Carla Cristine Porcher

Deformation patterns in the southern Brazilian branch of the Dom Feliciano Belt: A reappraisal

Abstract Structural mapping of key areas linked by reconnaissance investigations in the southern Brazilian portion of the Brasiliano/Pan-African Dom Feliciano Belt has shown the importance of large-scale flat-lying and strike-slip shear zones in the tectonic evolution of this belt. These zones of intense deformation form km-thick mylonitic belts in Brasiliano granites and supracrustal rocks as well as their Transamazonian/Eburnian basement. Structures developed within flat-lying shear zones under metamorphic conditions of amphibolite facies are interpreted as having formed during oblique collision between crustal blocks — the Kalahari Craton and the Magmatic Arc I — in which the direction of tectonic transport was NW-SE. Further collision between this assemblage and the Rio de La Plata Craton gave rise to a transpressive regime whose tectonic transport direction is indicated by regionally consistent NE/SW-oriented stretching lineations, parallel to the belts length.

Magma-assisted strain localization in an orogen-parallel transcurrent shear zone of southern Brazil

In a lithospheric-scale, orogen-parallel transcurrent shear zone of the Pan-African Dom Feliciano belt of southern Brazil, two successive generations of magmas, an early calc-alkaline and a late peraluminous, have been emplaced during deformation. Microstructures show that these granitoids experienced a progressive deformation from magmatic to solid state under decreasing temperature conditions. Magmatic deformation is indicated by the coexistence of aligned K-feldspar, plagioclase, micas, and/or tourmaline with undeformed quartz. Submagmatic deformation is characterized by strain features, such as fractures, lattice bending, or replacement reactions affecting only the early crystallized phases. High-temperature solid-state deformation is characterized by extensive grain boundary migration in quartz, myrmekitic K-feldspar replacement, and dynamic recrystallization of both K-feldspar and plagioclase. Decreasing temperature during solid-state deformation is inferred from changes in quartz crystallographic fabrics, decrease in grain size of recrystallized feldspars, and lower Ti amount in recrystallized biotites. Final low-temperature deformation is characterized by feldspar replacement by micas. The geochemical evolution of the synkinematic magmatism, from calc-alkaline metaluminous granodiorites with intermediate 87Sr/86Sr initial ratio to peraluminous granites with very high 87Sr/86Sr initial ratio, suggests an early lower crustal source or a mixed mantle/crustal source, followed by a middle to upper crustal source for the melts. Shearing in lithospheric faults may induce partial melting in the lower crust by shear heating in the upper mantle, but, whatever the process initiating partial melting, lithospheric transcurrent shear zones may collect melt at different depths. Because they enhance the vertical permeability of the crust, these zones may then act as heat conductors (by advection), promoting an upward propagation of partial melting in the crust. Synkinematic granitoids localize most, if not all, deformation in the studied shear zone. The regional continuity and the pervasive character of the magmatic fabric in the various synkinematic granitic bodies, consistently displaying similar plane and direction of flow, argue for accommodation of large amounts of orogen-parallel movement by viscous deformation of these magmas. Moreover, activation of high-temperature deformation mechanisms probably allowed a much easier deformation of the hot synkinematic granites than of the colder country rock and, consequently, contributed significantly to the localization of deformation. Finally, the small extent of the low-temperature deformation suggests that the strike-slip deformation ended approximately synchronously with the final cooling of the peraluminous granites. The evolution of the deformation reflects the strong influence of synkinematic magma emplacement and subsequent cooling on the thermomechanical evolution of the shear zone. Magma intrusion in an orogen-scale transcurrent shear zone deeply modifies the rheological behavior of the continental crust. It triggers an efficient thermomechanical softening localized within the fault that may subsist long enough for large displacements to be accommodated. Therefore the close association of deformation and synkinematic magmatism probably represents an important factor controlling the mechanical response of continental plates in collisional environments.

Metamorphic evolution and U-Pb zircon SHRIMP geochronology of the Belizário ultramafic amphibolite, Encantadas Complex, southernmost Brazil

The integrated investigation of metamorphism and zircon U-Pb SHRIMP geochronology of the Belizario ultramafic amphibolite from southernmost Brazil leads to a better understanding of the processes involved in the generation of the Encantadas Complex. Magmatic evidence of the magnesian basalt or pyroxenite protolith is only preserved in cores of zircon crystals, which are dated at 2257 ± 12 Ma. Amphibolite facies metamorphism M1 formed voluminous hornblende in the investigated rock possibly at 1989 ± 21 Ma. This ultramafic rock was re-metamorphosed at 702 ± 21 Ma during a greenschist facies event M2; the assemblage actinolite + oligoclase + microcline + epidote + titanite + monazite formed by alteration of hornblende. The metamorphic events are probably related to the Encantadas Orogeny (2257 ± 12 Ma) and Camboriu Orogeny (∼ 1989 Ma) of the Trans-Amazonian Cycle, followed by an orogenic event (702 ± 21 Ma) of the Brasiliano Cycle. The intervening cratonic period (2000-700 Ma) corresponds to the existence of the Supercontinent Atlantica, known regionally as the Rio de la Plata Craton.

Thermobarometry, Sm/Nd Ages and Geophysical Evidence for the Location of the Suture Zone Between Cuyania and the Western Proto-Andean Margin of Gondwana

Abstract Basement rocks comprising ortho- and paragneisses and schists whose tectono-metamorphic evolution is poorly known, are exposed in the Sierras de Umango, Maz-Espinal and Las Ramaditas, in the northwest of the La Rioja Province, Argentina. These units were included in the Maz, El Taco, El Zaino complexes, as well as the Tambillos Metamorphics that would be part of the northern end of the Cuyania terrane, a microcontinent derived from Laurentia that collided with Western Gondwana during the early Paleozoic, or belong to the active margin of the continent. To recognize rocks belonging to each of these tectonic units and to understand the history and physical conditions of accretion were some of the main goals of the multidisciplinary investigation whose preliminary results are presented here. Geochemical studies, trace and REE elements and Sm-Nd model ages allowed the recognition of several episodes of crustal accretion in these rocks. The oldest one occurred at ca. 2.2 Ga in an arc/back-arc environment along the eastern segment of the Sierra de Maz, and was possibly coeval with development of a early Proterozoic continental crust that acted as source to sediments of Maz Complex. The following episode of crustal accretion that formed rocks in this region was at ca. 1.4 Ga and is registered by tonalites emplaced in an extensional environment cropping out in the western flank of the Sierra del Espinal. In the Sierra de Umango, an arc/back-arc sequence registered an episode of crustal accretion during the Grenvillian Cycle (ca. 1.3 Ga). The last episode of crustal accretion detected in this area (800 Ma) is represented by an old alkaline volcanism in the Sierra de Umango. This episode could be representing the first stage of break-up of the Rodinia supercontinent during the Neoproterozoic. The metamorphic grade reached by these rocks is mostly represented by fabrics with mineral assemblages of intermediate to high pressures and high temperatures, typical of collisional environments. The oldest rock-forming fabrics tectono-metamorphic episode recognized is of middle Proterozoic age (ca. 1.04 to 0.969 Ga, garnet-whole-rock Sm/Nd age) being registered by metapelites from Maz Complex that attained temperatures of 650°C-6.3 kbar. A younger metamorphic event (463 Ma, garnet - whole-rock Sm/Nd age) is verified in metatonalites intrusive in these metapelites. Another metamorphic event at ca. 301 Ma (garnet-WR Sm/Nd age) was recognized in metasediments from El Taco Complex. Peak metamorphic conditions of this event, probably registering the last major tectonic episode that affected rocks of this area was established in 868°C-9.8 kbar. It is impossible to distinguish fabrics belonging to totally different tectonic episodes based on structural or metamorphic data. Therefore, distinction between major tectono-thermal events of totally different ages such as the high-T middle Proterozoic deformation and with N-NWestwards tectonic transport direction registered in the Sierras de Maz-Espinal and Umango from the youngest one (ca. 301 Ma) that attained the highest-P/T conditions, recognized in the Sierra de Las Ramaditas, had to be done on the basis of Sm/Nd ages. Geophysical evidence indicates the presence of extensive WNW-oriented lineaments that separate basements blocks of different magnetic and gravimetric signatures that are thought to represent ancient Grenvillian age suture zones. On the other hand, the northern segment of the Valle Fertil lineament that runs between Sierras de Umango and Maz-Espinal is at present interpreted as marking the eastern boundary of the Cuyania terrane. This is supported by isotopic data as well as the contrasting history of tectono-metamorphic events as determined for both of these segments of the NW Sierras Pampeanas.

The Cerro Olivo Complex: a pre-collisional Neoproterozoic magmatic arc in Eastern Uruguay

The Cerro Olivo Complex is one of the few occurrences of the basement rocks in the Dom Feliciano Belt. It contains migmatitic paragneisses and orthogneisses that host granites of ca. 600–540 Ma Aiguá Batholith. The main orthogneisses are rich in orthopyroxene + Ca-plagioclase (Cerro Bori unit), but K-feldspar augen gneisses are also common (Centinela-Punta del Este unit). The paragneisses (Chafalote unit) are semi-pelitic migmatites that contain restites of metapelites, quartzites, amphibolites, and calc-silicate rocks. A clockwise pressure–temperature–time (P–T-t) path and two deformational events affected the Cerro Olivo Complex rocks. Granulitic high-pressure (HP)–high-temperature (HT) peak conditions were followed by low pressure (LP)–HT decompression. The first deformation (K1) developed an E–W gneissic foliation and westward-stretching lineations, whereas the second (K2) produced NS to NE–SW low-temperature mylonitic foliation and southward-stretching lineations. New SHRIMP U–Pb data from zircon cores in magmatic textural domains yield an intrusive age of 782 ± 7 million years for the Cerro Bori unit. The zircon rims have an age of 657 ± 7 million years, reflecting a younger partial melting event. Inherited ages in zircon xenocrysts span from 2655 to 768 million years, but are mostly ca. 1.0–1.2 thousand million years old. Bulk-rock geochemistry indicates a magmatic arc setting for the source rocks. The Cerro Bori unit represents calk-alkaline tonalitic and granodioritic rocks mixed with minor gabbros; in contrast, the Centinela unit consists of post-orogenic granites. A continental magmatic arc developed between ca. 800 and 770 Ma attending convergence of the Kalahari and Rio de la Plata palaeocontinents, but prior to their collision.