Paleozoic tectonism on the East Gondwana margin: Evidence from SHRIMP U–Pb zircon geochronology of a migmatite–granite complex in West Antarctica

The Fosdick Mountains migmatite–granite complex in West Antarctica records episodes of crustal melting and plutonism in Devonian–Carboniferous time that acted to transform transitional crust, dominated by immature oceanic turbidites of the accretionary margin of East Gondwana, into stable continental crust. West Antarctica, New Zealand and Australia originated as contiguous parts of this margin, according to plate reconstructions, however, detailed correlations are uncertain due to a lack of isotopic and geochronological data. Our study of the mid-crustal exposures of the Fosdick range uses U–Pb SHRIMP zircon geochronology to examine the tectonic environment and timing for Paleozoic magmatism in West Antarctica, and to assess a correlation with the better known Lachlan Orogen of eastern Australia and Western Province of New Zealand.NNE–SSW to NE–SW contraction occurred in West Antarctica in early Paleozoic time, and is expressed by km-scale folds developed both in lower crustal metasedimentary migmatite gneisses of the Fosdick Mountains and in low greenschist-grade turbidite successions of the upper crust, present in neighboring ranges. The metasedimentary rocks and structures were intruded by calc-alkaline, I-type plutons attributed to arc magmatism along the convergent East Gondwana margin. Within the Fosdick Mountains, the intrusions form a layered plutonic complex at lower structural levels and discrete plutons at upper levels. Dilational structures that host anatectic granite overprint plutonic layering and migmatitic foliation. They exhibit systematic geometries indicative of NNE–SSW stretching, parallel to a first-generation mineral lineation. New U–Pb SHRIMP zircon ages for granodiorite and porphyritic monzogranite plutons, and for leucogranites that occupy shear bands and other mesoscopic-scale structural sites, define an interval of 370 to 355 Ma for plutonism and migmatization.Paleozoic plutonism in West Antarctica postdates magmatism in the western Lachlan Orogen of Australia, but it coincides with that in the central part of the Lachlan Orogen and with the rapid main phase of emplacement of the Karamea Batholith of the Western Province, New Zealand. Emplaced within a 15 to 20 million year interval, the Paleozoic granitoids of the Fosdick Mountains are a product of subduction-related plutonism associated with high temperature metamorphism and crustal melting. The presence of anatectic granites within extensional structures is a possible indication of alternating strain states (‘tectonic switching’) in a supra-subduction zone setting characterized by thin crust and high heat flow along the Devonian–Carboniferous accretionary margin of East Gondwana.     

Petrological and geochronological constraints on the origin of the Palimé–Amlamé granitoids (South Togo, West Africa): A segment of the West African Craton Paleoproterozoic margin reactivated during the Pan-African collision

The Palimé–Amlamé Pluton (PAP) in southern Togo, consists of silica-rich to intermediate granitoids including enclaves of mafic igneous rocks and of gneisses. They are commonly called the “anatectic complex of Palimé–Amlamé” and without any convincing data, they were interpreted either as synkinematic Pan-African granitoids or as reworked pre Pan-African plutons. New field and petrological observations, mineral and whole-rock chemical analyses together with U–Pb zircon dating, have been performed to evaluate the geodynamic significance of the PAP within the Pan-African orogenic belt. With regard to these new data, the granitoids and related enclaves probably result from mixing and mingling processes between mafic and silicic magmas from respectively mantle and lower crust sources. They display Mg–calc-alkaline chemical features and present some similarities with Late Archaean granites such as transitional (K-rich) TTGs and sanukitoids.

The 2127 ± 2 Ma age obtained from a precise U/Pb concordia on zircon, points out a Paleoproterozoic age for the magma crystallization and a lower intercept at 625 ± 29 Ma interpreted as rejuvenation during Pan-African tectonics and metamorphism. Based on these results, a Pan-African syn to late orogenic setting for the PAP, i.e. the so-called “anatectic complex of Palimé–Amlamé”, can be definitively ruled out. Moreover according to its location within the nappe pile and its relationships with the suture zone, the PAP probably represents a fragment of the West African Craton reactivated during the Pan-African collision.     

Similarity of palaeocurrent pattern of Lower Gondwana formations of the Talchir and the Ong-river basins of Orissa, India – An indication of dismemberment of a major Gondwana basin

In peninsular India, Gondwana strata are disposed linearly as strings of isolated basins conforming to the trend of the present day Koel–Damodar, Son–Mahanadi and Prahnita–Godavari river valleys. There are seven exposed and one concealed Gondwana basins/outliers in Orissa belonging to the Son–Mahanadi valley system. The present study is concerned with the consanguinity of the Talchir and Ong-river basins of Orissa. Similarity and dissimilarity of palaeocurrent population in these two basins were taken into consideration to test the consanguinity of the basins under consideration. Statistical analysis suggests that the sampled palaeocurrent data of the same formation belong to the same population when considered for both basins. In geologic terms, the basin parameters were identical when considered for either the Talchir or the Karharbari Formation that proves the consanguinity of both the basins and the possible existence of a master basin that encompassed other sister Gondwana basins in Orissa.     

Lead isotope constraints on the genesis of Pb–Zn deposits in the Neoproterozoic Vazante Group, Minas Gerais, Brazil

The Neoproterozoic Vazante Group at the western border of the São Francisco Craton, Brazil, hosts the largest Zn–Pb district in South America. Several authors have classified this mineral district as Mississippi Valley-type (MVT), based on the intimate association with carbonates and the epigenetic character of most ore bodies. In this paper, we present 47 new lead isotope data from four deposits located along the 300 km N–S Vazante–Paracatu–Unai linear trend. Pb isotope ratios indicate sources with relatively high U/Pb and Th/Pb ratios. Considering the ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios as indicative parameters for the source, we suggest an upper crustal source for the metals. The small variation on the Pb isotope ratios compared to those observed in the classical MVT deposits, and other geological, fluid inclusion and sulphur isotopic data indicates a metallogenic event of long duration. It was characterized by focused circulation of hydrothermal fluids carrying metals from the basement rocks and from the sedimentary pile. The data obtained are more compatible with an evolution model similar to that of IRISH-type deposits. The existence of three Pb isotopic populations could be the result of regional differences in composition of the source rocks and in the fluid–rock interaction since the mineralization is a long-term process.     

Late Paleozoic–Early Triassic magmatism on the western margin of Gondwana: Collahuasi area, Northern Chile

The basement in the ‘Altiplano’ high plateau of the Andes of northern Chile mostly consists of late Paleozoic to Early Triassic felsic igneous rocks (Collahuasi Group) that were emplaced and extruded along the western margin of the Gondwana supercontinent. This igneous suite crops out in the Collahuasi area and forms the backbone of most of the high Andes from latitude 20° to 22°S. Rocks of the Collahuasi Group and correlative formations form an extensive belt of volcanic and subvolcanic rocks throughout the main Andes of Chile, the Frontal Cordillera of Argentina (Choiyoi Group or Choiyoi Granite-Rhyolite Province), and the Eastern Cordillera of Peru.Thirteen new SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages from the Collahuasi area document a bimodal timing for magmatism, with a dominant peak at about 300 Ma and a less significant one at 244 Ma. Copper–Mo porphyry mineralization is related to the younger igneous event.Initial Hf isotopic ratios for the ~ 300 Ma zircons range from about − 2 to + 6 indicating that the magmas incorporated components with a significant crustal residence time. The 244 Ma magmas were derived from a less enriched source, with the initial Hf values ranging from + 2 to + 6, suggestive of a mixture with a more depleted component. Limited whole rock ¹⁴⁴Nd/¹⁴³Nd and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotopic ratios further support the likelihood that the Collahuasi Group magmatism incorporated significant older crustal components, or at least a mixture of crustal sources with more and less evolved isotopic signatures.     

Geochemical characterisation, provenance, source and depositional environment of ‘Roches Argilo-Talqueuses’ (RAT) and Mines Subgroups sedimentary rocks in the Neoproterozoic Katangan Belt (Congo): Lithostratigraphic implications

The chemical characteristics of sedimentary rocks provide important clues to their provenance and depositional environments. Chemical analyses of 192 samples of Katangan sedimentary rocks from Kolwezi, Kambove–Kabolela and Luiswishi in the central African Copperbelt (Katanga, Congo) are used to constrain (1) the source and depositional environment of RAT and Mines Subgroup sedimentary rocks and (2) the geochemical relations between the rocks from these units and the debate on the lithostratigraphic position of the RAT Subgroup within the Katangan sedimentary succession. The geochemical data indicate that RAT, D. Strat., RSF and RSC are extremely poor in alkalis and very rich in MgO. SD are richer in alkalis, especially K₂O. Geochemical characteristics of RAT and Mines Subgroups sedimentary rocks indicate deposition under an evaporitic environment that evolved from oxidizing (Red RAT) to reducing (Grey RAT and Mines Subgroup) conditions. There is no chemical difference between RAT and fine-grained clastic rocks from the lower part of the Mines Subgroup. The geochemical data preclude the genetic model that RAT are syn-orogenic sedimentary rocks originating from Mines Group rocks by erosion and gravity-induced fragmentation in front of advancing nappes.     

K–Ar dating of fault gouge in the northern Sydney Basin, NSW, Australia—implications for the breakup of Gondwana

The occurrence of synkinematic and authigenic clay minerals is a common feature in fault gouges. Few attempts have been made to date fault gouges. We present the first age data in Australia for synkinematic illite–smectite growth in two fault zones of the northern Sydney Basin, NSW. The faults occur at Burwood Beach, NSW in the northern part of the Sydney Basin and are hosted by Early Permian siltstones, tuffs and coals of the Lambton Formation, Newcastle Coal Measures. The faults are 1.5 m apart, show normal displacement and trend N–S with steep easterly dips. Foliated gouge zones, comminution and dilational breccias are developed along both fault surfaces. K–Ar ages extracted from samples in the gouge and tuffs in the damage zones are 172 (6–10 μm) to 119 Ma (<0.4 μm), respectively. Older ages of 272–281 Ma for the coarse fractions (>2 μm), 237–245 Ma for the <2 μm fraction, 218 Ma for the <0.4 μm fraction and 196 Ma for the <0.1 μm fraction have been obtained from siltstones within and outside the damage zone. We believe the younger ages of 196–237 Ma indicate the time at which diagenetic illite–smectite formed and the 122–150 Ma dates from the <2 μm fraction represent the maximum age of gouge formation. The younger ages are thought to reflect the last slip event occurring on the faults, which is related to the rifting and dispersal of the eastern margin of the Australian continent.     

Report on the 4th International Meeting of the IUGS Lower Cretaceous Ammonite Working Group, the “Kilian Group” (Dijon, France, 30th August 2010)

The 4th Kilian Group meeting (Dijon, France, 30th August 2010) focused on the Aptian and Albian Stages. For the Aptian, a two-fold division of the stage was adopted for the Mediterranean area with a boundary between the Dufrenoyia furcata and Epicheloniceras martini Zones. The main changes to the zonal scheme concern the Lower Aptian with: the introduction of a Deshayesites luppovi Subzone in the upper part of the Deshayesites oglanlensis Zone; the replacement of Deshayesites weissi by Deshayesites forbesi as new index-species of the second interval zone; the introduction of a Roloboceras hambrovi Subzone in the upper part of the D. forbesi Zone; and the subdivision of the D. furcata Zone into the D. furcata and Dufrenoyia dufrenoyi Subzones. For the Albian, the upper part of the Douvilleiceras mammillatum Zone (Lower Albian) is now characterized by a Lyelliceras pseudolyelli Subzone. The main amendments concern the Upper Albian. The base of this substage is defined by the base of the Dipoloceras cristatum Zone. Above it, the Upper Albian zonal scheme comprises in stratigraphic order the Mortoniceras pricei, Mortoniceras inflatum, Mortoniceras fallax, Mortoniceras rostratum, Mortoniceras perinflatum and Arrhaphoceras briacensis Zones.