Rutile to Titanite Transformation in Eclogites and its Geochemical Consequences:An Example from the Sumdo Eclogite,Tibet

The formation of titanite coronae after rutile is common in retrograde high-to ultrahigh-pressure meta-mafic rocks,which provides a good opportunity to address the geochemical behavior of HFSE in crustal environments.In the Sumdo eclogite,titanite occurs either as a corona around rutile grains or as semi-continuous veins cross-cutting the major foliation,whereas rutile grains occur either as inclusions in garnet or omphacite or as a relict core surrounded by titanite.Textural relationships and trace elements characteristics of rutile and titanite with different occurrences indicate that both minerals preferentially incorporate Nb and Hf over Ta and Zr in aqueous fluid.Moreover,the breakdown of omphacite and epidote could release substantial amounts of aqueous fluids enriched in Ca,Si,Fe and REE,which would react with rutile to form titanite coronae and veins.During this process,water-insoluble elements,like HFSE and HREE,behave like mobile elements,but they do not migrate substantially out of the system,instead,tending to react in situ.This suggests that the aqueous fluids released during the retrograde metamorphic reactions in mafic rocks could not substantially transfer fluidimmobile elements into the overlying mantle wedge in subduction environments.

Trace Elements of Multi-stage Minerals and Titanite U-Pb Dating for the Gneisses from Liansan Island,Sulu UHPM Belt

Gneisses with anatectic characteristics from the Liansan island in the Sulu UHPM(ultra-high pressure metamorphic)belt were studied for petrography,titanite U-Pb dating and mineral geochemistry.Three origins of garnets are distinguished:metamorphic garnet,peritectic garnet and anatectic garnet,which are formed in the stages of peak metamorphism,retrograde anatexis and melt crystallization,respectively.The euhedral titanite has a high content of REE and high Th/U ratios,which is interpreted as indicating that it was newly-formed from an anatectic melt.The LA-ICP-MS titanite U-Pb dating yields 214-217 Ma ages for the titanite(melt)crystallization.The distribution of trace elements varies in response to the different host minerals at different stages.At the peak metamorphic stage,Y and HREE are mainly hosted by garnet,Ba and Rb by phengite,Sr,Nb,Ta,Pb,Th,U and LREE by allanite and Y,U and HREE by zircon.During partial melting,Y,Pb,Th,U and REE are released into the melt,which causes a dramatic decline of these element contents in the retrograde minerals.Finally,titanite absorbs most of the Nb,U,LREE and HREE from the melt.Therefore,the different stages of metamorphism have different mineral assemblages,which host different trace elements.

Decoding the nature of interaction between felsic clasts and mafic magma in a subvolcanic magma chamber from amphibole–titanite transformation and chemistry

The Ghansura Rhyolite Dome of Bathani vol-cano-sedimentary sequence,eastern India,represents a subvolcanic felsic magma chamber that was invaded by crystal-rich mafic magma during its cooling phase to form an assortment of hybrid rocks.A prominent solidified portion of the magma reservoir was embedded in the intruding mafic magma as fragments or clasts that pro-duced mafic rocks with felsic clasts.Two distinct compo-sitional zones could be identified in the mafic rocks containing felsic clasts-(a)medium-grained mafic zones that are dominated by amphiboles,and(b)fine-grained felsic zones consisting primarily of quartz and feldspar.Amphiboles occur in most of the felsic clasts suggesting the mechanical transfer of crystals from the mafic to the felsic zones.Compositions of amphiboles were determined from both the mafic and felsic zones that show linear compositional variation from actinolite to ferro-hornblende through magnesio-hornblende,suggesting the interplay of complex substitutions in individual amphibole sites.Cationic schemes have confirmed the role of pargasite(Pg)-type substitution,which is a combination of edenite(Ed)-and tschermakite(Ts)-type substitutions.Moreover,amphibole has been extensively replaced by titanite in the studied rock.Titanite produced in the mafic zones due to the destabilization of amphiboles was observed migrating from the mafic to the felsic zones through mineral-trans-porting veins.Compositions of titanite were determined from grains that occur in association with amphiboles and those which are present as individual entities in the felsic zones.Similar to amphiboles,titanite also displays cationic substitutions in the studied rock.From the results presented in this work,we infer that extensive replacement of amphibole by titanite and cationic substitutions in amphi-boles,and also titanite,may be considered important pet-rogenetic indicators to decipher magma mixing events.

Timing of carbonatite-hosted U-polymetallic mineralization in the supergiant Huayangchuan deposit,Qinling Orogen:Constraints from titanite U-Pb and molybdenite Re-Os dating

The newly-discovered supergiant Huayangchuan uranium(U)-polymetallic(Sr,Se,REEs,Ba,Nb and Pb)deposit is located in the Qinling Orogen,central China.The deposit underwent multistage mineralization,with the main carbonatite ore stage being the most important for the U,Nb,REE,Sr and Ba endowments.According to the mineral assemblages,the main carbonatite ore stage can be divided into three substages,i.e.,sulfate(Ba-Sr),alkali-rich U and REE-U mineralization.Main-stage titanite from the Huayangchuan igneous carbonatite are rich in high field strength elements(HFSEs,e.g.,Zr,Nb and REEs),and show clear elemental substitutions(e.g.,Ti vs.Nb+Fe+Al and Ca+Ti vs.Fe+Al+REE).High-precision LA-ICP-MS titanite dating yielded a U-Pb age of 209.0±2.9 Ma,which represents the mainstage mineralization age at Huayangchuan,and is coeval with the local carbonatite dyke intrusion.This mineralization age is further constrained by the Re-Os dating of molybdenite from the Huayangchuan carbonatite,which yielded a weighted mean age of 196.8±2.4 Ma.Molybdenite Re contents(337.55-392.75 ppm)and C-OSr-Nd-Pb isotopic evidence of the Huayangchuan carbonatite both suggest a mantle origin for the carbonatite.Our study supports that the Late Triassic carbonatite magmatism was responsible for the world-class U-Mo-REE mineralization in the Qinling Orogen,and that the regional magmatism and ore formation was likely caused by the closure of the Mianlue ocean and the subsequent North China-South China continent-continent collision.

Campaign-style U-Pb titanite petrochronology:Along-strike variations in timing of metamorphism in the Himalayan metamorphic core

Present-day along-strike heterogeneities within the Himalayan orogen are seen at many scales, from variations within the deep architecture of the lithospheric mantle, to differences in geomorphologic surface processes. Here, we present an internally consistent petrochronologic dataset from the Himalayan metamorphic core(HMC), in order to document and investigate the causes of along-strike variations in its Oligocene-Miocene tectonic history. Laser ablation split-stream analysis was used to date and characterise the geochemistry of titanite from 47 calc-silicate rocks across >2000 km along the Himalaya.This combined U-Pb-REE-Zr single mineral dataset circumvents uncertainties associated with interpretations based on data compilations from different studies, mineral systems and laboratories, and allows for direct along-strike comparisons in the timing of metamorphic processes. Titanite dates range from ～30 Ma to 12 Ma, recording(re-)crystallization between 625 ℃ and 815 ℃. Titanite T-t data overlap with previously published P-T-t paths from interleaved peltic rocks, demonstrating the usefulness of titanite petrochronology for recording the metamorphic history in lithologies not traditionally used for thermobarometry. Overall, the data indicate a broad eastward-younging trend along the orogen.Disparities in the duration and timing of metamorphism within the HMC are best explained by alongstrike variations in the position of ramps on the basal detachment controlling a two-stage process of preferential ductile accretion at depth followed by the formation of later upper-crust brittle duplexes.These processes, coupled with variable erosion, resulted in the asymmetric exhumation of a younger,thicker crystalline core in the eastern Himalaya.

Molybdenite Re-Os,titanite and garnet U-Pb dating of the Magushan skarn Cu-Mo deposit,Xuancheng district,Middle-Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt

The Magushan skarn Cu-Mo deposit is a representative example of the skarn mineralization occurring within the Xuancheng ore district of the Middle-Lower Yangtze River Metallogenic Belt of eastern China.The precise age of an ore deposit is important for understanding the timing of mineralization relative to other geological events in a region and to fully place the formation of a mineral deposit within the geological context of other processes that occur within the study area.Here,we present new molybdenite Re-Os and titanite and andradite garnet U-Pb ages for the Magushan deposit and use these data to outline possible approaches for identifying genetic relationships in geologically complex areas.The spatial and paragenetic relationships between the intrusions,alteration,and mineralization within the study area indicates that the formation of the Magushan deposit is genetically associated with the porphyritic granodiorite.However,this is not always the case,as some areas contain complexly zoned plutons with multiple phases of intrusion or mineralization may be distal from or may not have any clear spatial relationship to a pluton.This means that it may not be possible to determine whether the mineralization formed as a result of single or multiple magmatic/hydrothermal events.As such,the approaches presented in this study provide an approach that allows the identification of any geochronological relationships between mineralization and intrusive events in areas more complex than the study area.Previously published zircon U-Pb data for the mineralization-related porphyritic granodiorite in this area yielded an age of 134.2±1.2 Ma(MSWD=1.4)whereas the Re-Os dating of molybdenite from the study area yielded an isochron age of 137.7±2.5 Ma(MSWD=0.43).The timing of the mineralizing event in the study area was further examined by the dating of magmatic accessory titanite and skarn-related andradite garnet,yielding U-Pb ages of 136.3±2.5 Ma(MSWD=3.2)and 135.9±2.7 Ma(MSWD=2.5),respectively.The dating of magmatic and hydrothermal activity within the Magushan area yields ages around 136 Ma,strongly suggesting that the mineralization in this area formed as a result of the emplacement of the intrusion.The dates presented in this study also provide the first indication of the timing of mineralization within the Xuancheng district.providing evidence of a close genetic relationship between the formation of the mineralization within the Xuancheng district and the Early Cretaceous magmatism that occurred in this area.This in turn suggests that other Early Cretaceous intrusive rocks within this region are likely to be associated with mineralization and should be considered highly prospective for future mineral exploration.This study also indicates that the dating of garnet and titanite can also provide reliable geochronological data and evidence of the timing of mineralization and magmatism,respectively,in areas lacking other dateable minerals(e.g.,molybdenite)or where the relationship between mineralization and magmatism is unclear,for example in areas with multiple stages of magmatism,with complexly zoned plutons,and with distal skarn mineralization.

Authigenic titanite in weathered basalts: Implications for paleoatmospheric reconstructions

The stability of titanite is sensitive to temperature and partial pressure of CO2.The finding of authigenic titanite grains in weathering regolith formed on Parana basalts,Brazil,under tropical climatic conditions,reveals the thermodynamically-driven conversion from calcite to titanite at elevated ambient temperatures.Being unusual nowadays,this phase transition provides important implications for the understanding of silicate weathering in earlier geological epochs.Two types of secondary titanites were identified in the weathering profile of the study area.The tiny grains of 10 μm are forming in the microscopic voids in the rock.Also,large fractures filled with Fe-rich clay minerals contain bigger specimens of up to 170μm.The titanites of second type often coexist with chalcedony and barite.No carbonate minerals were found in the weathering profile.Weathering sphene can be discriminated from other titanite types by its strong positive Eu anomaly,increased Al2 O3 content and low content of trace elements.Its specific chemical composition and reactive transport modeling link this secondary mineral with dissolution of plagioclase.The titanite precipitation is controlled by slow diffusion in poorly-aerated,highly-alkaline pore fluids.The subaerial weathering of basaltic rocks provides a significant reservoir for atmospheric CO2.However,the deposition of carbonate minerals is thermodynamically avoided at the stability field of titanite.We demonstrate a complex feedback between CO2 and soil carbonates.The rise in pCO2 triggers the precipitation of calcite in the weathering regolith,but the greenhouse effect increasing the temperature can cease carbonate deposition.Secondary titanites were found in several paleosols and at least a part of them can be of weathering origin.

Granular titanite from the Roter Kamm crater in Namibia:Product of regional metamorphism,not meteorite impact

Accessory minerals with so-called granular texture have risen in importance as geochronological tools for U-Pb dating of meteorite impact events. Grain-scale recrystallization, typically triggered by a combination of high-strain deformation and post-impact heating, can create a polycrystalline microstructure consisting of neoblasts that expel radiogenic Pb, which are thus ideal for isotopic dating. While granular domains in zircon and monazite from shocked rocks have been demonstrated to preserve impact ages,few U-Pb dating studies have been conducted on granular microstructures in titanite(CaTiSiO;). Here we report the occurrence of granular-textured titanite from ~2020 Ma granite basement rock exposed in the rim of the 4–5 Ma Roter Kamm impact structure in Namibia. Orientation mapping reveals two microstructurally distinct titanite populations: one consisting of strained/deformed grains, and the other consisting of grains that comprise aggregates of strain-free neoblasts. In situ U-Pb geochronology on 37 grains shows that most grains from both titanite populations yield indistinguishable U-Pb dates of ca.1025 Ma, consistent with the observed microstructures forming during the Mesoproterozoic Namaqua Orogeny. Only four grains preserved older age domains, recording ca. 1875 Ma Paleoproterozoic metamorphism. Two significant observations emerge:(1) none of the analyzed titanite grains yield the 2020 Ma igneous crystallization age previously established from zircon in the same sample, and(2) no age-resetting was detected that could be attributed to the 4 to 5 Ma Roter Kamm impact event.Despite the similarity of the neoblastic microstructure to minerals from other sites with an established impact provenance, the granular texture and near-complete Pb-loss in titanite from Roter Kamm granite instead records a Paleo-to Mesoproterozoic polymetamorphic history, rather than Miocene age shockrelated processes. These results highlight the critical importance of grain-scale context for interpretation of U-Pb data in granular titanite, and the potential for misinterpreting inherited(pre-impact) microstructures as impact-related phenomenon in target rocks with a complex geological history.

An Improved Cymbal Hydrophone Made of Lanthanum-Modified Lead Zirconate Titanite

Lanthanum-modified lead zirconate titanite （PLZT） piezoelectric ceramics has higher piezoelectric and dielectric properties compared with the common lead zirconate titanite （PZT） ceramics. These properties endue the cymbal hydrophones made of PLZT usually with stable performance but lower receiving sensitivity. In order to improve the sensitivity, through a static analysis on hydrophone we did some changes for the PLZT hydrophone by reducing the radius of the piezoelectric ceramics and sealing its boundary. Furthermore, ANSYS simulations were made, and the experiments for the improved PLZT hydrophone and the original one were carried out in water pool. The results show that the receiving sensitivity of the improved cymbal hydrophone made of PLZT is 3 -4 dB higher than that of the original, and that the frequency response still keeps flat within 18 kHz band.

Multiple thermal events recorded in the Acasta Gneiss Complex:Evidence from in-situ dating of zircon, titanite, and apatite

In-situ dating of the zircons, titanites, and apatites in the rock fragments of approximately 1 cm2in size from the Acasta Gneiss Complex was performed using secondary ion mass spectrometry or laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to provide constraints on the thermal history of the Acasta Gneiss Complex. The zircons in these rock fragments typically exhibit multiple age populations, reflecting the presence of inherited zircons or the post-crystallization process of zircon overgrowth. Combined with previous studies, our zircon dating results reveal multiple magmatic events that occurred in the Acasta Gneiss Complex, specifically at >3.96, ~3.72, and ~3.57 Ga, respectively. A titanite Pb-Pb isochron age of2911±22 Ma(95% confidence level, MSWD=1.5) for sample AY199 is identified, consistent with the timing of the latest Archean magmatism in the Acasta Gneiss Complex. The titanite U-Pb ages for samples AC478 and AY066 are 1932±270 Ma(95% confidence level, MSWD=2.3) and 1813±45 Ma(95% confidence level, MSWD=2.3), respectively. The apatites in sample P090803-C exhibit a Pb-Pb isochron age of 1833±26 Ma(95% confidence level, MSWD=1.4). The apatite U-Pb ages for samples AC478, AY199, and AY066 are 1850±20 Ma(95% confidence level, MSWD=1.3), 1827±100 Ma(95% confidence level, MSWD=6.3), and 1807±58 Ma(95% confidence level, MSWD=3.9), respectively. Titanites in samples AC478 and AY066, as well as the apatites in all four investigated samples, show a uniform age(Pb-Pb or U-Pb age) of ~1.9–1.8 Ga,indicating U-Pb system reset in these minerals due to the Wopmay orogeny and documenting that the peak temperature condition associated with the Wopmay orogeny exceeded the apatite U-Pb closure temperature and approached or exceeded that of titanite.

Deformation induced decoupling between U-Pb and trace elements in titanite revealed through petrochronology and study of localized deformation

In this contribution,we analyzed a pair of mafic samples collected from a recently identified shear zone and its proximal footwall from the Manicouagan Imbricate Zone(MIZ)of the central Grenville Province,Québec,Canada.Titanite petrochronology,metamorphic phase equilibria modelling,trace element thermometry,and electron backscattered diffraction data were used to define a Pressure-Temperature-timeDeformation path for the two samples.An interconnected dislocation network within titanite grains,as outlined with Kerneled Average Misorientation maps,are spatially correlated with variation in the U-Pb system but not with that observed for trace element These results suggest that the U-Pb system was decoupled from trace and rare earth elements and that deformation,rather than interface-coupled dissolution-precipitation reactions or re-crystallisation,was the main driver for this decoupling.In addition to highlighting a potential pitfall of titanite petrochronology,our P-T-t-D path reveals that ductile shear zones were active later than previously suggested within the MIZ.

An Early Cretaceous gold mineralization event in the Triassic West Qinling orogen revealed from U-Pb titanite dating of the Ma'anqiao gold deposit

The West Qinling orogen in central China,formed from continental collision between the North China and Yangtze cratons in the Late Triassic,hosts numerous gold deposits with a total Au endowment of about 2000 t.Most deposits were emplaced at ca.250-195 Ma and are genetically associated with the Triassic orogenesis.Here in situ U-Pb titanite dating with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry indicates the Ma’anqiao gold deposit in the northern portion of this orogen has a distinctive age and under a contrasting tectonic regime.This structurally controlled gold deposit is hosted in Late Ordovician to Early Silurian sub-greenschist facies metasedimentary rocks.The gold mineralization is hosted in quartz-pyritepyrrhotite veins and pyrite-pyrrhotite disseminations in hydrothermally altered rocks,which are crosscut by K-feldspar-calcitechlorite±pyrite veins.Titanite,present both in the disseminated sulfide ores and later veins,was used for in situ U-Pb dating.Titanite from three disseminated sulfide ore samples with Th and U averaging 27.46 and 39.31 ppm(1 ppm=1μg g^(-1)),respectively,yielded lower-intercept ages of 121.1±3.1 to 120.7±3.5 Ma(2σ)in the Tera-Wasserburg diagram.Titanite from three later vein samples with much lower Th and U concentrations averaging 2.74 and 16.21 ppm,respectively,yielded overlapping ages of 120.8±3.2 to 120.3±5.8 Ma(2σ).These new titanite U-Pb ages tightly constrain the formation of the Ma’anqiao gold deposit at ca.121-120 Ma and,when combined with independent geological data,indicate it is not related to the Triassic Qinling orogeny.Rather,its formation is attributed to lithospheric thinning and destruction of the North China craton during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous which has generated numerous gold deposits along the southern margin of this craton.This catastrophic event caused extensive magmatism in large areas of the North Qinling terrane and northern edge of the West Qinling orogen immediately to the south of the North China craton.The heat flux and elevated geothermal gradients associated with this magmatism could have induced prograde metamorphism of the Paleozoic sedimentary infrastructure in and beneath these areas with the derived fluids ascending along pre-existing crustal-scale regional structures to form the Ma’anqiao gold deposit.We suggest that areas in the North Qinling terrane that have been affected by the Late Mesozoic magmatism are potential targets for future exploration of the decratonization-related gold deposits.Additionally,this study highlights the use of titanite U-Pb dating as a robust geochronometer for metasedimentary rock-hosted gold deposits in Phanerozoic orogens,which has previously not been utilized.

Significance of phosphorous (P)- and magnesium (Mg)-bearing high-Al titanite in high-pressure marble from Yangguantun,Rongcheng County, Shandong Province

Titanite is a widespread accessory mineral in metamorphic rocks. The united exchange Ti+O=(Al, Fe3+)+（OH, F） is now recognized as a common substitution in metamorphic titanite. Five theoretical titanite end-members were recognized by Smith: CaTiSiO4O （oxy-titano-titanite）, CaAlSiO4OH （hydroxy-alumino-titanite）, CaAlSiO4F （flour-aluminotitanite）, CaFeSiO4OH （hydroxy-ferri-titanite） and CaFeSiO4F （flour-ferri-titanite）.

Reconstruction the Process of Partial Melting of the Retrograde Eclogite from the North Qaidam,Western China: Constraints from Titanite U-Pb Dating and Mineral Chemistry

Retrograde eclogite and garnet amphibolite of the Lüliangshan unit of the Shenglikou area,North Qaidam,were studied with emphasis on rutile and titanite.A special focus is on the formation of rutile and its corona of titanite(Ttn1)in retrograde eclogite and on coarse-grained titanite(Ttn2)from the garnet amphibolite.Using zirconium(Zr)-in-rutile and Zr-in-titanite thermometers,the temperatures estimated for the formation of an early generation of rutile are 823–884℃at 2.5–2.8 GPa,while 812–894℃at 1.3–1.5 GPa are derived for the formation of coronitic Ttn1 in the retrograde eclogite.Therefore,isothermal decompression must have occurred during exhumation,which also has triggered the partial melting of the retrograde eclogite.Ttn2 of the garnet amphibolite has high REE contents and high Th/U ratios,indicating that it is newly grown from a Ti,Ca,and LREE enriched anatectic melt derived from the partial melting of retrograde eclogite.LA-ICP MS U-Pb dating yields a lower intercept age of 423±4 Ma for Ttn2,which is consistent with the granulite-facies metamorphic age of the retrograde eclogite.Moreover,a temperature of 781–823℃at 1.0–1.2 GPa is obtained for Ttn2,which fits the P-T conditions of the HP granulite-facies metamorphic stage(P=1.07–1.24 GPa and T=774–814℃),and documents that the crystallization of the melt occurred at the granulite-facies stage at 423 Ma.The high amount of REE of the garnet amphibolite is a consequence of the formation of Ttn2 from the melt.The contents and ratios of Zr and Hf in rutile and Ttn2 differ from those in the garnet amphibolite,and the whole rock Zr/Hf ratios of retrograde eclogite and garnet amphibolite are both higher than the respective ratios in rutile and Ttn2,suggesting that rutile and titanite cannot be the major carriers of Zr and Hf accounting for the high whole rock Zr/Hf ratios.

Laser Ablation ICP-MS Titanite U-Th-Pb Dating of the Tonglushan Cu-Fe-Au Skarn Deposit,Southeastern Hubei Province

Titanite(CaTi2SiO5) is an important accessory mineral not only in magmatic and metamorphic rocks,but also commonly in hydrothermal mineral deposits. It incorporates appreciable amounts(usually 10×10-6 s to 100×10-6 s) of U and Th into its structure and has a closure temperature of Pb diffusion higher than 660～700 ℃(Scott and St-Onge,1995) ,making it an ideal U-Th-Pb geochronometer. The Daye metallogenic district is located in the west of the giant Middle-Lower Yangtze River(MLYR) Cu-Fe-Au province,eastern China and is well endowed with Fe,Cu,and polymetallic skarn deposits.

Evolution of Siderian juvenile crust to Rhyacian high Ba-Sr magmatism in the Mineiro Belt, southern S?o Francisco Craton

Plutonic rocks from the Mineiro Belt, Brazil record a delayed onset of the transition from TTG to sanukitoid-type magmatism（high Ba-Sr）, starting during the Siderian magmatic lull when little juvenile magma was added to the continental crust. Rocks mostly belong to the calc-alkaline series, meta-to peraluminous and originally ＂Ⅰ-type＂,meaning that oxidized magmas were formed by partial melting of subducted material. The temporal distribution and apparent secular changes of the magmas are consistent with the onset of subduction-driven plate tectonics due to an increase of the subduction angle and opening of the mantle wedge. New isotopic analyses（Sm-Nd whole rock and Lu-Hf in zircon）corroborate the restricted juvenile nature of the Mineiro Belt and confirm the genetic link between the Lagoa Dourada Suite,a rare ca. 2350 Ma high-Al tonalite-trondhjemite magmatic event, and the sanukitoid-type ca. 2130 Ma Alto Maranhao Suite. U-Pb dating of zircon and titanite constrain the crystallisation history of plutonic bodies; coupled with major and trace element analyses of the host rocks, they distinguish evolutionary trends in the Mineiro Belt. Several plutons in the region have ages close to 2130 Ma but are distinguished by the lower concentration of compatible elements in the juvenile high Ba-Sr suite.

Metamorphism and exhumation of basement gneiss domes in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero:Two stage dome-and-keel evolution?

The presence of dome-and-keel provinces in Archean cratons has been connected with the initiation of plate tectonics on Earth as these features are most commonly observed in Archean rocks.The Quadrilátero Ferrífero in Brazil has been identified as a Paleoproterozoic dome-and-keel province for more than three decades.The prevailing model suggests that it formed during the Rhyacian Transamazonian orogeny,making it unique among dome-and-keel provinces.However,a lack of appropriate lithologies,datable minerals and the metamorphic overprint of later orogenesis has resulted in a cryptic metamorphic record for the formation of this dome-and-keel province.A clinopyroxene-bearing migmatite from the core of the Bacao dome has peak P-T conditions of 5-7 kbar and 700-750 ℃ and a published age of ca.2730 Ma based on U-Pb ages of zircon from leucosomes,suggesting that this age represents the migmatisation event.A fine-grained epidote-albite-titanite assemblage overprints the coarse-grained clinopyroxene and amphibole,giving P-T conditions of 8-9 kbar and 550℃ with an associated titanite age of ca.2050 Ma.A garnet-bearing amphibolite sample also from the core of the dome has peak P-T conditions of 7-8 kbar and 650-700℃,and texturally late titanite from this sample produces an age of ca.2060 Ma.Three additional samples were collected from the edges of the dome.A garnet-gedrite bearing felsic schist produces peak P-T conditions of 8-9 kbar and 650-700℃ on a clockwise P-T evolution.This sample has a U-Pb zircon age of ca.2775 Ma,which could date metamorphism or be the age of its volcaniclastic protolith.Texturally unconstrained titanite from the sample gives an age of ca.2040 Ma.A garnet-bearing amphibolite that occurs as a boudin within the felsic schist gives both zircon and titanite ages of ca.2050 Ma and has peak P-T conditions of 5-6 kbar and 650-700 ℃ on a near isobaric P-T path.An amphibolite dike,observed to cross-cut the felsic schist produces a zircon U-Pb age of ca.2760 Ma.Altogether this data suggests that the samples were metamorphosed in the Archean (ca.2775-2730 Ma) and again during the Transamazonian event.The most plausible explanation for this data is that dome-and-keel formation occurred in the Archean with migmatisation and high-temperature metamorphism occurring at this time.The Paleoproterozoic event is interpreted as a reactivation of the dome-and-keel formation structures,with Paleoproterozoic keels crosscutting Archean keels and producing metamorphic aureoles.The high radiogenic heat production and the presence of dense sedimentary successions in Archean terranes make dome-and-keel provinces a uniquely Archean feature,but they are susceptible to reworking,resulting in an enigmatic record of formation.

Paleoproterozoic juvenile magmatism within the northeastern sector of the Sao Francisco paleocontinent:Insights from the shoshonitic high Ba-Sr Montezuma granitoids

New,integrated petrographic,mineral chemistry,whole rock geochemical,zircon and titanite UPb geochronology,and zircon Hf isotopic data from the Montezuma granitoids,as well as new geochemical results for its host rocks represented by the Corrego Tingui Complex,provides new insights into the late-to post-collisional evolution of the northeastern Sao Francisco paleocontinent.U-Pb zircon dates from the Montezuma granitoids spread along the Concordia between ca.2.2 Ga to 1.8 Ga and comprise distinct groups.Group I have crystallization ages between ca.2.15 Ga and 2.05 Ga and are interpreted as inherited grains.Group II zircon dates vary from 2.04 Ga to1.9 Ga and corresponds to the crystallization of the Montezuma granitoids,which were constrained at ca.2.03 Ga by the titanite U-Pb age.Inverse age zoning is common within the ca.1.8 Ga Group III zircon ages,being related to fluid isotopic re-setting during the Espinhaco rifiting event.ZirconεHf(t)analysis show dominantly positive values for both Group I(-4 to+9)andⅡ(-3 to+8)zircons and TDM2 model ages of 2.7-2.1 Ga and 2.5-1.95 Ga,respectively.Geochemically,the Montezuma granitoids are weakly peraluminous to metaluminous magnesian granitoids,enriched in LILES and LREE,with high to moderate Mg#and depleted in some of the HFSE.Their lithochemical signature,added to the juvenile signature of both inherited and crystallized zircons,allowed its classification as a shoshonitic high Ba-Sr granitoid related to a late-to post-collisional lithosphere delamination followed by asthenospheric upwelling.In this scenario,the partial melting of the lithospheric mantle interacted with the roots of an accreted juvenile intra-oceanic arc,being these hybrid magma interpreted as the source of the Montezuma granitoids.The Corrego Tingui Complex host rocks are akin to a syn-to late-collisional volcanic arc granitoids originated from the partial melting of ancient crustal rocks.The results presented in this study have revealed the occurrence of juvenile rocks,probably related to an island arc environment,that are exotic in relation to the Paleo-to Neoarchean crust from the Sao Francisco paleocontinent’s core.

Synthesis and Investigation of Pseudo Binary System CaTiSiO₅-YFeSnO₅

The research is devoted to the multicomponent system CaTiSiO5-YFeSnO5. The synthesis of solid solutions Ca1-xYxTi1-xSnxSi1-xFexO5 (x = 0 - 1.0, Δx = 0.1) was conducted in low-temperature plasma of hydrogen-oxygen flame. It was found that ions Ca2+, Ti4+ and Si4+ in the molecule of titanit may be substituted with t ions Y3+, Fe3+ and Sn4+. In this case, the system produces two phases of variable composition with broad regions of homogeneity. There were defined the boundaries of formed phases, crystallographic and electrical parameters of the solid solutions. All solid solutions have a semiconductor conductivity type, whose value is linearly dependent on the temperature and com- position of the sample.

Mineralogy and Beneficiation of Lamujärvi Syenites

The Lamujärvi syenites intrusions occur within Svecofennian (ca. 1.92 Ga) gneisses, ca. 70 km west of the Otanmaki alkaline area in central Finland. Previous studies have revealed zones in the syenites that display strong enrichment in Zr (1587 ppm), Nb (up to 685 ppm), Ta (up to 82 ppm), and REE (up to 5350 ppm). The major REE-bearing minerals in the Lamujarvi syenites are allanite and monazite. A sample of the Lamujärvi syenites with the REE content of 4700 ppm was studied on the mineralogy and beneficiation at GTK Mintec. The mineralogical analysis was conducted by MLA. The REE-bearing minerals allanite, parisite, zircon, and apatite were identified at significant concentrations and high contents of titanite (15.4%), biotite (30.9%) and magnetite (8.2%) were displayed in the sample. The beneficiation experiments by flotation, wet low and high gradient magnetic separations and gravity separation with a shaking table were carried out. A composite REE-Ti concentrate with REE 23,000 ppm, Zr 5000 ppm, Nb 3400 ppm and TiO2 25.5% at REE and Ti recoveries of 57% and 54% was obtained. In addition, biotite and magnetite concentrates were gained as by-products.