Age of the Los Ranchos Formation, Dominican Republic: Timing and tectonic setting of primitive island arc volcanism in the Caribbean region

Abstract

This study reports U-Pb ages for zircons from the Los Ranchos Formation, which is part of the primitive island arc sequence, the oldest volcanic rocks in the Greater Antilles. Zircons were analyzed from three samples: quartz porphyry (quartz keratophyre) from the lower part of the formation (Quita Sueno Member), fragmental quartz porphyry from the upper part of the formation (Pueblo Viejo Member), and the Cotui quartz diorite stock that intrudes the lower part of the formation. The lower part of the Los Ranchos Formation, represented by the Quita Sueno sample, formed at either 113.9 ± 0.8 or 118.6 ± 0.5 Ma depending on interpretation of the data, whereas the upper part, represented by the Pueblo Viejo sample, formed ca. 110.9 ± 0.8 Ma. The Cotui stock (RD-73-601) was emplaced ca. 111.8 ± 0.6 Ma or 112.9 ± 0.9 Ma depending on whether eight grains reflect subtle inheritance. These results show that the Los Ranchos Formation was emplaced during the Aptian-Albian transition, that the Cotui stock could have supplied magma to the volcanic sequence and fluids to the Pueblo Viejo gold-silver deposit in the upper part of the formation, and that carbonaceous sediments in the upper part of the formation formed at the same time as ocean anoxic event 1b (Paquier). Caribbean plate tectonic models involving invasion of anomalous Pacific crust into the Caribbean region appear to agree best with this age because they provide a mechanism for the change from primitive island arc (PIA) to calcalkaline magmatism and account for the restricted ocean circulation necessary to generate regional anoxic conditions.