Triassic formations of Mountain ous Crimea: the first resust of U–Pb dating of detrital zircons

Abstract

The first results of U-Pb dating of detrital zircons (dZr) from two samples characterizing the Taurica and Eski-Orda Groups of the Cimmerian structural complex of the Mountainous Crimea are presented. The strong similarity of the sets of ages of dZr from the Lower Taurica Formation of the Taurica Group and the Salgir strata of the Eski-Orda Group confirms the facial character of the primary relationships of these Groups. The studied Upper Triassic sandstones had a common feeding province and were formed, most likely, in different parts of the same sedimentary basin. It is most likely that this sedimentary basin was part of a continental margin of Baltica. The presence in samples of a significant number of dZr with very ancient ages >3.0 Ga (including 3 the oldest dZr grains with ages of ~3.9 Ga) makes the crystalline complexes represented in the present-day structure of the Ukrainian Shield as the very possible primary sources of these zircons. Crystalline complexes with such ancient ages are extremely rare over the world, but are widely represented in the Podolian and Cis-Azov blocks of the Ukrainian shield.