Tectonic evolution of the Dom Feliciano Belt in Southern Brazil: Geological relationships and U-Pb geochronology

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The Dom Feliciano Belt is an important Neoproterozoic to Cambrian orogenic complex, extending from eastern Uruguay to southern Brazil. It comprises a collage of oceanic domains and continental fragments developed between 900 and 540 Ma between the Rio de La Plata, Congo and Kalahari cratons. The integration of field and structural data with recent isotopic results has introduced new insights on the sources of the magmatism and sedimentary processes. This paper presents a review of the geochronological results combined with stratigraphic, structural and geochemical data. The evolution of the Dom Feliciano Belt involved three orogenic events known as the Passinho (0.89 - 0.86 Ga), São Gabriel (0.77 - 0.68 Ga) and Dom Feliciano (0.65 - 0.54 Ga). The first two events involved the closure of the Charrua Ocean generating an intra-oceanic arc (Passinho) and, subsequently, an active continental margin arc (São Gabriel). This ocean separated the continental areas represented by the Rio de la Plata Craton and the Nico Perez continental microplate. Closure of the Adamastor ocean resulted in an important collisional event between the Nico Perez Microplate/Rio de La Plata Craton and Kalahari and Congo cratons between 650 and 620 Ma, involving high T/intermediate P metamorphism. At this time of crustal thickening, the partition of the deformation controled the final evolution of the belt with important escape tectonics, responsible for nucleating crustal-scale transcurrent shear zones. These structures were deep and promoted the rise of mafic magmas, which, associated with high regional thermal gradient, lead to an important event of crustal reworking, responsible for the formation of the Pelotas Batholith. The orogenic collapse is represented by late magmatism of Pelotas Batholith and deposition of upper section of the Camaquã Basin.