Rapid magmatic processes accompany arc–continent collision: the Western Bismarck arc, Papua New Guinea

New U–Th–Ra, major and trace element, and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope data are presented for young lavas from the New Britain and Western Bismarck arcs in Papua New Guinea. New Britain is an oceanic arc, whereas the latter is the site of an arc–continent collision. Building on a recent study of the Manus Basin, contrasts between the two arcs are used to evaluate the processes and timescales of magma generation accompanying arc–continent collision and possible slab detachment. All three suites share many attributes characteristic of arc lavas that can be ascribed to the addition of a regionally uniform subduction component derived from the subducting altered oceanic crust and sediment followed by dynamic melting of the modified mantle. However, the Western Bismarck arc lavas diverge from the Pb isotope mixing array formed by the New Britain and the Manus Basin lavas toward elevated ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb. We interpret this to reflect a second and subsequent addition of sediment melt at crustal depth during collision. ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra excesses are preserved in all of the lavas and are greatest in the Western Bismarck arc. High-Mg andesites with high Sr/Y ratios in the westernmost arc are attributed to recent shallow mantle flux melting at the slab edge. Data for two historical rhyolites are also presented. Although these rhyolites formed in quite different tectonic settings and display different geochemical and isotopic compositions, both formed from mafic parents within millennia.     

The Tyrrhenian back－arc basin and subduction of the Ionian lithosphere

A deep, narrow, and distorted Benioff zone, plunging from the Ionian Sea towards the southern Tyrrhenian basin, is the remnant of a long and eastward migrating subduction of eastern Mediterranean lithosphere. From Oligocene to Recent, subduction generated the Western Mediterranean and the Tyrrhenian back-arc basins, as well as an accretionary wedge constituting the SouthernAoenninic Arc.In the Tyrrhenian Sea, stretching started in late Miocene and eventually produced two small oceanic areas: the Vavilov Plain during Pliocene (in the centralsector) and the Marsili Plain during Quaternary (in the southeastern sector). They are separated by a thicker crustal sector, called the Issel Bridge. Back-arc exten-sion was rapid and discontinuous, and affected a land locked area where continental elements of various sizesoccurred. Discontinuities in extension were mirrored bychanges in nature of the lithosphere scraped off to form the Southern Apenninic Arc. Part of the tectonic units of the southern Apennines, accreted into the wedge from late Miocene to Pliocene, had originally been laid down on thinned conti-nental lithosphere, which should constitute the deep portion of the present slab. After Plio-cene, only Ionian oceanic lithosphere wassubducted, because the large buoyancy of thewide and not thinned continental lithosphere of Apulia and Africa (Sicily) preserved the seelements from roll back of subduction. After Pliocene, the passively retreating oceanic slabhad to adjust and distort according to the geometry of these continental elements.The late onset of arc volcanism in respect to the duration of extension in the Tyrrhenian-Ionian system may find an expla-nation considering an initial stage of subduc-tion of thinned continental lithosphere. The strong Pleistocene vertical movements that occurred in the whole southeastern system(subsidence in the back-arc basin and upliftin the orogenic arc) may instead be related to the distortion of the oceanic slab.     

Late Cretaceous arc igneous activity: the Eğrikar Monzogranite example

The geochemical and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope properties, as well as the Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma and Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb zircon age, of E?rikar Monzogranite in the eastern Pontides, are primarily investigated in this study with the aim of determining its magma source and geodynamic evolution. The U–Pb zircon age obtained from E?rikar Monzogranite is 78 ± 1.5 Ma, thereby re?ecting the age of monzogranite. The I-type E?rikar Monzogranite comprises quartz, plagioclase (An_35–45), orthoclase, muscovite, and biotite. The geochemical analyses of the E?rikar Monzogranite indicate being medium K calc-alkaline, peraluminous, and resembling magmatic arc granite. The E?rikar Monzogranite is enriched in large ion lithophile elements and light rare earth elements relative to high field strength elements. Chondrite-normalized rare earth element patterns have concave upward shapes (La_N/Yb_N 2.47–8.58) with pronounced negative Eu anomalies (Eu_N/Eu* = 0.29–0.65). Initial εNd_(i) values vary between 1.85 and 2.18 and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values between 0.7048 and 0.7067. Fractionation of plagioclase, hornblende, and apatite played an important role in the evolution of E?rikar Monzogranite. The crystallization temperatures of the melts ranged from 770°C to 919°C based on zircon and apatite saturation temperatures. The geochemical and isotopic data suggest being generated by the partial melting of ma?c lower crustal sources.     

Fore‐arc evolution in the Tasman Geosyncline: The origin of the southeast Australian continental crust

A new general model describing the extended evolution of fore‐arc terrains is used to analyse the evolution of the southern Tasman Geosyncline and the concomitant growth and kratonisation of the continental crust of southeast Australia during the Palaeozoic. The southern Tasman Geosyncline comprises ten arc terrains (here defined), most of which are east‐facing, and several features formed by crustal extension. Each arc terrain consists of several strato‐tectonic units: a volcanic arc, subduction complex and fore‐arc sequence formed during subduction; and an overlying post‐arc sequence which post‐dates subduction and is composed of flysch, neritic sediments or subaerial volcanics.

When these materials attained a thickness of c. 20 km their internal heat‐balance caused partial melting of the subduction complex and the hydrated oceanic lithosphere trapped beneath it, to yield S‐ and I‐type granitic magma. The magma rose, inducing pervasive deformation of each arc terrain and emplacement of granitoid plutons at high levels in the evolving crust. Transitional basins then developed in many terrains on top of their volcanic arcs or the thinner parts of the buried accretionary prisms. After deformation of the transitional sequences, platform cover accumulated, marking the completion of kratonisation.

Analysis of each arc terrain in terms of the above units leads to a predicted ‘stratigraphy’ for the continental crust of southeast Australia. The crust is complexly layered, with lateral discontinuities reflecting the boundaries of arc terrains which were successively accreted, principally back‐arc to fore‐arc, during crustal development.     

Petrogenesis of the late Cretaceous Turnagoel intrusion in the eastern Pontides： Implications for magma genesis in the arc setting

A series of Cretaceous plutons is present in the eastern Pontides of northeastern Turkey.The Turnagl intrusion is the least studied and,thus,the least understood plutons in the orogen.This intrusion consists of hornblende-biotite granodiorites emplaced at 78 Ma based on LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon dating.It is of sub- alkaline affinity,belongs to the medium- to high-K calc-alkaline series,and displays features typical of Itype granites.The rocks of the intrusion are enriched in large-ion lithophile elements and light rare earthelements with negative Eu anomalies（Eu/Eu^*= 0.69-0.82）,but are deficient in high-field-strength elements.They have a small range of (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i（0.7060-0.7063）,ε_Ndi（-2.6 to -3.1）,and δ¹⁸O（+8.1 to +9.1） values.Their Pb isotopic ratios are ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.63-18.65,²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.62-15.63,and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 38.53-38.55.The fractionation of plagioclase,hornblende,and Fe-Ti oxides had key functions in the evolution of the Tumagl intrusion.The crystallization temperatures of the melts ranged from 758 to 885℃ as determined by zircon and apatite saturation thermometry.All these characteristics,combined with the low values of K₂O/Na₂O and（Na₂O + K₂O）/（FeO^t+MgO + TiO₂）,as well as the high values of （CaO + FeO^t + MgO + TiO₂）.suggest an origin by dehydration melting from a metabasaltic lowercrustal source.     

The Late Riphean–Paleozoic history of the Uda–Vitim island arc system in the Transbaikalian sector of the Paleoasian ocean

New structural, petrological, chemical, isotope, and paleomagnetic data have provided clues to the Late Riphean–Paleozoic history of the Uda–Vitim island arc system (UVIAS) in the Transbaikalian sector of the Paleoasian ocean, as part of the Transbaikalian zone of Paleozoids. The island arc system consists of three units corresponding to main evolution stages: (i) Upper Riphean (Late Baikalian), (ii) Vendian–Lower Paleozoic (Caledonian), and (iii) Middle–Upper Paleozoic (Hercynian). The earliest stage produced the base of the system composed of Late Riphean ophiolite (971–892 Ma, U-Pb) and volcanic (837–789 Ma, U-Pb) and sedimentary rocks (hemipelagic siliceous sediments and dolerite sills) which represent the Barguzin–Vitim oceanic basin and the Kelyana island arc. The main event of the second stage was the formation of the large UVIAS structure (over 150,000 km2) which comprised the Transbaikalian oceanic basin, the forearc and backarc basins, and the volcanic arc itself, and consisted of many volcanic-tectonic units exceeding 100 km² in area (Eravna, Oldynda, Abaga, etc.). Lithology, stratigraphy, major–element compositions, and isotope ages of Vendian–Cambrian volcanic rocks and associated sediments indicate strong differentiation of calc-alkaline series and the origin of the island arc system upon oceanic crust, in a setting similar to that of the today’s Kuriles–Kamchatka island arc system. The Middle–Upper Paleozoic stage completed the long UVIAS history and left its imprint in sedimentary and volcanic rocks in superposed trough basins. The rocks were studied in terms of their biostratigraphic and isotope age constraints, as well as major- and trace-element compositions, and were interpreted as products of weathering and tectonic-magmatic rework of the UVIAS units.     

Tsunami coastal hazard along the US East Coast from coseismic sources in the Açores convergence zone and the Caribbean arc areas

Natural Hazards - Tsunami coastal hazard is modeled along the US East Coast (USEC), at a coarse regional (450 m) resolution, from coseismic sources located in the Açores Convergence Zone (ACZ)...     

Fragment of the Early Paleozoic (∼500 Ma) island arc in the structure of the Olkhon Terrane,Central Asian fold belt

The volcanic (basaltic, basalt andesitic, andesitic, and rhyolitic) porphyric rocks of the Tsagan-Zaba complex are studied in the Olkhon composite terrane of the Central Asian foldbelt. The concordant U-Pb (SHRIMP-II) age of single zircon grains from rhyolites (492 ± 5 Ma) may be interpreted as the period of formation of the Tsagan-Zaba complex. The volcanic rocks of this complex are characterized by clear suprasubduction geochemical features and positive ?_Nd(t) values. The similar ages, compositions, and ?_Nd(t) values of the studied volcanic rocks and gabbroic rocks of the Birkhin pluton allow us to combine them into a common Birkhin volcano-plutonic association, which may be considered as a fragment of a section of the mature island arc of ～500 Ma in age. The gabbroic rocks may be interpreted as the middle part of this section, whereas the volcanic and volcanosedimentary rocks belong to its upper part. The section was disintegrated 470–460 Ma ago, when the Early Paleozoic island arc was accreted to the southern flank of the Siberian craton in the course of the oblique collision and became a part of the Olkhon composite terrane.     

HP–UHP metamorphism as an indicator of slab dip variations in the Alpine arc

HP/UHP and LT metamorphic units that commonly occur in the inner parts of mountain belts result from the subduction of continental and oceanic material, most often exhumed prior to continental collision. The prograde pressure–temperature history of HP–UHP rocks strongly depends on the convergence rate and on the subduction zone geometry. The maximum pressure recorded provides a proxy for the depth of shearing off and stacking of HP metamorphic nappes. A 2-D thermal model of continental subduction at lithospheric scale is used to compute the length and pressure peak of detached HP metamorphic units as a function of the slab dip angle and the convergence rate. Model results are applied to the metamorphic nappe pile of the inner Alps. A mean convergence rate of 1 cm/year during the subduction of the Briançonnais terrane is indicated by the paleogeographic reconstructions between 46 and 38 Ma. On this basis, the available petrological data and lengths of metamorphic units are used to compute the variations of the slab dip angle. The slab dip angle is shown to increase, from the northeast to the southwest, along the Alpine arc with estimated values of 20° for Suretta, 30–45° for Monte Rosa and Gran Paradiso, and 60° for Dora Maira. From Eocene to Oligocene times, the increase in slab dip angle is controlled by changes of buoyancy, due to the spatial configuration of the Valaisan trough and the incoming of crustal material within the subduction zone.     

Lead isotope systematics of ore systems of the Macquarie Arc — Implications for arc substrate

The Macquarie Arc of New South Wales hosts several major Au and Cu deposits. We present new Pb isotope results for Cadia, the Copper Hill, Little Copper Hill and Cowal deposits, along with data from the CSIRO database. The results generally plot close to established mantle growth curves and are similar to oceanic basalts. Data for individual deposits mostly have Pb model ages consistent with independent age constraints on mineralization. Intrusions associated with the Early Silurian mineralization at Cadia and Goonumbla have narrow and distinct Pb isotope signatures that we interpret to be the result of partial melting of already LILE-enriched mantle-like sources. The data suggest that deposits of the Macquarie Arc derived Pb from one or more long-lived mantle-like Pb isotope reservoirs without significant contributions of crustal Pb prior to the Benambran Orogeny.Data for the Copper Hill deposits includes unradiogenic, possibly old Pb and supports previous workers who suggested that old MORB-like basalts may occur at depth in the area. The Peak Hill deposit has the most unradiogenic signature and has the lowest ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb. These signatures closely match Cambrian MORB-like basalts in the Koonenberry Belt and are unlike Cambrian mafic rocks in Victoria. Similar rocks could form part of the substrate to other parts of the Macquarie Arc.     

Jurassic–Cretaceous granitoids and related tectono-metallogenesis in the Zapug–Duobuza arc,western Tibet

The Zapug–Duobuza magmatic arc (ZDMA), located along the southern edge of the south Qiangtang terrane in western Tibet, extends east–west for ~ 400 km. Small scattered granite and porphyry intrusions crop out in the ZDMA, but a large amount of granite may be buried by Late Cretaceous to Paleogene thrusting. Two stages of magmatism have been identified, at 170–150 Ma and 130–110 Ma. The widely distributed Middle–Late Jurassic granite intrusions in the ZDMA exhibit SrNd isotopic characteristics similar to those of ore-bearing porphyries in the Duolong giant CuAu deposit, and their εHf(t) values mostly overlap those of other porphyry CuMo deposits in the ZDMA and the Gangdese zone. The SrNdHf isotopic geochemistry suggests variable contributions of mantle and Qiangtang crustal sources, and indicates the presence of two new ore districts with potentials for CuAu, Fe, and PbZn ores, located in the Jiacuo–Liqunshan and Larelaxin–Caima areas. Except for the Duolong ore-forming porphyries, which show significant contributions of mantle components intruded into an accretionary mélange setting, the Early Cretaceous granites in other areas of the belt are of mostly crustal origin, from sources in Qiangtang felsic basement and Permo-Carboniferous strata, indicating the weak ore-forming potential of skarn-type Fe and PbZn deposits. The ephemeral but deep Bangong Co–Nujiang ocean in the Early Jurassic evolved into a shallow compressional marine basin in the Middle–Late Jurassic, possibly transitioning to northward flat subduction of oceanic crust at this time. The subducted slab broke off in the Early Cretaceous, initiating a peak in arc magmatism and metallogenesis at 125–110 Ma.     

The specifics of ferromanganese ore formation on the submarine Vityaz’ Ridge (Pacific slope of the Kuril island arc)

We present data on the location, chemical composition, and contents of trace elements in thin ferromanganese crusts at two sites of the submarine Vityaz’ Ridge: Diana and Bussol’ test grounds. The crusts abound in inclusions of grains of nonferrous (Cu, Zn, Pb, Sn, Ni, W) and noble (Au, Ag, Pd, Pt) metals in the form of native elements, sulfides, sulfates, oxides, or intermetallic compounds. The crusts at the Diana test ground contain mainly grains of nonferrous-metal minerals, and those at the Bussol’ test ground, mainly noble-metal minerals. There are also sites with Ni-rich (up to 3.5%) manganese crust. A detailed study of the ore crusts from the Vityaz’ Ridge showed that they are probably at the initial stage of formation.     

What underlies the Philippine island arc? Clues from the Calaton Hill, Tablas island, Romblon (Central Philippines)

We report here for the first time the occurrence of a high-temperature metamorphic/plutonic complex (amphibolites, metagabbros, hornblende pyroxenites and hornblendites) in Calaton Hill, Tablas island, Romblon, Central Philippines. The mineral assemblages and relic magmatic textures in these rocks imply apparent derivation from arc-related protoliths. Major element and trace element data are also comparable to those of gabbroic rocks in arc-related setting. Subsolidus re-equilibration under granulite to amphibolite facies is documented by the triple junctions between mineral phases in the different lithologies, the recrystallization of plagioclase and the presence of coronas around olivine with mineral assemblage of orthopyroxene + amphibole ± green spinel. The formation of hornblendite and the pervasive occurrence of amphiboles in the different lithologies are being attributed to the infiltration of a younger hydrous arc magma which also caused metamorphism and hybridization on the surrounding rocks. The characteristics of the Calaton Hill samples are comparable with those of the well-studied xenoliths from Ichinomegata, NE Honshu arc, Japan. We therefore interpret the Calaton Hill metamorphic/plutonic complex as representative of the lower crust underlying the Philippine island arc.     

Temporal association of arc–continent collision,progressive magma contamination in arc volcanism and formation of gold-rich massive sulphide deposits on Wetar Island (Banda arc)

Whole-rock ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and δ¹⁸O analyses of volcanic rocks and ³He/⁴He analyses of sulphides and sulphates from mineralized rocks on Wetar, Indonesia indicate a variable contribution of assimilated crustal material or sediment sourced from the subducted Australian craton to the south. These new data support the idea of progressive source contamination with precisely dated events showing that Wetar Island hosts the most extreme examples of crustal assimilation in the region. The increased continental contamination occurs during the Pliocene (Zanclian to Piacenzian) during distinct magmatic events between 5 and 4 Ma, and at 2.4 Ma when ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios in unaltered lavas, with whole-rock δ¹⁸O values between 5.7 and 9.6‰, increase from 0.707484 to extreme radiogenic values of 0.711656.The earlier of these magmatic events is important in the generation of the hydrothermal systems responsible for the mineralization recorded on Wetar. Samples from this yield radiogenic ³He/⁴He ratios between 0.5 and 1.4 R/R_A, similar to the data from volcanic rocks on nearby Romang. The later magmatic event coincides with the arrival of the Australian Continental Margin at the subduction zone along the Banda arc. Progressive incorporation of continental-sourced components into the source region below the Wetar Island edifice coincides with the formation of gold-rich volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits hosted within the contaminated volcanic pile.     

A study on the geochemical characteristics of Upper Permian continental marginal arc volcanic rocks in the northern segment of South Lancangjiang Belt

1IntroductionThe northern segment of the South LancangjiangBelt refers to the terrain about200km east of theYunxian-Lingcang granite in the South LancangjiangBelt(Fig.1).During the seventh Five-Year Plan peri-od,Mo Xuanxue et al.(1993)undertook the resear…     

Timing of juvenile arc crust formation and evolution in the Sapat Complex (Kohistan–Pakistan)

The combination of age determination and geochemical tracers allows understanding the source evolution during magmatism. We studied the Sapat Complex, in the exhumed Cretaceous Kohistan Paleo-Island Arc, to reconstruct the formation of the juvenile lower arc crust and the evolution of the mantle source during arc magmatism. High precision ID-TIMS U/Pb dating on zircon, shows that a protracted period of magmatic accretion formed the Sapat Complex between 105 and 99 Ma. Since continued melt percolation processes that formed the lower crust obscured the original bulk rock Nd–Pb–Sr isotopic composition, we rely on the Hf isotopic composition of zircons of different ages to unravel the source evolution. Nd and Pb bulk isotopic compositions coupled with Hf isotopic composition on zircons allow reconstructing a geodynamical scenario for the Sapat Complex, and the Cretaceous history of the Arc. We suggest that trenchward migration of the hot mantle source at 105 Ma explains the small heterogeneous εHf signal between + 14 and + 16. This heterogeneity vanished within ca. 2 million years, and the εHf of the source evolved from + 16 to + 14 at 99 Ma. Integrated to the Kohistan Cretaceous history, which has a baseline of εHf ≈ 14, these data pinpoint two geodynamical events, with slab retreat and the formation of the Sapat Complex followed by splitting of the Kohistan island arc at 85 Ma.     

Remediation of electric arc furnace dust leachate by the use of cementitious materials： A column-leaching test

Disposal of industrial solid wastes in a hydrologic environment can cause environmental risks due to the mobility of toxic trace elements. It is increasingly important to find simple and inexpensive treatments to remove undesirable elements from industrial solid wastes. One of the most important problems in the secondary steel mill industry is the disposition of dusts produced from electric arc furnace. A large quantity （10-20 kg） of electric arc furnace dust （EAFD） is generated per ton of steel produced. The Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure （TCLP） shows that the total Cr and Cr （Ⅵ） concentrations （9.7 and 6.1 mg/L respectively） from the EAFD studied exceeded the Toxicity Characteristic Regulatory Level. Some heavy metals of EAFD like chromium are toxics and have high solubility. Chromium （Ⅵ） is particularly problematic because it must initially be reduced before fixed in an insoluble phase. To counter this problem, the use of ordinary Portland cement （OPC） and ground granulated blast furnace slag （GGBFS） was investigated. Column leaching test was performed to evaluate the leaching of EAFD amended with GGBFS and OPC under dynamic conditions simulating heap leaching. The goal of this study is to find a simple and economic way to decrease contaminants in the leachate. Test columns have been set up to evaluate the effect of alkaline additives （OPC and GGBFS） on the geochemistry of drainage water. The control column consists of EADF only. A set of columns presents the effect of the addition of 5% by mass of OPC or GGBFS mixed homogeneously with the EAFD. Another set of columns was set up with the same quantities of OPC and GGBFS but concentrated at the base of the EAFD simulating a liner. Columns were fed three times weakly during 1 month. The parameters monitored after each flush of water include leachate volume, pH, electrical conductance and water quality （Cr-Ni-Pb-Zn concentrations）. The leaching of the control （EAFD only） presents high Cr concentration.     

Geochemistry and tectonic significance of peridotites from the South Sandwich arc–basin system, South Atlantic

Petrographic and geochemical studies of peridotites from the South Sandwich forearc region provide new evidence for the evolution of the South Sandwich arc–basin system and for the nature of interactions between arc magma and oceanic lithosphere. Peridotites from the inner trench wall in the north-east corner of the forearc vary from clinopyroxene-bearing harzburgites, through samples transitional between harzburgites and dunites or wehrlites, to dunites. The harzburgites are LREE depleted with low incompatible element abundances and have chromites with intermediate Cr# (ca. 0.40). Modelling shows that they represent the residues from 15–20% melting at oxygen fugacities close to the QFM buffer. The dunites have U-shaped REE patterns, low incompatible element abundances and high Cr# (0.66–0.77). Petrography and geochemistry indicate that the latter are the product of intense interaction between peridotite and melt saturated with olivine under conditions of high oxygen fugacity (QFM + 2). The transitional samples are the product of lesser interaction between peridotite and melt saturated with olivine ± clinopyroxene. The data demonstrate that the harzburgites originated as the residue from melting at a ridge (probably the early East Scotia Sea spreading centre), and were subsequently modified to transitional peridotites and dunites by interaction with South Sandwich arc magmas. The second dredge locality, near the South Sandwich Trench–Fracture Zone intersection, yielded rocks ranging from lherzolite to harzburgite that could similarly have resulted from a two-stage melting and enrichment process, but involving a more fertile mantle residue and a reacting melt that is transitional between MORB and island arc tholeiite. The South Sandwich peridotites have a similar petrogenetic history to those from Conical Seamount in the Mariana forearc in the sense that both involved interaction between arc magma and pre-existing mantle lithosphere of different provenance. However, the precise compositions of the magma and mantle components vary from location to location according to the precise tectonic setting and tectonic history. Overall, therefore, data from the South Sandwich and Izu–Bonin–Mariana systems emphasise the potential significance of peridotite geochemistry in unravelling the complex tectonic histories of forearcs past and present. Received: 31 August 1999 / Accepted: 3 December 1999     

Granites of the intracontinental termination of a magmatic arc: an example from the Ediacaran Araçuaí orogen,southeastern Brazil

The Araçuaí orogen of southeastern Brazil together with the West Congo belt of central West Africa form the Araçuaí–West Congo orogen generated during closure of a terminal segment of the Neoproterozoic Adamastor Ocean. Corresponding to an embayment in the São Francisco–Congo Craton, this portion of the Adamastor was only partially floored by oceanic crust. The convergence of its margins led to the development of the Rio Doce magmatic arc between 630 Ma and 580 Ma. The Rio Doce magmatic arc terminates in the northern portion of the Araçuaí orogen. Granitic plutons exposed in the northern extremity of the arc provide a rare opportunity to study magmatism at arc terminations, and to understand the interplay between calc-alkaline magma production and crustal recycling. The plutons forming the terminus of the arc consist of granodiorites, tonalites and monzogranites similar to a magnesian, slightly peraluminous, calcic- (68%) to calc-alkaline (24%), with minor alkali-calcic (8%) facies, medium- to high-K magmatic series. Although marked by negative Nb–Ta, Sr and Ti anomalies, typically associated with subduction-related magmas, the combined Sr, Nd and Hf isotopic data characterize a crustal signature related to anatexis of metamorphosed igneous and sedimentary rocks, rather than fractional crystallization of mantle-derived magmas. Zircon U–Pb ages characterizes two groups of granitoids. The older group, crystallized between 630 and 590 Ma, experienced a migmatization event at ca. 585 Ma. The younger granitoids, emplaced between 570 and 590 Ma, do not show any evidence for migmatization. Most of the investigated samples show good correlation with the experimental compositional field of amphibolite dehydration-melting, with some samples plotting into the field of greywacke dehydration-melting. The studied rocks are not typical I-type or S-type granites, being particularly similar to transitional I/S-type granitoids described in the Ordovician Famatinian arc (NW Argentina). We suggest a hybrid model involving dehydration-melting of meta-igneous (amphibolites) and metasedimentary (greywackes) rocks for magma production in the northern termination of the Rio Doce arc. The real contribution of each end-member is, however, a challenging work still to be done.