Geochemistry and metamorphism of the Mouriscas Complex, Ossa-Morena/Central Iberian zone boundary, Iberian Massif, Central Portugal: Implications for the Cadomian and Variscan orogenies

ABSTRACT: The Mouriscas Complex is a deformed and metamorphosed predominantly mafic igneous complex of Ediacaran and Ordovician age and crops out at the Ossa-Morena/Central Iberian zone boundary in the Iberian Massif, Central Portugal. It comprises amphibolite with Neoproterozoic protoliths (ca. 544 Ma), protomylonitic felsic dykes derived from younger trondhjemitic protoliths (ca. 483 Ma) and garnet amphibolite derived of even younger dioritic protoliths (ca. 477 Ma). The protoliths of the Neoproterozoic amphibolites are calc-alkaline magmas of basic to intermediate compositions with intraplate and active continental margin affinities and are considered to represent the final phase of the Cadomian arc magmatism. They are interpreted to have originated as coarse-grained intrusions, likely gabbro or diorite and generated from the, partial melting of meta-igneous lower crust and mantle. Their emplacement occurred near the Cadomian metamorphic event dated at ca. 540 Ma (P = 7-8 kbar and T = 640-660 degrees C) which is interpreted to represent a continental collision. During the Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician an extensional episode occurred in the central-southern Iberian Massif and was also observed in other areas of the Variscan Orogen. It led to mantle upwelling and to the development of an aborted intracratonic rift located at the Ossa-Morena/Central Iberian zone boundary and to the opening of the Rheic Ocean to the south of the area studied in present coordinates (i.e., between the Ossa-Morena and South Portuguese Zones). This event has been dated at ca. 477 Ma and was responsible for the melting of deep ancient mafic crust and mantle with formation of bimodal magmatism in an intra-plate setting, as indicated by the protoliths of the protomylonitic felsic dykes with trondhjemitic composition and of the garnet amphibolite. Subsequent Variscan metamorphism took place under amphibolite facies conditions (P = 4-5.5 kbar; T = 600-625 degrees C) at lower P-T conditions than the Cadomian metamorphic event. It was followed by greenschist retrogression as suggested by the appearance of actinolite rims and formation of chlorite and epidote.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cadomian magmatism and metamorphism at the Ossa Morena/Central Iberian zone boundary, Iberian Massif, Central Portugal: Geochemistry and P–T constraints of the Sardoal Complex

ABSTRACT: A well preserved Cadomian basement is exposed in the Iberian Massif, Central Portugal, at the Ossa Morena/Central Iberian zone boundary, which allows the determination of reliable geochemical data. A sequence of Cadomian and Variscan magmatic and tectonometamorphic events has been already described for this area and are documented in other areas of the Avalonian-Cadomian orogen. However, the geochemical information concerning the Cadomian basement for this area is still limited. We present whole rock geochemical and oxygen isotopic information to characterize the igneous protoliths of the Sardoal Complex, located within the Tomar-Badajoz-Cordoba Shear Zone, and identify their tectonic setting. We use detailed petrography, mineral chemistry and P-T data to characterize the final Cadomian tectonometamorphic event. The Sardoal Complex contains orthogneiss and amphibolite units. The protoliths of the orthogneiss are calc-alkaline magmas of acid composition and peraluminous character that were generated in an active continental margin in three different stages (ca. 692 Ma, ca. 569 Ma and ca. 548 Ma). The most significant processes in their petrogenesis are the partial melting of old metasedimentary and meta-igneous crust at different crustal levels and the crystal fractionation of plagioclase, alkali feldspars, apatite, zircon and Fe-Ti oxides. The protoliths of the amphibolite, older than ca. 540 Ma, are tholeiitic and calc-alkaline magmas of basic composition that display N-,T- and E-MORB affinities. They were generated in an active continental margin. Crustal contamination and fractional crystallization of hornblende and diopside were involved in their petrogenesis. However, the fractional crystallization was not significant. The magmatic activity recorded in the Sardoal Complex indicates the existence of a long-lived continental arc (ca. 692-540 Ma) with coeval felsic and mafic magmatism. The final stage of the Cadomian metamorphism is usually represented in other areas of the Cadomian basement as a LP-HT metamorphic event. However, the P-T data obtained by thermodynamic modelling indicates medium pressure/high temperature conditions at ca. 540 Ma. These data suggest that the Sardoal Complex represents a deeper level of the exhumed Cadomian basement where the final stage of the Cadomian metamorphism was recorded.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evolution of a Neoproterozoic suture in the Iberian Massif, Central Portugal: New U-Pb ages of igneous and metamorphic events at the contact between the Ossa Morena Zone and Central Iberian Zone

ABSTRACT: A Neoproterozoic suture is exposed at the contact between the Ossa Morena Zone and the Central Iberian Zone, in the Iberian Massif (Central Portugal), the westernmost segment of the European Variscides. Although, the Cadomian magmatic and tectonometamorphic events have been previously documented, their timing is still poorly constrained, particularly in the inner zones of the suture. We used geochronological (ID-TIMS U-Pb) data to establish the sequence of events, isotopic (Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd) data to characterize the magmatic sources and thermodynamic modelling to determine the maximum P-T conditions attained during the Cadomian metamorphism. The first event, in the future Ossa Morena Zone, is the onset of island arc magmatism represented mainly by tholeiites with a MORB signature. Their igneous crystallization age is unknown, but they are older than ca. 539 Ma. This magmatic activity was accompanied by deposition of fine-grained sediments in a Neoproterozoic basin. The second event is the evolution of the Cadomian magmatic arc in different stages. The earliest magmatic stage occurs at ca. 692 Ma, which is the oldest igneous age known in the Ossa Morena Zone. It is followed by the generation of subalkaline and peraluminous protoliths at ca. 569 Ma, with the isotopic signature of old crustal sources. The final phase of the arc magmatism (ca. 548-544 Ma) involved mainly partial melting of continental crust. The range of the main magmatic activity must have been between ca. 569 Ma and ca. 544 Ma as mentioned for other areas in the Ossa Morena Zone. A major metamorphic event, recorded in metamorphic monazite, zircon and titanite at ca. 540 Ma, attained upper amphibolite facies conditions close to the transition to granulite facies (7-8 kbar and 640-660 degrees C). It represents the continental arc accretion of the Ossa Morena Zone with the Iberian Autochthon passive margin (future Central Iberian Zone). The Early Ordovician rocks (ca. 483-477 Ma) were generated from depleted and juvenile sources. These rocks are strongly deformed and with melting features, display metamorphism at amphibolite facies conditions. They are interpreted as related with the Rheic Ocean.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Erratum: Corrigendum to “Evolution of a Neoproterozoic suture in the Iberian Massif, Central Portugal: New U-Pb ages of igneous and metamorphic events at the contact between the Ossa Morena Zone and Central Iberian Zone” (Lithos (2015) 220–223 (43–59)

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio