Geochemistry and U–Pb zircon ages of the metamafic-ultramafic rocks of the Riacho dos Machados metavolcanosedimentary sequence: Evidence of a late Rhyacian back-arc basin during the assembly of São Francisco-Congo paleocontinent

Abstract

The São Francisco paleocontinent comprises Archean nuclei and Paleoproterozoic magmatic arcs which were amalgamated during Siderian to Orosirian thermal-tectonic events (ca. 2.4–2.0 Ga). Located in the Porteirinha domain, one of these Archean segments, the Riacho dos Machados metavolcanosedimentary sequence encompasses metamafites and metaultramafites intercalated with metasedimentary rocks. The metamafites clustered in the Type I category are tholeiitic, present MORB-like affinities and flat REE patterns with enrichment in La, Rb, and Cs. The metamafites from Type II are calc-alkaline, showing arc signatures with enrichment in LILE (Cs, Ba, U, Rb, K) and LREE, and depletion in the HFSE. The associated metaultramafites were classified as high-Mg ultramafic rocks similar to Barberton-Type komatiites, with enrichment in LILE and LREE, Al2O3/TiO2< 16 and Gd/Yb(N) > 1. U–Pb (LA–SF–ICP-MS) zircon analyses were carried out on the Type II hornblendite, unraveling a concordant crystallization age of 2071 ± 9 Ma. Inherited zircons yield a discordant age of 2922 ± 22 Ma and a lower intercept at 473 ± 48 Ma. The hybrid magmatism of the studied metamafites coupled with the inherited zircon grains, indicate that this metavolcanosedimentary sequence was developed in an intra-continental back-arc basin. The rocks from Type I have been originated from MORB-like source with a slightly input of subduction-derived fluids. In its turn, Type II samples represent melts more influenced by the fluids from the dehydrated slab. This assumption implies that the São Francisco paleocontinent, in the region of the Porteirinha block and surroundings, were under an accretionary stage at the late Rhyacian. During this orogenic process the metamorphic PT conditions reached lower-amphibolite facies. Moreover, this thermal-tectonic event in likely responsible for the auriferous fluid percolation of the Riacho dos Machados Gold Mine.