Geochemistry of Precambrian gneisses: relevance for the evolution of the East Antarctic Shield

Archaean granulite-facies orthogneisses of the Napier Complex in Enderby Land, metamorphosed 3070 Maago, comprise two chemically distinct suites. The more abundant, mainly of tonalitic to granodioritic composition, shows strong Y depletion, explicable by hydrous partial melting of a garnet-bearing source (garnet amphibolite or possibly eclogite); it apparently represents new continental crust. Other gneisses (predominantly of trondhjemitic to granitic (s.s) composition) do not show Y depletion, and have higher TiO₂, Zr, Nb, La, Ce and Ga/Al, and lower CaO, Sr and Mg/(Mg + total Fe); they probably originated by relatively dry melting of predominantly felsic crystal rocks. Both suites show evidence for loss of Rb (relative to K), Th, and U during metamorphism. Late Archaean (−2800 Ma) amphibolite-facies gneisses of MacRobertson Land are of ‘undepleted’ type and may be representative of a higher crustal level than those of Enderby land. Late Proterozoic (1000 Ma) granulite-facies gneisses of Enderby Land (Rayner Complex) are to a large extent remetamorphosed Napier Complex rocks of igneous derivation; in contrast, gneisses of similar age in MacRobertson Land include a much higher proportion derived, either directly or by partial melting, from sedimentary protoliths.     

Precambrian crystalline basement in southern Mongolia as revealed by SHRIMP zircon dating

Single zircon ages determined by ion microprobe (SHRIMP II) for granitoid gneisses from the southern slope of the Baga Bogd massif (Gobi-Altai, southern Mongolia) reveal several episodes of zircon growth, ranging from late Palaeoproterozoic to late Cambrian. The oldest events are documented by a zircon crystallization age for a gneiss protolith at 1519 ± 11 Ma and by a xenocrystic zircon from a dark grey augen-gneiss yielding an age of c. 1701 Ma. Discrete igneous events are recorded in granite-gneisses with protolith emplacement ages of 983 ± 6, 956 ± 3 and 954 ± 8 Ma. These ages provide the first record of early Neoproterozoic magmatic activity in this region. A much younger and discrete magmatic event is recorded by several dioritic to granitic orthogneisses which are tectonically interlayered with the older gneisses and have protolith emplacement ages between 502 and 498 Ma. These late Cambrian granitoids of calc-alkaline affinity are likely to have been emplaced along an active continental margin and suggest that the Baga Bogd Precambrian crustal fragment was either docked against the southward (present-day coordinates) growing margin of the CAOB or was a large enough crustal entity to develop an arc along its margin. We speculate that the Precambrian gneisses of this massif may be part of a crustal fragment rifted off the Tarim Craton.     

山东胶南-威海造山带荣成岩套花岗质片麻岩的形成时代——锆石SHRIMPU-Pb定年

胶南-威海造山带荣成岩套花岗质片麻岩由闪长质片麻岩-石英闪长质片麻岩-英云闪长质片麻-一奥长花岗质片麻岩-花岗闪长质片麻岩-黑云二长花岗质片麻岩-二长花岗质片麻岩类组成,早期为TTG质花岗岩,晚期为二长花岗岩类。自早到晚存在明显的富钾演化特征。根据新的SHRIMPU-Pb锆石定年结果,该岩套早期闪长质片麻岩年龄为（741±10）Ma,英云闪长质片麻岩年龄为780-760Ma。晚期二长花岗质片麻岩年龄为760-714Ma。所以,可把荣成岩套花岗岩时代限定在800-700Ma之间（南华纪）,其形成与华北克拉通岩石圈减薄有关。     

华北克拉通阜平杂岩新太古代-古元古代多期地质事件及其构造性质

本文收集了阜平杂岩新太古代早期-古元古代晚期基底岩石的岩石地球化学、锆石U-Pb年代学、同位素地球化学和变质作用资料,以期对阜平杂岩早寒武纪演化历史进行初步总结.阜平新太古代早期~2.7 Ga片麻岩原岩为英云闪长岩,具有TTG质片麻岩的地球化学特征;其锆石ε_Hf（t）具有较高的正值（+5.44~+7.50）,单阶段模式年龄为2 745~2 824 Ma,表明新太古代早期为阜平杂岩强烈的地壳生长时期.新太古代晚期片麻岩的时代集中于2 543~2 484 Ma,主要岩石类型为英云闪长岩-奥长花岗岩-花岗闪长岩（TTG）,同时区域内还存在二长花岗岩.TTG质片麻岩的ε_Nd（t）值为-1.64~+0.96,单阶段模式年龄为2.76~3.04 Ga;锆石ε_Hf（t）值为-1.9~+7.91,单阶段和两阶段模式年龄分别为2 546~2 888 Ma和2 548~3 119 Ma.这些TTG岩石主要为新太古代早期岩石的部分熔融,并有少量中太古代地壳物质参与.近于同期具有岛弧性质的辉长岩和变质作用暗示阜平杂岩新太古代晚期可能经历了俯冲和弧-陆或陆-陆碰撞.古元古代中期（2.1~2.0 Ga）阜平地区花岗质岩浆活动强烈.该阶段花岗岩具有A型花岗岩特征,与同期的火山-沉积岩系形成于华北克拉通古元古代中期伸展的陆内裂谷环境中.阜平杂岩中基性麻粒岩包体记录的变质作用时代为1.89~1.85 Ga,并具有顺时针演化的P-T轨迹,其代表了古元古代晚期裂谷闭合的陆内造山过程,表明华北最终克拉通化.      

鞍山地区太古代岩石同位素地质年代学研究

鞍山本溪地区太古代变质岩可分为三套,即含铁的表壳岩建造、侵入于铁建造中的花岗质片麻岩和铁架山奥长花岗质-花岗质片麻岩,后者为表壳岩的基底。原划为上鞍山群樱桃园组(齐大山矿带)和山城子组(歪头山-北台矿带)的斜长角闪岩分别获得2729Ma和2724Ma的Sm-Nd等时线年龄。这就为有争议的鞍本地区铁建造属于同一时代提供了依据,并讨论了表壳岩中的变质沉积岩以及铁架山基底片麻岩的同位素年代。     

Geochronology and tectonic significance of Middle Proterozoic granitic orthogneiss, North Qaidam HP/UHP terrane, Western China

Summary Amphibolite-facies para- and orthogneisses near Dulan, in the southeast part of the North Qaidam terrane, enclose minor ultra-high pressure (UHP) eclogite and peridotite. Field relations and coesite inclusions in zircons from paragneiss suggest that felsic, mafic, and ultramafic rocks all experienced UHP metamorphism and a common amphibolite-facies retrogression. Ion microprobe U–Pb and REE analyses of zircons from two granitic orthogneisses indicate magmatic crystallization at 927 ± Ma and 921 ± 7 Ma. Zircon rims in one of these samples yield younger ages (397–618 Ma) compatible with partial zircon recrystallization during in-situ Ordovician-Silurian eclogite-facies metamorphism previously determined from eclogite and paragneiss in this area. The similarity between a 2496 ± 18 Ma xenocrystic core and 2.4–2.5 Ga zircon cores in the surrounding paragneiss suggests that the granites intruded the sediments or that the granite is a melt of the older basement which supplied detritus to the sediments. The magmatic ages of the granitic orthogneisses are similar to 920–930 Ma ages of (meta)granitoids described further northwest in the North Qaidam terrane and its correlative west of the Altyn Tagh fault, suggesting that these areas formed a coherent block prior to widespread Mid Proterozoic granitic magmatism.     

Geochemical evolution of Archaean granulite-facies gneisses in the Vestfold Block and comparisons with other Archaean gneiss complexes in the East Antarctic Shield

The Vestfold Block, like other Archaean cratons in East Antarctica and elsewhere, consists predominantly of felsic orthogneiss (Mossel and Crooked Lake gneisses), with subordinate mafic granulite (Tryne metavolcanics) and paragneiss (Chelnok supracrustals). Two major periods of continental crust formation are represented. The Mossel gneiss (metamorphosed about 3,000 Ma ago) is mainly of tonalitic composition, and is similar to much of the roughly coeval Napier Complex in Enderby Land. The Crooked Lake gneiss was emplaced under high-grade conditions about 2,450 Ma ago and comprises a high proportion of more potassic rocks (monzodioritic and monzonitic suites), as well as tonalite and minor gabbro and diorite. Both Mossel and Crooked Lake gneisses are depleted in Y and have moderate to high Sr, Ce/Y, and Ti/Y, consistent with melting of a mafic source (?subducted hydrated oceanic crust) leaving major residual hornblende (± garnet). Most Crooked Lake gneisses are more enriched in incompatible elements (P, Sr, La, Ce, and particularly Rb, Ba, and K) than Mossel gneisses, suggesting derivation from a more enriched mafic source. The Vestfold Block contains few orthogneisses derived by melting of older felsic crustal rocks, in marked contrast to the Archaean Napier Complex and, in particular, southern Prince Charles Mountains. Both Mossel and Crooked Lake tonalites are strongly depleted in Rb, K, Th, and U, and have very low Rb/Sr and high K/Rb; more potassic orthogneisses are depleted in Th, U, and, to lesser extents, Rb. Tryne metavolcanics are depleted in Th and Rb, but appear to have been enriched in K (and probably Na), possibly during early low-grade alteration.     

胶东谭格庄地区奥长花岗质片麻岩和斜长角闪岩的野外地质和锆石SHRIMP定年

对胶东谭格庄地区一地质剖面进行了详细野外观察和锆石SHRIMP年代学研究.剖面主要是由奥长花岗质片麻岩和斜长角闪岩组成,两者互层产出并一起发生褶皱变形,在强变形域两者完全平行化.所以,在强变形地区,不同成分岩性的薄层状互层产出不能作为变质沉积岩的识别标志.奥长花岗质片麻岩(S1105)形成于2496±10Ma,遭受了古元古代早期和晚期变质.两个斜长角闪岩样品(S1238和S0812)都只发育变质锆石,年龄分别为1842±3Ma和1833±13Ma.该剖面岩石记录的两期变质作用在胶东地区具有普遍意义.结合前人研究,作者指出该地区太古宙末存在区域性变质深熔作用,早期地壳受到了强烈的再造;古元古代末的变质作用具有带状分布特点,与造山作用有关.     

Age of younger tonalitic magmatism and granulitic metamorphism in the South Indian transition zone (Krishnagiri area); comparison with older Peninsular gneisses from the Gorur–Hassan area

Abstract A major episode of continental crust formation, associated with granulite facies metamorphism, occurred at 2.55–2.51 Ga and was related to accretional processes of juvenile crust. Dating of tonalitic–trondhjemitic, granitic gneisses and charnockites from the Krishnagiri area of South India indicates that magmatic protoliths are 2550–2530 ± 5 Ma, as shown by both U–Pb and ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb single zircon methods. Monazite ages indicate high temperatures of cooling corresponding to conditions close to granulite facies metamorphism at 2510 ± 10 Ma. These data provide precise time constraints and Sr–Nd isotopes confirm the existence of late tonalitic–granodioritic juvenile gneisses at 2550 Ma. Pb single zircon ages from the older Peninsular gneisses (Gorur–Hassan area) are in agreement with some previous Sr ages and range between 3200 ± 20 and 3328 ± 10 Ma. These gneisses were derived from a 3.3–3.5-Ga mantle source as indicated from Nd isotopes. They did not participate significantly in the genesis of the 2.55-Ga juvenile magmas. All these data, together with previous work, suggest that the 2.51-Ga granulite facies metamorphism occurred near the contact of the ancient Peninsular gneisses and the 2.55–2.52-Ga ‘juvenile’tonalitic–trondhjemitic terranes during synaccretional processes (subduction, mantle plume?). Rb–Sr biotite ages between 2060 and 2340 Ma indicate late cooling probably related to the dextral major east–west shearing which displaced the 2.5-Ga juvenile terranes toward the west.     

Age and tectonic setting of granitoid gneisses in the Eastern Desert of Egypt and south-west Sinai

Strongly deformed and locally migmatized gneisses occur at several places in the southern Eastern Desert of Egypt and in Sinai and have variously been interpreted as a basement to Pan-african (900 to 600 Ma) supracrustal and intrusive assemblages. A suite of grabbroic to granitic gneisses was investigated in the Hafafit area, which constitutes an I-type calc-alkaline intrusive assemblage whose chemistry suggests emplacement along an active continental margin and whose granitoid members can be correlated with the so-called Older Granites of Egypt.²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb single zircon evaporation from three samples of the Hafafit gneisses yielded protolith emplacement ages between 677 ± 9 and 700 ± 12 Ma and document granitoid activity over a period of about 23 Ma. A migmatitic granitic gneiss from Wadi Bitan, south-west of Ras Banas, has a zircon age of 704 ± 8 Ma, and its protolith was apparently generated during the same intrusive event as the granitoids at Hafafit. Single zircons from a dioritic gneiss from Wadi Feiran in south-west Sinai suggest emplacement of the protolith at 796 ± 6 Ma and this is comparable with ages for granitoids in north-east Sinai and southern Israel. None of the above gneisses is derived from remelting of older continental crust, but they are interpreted as reflecting subduction-related calc-alkaline magmatism during early Pan-african magmatic arc formation.     

抚顺南部早前寒武纪变质杂岩的地质事件序列

抚顺南部早前寒武纪变质杂岩是华北克拉通北缘辽北-吉南早前寒武纪变质地块的一个重要组成部分,主要由浑南群石棚子组角闪岩相变质火山岩、火山碎屑岩及相伴生的沉积岩等表壳岩系和侵位于其中的石英闪长质片麻岩、英云闪长质-奥长花岗质-花岗闪长质(TTG)片麻岩和花岗闪长岩-二长花岗岩-钾长花岗岩岩石组合组成。LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb同位素分析结果显示,侵位于表壳岩中的石英闪长质片麻岩样品12LN39-3的岩浆结晶年龄为2571±7Ma,指示存在老于该年龄的表壳岩系。英云闪长质片麻岩样品12LN04-1和奥长花岗质片麻岩样品13LB49-3的岩浆结晶年龄分别为2544±4Ma和2550±10Ma,记录了一期重要的英云闪长质-奥长花岗质片麻岩侵位事件。斜长角闪岩(样品12LN25-2)的岩浆结晶的最小年龄为2530±5Ma,指示另一火山喷发阶段。晚期钾长花岗岩样品12LN01-1和奥长花岗质片麻岩样品12LN27-1分别侵位于2522±4Ma和2518±23Ma,说明它们的岩浆作用发生于同一时期。而采自于晚期未变形侵入体的石英闪长岩样品12LN30-2的岩浆结晶年龄为2496±18Ma,与上述表壳岩和深成侵入体的主要变质作用(2510~2470Ma)同期发生。这些年代学结果表明,抚顺南部地区新太古代大规模的铁镁质火山喷发作用在大于2571±7Ma已经发生,紧接着2571±7Ma发生石英闪长质岩浆侵位,在2550±10Ma~2544±4Ma之间发生英云闪长质-奥长花岗质岩浆侵位。接下来铁镁质火山再度喷发(~2530±5Ma),随后为钾长花岗岩和奥长花岗质岩浆的侵位(2522±4Ma~2518±23Ma)。晚期为角闪岩相变质作用时期(2510~2470Ma),伴随一定规模的石英闪长岩侵位。     

SHRIMP zircon dating and Nd isotopic systematics of Palaeoproterozoic migmatitic orthogneisses in the Epupa Metamorphic Complex of northwestern Namibia

The Epupa Metamorphic Complex constitutes the southwestern margin of the Congo Craton and is exposed in a hilly to mountainous terrain of northwestern Namibia, bordering the Kunene River and extending into southern Angola. It consists predominantly of granitoid gneisses which are migmatized over large areas. This migmatization locally led to anatexis and produced crustal-melt granites such as the Otjitanda Granite. We have undertaken reconnaissance geochemical studies and single zircon U–Pb SHRIMP and Pb–Pb evaporation dating of rocks of the Epupa Complex. The granitoid gneisses, migmatites and anatectic melts are similar in composition and constitute a suite of metaluminous to peraluminous, calc-alkaline granitoids, predominantly with volcanic arc geochemical signatures. The zircon protolith ages for the orthogneisses range from 1861 ± 3 to 1758 ± 3 Ma. Anatexis in the migmatitic Epupa gneisses was dated from a melt patch at 1762 ± 4 Ma, and the anatectic Otjitanda Granite has a zircon age of 1757 ± 4 Ma. Migmatization and anatexis therefore occurred almost immediately after granitoid emplacement and date a widespread high-temperature Palaeoproterozoic event at ∼1760 Ma which has not been recorded elswhere in northern Namibia. The Nd isotopic systematics of all dated samples are surprisingly similar and suggest formation of the protolith from a source region that probably separated from the depleted mantle about 2.4–2.0 Ga ago. A major Archaean component in the source area is unlikely.     

Major and trace element geochemistry and isotope (Sr, Nd, Pb, O) systematics of an Archaean basement involved in a 2.0 Ga very high-temperature (1000°C) metamorphic event: In Ouzzal Massif, Hoggar, Algeria

The In Ouzzal granulitic massif is composed mainly of various meta-igneous rocks which, in spite of Rb, U, Th, Cs and some K and Sr mobility, can be dated and generally classified according to their chemical composition as follows. Basic and ultrabasic granulites interlayered with the metasediments correspond to (1) ultrabasic cumulates from dislocated tholeiitic bodies, (2) ancient komatiitic to high-Mg tholeiitic basalts similar to the suites found in Archaean greenstone belts and (3) calcalkaline protoliths of high-K andesitic composition. No geochronological constraints are available apart from the depositional age of some associated sediments which is younger than 2.70 Ga detrital zircons, and the Nd model age of the andesitic granulites of c. 3.4 Ga. In spite of the high-grade metamorphism, the acidic magmatic precursors of the charnockites can be divided in three groups. (1) The most juvenile acid orthogneisses are trondhjemitic or tonalitic in composition, being similar to the TTG suites which are classically considered to be formed by partial melting of mantle-derived protoliths. The 3.3–3.2 Ga T_DM indicates a possible age of separation from the mantle reservoir while the plutons may have been emplaced between 3.3 and 2.7 Ga (U–Pb zircon & Nd ages). (2) A group of alkaline granitic gneisses, similar in composition to rift-related-granites, were emplaced at 2650±10 Ma (U–Pb & Rb–Sr ages) in a thick continental crust. (3) Calcalkaline granodioritic and monzogranitic suites derived from the partial melting of continental precursors (3.5–3.3 Ga), in lower to middle levels of the continental crust. They were emplaced close to 2.5 Ga during crustal thickening. The very high-temperature metamorphism occurred at 2002±7 Ma from the age of synfoliation intrusions and was probably related to major overthrusting. Retrogressive metamorphism is dated at 1.95 Ga from garnet-Nd ages. In spite of the very high-temperature conditions, partial melting during granulite facies metamorphism may be restricted to scarce cordierite-bearing monzogranitic gneisses. The 2.0 Ga VHT metamorphism could be related to overthrusting, extensional or underplating processes.     

Geochemistry of the Neoproterozoic (800–767 Ma) Cerro Bori orthogneisses, Dom Feliciano Belt in Uruguay: tectonic evolution of an ancient continental arc

The Cerro Bori orthogneisses, crystallized between ca. 800 and 767 Ma, are composed of a sequence of mafic gneisses, with dioritic-gabbroic and dioritic composition tectonically interleaved with a sequence of tonalitic and granodioritic gneisses. These rocks intruded the Chafalote paragneisses (metapelites, semipelites, carbonate and mafic rocks) and they were metamorphosed of high P-T conditions at ca. 676–654 Ma. This paper presents the first major and trace geochemical signatures, as well as Sm and Pb isotopic composition for the Cerro Bori orthogneisses, which allow distinguishing three different groups of rocks. Type I rocks are mafic gneisses with tholeiitic affinity, whereas the Type II rocks are tonalitic and granodioritic gneisses with calc-alkaline affinity. The third type is composed of biotite-rich mafic gneisses with potassic and ultrapotassic affinities. All the three types of rocks have negative ?_ND values (between ?2.12 and ?6.67) and old T_DM ages (between 1.2 and 2.0 Ga), indicating that the process of crustal assimilation/contamination was an important process, together with fractional crystallization. An continental arc tectonic setting is suggested to this association of rocks between 800 and 767 Ma. This subduction suggests the existence of an ocean between Rio de La Plata and adjacent cratons during the break up of the Rodinia supercontinent.     

Geochronology and geochemistry of high‐pressure granulites of the Arthur River Complex,Fiordland, New Zealand: Cretaceous magmatism and metamorphism on the palaeo‐Pacific Margin

The Arthur River Complex is a suite of gabbroic to dioritic orthogneisses in northern Fiordland, New Zealand. The Arthur River Complex separates rocks of the Median Tectonic Zone, a Mesozoic island arc complex, from Palaeozoic rocks of the palaeo‐Pacific Gondwana margin, and is itself intruded by the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss. New SHRIMP U/Pb single zircon data are presented for magmatic, metamorphic and deformation events in the Arthur River Complex and adjacent rocks from northern Fiordland. The Arthur River Complex orthogneisses and dykes are dominated by magmatic zircon dated at 136–129 Ma. A dioritic orthogneiss that occurs along the eastern margin of the Complex is dated at 154.4 ± 3.6 Ma and predates adjacent plutons of the Median Tectonic Zone. Rims on zircon cores from this sample record a thermal event at c. 120 Ma, attributed to the emplacement of the Western Fiordland Orthogneiss. Migmatitic Palaeozoic orthogneiss from the Arthur River Complex (346 ± 6 Ma) is interpreted as deformed wall rock. Very fine rims (5–20 µm) also indicate a metamorphic age of c. 120–110 Ma. A post‐tectonic pegmatite (81.8 ± 1.8 Ma) may be related to phases of crustal extension associated with the opening of the Tasman Sea. The Arthur River Complex is interpreted as a batholith, emplaced at mid‐crustal levels and then buried to deep crustal levels due to convergence of the Median Tectonic Zone arc and the continental margin.     

Evolution of the 3.65–2.58 Ga Mairi Gneiss Complex,Brazil: Implications for growth of the continental crust in the São Francisco Craton

The composition and formation of the Earth’s primitive continental crust and mantle differentiation are key issues to understand and reconstruct the geodynamic terrestrial evolution, especially during the Archean. However, the scarcity of exposure to these rocks, the complexity of lithological relationships, and the high degree of superimposed deformation, especially with long-lived magmatism, make it difficult to study ancient rocks. Despite this complexity, exposures of the Archean Mairi Gneiss Complex basement unit in the São Francisco Craton offer important information about the evolution of South America’s primitive crust. Therefore, here we present field relationships, LA-ICP-SFMS zircon U-Pb ages, and LA-ICP-MCMS Lu-Hf isotope data for the recently identified Eoarchean to Neoarchean gneisses of the Mairi Complex. The Complex is composed of massive and banded gneisses with mafic members ranging from dioritic to tonalitic, and felsic members ranging from TTG (Tonalite-Trondhjemite-Granodiorite) to granitic composition. Our new data point to several magmatic episodes in the formation of the Mairi Gneiss Complex: Eoarchean (ca. 3.65–3.60 Ga), early Paleoarchean (ca. 3.55–3.52 Ga), middle-late Paleoarchean (ca. 3.49–3.33 Ga) and Neoarchean (ca. 2.74–2.58 Ga), with no records of Mesoarchean rocks. Lu-Hf data unveiled a progressive evolution of mantle differentiation and crustal recycling over time. In the Eoarchean, rocks are probably formed by the interaction between the pre-existing crust and juvenile contribution from chondritic to weakly depleted mantle sources, whereas mantle depletion played a role in the Paleoarchean, followed by greater differentiation of the crust with thickening and recycling in the middle–late Paleoarchean. A different stage of crustal growth and recycling dominated the Neoarchean, probably owing to the thickening of the continental crust by collision, continental arc growth, and mantle differentiation.     

Zircon ages,geochemistry, and Nd isotopic systematics of pre-Variscan orthogneisses from the Erzgebirge,Saxony (Germany), and geodynamic interpretation

High grade granitoid orthogneisses occur in several metamorphic units of the Erzgebirge in the Saxothuringian Zone of the Variscan Belt. The determination of protolith ages and the geochemical characterization of these rocks permit a reconstruction of the Neoproterozoic to early Palaeozoic magmatic and geodynamic history of the Erzgebirge. Single zircon Pb-Pb evaporation and SHRIMP ages combined with major and trace element data and Sm-Nd isotope systematics indicate at least two discrete magmatic events concealed in the so-called red gneisses, one at ~550 Ma in rocks of the medium pressure—medium temperature (MP-MT) unit and the other at ~500–480 Ma in rocks of the high pressure units. The transition zones comprise both Neoproterozoic granitoids and early Palaeozoic metarhyolites. The granitoid gneisses represent Neoproterozoic calc-alkaline granitoids with REE patterns similar to those produced in Andean-type continental margins. The early Palaeozoic muscovite gneisses are geochemically distinct from the older granitoids and may be derived from melts generated in a back-arc setting. Initial _Nd values in all samples overlap and range from –4.1 to –9.2, corresponding to crustal sources with average residence times of 1.5 to 1.9 Ga. Zircon xenocryst ages as old as 2992 Ma provide evidence for Grenvillian, Svecofennian-Birimian-Aazonian and older age components and suggest an association of the Erzgebirge with Avalonia.B. Mingram and A. Kröner have shared senior authorship     

Paleoproterozoic (2.0–1.97 Ga) subduction-related magmatism on the north–central margin of the Yeongnam Massif,Korean Peninsula,and its tectonic implications for reconstruction of the Columbia supercontinent

The Muju area, located on the north–central margin of the Yeongnam Massif, mainly consists of Precambrian orthogneisses (granitic, leucogranitic, augen and dioritic gneisses) with minor migmatite. Zircon U–Pb dating indicates that the protoliths of the orthogneisses intruded at ca. 2.00–1.97 Ga and were metamorphosed at ca. 1.87–1.86 Ga. Magmatic zircon grains within the orthogneisses have positive to negative εHf(t) values (−7.63 to +3.3) and a Neoarchean two-stage model age (T_DM2 = 2.78 Ga), indicating that the protoliths of most of the orthogneisses may have been derived from Archean crustal material. The results of geochemical analysis indicate that the protoliths of the orthogneisses formed by partial melting of metagraywacke and mafic igneous rocks in an arc-related tectonic setting. The intrusion ages and geochemical data of the Paleoproterozoic orthogneisses in the study area match well with those of Paleoproterozoic (ca. 2.00–1.97 Ga) orthogneisses in the northeastern Yeongnam Massif, indicating the presence of regional Paleoproterozoic subduction zones along the northern margin of the Yeongnam Massif at ca. 2.00–1.97 Ga. Meanwhile, ca. 2.00–1.97 Ga subduction-related magmatism has not been reported from the northern Gyeonggi and Nangrim Massifs in the Korean Peninsula or the Jiao–Liao–Ji belt in the eastern North China Craton, indicating that the Yeongnam Massif may not be correlatable with the northern Gyeonggi and Nangrim Massifs or the Jiao–Liao–Ji belt. The Yeongnam Massif may be correlated with the Cathaysia Block in the South China Craton and may have been located near Laurentia and the Siberian Craton within the Columbia supercontinent.     

东昆仑祁漫塔格花岗片麻岩记录的岩浆和变质事件

东昆仑青海祁漫塔格尕林格一带原定为金水口群的眼球状花岗片麻岩,实际为新元古代早期形成的花岗岩.采用SHRIMP和LA-MC-ICP-MS两种方法对其中的锆石进行了测试,获得的年龄分别为938±5Ma和938±2Ma,代表了花岗岩的形成时代.花岗岩地球化学特征显示为S-型,属于钙碱性系列的弱过铝-过铝质花岗岩,εNd(0)为-9.4～-11.7,εNd(t=938Ma)为-0.6～-3.2,显示低的负值,tDM为1.6 ～2.1Ga,推测其源岩与白沙河岩组类似.东昆仑东段、柴北缘以及阿尔金均有1000～900Ma的花岗岩形成,表明这次岩浆活动比较广泛,可能与我国西部不同陆块间的汇聚有关,是我国西部新元古代克拉通基底形成的反映,同时也响应于全球Rodinia超大陆的形成.花岗片麻岩中1粒锆石边部获得了416±11Ma的年龄,与区域上志留-泥盆纪花岗岩形成时代一致,代表了新元古代花岗岩发生变质作用的时代,其中白云母40Ar/39Ar的坪年龄和等时线年龄为406±2Ma,代表了变质花岗岩的冷却年龄,这些年龄表明新元古代花岗岩卷入了古生代中期与祁漫塔格洋/海盆关闭有关的造山事件.     

Geochronological constraints on the evolution of the Embu Complex, São Paulo, Brazil

Petrologic and geochronological work was carried out on a roadside outcrop of amphibolite facies orthogneisses near São Lourenço da Serra, about 50 km southwest of São Paulo City. These orthogneisses belong to the Embu Complex, within the Neoproterozoic Brasiliano Orogenic Cycle mobile belts of SE Brazil. The outcrop consists of predominantly foliated biotite tonalites and granodiorites, which were cut by granitic veins and pegmatites prior to final deformation. SHRIMP U/Pb measurements on zircons from one granodioritic–tonalitic gneiss indicate magmatic crystallization of the protolith at 811±13 Ma (MSWD=1.0). Zircons with dates of ca. 2000 and ca. 1000 Ma in this rock are interpreted as inherited from older crust. One zircon analyzed from the gneiss and three zircons from a discordant pegmatitic vein indicate an event at 650–700 Ma, perhaps related to the intrusion of the pegmatites. A regression of Rb–Sr whole rock data for four biotite gneisses yielded an imperfect isochron, giving an apparent age of 821±68 Ma and an elevated initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.719±0.005. The elevated initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio and the inherited zircons indicate involvement of older crust in the genesis of the gneisses. Rb–Sr feldspar and whole rock pairs yield ca. 560 Ma tielines, giving the time of final cooling below 300–350 °C, and the cessation of medium-grade metamorphism and ductile deformation. These results document a series of tectono-thermal events spanning 250 million years during the Brasiliano Orogenic Cycle. They relate to ca. 800 Ma magmatic arc activity and later allochthonous terrane assembly during closure of the Adamastor Ocean, resulting in the accretion of Western Gondwana.