The Precambrian of Transangaria, Yenisei Ridge (Siberia): Neoproterozoic microcontinent, Grenville-age orogen, or reworked margin of the Siberian craton?

Abstract

The Yenisei Ridge was traditionally perceived as an uplifted segment of the western Siberian craton affected by Neoproterozoic collision events. However, the suggestions for Archaean or Palaeoproterozoic (‘Siberian’) basement in Transangaria have not been confirmed by reliable geochronological data. A new view regards most of the Ridge, namely, its Transangarian segment, to be an exotic Neoproterozoic terrane that collided with Siberia in the late Neoproterozoic. This paper presents new U–Pb SHRIMP zircon ages demonstrating that Archaean rocks (2611±12Ma) actually exist in this territory. We also provide a review of published U–Pb zircon ages for igneous and metamorphic rocks of Transangaria together with our new age data. This geochronological dataset clarifies the geology of the Yenisei Ridge and leads to new conclusions, as follows. (1) It is likely that Transangaria was originally underlain by an Archaean–Palaeoproterozoic basement, similar to that of the Siberian craton. (2) Geochronological data do not confirm the idea of widespread “Greenvillian age” granitoides in Transangaria. (3) The Neoproterozoic evolution of the Yenisei Ridge segment of the Siberian craton margin includes the following events. (i) Collision of an unidentified terrane with the western margin (in recent coordinates) of the Siberian craton during 900–855Ma. The colliding terrane is no longer present in the current structure. (ii) Dextral shearing during 830–800Ma may have been caused by counter-clockwise rotation of the Siberian craton. (iii) Extensional conditions prevailed during 800–700Ma. The Isakovka oceanic basin formed at this time interval. (iv) Thrusting of the Isakovka island arc and accretionary prism onto the Siberian margin occurred during the late Neoproterozoic (650–630Ma) and caused high-pressure metamorphism.