68.81 wt.%, K2O of 2.90-5.17 wt.%) belong to the high-K calc-alkaline series. They show light rare earth element (LREE)-enriched distribution patterns with (La/Yb)N = 6.1-11.7, enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (e.g., Cs, Rb, and Ba) and depletion of high field strength elements (e.g., Nb), with negative Ti anomalies. All zircons from the Duolong porphyries share relatively similar Hf-O isotopic compositions (d18O=5.88-7.27 per mil; eHf(t)=3.6-7.3), indicating that they crystallized from a series of cogenetic melts with various degrees of fractional crystallization. This, along with the general absence of older inherited zircons, rules out significant crustal contamination during zircon growth. The zircons are mostly enriched in d18O relative to mantle values, indicating the involvement of an 18O-enriched crustal source in the generation of the Duolong porphyries. Together with the presence of syn-mineralization basaltic andesite, the mixing between silicic melts derived from the lower crust and evolved H2O-rich mafic melts derived from the metsomatizied mantle wedge, followed by subsequent fractional crystallization (FC) and minor crustal contamination in the shallow crust, could well explain the petrogenesis of the Duolong porphyries. Significantly, the hybrid melts possibly inherited the arc magma characteristics of abundant F, Cl, Cu, and Au elements and high oxidation state, which contributed to the formation of the Duolong porphyry Cu-Au deposit.

Volcanic resurfacing and the early terrestrial crust: Zircon U-Pb and REE constraints from the Isua Greenstone Belt, southern West Greenland

The oldest known bona fide succession of elastic metasediments Occurs in the Isua Greenstone Belt. SW Greenland and consists of a variety of mica schists and rare metaconglomerates. The metasediments are in direct contact with a felsic metavolcanic lithology that has previously been dated to 3.71 Ga. Based on trace element geochemical data for 30 metasediments, we selected the six samples with highest Zr concentrations for zircon extraction. These samples all yielded very few or no zircon, Those extracted from mica schists yielded ion probe U/Pb ages between 3.70 and 3,71 Ga. One metaconglomerate sample yielded just a single zircon of 3.74 Ga age. The mica schist hosted zircons have U/Pb ages. Th/U ratios, REE patterns and Eu anomalies indistinguishable from zircon in the adjacent 3.71 Ga felsic metavolcanic unit. Trace element modelling requires the bulk of material in the metasediments to be derived from variably weathered mafic lithologies but some metasediments contain substantial contribution from more evolved source lithologies. The paucity of zircon in the mica schists is thus explained by incorporation of material from largely zircon-free volcanic lithologies. The absence of older zircon in the mica schists and the preponderance of mafic source material imply intense, mainly basaltic resurfacing of the early Earth. The implications of this process are discussed, Thermal considerations suggest that horizontal growth of Hadean crust by addition of mafic ultramafic lavas must have triggered self-reorganisation of the protocrust by remelting. Reworking oft Hadean crust may have been aided by burial of hydrated (weathered) metabasalt due to semi-continuous addition of new voluminous basalt Outpouring,;, This process Causes a bias towards eruption of Zr-saturated partial melts at the surface with O-isotope corn posit ion,, potentially different from the mantle. The oldest zircons hosted in sediments would have been buried to substantial depth or formed in plutons that crystallised at some depth from which it took hundreds of millions of years for them to be exhumed and incorporated into much younger sediments. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V.All rights reserved.