G. Gallastegui

An Early Ordovician tonalitic–granodioritic belt along the Schistose-Greywacke Domain of the Central Iberian Zone (Iberian Massif, Variscan Belt)

The Zarza la Mayor and Zarza de Montanchez tonalites and Arroyo de la Luz granodiorite are part of a tonalitic–granodioritic belt located along the Schistose-Greywacke Domain of the Central Iberian Zone. These intrusions are also part of the Central Extremadura Batholith, a set of plutons ranging from tonalite to leucogranite that have been considered a prime example of Variscan syn-kinematic plutonism. New LA-ICP-MS and CA-ID-TIMS U–Pb dating reveals that the Zarza la Mayor tonalite–granodiorite is an Early Ordovician intrusion. The LA-ICP-MS data show that there is an absence of inherited cores, despite some complex internal zoning with obvious resorption features in some of the zircon crystals. Dating of monazite and zircon by CA-ID-TIMS provides a concordant age of 478.1 ± 0.8 Ma. This age coincides with electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) monazite chemical ages for the Zarza de Montanchez (482 ± 10 Ma) and Arroyo de la Luz (470 ± 15 Ma) intrusions. These new data indicate the presence of an Early Ordovician belt of calc-alkaline tonalite–granodiorite in the Schistose-Greywacke Domain – the Beira Baixa–Central Extremadura tonalite–granodiorite belt – which resembles a continental magmatic arc. This belt is contemporaneous with the Ollo de Sapo magmatic event further north in the Central Iberian Zone.

The relationship between carbonate facies, volcanic rocks and plant remains in a late Palaeozoic lacustrine system (San Ignacio Fm, Frontal Cordillera, San Juan province, Argentina)

The San Ignacio Fm, a late Palaeozoic foreland basin succession that crops out in the Frontal Cordillera (Argentinean Andes), contains lacustrine microbial carbonates and volcanic rocks. Modification by extensive pedogenic processes contributed to the massive aspect of the calcareous beds. Most of the volcanic deposits in the San Ignacio Fm consist of pyroclastic rocks and resedimented volcaniclastic deposits. Less frequent lava flows produced during effusive eruptions led to the generation of tabular layers of fine-grained, greenish or grey andesites, trachytes and dacites. Pyroclastic flow deposits correspond mainly to welded ignimbrites made up of former glassy pyroclasts devitrified to microcrystalline groundmass, scarce crystals of euhedral plagioclase, quartz and K-feldspar, opaque minerals, aggregates of fine-grained phyllosilicates and fiammes defining a bedding-parallel foliation generated by welding or diagenetic compaction. Widespread silicified and silica-permineralized plant remains and carbonate mud clasts are found, usually embedded within the ignimbrites. The carbonate sequences are underlain and overlain by volcanic rocks. The carbonate sequence bottoms are mostly gradational, while their tops are usually sharp. The lower part of the carbonate sequences is made up of mud which appear progressively, filling interstices in the top of the underlying volcanic rocks. They gradually become more abundant until they form the whole of the rock fabric. Carbonate on volcanic sandstones and pyroclastic deposits occur, with the nucleation of micritic carbonate and associated production of pyrite. Cyanobacteria, which formed the locus of mineral precipitation, were related with this nucleation. The growth of some of the algal mounds was halted by the progressive accumulation of volcanic ash particles, but in most cases the upper boundary is sharp and suddenly truncated by pyroclastic flows or volcanic avalanches. These pyroclastic flows partially destroyed the carbonate beds and palaeosols. Microbial carbonate clasts, silicified and silica-permineralized tree trunks, log stumps and other plant remains such as small branches and small roots inside pieces of wood (interpreted as fragments of nurse logs) are commonly found embedded within the ignimbrites. The study of the carbonate and volcanic rocks of the San Ignacio Fm allows the authors to propose a facies model that increases our understanding of lacustrine environments that developed in volcanic settings.

The Pre-Andean Phases of Construction of the Southern Andes Basement in Neoproterozoic–Paleozoic Times

During the late Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic times, the southern Andes of Argentina and Chile (21o–55o S) formed part of the southwestern margin of Gondwana. During this period of time, a set of continental fragments of variable extent and allochtony was successively accreted to that margin, resulting in six Paleozoic orogenies of different temporal and spatial extension: Pampean (Ediacaran–early Cambrian), Famatinian (Middle Ordovician–Silurian), Ocloyic (Middle Ordovician–Devonian), Chanic (Middle Devonian–early Carboniferous), Gondwanan (Middle Devonian–middle Permian), and Tabarin (late Permian–Triassic). All these orogenies culminate with collisional events, with the exception of the Tabarin and a part of the Gondwanan orogenies that are subduction-related.