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Title: The provenance of Archean clastic metasediments in the Narryer Gneiss Complex, western Australia: Trace element geochemistry, Nd isotopes, and U-Pb ages for detrital zircons

Abstract

Clastic metasedimentary rocks of mid-Archean age from the Mt. Narryer and Jack Hills metasedimentary belts have REE patterns resembling those of mid- to late-Archean pelitic-quartzitic cratonic sequences elsewhere, and post-Archean continental rocks in general. Detrital zircons in the metasediments range in age from ca. 3,000 to 3,700 Ma. This indicates a provenance from mature cratonic sources controlled by K-rich granitic rocks. Additional minor sediment sources were identified as older, mainly chemical sedimentary sequences, ultramafic rocks, and felsic rocks characterized by low HREE contents, perhaps of tonalitic affinity. Differences between sedimentary REE patterns and those in the surrounding 3.73-3.0 Ga orthogneiss terrain, and between detrital zircon ages and the age distribution in the gneisses, suggest that the present association of the metasedimentary belts with the orthogneiss terrain is of tectonic origin. The occurrence of detrital zircons with U-Pb ages > 4 Ga in certain quartzites and conglomerates of the Jack Hills and Mt. Narryer metasedimentary sequences indicates a further, most likely granitic, source. {epsilon}{sub Nd}(T{sub Dep}) values in Jack Hills metasediments vary widely (+5 to {minus}12) but have a smaller range in the Mt. Narryer belt ({minus}5 to {minus}9). The lowest {epsilon}{sub Nd} values of both sequences are interpreted to reflectmore » the presence of detritus derived from 4.1-4.2 Ga old LREE-enriched continental crust in proportions considerably larger ({ge} 10%) than estimated previously from the abundance of pre-4 Ga detrital zircons ({approx}3%). This would imply the former existence of significant volumes of pre-4 Ga continental crust in the provenance of the Mt. Narryer and Jack Hills metasediments.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Australian National Univ., Canberra (Australia) Curtin Univ., Perth (Australia)
  2. Curtin Univ., Perth (Australia)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5904262
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 55:7; Journal ID: ISSN 0016-7037
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; QUARTZITES; GEOCHEMISTRY; PETROGENESIS; ZIRCON; ISOTOPE DATING; CONTINENTAL CRUST; GEOLOGIC HISTORY; GNEISSES; LEAD ISOTOPES; NEODYMIUM; ORIGIN; PRECAMBRIAN ERA; RARE EARTHS; SEDIMENTS; TECTONICS; URANIUM ISOTOPES; WESTERN AUSTRALIA; ACTINIDE ISOTOPES; AGE ESTIMATION; AUSTRALASIA; AUSTRALIA; CHEMISTRY; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; EARTH CRUST; ELEMENTS; GEOLOGIC AGES; ISOTOPES; METALS; METAMORPHIC ROCKS; MINERALS; ROCKS; SILICATE MINERALS; 580000* - Geosciences

Citation Formats

Maas, R, and McCulloch, M T. The provenance of Archean clastic metasediments in the Narryer Gneiss Complex, western Australia: Trace element geochemistry, Nd isotopes, and U-Pb ages for detrital zircons. United States: N. p., 1991. Web. doi:10.1016/0016-7037(91)90033-2.
Maas, R, & McCulloch, M T. The provenance of Archean clastic metasediments in the Narryer Gneiss Complex, western Australia: Trace element geochemistry, Nd isotopes, and U-Pb ages for detrital zircons. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(91)90033-2
Maas, R, and McCulloch, M T. 1991. "The provenance of Archean clastic metasediments in the Narryer Gneiss Complex, western Australia: Trace element geochemistry, Nd isotopes, and U-Pb ages for detrital zircons". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(91)90033-2.
@article{osti_5904262,
title = {The provenance of Archean clastic metasediments in the Narryer Gneiss Complex, western Australia: Trace element geochemistry, Nd isotopes, and U-Pb ages for detrital zircons},
author = {Maas, R and McCulloch, M T},
abstractNote = {Clastic metasedimentary rocks of mid-Archean age from the Mt. Narryer and Jack Hills metasedimentary belts have REE patterns resembling those of mid- to late-Archean pelitic-quartzitic cratonic sequences elsewhere, and post-Archean continental rocks in general. Detrital zircons in the metasediments range in age from ca. 3,000 to 3,700 Ma. This indicates a provenance from mature cratonic sources controlled by K-rich granitic rocks. Additional minor sediment sources were identified as older, mainly chemical sedimentary sequences, ultramafic rocks, and felsic rocks characterized by low HREE contents, perhaps of tonalitic affinity. Differences between sedimentary REE patterns and those in the surrounding 3.73-3.0 Ga orthogneiss terrain, and between detrital zircon ages and the age distribution in the gneisses, suggest that the present association of the metasedimentary belts with the orthogneiss terrain is of tectonic origin. The occurrence of detrital zircons with U-Pb ages > 4 Ga in certain quartzites and conglomerates of the Jack Hills and Mt. Narryer metasedimentary sequences indicates a further, most likely granitic, source. {epsilon}{sub Nd}(T{sub Dep}) values in Jack Hills metasediments vary widely (+5 to {minus}12) but have a smaller range in the Mt. Narryer belt ({minus}5 to {minus}9). The lowest {epsilon}{sub Nd} values of both sequences are interpreted to reflect the presence of detritus derived from 4.1-4.2 Ga old LREE-enriched continental crust in proportions considerably larger ({ge} 10%) than estimated previously from the abundance of pre-4 Ga detrital zircons ({approx}3%). This would imply the former existence of significant volumes of pre-4 Ga continental crust in the provenance of the Mt. Narryer and Jack Hills metasediments.},
doi = {10.1016/0016-7037(91)90033-2},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5904262}, journal = {Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States)},
issn = {0016-7037},
number = ,
volume = 55:7,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991},
month = {Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991}
}