Titanite petrochronology linked to phase equilibrium modelling constrains tectono-thermal events in the Akia Terrane, West Greenland

GeoHistory Facility instruments (part of the John de Laeter Centre) were funded via an Australian Geophysical Observing System (AGOS) grant provided to AuScope by the AQ44 Australian Education Investment Fund.The Mesoarchean Akia Terrane in West Greenland contains a detailed magmatic and metamorphic mineral growth record from 3.2 Ga to at least c. 2.5 Ga. This time span makes this region an important case study in the quest to track secular changes in geodynamic style which may ultimately inform on the development of plate tectonics as a globally linked system of lateral rigid plate motions. The common accessory mineral titanite has recently become recognised as a powerful high temperature geochronometer whose chemistry may chart the thermal conditions of its growth. Furthermore, titanite offers the potential to record the time-temperature history of mafic lithologies, which may lack zircon. Although titanite suffers from higher levels of common Pb than many other UPb chronometers, we show how measurement of 207Pb/206Pb in texturally coeval biotite may assist in the characterization of the appropriate common Pb composition in titanite. Titanite extracted from two samples of mafic gneisses from the Akia Terrane both yield UPb ages of c. 2.54 Ga. Although coeval, their chemistry implies growth under two distinctly different processes. In one case, the titanite has elevated total REE, high Th/U and grew from an in-situ partial melt, consistent with an identical date to granite dyke zircon. In contrast, the second titanite sample contains greater common Pb, lower total REE, lower Th/U, and grew from dominantly hydrothermal fluids. Zr-in-titanite thermometry for partial melt-derived titanite, with activities constrained by phase equilibrium modelling, indicates maxima of c. 690 °C. Elsewhere in the Akia Terrane, coeval metamorphism linked to growth of hydrothermal titanite is estimated at temperatures of c. 670 °C. These new results when coupled with existing findings indicate punctuated, repeated metamorphic events in the Akia Terrane, in which high temperature conditions (re)occurred at least three times between 3.0 and 2.5 Ga, but crucially changed in style across a c. 3.0 Ga change point. We interpret this change in metamorphism as reflecting a fundamental shift in geodynamic style in West Greenland at 3.0 Ga, consistent with other estimates for the onset of widespread plate tectonic-type processes.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

The Mesoarchaean Akia terrane, West Greenland, revisited : new insights based on spatial integration of geophysics, field observation, geochemistry and geochronology

NJG thanks Australian Research Council grant FL160100168 for financial support.The northern part of the North Atlantic Craton (NAC) in southern West Greenland comprises a large tract of exposed Meso-Neoarchaean continental crust, divided into the ca 3300–2900 Ma Akia and ca 2900–2500 Ma Tuno terranes. We combine aeromagnetic, stream sediment geochemical, new litho-chemical and zircon geochronological data with previously published data to re-evaluate the crustal architecture and evolution of the Akia terrane and its boundary towards the Tuno terrane. The previously recognised, but overlooked, Alanngua complex, situated between the Akia and Tuno terranes is bounded by aeromagnetic lineaments interpreted as Neoarchaean shear zones and has a distinct spectrum of Neoarchaean magmatic and metamorphic zircon ages that are rare in the Akia terrane. The Alanngua complex comprises components derived from both the Akia and Tuno terranes and is interpreted as a tectonic melange created during the Neoarchaean assembly of the NAC. Within the Akia terrane, the chemistry of orthogneiss samples indicate that a large percentage is too mafic to classify as TTG s.s., implying that not only partial melting of mafic crust, but also some yet unaddressed mantle involvement is necessary in their formation. Previous models for the generation of the ca. 3015–2990 Ma quartz-dioritic Finnefjeld and Taserssuaq complexes conflict with their geochemical variation. The complexes are spatially associated with strong aeromagnetic responses that are interpreted to reflect a large gabbro-diorite intrusion, and we propose that the protoliths of the Finnefjeld and Taserssuaq complexes are genetically linked to such intrusion. Formed at same time are carbonatite, high-Mg gabbro and tonalite-trondhjemite, and we propose that this wide spectrum of rocks could have formed by lithospheric and crustal melting in response to asthenospheric upwelling possibly in an extensional setting. Periods of extensive magmatism in the Akia terrane were previously recognised at ca. 3220-3180 Ma and 3070-2970 Ma. We now subdivide the latter period into three episodes: juvenile basaltic-andesitic volcanism at 3070–3050 Ma; tonalitic and dioritic plutonism at 3050–3020 Ma, and gabbroic-dioritic plus tonalitic-trondhjemitic plutonism at 3020–2985 Ma. This last episode was immediately followed by crustal reworking during collision at 2980–2950 Ma.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Differentiating between inherited and autocrystic zircon in granitoids

The Maniitsoq map project is supported by the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Government of Greenland. The LA-ICP-MS instruments in the JdLC were funded via an Australian Geophysical Observing System grant provided to AuScope Pty Ltd. by the AQ44 Australian Education Investment Fund program.Inherited zircon, crystals that did not form in situ from their host magma but were incorporated from either the source region or assimilated from the wall-rock, is common but can be difficult to identify. Age, chemical and/or textural dissimilarity to the youngest zircon fraction are the primary mechanisms of distinguishing such grains. However, in Zr-undersaturated magmas, the entire zircon population may be inherited and, if not identifiable via textural constraints, can lead to erroneous interpretation of magmatic crystallization age and magma source. Here, we present detailed field mapping of cross-cutting relationships, whole-rock geochemistry and zircon textural, U-Pb and trace element data of trondhjemite, granodiorite and granite from two localities in a complex Archean gneiss terrane in southwest Greenland, which reveal cryptic zircon inheritance. Zircon textural, U–Pb and trace element data demonstrate that, in both localities, trondhjemite is the oldest rock (3011 ± 5 Ma, 2σ), which is intruded by granodiorite (2978 ± 4 Ma, 2σ). However, granite intrusions, constrained by cross-cutting relationships as the youngest component, only contain inherited zircon derived from trondhjemite and granodiorite based on ages and trace element concentrations. Without age constraints on the older two lithologies, it would be tempting to consider the youngest zircon fraction as recording crystallization of the granite but this would be erroneous. Furthermore, whole-rock geochemistry indicates that the granite contains only 6 µg g-1 Zr, extremely low for a granitoid with ∼77 wt. % SiO2. Such low Zr concentration explains the lack of autocrystic zircon in the granite. We expand on a differentiation tool that uses Th/U ratios in zircon versus that in the whole rock to aid in the identification of inherited zircon. This work emphasizes the need for field observations, geochemistry, grain characterization, and precise geochronology to accurately determine igneous crystallization ages and differentiate between inherited and autocrystic zircon.PostprintPeer reviewe

Regional zircon U-Pb geochronology for the Maniitsoq region, southwest Greenland

The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Government of Greenland, funded this project. Analyses in the JdLC GeoHistory Facility were enabled by instrumentation supported by AuScope (auscope.org.au) and the Australian Government via the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. The Tescan Mira3 FEG-SEM was funded through the Australian Research Council LIEF program.Zircon U-Pb geochronology places high-temperature geological events into temporal context. Here, we present a comprehensive zircon U-Pb geochronology dataset for the Meso- to Neoarchean Maniitsoq region in southwest Greenland, which includes the Akia Terrane, Tuno Terrane, and the intervening Alanngua Complex. The magmatic and metamorphic processes recorded in these terranes straddle a key change-point in early Earth geodynamics. This dataset comprises zircon U-Pb ages for 121 samples, including 46 that are newly dated. A principal crystallization peak occurs across all three terranes at ca. 3000 Ma, with subordinate crystallization age peaks at 3200 Ma (Akia Terrane and Alanngua Complex only), 2720 Ma and 2540 Ma. Metamorphic age peaks occur at 2990 Ma, 2820-2700 Ma, 2670-2600 Ma and 2540 Ma. Except for one sample, all dated metamorphic zircon growth after the Neoarchean occurred in the Alanngua Complex or within 20 km of its boundaries. This U-Pb dataset provides an important resource for addressing Earth Science topics as diverse as crustal evolution, fluid-rock interaction and mineral deposit genesis.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Data for: Greater Kerguelen large igneous province reveals no role for mantle plume in the continental breakup of eastern Gondwana

Supplementary data to Olierook et al., "Greater Kerguelen large igneous province reveals no role for mantle plume in the continental breakup of eastern Gondwana&quot

Data for: Neoproterozoic hydrothermal activity in the West Australian Craton related to Rodinia assembly or breakup?

Supplementary dataset to Olierook et al., 2018, Gondwana Research, Rutile Capricorn Oroge

Data for: Zircon fingerprint of the Eleonore Bay Supergroup, East Greenland, and correlations across the Neoproterozoic North Atlantic

Supplementary material to Olierook et al., 2020 Precambrian Researc

Data for: Evolution of the Singhbhum Craton and supracrustal provinces from age, isotopic and chemical constraints

Supplementary Material to Olierook et al., Earth-Science Reviews 201

Data for: Unravelling complex geologic histories using U-Pb and trace element systematics of titanite

Supplementary material to Olierook et al., "Unravelling complex geologic histories using U–Pb and trace element systematics of titanite&quot