U-Pb Geochronologic, Nd Isotopic, and Geochemical Evidence for the Correlation of the Chopawamsic and Milton Terranes, Piedmont Zone, Southern Appalachian Orogen

We report U-Pb crystallization ages from four metavolcanic rocks and two granitic gneiss samples as well as whole-rock chemical analyses and Sm-Nd isotopic ratios from 25 metaigneous and metasedimentary rocks from the Chopawamsic and Milton terranes, southern Appalachian Orogen. A metarhyolite sample from the Chopawamsic Formation and a metabasalt sample from the Ta River Formation in the Chopawamsic terrane have indistinguishable U-Pb crystallization ages of 471.4+/-1.3 Ma and 470.0+1.3/-1.5 Ma, respectively. A sample from the Prospect granite that intruded metavolcanic rocks of the Ta River Formation yields a younger U-Pb date of 458.0+/-1 Ma. Metarhyolite and granitic gneiss samples from the northern part of the Milton terrane yield U-Pb dates of 458.5+3.8/-1.0 Ma and 450+/-1.8 Ma, respectively. Metavolcanic and metaplutonic rocks from both terranes span a range in major element composition from basalt to rhyolite. Trace element concentrations in these samples show enrichment in large-ion lithophile elements K, Ba, and Rb and depletion in high field strength elements Ti and Nb, similar to those from island arc volcanic rocks. Initial epsilon(Nd) values and T(DM) ages of the metaigneous and metasedimentary samples range from 0.2 to -7.2 and from 1200 to 1700 Ma for the Chopawamsic terrane and from 3.7 to -7.2 and from 850 to 1650 Ma for the Milton terrane. The crystallization ages for the metavolcanic and metaplutonic samples from both terranes indicate that Ordovician magmatism occurred in both. Similar epsilon(Nd) values from representative samples from both terranes suggest that both were generated from an isotopically similar source. Xenocrystic zircons from metavolcanic rocks in the Chopawamsic terrane have predominately Mesoproterozoic (207)Pb/(206)Pb ages (600-1300 Ma), but a single Archean (2.56 Ga) core was also present. The xenocrystic zircons and the generally negative epsilon(Nd) values indicate that both terranes are composed of isotopically evolved continental crust.     

内蒙古敖汉旗朝吐沟组火山岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄

内蒙古赤峰敖汉旗一带的朝吐沟组由变基性岩、变质酸性火山岩夹云母石英片岩组成。采用LA-ICP-MS技术,对朝吐沟组2件变流纹岩样品进行了U-Pb同位素测定,获得的锆石206Pb/238U年龄加权平均值分别为359.4±1.4Ma和360.3±1.4Ma,即晚泥盆世法门期,表明朝吐沟组形成于晚泥盆世,而非前人认为的早石炭世。朝吐沟组火山岩石组合为变玄武岩和变流纹岩,显示出典型的双峰式火山岩特征,揭示该区在晚泥盆世处于伸展构造环境。     

大别山北缘商城岩体SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄、地球化学及地质意义

商城岩体位于大别造山带北淮阳火山岩带中段,被早白垩世金刚台组火山岩不整合覆盖,厘定其侵位时间和成因对于揭示大别造山带晚中生代构造演化具有重要意义.对岩体进行SHRIMP锆石U-Pb测年和岩石地球化学研究,岩体中心相肆顾墩单元巨斑状二长花岗岩15个锆石测点中有13个测点的206Pb/238U年龄加权平均值为130.2±1.7 Ma,代表商城岩体最终就位的时间.商城岩体具有高含量的Al₂O₃、Sr,高Sr/Y值和低含量的Y、Yb,轻重稀土分馏显著,无Eu异常（δEu=0.90~1.05）,发育Nb、Ta负异常,具有埃达克质岩石的地球化学特征.商城岩体3个岩相单元从早到晚长英质矿物结晶压力降低,侵位深度显著变浅,为挤压作用下主动侵位的结果.商城岩体是大别造山带早白垩世岩浆爆发的产物,岩浆起源于加厚下地壳的部分熔融,从商城岩体开始侵位至金刚台组火山岩喷发,该区地壳经历快速的隆升和剥蚀,而这一过程正是两者地球化学属性所反映的加厚下地壳减薄的浅表响应,130 Ma是大别造山带晚中生代构造体制转换的时间.      

Las Matras Block, Central Argentina (37°S-67°W): the Southernmost Cuyania Terrane and its Relationship with the Famatinian Orogeny

The Las Matras Block in Central Argentina constitutes the southernmost part of the Cuyania terrane, which was accreted to the southwestern margin of Gondwana during the Early to Mid Ordovician Famatinian orogeny. The Grenville-aged rocks of the Las Matras Block are represented by the tonalitic to trondhjemitic Las Matras pluton. A new U-Pb conventional zircon age of 1244±42 Ma confirms previous Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isochron ages of this pluton. Mineral composition data are consistent with the tonalitic-trondhjemitic character of the pluton, and constrain its emplacement level to 1.9 to 2.6 kb. This shallow level of emplacement and the undeformed character of the pluton are distinctive features of this southernmost basement. A regional comparison indicates that the igneous-metamorphic evolution of the Grenville-aged basement rocks of the Cuyania terrane occurred over a period of more than 200 million years, with ages older than 1200 Ma up to those close to 1000 Ma. The shallowest crustal level is found in Las Matras, suggesting a southward shallowing of the exposed level of basement. The deformation and metamorphism associated with the collisional Famatinian orogeny affect both the Cuyania terrane and the adjacent western margin of Gondwana, and the Gondwana margin was also the locus of the related arc magmatism, but the compressive effects of the collision decrease in intensity toward the south. The Famatinian metamorphism and magmatism continue even further south into the Patagonia region, but the southern continuity of the Cuyania terrane into this region remains uncertain.     

云开地区早古生代宁潭片麻状花岗质岩体锆石U-Pb定年、岩石成因及构造背景

华南地区广泛发育的早古生代岩体形成的构造背景是近年来的研究焦点.云开地区是华南早古生代构造-岩浆活动最为强烈的地区之一.对本地区宁潭片麻状花岗质岩体进行详细的锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年和地球化学研究表明,宁潭岩体岩浆锆石发育较为明显的振荡环带,偶见被包裹的继承锆石核;3个样品的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄分别为430±2 Ma、426±4 Ma、433±2 Ma,指示该岩体侵位于早古生代.宁潭岩体富Si、Al,贫Mg、Ca,CIPW标准矿物中出现刚玉分子,属高钾钙碱性系列过铝质花岗岩类.其稀土元素配分曲线呈明显的海鸥型,显示较强负Eu异常,稀土元素分馏程度较低;亏损高场强元素,富集轻稀土元素及大离子亲石元素;全岩（87Sr/86Sr）_i值较高（0.711 30~0.718 42）,ε_Nd（t）值较为均一（-8.6~-8.1）,对应的T_DM2值为1 827~1 848 Ma;岩浆锆石ε_Hf（t）值变化范围较大（-10.9~-2.5）,对应的T_DM2值主要分布于1 600~2 000 Ma,峰值明显（~1 800 Ma）.上述特征表明宁潭岩体属于地壳物质重熔型花岗岩,主要起源于华夏元古宙基底物质的重熔,源区以变质泥岩、变质砂岩为主.宁潭岩体侵位时华南地区陆内造山带处于后造山伸展垮塌阶段,该岩体的侵位与造山后的伸展作用有关.      

赣南加里东期阳埠(垇子下)岩体的锆石年龄、构造背景及含矿性评价

阳埠岩体是赣南著名的含稀土岩体之一,但研究程度低,缺乏精确的同位素年代学资料。文章对阳埠岩体风化壳的锆石样品进行了激光剥蚀-多接收器电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-MC-ICPMS)U-Pb定年,获得206Pb/238U加权平均年龄为(461.1±1.3)Ma,说明该岩体形成于中奥陶世。区域上阳埠岩体与武功山山庄岩体(461 Ma)、赣南上犹岩体(464 Ma)、云开大山花岗岩(465～467 Ma)等为同时代岩体,属华南加里东晚期第一次岩浆活动峰期产物,暗示华南加里东期褶皱造山运动的开始。结合江西省加里东期花岗岩的地球化学资料,发现多数岩体的稀土总量较高,具备成矿母岩的首要条件。今后应对南岭地区加里东期花岗岩含矿性评价及找矿工作给予重视。     

新疆阿尔泰铁木里克花岗闪长岩锆石U-Pb年龄及地质意义

通过对新疆阿尔泰南缘富蕴-蒙库成矿带中铁木里克铁矿矿区出露的花岗闪长岩进行了锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年龄测定,获得岩体形成时代为(389±5.7) Ma(MSDW=1.7).该岩体是早泥盆世岩浆活动产物,属海西早期侵入体.岩体侵入活动伴随铁矿成矿作用,表明铁木里克铁矿的形成时代略晚于389 Ma.前人研究表明,阿尔泰造山带早泥盆世时期岩浆活动异常强烈,400～360 Ma是主造山期.铁木里克岩体的形成处于阿尔泰造山作用最强时期.对比铁木里克岩体与蒙库岩体的形成时代及空间产出,认为铁木里克岩体形成于与板块俯冲有关的活动大陆边缘的陆弧环境.     

南阿尔金木纳布拉克地区长城系巴什库尔干岩群LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年及其地质意义

采用LA-ICP-MS微区原位锆石U-Pb同位素测定技术,测得木纳布拉克地区原划长城系巴什库尔干岩群红柳泉组的二云二长片麻岩和扎斯勘赛河组二云石英片岩的原岩形成年龄分别介于498~840Ma和500~647Ma之间,表明这2种岩石原岩的形成时代均为新元古代,而不是之前认为的中元古代。另外,红柳泉组二云二长片麻岩边部锆石表现为重稀土元素相对富集型稀土配分模式,其Th/U值大部分小于0.1,为变质锆石,测得其变质时代为498±4Ma,与该地区高压麻粒岩的峰期变质时代(486±5Ma)一致,且与南阿尔金阿尔金岩群中的高压-超高压岩石的峰期变质时代一致,推断其为阿尔金俯冲碰撞引发的高压-超高压变质作用的产物,属于南阿尔金高压-超高压变质带的一部分。通过原岩残留碎屑锆石的年代学对比,发现研究区内这2种岩石及已发现的高压麻粒岩均具有与阿尔金岩群相似的锆石年龄信息,表明本区红柳泉组和扎斯勘赛河组的这3种岩石不应再划归为中元古代的长城系巴什库尔干岩群,将其归属为阿尔金岩群更为合适。     

聂荣微陆块花岗片麻岩锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年——新元古代基底岩石的发现及其意义

聂荣微陆块呈透镜体状夹持在班公湖-怒江板块缝合带内,其上出露有黑云母花岗片麻岩以及二长花岗片麻岩等不同类型的古老片麻岩,本文报道产出于聂荣微陆块上花岗片麻岩的锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb定年结果,样品锆石的岩浆震荡环带十分发育,多数锆石具有典型的岩浆结晶锆石的特征。所有测点中有16个测点的Th/U值较高,介于0.58~1.24之间,平均值为0.79,获得的²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U年龄基本一致,加权平均值为819.6±5.2Ma,笔者等认为该年龄代表了花岗片麻岩的原岩结晶时代为新元古代。我们在羌塘南部地区的碎屑岩中获得了同样的年龄峰值(809Ma)。此外,我们认为年龄中具有507Ma左右的信息反映了泛非事件之后另外一次强烈构造热事件的影响在该区的存在。     

New age data on the magmatic rocks from the western sector of the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanogenic belt

New age data are reported for the magmatic rocks from the western flank of the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanogenic belt consisting of the Ul’ya and Kuidusun volcanic zones. Four U-Pb SHRIMP zircon dates within 106-90 Ma were obtained for the upper part of the Emanrin Formation and the lower part of the Ul’ya Group of the Ul’ya volcanic zone. Large Verkhneallakh and Atarbai subvolcanic intrusions from the Kuidusun volcanic zone were dated using the Rb-Sr method at 115–107 Ma and 85 Ma, respectively. U-Pb dating of zircon microsamples from adamellites and diorites of the Sizindzha Massif yielded, respectively, ages of 91 and 90 Ma. New geochronological data indicate that the Selitkan-Sungari and Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanogenic belts are coeval and can be united in a common Okhotsk-Sungari system of volcanic belts and zones (megabelt).     

东昆仑早古生代花岗岩锆石U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

应用激光烧蚀多接收器电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-MC-ICPMS)方法,对东昆仑五龙沟地区花岗岩样品进行了锆石 U-Pb 定年研究。结果表明,黄龙沟中部的糜棱岩化二长花岗岩(B20-14)中岩浆锆石206Pb/238U年龄平均值为(417.7±2.0) Ma,黄龙沟上部的糜棱岩化二长花岗岩(B21-2)中岩浆锆石206Pb/238U年龄平均值为(419.7±2.3) Ma,深水潭粗中粒二长花岗岩(B20-8)中岩浆锆石206Pb/238U 年龄平均值为(419.9±2.0) Ma,红旗沟中部的粗中粒二长花岗岩(B25-9)岩浆锆石206Pb/238U年龄平均值为(419.0±2.0) Ma。它们代表了五龙沟地区所研究花岗岩的形成年龄,其形成时代均为晚志留世,记录了东昆仑早古生代的岩浆活动。本文获得的东昆仑五龙沟地区的晚志留世花岗岩可能与东昆仑早古生代洋盆闭合后的碰撞造山作用有关。花岗岩中1861 Ma、1666 Ma古元古代继承锆石的发现,表明东昆仑造山带的基底物质为古元古代。     

新疆西天山温泉岩体群LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年及其地质意义北大核心CSCD

新疆西天山温泉县城南部温泉岩体群研究程度较低,本文在野外地质调查的基础上,通过精确的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年研究,对温泉岩体群进行重新定位和解体。温泉岩体群中细粒二长花岗岩的锆石U-Pb年龄为884±6 Ma,定位为青白口纪;闪长岩、石英闪长岩、花岗闪长岩的锆石U-Pb年龄分别为465±3 Ma、464±3 Ma、452±3 Ma,定位为奥陶纪。这些年代学数据填补了本区岩体年龄资料的不足,限定了温泉岩体群的形成时限,表明该地区存在新元古代早期及早古生代两期重要的岩浆活动。通过对天山不同地区新元古代和奥陶纪岩浆岩年龄和岩石类型的对比研究,认为包括研究区在内的天山地区在新元古代早期参与了Rodinia超大陆的汇聚,并在早古生代奥陶纪进入消减机制的古亚洲洋演化阶段,这对认识天山地区区域构造演化具有重要的地质意义。     

New U-Pb-Hf zircon isotope data for the Paleoproterozoic Ubendian belt in the Chimala area,SW Tanzania

We present new U-Pb and Hf zircon isotope data on a suite of granitoids from a hitherto unstudied area of the Palaeoproterozoic Lupa terrane of the Ubendian belt in SW Tanzania.The major part of the area comprises a sequence of upper amphibolite grade paragneisses and migmatites.Subsequently,the field relations show a complex history of granitoid emplacement from early pre-tectonic strongly foliated diorite-tonalite-granodiorite orthogneiss to late tectonic,weakly deformed ellipsoidal granitoid plutons.These were followed by emplacement of undeformed K-feldspar rich porphyritic alkali granite.U-Pb zircon data on the granitoids show their emplacement ages span the period~1925 Ma to 1890 Ma and constrain the culmination of the Ubendian orogeny in the Lupa terrane to about 1900 Ma.The undeformed K-feldspar rich Chimala granite,previously considered to be unconformably overlain by the Buanji Group volcano-sedimentary rocks(recently shown to be~1675 Ma,not Neoproterozoic as originally thought) was dated at~1407 Ma showing that it must intrude the sedimentary rocks,although the age relationships are not exposed in the mapping area.This is the first record of early Irumide/Kibaran-aged post-tectonic granites in this part of East Africa.Hf isotope data from the zircons show that the granitoids have a long crustal pre-history stretching back to as far as~3.9 Ga,and showing that the Lupa terrane may form part of the "metacratonic" margin of an originally much more extensive Tanzania Craton.     

粤西北印支期太保岩体的锆石U-Pb年代学、地球化学及岩石成因

华南早中生代构造-岩浆演化还存在不同的争议.以广东西北部连山地区晚三叠世含暗色微粒包体(MMEs)的太保岩体为研究对象,进行了岩石学、锆石U-Pb年代学、地球化学和Sr-Nd-Hf同位素组成研究.4个花岗岩样品的锆石²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U加权平均年龄分别为219.8±1.8 Ma、220.5±1.0 Ma、221.5±1.7 Ma和220.2±1.1 Ma,为印支晚期岩浆作用的产物.地球化学分析显示,寄主花岗岩为高钾钙碱性花岗岩,低硅、高碱,铝饱和指数A/CNK值为0.79～1.16.包体Si O₂含量为55.13%～62.56%,铁、镁含量明显高于寄主花岗岩,Mg O和Fe O^T含量分别为2.31%～4.60%和5.53%～6.63%.包体与寄主花岗岩均富集轻稀土,并表现出显著的Ba、Sr、Ti负异常.寄主花岗岩和包体均具有较高的ε_Nd(t)值(-3.42～-2.60和-0.90～-0.52)和较小的二阶段Nd模式年龄(T_DM2分别为1.30～1.35 G...     

西昆仑甜水海黄羊沟闪长玢岩年代学、地球化学特征及构造背景

黄羊沟闪长玢岩岩体侵位于甜水海—喀喇昆仑地块上侏罗统红其拉甫组灰岩地层中,为了厘定其形成时代,揭示岩石成因以及构造背景,对黄羊沟闪长玢岩岩体进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年代学及全岩地球化学分析研究。岩石地球化学研究结果表明,该岩体锆石U-Pb年龄为(159.9±1.4) Ma,形成于碰撞后伸展环境,源区具幔源特征,有地壳物质同化混染参与,形成条件为低压、强氧化环境,经历中等分异作用。该岩体具低硅（w(SiO₂)=56.11%~57.36%）、高钙（w(CaO)=4.29%~6.59%）、富碱（w(Na₂O+K₂O)=6.00%~7.96%）特征,属准铝质（A/NCK=0.79~0.95）岩石,且富集大离子亲石元素K、Rb、Ba、Th、U及亏损高场强元素Nb、Ta、Zr、Hf等,具微弱Eu负异常,δEu均值为0.97。通过区域岩浆活动对比研究,认为黄羊沟岩体与班—怒缝合带革吉地区的帕阿岩体I型花岗岩体具有很强的亲缘性,且与班—怒缝合带内的岩浆岩时限一致,表明甜水海地体南部的黄羊沟闪长玢岩是班—怒缝合带以北区域中、新特提斯洋向南俯冲的岩浆作用响应。     

扬子西缘新元古代中期裂谷作用:来自年代学与沉积学的新证据

华南新元古代沉积盆地演化与Rodinia超大陆裂解存在紧密联系,但仍缺乏精细刻画.对扬子西缘澄江组开展了系统的碎屑锆石年代学和沉积学研究.澄江组砂岩的碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄主要为新元古代（870~780 Ma）,少数为前新元古代（2 850~1 010 Ma）,最显著的峰值为820 Ma,最年轻一组碎屑锆石206Pb/238U年龄加权平均值为804.5±5.4 Ma.结合已发表年龄数据,将澄江组沉积时限进一步限定为800~720 Ma.物源分析揭示澄江组的新元古代碎屑锆石剥蚀自邻近的新元古代岩浆岩,而前新元古代锆石可能来自于邻近新元古代岩体的剥蚀或地层的沉积再循环.扬子西缘新元古代中期沉积盆地具有由冲积扇相逐渐过渡为前扇三角洲相的沉积演化序列,最终形成了具有裂谷充填特征的“楔状地层”.这种沉积超覆演化过程在整个华南新元古代裂谷系普遍存在,指示在800 Ma左右华南全面进入裂谷盆地成熟阶段.      

东昆仑牦牛山组流纹岩锆石U-Pb年龄及构造意义

东昆仑水泥厂地区造山后火山-沉积盆地内形成的牦牛山组磨拉石建造不整合覆盖在前泥盆系地层之上,其形成时代的研究对限定东昆仑早古生代洋盆关闭的时间具有重要意义。应用激光烧蚀多接收器电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(LAMC-ICPMS)方法,对火山-沉积盆地内牦牛山组不同层位的流纹岩夹层进行了精确的锆石U-Pb定年研究。结果表明,盆地北缘牦牛山组底砾岩之上的流纹岩(B743-2)中岩浆锆石~(206)Pb/~(238)U年龄平均值为423.2±1.8Ma,盆地西缘牦牛山组底砾岩之上的流纹岩(B820-1)中岩浆锆石~(206)Pb/~(238)U年龄平均值为408.2±2.4Ma,盆地西缘和南缘牦牛山组中上部碎屑岩中流纹岩夹层(B705-1和B656-1)的岩浆锆石~(206)Pb/~(238)U年龄平均值分别为404.9±4.8Ma和399.6±2.8Ma。它们代表了牦牛山组不同层位火山岩的形成年龄,由此可以限定水泥厂地区牦牛山组形成时间为400～423Ma。上述年代学结果较为精确地限定了东昆仑早古生代洋盆关闭的构造年代。流纹岩中2486～920Ma元古代继承锆石的发现,说明东昆仑南的变质基底和扬子板块变质基底类似,是晋宁期0.9～1.0Ga罗迪尼亚超大陆形成时发育起来的。     

略谈藏东吉塘群

[摘 要]以往的研究工作将藏东吉塘群分两个组:上部以片岩、变质砂砾岩为主的地层名酉西组;下部以片岩、片麻岩、混合岩为主的地层名恩达组,时代均属前震旦纪。近几年,开展1:25 万编图项目的研究,恩达组可细分为两个岩性段:混合岩段和以片岩、片麻岩、变粒岩、斜长角闪岩及大理岩共同组成的深变质岩段。酉西组中获得新的同位素年龄:240±12Ma( 锆石U-Pb)、226±2Ma( 白云母Ar-Ar),时代可能为古生代,更名为酉西岩群。恩达组的混合岩中新获得锆石SHRIMP U-Pb 同位素年龄254±8Ma、232±9Ma、227±1.8Ma,原1:20 万类乌齐、拉多幅曾于相当恩达组的花岗片麻岩中获得锆石U-Pb年龄253±9Ma、195Ma,这一岩段的混合岩可能是华力西至燕山期变形变质的花岗岩侵入体,应从吉塘群中分离出去。原恩达组中除混合岩外的地层更名为吉塘岩群,时代属古中元古代。     

海南岛东南部吊罗山地区中深变质岩锆石U-Pb定年及其地质意义

海南吊罗山地区中深变质岩由变粒岩、二长片麻岩、斜长片麻岩、黑云母麻粒岩等组成,呈孤岛状产于二叠纪花岗岩中。以往根据岩石对比,把它归属为中元古界抱板群。本次研究利用激光剥蚀等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)技术对岩田南部吊罗山地区的变质岩体进行了锆石U-Pb定年,在片麻岩和变粒岩中分别获得了255±9 Ma和247±8 Ma的峰期变质年龄,表明该类岩石变质作用发生于晚二叠世-早三叠世交界之际,而不是以往所认为的中元古代。这一新发现为深入研究海南岛海西–印支期造山运动及其变质作用具有重要的地质意义。     

Depositional and tectonic setting of the Paleoproterozoic Lower Aillik Group,Makkovik Province,Canada: evolution of a passive margin-foredeep sequence based on petrochemistry and U–Pb (TIMS and LAM-ICP-MS) geochronology

The Paleoproterozoic Lower Aillik Group is a deformed metasedimentary–metavolcanic succession located in the Makkovik Province of Labrador, eastern Canada. The group is situated near the boundary between reworked Archaean gneiss of the Nain (North Atlantic) craton and juvenile Paleoproterozoic crust that was both tectonically accreted and formed on or adjacent to this craton during the ca. 1.9–1.78 Ma Makkovikian orogeny. The Lower Aillik Group is structurally underlain by Archaean gneiss and structurally overlain by ca. 1860–1807 Ma bimodal, dominantly felsic volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of the Upper Aillik Group. We present geochemical data from metavolcanic rocks and U–Pb geochronological data from several units of the Lower Aillik Group in order to address the depositional and tectonic history of this group. U–Pb data were obtained using both thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and laser ablation microprobe-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LAM-ICP-MS). Two quartzite units near the structural base of the Lower Aillik Group contain detrital zircons only of Archaean age, and are interpreted to have been deposited on the Nain craton during post-2235 Ma rifting and initiation of a passive continental margin. Overlying mafic metavolcanic rocks contain thin horizons of intermediate tuff, one of which is dated at 2178±4 Ma. This relatively old age, and an inferred stratigraphic relationship with underlying sedimentary units, suggest that the volcanic rocks represent transitional oceanic crust, consistent with their geochemical similarity to tholeiitic rifted margin sequences of Mesozoic age in eastern North America. A package of interlayered psammitic and semipelitic metasedimentary rocks that appears to stratigraphically overlie the mafic volcanic unit is dominated by Paleoproterozoic detrital zircons but also contains Archaean grains. This package was deposited after 2013 Ma, the age of the youngest concordant zircon. The U–Pb data imply a minimum 165 m.y. time gap between mafic volcanism and sedimentation, and are consistent with deposition of the psammite–semipelite unit in an evolving foredeep that heralded the approach of a Paleoproterozoic arc terrane. Accretion of this terrane to the Nain cratonic margin at ca. 1.9 Ga initiated the Makkovikian orogeny. Although the Lower Aillik Group is highly deformed and may contain internal tectonic boundaries or be incomplete, the U–Pb and geochemical data allow quantitative assessment of a prolonged rift-drift-basin closure cycle that characterized the Early Paleoproterozoic evolution of the southern Nain cratonic margin.