Research Article| September 01, 2002 New U-Pb SHRIMP zircon ages of the Cape Granite Suite: implications for the magmatic evolution of the Saldania Belt. R. Scheepers; R. Scheepers Department of Geology, University of Stellenbosch, Private BagX1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa. e-mail: rsc@land.sun.ac.za Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. Armstrong R. Armstrong Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra 0200, A.C.T., Australia, e-mail: richard.armstrong@anu.edu.au. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information R. Scheepers Department of Geology, University of Stellenbosch, Private BagX1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa. e-mail: rsc@land.sun.ac.za R. Armstrong Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra 0200, A.C.T., Australia, e-mail: richard.armstrong@anu.edu.au. Publisher: Geological Society of South Africa First Online: 07 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1996-8590 Print ISSN: 1012-0750 © 2002, The Clay Minerals Society South African Journal of Geology (2002) 105 (3): 241–256. https://doi.org/10.2113/1050241 Article history First Online: 07 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation R. Scheepers, R. Armstrong; New U-Pb SHRIMP zircon ages of the Cape Granite Suite: implications for the magmatic evolution of the Saldania Belt.. South African Journal of Geology 2002;; 105 (3): 241–256. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/1050241 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietySouth African Journal of Geology Search Advanced Search Abstract This paper presents new U-Pb (SHRIMP) age data determined on zircon populations from the Cape Granite Suite. Three peraluminous granites of the Saldanha batholith, namely the Hoedjiespunt granite, the Seeberg granite and the Trekoskraal granite, representative of Phase I of the Cape Granite Suite magmatism, were selected for the study. The data obtained indicate magmatic crystallization ages of 552±4 Ma (Hoedjiespunt granite), 540±4 Ma (Seeberg granite) and 539±4 Ma (Trekoskraal granite). The maximum age of the Cape Granite Suite is therefore about 552 Ma, significantly younger than previous age determinations for the oldest Cape granite (the Hoedjiespunt granite). The Phase I ages for magmatism in the Saldanha batholith correspond with ages for the early phases of granite magmatism in the Darling batholith and the Peninsula pluton. Phase I magmatism, which lasted for approximately 5 to 21 million years (beginning at 552±4 Ma and ending at 539±4 Ma), was characterized by the emplacement of peraluminous granites. This stage was followed by metaluminous magmatism with the entire time span of granitic magmatism in the Saldania Belt being restricted to about a 30 to 44 million year duration i.e. the difference between the ages of the 552Ma Hoedjiespunt granite and the 515 Ma Postberg ignimbrites. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.