The Neoproterozoic Malani magmatism of the northwestern Indian shield: implications for crust-building processes

Malani is the largest event of anorogenic felsic magmatism (covering ∼50, 000 km²) in India. This magmatic activity took place at ∼750 Ma post-dating the Erinpura granite (850 Ma) and ended prior to Marwar Supergroup (680 Ma) sedimentation. Malani eruptions occurred mostly on land, but locally sub-aqueous conditions are shown by the presence of conglomerate, grits and pillow lava. The Malani rocks do not show any type of regional deformation effects. The Malanis are characterised by bimodal volcanism with a dominant felsic component, followed by granitic plutonism and a terminal dyke phase. An angular unconformity between Malani lavas and basement is observed, with the presence of conglomerate at Sindreth, Diri, and Kankani. This indicates that the crust was quite stable and peneplained prior to the Malani activity. Similarly, the absence of any thrust zone, tectonic mélange and tectonised contact of the Malanis with the basement goes against a plate subduction setting for their genesis. After the closure of orogenic cycles in the Aravalli craton of the northwestern shield, this anorogenic intraplate magmatic activity took place in a cratonic rift setting under an extensional tectonic regime.     

Neoproterozoic/Lower Palaeozoic Events in Central Dronning Maud Land (East Antarctica)

New geochronological data indicate that central Dronning Maud Land in East Antarctica underwent polyphase Neoproterozoic/Lower Palaeozoic metamorphism that can be correlated with the final amalgamation of E- and W-Gondwana. Central Dronning Maud Land most probably represents part of the southern continuation of the Mozambique Belt into E-Antarctica. The Neoproterozoic/Lower Palaeozoic metamorphism is preceded by a period of anorogenic anorthosite-charnockite magmatism at ca. 600 Ma. Polyphase metamorphism is recorded from ca. 580 to 515 Ma. Voluminous syntectonic magmatism has been documented at ca. 530 Ma, which is probably the most voluminous Neoproterozoic/Lower Palaeozoic syntectonic magmatism so far recorded in E-Antarctica. The Neoproterozoic/Lower Palaeozoic structural evolution evolved in an overall sinistral transpressional setting, and thus can be correlated with the broad tectonic setting of the Mozambique Belt in Africa.     

Tectonic setting of the Balaram-Kui-Surpagla-Kengora granulites of the South Delhi Terrane of the Aravalli Mobile Belt,NW India and its implication on correlation with the East African Orogen in the Gondwana assembly

Granulites are developed in various tectonic settings and during different geological periods, and have been used for continental correlation within supercontinent models. In this context the Balaram-Kui-Surpagla-Kengora granulites of the South Delhi Terrane of the Aravalli Mobile Belt of northwestern India are significant. The granulites occur as shear zone bounded lensoidal bodies within low-grade rocks of the South Delhi Terrane and comprise pelitic and calcareous granulites, a gabbro-norite-basic granulite suite and multiple phases of granites of the Ambaji suite. The granulites have undergone three major phases of folding and shearing. The F₁ and F₂ folds are coaxial along NE-SW axis, and F₃ folds are developed across the former along NW-SE axis. Thus, various types of interference patterns are produced. The granulite facies metamorphism is marked by a spinel–cordierite–garnet–sillimanite–quartz assemblage with melt phase and is synkinematic to the F₁ phase of folding. The peak thermobarometric condition is set at ≥850 °C and 5.5–6.8 kb. The granulites have been exhumed through thrusting along multiple ductile shear zones during syn- to post-F₂ folding. Late-stage shearing has produced cataclasites and pseudotachylites. Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) U–Pb dating of zircon from pelitic granulites and synkinematically emplaced granites indicate that: (1) the sedimentary succession of the South Delhi Terrane was deposited between 1240 and 860 Ma with detritus derived from magmatic sources with ages between 1620 and 1240 Ma; (2) folding and granulite metamorphism have taken place between ca. 860 and 800 Ma, and exhumation at around ca. 800–760 Ma; and (3) the last phase of granitic activity occurred at ca. 759 Ma. This shows, for the first time, that the granulites of the South Delhi Terrane are much younger than those of the Sandmata Granulite Complex of the northern part of the Aravalli Mobile Belt, the Saussar granulites of the Central India Mobile Belt and the Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt. Instead, they show similarities to the Neoproterozoic granulites of the Circum Indian Orogens that include the East African Orogen (East Africa and Madagascar), the Southern Granulite Terrane of India and much of Sri Lanka. We suggest that the South Delhi Basin probably marks a trace of the proto-Mozambique Ocean in NW India within Gondwana, that closed when the Marwar Craton, arc fragments (Bemarivo Belt in Madagascar and the Seychelles) and components of the Arabian-Nubian Shield collided with the Aravalli-Bundelkhand Protocontinent at ca. 850–750 Ma.     

Rb-Sr Isotope Dating of Neoproterozoic (Malani Group) Magmatism from Southwest Rajasthan, India: Evidence of Younger Pan-African Thermal Event by Ar-Ar Studies

This paper reports Rb-Sr isotope ages of the Neoproterozoic volcanics, and associated granitoids of the trans-Aravalli belt of northwestern India. All these rocks along with the earlier reported 779±10 Ma old felsic volcanics from Diri, and Gurapratap Singh of Pali district, Rajasthan, constitute the Malani Group. The study indicates that different rock suites belonging to the Malani Group represent a polyphase igneous activity which spanned for about 100 Ma ranging from 780 to 680 Ma. The granitoids of the Malani Group, i.e. peraluminous Jalore type, and peralkaline Siwana type, were emplaced around 730, and 700 Ma ago, respectively. These plutonic suites represent two different magmatic episodes within a short time interval. The initial Sr ratios of these granitoids suggest lower crustal derivation of the magma. The peralkaline granitoids, and the associated peralkaline rhyolites (pantellerites) are coeval, and cogenetic. The ultrapotassic rhyolite exposed at Manihari of Pali district represents the youngest magmatic activity at 681±20 Ma, having a very high initial Sr ratio of 0.7135±0.0033. The high initial Sr ratio of these rocks may be due to incorporation of radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr from the country rock, by assimilation or fusion, into the residual fraction of the magma in the crust which gave rise to other differentiated rocks of the Group.⁴⁰Ar³⁹Ar studies of two Jalore granite samples indicate presence of post crystallisation thermal disturbance between 500550 Ma ago. The timing of this thermal overprinting on the Malani rocks is related to the widespread Pan-African thermo-tectonic event which is witnessed, and magmatically manifested in different part of the Indian shield.     

SHRIMP U–Pb zircon geochronology of high-grade rocks and charnockites from the eastern Amery Ice Shelf and southwestern Prydz Bay, East Antarctica: Constraints on Late Mesoproterozoic to Cambrian tectonothermal events related to supercontinent assembly

The eastern Amery Ice Shelf (EAIS) and southwestern Prydz Bay are situated near the junction between the Late Neoproterozoic/Cambrian high-grade complex of the Prydz Belt and the Early Neoproterozoic Rayner Complex. The area contains an important geological section for understanding the tectonic evolution of East Antarctica. SHRIMP U–Pb analyses on zircons of felsic orthogneisses and mafic granulites from the area indicate that their protoliths were emplaced during four episodes of ca. 1380 Ma, ca. 1210–1170 Ma, ca. 1130–1120 Ma and ca. 1060–1020 Ma. Subsequently, these rocks experienced two episodes of high-grade metamorphism at > 970 Ma and ca. 930–900 Ma, and furthermore, most of them (except for some from the Munro Kerr Mountains and Reinbolt Hills) were subjected to high-grade metamorphic recrystallization at ca. 535 Ma. Two suites of charnockite, i.e. the Reinbolt and Jennings charnockites, intrude the Late Mesoproterozoic/Early Neoproterozoic and Late Neoproterozoic/Cambrian high-grade complexes at > 955 Ma and 500 Ma, respectively. These, together with associated granites of similar ages, reflect late- to post-orogenic magmatism occurring during the two major orogenic events. The similarity in age patterns suggests that the EAIS–Prydz Bay region may have suffered from the same high-grade tectonothermal evolution with the Rayner Complex and the Eastern Ghats of India. Three segments might constitute a previously unified Late Mesoproterozoic/Early Neoproterozoic orogen that resulted from the long-term magmatic accretion from ca. 1380 to 1020 Ma and eventual collision before ca. 900 Ma between India and the western portion of East Antarctica. The Prydz Belt may have developed on the eastern margin of the Indo-Antarctica continental block, and the Late Neoproterozoic/Cambrian suture assembling Indo-Antarctica and Australo-Antarctica continental blocks should be located southeastwards of the EAIS–Prydz Bay region.     

中国东北地区泛非造山岩浆活动的记录:来自扎兰屯地区铜山组碎屑锆石年代学和Hf同位素的证据

本文报道了内蒙古扎兰屯地区铜山组的碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素分析结果,首次发现中国东北地区记录了泛非造山岩浆事件,并探讨了中国东北微陆块的构造归属。年代学研究表明:(1)扎兰屯地区铜山组碎屑岩最年轻锆石年龄峰值为569 Ma,与泛非造山岩浆活动(东、西冈瓦纳大陆碰撞?拼贴事件)的时代一致;其他3个峰期年龄为873 Ma、1847 Ma和2073 Ma,与兴安?艾力格庙地块东北部的基底年龄相对应。(2)锆石Hf同位素显示兴安?艾力格庙地块与松辽?浑善达克地块新元古代早期年龄峰值(~900 Ma)的εHf(t)值有正有负,二阶段模式年龄反映其是古元古代地壳再造的产物;额尔古纳地块新元古代(~800 Ma)岩浆岩的εHf(t)值为正高值,二阶段模式年龄与形成年龄相近,为中元古代地壳物质再造的产物,与兴安?艾力格庙和松辽?浑善达克地块的新元古代早期基底存在明显差异。(3)兴安?艾力格庙地块和松辽?浑善达克地块均记录了泛非造山岩浆事件,揭示其与冈瓦纳大陆东北部存在亲缘性。     

Fluid inclusion,geochemical, Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd isotope studies on tungsten mineralized Degana and Balda granites of the Aravalli craton,NW India

Granitic plutons occurring within and to the west of the Delhi Fold Belt in the Aravalli craton, northwestern India are the result of widespread felsic magmatism during Neoproterozoic, some of which are associated with greisen and skarn tungsten deposits. In this paper, we present the result of our study on fluid inclusions, geochemistry and geochronology of two such tungsten mineralized granite plutons at Degana and Balda, and interpret the nature of ore fluid, and petrogenesis and age of these mineralized granites. Fluid inclusion study reveals coexistence of moderate and hyper-saline aqueous fluid inclusions along with aqueous-carbonic inclusions, suggesting their origin due to liquid immiscibility during fluid–rock interaction. Geochemically, the granites are peraluminous, Rb enriched, Sr and Ba depleted and highly differentiated. The Rb–Sr isotopic systematics yielded \(795\pm 11\) Ma for Balda granite and \(827\pm 8\) Ma for Degana granite. We show that major phase of widespread granitoid magmatism and mineralization during the Neoproterozoic (840–790 Ma) in NW India is coeval with breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent and infer a causal relationship between them.     

Tectonic implications of new single zircon Pb-Pb evaporation data in the Lossogonoi and Longido ruby-districts,Mozambican metamorphic Belt of north-eastern Tanzania

Three single zircon Pb-Pb evaporation dating studies were performed on felsic orthogneisses and migmatites from the Longido and Lossogonoi ruby districts, Mozambique Belt of north-eastern Tanzania, in order to better constrain the geological setting of gemstone mineralizations. Igneous emplacement ages of protoliths ranging between 2636 and 2448 Ma document for the first time the presence of a Neoarchean to Lower Paleoproterozoic (Siderian) basement reworked in the Late Neoproterozoic Mozambique Belt of north-eastern Tanzania. This ancient crust of unknown dimension is well documented farther south, but also in south-eastern Kenya. A shearing event under high-grade amphibolite facies conditions, postdating the Pan-African metamorphic peak at 640 Ma and following nappes emplacement is demonstrated at ca. 610 Ma from metamorphic zircons of Lossogonoi district. In Lossogonoi district, ruby crystallizes during this last stage of deformation.     

The basement of the Punta del Este Terrane (Uruguay): an African Mesoproterozoic fragment at the eastern border of the South American R��o de La Plata craton

The Punta del Este Terrane (eastern Uruguay) lies in a complex Neoproterozoic (Brasiliano/Pan-African) orogenic zone considered to contain a suture between South American terranes to the west of Major Gercino?CSierra Ballena Suture Zone and eastern African affinities terranes. Zircon cores from Punta del Este Terrane basement orthogneisses have U?CPb ages of ca. 1,000?Ma, which indicate an lineage with the Namaqua Belt in Southwestern Africa. U?CPb zircon ages also provide the following information on the Punta del Este terrane: the orthogneisses containing the ca. 1,000?Ma inheritance formed at ca. 750?Ma; in contrast to the related terranes now in Africa, reworking of the Punta del Este Terrane during Brasiliano/Pan-African orogenesis was very intense, reaching granulite facies at ca. 640?Ma. The termination of the Brasiliano/Pan-African orogeny is marked by formation of acid volcanic and volcanoclastic rocks at ca. 570?Ma (Sierra de Aguirre Formation), formation of late sedimentary basins (San Carlos Formation) and then intrusion at ca. 535?Ma of post-tectonic granitoids (Santa Teresa and José Ignacio batholiths). The Punta del Este Terrane and unrelated western terranes represented by the Dom Feliciano Belt and the Río de La Plata Craton were in their present positions by ca. 535?Ma.     

Paleomagnetic analysis of the Marwar Supergroup,Rajasthan, India and proposed interbasinal correlations

The Marwar Supergroup refers to a 1000–2000 m thick marine and coastal sequence that covers a vast area of Rajasthan in NW–India. The Marwar Basin uncomformably overlies the ∼750–770 Ma rocks of the Malani Igneous Suite and is therefore considered Late Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian in age. Upper Vindhyan basinal sediments (Bhander and Rewa Groups), exposed in the east and separated by the Aravalli–Delhi Fold Belt, have long been assumed to coeval with the Marwar Supergroup. Recent studies based on detrital zircon populations of the Marwar and Upper Vindhyan sequences show some similarity in the older populations, but the Vindhyan sequence shows no zircons younger than 1000 Ma whereas samples taken from the Marwar Basin show distinctly younger zircons. This observation led to speculation that the Upper Vindhyan and Marwar sequences did not develop coevally.While there are alternative explanations for why the two basins may differ in their detrital zircon populations, paleomagnetic studies may provide independent evidence for differences/similarities between the assumed coeval basins. We have collected samples in the Marwar Basin and present the paleomagnetic results. Previous paleomagnetic studies of Marwar basinal sediments were misinterpreted as being indistinguishable from the Upper Vindhyan sequence. The vast majority of our samples show directional characteristics similar to the previously published studies. We interpret these results to be a recent overprint. A small subset of hematite-bearing rocks from the Jodhpur Formation (basal Marwar) exhibit directional data (Dec = 89° Inc = −1° α95 = 9°) that are distinct from the Upper Vindhyan pole and may offer additional support for temporally distinct episodes of sedimentation in these proximal regions. A VGP based upon our directional data is reported at 1°S 344°E (dp = 5°, dm = 9°). We conclude that the Marwar Supergroup developed near the close of the Ediacaran Period and is part of a larger group of sedimentary basins that include the Huqf Supergroup (Oman), the Salt-Range (Pakistan), the Krol–Tal belt (Himalayas) and perhaps the Molo Supergroup (Madagascar).     

Petrology,geochemistry, and zircon U-Pb geochronology of the Zambezi Belt in Zimbabwe: Implications for terrane assembly in southern Africa

The Zambezi Belt in southern Africa has been regarded as a part of the 570-530 Ma Kuunga Orogen formed by a series of collision of Archean cratons and Proterozoic orogenic belts.Here,we report new petrological,geochemical,and zircon U-Pb geochronological data of various metamorphic rocks(felsic to mafic orthogneiss,pelitic schist,and felsic paragneiss) from the Zambezi Belt in northeastern Zimbabwe,and evaluate the timing and P-T conditions of the collisional event as well as protolith formation.Geochemical data of felsic orthogneiss indicate within-plate granite signature,whereas those of mafic orthogneiss suggest MORB,ocean-island,or within-plate affinities.Metamorphic P-Testimates for orthogneisses indicate significant P-T variation within the study area(700-780 C/6.7-7.2 kbar to 800-875 C/10-11 kbar) suggesting that the Zambezi Belt might correspond to a suture zone with several discrete crustal blocks.Zircon cores from felsic orthogneisses yielded two magmatic ages:2655±21 Ma and 813士5 Ma,which suggests Neoarchean and Early Neoproterozoic crustal growth related to within-plate magmatism.Detrital zircons from metasediments display various ages from Neoarchean to Neoproterozoic(ca.2700-750 Ma).The Neoarchean(ca.2700-2630 Ma) and Paleoproterozoic(ca.2200-1700 Ma) zircons could have been derived from the adjacent Kalahari Craton and the Magondi Belt in Zimbabwe,respectively.The Choma-Kalomo Block and the Lufilian Belt in Zambia might be proximal sources of the Meso-to Neoproterozoic(ca.1500-950 Ma) and early Neoproterozoic(ca.900-750 Ma) detrital zircons,respectively.Such detrital zircons from adjacent terranes possibly deposited during late Neoproterozoic(744-670 Ma),and subsequently underwent highgrade metamorphism at 557-555 Ma possibly related to the collision of the Congo and Kalahari Cratons during the latest Neoproterozoic to Cambrian.In contrast,670-627 Ma metamorphic ages obtained from metasediments are slightly older than previous reports,but consistent with~680-650 Ma metamorphic ages reported from different parts of the Kuunga Orogen,suggesting Cryogenian thermal events before the final collision.     

The Phanerozoic Reconstitution of Indian Shield as the Aftermath of Break-up of the Gondwanaland

The Indian crust, generally regarded as a stable continental lithosphere, experienced significant tectono-thermal reconstitution during the Phanerozoic. The earliest Phanerozoic tectonic process, which grossly changed the geological and geophysical character of the Precambrian crust, was during the Jurassic when this crustal block broke up from the Gondwana Supercontinent. There were two earlier abortive attempts to fragment the supercontinent in the Palaeozoic. Different types of geological processes were associated with these aborted events. The first was the intrusion of anorogenic alkali granites during the Early Palaeozoic (at 500±50 Ma), while the second was linked with formation of the Gondwana rift basins during Late Palaeozoic. The tectonic history of the Indian Shield subsequent to its separation from the Gondwanaland at around 165 Ma is a complex account of its northward journey, which was culminated with its collision with the northern continental blocks producing the mighty Himalayas in the process. Considerable reconstitution of the Indian Shield took place due to magma underplating when this lithospheric block passed over the four mantle plumes. While the underplating events grossly changed the geophysical character of the Indian Shield in isolated patches, the propagation of the underplated materials was assisted by the deep crustal fractures (geomorphologically expressed as lineaments), which formed during the break-up of the Gondwanaland. Several of these deep fractures evolved through the reactivation of the pre-existing (Precambrian) tectonic grains, while some others developed as new fractures in response to either the extensional stresses generated during the supercontinental break-up or the plume-lithosphere reactions. Significant geomorphological changes occurred in peninsular India subsequent to the continental collision. Most of these changes were brought about by the movements along the lineaments, which fragmented the Indian Shield into a number of rigid crustal blocks. The present day seismic behaviour of the Indian Shield is a reflection of movements of the rigid crustal blocks relative to each other. An interesting feature of the Phanerozoic geological history of the Indian Shield is the evolution of a number of sedimentary basins under different tectono-thermal regimes.     

Geochronology of carbonatites from the Canadian and Baltic Shields, and the Canadian Cordillera: clues to mantle evolution

Carbonatites are known to range in age from the Archean through to the Recent, with an increasing abundance towards more recent times. Of the known 500 or so carbonatites, however, few have been precisely dated. In this paper, some new, precise U/Pb, Th/Pb as well as Pb/Pb dates from several carbonatite complexes from Europe and North America are presented and used to establish important reference points in defining mantle perturbations. Events at 2617, 1964, 583 and 382 Ma are now firmly established for the Fennoscandian Shield, while several distinct events of 2680 Ma, and between 1897–1881 and 1164–1083 Ma are documented for the Canadian Shield. Other, less well-defined, events in Canada include magmatism at 1770 Ma from Argor, 570 Ma from Manitou Islands, and an event at 360 Ma from the Canadian Cordillera. One carbonatite from the Ukrainian Shield (Chernigovka) has been precisely dated at 2074 Ma. Events from the Fennoscandian Shield also include carbonatitic magmatism at 1792 Ma from Halpanen, and between 386 and 377 Ma from Kola. Most of these events from quite distinct Archean cratons can be correlated with LIPs and associated mafic magmatism, such as flood basalts and regional dyke swarms, generally considered to be the result of plume magmatism and associated continental fragmentation. Few mafic events are associated with the post-orogenic shoshonitic magmatism at ca. 1800 Ma for the Fennoscandian Shield and the Devonian continental margin extension in the Canadian Cordillera.     

Evidence for Neoproterozoic Continental Arc Magmatism in the Santa Quitéria Batholith of Ceará State,NW Borborema Province,NE Brazil: Implications for the Assembly of West Gondwana

Recent field investigations and geochronological studies of Neoproterozoic rocks in the northwestern part of the Borborema Province, Ceará State, NE Brazil provide important clues pertaining to the nature of convergence between the Borborema Province and the West African-São Luis craton during the assembly of West Gondwana. U-Pb zircon data indicate that the earliest evidence of convergent magmatism along the northwest margin of the Borborema Province occurred around 777 Ma, and was followed by the development of a large continental arc batholith (Santa Quitéria batholith) between ca. 665 and 591 Ma within the central part of Ceará State. These findings, along with supporting geophysical data, suggest that convergence between the Borborema Province and the West African-São Luis craton involved closure of an oceanic realm with subduction polarity to the southeast beneath the northwestern part of the province. Consequently, it seems likely that the Pharusian Ocean was continuous from the Hoggar Province in West Africa into South America during the late Neoproterozoic and additional data suggests that it may have even been connected with the Goianides Ocean of the Brasília Belt farther to the southwest.     

Geochronology of the Precambrian crust in the Mozambique belt in NE Mozambique, and implications for Gondwana assembly

Zircon and monazite U–Pb data document the geochronology of the felsic crust in the Mozambique Belt in NE Mozambique. Immediately E of Lake Niassa and NW of the Karoo-aged Maniamba Graben, the Ponta Messuli Complex preserves Paleoproterozoic gneisses with granulite-facies metamorphism dated at 1950 ± 15 Ma, and intruded by granite at 1056 ± 11 Ma. This complex has only weak evidence for a Pan-African metamorphism. Between the Maniamba Graben and the WSW–ENE-trending Lurio (shear) Belt, the Unango and Marrupa Complexes consist mainly of felsic orthogneisses dated between 1062 ± 13 and 946 ± 11 Ma, and interlayered with minor paragneisses. In these complexes, an amphibolite- to granulite-facies metamorphism is dated at 953 ± 8 Ma and a nepheline syenite pluton is dated at 799 ± 8 Ma. Pan-African deformation and high-grade metamorphism are more intense and penetrative southwards, towards the Lurio Belt. Amphibolite-facies metamorphism is dated at 555 ± 11 Ma in the Marrupa Complex and amphibolite- to granulite-facies metamorphism between 569 ± 9 and 527 ± 8 Ma in the Unango Complex. Post-collisional felsic plutonism, dated between 549 ± 13 and 486 ± 27 Ma, is uncommon in the Marrupa Complex but common in the Unango Complex. To the south of the Lurio Belt, the Nampula Complex consists of felsic orthogneisses which gave ages ranging from 1123 ± 9 to 1042 ± 9 Ma, interlayered with paragneisses. The Nampula Complex underwent amphibolite-facies metamorphism in the period between 543 ± 23 to 493 ± 8 Ma, and was intruded by voluminous post-collisional granitoid plutons between 511 ± 12 and 508 ± 3 Ma. In a larger context, the Ponta Messuli Complex is regarded as part of the Palaeoproterozoic, Usagaran, Congo-Tanzania Craton foreland of the Pan-African orogen. The Unango, Marrupa and Nampula Complexes were probably formed in an active margin setting during the Mesoproterozoic. The Unango and Marrupa Complexes were assembled on the margin of the Congo-Tanzania Craton during the Irumidian orogeny (ca. 1020–950 Ma), together with terranes in the Southern Irumide Belt. The distinctly older Nampula Complex was more probably linked to the Maud Belt of Antarctica, and peripheral to the Kalahari Craton during the Neoproterozoic. During the Pan-African orogeny, the Marrupa Complex was overlain by NW-directed nappes of the Cabo Delgado Nappe Complex before peak metamorphism at ca. 555 Ma. The nappes include evidence for early Pan-African orogenic events older than 610 Ma, typical for the Eastern Granulites in Tanzania. Crustal thickening at 555 ± 11 Ma is coeval with high-pressure granulite-facies metamorphism along the Lurio Belt at 557 ± 16 Ma. Crustal thickening in NE Mozambique is part of the main Pan-African, Kuunga, orogeny peaking between 570 and 530 Ma, during which the Congo-Tanzania, Kalahari, East Antarctica and India Cratons welded to form Gondwana. Voluminous post-collisional magmatism and metamorphism younger than 530 Ma in the Lurio Belt and the Nampula Complex are taken as evidence of gravitational collapse of the extensive orogenic domain south of the Lurio Belt after ca. 530 Ma. The Lurio Belt may represent a Pan-African suture zone between the Kalahari and Congo-Tanzania Craton.     

Pan-African deformations in the basement of the Negele area, southern Ethiopia

Polydeformed and metamorphosed Neoproterozoic rocks of the East African Orogen in the Negele area constituted three lithostructurally distinct and thrust-bounded terranes. These are, from west to east, the Kenticha, Alghe and Bulbul terranes. The Kenticha and Bulbul terranes are metavolcano-sedimentary and ultramafic sequences, representing parts of the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS), which are welded to the central Alghe gneissic terrane of the Mozambique Belt affinity along N-S-trending sheared thrust contacts. Structural data suggest that the Negele basement had evolved through three phases of deformation. During D1 (folding) deformation, north-south upright and inclined folds with north-trending axes were developed. East and west-verging thrusts, right-lateral shearing along the north-oriented Kenticha and Bulbul thrust contacts and related structural elements were developed during D2 (thrusting) deformation. The pervasive D1 event is interpreted to have occurred at 620-610 Ma and the D2 event ended prior to 554 Ma. Right-lateral strike-slips along thrust contacts are interpreted to have been initiated during late D2. During D3, left-lateral strike-slip along the Wadera Shear Zone and respective strike-slip movements along conjugate set of shear zones were developed in the Alghe terrane, and are interpreted to have occurred later than 557 Ma. The structural data suggest that eastward thrusting of the Kenticha and westward tectonic transport of the Bulbul sequences over the Alghe gneissic terrane of the Mozambique Belt, during D2, were accompanied by right-lateral strike-slip displacements along thrust contacts. Right-lateral strike-slip movements along the Kenticha thrust contact, further suggest northward movement of the Kenticha sequence during the Pan-African orogeny in the Neoproterozoic. Left-lateral strike-slip along the orogen-parallel NNE-SSW Wadera Shear Zone and strike-slip movements along a conjugate set of shear zones completed final terrane amalgamation between the Arabian-Nubian Shield and the Mozambique Belt in Neoproterozoic southern Ethiopia.     

东南极普里兹带多期变质作用及其对罗迪尼亚和冈瓦纳超大陆重建的启示

东南极普里兹带是一条经受格林维尔期和泛非期高级构造热事件影响的多相变质带,其构造演化过程与罗迪尼亚和冈瓦纳超大陆的形成密切相关.新的岩石学和年代学资料表明,普里兹带中的格林维尔期高级变质作用是区域性的,并经历了>970Ma和930～900Ma两个演化阶段(期),变质条件达到相对高温高压的麻粒岩相.格林维尔期造山作用起始于活动大陆边缘或岛弧环境下的岩浆增生,最后发展到陆陆碰撞,从而使印度、东南极西陆块和非洲的卡拉哈里克拉通拼合在一起,构成了罗迪尼亚超大陆的重要组成部分之一.普里兹带中的泛非期高级变质作用并不象前人认为的那样只发生在中低压麻粒岩相条件下,而是达到高压麻粒岩相,并具有近等温减压的顺时针P-T演化轨迹.格林维尔期变质先驱的普遍存在说明泛非期碰撞造山事件主要叠加在印度-南极陆块东缘的基底杂岩之上,所以其主缝合线的位置应该在现今普里兹带的东南方向,并可能向南极内陆延伸到甘布尔采夫冰下山脉.对不同类型岩石的精细定年揭示,普里兹带中泛非期造山作用过程从570Ma一直持续到490Ma,这与东非造山带的晚期碰撞阶段大致相吻合.因此,冈瓦纳超大陆的最后拼合可能是通过西冈瓦纳、印度-南极陆块和澳大利亚-南极陆块等三个陆块的近于同期碰撞来完成的.     

SHRIMP U/Pb Zircon Dating of Neoproterozoic Granitic Magmatism and Collision in the Pelotas Batholith,Southernmost Brazil

The introduction of robust geochronological methods for age determinations of the southernmost segment of the Neoproterozoic terranes of Brazil, namely the Dom Feliciano Belt, provides important clues for unraveling the complex evolution of the Brasíliano/Pan-African orogeny in this southwestern portion of the Gondwana supercontinent. Except for associated small schist belts and post-orogenic foreland basins, the belt is represented in this region of southeastern South America by the Pelotas Batholith. Precise SHRIMP U/Pb zircon geochronological techniques based on the study of 95 individual spots on 74 zircon crystals (three samples) and on Nd-isotopic determinations (three samples) are used to assess the late Neoproterozoic history of the belt, especially the orthogneisses interleaved with the batholithic plutons. Three petrotectonic associations were selected for detailed isotopic investigations—the Pinheiro Machado syncollisional monzogranites, the widespread Piratini gneiss tonalitic xenoliths, and the Arroio dos Ratos (now Encantadas) gneiss. The results allow the establishment of the timing and ages of the metamorphic peak and early magmatism. We demonstrate that evolution of Neoproterozoic magmatism within the Pelotas Batholith occurred through a long-lived crustal recycling process from the Paleoproterozoic Rio de la Plata craton. Three major events are recognized, two corresponding to crustal granite generation by partial melting of Paleoproterozoic protoliths at ～780 and ～610 Ma, and one related to the high-grade syncollisional metamorphic peak at ～630 Ma. The data also yield precise criteria to distinguish between thrust-related granitoids of the Dom Feliciano belt and older orthogneisses, both previously interpreted as a unique, pre-collisional, Brasíliano Cycle magmatic-arc association.     

北秦岭晋宁期主要地质事件及其构造背景探讨

北秦岭主要发育元古宙构造岩石地层单位,包括古元古代秦岭杂岩、中元古代峡河岩群、宽坪岩群和武关岩群、中元古代晚期松树沟蛇绿岩构造岩片、新元古代丹凤岩群和二郎坪岩群的下部地层单位等。北秦岭广泛存在晋宁期的强烈构造－岩浆－变质地质事件,且是新元古代主体形成的古老造山带。晋宁期的地质事件可能并不代表扬子地块和华北地块之间的直接碰撞拼合,而是具扬子地块基底特征的“中秦岭微地块 与北秦岭微地块或华北地块之间的俯冲碰撞拼台 震旦纪之后又逐渐开始发生大陆裂解,进入显生宙的构造演化阶段。新元古代晋宁期(1000-800Ma)发生的主要地质事件和有限的俯冲－碰撞拼台及震旦纪之后又逐渐开始发生裂解与国外一些地质学家提出的新元古代时期Rodinia超大陆的形成和700～570 Ma期间Rodinia超大陆的裂解不谋而台     

Pan-African magmatism in the Menderes Massif: geochronological data from leucocratic tourmaline orthogneisses in western Turkey

The Menderes Massif, exposed in western Anatolia, is a metamorphic complex cropping out in the Alpine orogenic belt. The metamorphic rock succession of the Massif is made up of a Precambrian basement and overlying Paleozoic-early Tertiary cover series. The Pan-African basement is composed of late Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks consisting of partially migmatized paragneisses and conformably overlying medium- to high-grade mica schists, intruded by orthogneisses and metagabbros. Along the southern flank of the southern submassif, we recognized well-preserved primary contact relationship between biotite and leucocratic tourmaline orthogneisses and country rocks as the orthogneisses represent numerous large plutons, stocks and vein rocks intruded into a basement of garnet mica schists. Based on the radiometric data, the primary deposition age of the precursors of the country rocks, garnet mica schist, can be constrained between 600 and 550?Ma (latest Neoproterozoic). The North Africa–Arabian-Nubian Shield in the Mozambique Belt can be suggested as the possible provenance of these metaclastics. The intrusion ages of the leucocratic tourmaline orthogneisses and biotite orthogneisses were dated at 550–540?Ma (latest Neoproterozoic–earliest Cambrian) by zircon U/Pb and Pb/Pb geochronology. These granitoids represent the products of the widespread Pan-African acidic magmatic activity, which can be attributed to the closure of the Mozambique Ocean during the final collision of East and West Gondwana. Detrital zircon ages at about 550?Ma in the Paleozoic muscovite-quartz schists show that these Pan-African granitoids in the basement form the source rocks of the cover series of the Menderes Massif.