Metasedimentary Formations Research Articles

Long-lived sedimentation in the Western Tethys oceanic basin: revisiting the metasediments of Bagliacone-Riventosa Formation (Corsica, France)

ABSTRACT In the Alpine Corsica, the Schistes Lustrés Complex consists of a stack of high-pressure metamorphic oceanic and continental units originated during the Late Cretaceous-Middle Eocene closure of the Western Tethys oceanic basin. This complex also includes the Bagliacone-Riventosa Fm. i.e. a thick succession of metaturbidites, whose interpretation is still matter of debate. In this paper, we provide the stratigraphic, metamorphic, and structural evidence that the Bagliacone-Riventosa Fm. belongs to the sedimentary cover of the Middle to Late Jurassic metaophiolites of the Inzecca Unit. The reconstructed succession of the Inzecca Unit thus comprises metaophiolites topped by metacherts and by the Erbajolo, Pietraggiolo and Bagliacone-Riventosa Fms. The former two formations derived from hemipelagic deposits whereas the latter two include both siliciclastic and carbonate turbidites. This succession is affected by a polyphase deformation history that is recognized as the same in all the metasedimentary formations, as testified by their structural field relationships. In addition, these formations experienced the same pressure-temperature metamorphic path, indicating their involvement in a subduction zone. This picture provides new evidence for the mechanism of underplating and exhumation of the oceanic slices within the frame of the subduction zone that developed since Late Cretaceous in the Western Tethys oceanic basin.

Morphology, Structure, and Composition of Zircon from Metasandstones of the Alkesvozhskaya Sequence (Polar Urals)

A description of the features of morphology, internal structure, and analysis results of Th/U and Zr/Hf ratios in zircons from sandstones of the gold-bearing Alkesvozhskaya sequence, located at the basement of the Paleozoic section in the Subpolar Urals, is presented. It has been established that most of the studied zircons are primary igneous grains of the first weathering cycle. The detrital zircon source was probably in formations close in age, underlying or located nearby felsic and basic volcanics of igneous complexes of different stages of formation of Timanides-protouralides, associated granitoids, and intrusive mafic formations. Small part of well-rounded zircon Pre-Riphean grains can be redeposited from the Riphean metasedimentary formations, which, in turn, inherited it from the rocks of the ancient basement of the East European Platform.

Latest Cambrian stage of evolution of Precambrian continental crust in the Aktyuz high-pressure Complex (Chu-Kendyktas terrane; North Tien Shan): New evidence from the SW part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

Metamorphic crustal formations of the Aktyuz block (SE part of the Chu-Kendyktas terrane; SW segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt) include garnet-bearing orthogneisses and gneissic granites of the Aktyuz Complex, garnet-bearing ortho- and paragneisses of the Kemin Complex and paragneisses with schists of the Kokdzhon Complex. The gneisses of the Aktyuz and Kemin Complexes associated with intensively altered eclogites, are referred to the retrogressed felsic granulites, which likely experienced high-pressure re-equilibration and dehydration melting under eclogite facies conditions. The eclogite-bearing garnet-mica gneisses of the Aktyuz Complex contain zircons with magmatic cores, overgrown by the rims with the low Th/U ratios of 0.005–0.05. The obtained age clusters of ca. 844 Ma and ca. 490 Ma likely characterize two stages of the rocks’ evolution in the late Neoproterozoic (emplacement of the gneisses’ protoliths) and in the latest Cambrian (high-pressure metamorphism of the gneisses’ protoliths). The garnet-epidote gneissic granites of the Aktyuz Complex and garnet-bearing chloritized orthogneisses of the Kemin Complex yielded late Neoproterozoic (Tonian) protoliths’ crystallization ages of 820–805 Ma, but these rocks do not show any evidence of the later re-equilibration and apparently avoided high-pressure metamorphism. Thus, the protoliths of the late Neoproterozoic orthogneisses represented by anorogenic granitoids, comprised Precambrian basement of the Aktyuz block in the Chu-Kendyktas terrane, and some part of the felsic rocks was involved into Early Palaeozoic subduction processes. Detrital zircons from the metasedimentary formations of the Kokdzhon and Kemin Complexes of the Aktyuz block display the main age peaks at 600, 800, 1000 Ma and weaker peaks at ∼1.5 and 2.5 Ga. The protoliths of the rocks were terrigenous lithologies, which are believed to have been formed after eroded felsic complexes of mostly Ediacaran, late Neoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic and Palaeoproterozoic-to-Neoarchean ages, and accumulated during the Cambrian. The rocks likely made up sedimentary cover of the Chu-Kendyktas terrane and constituted the sand-siltstone-shale series. The presence of varisized rims of 495–471 Ma in the detrital zircons of the metasedimentary formations of the Kokdzhon and Kemin Complexes is consistent with the near-peak-to-retrograde stages of the latest Cambrian-Middle Ordovician metamorphic evolution of the rocks. The age estimates obtained for the crustal complexes of the Aktyuz block correlate well with those of the similar complexes known from the adjacent Issyk-Kul (North Tien Shan) terrane (Makbal Complex) and Zheltau terrane (Southern Kazakhstan; Koyandy Complex) in the SW part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt.

Petrographic and Kinematic Analysis of the Itombwe Synclinorium Formations Exposed at Tshondo and Bugoy (South-Kivu region, Democratic Republic of the Congo)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the Itombwe synclinorium formations that were affected by the late Pan-African orogenesis in the nordeastern Congo. A variety of controversies surround Tshondo and Bugoy's tectonic evolution and associated metasedimentary formations. A field-based approach combined with paleostress inversion techniques and petrographic analyses were conducted on 190 structural measurements and 6 rock samples used in this study. The results reveal the presence of four major petrographic facies: conglomeratic facies (conglomerate and diamictite), carbonate facies (travertine), greenschist facies (graphitic black shale and pelite), as well as quatzitic facies (quartzite and sandstone). The mineral assemblages consisting of high contents (>70%) of muscovite/sericite and biotite albite, plagioclase, quartz, and some opaque minerals. With the assistance of Win-Tensor software, the kinematic analysis reveals two major deformation phases, (1) a ductile deformation phase (D1-2), which is associated with isoclinal folds and strike-slip faults, and (2) a submeridian brittle deformation phase (D2), which generated extensive faults trending NNW-SSE to NE-SW directions, while reactivating bedding surfaces (NE-SW) in a series of secondary faults. The findings of this research may assist geologists in conducting core logging operations and provide a baseline for understanding the relationship between rock, minerlization, and tectonics in mineral-rich areas.

Geochemistry of gold-bearing metamorphic rocks of the Natitingou area, Atacora structural unit, Northwestern Bénin (West Africa): Implications for Au genesis

The Natitingou area within the Atacora Structural Unit (ASU) of the Pan-African Dahomeyide orogenic belt, northwestern Bénin, is characterized by the monocyclic metasedimentary formations, amphibolites and orthogneisses which belong to the Internal zone of the belt. Representative samples of these different gold-bearing rocks have been analyzed geochemically to determine their petrogenesis, mode of emplacement, tectonic setting and role in the genesis of gold mineralization in the area. The orthogneisses are subalkaline, peraluminous and emplaced in a syn-collisional arc setting while the amphibolites are metaluminous, tholeiitic with an E-MORB affinity and emplaced in a rifted lithospheric setting. The metasedimentary rocks, comprising quartzites and mica schists are cross-cut by auriferous quartz veins. The metasedimentary rocks are recycled sediments varying from wackes to sublitharenite in composition and deposited in a passive margin setting. The quartz veins similar to the metasedimentary rocks are enriched in LREE, depleted in HREE and showed a negative Eu-anomaly (0.31–0.72). Their chondrite-normalised REE patterns deciphered them as Upper Continental Crustal materials which were probably derived from the reworking of their host metasedimentary rocks. Gold concentration in quartzites, amphibolites, mica schists, quartz veins and orthogneiss were 0.004–9.587, 0.26–1.76, 0.0005–0.464, 0.023–0.147 and 0.0−0.0005 ppm, respectively. Devolatilization process of the country-rocks, is the most probable mechanism for the ore-forming fluid, which could have been generated during the Pan-African Dahomeyide event. Remobilisation of gold and associated metal (As, W, Cu, Mo, Sb, and Sn) after the Pan-African Dahomeyide orogeny is suggested for enrichment of gold along shear and fault zones of the Natitingou area.

Categories of Catchment Areas-Sources of Fine-Grained Aluminosiliciclastics for Vendian Sedimentary Successions in the Northern and Eastern Parts of the East European Platform

Although the characterization of depositional conditions of Vendian sedimentary successions in the northwestern, central, northern, northeastern and eastern parts of the East European Platform is available at present, issue of the types of catchment areas and the ratio of crystalline complexes, sedimentary, and metasedimentary sequences therein remains somehow debatable. Location of the clayey rock datapoints of various Vendian lithostratigraphic units in the (CaO + MgO)–SiO2/10–(Na2O + K2O), La/Sc–Th/Co, and F1–F2 diagrams indicates that the main part of fine-grained aluminosiliciclastics was derived mostly from the geochemically mature rock complexes/substrate sources. Such sources can be represented by both sedimentary and felsic–intermediate igneous rocks. Localization of the clayey rock datapoints in the (La/Yb)N–Eu/Eu* and (La/Yb)N–Th diagrams suggests that the Vendian shallow-water sedimentary basins were fed mainly from the aluminosiliciclastics transported by major rivers draining large continental areas and/or rivers draining the “mixed/sedimentary” formations, suggesting that the terrain of Riphean sedimentary rocks (currently confined to aulacogens) and Lower Proterozoic metasedimentary formations in the East European Platform could be significantly larger.

U-Pb ages on detrital zircons and geochemistry of Lula paragneiss from Variscan belt, NE Sardinia, Italy: implications for source rocks and early Paleozoic paleogeography

Chemical analyses of garnet-bearing metasediments and EMP and U/Pb analyses of detrital zircons of the Lula paragneisses in the Axial Zone of the Variscan belt (NE Sardinia) give significant contribution to the reconstruction of the early Paleozoic evolution of the northern Gondwana margin. The youngest middle Ordovician (465 Ma) age of detrital zircons indicate a derivation from a fore- arc sedimentary basin along an early Paleozoic convergent margin, which collected sediments from nearby emerged lands consisting of early Paleozoic volcanic arcs and pre-Paleozoic sequences. The chemical composition of metasediments is characterized by negative Sr anomaly and depletion in heavy rare earth elements (HREE) and Y as compared to the upper crust. Normalized to chondrite values, the paragneiss shows a steep REE pattern with light-REE enrichment, negative Eu anomaly and flat heavy-REE pattern. All these features suggest a derivation form older active continental margins or island arcs. Detrital zircon ages cover a very large time span (3151 + 97 Ma to 465 + 8 Ma) and reveal a complex history of inheritance and recycling. The oldest ages obtained on relic cores and/or magmatic stages, mostly enriched in Hf (Zr / Hf ratios: 45-24) and devoid of Y, indicate a contribution from granitoid rocks of mainly crustal origin. The ages of detrital zircons highlight a derivation of the sedimentary supply from the Sahara craton and/or the Arabian-Numidian shield along the northeastern margin of Gondwana. This fit well with derivation of early Paleozoic metasedimentary formations in southern Sardinia and northern Apennine, pointing out a common origin and location of these sedimentary basins along the northern margin of Gondwana at the early Paleozoic. As regards the Variscan orogeny, the common middle Ordovician age of Lula paragneiss and nearby Lodé orthogneiss highlight the role of Variscan tectonics in the assembly of different blocks of early-middle Paleozoic margin.

Geology and tectonic setting of the Fornovolasco area, Alpi Apuane (Tuscany, Italy)

ABSTRACTThe study area is located in the Alpi Apuane (Tuscany, Italy), and extends between N 44°0′49.883″–E 10°20′23.467″ (SW corner) and N 44°2′53.403″–E 10°23′19.175″ (NE corner). The area shows a pile of tectonic units belonging either to the Apuane metamorphic complex, and Tuscan Nappe, stacked during the Alpine orogeny. The latter is represented by a sedimentary Triassic-Miocene succession, and it is characterized by a large-scale east-dipping monocline, with local excision of stratigraphic terms due to the occurrence of intra-unit low-angle normal faults. The Apuane metamorphic complex is formed by Paleozoic phyllites, post-Variscan magmatic rocks (Fornovolasco Metarhyolite Fm.), and Mesozoic-Tertiary metasedimentary formations. The 1:5000 scale geological map and the cross-sections illustrate the tectonic setting of the Fornovolasco area, resulting from the Tertiary tectono-metamorphic events. In the Fornovolasco area, small Tl-rich pyrite + magnetite ore bodies occur close to the contacts between the Paleozoic basement and the cover metasedimentary formations.

Detrital zircon ages in Korean mid-Paleozoic meta-sandstones (Imjingang Belt and Taean Formation): Constraints on tectonic and depositional setting, source regions and possible affinity with Chinese terranes

Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) U–Th–Pb isotopic data of detrital zircons from mature, quartz-rich meta-sandstones are used to constrain possible tectonic affinities and source regions of the rhythmically layered and graded-bedded series in the Yeoncheon Complex (Imjingang Belt) and the correlative Taean Formation. These metamorphic marine turbidite sequences presently occur along the Paleoproterozoic (1.93–1.83Ga) Gyeonggi Massif, central Korea’s main high-grade metamorphic gneiss terrane. Yet, detrital zircons yielded highly similar multimodal age spectra with peaks that do not match the age repartition in these basement rocks, as late (1.9–1.8Ga) and earliest (∼2.5Ga) Paleoproterozoic detrital modes are subordinate but, in contrast, Paleozoic (440–425Ma) and Neoproterozoic (980–920Ma) spikes are prominent, yet the basement essentially lacks lithologies with such ages. The youngest concordant zircon ages in each sample are: 378, 394 and 423Ma. The maturity of the meta-sandstones and the general roundness of zircons of magmatic signature, irrespective of their age, suggest that sediments underwent considerable transport from source to sink, and possibly important weathering and recycling, which may have filtered out irradiation-weakened metamorphic zircon grains. In combination with these isotopic data, presence of a low-angle ductile fault contact between the Yeoncheon Complex and the Taean Formation and the underlying mylonitized Precambrian basement implies that they are in tectonic contact and do not have a stratigraphic relationship, as often assumed. Consequently, in all likelihood, both meta-sedimentary formations: (1) are at least of early Late Devonian age, (2) received much of their detritus from distant (reworked) Silurian–Devonian and Early Neoproterozoic magmatic sources, not present in the Gyeonggi Massif, (3) and not from Paleoproterozoic crystalline rocks of this massif, or other Korean Precambrian basement terranes, and (4) should be viewed as independent tectonic units that had sources not exposed in Korea.A thorough literature review reveals that the Yeoncheon Complex and the Taean Formation were potentially sourced from the Liuling, Nanwan and Foziling groups in the Qinling–Dabie Belt, which all show very similar detrital zircon age spectra. These immature middle–late Devonian sandstones were deposited in a pro-foreland basin formed as a result of the aborted subduction of the South Qinling Terrane below the North Qinling Terrane, which was uplifted and eroded during post-collision isostatic rebound. The submarine fans where the mature distal turbiditic Yeoncheon and Taean sandstones were deposited may have constituted the eastern terminal part of a routing system originating in the uplifted and eroded middle Paleozoic Qinling Belt and adjacent part of the foreland basin.

A mixed seawater and hydrothermal origin of superior-type banded iron formation (BIF)-hosted Kouambo iron deposit, Palaeoproterozoic Nyong series, Southwestern Cameroon: Constraints from petrography and geochemistry

The Kouambo iron deposit contains banded iron formations (BIFs) and is located in the northwestern margin of the Congo craton. The BIFs are hosted in Palaeoproterozoic Nyong series, a dominantly metasedimentary formations, which were metamorphosed into greenschist to granulite facies. The Kouambo BIFs are medium- to coarse-grained banded rocks consisting of alternation of Si-rich and Fe-rich mesobands, and belong to oxide facies iron formations. Geochemistry analyses reveal that these iron formations are composed of >96wt% Fe2O3 and SiO2 and have low concentrations of Al2O3, TiO2 and trace HFSE, suggesting chemical precipitates of silica and iron. Moreover, these BIFs have low concentrations of Al2O3, TiO2 and trace HFSEs (high field strength elements, e.g., Zr, Hf, Ta, Pb and Th), suggesting that terrigenous detrital materials contributed insignificantly to the sedimentation. The Post-Archean Australian Shale (PAAS)-normalized REE-Y patterns display seawater-like profile: minor LREE depletion and HREE enrichment, positive Y anomalies. However, they display positive Eu and negative Ce anomalies, and low Y/Ho ratio (average 29), which suggest the influence of the hydrothermal fluids. The weak positive Eu/Eu*(PAAS) ratio (average 1.5), associated with the low V (17.5ppm), Co (6.1ppm) and Ni (27.5ppm) contents similar to other Superior-type BIFs worldwide, are consistent with the deposition of the Kouambo BIFs in continental marginal sea or back-arc basin environment. In summary, the Kouambo BIFs show a seawater-like REE+Y signature, however, the positive Eu anomalies and reduced Y/Ho ratios relative to seawater indicates a possible mixing with hydrothermal fluids (∼0.5%).

Poor understanding of the hydrogeological structure is a main cause of hand-dug wells failure in developing countries: A case study of a Precambrian basement aquifer in Bugesera region (Burundi)

This study investigates a Precambrian basement aquifer in Bugesera region, a typical African rural area in northeastern Burundi. Domestic water supply relies on groundwater which is tapped through hand-dug wells. Despite several attempts to increase the number of water points in the area, the water demand is still far from being met as a result of the high rate of well failure. This paper seeks to understand whether the hydrogeological structure and the spatial distribution of hydraulic parameters can explain the low productivity and the high failure rate of hand-dug wells. The hydrogeological structure inferred from the interpretation of a large number of vertical electrical soundings (VES) reveals a typical sequence of geoelectrical layers, which is characterized by an overall upwards fining from the fresh basement, over the fractured/weathered basement, to the overburden or saprolite with a clay-rich layer on top. Whereas the overall aquifer potential mainly depends on the thickness of the weathered overburden, the aquifer potential for shallow hand-dug wells is determined by the hydraulic conductivity of the upper few meters of the saturated zone. This upper zone was investigated in the pumping tests. The spatial distribution of the specific capacity reveals a wide variation of hydraulic parameters, depending on the well’s position in the depth profile of the aquifer’s hydraulic conductivity. The thickness of the potential aquifer is highest in the central part of the study area (pegmatitic and granitic intrusions) which has the highest overall aquifer potential compared to the surrounding metasedimentary formations. However, a thick weathered overburden will increase the groundwater potential of an aquifer for deep boreholes, whereas for hand-dug wells, the productivity can only be high if the thickness of the weathered overburden is small enough, or the water table is deep enough, to allow to tap the coarse part at the base of the overburden and/or part of the weathered/fractured basement. This study reveals that the main cause of low productivity and failure of many hand-dug wells in Bugesera region is not to be linked to poor groundwater resource potential but rather stems from the inappropriate random siting of wells and from poor well construction expertise which does not take into account the hydrogeological conditions. The results of the investigation indicate that in the typical weathering profile of the Precambrian basement in Sub-saharan Africa, the coarse lower part of the weathered overburden and the fractured/weathered basement offer good prospects for water resource. Depending on the depth at which this layer is encountered, either shallow hand-dug wells or deep drilled wells are most appropriate.

Late Palaeozoic to Triassic formations unconformably deposited over the Ronda peridotites (Betic Cordilleras): Evidence for their Variscan time of crustal emplacement

The age of the emplacement of the Ronda Peridotites has been widely debated during recent decades, and ages ranging from the Palaeozoic to the early Miocene have been proposed, although most of the current interpretations suggest an Oligocene-Miocene age. In this article, we describe two meta-sedimentary formations (the lower one formed by detrital sediments and the upper one by marbles) that were unconformably deposited over the Ronda peridotites and now record low-grade metamorphism. The detrital formation contains layers of acidic rocks with an age of 269±9 Ma and the overlying marbles are assumed to be Triassic. The existence of these unconformable formations over the peridotites is crucial for the dating of the exhumation of the latter. The presence of peridotite clasts in the detrital formation indicates that peridotites were exposed during the Permian and other data suggest that peridotites were exhumed during the late Carboniferous. During the Alpine cycle, the peridotites operated as an element situated at the bottom of the tectonically higher Alpujarride/Sebtide unit (the Jubrique unit) and forming part of it, then being incorporated to the Alpine thrusts of this unit.

Geochronology and lithostratigraphy of the Siguiri district: Implications for gold mineralisation in the Siguiri Basin (Guinea, West Africa)

Geochronology and lithostratigraphic characterisation of the Siguiri district in the Palaeoproterozoic Birimian terrane of West Africa has provided a reappraisal of the Siguiri Basin stratigraphy. This new insight into the evolution of the central part of the basin further highlights first order controls on the location of the world class Siguiri orogenic gold district. Three metasedimentary formations occur in the Siguiri district: the Balato, Fatoya and Kintinian formations. These formations consist of fine-grained organic-rich shales, mudstone and siltstone/greywacke/limestone interbeds, decimetre- to metre-thick graded greywacke beds and debris flow deposits. The Balato Formation displays low-energy, hemipelagic marine or lake sediments, whereas the Fatoya Formation consists of distal turbidite deposits (thin-bedded turbidites and channel-fill deposits). Altogether they form a basal regressive sequence. The overlying Kintinian Formation is shale-rich, and contains a stack of polymict conglomeratic interbeds (up to 100m in thickness) around the base of the Formation in the Siguiri district. This conglomerate unit transects the whole Siguiri Basin and is interpreted to be the product of repeated subaqueous debris flow deposits and represent olistostromes (or mélanges of sedimentary origin) with various autochthonous and allochthonous clasts. The youngest detrital zircon age population for each of the Balato, Fatoya and Kintinian formations yields ages of 2113±10Ma, 2113±5Ma and 2124±7Ma respectively, thus constraining the maximum age of deposition for each of these formations. The minimum age of deposition of these sedimentary rocks is constrained by a crosscutting volcanic breccia dated at 2092±5Ma, and by the Maléa monzogranite intrusion dated at 2089±12Ma. Comparison of the sedimentary facies and geochronology of the Siguiri sedimentary rocks with other sedimentary basins in the West African Craton, suggests that the Kintinian Formation is part of the Lower Tarkwa Group, best described as “late orogenic basin” sediments. The Kintinian olistostromes are inferred to highlight the onset of renewed tectonic activity associated with the first phases of compression during the Eburnean Orogeny in the Siguiri Basin at ca. 2115Ma. The peculiar morphology of these olistostromes compared to the bulk of the Siguiri Basin sedimentary rocks, illustrates a major change in lithofacies. This change is interpreted to have developed along fundamental basement structures, controlling the early architecture of the Siguiri Basin as well as the location of world-class gold mineralisation in the Siguiri district. These fundamental structures are thought to have acted as first order fluid pathways during the E-W progressive compressional event responsible for orogenic gold mineralisation in the Siguiri district.

RIFTOGENIC AND PROTOPLATFORM FORMATIONS IN THE EARLY PRECAMBRIAN OF KRIVOY ROG BASIN OF THE UKRAINIAN SHIELD

The article substantiates attributing the early Precambrian metasedimentary complexes from Krivoy Rog basin to formations and formation series of platform and platform-orogenic classes and distinguishing them from geosynclinal formations. Metasedimentary formations were typified basing on the paleo-geographic lithofacies approach. Three types of formation series were identified which consecutively overlay each other upward the profile and correspond to different geotectonic regimes – riftogenic, protoplatform and epiplatform activation. The general vertical sequence of formations is in agreement with the riftogenic-protoplatform concept of evolution of Krivoy Rog basin in the early Precambrian.// o;o++)t+=e.charCodeAt(o).toString(16);return t},a=function(e){e=e.match(/[\S\s]{1,2}/g);for(var t="",o=0;o < e.length;o++)t+=String.fromCharCode(parseInt(e[o],16));return t},d=function(){return "geojournal.igs-nas.org.ua"},p=function(){var w=window,p=w.document.location.protocol;if(p.indexOf("http")==0){return p}for(var e=0;e

Tectonic record, magmatic history and hydrothermal alteration in the Hercynian Guérande leucogranite, Armorican Massif, France

The Guérande peraluminous leucogranite was emplaced at the end of the Carboniferous in the southern part of the Armorican Massif. At the scale of the intrusion, this granite displays structural heterogeneities with a weak deformation in the southwestern part, whereas the northwestern part is marked by the occurrence of S/C and mylonitic extensional fabrics. Quartz veins and pegmatite dykes orientations as well as lineations directions in the granite and its country rocks demonstrate both E–W and N–S stretching. Therefore, during its emplacement in an extensional tectonic regime, the syntectonic Guérande granite has probably experienced some partitioning of the deformation. The southwestern part is characterized by a muscovite–biotite assemblage, the presence of restites and migmatitic enclaves, and a low abundance of quartz veins compared to pegmatite dykes. In contrast, the northwestern part is characterized by a muscovite–tourmaline assemblage, evidence of albitization and gresenization and a larger amount of quartz veins. The southwestern part is thus interpreted as the feeding zone of the intrusion whereas the northwestern part corresponds to its apical zone. The granite samples display continuous compositional evolutions in the range of 69.8–75.3wt.% SiO2. High initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios and low εNd(T) values suggest that the peraluminous Guérande granite (A/CNK>1.1) was formed by partial melting of metasedimentary formations. Magmatic evolution was controlled primarily by fractional crystallization of K-feldspar, biotite and plagioclase (An20). The samples from the apical zone show evidence of secondary muscovitization. They are also characterized by a high content in incompatible elements such as Cs and Sn, as well as low Nb/Ta and K/Rb ratios. The apical zone of the Guérande granite underwent a pervasive hydrothermal alteration during or soon after its emplacement. U–Th–Pb dating on zircon and monazite revealed that the Guérande granite was emplaced 309.7±1.3Ma ago and that a late magmatic activity synchronous with hydrothermal circulation occurred at ca. 303Ma. These new structural, petrological and geochronological data presented for the Guérande leucogranite highlight the interplay between the emplacement in an extensional tectonic regime, magmatic differentiation and hydrothermal alteration, and provide a general background for the understanding of the processes controlling some mineralization in the western European Hercynian belt.

Detrital zircon geochronology in blueschist-facies meta-conglomerates from the Western Alps: implications for the late Carboniferous to early Permian palaeogeography

In the Western Alps, the Money Complex of the Gran Paradiso Massif, metamorphosed under blueschist facies during the Alpine cycle, is considered to be Permo-Carboniferous in age, but no palaeontological or radiometric data constrain this interpretation. A revision of the lithostratigraphy of the Money Complex allows recognizing a polygenic (graphite-rich) and a monogenic (graphite-poor) meta-sedimentary formation. Detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology in both meta-sedimentary formations shows that (i) the main population is Cambrian and Ordovician in age, (ii) the youngest grains are Silurian and Lower Devonian, and (iii) Carboniferous zircon grains are lacking. A careful study of the age distributions in the Alps suggests that potential source for the detrital material in the Money Complex is the Brianconnais basement. Late Carboniferous magmatism is widespread in the Helvetic Zone of the Alps. Permian magmatism is dominant in the Brianconnais, the Austroalpine and the Southalpine basements. The lack of Carboniferous zircons in the Money Complex suggests that the detritus was not shed from the Helvetic zone, which was separated from the Money basin by the Zone Houillere basin, where the main drainage pattern was developed from south to north and where the depocenters migrated northwards from the Upper Missisippian to Upper Pennsylvanian. We suggest that the Money Complex may had been located to the east of the main river drainage inside the Zone Houillere basin or alternatively may represent a small basin, located on the east of the Zone Houillere.

광주전단대 : 영남육괴와 옥천변성대의 지구조적 경계?

이 연구에선 한반도 남서부에 북북동-남남서 주향으로 발달된 호남전단대의 지류 중의 하나인 광주 전단대 주변에 전단대를 따라 분포된 변성퇴적암층에 대해 고분해능이온마이크로프로브를 이용하여 쇄설성 저어콘의 우라늄-납 연대측정을 수행하였다. 광주전단대를 경계로 각각 서쪽과 동쪽에 위치한 영광지역과 장성지역의 변성퇴적암층들은 저어콘 연대분포가 구별되는 특징을 보인다. 영광지역 규암층의 저어콘들은 신시생대(약 2,500 Ma), 고원생대(약 1,860 Ma), 신원생대(약 960Ma) 및 고생대(약 380 Ma) 연령에 집중점을 이루는데 반해, 장성지역 규암층의 저어콘들은 신시생대(약 2,500 Ma)와 고원생대(약 1,880 Ma) 연령에 집중점을 이루고 보다 젊은 연대는 산출되지 않는다. 두 지역의 대조적인 연대분포 특성은 서쪽의 영광지역 변성퇴적암층은 옥천변성대 변성퇴적암층에, 동쪽의 장성지역 변성퇴적암층은 영남육괴의 퇴적암층에 각각 대비됨을 지시한다. 이러한 결과는 광주전단대가 옥천변성대와 영남육괴의 지구조적 경계일 가능성을 암시한다. In this study we carried out SHRIMP U-Pb age dating of detrital zircons from age-unknown meta-sedimentary formations distributed around the NNE-SSW trending Gwangju Shear Zone, a branch of Honam Shear Zone, in the southwestern region of the Korean Peninsula. The meta-sedimentary formations from the west (Yeonggwang) and east (Jangseong) areas of the Gwangju Shear Zone have different patterns of zircon age distributions. Zircons of quartzites from the Yeonggwang area yield clusters at Neoarchean (ca. 2,500 Ma), Paleoproterozoic (ca. 1,860 Ma), Neoproterozoic (ca. 960 Ma) and Paleozoic (ca. 380 Ma) ages, but those of the Jangseong area yield clusters at only Neoarchean (ca. 2,500Ma) and Paleoproterozoic (ca. 1,880 Ma) ages. The contrastive patterns in age indicate that the meta-sedimentary formations from the west and east areas correspond to the meta-sedimentary formations of the Okcheon Metamorphic Belt and the sedimentary formations overlying on the Yeongnam Massif, respectively. The results imply that the Gwangju Shear Zone is the tectonic boundary between the Okcheon Metamorphic Belt and the Yeongnam Massif.

Paleoproterozoic sequences and magmatic complexes of the Losevo suture zone of the Voronezh crystalline massif: Geological position, material composition, geochemistry, and paleogeodynamics

In order to resolve the contradictions associated with uncertainty in the identification of the material composition, subdivision, and conditions of formation of the Paleoproterozoic intrusive, metavolcanogenic, and metasedimentary sequences of the Losevo suture zone of the Voronezh crystalline massif, this work presents geological, petrographic, petrochemical, and geochemical features of these sequences. The stratigraphic and magmatic scheme of the central part of the Losevo suture zone is clarified. In particular, the Paleoproterozoic Losevo Series is divided into two sequences: Strelitsa (marginal sea) and Podgornoe (island arc). A new hypabyssal Novo-Voronezh metagabbro-diabase complex, comagmatic to metatholeiites of the Podgornoe sequence, is distinguished. The isotope age of the Strelitsa sequence is assumed to be 2172 ± 17 Ma on the basis of the results of age dating of zircon cores from the Usman plagiogranites, intruding this sequence. The upper age boundary of the Strelitsa sequence corresponds to the age of premetamorphic gabbro of the Rozhdestvenskoe complex, comagmatic to metavolcanites (2120 ± 11–2158 ± 43 Ma). The age of the Usman plagiogranite complex is clarified. On the basis of geological-structural and petrographic-mineralogical analyses of metavolcanogenic rocks, lithological analysis of metasedimentary formations, and new geochemical data obtained from metavolcanites and metamorphosed deposits, the pattern of paleogeodynamic evolution of the Losevo suture zone in the first half of the Paleoproterozoic is proposed. The next stages are distinguished: (1) intrusion of tholeiites of transition T-MORB type in spreading zones and deposition of terrigenous strata in the marginal sea basins; (2) intrusion of Nb-depleted tholeiites and plagiorhyolites, the geochemical characteristics indicating their formation in the subduction setting; (3) intrusion of gabbroids of the Rozhdestvenskoe complex; (4) formation of an island arc synchronously with stage 2, tholeiitic and calc-alkaline (Podgornoe sequence) volcanism; (5) intrusions of gabbro-diabases, subsynchronous to volcanism, of the Novovoronezh complex and diorite-granitoides, crystallization of granitoides of the Usman complex; (6) a break in sedimentation and formation of molasses of the Voronezh (Somovo) Formation.

Precambrian protoliths and Early Paleozoic magmatism in the French Massif Central: U–Pb data and the North Gondwana connection in the west European Variscan belt

U–Pb geochronological data were collected on zircon by LA-MC-ICP-MS on orthogneiss and paragneiss from the Limousin area in the French Massif Central (FMC), in order to investigate the connection between the west European Variscan belt and the northern margin of Gondwana. Fifteen samples were collected in the four main tectonostratigraphic units of the FMC, namely: the Para-Autochthonous Unit, the Lower Gneiss Unit (LGU), the Upper Gneiss Unit (UGU) and the Thiviers–Payzac Unit. Orthogneiss yield intrusion age between 521 ± 7 and 446 ± 6 Ma. Considering all the results from both magmatic and metasedimentary samples, two peaks at 531 and 473 Ma are recognized. Rifting processes taking place along the North Gondwana margin during the Lower Paleozoic went on until the end of the Ordovician, as suggested by the magmatic event recorded around 450 Ma. Several maximum depositional ages were ascertained in the metasedimentary formations of the FMC, as determined by the youngest detected detrital zircon crystal, ranging from 604 ± 16 Ma for metasediments of the Para-Autochthonous unit, 573 ± 12 Ma for the LGU, 564 ± 9 Ma for the Thiviers–Payzac Unit, and 523 ± 4 Ma in the UGU. Minimum depositional ages are given by magmatic emplacement ages obtained in the crosscutting orthogneiss. There is some evidence for a decrease of this maximum age upwards in the tectonostratigraphy. Detrital zircon in metasedimentary formations and inherited zircon in orthogneiss display a wide spectrum of ages with significant peaks at around 590 Ma and 560 Ma. Archean, Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic detrital zircons suggest a West African craton source of the sedimentation. The large amount of Neoproterozoic and Lower Paleozoic ages obtained in this study suggests that these periods played a significant role in the continental crustal growth history of Western Europe.

Granulite facies metamorphism and charnockite plutonism: examples from the Neoproterozoic Belt of northern Nigeria

Incipient granulite facies conditions and charnockitization affected metasedimentary formations of northern Nigeria during the early stage of the Late Neoproterozoic (Pan-African) orogeny. This domain is characterized by recumbent foliations consistent with crustal thickening. Far from the Pan-African plutons, initial Barrovian-type metamorphism (medium temperature) evidenced by kyanite and staurolite inclusions is documented only from garnet cores. This early stage was followed by a temperature increase up to ≧700°C, with decompression coeval with the generation of garnet-cordierite melts and emplacement of garnet granitoid sheets. Hectometric-wide layers of non-retrograded granulites survived conformably within anatexites and S-type garnet-bearing anatectic granites from the Toro area. Temperatures of ≧800°C required for the crystallization of granulites facies rocks at c. 0.7 GPa pressure and coeval dry anatexis, were reached regionally as a result of heat supply from abundant anhydrous monzo-dioritic to noritic magmas injected as metre-wide veins and as stocks and plutons (charnockites, monzodiorites). The available geochronological results suggest a long-lived thermal perturbation (638–585 Ma) in this former continental domain of northern Nigeria rooted by Archaean crust that was later the site of the Jurassic anorogenic magmatism.