Paleoproterozoic sediment recycling during multiphase orogenic evolution in Fennoscandia, the Tampere and Pirkanmaa belts, Finland

Abstract

Geochronology of detrital zircons and their overgrowths combined with whole-rock geochemical and Sm–Nd isotopic data can be used to distinguish different stages of sediment recycling and metamorphism during multiphase orogenic evolution. This approach is applied to the Paleoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Tampere and Pirkanmaa belts (southern Finland) in the center of the composite Svecofennian orogen. The lower part of the Tampere belt succession and bulk of the Pirkanmaa belt are characterized by turbidites whereas the upper part of the Tampere belt succession is dominated by 1.90–1.89 Ga mature arc-type volcanic rocks. Detrital zircon geochronology indicates that the Tampere and Pirkanmaa belts have a coeval 1.92–1.89 Ga depositional and tectonic history. Ages of pre-depositional zircon overgrowths vary from 1.91 Ga to 2.0 Ga with clusters at 1.92 Ga and 1.98 Ga. Within the Pirkanmaa belt, post-depositional zircon overgrowths indicate metamorphic culmination at c. 1885 Ma in the Vammala Ni-zone and at c. 1875 Ma in the northern part. The lower conglomerates and graywackes in the Tampere belt and their equivalents in the Pirkanmaa belt are rich both in Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic grains, the latter ranging in age from 1.9 to 2.1 Ga. Compared to these, a sample from the Vammala Ni-zone has an exotic provenance with at least c. 1.90 Ga, 2.04–2.15 Ga, 2.38–2.48 Ga and 2.57–2.63 Ga components. A sedimentary recycling and tectonic model for the central Fennoscandia is proposed, in which the Paleoproterozoic Keitele + Bergslagen continent was formed during an unnamed orogeny at 1.98–1.97 Ga. The Archean Norrbotten microcontinent was attached to the continent at 1.97–1.93 Ga. Upper Kaleva turbidites, derived from the Lapland-Kola orogen in the north, were deposited before 1.92 Ga on a passive margin of the Archean Karelia craton. The Karelia craton collided with the Keitele + Bergslagen + Norrbotten continent at c. 1.92 Ga forming the Lapland-Savo orogen. Subsequent evolution led to rifting and break-up of the latter continent into two microcontinents in the hinterland. At 1.92–1.91 Ga the rift was developed into a subsiding passive margin of the Keitele microcontinent with voluminous turbidite deposition, now seen as graywackes in the Tampere, Pirkanmaa and Pohjanmaa (western Finland) belts. The turbidite material was derived from the rising Lapland-Savo orogen and included recycled Upper Kaleva, recycled (sandstones) and first-cycle 2.03–1.97 Ga detritus from Keitele, 1.93–1.92 Ga Savo arc material, as well as detritus from the Archean craton and its cover deposits. The collision between Karelia and Keitele caused a subduction reversal and the onset of Tampere arc volcanism at 1.90 Ga. Arc-derived materials started to deposit and were mixed with older sedimentary rocks, and trench-parallel distal turbidites from exotic source were being deposited in the accretionary wedge.