Provenance and tectonic setting of neoproterozoic supracrustal rocks from the Ceará Central Domain, Borborema Province (NE Brazil): constraints from geochemistry and detrital zircon ages

Abstract

Major- and trace-element and U–Pb analyses of detrital zircons were performed on metavolcano sedimentary sequences and igneous rocks from the Ceará Central Domain (CCD) in the Borborema Province of northeastern Brazil. No significant geochemical differences were found between these rocks, which were possibly initially deposited as parts of a very large metavolcano-sedimentary sequence. Weathering in the source area was moderate, and the sediments were deposited as both sands and clays. The sources of the sediments were likely mixtures of felsic and intermediate rocks deposited predominantly in an active-margin setting with minor contributions of both continental arc and passive margin components. Three main source ages were identified: Palaeoproterozoic (~2.2 Ga), for which potential sources include the Palaeoproterozoic Madalena-Algodões Suite; early Neoproterozoic (~850 Ma), related to felsic volcanic magmatism due to continental rifting, initial phases of the Santa Quitéria Magmatic Arc, or magmatic arc systems on the margins of the Palaeoproterozoic crust; and late Neoproterozoic (~650 Ma), associated with extensive granite generation and migmatization events accompanying Santa Quitéria Arc activity. Deposition of the CCD volcanosedimentary rocks occurred shortly before regional, collision-type metamorphism accompanying the amalgamation of the São Francisco-Congo Cratons (~ 620–630 Ma).