16 research outputs found

    Behavior of zircon in the upper-amphibolite to granulite facies schist/migmatite transition, Ryoke metamorphic belt, SW Japan: constraints from the melt inclusions in zircon

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    Behavior of zircon at the schist/migmatite transition is investigated. Syn-metamorphic overgrowth is rare in zircon in schists, whereas zircon in migmatites has rims with low Th/U that give 90.3 ± 2.2 Ma U–Pb concordia age. Between inherited core and the metamorphic rim, a thin, dark-CL annulus containing melt inclusion is commonly developed, suggesting that it formed contemporaneous with the rim in the presence of melt. In diatexites, the annulus is further truncated by the brighter-CL overgrowth, suggesting the resorption and regrowth of the zircon after near-peak metamorphism. Part of the zircon rim crystallized during the solidification of the melt in migmatites. Preservation of angular-shaped inherited core of 5–10 μm in zircon included in garnet suggests that zircon of this size did not experience resorption but developed overgrowths during near-peak metamorphism. The Ostwald ripening process consuming zircon less than 5–10 μm is required to form new overgrowths. Curved crystal size distribution pattern for fine-grained zircons in a diatexite sample may indicate the contribution of this process. Zircon less than 20 μm is confirmed to be an important sink of Zr in metatexites, and ca. 35-μm zircon without detrital core are common in diatexites, supporting new nucleation of zircon in migmatites. In the Ryoke metamorphic belt at the Aoyama area, monazite from migmatites records the prograde growth age of 96.5 ± 1.9 Ma. Using the difference of growth timing of monazite and zircon, the duration of metamorphism higher than the amphibolite facies grade is estimated to be ca. 6 Myr

    A prolonged granitoid formation in Saglek Block, Labrador: Zonal growth and crustal reworking of continental crust in the Eoarchean

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    The Archean continental crusts account for ca. 20% of the present volume, but the thermal history of the Earths' mantle suggests much more continental crusts were formed in the early Archean. Because the Archean continental crust underwent severe metamorphism, it is important to avoid influence by the later thermal events. We carried out a comprehensive geochronological work of Cathodoluminescence (CL) observation and U-Pb dating of zircons from orthogneisses and supracrustal rocks over the Saglek Block to obtain their protolith ages. The zircons were classified into three domains of core, mantle and rims, and the cores were further classified into three groups of inherited, altered and zoned cores based on the zonation on the CL images. We estimated the protolith ages from Pb-Pb ages of the zoned-cores of zircons with low U contents. We made a detailed sketch of a small outcrop in St. John's Harbour South (SJHS) area, and classified the orthogneisses and mafic enclaves into seven generations based on the geologic occurrence. The first and second generations comprise mafic rocks and lack magmatic zircons. We conducted CL imaging and U-Pb dating of zircons from the third, sixth and seventh generation of the orthogneisses to estimate the protolith ages at 3902 ± 25, 3892 ± 33 and 3897 ± 33 Ma for each, supporting the presence of the over 3.9 Ga Iqaluk Gneiss. The geological occurrence that the mafic rocks occur as enclaves within the 3.9 Ga Iqaluk Gneiss indicates that they are the oldest supracrustal rocks in the world. Our geochronological and geological studies show the Uivak Gneiss is quite varied in lithology and age from 3.6 to >3.9 Ga, and tentatively classified into six groups based on their ages. The oldest Uivak Gneiss components including the Iqaluk Gneiss are present around the SJHS area, and the orthogneisses become young as it is away. The lines of evidence of overprinting of younger granitoid on older granitoid in small outcrops and geological-map scale as well as presence of inherited zircons even in the oldest suite suggests that crustal reworking played an important role on erasing the ancient crusts

    Occurrence and geochronology of the Eoarchean, ~3.9 Ga, Iqaluk Gneiss in the Saglek Block, northern Labrador, Canada: evidence for the oldest supracrustal rocks in the world

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    Understanding Earth's early evolution requires decoding the cryptic geological record that is preserved in a few extremely rare terrains on Earth. The Saglek-Hebron Block in the North Atlantic Craton is one of the oldest terrains in the world. To better understand the Eoarchean history of the Saglek-Hebron Block, we undertook a comprehensive geological and geochronological investigation of this terrain. The Saglek-Hebron locality contains orthogneisses and supracrustal rocks, which are classified into two groups of the Eoarchean and Mesoarchean suites based on field associations defined by intrusion of the Mesoarchean mafic Saglek dykes. The Eoarchean suites contain the Nulliak supracrustal rocks and Uivak Gneisses. In this paper, we report cathodoluminescence (CL) observations and U-Pb ages of zircons from the Eoarchean orthogneisses to constrain the evolution of the Saglek-Hebron Block. We made detailed sketch maps (1:20) of critical outcrops to establish relative chronological relationships between lithologies. At least seven generations of mafic and felsic units were recognized in an outcrop of the St John's Harbour South area. The first and second generations are mafic supracrustal rocks whereas the third to seventh generations are tonalitic gneisses, which are intruded into the supracrustal units. We study CL observation, geochemistry and U-Pb dating of zircons from the oldest and youngest tonalitic gneisses.The CL observation of internal structures of the zircons showed they typically comprise three domains of core, mantle and rim. The cores have clear oscillatory zoning, whereas the mantles lack oscillatory zoning and exhibit dark CL emission and structureless CL images. The obvious correlation between the ages and chemical compositions of U contents and Th/U ratios indicates that the cores with low U contents and high Th/U ratios preserve the protolith age. The cores with clear oscillatory zoning, low U contents and high Th/U ratios of zircons from the oldest suite plot on a concordia line with ages ranging from 3953 to 3797 Ma. The oldest and average ages of the six oldest spots on the concordia line are 3953 ± 54 and 3920 ± 49 Ma, respectively. On the other hand, the average age of the four old spots of zircons from a younger generation of orthogneiss is 3869 ± 63 Ma. The geological and geochronological relationships between the third and seventh generation orthogneisses are consistent with each other, confirming an Eoarchean age of ca. 3.9 Ga for the oldest suite of the Uivak Gneisses. We name this oldest suite the Iqaluk Gneiss. As the protolith of the Iqaluk Gneiss was clearly intruded into the Nulliak supracrustal rocks, the Nulliak supracrustals must have a minimum age of ca. 3.9 Ga, indicating that they are the oldest supracrustal rocks on Earth. But, further studies should be necessary to obtain more precise age of the Iqaluk Gneiss and Nulliak supracrustal rocks
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