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U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology of the Harmony Formation, central Nevada

Conference · · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)
OSTI ID:5811511
The provenance and age of the Upper Cambrian( ) Harmony Formation are not well-constrained even though they are critical to paleotectonic reconstructions. The Harmony contains a complex detrital zircon population consisting of at least 9 subpopulations distinguished on the basis of color and degree of mechanical abrasion; these include purple, light pink, colorless, orange, red-brown, and black zircons ranging from euhedral crystals to spherical, well-rounded grains. U-Pb isotopic data on milligram-size fractions of a euhedral, purple to pink zircon subpopulation indicate that they were derived from a 1.7-1.9 b.y. old terrane. The poor age resolution reflects a within-subpopulation heterogeneity that is probably present in most milligram-size fractions sampled from rocks with a complex provenance. Utilization of modified procedures on 0.1-0.2 mg fractions of a different subpopulation consisting of slightly rounded, colorless zircon with preserved crystal faces yielded an age of 1.1 b.y. Both ages are consistent with previously proposed interpretations that suggest, but do not required, a North American provenance for the Harmony. Interpretation of the provenance of 1.1 b.y. old zircon is problematic in the absence of documented felsic crustal components of that age in the western U.S. Analyses of other samples collected from central Nevada and northern California will test the hypothesis that detritus in lower Paleozoic sandstones of the Roberts Mountains allochthon and those of the eastern Klamath Mountains has a similar provenance.
Research Organization:
Univ. of Kansas, Lawrence (USA)
OSTI ID:
5811511
Report Number(s):
CONF-8510489-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 17
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580100* -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
580300 -- Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics-- (-1989)
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
AGE ESTIMATION
CAMBRIAN PERIOD
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGY
ISOTOPE DATING
LEAD COMPOUNDS
MINERALOGY
MINERALS
NEVADA
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PALEOZOIC ERA
PETROGRAPHY
PETROLOGY
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
USA
ZIRCON
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM SILICATES