2.8–3.0 Ga plutonism and deformation in the SE Amazonian craton: the Archaean granitoids of Marajoara (Carajás Mineral Province, Brazil)

Abstract

The granitoids of Marajoara in the Rio Maria terrain (Carajás Mineral Province, Brazil) consist of: (i) a broad unit of 2.96 Ga syntectonic tonalites (Arco Verde Tonalites) displaying a trondhjemitic differentiation trend; (ii) 2.93 Ga syntectonic monzogranites (Guarantã); and (iii) 2.87 Ga post-tectonic monzogranites (Mata Surrão) and granodiorites (Rio Maria), displaying a calc-alkaline differentiation trend. Deformation of the Arco Verde tonalites is heterogeneous with low strain domains (well preserved magmatic banding and textures) and orthogneissic domains displaying an E–W trending mainly subvertical foliation, associated with horizontal lineations, upright folds and subvertical shear zones. Microstructures and phase assemblages suggest that deformation occurred within a large temperature range (i.e. during magma emplacement and cooling), from high-T conditions (synmagmatic shear zones and subsolidus ductile deformation with intense quartz and feldspar recrystallization; Pl+Qtz+Hbl+Bt assemblages) to medium- and low-T conditions (ductile to brittle deformation with weakly recrystallized quartz and undulose extinction in feldspars; Qtz+Pl+Bt+Mu or Chl+Ep+Ab+Qtz assemblages). These data, finite strain analysis and structures reported from the surrounding greenstone belts suggest that deformation did not result from a post-emplacement prograde tectono-metamorphic event as considered previously, but that the Marajoara granitoids are synkinernatic intrusions which were deformed together with the supracrustal rocks during a regional NS horizontal shortening. Although the Rio Maria terrain presents similarities with Archaean domains controlled by diapiric processes (lithologies dominated by thick greenstone sequences and TTG plutons, and forming a dome-and-keel structure), its structural evolution is controlled dominantly by a transpressional event which shaped the granite–greenstone terrains. The Rio Maria area, probably as many Archaean ‘grey gneisses’ domains, represents an intermediate case between terrains controlled by Raleigh–Taylor instabilities in a thermally softened crust with insignificant external forces related to plate convergence (e.g. east Pilbara craton) and those controlled by thrust tectonics related to convergence of rigid plates (e.g. Superior Province). The closest analog to the Rio Maria terrain seems to be the Chilimanzi area in the Zimbabwe craton.