Initial Hf Isotopic Compositions Research Articles

Hybrid granite magmatism during orogenic collapse in the Eastern Desert of Egypt: Inferences from whole-rock geochemistry and zircon U–Pb–Hf isotopes

Granites can provide detailed insights into crust formation and reworking during the different stages of orogenic cycles. New field and petrographic observations are integrated with whole-rock geochemical and zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopic data of granitic and subvolcanic felsite intrusions associated with the Atalla Shear Zone (ASZ). Formation of the ASZ is attributed to regional oblique convergence, late in the tectono-magmatic evolution of the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. The new data reveal three stages of post-collisional felsic magmatism, with a change in magma type from I- to A-type granites. The evolution commenced with formation of quartz-monzodiorite and granodiorite at 639 ± 2 Ma (stage 1), followed by a suite of granodiorite to syenogranite intrusions between 619 ± 2 and 612 ± 2 Ma (stage 2), and ceased with the Atalla felsites at 607 ± 2 Ma (stage 3). During stages 1 and 2, the ASZ was intruded by hybrid granites as a result of mixing of lower crust material with mantle-derived mafic sanukitoid-like melts, in addition to nearly pure crustal melts during stage 2. The Atalla felsites, with distinct A-type affinities, are interpreted to have resulted from fractional crystallization of hybrid magmas in shallow crustal levels prior to emplacement. The identical initial Hf isotope compositions of all ASZ-associated magmatic rocks imply that the crust and mantle reservoirs had similar Hf isotopic composition at ~640–610 Ma (εHf(t) = 8 ± 1). This implies that mantle enrichment was controlled largely by subducted Neoproterozoic oceanic crust, volcanic arc, and syn-collisional rocks. The new U-Pb ages combined with the geochemical characteristics of the ASZ granitic rocks are consistent with a prolonged period of decompression melting of hitherto enriched mantle and lower crust. Melting was likely triggered by rejuvenation of thoroughgoing transcurrent shearing and shear-driven asthenospheric mantle upwelling during the orogenic collapse stage.

The internal structure and geodynamics of Mars inferred from a 4.2-Gyr zircon record.

Combining U-Pb ages with Lu-Hf data in zircon provides insights into the magmatic history of rocky planets. The Northwest Africa (NWA) 7034/7533 meteorites are samples of the southern highlands of Mars containing zircon with ages as old as 4476.3 ± 0.9 Ma, interpreted to reflect reworking of the primordial Martian crust by impacts. We extracted a statistically significant zircon population (n = 57) from NWA 7533 that defines a temporal record spanning 4.2 Gyr. Ancient zircons record ages from 4485.5 ± 2.2 Ma to 4331.0 ± 1.4 Ma, defining a bimodal distribution with groupings at 4474 ± 10 Ma and 4442 ± 17 Ma. We interpret these to represent intense bombardment episodes at the planet's surface, possibly triggered by the early migration of gas giant planets. The unradiogenic initial Hf-isotope composition of these zircons establishes that Mars's igneous activity prior to ∼4.3 Ga was limited to impact-related reworking of a chemically enriched, primordial crust. A group of younger detrital zircons record ages from 1548.0 ± 8.8 Ma to 299.5 ± 0.6 Ma. The only plausible sources for these grains are the temporally associated Elysium and Tharsis volcanic provinces that are the expressions of deep-seated mantle plumes. The chondritic-like Hf-isotope compositions of these zircons require the existence of a primitive and convecting mantle reservoir, indicating that Mars has been in a stagnant-lid tectonic regime for most of its history. Our results imply that zircon is ubiquitous on the Martian surface, providing a faithful record of the planet's magmatic history.

Evaluating zircon initial Hf isotopic composition using a combined SIMS–MC-LASS-ICP-MS approach: A case study from the Coompana Province in South Australia

The accessory mineral zircon is the most widely used geological timekeeper and tracer of crustal growth processes. Specifically, U–Pb isotopes in zircon offer a means to accurately determine the timing of magmatic events and their Hf isotopic composition provides a means to constrain magma source composition and potentially approximate source age. The high spatial resolution provided by in situ techniques such as secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) have the advantage of being able to target different growth zones within individual zircon crystals, and unravel complex magmatic histories. However, utilising this power effectively requires calculation of accurate initial Hf compositions, which are founded on the assumption that the information obtained via the U–Pb and Lu–Hf systems are correctly integrated. A typical Hf isotope LA-ICP-MS analysis ablates a sample volume that is two orders of magnitude greater than a typical SIMS analysis. Thus, when age determination has been carried out by SIMS it is necessary to demonstrate that each subsequent Hf isotope analysis has sampled a similar isotopically homogeneous volume. Here, we use a combined SIMS and laser ablation split stream (LASS)-ICP-MS approach, whereby U–Pb isotopic measurement concurrently on the same sample volume as the Hf isotope measurement is compared to prior lower volume SIMS measurements. Using a suite of new drill core magmatic rock samples from the comparatively unexplored Coompana Province in South Australia, we demonstrate how such an approach can be used to filter Hf isotope datasets by identifying LASS-ICP-MS analyses that sampled mixtures of different zircon growth domains. The robust initial 176Hf/177Hf compositions obtained from the filtered Coompana data set indicate that the province represents part of a juvenile Paleoproterozoic-Mesoproterozoic arc system formed through hyper-extension of the margin of the Archean Gawler Craton. This arc system can be correlated to the Musgrave Province and Madura Province in central and Western Australia respectively.

Lu-Hf systematics of 4.0 – 2.3 Ga old zircons from the Turee Creek Group (Pilbara Craton, W. Australia): Implications on the rise of atmospheric oxygen and global glaciation during the Paleoproterozoic

We investigated the Hf isotopic systematics of detrital zircons in a succession of siliciclastic sediments and glacial diamictites from the early Paleoproterozoic sequence of the Boolgeeda Iron Formation (Hamersley Group) and overlying Turee Creek Group of the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. About 400 detrital zircons yielding >95% concordant U-Pb ages were analyzed for Hf isotopes to constrain their magmatic sources. 70% of the analyzed zircons display super-chondritic initial Hf isotopic compositions, demonstrating crystallization in mantle-derived magmas. Most of the data are comprised between model age lines at ~2.5 and 3.2 Ga, which suggests a sub-continuous crust generation by extraction from the depleted mantle during this time period. A single grain yields a 4.0 Ga age, which represents the first Hadean age for a zircon from the Pilbara Craton. Our results are significantly different from zircon Hf isotope data of the Glenburgh Terrane, in the southern border of the Turee Creek Group, or older successions of the Pilbara, Kaapvaal and Superior cratons, but show overlap with some of the Yilgarn Craton. This together with the occurrence of a Hadean zircon crystal preserved in the Boolgeeda glacial diamictite with similar Hf isotopic signature than the Jack Hills zircons makes the Yilgarn Craton a possible source material for the Boolgeeda glacial horizon. Alternatively, the majority of the zircons analyzed show ages which are consistent with those of the underlying 2.45–2.78 Ga Hamersley and Fortescue groups, formed by sedimentary successions interleaved with thick subaerial volcanic sequences associated with the emplacement of Large Igneous Provinces. Such subaerial volcanic rocks could account for the relatively juvenile character of the zircon analyzed. A local provenance of the siliciclastic material delivered to the Turee Creek Basin would support the role of large subaerial magmatic provinces as triggers of the rise of atmospheric oxygen and the onset of glaciations at the beginning of the Proterozoic.

Source rejuvenation vs. re-heating: Constraints on Siberian kimberlite origin from U[sbnd]Pb and Lu[sbnd]Hf isotope compositions and geochemistry of mantle zircons

We have studied a suite of mantle zircons from several differently aged pipes of the Siberian kimberlite province via UPb and LuHf isotope analyses and trace element compositions. The UPb ages we obtained confirmed four main episodes (Silurian, Devonian, Triassic and Jurassic) of kimberlite activity on the Siberian craton. The Druzhba pipe had two populations of zircons dating from the Silurian and Devonian, respectively. The geochemical features of our suite of mantle zircons show low concentrations of U, Th and heavy rare earth elements (REEs), positive Ce anomalies, and weak or absent Eu anomalies, which is in accord with the mantle-derived nature of the zircon. Despite having broadly similar geochemistry, zircons from differently aged kimberlites had some clear differences arising from variations in the composition of the protokimberlite metasomatic melt and from peculiarities of fractional crystallization. The Th/U ratios were highest in the Silurian zircons and sharply decreased toward the Devonian. The Triassic zircons had elevated and highly variable Ce/Nb ratios with low and nearly constant Th/U ratios.Zircons from Siberian kimberlites with different UPb ages showed systematic variations in their initial Hf isotope compositions. The oldest Silurian kimberlite field, Chomurdakh, had two zircon populations: Silurian zircons, with ɛHft values in the range of +2.8 to +5.9 units, and Devonian zircons, with ɛHft values in the range of +1.6 to +2.0 units. Zircons from the Devonian field kimberlites were in the range of +5.6 to +9.6 ɛHft units. The Triassic kimberlitic zircons had the most juvenile Hf isotope composition, at +9.3 to +11.2 ɛHft units, while the Jurassic zircons had +6.9 ɛHft units. The combination of the UPb and LuHf isotope data suggests a periodic rejuvenation of the lithospheric mantle roots by low-volume melts from the asthenospheric mantle, resulting shortly after in kimberlite emplacements. Some Devonian and Jurassic kimberlites may have been melted by re-heating the Silurian and Triassic age sources, respectively, about 60 Myr after they were formed.

Two metamorphic gold mineralization events confirmed by Lu-Hf isotope dating of garnet in the Late Archean Storø Au deposit, Nuuk region of SW Greenland

We report Lu-Hf isotope ages for garnet from the Late Archean Storø Supracrustal Belt (SSB) ranging from 2697 ± 8 Ma to 2646 ± 13 Ma. These ages essentially overlap with two previously reported Re-Os isotope ages for arsenopyrite associated with Au mineralization within the SSB, which implies that both Au-forming events took place while garnet was stable and thus occurred during amphibolite-facies metamorphic conditions.Furthermore, we report bulk-rock Lu-Hf isotope data for amphibolite and aluminous gneiss from the SSB. The latter rock type has previously been suggested to represent the pre-metamorphic hydrothermal alteration product associated with low temperature epithermal Au formation. However, the initial Hf isotope compositions of these two rock types are significantly different, and therefore demonstrate that they do not share a common origin, because the Lu-Hf isotope system is essentially fluid-immobile. Instead, the aluminous gneiss represents a pelitic rock with mixed mafic and felsic sources, which is in agreement with the formation of both Au mineralization events during orogenic amphibolite-facies metamorphic processes, which were therefore structurally controlled.A too young bulk-rock errorchron age of 2553 ± 72 Ma for the amphibolite unit (>2720 Ma) is interpreted to reflect resetting of the system during the intrusion and melt infiltration of the ca. 2560 Ma Qôrqut Granite Complex.

Genesis of the Singhbhum Craton, eastern India; implications for Archean crust-mantle evolution of the Earth

The Singhbhum Craton in eastern India, one of the four major Archean cratons of the Indian Shield, is underlain by Paleoarchean granitoids (trondhjemite-tonalite-granodiorite i.e. TTGs, and potassic granites) that are encircled by greenstone belts rich in banded iron formation known as Iron Ore Group. This study presents whole rock major-trace element geochemistry, Sr and Nd isotopes, K-feldspar common Pb isotopes, along with in-situ zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotope data from the granitoids and the greenstone volcanic rocks to characterize their source(s) and to constrain the evolution of the Paleoarchean continental crust. Zircon U–Pb ages show that these granitoids were emplaced during two magmatic episodes at ca. 3.47–3.44 Ga and 3.36–3.28 Ga. The greenstone volcanic rocks in the eastern part of the craton are basalts and basaltic andesites with rare komatiites, whereas those in the western part are basaltic-andesites and andesites. Whole rock Sm–Nd isotope regression lines for volcanic rocks from the eastern (including komatiites) and western regions yield ages of 3746 ± 340 Ma (MSWD = 169) and 2961 ± 420 Ma (MSWD = 3.3), respectively. The major and trace element data show that the volcanic rocks of the eastern and western greenstone belts had a different petrogenesis. The granitoids are highly evolved with SiO2 contents up to 76 wt%. The major and trace element data indicate that the granitoids of the Singhbhum Craton were derived by partial melting of a mafic crust at variable depths (ca. 10–15 kbar). The isotopic compositions of Pb measured on leached K-feldspars from the granitoids show undepleted mantle-like characteristics and negate the possible involvement of much older evolved crust in the formation of these rocks. The whole rock initial Nd isotopic compositions (εNdi = −0.3 to +2.2) and zircon in-situ initial Hf isotopic compositions (εHfi = −0.3 to +2.0) of the granitoids calculated using zircon crystallization ages indicate that they were derived from a near-chondritic reservoir. These data suggest that only a limited volume of continental crust formed prior to ca. 3.5 Ga, and major crust extraction from the mantle started at ca. 3.5 Ga. Using this time as the start of major crustal growth and concomitant mantle depletion, Nd and Hf mantle depletion histories are proposed for the Singhbhum Craton that can be described by the equations εNdt = −2.85 × (tGa) + 10, and εHft = −4.68 × (tGa) + 16.4. These curves do not change the model ages for young rocks, but they make a significant difference for the Archean rocks.

Hydrothermally-altered mafic crust as source for early Earth TTG: Pb/Hf/O isotope and trace element evidence in zircon from TTG of the Eoarchean Saglek Block, N. Labrador

The North Atlantic craton hosts extensive exposures of Eoarchean crust, spread through areas of Western Greenland and Northern Labrador (Canada). Of these two areas, the crust of the Saglek Block of Northern Labrador has received far less attention from the scrutiny of modern analytical methods than its better documented Western Greenland equivalent, the Itsaq Gneiss Complex. Here, we present the first coupled trace element and U–Pb/Hf/O isotope dataset for zircon from an early TTG component of the Saglek Block.The combination of textural, elemental and isotopic in-situ analyses enables selection of the least disturbed zircon domains. From these it is demonstrated that the oldest felsic remnants exposed in the Saglek Block were emplaced 3.86 ± 0.01 billion yr (Ga) ago through partial melting of basaltic protoliths. The Hf isotope signature of the oldest zircon domains from the Saglek Block TTG indicates derivation from sources that did not undergo substantial Lu/Hf fractionation, resulting in initial Hf isotope compositions that are chondritic within uncertainty. The oxygen isotope ratios of the least disturbed zircon portions vary from 5.38 ± 0.16‰ to 6.64 ± 0.19‰ and document the interaction of the TTG protoliths with Earth's early hydrosphere at low temperature (≤150–200 °C) prior partial melting in the Eoarchean. The results support TTG production in the Eoarchean from variably hydrated basaltic protoliths.

Evidence for extremely rapid magma ocean crystallization and crust formation on Mars

The formation of a primordial crust is a critical step in the evolution of terrestrial planets but the timing of this process is poorly understood. The mineral zircon is a powerful tool for constraining crust formation as it can be accurately dated with the U-Pb system and is resistant to subsequent alteration. Moreover, the high concentration of Hf in zircon allow for the utilization of the 176Lu-176Hf decay system to determine the nature and formation timescale of its source reservoir1–3. Ancient igneous zircons with ages of ~4430 Ma have been reported in martian meteorites believed to represent regolith breccias from the southern highlands of Mars4,5. These zircons are present in evolved lithologies interpreted to reflect re-melted primary martian crust4 thereby potentially providing unique insights into early crustal evolution on Mars. Here, we report concomitant high-precision U-Pb ages and Hf-isotope compositions of ancient zircons from the NWA 7034 martian regolith breccia. Seven zircons with mostly concordant U-Pb ages define 207Pb/206Pb dates ranging from 4476.3±0.9 Ma to 4429.7±1.0 Ma, including the oldest directly dated material from Mars. All zircons record unradiogenic initial Hf-isotope compositions inherited from an enriched, andesitic-like crust extracted from a primitive mantle no later than 4547 Ma. Thus, a primordial crust existed on Mars by this time and survived for ~100 Myr before it was reworked, possibly by impacts4,5, to produce magmas from which the zircons crystallized. Given that formation of a stable primordial crust is the end product of planetary differentiation, our data require that the accretion, core formation and magma ocean crystallization on Mars was completed <20 Myr after Solar System formation. These timescales support models suggesting rapid magma ocean crystallization leading to a gravitationally unstable stratified mantle, which subsequently overturns resulting in decompression melting of rising cumulates and extraction of a primordial basaltic to andesitic crust6,7.

Picrite “Intelligence” from the Middle-Late Triassic Stikine arc: Composition of mantle wedge asthenosphere

Primitive, near-primary arc magmas occur as a volumetrically minor ≤100 m thick unit in the Canadian Cordillera of northwestern British Columbia, Canada. These primitive magmas formed an olivine-phyric, picritic tuff near the base of the Middle-Late Triassic Stuhini Group of the Stikine Terrane (Stikinia). A new 40Ar/39Ar age on hornblende from a cross-cutting basaltic dyke constrains the tuff to be older than 221 ± 2 Ma. An 87Sr/86Sr isochron of texturally-unmodified tuff samples yields 212 ± 25 Ma age, which is interpreted to represent syn-depositional equilibration with sea-water. Parental trace element magma composition of the picritic tuff is strongly depleted in most incompatible trace elements relative to MORB and implies a highly depleted ambient arc mantle. High-precision trace element and Hf-Nd-Pb isotopic analyses indicate an origin by mixing of a melt of depleted ambient asthenosphere with ≤2% of subducted sediment melt. Metasomatic addition of non-conservative incompatible elements through melting of subducted Panthalassa Ocean floor sediments accounts for the arc signature of the Stuhini Group picritic tuff, enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREE) relative to heavy rare earth elements (HREE) and high field strength elements (HFSE), and anomalous enrichment in Pb.The inferred Panthalassan sediments are similar in composition to the Neogene-Quaternary sediments of the modern northern Cascadia Basin. The initial Hf isotopic composition of the picritic tuff closely approximates that of the ambient Middle-Late Triassic asthenosphere beneath Stikinia and is notably less radiogenic than the age-corrected Hf isotopic composition of the Depleted (MORB) Mantle reservoir (DM or DMM). This suggests that the ambient asthenospheric mantle end-member experienced melt depletion (F ≤ 0.05) a short time before picrite petrogenesis. The mantle end-member in the source of the Stuhini Group picritic tuff is isotopically similar to the mantle source of enriched mid-ocean ridge basalts (E-MORB) erupted today at the southern end of the Explorer Ridge in northeastern Pacific Ocean. The isotopic similarity between the Middle-Late Triassic ambient mantle under Stikinia, and mantle presently tapped at the southern Explorer Ridge suggests that enriched domains in the northeastern Pacific mantle are long-lived (≥222 million years).

Widespread Neoarchean (~ 2.7–2.6 Ga) magmatism of the Yangtze craton, South China, as revealed by modern river detrital zircons

The Kongling Terrane, which is the Archean nucleus of the Yangtze craton, preserves Paleoarchean-Proterozoic rocks as old as 3.45Ga. However, the dominant stage of formation of this Archean terrane remains unclear. In this paper, U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopes of detrital zircons from two rivers and one stream in the northern part of the Kongling Terrane were studied by LA-ICP-MS and LA-MC-ICP-MS, respectively. These zircons show complicated internal structures in cathodoluminescence images, but the majority of them have linear or oscillatory zoning patterns, indicating magmatic origins. In general, the detrital zircons from these three local rivers show similar U-Pb age distributions. Together, they yield age peaks at 3.3–3.1Ga (5%), 3.0–2.8Ga (18%), 2.7–2.6Ga (30%), 2.6–2.2Ga (15%), 2.0–1.9Ga (27%), 1.9–1.7Ga (1%), 1.7–1.5Ga (2%), and 1.0–0.8Ga (1%). This age distribution implies that the North Kongling Terrane formed primarily during the Meso- to Neoarchean (3.0–2.6Ga). Lu-Hf isotopic data reveal predominant subchondritic to chondritic εHf(t) values (−11.3 to 0) for the Mesoarchean zircons, indicating the dominant role of crustal reworking during this period. In comparison, most Neoarchean zircons exhibit near chondritic to suprachondritic εHf(t) values (up to +7.4), suggesting juvenile crustal additions. The 2.0–1.9Ga zircons have similar initial Hf isotopic compositions as those of the 2.7–2.6Ga zircons, suggesting a metamorphic recrystallization origin. This observation further implies that the proportion of Neoarchean ages might be underestimated. Previous studies have reported several 2.7–2.6Ga Archean outcrops, minor detrital zircons in Precambrian sedimentary rocks and xenocrystal zircons in volcanic rocks from the Yangtze craton. Combined with our data, we propose that the 2.7–2.6Ga magmatism may have played an important role in forming the Kongling Terrane and have widely affected other parts of the Yangtze craton as well, similar to many other Archean cratons worldwide. The ~2.7–2.6Ga may correspond to the initial stabilization of the Archean nucleus of the Yangtze craton. Thereafter, this craton shows comparable 2.5–2.2Ga age records to the recently proposed Nunavutia supercraton, which could provide further clues to the early tectonic process of the Yangtze craton.

Hadean origins of Paleoarchean continental crust in the central Wyoming Province

The scarce remnants of Earth’s earliest history make it challenging to describe the crust-forming processes that operated during that time, and all evidence that survived subsequent tectonism and recycling deserves to be studied closely. We present geologic, petrologic, geochemical, and isotopic descriptions of Paleoarchean gneisses in the central Wyoming Province. We identify two groups of gneisses: a bimodal suite of amphibolite and tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) layered gneisses (3385−3450 Ma), and a suite of massive trondhjemite and granite gneisses (3300−3330 Ma). Here, 3.82 Ga inherited zircon components are present in several samples. Negative bulk rock initial e Nd values also indicate that older crust was involved. Oxygen isotopic compositions of zircon mainly fall within the range of mantle zircon δ 18 O values, but several analyses extend up to ∼6.5‰. Initial Hf isotopic compositions of 3.82 Ga zircon are negative and require derivation from Hadean crustal sources. Our data reveal the record of a 3.82 Ga differentiation event during which Hadean crust was partially melted, and zircon crystallized from those melts. Hadean crust must have persisted in the central Wyoming Province until 3.45−3.37 Ga, when mafic crust partially melted to form the TTG layered gneisses, which also incorporated the 3.82 Ga zircons. Subsequent intracrustal recycling at 3.33−3.30 Ga produced calc-alkalic granites. The central Wyoming Province provides a significant addition to the sparse record of Hadean crust being magmatically reworked to form the abundant quartzofeldspathic gneisses common in Archean terrains worldwide, which effectively transformed Earth’s evolving continental crust from mafic to felsic in composition.

Hybrid genesis of Jurassic fayalite-bearing felsic subvolcanic rocks in South China: Inspired by petrography, geochronology, and Sr–Nd–O–Hf isotopes

Fayalite-bearing felsic (FBF) magmatic rocks are a special type of granitic rocks with controversial origins. A suite of fayalite- and ferrosilite-bearing subvolcanic rocks, namely, the Xishan FBF rocks in South China, is investigated in this study. The Xishan FBF rocks have high SiO2 contents of 69–70wt.%, high K2O/Na2O ratios of 1.71–1.95, and high FeOt/(FeOt+MgO) ratios of 0.88–0.89. Fayalite (Fo=7.3–9.6) and ferrosilite (Fs=74.1–76.5) minerals are found in the Xishan FBF rocks. According to the Unmix function of Isoplot, the zircon U–Pb ages and initial Hf isotope compositions are categorized into two groups with ages of 156.6Ma and 151.5Ma and εHf(t) values of −7.1 and −5.2, respectively. The minerals show δ18O values of 8.8–9.8‰ for zircon, 6.0–8.1‰ for fayalite, and 7.0–8.2‰ for ferrosilite. The oxygen isotope fractionations between ferrosilite and fayalite (ΔOpx-Ol) vary from −0.8‰ to +1.5‰, which indicates disequilibrium crystallization. Whole-rock analyses show high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.7169 to 0.7180 and negative εNd(t) values of −7.3 to −6.8; zircon analyses show εHf(t) values of −9.1 to −3.8 and δ18O values of 8.8–9.8‰. So whole rock and zircon isotopes indicate a crustal signature. Based on these mineralogical and geochemical data, the Xishan FBF rocks were attributed to A-type granites and derived from the mixing of two batches of crustal magmas, which were all derived from the partial melting of ancient igneous protolith under the conditions of high temperature (683–893°C), moderate water (3–5wt.%), and low oxygen fugacity (lg fO2=−1.21). Such rigorous physical conditions may be common for the FBF igneous rocks all over the world, which may be the primary factors controlling occurrence of the FBF rocks in limited volume and quantity.

Trace elements and Hf isotope composition as indicators of zircon genesis due to the evolution of alkaline-carbonatite magmatic system (Ilmeny-Vishnevogorsky complex, Urals, Russia)

We present results of investigation of the trace-element (REE, HFSE) and Hf isotope compositions and U-Pb age of single zircons crystallized from alkaline-carbonatite magmas of the Ilmeny-Vishnevogorsky complex (IVC) (Urals, Russia). It has been established that the geochemical characteristics of the early zircon (U-Pb age of 430-410 Ma) from alkaline rocks and carbonatites of this complex are determined mainly by the magmatic evolution of parental fluid-saturated alkaline-carbonatite melts and are highly associated with the cocrystallization of zircon and uranium-containing rare-metal minerals (gatchettolite and pyrochlore) at the final stages of the magmatic-system activity. The early zircons have a moderately depleted Hf isotope composition (eHf from +11.3 to +4.7), confirming the mantle nature of the magma source and indicating the participation of DM-like and enriched-source (probably, lower-crust component) substances in the magma generation. The considerable variations in the initial Hf isotope composition of the early zircons testify to the multistage zircon crystallization involving new portions of melts with different isotope compositions controlled by mixing of substances at their source. Late IVC zircons (250-350 Ma) have strongly disturbed “rejuvenated” isotope systems and a geochemical composition different from that of the magmatic zircons. They formed apparently at the metamorphic stage of the IVC evolution without a significant input of additional material.

Jadeitite in the Syum-Keu ultramafic complex from Polar Urals, Russia: insights intofluid activity in subduction zones

New major, trace and rare earth element (REE) data, and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of jadeitite and REE-Hf-O isotopic compositions of zircon in jadeitite of the Syum-Keu ultramafic complex of the Polar Urals are used to constrain its origin and source. The jadeitites have high contents of Na 2 O (12.80–14.56 wt%), Al 2 O 3 (20.30–23.81 wt%), SiO 2 (58.47–59.50 wt%), and are enriched in Sr, Ba, Zr, Hf and depleted in Nb relative to primitive mantle values. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of the jadeitite display weakly U-shaped distribution patterns, with La N /Yb N ratios of 0.82–2.42, and very weak positive Eu anomalies (δEu = 1.2–1.6). The initial Sr isotopic compositions of the jadeitite range from 0.704000 to 0.703519 ( t = 368 Ma), and the initial Nd-isotope ratios (e Nd = +0.77 to +5.61) differ from those of ancient ocean water, oceanic sediments and eclogite, metagranite, and metasediments in the nearby Marun-Keu complex. Zircons from the jadeitite have variable REE contents (37–587 ppm) and are enriched in HREE, with La CN /Yb CN ratios ranging from 0.001 to 0.01, and Lu CN /Gd CN ratios ranging from 10 to 83. Cerium shows positive anomalies with Ce/Ce* values ranging from 2.8 to 72, and δEu from 0.53 to 1.02. The 176 Hf/ 177 Hf ratios of the zircons range from 0.282708 to 0.283017, with initial Hf isotope compositions ranging from 6.5 to 17.4. These characteristics resemble those of zircons from depleted mantle-derived magmas. The δ 18 O isotope compositions of the zircons range from 5.03‰ to 6.04‰, with an averaged value of 5.45 ± 0.11‰, similar to those of mantle rocks, suggesting that the zircons were acquired from precursor igneous rocks, and then transported and reworked by fluids from the subducting slab. Our new results show that the jadeitite was precipitated from material mainly produced by fluid interaction with mafic-ultramafic rocks in a subduction zone environment.

Clarifying the zircon Hf isotope record of crust–mantle evolution

Zircon has played a critically important role in our understanding of the growth and evolution of the Earth. The U–Pb isotope system as preserved in zircon, more than any other mineral or method, has provided the most precise geochronological constraints for timing of geological events and processes on the Earth. More recently, technological advances have allowed for the precise determination of the Hf isotope composition of zircon, a geochemical tracer that has provided important details on the Earth's chemical evolution, in particular the evolution of the crust–mantle system. When combined, U–Pb ages and Hf isotopes in zircons hold the promise of providing unprecedented resolution in the timing and processes of planetary differentiation. Nowhere is this more true than for the early history of the Earth, where younger tectonothermal processes have compromised the isotope information in bulk rock samples. With the promise of this integrated technique, however, lies numerous potential pitfalls in the acquisition and interpretation of these data. In this paper we review several important issues related to unraveling the complexities of integrated U–Pb age and Hf isotope datasets, especially with respect to understanding crust–mantle evolution. In particular, we address the potential difficulty of assigning accurate initial Hf isotope compositions as well as some of the inherent problems associated with so-called “depleted-mantle model ages”. Finally, we make some suggestions regarding the optimum analytical approach and presentation of the Hf (and Nd) isotope data to obtain the clearest record of Earth's chemical evolution.

In Situ Analyses of Trace Elements, U–Pb and Lu–Hf Isotopes in Zircons from the Tongshankou Granodiorite Porphyry in Southeast Hubei Province, Middle‐Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt, China

AbstractThe Tongshankou Cu‐Mo deposit, located in southeast Hubei province, is a typical skarn–porphyry type ore deposit closely related to the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry, characterized by a high Sr/Y ratio. Detailed in situ analyses of the trace elements and U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes in zircons from the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry were performed. Scarcely any inherited zircons were observed, and the analyzed zircons yielded highly concordant results with a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 143.5 ± 0.45 Ma (n=20, mean square weighted deviation was 0.75), which was interpreted to represent the crystallization age of the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry. The chondrite‐normalized rare‐earth element pattern was characterized by a slope that steeply rises from the light‐group rare‐earth elements (LREE) to the heavy‐group rare‐earth elements (HREE) with a positive Ce‐anomaly and inconspicuous Eu‐anomaly, which was coincident with the pattern of the zircons from the Chuquicamata West porphyry, Chile. The analyzed zircons also had relatively low 176Hf/177Hf ratios of 0.282526–0.282604. Assuming t=143 Ma, the corresponding calculated initial Hf isotope compositions (εHf(t)) ranged from −5.6 to −2.9. The results of the in situ analysis of trace elements and U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes in zircons from the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry suggest that a deep‐seated process involving a thickened‐crust/enriched‐mantle interaction may play an important role in the generation of high Sr/Y‐ratio magma and potentially in the generation of porphyry Cu‐Mo systems.

A subduction-related metasomatically enriched mantle origin for the Luoboling and Zhongliao Cretaceous granitoids from South China: implications for magma evolution and Cu–Mo mineralization

The Luoboling granodiorite porphyry and Zhongliao porphyritic biotite-granodiorite occur within the Zijinshan ore field in Fujian Province, southeast China. LA–ICP–MS zircon U–Pb dating yields ages of 103.1 ± 1.1 Ma (2σ, MSWD = 3.1) and 95.9 ± 0.6 Ma (2σ, MSWD = 1.2) for the Luoboling and Zhongliao intrusions, respectively. All rocks show high SiO2, K2O, and light rare earth element levels, variable CaO and Fe2O3 T, but low heavy rare earth element and high field strength element (Nb, Ta, Ti) concentrations. They also exhibit uniform initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7064–0.7068) and εNd(t) values (−4.0 to −2.6), falling within the compositional field of Cretaceous basalts and mafic dikes in the Cathaysia Block. Together with their relatively high Hf isotopic ratios (εHf(t) = −5.8 to +0.7), these data suggest that the Luoboling and Zhongliao intrusions were derived from a subduction-enriched mantle source. We infer fractional crystallization processes involving early fractionation of clinopyroxene and olivine, and subsequent fractionation of garnet forming the Luoboling granodiorite porphyry, eventually followed by amphibole- and biotite-dominated crystallization, with minor accessory mineral contribution, producing the (younger) Zhongliao porphyritic biotite-granodiorite. Asthenospheric mantle sources may have also contributed to generating the melts as indicated by initial Pb isotopic compositions and Hf isotopic compositions. The generation of these intrusions was associated with the Pacific subduction in an extensional setting during the Cretaceous.

Petrography and detrital zircon study of late Carboniferous sequences in the southwestern North China Craton: Implications for the regional tectonic evolution and bauxite genesis

The North China Craton (NCC) has been flanked by the North Qilian and North Qinling arc–accretionary belts to the south and southwest since ∼400Ma. The part of the NCC to the east of the Alax terrane (E-NCC) experienced a long sedimentary hiatus and tectonic quiescence between the Middle Ordovician and the late Carboniferous. The northern margin of the E-NCC was reactivated and uplifted with contemporaneous volcanism during the late Carboniferous, an event that partly induced the transformation of the E-NCC from an erosional platform to a continental sedimentary basin. However, the factors controlling this transformation are still not fully understood. A series of sedimentary rocks overlying Ordovician carbonates in the southwestern E-NCC contains a lower iron-oxide layer and an upper phyllosilicate layer. Detrital zircons from different parts of the profile, from the base to the top of the two layers, have similar U–Pb ages. These zircons have a minimum age of ca. 300Ma and a prominent peak at ca. 450Ma, with subordinate peaks at ca. 1000 and 2500Ma. The near-identical minimum age for the two layers suggests they were semi-simultaneously deposited in the late Carboniferous after the long hiatus in sedimentation. Detrital zircons with ages of ∼450Ma have initial Hf isotopic compositions that vary from large negative to elevated positive. These data, together with the trace element compositions of these zircons, indicate that these minerals formed in a continental arc environment. Samples from the upper sedimentary layer contain mica group minerals that are weakly buckled and fractured, and have weathered to form clay minerals, including chlorite and illite. This suggests that the protolith of this sedimentary layer was dominated by mica schist or mica-bearing granitoid that most likely located near the adjoined part between the North Qilian and North Qinling arc–accretionary belts. Detrital zircons with the youngest ages (ca. 300Ma) were considered to derive from the northern marginal region of the E-NCC, an area characterized by contemporaneous volcanism. The co-existence of the 450 and 300Ma groups of detrital zircons also suggests that the northern and southern marginal regions of the E-NCC underwent almost simultaneous late Carboniferous tectonic uplift and denudation, a tectonic change that led to the formation of the sedimentary basins within the E-NCC. Late Carboniferous phyllosilicate layers within the profile are likely to be the equivalent of economically important diaspore and clay dominated bauxites within the E-NCC, suggesting that the diaspore in these bauxites was derived from mica group minerals by resolution–precipitation processes.

Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotope systematics of the lunar Mg-suite: the age of the lunar crust and its relation to the time of Moon formation.

New Rb-Sr, (146,147)Sm-(142,143)Nd and Lu-Hf isotopic analyses of Mg-suite lunar crustal rocks 67667, 76335, 77215 and 78238, including an internal isochron for norite 77215, were undertaken to better define the time and duration of lunar crust formation and the history of the source materials of the Mg-suite. Isochron ages determined in this study for 77215 are: Rb-Sr=4450±270 Ma, (147)Sm-(143)Nd=4283±23 Ma and Lu-Hf=4421±68 Ma. The data define an initial (146)Sm/(144)Sm ratio of 0.00193±0.00092 corresponding to ages between 4348 and 4413 Ma depending on the half-life and initial abundance used for (146)Sm. The initial Nd and Hf isotopic compositions of all samples indicate a source region with slight enrichment in the incompatible elements in accord with previous suggestions that the Mg-suite crustal rocks contain a component of KREEP. The Sm/Nd-(142)Nd/(144)Nd correlation shown by both ferroan anorthosite and Mg-suite rocks is coincident with the trend defined by mare and KREEP basalts, the slope of which corresponds to ages between 4.35 and 4.45 Ga. These data, along with similar ages for various early Earth differentiation events, are in accord with the model of lunar formation via giant impact into Earth at ca 4.4 Ga.