Isotopic evidence of middle proterozoic magmatism from bombay high field: Implications to crustal evolution of western offshore of India

Precambrian granitic basement rocks obtained from well BH-36 of Bombay High Field, western offshore of India has been studied both by Rb-Sr and K-Ar dating methods. Seven basement samples chosen from two cores have yielded whole rock Rb-Sr isochron age of 1446 ± 67 Ma with an initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.7062 ± 0.0012. This age has been interpreted as the formation/emplacement time of the granite. Two biotite fractions of different grain size separated from a sample CC6B2T have yielded Rb-Sr mineral isochron age of 1385 ± 21 Ma. However, these fractions when studied by K-Ar dating method have yielded slightly higher but mutually consistent ages of 1458 ± 43 Ma and 1465 ± 43 Ma, respectively. Further, two biotites separated from additional samples CC5B9T and CC6B3B have yielded K-Ar ages of 1452 ± 42 Ma and 1425 ± 40 Ma with an overall mean age of 1438 ± 19 Ma. This mean K-Ar age is indistinguishable from whole rock Rb-Sr isochron as well as mineral isochron age within experimental error. The similarity in the whole rock and biotite ages obtained by different isotopic methods suggests that no thermal disturbance has occurred in these rocks after their emplacement/formation around 1450 Ma ago. The present study provides the evidence for the existence of an important Middle Proterozoic magmatic event around 1400-1450 Ma on the western offshore of India which, hitherto, was thought to be mainly confined to the eastern Ghats, Satpura and Delhi fold belt of India. This finding may have an important bearing on the reconstruction of Proterozoic crustal evolution of western Indian shield.     

Geochronology of high-pressure rocks on Sifnos (Cyclades,Greece)

Polymetamorphic rocks of Sifnos (Greece) have been investigated by Rb-Sr, K-Ar, and fission track methods. Critical mineral assemblages from the northern and southernmost parts of Sifnos include jadeite+quartz+3T phengite, and omphacite+garnet +3T phengite, whereas the central part is characterized by the assemblage albite+chlorite+epidote+2M ₁ phengite.K-Ar and Rb-Sr dates on phengites (predominantly 3T) of the best preserved high P/itTmetamorphic rocks from northern Sifnos gave concordant ages around 42 m.y., indicating a Late Lutetian age for the high P/T metamorphism. Phengites (2M ₁+3T) of less preserved high P/T assemblages yielded K-Ar dates between 48 and 41 m.y. but generally lower Rb-Sr dates. The higher K-Ar dates are interpreted as being elevated by excess argon.K-Ar and Rb-Sr ages on 2M ₁ phengites from central Sifnos vary between 24 and 21 m.y. These ages date a second, greenschist-facies metamorphism which overprinted the earlier high-pressure metamorphic rocks.     

Geochronometry of the Middle Paleozoic volcanics of the Omolon Massif in Northeast Asia: A comparison of the K-Ar, Rb-Sr, and U-Pb data and their geological interpretation

The results of the K-Ar, Rb-Sr, and U-Pb (SHRIMP zircon method) dating of the Middle Paleozoic volcanogenic rocks of the Omolon Massif are summarized. It was concluded that they are principally consistent with each other, as well as with the geological data. The formation of the Kedon Group, which makes up the main volume of the Middle Paleozoic volcanics, began at the Early-Middle Devonian boundary about 400 Ma ago (U-Pb dates of 400.5 ± 4.4 and 387 ± 6.4; Rb-Sr isochron age of 402 ± 6 Ma). The isotopic age of the upper boundary of the Kedon Group remains unclear due to disagreements concerning its stratigraphic assignment. The histogram based on the 111 K-Ar dates of the volcanic rocks from the Kedon Group gives a polymodal distribution, which indicates that the K-Ar isotopic system was disturbed by thermal events, which occurred 310–290 (terminal Carboniferous—beginning of the Permian) and 240–220 (Middle-beginning of the Late Triassic) Ma ago. Both thermal events were associated with mantle (ultrabasic-basic) magmatism, which spanned a significantly wider territory than the distribution area of the Kedon Group     

The age of the Kagenfels granite (northern Vosges) and its bearing on the intrusion scheme of late Variscan granitoids

In the Saxothuringian part of the Vosges (France), a first series of Variscan plutonic rocks (diorites to granites) has been intruded by several younger granites. Rocks of both the older generations have been cross-cut by the late orogenic Kagenfels granite. The averages of the hitherto published mineral ages of the earlier rock generations are 331 and 334 Ma, respectively, whereas Rb-Sr and K-Ar dates around 290 Ma have been reported for the Kagenfels granite. Because of the unlikely large age hiatus, a redetermination of the intrusion age of the Kagenfels granite formation appeared to be irrevocable. The newly obtained mineral ages on the Kagenfels granite (K-Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar biotite ages as well as single zircon radiogenic ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb data: 331 ± 5 Ma) are about 40 Ma older than the previous results. They are interpreted as giving the time of emplacement of the Kagenfels granite during the latest Visan. The mineral ages of the earlier plutonic rocks in this part of the Variscan Orogeny in all probability are not significantly different from their ages of intrusion. Therefore the age concordance of all three granitoid generations constrains a rather narrow time interval of orogenic magmatism close to the Lower-Upper Carboniferous boundary.     

Isotopic dating of the emplacement of the ultramafic masses in the Serrania de Ronda,Southern Spain

A Rb-Sr analysis of suites of samples from a small intrusion of cordierite-bearing alkali granite into the peridotite of the Sierra Bermeja (Serrania de Ronda) yields an age of 22± 4 Ma ( = 1.42×10^–11 a^–1): Late Oligocene/Early Miocene. It is believed that the intrusion was derived from contact-anatectic melts produced along the hot ultramafic mass during and/or directly following its tangential, tectonic dislocation from a mantle diapir. Its age can thus be taken as dating the termination of the hot emplacement of the ultramafic masses. K-Ar dates of biotites and Rb-Sr dates of biotite/whole-rock pairs in contact-metamorphic wall rocks along the ultramafics mostly lie between 19.5 and 18.5 Ma. This probably indicates that about 19 Ma ago the contact-zones of the ultramafic masses had cooled down to the blocking temperature of biotite to Rb-Sr and K-Ar.     

K-Ar and Rb-Sr Dating of blue amphiboles,micas, and associated minerals from the Western Alps

The results of 63 new radiometric K-Ar and Rb-Sr measurements on metamorphic minerals from the internal units of the Western Alps show Hercynian, Permian, as well as three Alpine age groups. The first of the Alpine ages cover the period between 78 and 100 m.y. and refer to high pressure parageneses. The second group comprises K-Ar 39 to 50 m.y. ages; these values are affected by some inherited argon, as indicated by Rb-Sr measurements which point to 35–36±4–5 m.y., i.e. similar to the culmination of the Lepontine crystallization. The final group includes 15 to 30 m.y. ages. It is not yet clear which geologic processes have led to this isotope re-equilibration. Large amounts of inherited argon have been found in Alpine metamorphic minerals of the basement rocks.     

Isotopic Ages of the Carbonatitic Volcanic Rocks in the Kunyang Rift Zone in Central Yunnan, China

The Mesoproterozoic Kunyang rift, which is located on the western margin of the Yangtze platform and the southern section of the Kangdian axis, is a rare massive Precambrian iron-copper polymetallic mineralization zone in China. The Mesoproterozoic Wulu (Wuding-Lufeng) basin in the middle of the rift is an elliptic basin controlled by a ring fracture system. Moreover, volcanic activities in the basin display zonation of an outer ring, a middle ring and an inner ring with carbonatitic volcanic rocks and sub-volcanic dykes discovered in the outer and middle rings. The Sm-Nd isochron ages have been determined for the outer-ring carbonatitic lavas (1685 Ma) and basaltic porphyrite of the radiating dyke swarm (1645 Ma) and the Rb-Sr isochron ages for the out-ring carbonatitic lavas (893 Ma) and the middle-ring dykes (1048 Ma). In combination of the U-Pb concordant ages of zircon (1743 Ma) in trachy-andesite of the corresponding period and stratum (1569 Ma) of the Etouchang Formation, as well as the Rb-Sr iso     

满洲里地区印支期花岗岩Rb—Sr等时线年代学证据

满洲里－西旗地区为一重要的燕山期斑岩－次火山岩脉型浅成低温矿化区,较早期的花岗岩往往作为矿化围岩。关于本区是否存在印支期花岗岩,一直存在疑问。本文就区内四大矿区的早期花岗岩体（原推断为海西晚期或燕山早期）进行了系统的岩矿和Ｒｂ－Ｓｒ同位素年代学研究,得到两条线性关系甚好的等时线,年龄分别为２１１±２１Ｍａ和２２５．４±７．９Ｍａ,证明该区存在印支期花岗岩。原划分的海西晚期、燕山早期花岗岩相当一部分要解体划为印支期花岗岩。     

Geochronology of Intermediate-Acid Intrusive Rocks from Tongling, Anhui

1. Introduction Tongling district is situated in the southern part of the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Anhui province, China (Fig.1). It is one of the most important metal base in China, being rich copper material resources, also named "ancient copper capital of China". Many geologists have been working in petrology, tectonics and ore-deposits in the area for many years. Studies show none of the ore-deposits is not bound up with the intermediate-acid intrusion in the area (Ma…     

K-Ar ages of the Brandberg and Okenyenya igneous complexes,north-western Namibia

K-Ar mineral ages from intrusive units of the Brandberg and Okenyenya igneous complexes, north-western Namibia, confirm the Early Cretaceous age of the subvolcanic centres. The two centres are contemporaneous, although the range of ages from Brandberg, 135.2 ± 1.5 to 125.4 ± 1.3 Ma, suggests a rather longer period of intrusion than is represented by the rocks of Okenyenya, 133.3 ± 1.4 to 129.2 ± 0.7 Ma. The mean K-Ar age of the Okenyenya complex is essentially equivalent to previously determined Rb-Sr ages for the Messum and Paresis complexes on the same igneous lineament, but is a little greater than that suggested recently from Rb-Sr dating of this complex (129.1–123.4Ma). K-Ar chronology for the Brandberg complex is in conflict with the order of emplacement of granite units previously inferred from field evidence. In particular, the Amis peralkaline layered intrusion yields the oldest age from the complex, 135.2 ± 1.4 Ma. The concordancy of age measurements of amphibole and biotite, having very different potassium contents, from single rock samples is compelling evidence that neither inherited radiogenic argon, nor argon loss, presents a significant problem in the dated rocks. If the K - Ar age of 135 Ma for the Amis intrusion is correct, it constrains the minimum age for the onset of Etendeka flood volcanism, associated with continental break-up, as Etendeka lavas exhibit contact metamorphism and metasomatism around the rim of the Brandberg complex.     

RbSr isotope systematics at amphibolite facies conditions,Uppsala Region,Eastern Sweden

On the basis of U-Pb, Rb-Sr and K-Ar isotope analyses of Proterozoic rocks and minerals, a chronology has been established for the tectonic, intrusive and metamorphic evolution of the Svecokarelian orogeny 1750–1950 Ma ago in the Uppsala Region, Eastern Sweden. It is suggested that when synkinematic granitoids intruded the orogenic belt, at a stage of general subsidence and at medium metamorphic conditions (600°C and 3.5–4 kbar), the U-Pb isotope system in zircons closed earlier than the Rb-Sr whole-rock system. The zircon age (1886 Ma) reflects the intrusion and crystallization of the rock melt and the Rb-Sr whole-rock age (1830 Ma) the time when the temperature had decreased below the threshold for ⁸⁷Sr migration. The Rb-Sr whole rock age (1898 Ma) determined for metaandesites and metadacites reflects a recrystallization related to the intrusion of the granitoids. On the contrary, the more silicic metarhyodacitic volcanic rocks have a Rb-Sr whole rock age (1830 Ma) reflecting the cessation of the synkinematic metamorphism. The difference in the way the Rb-Sr isotope system responds in subsilicic or silicic metavolcanics is probably dependent on the amount of radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr and on the fixation of ⁸⁷Sr in Ca-rich minerals. Subsequent, late-kinematic, low amphibolite facies metamorphism has not altered the Rb-Sr ages of the granitoids and the recrystallized metavolcanics.     

大别山高级变质岩云母Rb—Sr等时线年龄测定及其地质意义

应用云母Rb Sr等时线法对大别山高级变质岩的后期改造历史进行了初步的探讨。采用重液变温技术将云母按比重的区别 ,分成若干组分 ,然后用常规的Rb Sr方法测定。应用这种技术对大别山黄土岭太古代麻粒岩相岩石中的黑云母和产于超高压变质带内的石马含石榴石片麻岩的白云母进行了Rb Sr等时线年龄测定。黄土岭太古代麻粒岩相片麻岩中的黑云母 全岩Rb Sr等时线年龄为 12 7± 9Ma ,与该区片麻岩中的角闪石的K Ar和Ar Ar年龄 ,及燕山期花岗岩的Rb Sr年龄一致 ,说明这一太古代下地壳岩石受到了燕山期深熔 岩浆事件的影响 ;大别山东南部石马含石榴石片麻岩 (榴辉岩相 )中的白云母Rb Sr等时线年龄为 191± 10Ma ,反映了印支 早燕山期区域性低级变质事件的时代。研究表明 ,大别山区的不同构造单元中产出的不同类型的高级变质岩自中生代以来有不同的后期演化历史。     

Mössbauer characteristics,mineralogy and isotopic age (Rb-Sr,K-Ar) of Upper Riphean glauconites from the UK Formation,the southern Urals

Comprehensive mineralogical analysis, Mössbauer spectroscopy and isotopic-geochronological study have been carried out for globular phyllosilicates (GPS) of glauconite group from the Uk Formation, the second one below the top of the Upper Riphean stratotype in the southern Urals. Glauconites have been sampled in the Kurtaza and Kulmas sections remote from each other in the Alatau anticlinorium that corresponds to western facies zone of the Bashkirian meganticlinorium. As is shown, size and density monomineral fractions of globules are represented by Al-glauconite according to established structural formula. The isotopic (Rb-Sr and K-Ar) dating of glauconites from the Uk Formation is performed for the first time along with computer simulation of cation arrangements in their crystal lattice and comparison of the results obtained with data of Mössbauer spectroscopy. It has been assumed by simulation that origin and transformation of the Rb-Sr and K-Ar systems in glauconite are concurrent to stages in structural evolution of this mineral, which have been controlled by geological and geochemical events in the history of sedimentary successions. The approach has been aimed at recognition of stratigraphically meaningful isotopic dates corresponding to the glauconite formation at the stage of the early diagenesis close to sedimentation time and the “rejuvenated” dates characterizing ages of subsequent geological events. The comparison of simulated cation arrangements with data of Mössbauer spectroscopy shows that the Rb-Sr (663 ± 9 Ma) and K-Ar (669 ± 16 Ma) dates established for glauconites correspond to the time of early diagenesis in their host sediments, being suitable for age assessment of the Uk Formation. The dates obtained are of interregional and wider significance, as they must be taken into consideration when constructing the general curve of Sr isotope variations in the Late Riphean oceans.     

Age Constraints on Granitoids and Metavolcanic Rocks of the São Luís Craton and Gurupi Belt,Northern Brazil: Implications for Lithostratigraphy and Geological Evolution

Single-zircon Pb evaporation dating was undertaken on granitoids and metavolcanic rocks of different lithostratigraphic units of the São Luís craton and the bordering Gurupi belt in northern Brazil, allowing the determination of the crystallization ages of these rocks and a partial reassessment of the regional lithostratigraphy. In the Sao Luis craton, zircons from granitoids of the Tromai Suite (dominantly tonalitic) yielded ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages between 2149 ± 5 Ma and 2165 ± 2 Ma, and a metapyroclastic rock of the metavolcanosedimentary Aurizona Group was dated at 2240 ± 5 Ma. In the Gurupi belt, the Itamoari Tonalite (the deformed correspondent of the Tromai Suite) gave an age of 2148 ± 4 Ma, similar to the younger ages of the Tromai Suite. Two felsic metavolcanics of the metavolcanosedimentary Gurupi Group showed crystallization ages between 2148 ± 1 Ma and 2160 ± 3 Ma, which are similar to those of the granitoids of the cratonic domain. The Th/U ratios of the whole set of analyzed samples, calculated from the ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ratio, ranged from 0.23 to 0.51, which is typical of magmatic zircons. The determined ages are in good agreement with those of the correlative Eburnean granitoids and Birimian sequences of the West African craton.

A Rb-Sr internal isochron was calculated for a collisional-type granitoid (Maria Suprema Granite) in the Gurupi belt, yielding an age of 1710 ± 32 Ma, interpreted as a partial resetting of the isotopic system. Considered as a minimum age, this dating places the granitoid in the Paleoproterozoic.

The age of the rocks and of the establishment of the Gurupi belt have been controversial, owing to the widespread Neoproterozoic (Brasiliano/Pan-African) Rb-Sr and K-Ar signature of its rocks. Our data, combined with other recent geological and geochronological information, suggest that rocks of the present Gurupi belt have likely participated in collisional/accretionary processes occurring in the final stages of the Transamazonian orogenic cycle in the Paleoproterozoic (2.0-2.1 Ga). This was part of the major process of assembly of the Atlantica supercontinent. The belt was tectonically reactivated in the Neoproterozoic, with widespread reworking of older rocks and only localized rock generation, leading to its present configuration.     

K-Ar等时线定年法及其应用

本文提供了11条不同成因、不同时代岩石和矿物的⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar-⁴⁰K/³⁶Ar等时线,其中3条是新近测定的,另8条是对以前常规K-Ar定年资料的重新处理。测定对象包括年轻火山岩、花岗岩、矿脉及古老岩系中的铁镁质岩墙。测定的时间跨度从第四纪到前寒武纪。研究证明,K-Ar等时线定年既具有常规定年测定对象广泛、可测时间跨度大的优点,又能避免常规法的缺陷,可获得更可信的年龄和更多的有用信息。但是负截距的形成及其所代表的地质意义尚有待深入研究。     

The U-Pb geochronology of the Mukhal alkaline massif (western Transbaikalia)

We present results of U-Pb (SHRIMP II) geochronological study of the rocks of the Mukhal alkaline massif in the Vitim alkaline province, western Transbaikalia. The available K-Ar and Rb-Sr dates for the alkaline rocks (Saizhen complex) of the Vitim province, including the Mukhal massif, vary over a broad range of values. The obtained age of crystallization of the Mukhal urtites refines the time when the regional alkaline magmatism began. The age of zircons and magmatic processes within the Barguzin area (315–275 Ma) is close to the peak of main events, which occurred between 295 and 275 Ma. These processes took place at the early stage of evolution of the Late Paleozoic rift system in Central Asia, whose activity was associated with the activity of mantle superplume.     

Alpine and pre-Alpine magmatism in the root-zone of the western Central Alps

 The highest grade of metamorphism and associated structural elements in orogenic belts may be inherited from earlier orogenic events. We illustrate this point using magmatic and metamorphic rocks from the southern steep belt of the Lepontine Gneiss Dome (Central Alps). The U-Pb zircon ages from an anatectic granite at Verampio and migmatites at Corcapolo and Lavertezzo yield 280–290 Ma, i.e., Hercynian ages. These ages indicate that the highest grade of metamorphism in several crystalline nappes of the Lepontine Gneiss Dome is pre-Alpine. Alpine metamorphism reached sufficiently high grade to reset the Rb-Sr and K-Ar systematics of mica and amphibole, but generally did not result in crustal melting, except in the steep belt to the north of the Insubric Line, where numerous 29 to 26 Ma old pegmatites and aplites had intruded syn- and post-kinematically into gneisses of the ductile Simplon Shear Zone. The emplacement age of these pegmatites gives a minimum estimate for the age of the Alpine metamorphic peak in the Monte Rosa nappe. The U-Pb titanite ages of 33 to 31 Ma from felsic porphyritic veins represent a minimum-age estimate for Alpine metamorphism in the Sesia Zone. A porphyric vein emplaced at 448±5 Ma (U-Pb monazite) demonstrates that there existed a consolidated Caledonian basement in the Sesia Zone. Received: 23 May 1995/Accepted: 12 October 1995     

Age boundaries of formation of the Tomtor alkaline-ultramafic pluton: U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar geochronological studies

This paper presents the results of geochronological studies of the Tomtor alkaline-ultramafic pluton, one of the largest Nb, Y, Sc, and TR deposits. A new scheme of its magmatism is given. The current K-Ar and Rb-Sr ages of different igneous rocks of the Tomtor pluton range from 800 to 250 Ma [Zaitsev et al., 1992; Frolov et al., 2003]. Such dispersion is probably related to the intense carbonatization of the rocks. The U-Pb zircon and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar mica ages indicate two stages of the formation of the pluton (700 and 400 Ma), which agrees well with the age of cycles of rift-related tectonogenesis of the Siberian platform.     

Rb-Sr dating of the impact melt from East Clearwater,Quebec

The Rb-Sr composition of eight melt rock and three basement samples from the East Clearwater impact structure, Quebec, and two basement samples from the West Clearwater structure has been determined. The whole rock ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of the melt samples, 0.7167–0.7253, are within the range of the basement samples, 0.7054–0.7322, and provide further evidence that the melt rocks represent shock-melted basement. A mineral isochron obtained from a relatively coarse grained melt rock gives an age of 287±26 Ma for the crystallization age of the melt. This is equivalent to K-Ar whole-rock ages of 285±30 Ma and 300±30 Ma and a Rb-Sr age of 266±15 Ma obtained on melt rocks from West Clearwater and confirms the previously generally held assumption that the East and West Clearwater structures resulted from the simultaneous impact of two bodies at 285–300 Ma ago.Contribution from the Earth Physics Branch No. 909     

江西大吉山钨矿成矿年代学研究

大吉山钨矿床是一个大型的石英脉型钨矿床。矿床在空间上与燕山早期复式花岗岩相伴。利用云母单矿物的K Ar同位素年龄测试方法,测定了矿床有关的花岗岩及矿脉的同位素年龄。结果表明,黑云母花岗岩中黑云母K Ar年龄为(160 3±3 03)Ma和(164 2±3 5)Ma,二云母花岗岩中白云母K Ar年龄为(160 6±2 8)Ma,含钨石英脉中白云母K Ar年龄为(152 6±2 35)Ma和(158 1±2 8)Ma。钨成矿与花岗岩的成岩基本不存在时差,推测含钨石英脉的形成可能与岩浆分异出的富含矿化剂和成矿元素的流体有关。