Paleoproterozoic metamorphism in the northern Fennoscandian Shield: age constraints revealed by monazite

ABSTRACT

We have identified two contrasting styles of Paleoproterozoic metamorphism in the northern part of the Fennoscandian Shield. The Karelia and Lapland-Kola Provinces, comprising Archean and overlying Paleoproterozoic supracrustal rocks, show a typical medium pressure Barrovian-style metamorphism with commonly found kyanite-bearing mineral assemblages and ITD (isothermal decompression) PT paths. In the juxtaposed Svecofennia Province metamorphism represents low pressure-high temperature Buchan style with garnet-cordierite migmatites and intercalated andalusite-cordierite and andalusite-staurolite schists and sillimanite-muscovite gneisses. The retrograde PT paths show only a moderate uplift during cooling.

U-Pb age determinations on monazite were made using the LA-ICP-MS from more than 80 samples from metasedimentary rocks. The sampling covered most parts of the Paleoproterozoic bedrock in Finland. The analyses reveal three peaks at c. 1.91 Ga, 1.86–1.88 Ga and at 1.79–1.81 Ga. The oldest, c. 1.91 Ga monazites are mostly found in the Lapland-Kola Province which is located in the northernmost Finland. In the Karelia Province where the Paleoproterozoic is underlain by Archean bedrock monazite yielded ages of 1.76?1.81 Ga with only a few older exceptions in samples showing a spread of ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages from c. 1.92–1.81 Ga. The Karelia Province underwent tectonic thickening, where monazite ages of around 1.80 Ga mostly represent exhumation near the temperature maximum.

In the Svecofennia Province monazite ages vary from c. 1.89 to 1.78 Ga. In the Western Finland Subprovince the monazite ages in high-grade migmatites are mostly 1.86?1.88 Ga but within the older migmatite areas there are lower grade zones where monazite yields ages of c. 1.80 Ga. Some samples also show a spread of ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages from 1.89?1.86 Ga to c. 1.78 Ga. In the Southern Finland Subprovince most ages are either 1.80?1.78 Ga, especially in the andalusite grade schists, or the sample shows a spread of ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages from c. 1.88 to 1.78 Ga. Only in the eastern part of the Southern Finland Subprovince there are rocks which yield merely 1.86?1.89 Ga ages. Low pressure-high temperature metamorphism and lack of high or medium P/T rocks in the Svecofennia Province refers rather to accretionary than collisional processes.