Excess radiogenic Ar and undisturbed Rb-Sr systems in basic intrusives subjected to Alpine metamorphism in southeastern Spain

Metamorphosed basic intrusives in the Alpine orogen of southern Spain contain relicts of unmetamorphosed gabbroic rock. Rb-Sr investigation of one of these relicts indicates that the rock and constituent minerals remained closed to Rb-Sr during the plurifacial Alpine metamorphism. The Rb-Sr isochron age is 146 ± 3 Ma with initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.7028 ± 0.0001 (λ⁸⁷Rb = 1.42 × 10^?11 a^?1), which is taken as approaching the intrusion age. All investigated relicts of unmetamorphosed rock are characterized by excess⁴⁰Ar contents between about 6 × 10^?6 and 14 × 10^?6 cm³ NTP/g, whereas the metamorphosed parts of the basic intrusives rarely show this phenomenon. It is argued that this argon, which is very inhomogeneously distributed, was acquired during the Alpine metamorphism. A comparison of the excess⁴⁰Ar contents of the pyroxene and the plagioclase with published data suggests that in all cases the crystals have acquired the argon under about the same prevailing⁴⁰Ar partial pressure, even when the geologic conditions were different.     

Excess40Ar in metamorphic rocks from Broken Hill,New South Wales: implications for40Ar/39Ar age spectra and the thermal history of the region

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectrum analyses of samples from Broken Hill, New South Wales, indicate that the region has experienced a complex thermal history following high-grade metamorphism, 1660 Ma ago. The terrain cooled slowly (～3°C Ma^?1) until about 1570 Ma ago, when the temperature fell below about 500°C. Following granitoid emplacement ～1500 Ma ago, the region remained relatively cold until affected by a thermal pulse 520±40Ma ago, causing temperatures to rise to～350°C in some places. During this event, accumulated⁴⁰Ar was released from minerals causing a significant Ar partial pressure to develop. Laboratory Ar solubility data combined with the⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectra gives a local estimate of this partial pressure of ～10^?4atm. The region finally cooled below 100°C about 280 Ma ago.⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectrum analyses of hornblende, plagioclase and clinopyroxene containing excess⁴⁰Ar are characterized by saddle-shaped age spectra. Detailed analysis of plagioclase samples reveals a complex diffusion behaviour, which is controlled by exsolution structures. This effect, in conjunction with the presumed different lattice occupancy of excess⁴⁰Ar with respect to radiogenic⁴⁰Ar, appears to be responsible for the saddle-shaped age spectra.     

Whole rock Th-Pb age for the Masuke and Dembe-Divula complexes,Rhodesia

A whole rock U-Th-Pb study was carried out on eight granites from a suite previously dated at 177 ± 4my(λ = 1.39 × 10^?11yr^?1) by Rb-Sr methods. A U-Pb isochron was not obtained owing to recent leaching of U in the outcrop. Seven samples gave a Th-Pb isochron with age 184 ± 16my(λ = 4.99 × 10^?11yr^?1), (^20/8Pb²⁰⁴Pb)₀ = 39.2 ± 0.2 and MSWD 0.8. The eighth sample fell off the line and was rejected on geological grounds. Dissolving 5 g aliquots of the powdered rock markedly improved the reproducibility of U analyses but analysis of the variances suggests that inhomogeneities still might exist between duplicate dissolutions. Th-Pb geochronology needs further development to bring it to the level of precision of the Rb-Sr method.     

40Ar/39Ar incremental-release ages of biotite from a progressively remetamorphosed Archean basement terrane in southwestern Labrador

Gneisses within an Archean basement terrane adjacent to the southwestern portion of the Labrador Trough were variably retrograded during a regional metamorphism of Grenville age (ca. 1000 Ma). Biotites from non-retrograded segments of the gneiss terrane record⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau and isochron ages which date times of cooling following an episode of the Kenoran orogeny (2376–2391 Ma). A suite of gneiss samples displaying varying degrees of retrograde alteration was collected across the Grenville metamorphic gradient. Biotites in these samples show no petrographic evidence of retrograde alteration, however they do record internally discordant⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectra. Although the extent of internal discordance is variable, the overall character of the release patterns is similar with younger apparent ages recorded in intermediate-temperature gas fractions. The total-gas dates range from 2257±27 Ma (northwest) to 1751±23 Ma (southeast), suggesting that variable quantities of radiogenic argon were lost from the Archean biotites during Grenville metamorphism. The “saddle-shaped” nature of the discordant spectra indicates that argon loss was not accomplished through single-stage, volume diffusion processes.Biotites in portions of the gneiss terrane which were completely recrystallized during Grenville metamorphism are petrographically and texturally distinct. A representative of this phase records a⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau age of 2674±28 Ma. This date is markedly inconsistent with regional constraints on the timing of Grenville metamorphism, and indicates the presence of extraneous argon components. Both the extraneous and radiogenic argon components must have been liberated in constant proportions during experimental heating because the argon isotopic data yield a well-defined⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar vs.³⁹Ar/³⁶Ar isochron corresponding to an age (2658±23 Ma) similar to that defined by the plateau portion of the spectrum.The⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar biotite dates suggest that the effects of Grenville metamorphism extent 15–20 km northward into the Superior Province. The limit of this overprint is approximately coincident with the northernmost development of Grenville age thrust faults in the Archean terrane. Therefore, it is proposed that the northern margin of the Grenville Province in southwestern Labrador should be located along the northernmost Grenville thrust fault because this represents both a structural and a thermal discontinuity.     

Application of age and Sr isotope data to the petrogenesis of the Marangudzi ring complex,Rhodesia

The Marangudzi ring complex, Rhodesia, consists essentially of a gabbro mass intruded by ring dykes of quartz syenite and cone sheets of nepheline syenite. Five intrusive units (gabbro, two quartz syenite and two nepheline syenite units) have been studied using Rb-Sr and K-Ar methods. A total of 24 whole rock samples define a Rb-Sr isochron which gives an age of 186 ± 3m.y. and an initial (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)₀ ratio of 0.70769 ± 0.00006 (±2sigma; based on λ = 1.42 × 10^?11yr^?1). K-Ar and Rb-Sr analyses on biotite and hastingsite separates are consistent with this age assignment. Whole rock Rb-Sr isochrons for the different units treated individually agree with the above age and initial Sr ratio within analytical uncertainties. This is believed to indicate that the different rock types are comagmatic forming by fractional crystallization of a parental, mantle-derived, K₂O-rich basaltic magma, having an initial Sr ratio of 0.7077, without appreciable assimilation of the Precambrian country rock. The entire differentiation, emplacement and crystallization processes took place over a rather short time span.     

Identification of excess 40Ar by the 40Ar/39Ar age spectrum technique

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar incremental heating experiments on igneous plagioclase, biotite, and pyroxene that contain known amounts of excess⁴⁰Ar indicate that saddle-shaped age spectra are diagnostic of excess⁴⁰Ar in igneous minerals as well as in igneous rocks. The minima in the age spectra approach but do not reach the crystallization age. Neither the age spectrum diagram nor the⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar versus³⁹Ar/³⁶Ar isochron diagram reliably reveal the crystallization age in such samples.     

Investigation of excess argon in ultramafic rocks from the Kola Peninsula by the40Ar/39Ar method

In several xenolithic ultramafic rocks from the Kola Peninsula, including a magnetic separate, abnormally high⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ratios persisted at low and high temperatures. The lowest⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ratio was consistently observed at intermediate temperatures (900–1100°C), indicating an apparent age of 2.8–3.1 b.y.; however, this may not indicate the formation age.The quantity of excess⁴⁰Ar was estimated at each temperature fraction, adopting ages inferred from published Rb-Sr ages or the minimum⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age. Excess⁴⁰Ar is abundantly trapped both in mineral lattices and nonretentive trapping sites, but the trapping sites are different from those of in-situ radiogenic⁴⁰Ar. The high temperature component of excess⁴⁰Ar is considered to represent Ar dissolved during mineral formation in the upper mantle or the lower crust.A correlation between the amount of high temperature excess⁴⁰Ar and³⁶Ar exists for some samples. The⁴⁰Ar_excess/³⁶Ar ratios of the rocks of probable upper mantle or lower crust origin vary from about 10 000 to 35 000, which may suggest large fluctuations of this ratio in the deep interior of the earth. The high value implies that most³⁶Ar was already degassed from the earth's interior at least 2 or 3 b.y. ago.     

U-Pb and Rb-Sr dating of a polymetamorphic nappe terrain: The Caledonian Jotun nappe,southern Norway

The Caledonian Jotun nappe in the Tyin area of southern Norway has been investigated using U-Pb analysis of zircon and sphene and Rb-Sr measurements of minerals and whole rocks, with special reference to the reaction of the isotope systems to various kinds of metamorphic event. The nappe consists of Precambrian basement rocks and their cover, inversely thrust over the Baltic shield and its parautochthonous, presumably lower Paleozoic sediments during the Caledonian orogeny. While the nappe basement retained its pre-Caledonian structures, the nappe cover was penetratively deformed and metamorphosed to lower greenschist facies conditions.U-Pb analyses of zircon and sphene ofnappe basement rocks point to the crystallization of a syenitic to monzonitic magma at 1694± 20m.y., the intrusion of gabbros into the syenites and monzonites at 1252_?25⁺²⁸ m.y., and the metamorphism (upper greenschist-lower amphibolite facies) and deformation (gneissification and mylonitization) of the whole complex at 909± 16m.y. Although this latest event caused strong lead loss in all zircon populations, it had no influence on the Rb-Sr system on a whole rock scale. The Caledonian movements did not disturb the U-Pb system of zircon and sphene but strongly influenced the Rb-Sr system in certain minerals and zircon and/or its inclusions (K-feldspar and brown biotite partially, green biotite completely reset).In contrast to the nappe basement, zircons from thecover rocks show pronounced lead loss during the Caledonian metamorphism/deformation — U-Pb analysis give discordia lower intercept ages of 415± 21 m.y. and 395± 6m.y. Again, however, the Rb-Sr whole-rock system has not been reset in Caledonian time. Minerals from the same rocks which provided the zircons give Rb-Sr isochron ages of 390± 11m.y. and 386 ± 20 m.y.Comparison of U-Pb and Rb-Sr results from the nappe basement demonstrates that only the analysis of U-Pb systematics in zircon and especially sphene resolved the 900-m.y. event. Rb-Sr mineral data alone yield ambiguous results.The results from the nappe cover confirm that U-Pb analyses from penetratively deformed sediments are very useful in dating a metamorphic/tectonic event in lower greenschist facies conditions.From the measured cell dimensions of the zircon populations it is concluded that lead can be completely retained in zircon during recrystallization.     

40Ar-39Ar and Rb-Sr age determinations on Quaternary volcanic rocks

⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar and Rb-Sr ages have been measured on separated minerals from the potassic volcanics of the Roman Comagmatic Region to test the ability of these methods to accurately data Quaternary geological events. The very high K and Rb contents of the Roman magmas present particularly favorable situations in which the very high concentrations of the radioactive nuclides⁴⁰K and⁸⁷Rb result in well resolved in situ enrichments of the daughter isotopes despite the very young ages. Six leucite separates contained Ar with very high bulk40/36 ratios (above 1000) and in which the⁴⁰Ar and the³⁹Ar were very well correlated, yielding well-defined ages averaging3.38±0.08×10⁵ years. Two leucites contained Ar with lower bulk40/36 ratios (～400), and in at least two release steps from these leucites the⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratio was significantly lower than atmospheric. Despite the uncertainty in the composition of the trapped component, these two leucites have ages that do not differ significantly from the ages of the other leucites. For the biotites, it was not possible to obtain through stepwise degassing a good separation of in situ radiogenic⁴⁰Ar from trapped⁴⁰Ar and therefore the calculated ages are not as precise as those of the leucites. In three cases the biotite age agrees with the age of the cogenetic leucite, but in the remaining two cases discordant ages are obtained, suggesting caution when using biotites as Quaternary age indicators.Rb-Sr measurements on leucite, biotite, and pyroxene separates hand-picked from each of three tuff samples yielded a dispersion in⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr as large as 16 parts in 10⁴ and⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr as high as 218 for leucites, and permitted the determination of internal isochron ages. The ages obtained range from3.8±0.2×10⁵to3.3±0.2×10⁵ years and are in good agreement with the⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar ages on the leucites. The data for each tuff sample yield a well-defined uniform initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr. However, different tuffs show small differences in initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr pointing to distinct sources or to assimilation of different materials during the extrusion of the tuffs. These measurements demonstrate the possibility of dating Quaternary materials by both the⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar method and the Rb-Sr method. The observation of concordant ages with a precision of a few percent represents a powerful tool in Quaternary stratigraphy.     

High-precision 40Ar/39Ar age of the Jänisjärvi impact structure (Russia)

The ～ 14 km diameter Jänisjärvi impact structure is located in Svecofennian Proterozoic terrain in the southeastern part of the Baltic shield, Karelia, Russia. Previous radioisotopic dating attempts gave K/Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of 700 ± 5 Ma and 698 ± 22 Ma, respectively, with both results being difficult to interpret. Recent paleomagnetic results have challenged these ages and proposed instead ages of either 500 Ma or 850–900 Ma. In order to better constrain the age of the Jänisjärvi impact structure, we present new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data for the Jänisjärvi impact melt rock. We obtained five concordant isochron ages that yield a combined isochron age of 682 ± 4 Ma (2σ) with a MSWD of 1.2, P = 0.14, and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar intercept of 475 ± 3. We suggest that this date indicates the age of the impact and therefore can be used in conjunction with existing paleomagnetic results to define the position of the Baltica paleocontinent at that time. Argon isotopic results imply that melt homogenization was achieved at the hundred-micrometer scale certainly, because of the low-silica content of the molten target rock that allows fast ⁴⁰Ar^? diffusion in the melt. However, the large range of F(⁴⁰Ar^?_inherited) (4.1% to 11.0%) observed for seven grains shows that complete isotopic homogenization was not reached at the centimeter and perhaps the millimeter scale. The F(⁴⁰Ar^?_inherited) results are also in good agreement with previous Rb and Sr isotopic data.     

A combined chemical-petrological study of separated chondrules from the Richardton meteorite

Individual chondrules have been separated from the H5 chondrite Richardton and subjected to a detailed chemical-petrological study. A portion of each chondrule has been examined petrographically and phase chemistry determined by electron microprobe analysis. Of the remaining portion an aliquot was taken for measurement of major element abundances by microprobe using a microfusion technique. Rb, Sr,⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and REE were determined by mass spectrometric isotope dilution.The chondrules define a Rb-Sr isochron age of 4.39 ± 0.03Ga(λ = 1.42 × 10^?11 a^?1) and an initial ratio of 0.7003 ± 7. The age is interpreted as a metamorphic age and indicates that Sr isotope equilibration occurred in the Richardton parent body for some 100 Ma or more after condensation of the solar system. Metamorphism had little effect on chondrule textures but effected Fe/Mg exchange to produce highly uniform olivine and pyroxene compositions, and may have caused some redistribution of REE.The major element compositions of Richardton chondrules are mostly constant and close to reported averages for Tieschitz, Bishunpur and Chainpur. They contain high-temperature condensate elements in close to cosmic proportions, but are deficient in Fe. Theories of chondrule origin are briefly reviewed, and while it is difficult to distinguish between direct condensation and dust fusion by impacting, it is postulated that iron was fractionated from silicate prior to or during chondrule formation.     

40Ar/39Ar analyses of phlogopite nodules and phlogopite-bearing peridotites in South African kimberlites

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar analyses have been made on phlogopite-bearing peridotite nodules from Bultfontein and phlogopite nodules from Du Toitspan, Kimberley area, South Africa. Neither definite plateau nor isochron age could be obtained due to the occurrence of an excess⁴⁰Ar in phlogopite. However, the extrusion age of a phlogopite nodule from Du Toitspan has been estimated to be about 86 m.y. from the combination of the youngest⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age in the intermediate temperature fraction with Rb/Sr age data reported for this area.Excess⁴⁰Ar correlates with K-derived³⁹Ar in some phlogopites suggesting that it is trapped in K- or K-similar sites and has been incorporated during phlogopite formation.The occurrence of large amounts of excess⁴⁰Ar in phlogopite suggests that it was not formed at a shallow depth.     

40Ar/39Ar geochronology and exhumation of mylonitized metamorphic complex in Changle-Nanao ductile shear zone

New⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages from rocks of Changle-Nanao ductile shear zone are 107.9 Ma(Mus), 108.2 Ma(Bi), 107.1 Ma(Bi), 109.2 Ma(Hb) and 117.9 Ma(Bi) respectively, which are concordant with their isochron ages and record the formation age of the ductile shear zone. The similarity and apparent overlap of the cooling ages with respective closure temperatures of 5 minerals document initial rapid uplift during 107–118 Ma following the collision between the Min-Tai microcontinent and the Min-Zhe Mesozoic volcanic arc. The⁴⁰Ar/³⁹ Ar plateau ages, K-Ar date of K-feldspar and other geochronologic information suggest that the exhumation rate of the ductile shear zone is about 0.18–1.12 mm/a in the range of 107–70 Ma, which is mainly influenced by tectonic extension.     

Breeding habitat selection by houbara bustard<Emphasis Type="Italic">(Chlamydotis [undulata] macqueenii</Emphasis>) in Mori,Xinjiang, China

The protoliths of mafic-ultramafic plutons in the northern Dabie Mts. (NDM) (Hubei) include pyroxenite and gabbro. The zircon U-Pb dating for a gabbro suggests that emplacement of mafic magma took place in the post-collisional setting at the age of 122.9±0.6 Ma. It is difficult to obtain a reliable Sm-Nd isochron age, due to disequilibrium of the Sm-Nd isotopic system. Two hornblende⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of 116.1±1.1 Ma and 106.6±0.8 Ma may record cooling of metamorphism in the mafic-ultramafic plutons in Hubei below 500°C. The hornblende⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages for the mafic-ultramafic rocks in Hubei are evidently 15–25 Ma younger than those for the same rocks in Anhui, indicating that there is a diversity of the cooling rates for the mafic-ultramafic rocks in Hubei and Anhui. The difference in their cooling rates may be controlled by the north-dipping normal faults in the NDM. The intense metamorphism occurring in the mafic-ultramafic rocks in Hubei may result from the Yanshanian magmatic reheating and thermal fluid action induced by the Cretaceous migmatization. The geochemical similarity of these mafic-ultramafic rocks wherever in Hubei and Anhui may be attributed to the same tectonic setting via an identical genetic mechanism.     

Using a Gaussian mathematical model to define eruptive stages of young volcanic rocks in Tengchong based on laser 40Ar/39Ar dating

Reconstruction of Quaternary environments, late Cenozoic geodynamics and evaluation of volcanic hazards, all depend on the precise delineation of eruptive stages. In recent years, laser ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating methods have been widely used for dating young volcanic rocks, given their stable automated testing process, very low background level and high sensitivity, which meet the requirements for precise dating of young samples. This paper applied high-precision laser ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating to the main volcanic units in the Tengchong area and obtained ages in the range of 0.025–5.1 Ma using conventional data processing methods. However, conventional dating highlighted issues related to very low radiogenic ~(40)Ar content, accidental errors and poor data stability, which led to huge age deviations. Moreover, lacking a unified timescale, conventional methods were unable to strictly define the stages of the Tengchong volcanic eruptions, leading to ongoing controversy. In this study, we applied a Gaussian mathematical model to deal with all 378 original ages from 13 samples. An apparent age-probability diagram,consisting of three independent waveforms, have been obtained. The corresponding isochron ages of these three waveforms suggest there were three volcanic eruptive stages, namely during the Pliocene(3.78±0.04 Ma), early Middle Pleistocene(0.63±0.03 Ma) and late Middle Pleistocene to early Late Pleistocene(0.139±0.005 Ma). These results accurately define eruptive stages in the Tengchong area.     

Rb–Sr isochron ages of the Cretaceous granitoids in the Ryoke belt, Kinki district, Southwest Japan

Abstract Granitoids are widely distributed in the Ryoke belt and have been divided into four main igneous stages based on their field setting. In this paper, we present Rb–Sr isochron ages for the younger Ryoke granitoids (second stage to fourth stage) in the Kinki district. The Yagyu granite (second stage) gave a Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 74.6 ± 10.9 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70938 ± 0.00016, and a Rb–Sr mineral isochron age of 71.8 ± 0.1 Ma. The Narukawa granite (second stage) yielded a Rb–Sr mineral isochron age of 79.5 ± 0.4 Ma. A Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 78.3 ± 3.0 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70764 ± 0.00014 was obtained for the Takijiri adamellite (third stage). The Katsuragi quartzdiorite (fourth stage) gave a Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 85.1 ± 18.3 Ma (initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70728 ± 0.00006), and mineral isochron ages of 76.9 ± 0.5 Ma and 74.8 ± 0.5 Ma. The Minamikawachi granite (fourth stage) gave a Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 72.8 ± 2.0 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70891 ± 0.00021. These age data indicate that the igneous activity in younger Ryoke granitoids of Kinki district occurred between 80 and 70 Ma, except for the Katsuragi quartz diorite. The isotopic data on the various igneous stages in Kinki district correspond with the relative timing from field observations. Based on the initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, the granitoids of the Ryoke belt in Kinki district are spatially divided into two groups. One is granitoids with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.707–0.708, distributed in the southern part of the Ryoke belt. The other is granitoids with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.708–0.710 distributed in the northern part of the Ryoke belt. The initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of granitoids increase with decreasing (becoming younger) Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron ages.     

Geochronology and geochemistry of the Heihe mafic pillow lavas in the Qinling Mountains, China

The Qinling Mountains in central China are the joint orogenic zone between the Sino-Korean (or North China) and the Yangtze craton blocks. The age and genesis of the Danfeng mafic volcanics in the north of the Shangzhou-Danfeng fault zone, i.e. the main suture zone in the Qinling orogenic belt, have been controverted for a long time because their age is closely related to the converged time of two blocks. The ages and the geochemical data of the Heihe pillow lavas for the Danfeng mafic volcanics in the Heihe River area in the Qinling orogen are reported in this paper. The obtained isochron age by the Sm-Nd isotopic data of the 13 whole-rock samples for the mafic pillow lavas is 963±130 (2σ) Ma, corresponding to I_Nd = 0.51173±16 (2σ),ɛ _Nd(T)= +6.6, MSWD0.57. However, the Rb-Sr isotopic analytical results for the same samples as the Sm-Nd whole-rock ones are disperse. For the Sm-Nd isotopic systems were interfered during the later geological functions, the Sm-Nd isochron age for the whole-rock sample (Q9511WR) and the mineral phenocrystal samples: amphiboles (Hb) and plagioclases (Plag) presents the better uncertainty, whereas isochron ages of 930 Ma and 437 Ma are given if the WR-Plag and WR-Hb are calculated respectively, and their Rb-Sr isochron age is 268±47(2σ) Ma, I_sr = 0.70475±11 (2σ), MSWD0.96. The major and trace elements for the lavas show that they were formed in the quasi-N-MORB setting.     

An early precambrian age for migmatitic gneisses from Vikan i Bø, Vestera˚len,North Norway

Migmatitic gneisses of overall intermediate composition occur at Vikan i Bø, North Norway. A Pb-Pb whole-rock isochron on these Vikan Gneisses yields an age of3,460 ± 70m.y. A Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron on the same rock samples yields an age of2,300 ± 150m.y., and an initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of0.7126 ± 0.0011.The geochemical implications of the discordance of the Pb-Pb and Rb-Sr whole-rock ages are discussed, and a timetable of the geological events in the early history of Lofoten-Vestera?len is proposed.     

3600-m.y. RbSr ages from very early Archaean gneisses from Saglek Bay,Labrador

Field studies in the vicinity of Saglek Bay, Labrador, demonstrated that it was possible to subdivide the Archaean gneiss complex into distinct lithologic units and erect a geologic chronology similar to that recognized in Godthaabsfjord, West Greenland. The Uivak gneisses are the oldest quartzo-feldspathic suite in the area and are distinguished from a younger gneissic suite in the field, the undifferentiated gneisses, by the presence of porphyritic basic dykes (Saglek dykes) within the Uivak gneisses. The Uivak gneisses range in composition from tonalites to granodiorites, with the two chemically distinct suites recognized: a grey granodioritic suite and an iron-rich plutonic igneous suite which locally intrudes or grades into a grey gneiss which strongly resembles the grey Uivak gneiss. Rb-Sr isotopic studies indicate an age of 3622 ± 72 m.y. (2σ) and initial Sr isotopic composition of 0.7014 ± 0.0008 (2σ) for the Uivak gneiss suite, i.e. grey gneiss plus iron-rich suite (λ_Rb = 1.39 × 10^?11 yr^?1). The grey Uivak gneiss suite, treated independently, defines a Rb-Sr isochron with an age of 3610 ± 144 m.y. (2σ) and initial Sr isotopic composition of 0.7015 ± 0.0014 (2σ) which is indistinguishable from the age and initial ratio of the total Uivak gneiss suite, grey gneisses plus iron-rich suite. The undifferentiated gneisses define a Rb-Sr isochron with an age of 3121 ± 160 m.y. (2σ), and initial Sr isotopic composition of 0.7064 ± 0.0012 (2σ). The isotopic data support field observations suggesting the undifferentiated gneisses were derived by local remobilization of the grey Uivak gneisses. The Uivak gneisses resemble the Amitsoq gneisses of Godthaabsfjord both chemically and isotopically. The interpretation of the initial Sr isotopic composition of the Uivak gneisses is interpreted as the time of regional homogenization rather than the initial ratio of the plutonic igneous parents of the Uivak gneisses as suggested for the Amitsoq gneisses. Although the undifferentiated gneisses are contemporaneous with the Nuk gneisses of West Greenland, they do not form a well-defined calc-alkaline suite and may not be associated with major crustal thickening in the Labrador Archaean.