Assessing volcanic origins within detrital zircon populations——A case study from the Mesozoic non-volcanic margin of southern Australia

Detrital zircon U/Pb geochronology is a common tool used to resolve stratigraphic questions,inform basin evolution and constrain regional geological histories.In favourable circumstances,detrital zircon populations can contain a concomitant volcanic contribution that provides constraints on the age of deposition.However,for non-volcanic settings,proving isolated detrital zircon grains are from contemporaneous and potentially remote volcanism is challenging.Here we use same grain(U-Th)/He thermochronology coupled with U/Pb geochronology to identify detrital zircon grains of contemporary volcanic origin.(U-Th)/He ages from Cretaceous zircon grains in southern Australia define a single population with a weighted mean age of 104±6.1 Ma.indistinguishable from zircon U/Pb geochronology and palynology(~104.0-107.5 Ma).Detrital zircon trace-element geochemistry is consistent with a continental signature for parent rocks and coupled with detrital grain ages,supports derivation from a>2000 km distant early-to mid-Cretaceous Whitsunday Volcanic Province in eastern Australia.Thus,integration of biostratigraphy,single-grain zircon double-dating(geochronology and thermochronology)and grain geochemistry enhances fingerprinting of zircon source region and transport history.A distal volcanic source and rapid continental-scale transport to southern Australia is supported here.

One size does not fit all: Refining zircon provenance interpretations via integrated grain shape, geochronology, and Hf isotope analysis

Sediment provenance studies commonly utilize isotopic signatures to resolve detrital mineral sources and routing.However,non-unique ages and geochemical characteristics across geographically distinct crystalline source regions can lead to significant ambiguities in mineral provenance interpretations.Such ambiguity is apparent in southern Australia’s Cenozoic Eucla Basin,which hosts world-class heavy mineral sand resources.Here,new Hf isotope data are provided from four heavy mineral prospects(N=8,n=844[N=samples,n=grains]).Zircon grain shape data are also presented for a suite of detrital Eucla Basin samples(N=22,n=35,604)and the basin’s underlying basement,the Coompana Province(N=13,n=824).The data are integrated with published detrital and non-detrital primary zircon data to investigate the efficacy of grain shape analysis to better resolve the basin’s mineral provenance.Zircon Hf isotope compositions indicate a primary Mesoproterozoic juvenile source for zircon melts(~1250-1000 Ma,-2.5<εHf>~+5)with additional contributions from a range of juvenile to evolved late Archean to Phanerozoic-aged zircon bearing magmas(-28.0<εHf>+11).U-Pb geochronology and Hf isotopes are incapable of differentiating Mesoproterozoic-aged source rocks bounding the region for the majority of heavy mineral deposits analyzed as potential sources express overlapping crystallization ages and similarities in Hf-isotope characteristics.However,distinct zircon grain shapes(i.e.,perimeter,major axis and circularity)facilitate improved differentiation across these Mesoproterozoic sources.Filtering of U-Pb age,Hf isotope and shape data implicate the underlying Madura and Coompana provinces as dominant sediment sources for Eucla Basin detritus aged~1400-1000 Ma.The lack of direct sediment pathways between the underlying basement provinces and placer sediments analyzed demonstrates the significance of zircon reworking from intermediate sedimentary basins in the formation of the economically significant Eucla Basin beach placers.Zircon grain shape represents a cheaply acquired and readily incorporated grain characteristic that can enhance provenance investigations.

A Laurentian affinity for the Embu Terrane,Ribeira Belt(SE Brazil),revealed by zircon provenance statistical analysis

New and compiled detrital zircon U-Pb ages from the southern Neoproterozoic-Cambrian Ribeira Belt,SE Brazil,demonstrate Laurentian affinity of the Embu Terrane which is statistically distinct from the adjoining Apiaíand São Roque terranes with cratonic affinity(e.g.,São Francisco Craton).Zircon provenance results indicate that the type-area of the Embu Terrane is dominated by detrital zircon age modes at ca.1200 Ma,1400 Ma,and 1800 Ma,with maximum depositional age of ca.1000 Ma.In contrast,the Apiaíand São Roque terranes are dominated by Paleoproterozoic detrital zircon ages(ca.2200-2000 Ma age dominant component),with maximum depositional ages of ca.1400 Ma and 1750 Ma,respectively.Multidimensional scaling(MDS)analysis of non-parametric similarity measurements on zircon age populations indicates for the first time that the Embu Terrane encompass two statistically distinct detrital zircon age spectra,which is also reflected in the metamorphic zircon age record.The statistical characterization of the Embu Terrane through populational metrics allow a quantitative comparison with surrounding tectonic domains and rock samples classified such as Embu-type.Our results clearly highlight the distinction between the statistically differentiated Embu Terrane from the Apiaíand São Roque terranes,supporting an allochthonous interpretation.In addition,we demonstrate that rocks samples previously classified as Embu-type are significantly dissimilar to the definition of Embu Terrane,failing to support alternative tectonic models(e.g.,intracontinental evolution).Detrital zircon age spectra reveal that the Apiaíand São Roque terranes have similar zircon provenance to domains sourced from the São Francisco Craton,whereas detrital zircon populations from the Embu Terrane have greater affinity with SW Laurentia basins(and their inferred sediment sources),consistent with previous findings.Therefore,we interpret the Embu Terrane as a Rodinia descendant developed along the active margin of the SW Laurentia that collided with the Ribeira Belt during early Neoproterozoic(810-760 Ma).