Precambrian geotectonic units of the Rio de La Plata craton

The main Precambrian tectonic units of Uruguay include the Piedra Alta tectonostratigraphic terrane (PATT) and Nico Perez tectonostratigraphic terrane (NPTT), separated by the Sarandi del Yi high-strain zone. Both terranes are well exposed in the Rio de La Plata craton (RPC). Although these tectonic units are geographically small, they record a wide span of geologic time. Therefore improved geological knowledge of this area provides a fuller understanding of the evolution of the core of South America. The PATT is constituted by low-to medium-grade metamorphic belts (ca. 2.1 Ga); its petrotectonic associations such as metavolcanic units, conglomerates, banded iron formations, and turbiditic deposits suggest a back-arc or a trench-basin setting. Also in the PATT, a late to post-orogenic, arc-related layered mafic complex (2.3-1.9 Ga), followed by A-type granites (2.08 Ga), and finally a taphrogenic mafic dike swarm (1.78 Ga) occur. The less thoroughly studied NPTT consists of Palaeoproterozoic high-grade metamorphic sequences (ca. 2.2 Ga), mylonites and postorogenic and rapakivi granites (1.75 Ga). The Brasiliano-Pan African orogeny affected this terrane. Neoproterozoic cover occurs in both tectonostratigraphic terranes, but is more developed in the NPTT. Over the past 15 years, new isotopic studies have improved our recognition of different tectonic events and associated processes, such as reactivation of shear zones and fluids circulation. Transamazonian and Statherian tectonic events were recognized in the RPC. Based on magmatism, deformation, basin development and metamorphism, we propose a scheme for the Precambrian tectonic evolution of Uruguay, which is summarized in the first Palaeoproterozoic tectonic map of the Rio de La Plata craton.

Counterclockwise exhumation of a hot orogen: The Paleoproterozoic ultrahigh-temperature granulites in the North China Craton

Regional metamorphic belts provide important constraints on the plate tectonic architecture of orogens. We report here a detailed petrologic examination of the sapphirine-bearing ultra-high temperature (UHT) granulites from the Jining Complex within the Khondalite Belt of the North China Craton (NCC). These granulites carry diagnostic UHT assemblages and their microstructures provide robust evidence to trace the prograde, peak and retrograde metamorphic evolution. The P–T conditions of the granulites estimated from XMgGrt(Mg/Fe + Mg) − XMgSpr isopleth calculations indicate temperature above 970 °C and pressures close to 7 kbar. We present phase diagrams based on thermodynamic computations to evaluate the mineral assemblages and microstructures and trace the metamorphic trajectory of the rocks. The evolution from Spl–Qtz–Ilm–Crd–Grt–Sil to Spr–Qtz–Crd–Opx–Ilm marks the prograde stage. The Spl–Qtz assemblage appears on the low-pressure side of the P–T space with Spr–Qtz stable at the high-pressure side, possibly representing an increase in pressure corresponding to compression. The spectacular development of sapphirine rims around spinel enclosed in quartz supports this inference. An evaluation of the key UHT assemblages based on model proportion calculation suggests a counterclockwise P–T path. With few exceptions, granulite-facies rocks developed along collisional metamorphic zones have generally been characterized by clockwise exhumation trajectories. Recent evaluation of the P–T paths of metamorphic rocks developed within collisional orogens indicates that in many cases the exhumation trajectories follow the model subduction geotherm, in accordance with a tectonic model in which the metamorphic rocks are subducted and exhumed along a plate boundary. The timing of UHT metamorphism in the NCC (c. 1.92 Ga) coincides with the assembly of the NCC within the Paleoproterozoic Columbia supercontinent, a process that would have involved subduction of passive margins sediments and closure of the intervening ocean. Thus, the counterclockwise P–T path obtained in this study correlates well with a tectonic model involving subduction and final collisional suturing, with the UHT granulites representing the core of the hot or ultra-hot orogen developed during Columbia amalgamation.

Imprints of Archean to Neoproterozoic crustal processes in the Madurai Block, Southern India

Madurai Block, the largest crustal block in the Southern Granulite Terrane (SGT) of Peninsular India, preserves the imprints of multistage tectonic evolution. Here, we present U-Pb and Hf isotope data on zircons from a charnockite-granite suite in the north-western part of this block. The oscillatory zoning, and the LREE to HREE enriched patterns of the zircons with positive Ce and negative Eu anomalies suggest that the zircon cores are of magmatic origin, with ages in the range of 2634-2435 Ma implying Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic magmatism followed by subsequent metamorphism and protocontinent formation in the north-western part of the Madurai Block. A regional 550-500 Ma metamorphic overprint is also preserved in the zircons coinciding with the final amalgamation of the Gondwana supercontinent. The Hf isotopic data suggest that the granite and charnockite were derived from isotopically heterogeneous juvenile crustal domains and the charnockites show a significant contribution of mantle-derived components. Therefore, the Hf isotopic data reflect mixing of crustal and mantle-derived sources for the generation of Neoarchean crust in the north-western Madurai Block, possibly in a suprasubduction zone setting during continent building processes. (c) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Short Review on Lu-Hf Isotope System in Zircon: Implications for Crustal Evolution

Zircon has been recognized as the unaltered part of the Earth's history which preserves nearly 4 billion year record of earth's evolution. Zircon preserves igneous and metamorphic processes during its formation and remains unaffected by sedimentary processes and crustal recycling. U-Pb and Lu-Hf in zircon work as geochronometer and geochemical tracer respectively. Zircon provide valuable information about the source composition of the rocks and the intrinsic details of an unseen crust-mantle processes. The world wide data of U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotope systems in zircon reveal crustal evolution through geological history. Moreover, the U-Pb age pattern of zircons show distinct peaks attributed to preservation of crustal rocks or mountain building during supercontinent assembly. The histogram of continental crust preservation shows that nearly one-third of continental crust was formed during the Archean, almost 20% was formed during Paleoproterozoic and 14% in last 400 Ma.

北大别黄土岭麻粒岩变质演化：对大别造山带演化进程的指示意义

Granulites from Huangtuling in the North Dabie metamorphic core complex in eastern China preserve rare mineralogical and mineral chemical evidence for multistage metamorphism related to Paleoproterozoic metamorphic processes, Triassic continental subduction-collision and Cretaceous collapse of the Dabieshan Orogen. Six stages of metamorphism are established, based on detailed mineralogical and petrological studies: (I) amphibolite facies (6.3–7.0 kbar, 520–550 °C); (II) high-pressure/high-temperature granulite facies (12–15.5 kbar, 920–980 °C); (III) cooling and decompression (4.8–6.0 kbar, 630-700 °C); (IV) medium-pressure granulite facies (7.7–9.0 kbar, 690–790 °C); (V) low-pressure/high-temperature granulite facies (4.0–4.7 kbar, 860–920 °C); (VI) retrograde greenschist facies overprint (1–2 kbar, 340–370 °C). The P–T history derived in this study and existing geochronological data indicate that the Huangtuling granulite records two cycles of orogenic crustal thickening events. The earlier three stages of metamorphism define a clockwise P–T path, implying crustal thickening and thinning events, possibly related to the assembly and breakup of the Columbia Supercontinent ca. 2000 Ma. Stage IV metamorphism indicates another crustal thickening event, which is attributed to the Triassic subduction/collision between the Yangtze and Sino–Korean Cratons. The dry lower crustal granulite persisted metastable during the Triassic subduction/collision due to lack of hydrous fluid and deformation. Stage V metamorphism records the Cretaceous collapse of the Dabieshan Orogen，possibly due to asthenosphere upwelling or removal of the lithospheric mantle resulting in heating of the granulite and partial melting of the North Dabie metamorphic core complex. Comparison of the Huangtuling granulite in North Dabie and the high-pressure (HP)–ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks in South Dabie indicates that the subducted upper (South Dabie) and lower (North Dabie) continental crusts underwent contrasting tectonometamorphic evolution during continental subduction–collision and orogenic collapse. High-pressure granulites are generally characterized by the absence of orthopyroxene. However, the Huangtuling felsic granulite rarely preserves the high-pressure granulite facies assemblage of garnet + orthopyroxene + biotite + plagioclase + K-feldspar + quartz. To investigate the effects of bulk rock composition on the stability of orthopyroxene-bearing, high-pressure granulite facies assemblages in the NCKFMASHTO (Na2O–CaO–K2O–FeO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–H2O–TiO2–Fe2O3) system, we constructed a series of P–T–X pseudosections based on the melt-reintegrated composition of the Huangtuling felsic high-pressure granulite. Our calculations demonstrate that the orthopyroxene-bearing, high-pressure granulite facies assemblages are restricted to low XAl [Al2O3/(Na2O + CaO + K2O + FeO + MgO + Al2O3) < 0.35, mole proportion] or high XMg [MgO/(MgO + FeO) > 0.85] felsic–metapelitic rock types. Our study also reveals that the XAl values in the residual felsic–metapelitic, high-pressure granulites could be significantly reduced by a high proportion of melt loss. We suggest that orthopyroxene-bearing high-pressure granulites occur in residual overthickened crustal basement under continental subduction–collision zones and arc–continent collision belts.

Columbia revisited: Paleomagnetic results from the 1790 Ma colider volcanics (SW Amazonian Craton, Brazil)

In an attempt to improve our understanding of the Paleoproterozoic geodynamic evolution, a paleomagnetic study was performed on 10 sites of acid volcanic rocks of the Colider Suite, southwestern Amazonian Craton. These rocks have a well-dated zircon U-Pb mean age of 1789 +/- 7 Ma. Alternating field and thermal demagnetization revealed northern (southern) directions with moderate to high upward (downward) inclinations. Rock magnetism experiments and magnetic mineralogy show that this characteristic magnetization is carried by Ti-poor magnetite or by hematite that replaces magnetite by late-magmatic cleuteric alteration. Both magnetite and hematite carry the same characteristic component. The mean direction (Dm = 183.0 degrees, Im = 53.5 degrees, N = 10, alpha(95) = 9.8 degrees, K = 25.2) yielded a paleomagnetic pole located at 298.8 degrees E, 63.3 degrees S (alpha(95) = 10.2 degrees, K = 23.6), which is classified with a quality factor Q = 5. Paleogeographic reconstructions using this pole and other reliable Paleoproterozoic poles suggest that Laurentia, Baltica, North China Craton and Amazonian Craton were located in laterally contiguous positions forming a large continental mass at 1790 Ma ago. This is reinforced by geological evidence which support the existence of the supercontinent Columbia in Paleoproterozoic times. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Cariris Velhos tectonic event in Northeast Brazil

The Borborema Province in northeastern South America is a typical Brasiliano-Pan-African branching system of Neoproterozoic orogens that forms part of the Western Gondwana assembly. The province is positioned between the Sao Luis-West Africa craton to the north and the Sao Francisco (Congo-Kasai) craton to the south. For this province the main characteristics are (a) its subdivision into five major tectonic domains, bounded mostly by long shear zones, as follows: Medio Coreau, Ceara Central, Rio Grande do Norte, Transversal, and Southern; (b) the alternation of supracrustal belts with reworked basement inliers (Archean nuclei + Paleoproterozoic belts); and (c) the diversity of granitic plutonism, from Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian ages, that affect supracrustal rocks as well as basement inliers. Recently, orogenic rock assemblages of early Tonian (1000-920 Ma) orogenic evolution have been recognized, which are restricted to the Transversal and Southern domains of the Province. Within the Transversal Zone, the Alto Pajeu terrane locally includes some remnants of oceanic crust along with island arc and continental arc rock assemblages, but the dominant supracrustal rocks are mature and immature pelitic metasedimentary and metavolcaniclastic rocks. Contiguous and parallel to the Alto Pajeu terrane, the Riacho Gravata subterrane consists mainly of low-grade metamorphic successions of metarhythmites, some of which are clearly turbiditic in origin, metaconglomerates, and sporadic marbles, along with interbedded metarhyolitic and metadacitic volcanic or metavolcaniclastic rocks. Both terrane and subterrane are cut by syn-contractional intrusive sheets of dominantly peraluminous high-K calc-alkaline, granititic to granodioritic metaplutonic rocks. The geochemical patterns of both supracrustal and intrusive rocks show similarities with associations of mature continental arc volcano-sedimentary sequences, but some subordinate intra-plate characteristics are also found. In both the Alto Pajeu and Riacho Gravata terranes, TIMS and SHRIMP U-Pb isotopic data from zircons from both metavolcanic and metaplutonic rocks yield ages between 1.0 and 0.92 Ga, which define the time span for an event of orogenic character, the Cariris Velhos event. Less extensive occurrences of rocks of Cariris Velhos age are recognized mainly in the southernmost domains of the Province, as for example in the Polo Redondo-Maranco terrane, where arc-affinity migmatite-granitic and meta-volcano-sedimentary rocks show U-Pb ages (SHRIMP data) around 0.98-0.97 Ga. For all these domains, Sm-Nd data exhibit Tom model ages between 1.9 and 1.1 Ga with corresponding slightly negative to slightly positive epsilon(Nd)(t) values. These domains, along with the Borborema Province as a whole, were significantly affected by tectonic and magmatic events of the Brasiliano Cycle (0.7-0.5 Ga), so that it is possible that there are some other early Tonian rock assemblages which were completely masked and hidden by these later Brasiliano events. Cariris Velhos processes are younger than the majority of orogenic systems at the end of Mesoproterozoic Era and beginning of Neoproterozoic throughout the world, e.g. Irumide belt, Kibaride belt and Namaqua-Natal belt, and considerably younger than those of the youngest orogenic process (Ottawan) in the Grenvillian System. Therefore, they were probably not associated with the proposed assembly of Rodinia. We suggest, instead, that Cariris Velhos magmatism and tectonism could have been related to a continental margin magmatic arc, with possible back-arc associations, and that this margin may have been a short-lived (<100 m.y.) leading edge of the newly assembled Rodinia supercontinent. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Well-preserved Late Paleoproterozoic volcanic centers in the Sao Felix do Xingu region, Amazonian Craton, Brazil

The Amazonian craton in the Sao Felix do Xingu city, southeast region of the Para state, north of Brazil, hosts exceptionally well-preserved Paleoproterozoic bimodal magmatic units grouped in the Sobreiro and Santa Rosa formations. These formations are correlated to the Uatuma magmatic event, which is largely distributed in the Amazonian craton occupying more than 1,500,000 km(2). Geological mapping and petrographical observations reveal distinct spectra of volcanic facies in both formations. The basal calc-alkaline Sobreiro Formation is composed mainly of andesitic and dacitic lava flows and associated volcaniclastic facies of autoclastic origin, with subordinate pyroclastic flow deposits. This formation shows inferred eruption style that is similar to those in Flood Basalt Provinces, with rare scutulum-type lava shields. The upper A-type Santa Rosa Formation was generated by multicyclic explosive and effusive episodes predominantly associated with large fissures and is materialized by voluminous ignimbrites with subordinated ash-fall tuff, crystal tuff, lapilli-tuff, co-ignimbritic breccias, rhyolitic dikes and domes, and associated granitic porphyries and equigranular granitic intrusions. Ignimbrite and rhyolite dikes reveal conspicuous vertical flow pattern pointing to a fissure-controlled eruption, similar to Sierra Madre Occidental ignimbrite province. The proposed evolutionary model for the Sao Felix do Xingu units differs from those of other occurrences related to the Uatuma magmatic event in the Amazonian craton, characterized by predominance of A-type volcanism and contemporaneous granites. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mesoproterozoic rapakivi granites of the Rondonia Tin Province, southwestern border of the Amazonian craton, Brazil - I. Reconnaissance U-Pb geochronology and regional implications

Rapakivi granites and associated mafic and ultramafic rocks in the Rondonia Tin Province, southwestern Amazonian craton, Brazil were emplaced during six discrete episodes of magmatism between ca 1600 and 970 Ma. The seven rapakivi granite suites emplaced at this time were the Serra da Providencia Intrusive Suite (U-Pb ages between 1606 and 1532 Ma); Santo Antonio Intrusive Suite(U-Pb age 1406 Ma), Teotonio Intrusive Suite (U-Pb age 1387 Ma); Alto Candeias Intrusive Suite (U-Pb ages between 1346 and 1338 Ma); Sao Lourenco-Caripunas Intrusive Suite (U-Pb ages between 1314 and 1309 Ma); Santa Clara Intrusive Suite (U-Pb ages between 1082 and 1074 Ma); and Younger Granites of Rondonia (U-Pb ages between 998 and 974 Ma). The Serra da Providencia Intrusive Suite intruded the Paleoproterozoic (1.80 to 1.70 Ga) Rio Negro-Juruena crust whereas the other suites were emplaced into the 1.50 to 1.30 Ga Rondonia-San Ignacio crust. Their intrusion was contemporaneous with orogenic activity in other parts of the southwestern Amazonian craton, except for the oldest, Serra da Providencia Intrusive Suite. Orogenic events coeval with emplacement of the Serra da Providencia Intrusive Suite are not clearly recognized in the region. The Santo Antonio, Teotonio, Alto Candeias and Sao Lourenco-Caripunas Intrusive Suites are interpreted to represent extensional anorogenic magmatism associated with the terminal stages of the Rondonian-San Ignacio orogeny. At least the Sao Lourenco-Caripunas rapakivi granites and coeval intra-continental rift sedimentary rocks may, in contrast, represent the products of extensional tectonics and rifting preceding the Sunsas/Aguapei orogeny (1.25 to 1.0 Ga). The two youngest rapakivi suites, the Santa Clara Intrusive Suite and Younger Granites of Rondonia, seemingly represent inboard magmatism in the Rondonian-San Ignacio Province during a younger episode of reworking in the Rio Negro-Juruena Province during the waning stages of the collisional 1.1 to 1.0 Ga Sunsas/Aguapei orogeny. The six intra-plate rapakivi granite episodes in the southwestern part of the Amazonian craton form three broad periods of anorogenic magmatism that have age-correlative events composed of similar rocks and geologic environments in eastern Laurentia and Baltica, although the exact timing of magmatism appears slightly different. Recognition of lithologic and chronological correlations between various cratons provide important constraints to models explaining the interplay between rapakivi granite magmatism and deep crustal evolution of an early Mesoproterozoic supercontinent. They are, furthermore, important to plate tectonic models for the assembly, dispersal and reassembly of Amazonia, Laurentia and Baltica in the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolução geológica do sudoeste do cráton amazônico região limítrofe Brasil-Bolívia - Mato Grosso

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Paleoambiente e proveniência da formação cabeças da bacia do Parnaíba: evidências da glaciação famenniana e implicações na potencialidade do reservatório

O histórico de prospecção de hidrocarbonetos da Bacia Paleozoica do Parnaíba, situada no norte-nordeste do Brasil, sempre foi considerado desfavorável quando comparado aos super-reservatórios estimados do Pré-Sal das bacias da Margem Atlântica e até mesmo interiores, como a Bacia do Solimões. No entanto, a descoberta de gás natural em depósitos da superseqüência mesodevoniana-eocarbonífera do Grupo Canindé, que incluem as formações Pimenteiras, Cabeças e Longá, impulsionou novas pesquisas no intuito de refinar a caracterização paleoambiental, paleogeográfica, bem como, entender o sistema petrolífero, os possíveis plays e a potencialidade do reservatório Cabeças. A avaliação faciológica e estratigráfica com ênfase no registro da tectônica glacial, em combinação com a geocronologia de zircão detrítico permitiu interpretar o paleoambiente e a proveniência do reservatório Cabeças. Seis associações de fácies agrupadas em sucessões aflorantes, com espessura máxima de até 60m registram a evolução de um sistema deltaico Devoniano influenciado por processos glaciais principalmente no topo da unidade. 1) frente deltaica distal, composta por argilito maciço, conglomerado maciço, arenito com acamamento maciço, laminação plana e estratificação cruzada sigmoidal 2) frente deltaica proximal, representada pelas fácies arenito maciço, arenito com laminação plana, arenito com estratificação cruzada sigmoidal e conglomerado maciço; 3) planície deltaica, representada pelas fácies argilito laminado, arenito maciço, arenito com estratificação cruzada acanalada e conglomerado maciço; 4) shoreface glacial, composta pelas fácies arenito com marcas onduladas e arenito com estratificação cruzada hummocky; 5) depósitos subglaciais, que englobam as fácies diamictito maciço, diamictito com pods de arenito e brecha intraformacional; e 6) frente deltaica de degelo, constituída pelas fácies arenito maciço, arenito deformado, arenito com laminação plana, arenito com laminação cruzada cavalgante e arenito com estratificação cruzada sigmoidal. Durante o Fammeniano (374-359 Ma) uma frente deltaica dominada por processos fluviais progradava para NW (borda leste) e para NE (borda oeste) sobre uma plataforma influenciada por ondas de tempestade (Formação Pimenteiras). Na borda leste da bacia, o padrão de paleocorrente e o espectro de idades U-Pb em zircão detrítico indicam que o delta Cabeças foi alimentado por áreas fonte situadas a sudeste da Bacia do Parnaíba, provavelmente da Província Borborema. Grãos de zircão com idade mesoproterozóica (~ 1.039 – 1.009 Ma) e neoproterozóica (~ 654 Ma) são os mais populosos ao contrário dos grãos com idade arqueana (~ 2.508 – 2.678 Ma) e paleoproterozóica (~ 2.054 – 1.992 Ma). O grão de zircão concordante mais novo forneceu idade ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U de 501,20 ± 6,35 Ma (95% concordante) indicando idades de áreas-fonte cambrianas. As principais fontes de sedimentos do delta Cabeças na borda leste são produto de rochas do Domínio Zona Transversal e de plútons Brasilianos encontrados no embasamento a sudeste da Bacia do Parnaíba, com pequena contribuição de sedimentos oriundos de rochas do Domínio Ceará Central e da porção ocidental do Domínio Rio Grande do Norte. No Famenniano, a movimentação do supercontinente Gondwana para o polo sul culminou na implantação de condições glaciais concomitantemente com o rebaixamento do nível do mar e exposição da região costeira. O avanço das geleiras sobre o embasamento e depósitos deltaicos gerou erosão, deposição de diamictons com clastos exóticos e facetados, além de estruturas glaciotectônicas tais como plano de descolamento, foliação, boudins, dobras, duplex, falhas e fraturas que refletem um cisalhamento tangencial em regime rúptil-dúctil. O substrato apresentava-se inconsolidado e saturados em água com temperatura levemente abaixo do ponto de fusão do gelo (permafrost quente). Corpos podiformes de arenito imersos em corpos lenticulares de diamicton foram formados pela ruptura de camadas pelo cisalhamento subglacial. Lentes de conglomerados esporádicas (dump structures) nos depósitos de shoreface sugere queda de detritos ligados a icebergs em fases de recuo da geleira. A elevação da temperatura no final do Famenniano reflete a rotação destral do Gondwana e migração do polo sul da porção ocidental da América do Sul e para o oeste da África. Esta nova configuração paleogeográfica posicionou a Bacia do Parnaíba em regiões subtropicais iniciando o recuo de geleiras e a influência do rebound isostático. O alívio de pressão é indicado pela geração de sills e diques clásticos, estruturas ball-and-pillow, rompimento de camadas e brechas. Falhas de cavalgamento associadas à diamictitos com foliação na borda oeste da bacia sugerem que as geleiras migravam para NNE. O contínuo aumento do nível do mar relativo propiciou a instalação de sedimentação deltaica durante o degelo e posteriormente a implantação de uma plataforma transgressiva (Formação Longá). Diamictitos interdigitados com depósitos de frente deltaica na porção superior da Formação Cabeças correspondem a intervalos com baixo volume de poros e podem representar trapas estratigráficas secundárias no reservatório. As anisotropias primárias subglaciais do topo da sucessão Cabeças, em ambas as bordas da Bacia do Parnaíba, estende a influência glacial e abre uma nova perspectiva sobre a potencialidade efetiva do reservatório Cabeças do sistema petrolífero Mesodevoniano-Eocarbonífero da referida bacia.

U-Pb SHRIMP and 40Ar/39Ar constraints on the timing of mineralization in the Paleoproterozoic Caxias orogenic gold deposit, São Luís cratonic fragment, Brazil

Caxias é um depósito de ouro orogênico do fragmento cratônico São Luís, que é correlacionável aos terrenos Riacianos do Cráton Oeste-Africano. O depósito se formou após o metamorfismo regional (estimado em 2100 ± 15 Ma) e está hospedado em zona de cisalhamento que secciona xistos do Grupo Aurizona (2240 ± 5 Ma) e o Microtonalito Caxias. O microtonalito foi aqui datado em 2009 ± 11 Ma, e representa um estágio magmático tardio na evolução do fragmento cratônico São Luís. Cristais de zircão com idades de 2139 ± 10 Ma foram herdados da fonte magmática ou são produto de contaminação durante a intrusão. A composição dos isótopos de chumbo sugere que granitoides de arco de ilhas de ca. 2160 Ma são a fonte provável para o Pb incorporado na pirita relacionada com o minério. Sericita hidrotermal mostra idade ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar de 1990 ± 30 Ma, que, combinada com a idade de posicionamento do microtonalito hospedeiro, limita o evento mineralizador ao intervalo 2020-1960 Ma.