Geochemistry of Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks from the Birim diamondiferous field, southern Ghana: Implications for provenance and crustal evolution at the Archean-Proterozoic boundary

Abstract

Metagraywackes and metapelites from the Paleoproterozoic Birimian Supergroup in the Birim diamondiferous field, southern Ghana, were analyzed for their major and trace element contents. Compared to early Proterozoic crust, the metasedimentary rocks are enriched in ferromagnesian elements but depleted in rare earth elements (REE), high field strength elements (HFSE) (with exception of Zr), and Th. They show REE patterns similar to their Archean counterparts. The chemical data indicate that the sediments were derived from a local source of mixed felsic—mafic composition, with the latter dominating. The source rocks were the basaltic to dacitic volcanic rocks and granitoids within the Birimian greenstone belts. The chemical data further suggest their deposition in a tectonic setting comparable to modern island arcs, and that minimal old upper crust (i.e., pre-Birimian sources) was involved in their formation. The analyzed metasedimentary rocks have Eu-anomalies and GdN/YbN, Sm/Nd, Th/Sc, Cr/Sc and Cr/Th ratios that closely resemble those of their Archean counterparts, and therefore inconsistent with models suggesting abrupt compositional changes in upper crust at the Archean-Proterozoic boundary.