The importance of the Musgrave Province in continental reconstructions of Proterozoic Australia is only beginning to be appreciated. The Mesoproterozoic Musgrave Province sits in a geographically central location within Australia and is bounded by older and more isotopically evolved regions including the Gawler Craton of South Australia and Arunta Region of the Northern Territory. Understanding the crustal growth and deformation mechanisms involved in the formation of the Musgrave Province, and also the nature of the basement that separates these tectonic elements, allows for greater insight into defining the timing and processes responsible for the amalgamation of Proterozoic Australia. The ca. 1.60-1.54 Ga Musgravian Gneiss preserves geochemical and isotopic signatures related to ongoing arc-magmatism in an active margin between the North Australian and South Australian Cratons (NAC and SAC). Characteristic geochemical patterns of the Musgravian Gneiss include negative anomalies in Nb, Ti, and Y, and are accompanied by steep LREE patterns. Also characteristic of the Musgravian Gneiss is its juvenile Nd isotopic composition (ɛNd1.55 values from -1.2 to +0.9). The juvenile isotopic signature of the Musgravian Gneiss separates it from the bounding comparitively isotopically evolved terranes of the Arunta Region and Gawler Craton. The geochemical and isotopic signatures of these early Mesoproterozoic felsic rocks have similarities with island arc systems involving residual Ti-bearing minerals and garnet. Circa 1.40 Ga metasedimentary rocks of the eastern Musgrave Province also record vital evidence for determining Australia.s location and fit within a global plate reconstruction context during the late Mesoproterozoic. U-Pb detrital zircon and Sm-Nd isotopic data from these metasedimentary rocks suggests a component of derivation from sources outside of the presently exposed Australian crust. Best fit matches come from rocks originating from eastern Laurentia. Detrital zircon ages range from Palaeoproterozoic to late Mesoproterozoic, constraining the maximum depositional age of the metasediments to approximately 1.40 Ga, similar to that of the Belt Supergroup in western Laurentia. The 1.49-1.36 Ga detrital zircons in the Musgrave metasediments are interpreted to have been derived from the voluminous A-type suites of Laurentia, as this time period represents a “magmatic gap” in Australia, with an extreme paucity of sources this age recognized. The metasedimentary rocks exhibit a range of Nd isotopic signatures, with ɛNd(1.4 Ga) values ranging from -5.1 to 0.9, inconsistent with complete derivation from Australian sources, which are more isotopically evolved. The isotopically juvenile ca. 1.60-1.54 Ga Musgravian Gneiss is also an excellent candidate for the source of the abundant ca. 1.6-1.54 Ga detrital zircons within the lower sequences of the Belt Supergroup. If these interpretations are correct, they support a palaeogeographic reconstruction involving proximity of Australia and Laurentia during the pre-Rodinia Mesoproterozoic. This also increases the prospectivity of the eastern Musgrave Province to host a metamorphised equivalent of the massive Pb-Zn-Ag Sullivan deposit. The geochemical and isotopic signatures recorded in mafic-ultramafic rocks can divulge important information regarding the state of the sub continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM). The voluminous cumulate mafic-ultramafic rocks of the ca. 1.08 Ga Giles Complex record geochemical and Nd-Sr isotopic compositions consistent with an enriched parental magma. Traverses across three layered intrusions, the Kalka, Ewarara, and Gosse Pile were geochemically and isotopically analysed. Whole rock samples display variably depleted to enriched LREE patterns when normalised to chondrite ((La/Sm)N = 0.43-4.72). Clinopyroxene separates display similar depleted to enriched LREE patterns ((La/Sm)N = 0.37-7.33) relative to a chondritic source. The cumulate rocks display isotopically evolved signatures (ɛNd ~-1.0 to .5.0 and ɛSr ~19.0 to 85.0). Using simple bulk mixing and AFC equations, the Nd-Sr data of the more radiogenic samples can be modelled by addition of ~10% average Musgrave crust to a primitive picritic source, without need for an enriched mantle signature. Shallow decompressional melting of an asthenospheric plume source beneath thinned Musgravian lithosphere is envisaged as a source for the parental picritic magma. A model involving early crustal contamination within feeder zones is favoured, and consequently explorers looking for Ni-Cu-Co sulphides should concentrate on locating these feeder zones. Few absolute age constraints exist for the timing of the intracratonic Petermann Orogeny of the Musgrave Province. The Petermann Orogeny is responsible for much of the lithospheric architecture we see today within the Musgrave Province, uplifting and exhuming large parts along crustal scale E-W trending fault/shear systems. Isotopic and geochemical analysis of a suite of stratigraphic units within the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Officer Basin to the immediate south indicate the development of a foreland architecture at ca. 600 Ma. An excursion in ɛNd values towards increasingly less negative values at this time is interpreted as representing a large influx of Musgrave derived sediments. Understanding the nature of the basement separating the SAC from the NAC and WAC is vital in constructing models of the amalgamation of Proterozoic Australia. This region is poorly understood as it is overlain by the thick sedimentary cover of the Officer Basin. However, the Coompana Block is one place where basement is shallow enough to be intersected in drillcore. The previously geochronologically, geochemically, and isotopically uncharacterised granitic gneiss of the Coompana Block represents an important period of within-plate magmatism during a time of relative magmatic quiescence in the Australian Proterozoic. U-Pb LA-ICPMS dating of magmatic zircons provides an age of ca. 1.50 Ga, interpreted as the crystallisation age of the granite protolith. The samples have distinctive A-type chemistry characterised by high contents of Zr, Nb, Y, Ga, LREE with low Mg#, Sr, CaO and HREE. ɛNd values are high with respect to surrounding exposed crust of the Musgrave Province and Gawler Craton, and range from +1.2 to +3.3 at 1.5 Ga. The tectonic environment into which the granite was emplaced is also unclear, however one possibility is emplacement within an extensional environment represented by interlayered basalts and arenaceous sediments of the Coompana Block. Regardless, the granitic gneiss intersected in Mallabie 1 represents magmatic activity during the “Australian magmatic gap” of ca. 1.52-1.35 Ga, and is a possible source for detrital ca. 1.50 zircons found within sedimentary rocks of Tasmania and Antarctica, and metasedimentary rocks of the eastern Musgrave Province. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1261003 / Thesis(PhD)-- University of Adelaide, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2006

The Mesoproterozoic rocks of the Bysteek and Koenap Formations of the Arribees Group are exposed within a NW-SE striking antiformal structure comprised of mafic granulites and metapelitic diatexites, and a number of marble and calc-silicate rock layers. The mafic granulites of the Bysteek Formation show a typological variety of anatectic features, including nebulitic, stromatitic mesosomes, melanosomes, quartz syenitic leucocratic vein networks and syenitic pools. Melanosomes consist of hedenbergitic to diopside-rich clinopyroxene (XMg: 0.40), anorthitic plagioclase (An90), with some quartz, minor apatite and titanite. Anatexis was caused by biotite dehydration melting and formed a melt of probably granitic composition. The leucosome composition ranges from either alkali-feldspar-granitic to plagioclase rich or granitic. This variation is interpreted as a result of variable extraction of melt from the source to granitic pools. The diatexites of the Koenap Formation are most likely of metapelitic or meta-greywacke origin. They are texturally variable but always contain high modal contents of alkali feldspar and quartz which generally form magmatic textures. Almandine-rich garnet (XMg: 0.18-0.25), cordierite (XMg: 0.71) form secondary biotite, sillimanite and magnetite during retrograde breakdown. Thermodynamic modelling of mafic granulite compositions suggests peak P-T conditions of ~865 °C and 8.6 kbar. Occasionally, garnet rich in ferric iron (XAdr: 0.55) forms by plagioclase-clinopyroxene breakdown under oxidising conditions at ~6 kilobar and ~ 800 °C. At the same stage amphibole forms in some melanosomes. P-T estimations for the diatexites based on thermodynamic modelling suggest the equilibration of the assemblage garnet, cordierite, alkali feldspar and melt at ~860 °C and 5.5 kbar. Conditions comparable to the peak pressure in the mafic granulites could not be established. However, since the diatexites and the mafic granulites are closely related in the field and no evidence of juxtaposition after the thermal peak exists, the P-T record of the diatexites might be incomplete

published_or_final_version / Earth Sciences / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Greenschist-facies, Lower Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks of the Johnny Lyon Rills and Little Dragoon Mountains of southeastern Arizona were deposited prior to the intrusion of an approximately 1690 Ma rhyodacite pluton. Well-preserved primary structures indicate deposition by turbidity currents in an intermediate to neardistal setting. Sandstone compositions suggest derivation from either a complex, heterogeneous source or multiple source terranes that provided mature, quartzose sediment as well as lesser quantities of volcaniclastic detritus. Earliest deformation, predating both intrusion of the rhyodacite and metamorphism, produced sections of melange composed primarily of dismembered turbidite beds, but also incorporating large (up to several km long) blocks of deformed basalt. Subsequent deformation, in part post-dating intrusion of the rhyodacite and in part coinciding with metamorphism, affected both melange and coherent strata, and involved isoclinal folding and layerparallel faulting and shearing. It is proposed that turbidite deposition occurred in a trench associated with a north-dipping subduction zone or on ocean floor outboard of such a trench. Melange formed primarily by ductile disruption of unlithified sediments within the subduction zone. Basalt blocks incorporated within the melange represent fragments of oceanic crust or seamounts detached from the lower plate during subduction. Later deformation and intrusion of the rhyodacite occurred within an accretionary prism above the subduction zone. Deformation within the prism ended prior to intrusion of the 1625 ± 10 Ma posttectonic Johnny Lyon Granodiorite.

The epeiric Transvaal Sea covered the Kaapvaal Craton of southern Africa during the Early Proterozoic and its remnant strata represent one of the oldest known carbonate depositories. A genetic stratigraphic approach has been used in this research on the evolution and syndepositional tectonics of the Transvaal Sea; research also emphasized the development of basement precursors, which influenced the Transvaal Sea. Eight subfacies were initially recognized and their interrelationships through Transvaal Sea time and space were used to identify ten depositional systems. Paleogeographic reconstructions indicate that the depositional systems developed on morphological variations of a distally-steepened carbonate rarp and that the depositional character of each was simply a function of water Backstripping of the depositional systems indicates that the Transvaal Sea was compartmentalized; three compartments are preserved on the Kaapvaal Craton. Backstripping also indicates that the depositional center of the Transvaal Sea lay over the western margin of an underlying rift. Rifting had developed a major, north-south-trending structure, and its geographical interrelationships with the east-west-trending Selati Trough created the compartment architecture of the basement. Interpretation of syndepositional tectonics suggests that six stages of subsidence influenced the Transvaal Sea. Early subsidence consisted of mechanical (rift) subsidence followed by

Estromatólitos foram estudados em nove localidades ao sul de Itapeva (SP), principalmente em metacalcários dolomíticos cinza-claro e, secundariamente, em metacalcários calcíticos cinza-escuro, do Grupo Itaiacoca, uma unidade vulcanossedimentar mesoproterozóica da Faixa Ribeira. Foram diferenciados em cinco formas colunares, a mais comum consistindo de colunas coniformes, não ramificadas, de diâmetros e alturas centimétricas a decimétricas, atribuídas a Conophyton. As outras quatro formas, com laminação convexa mas não coniforme, diferem em tamanho, silhueta e estilo/freqüência de ramificação. As diferenças na preservação dos estromatólitos são relacionadas ao comportamentos tectônicos distintos entre o metacalcário dolomítico (mais puro), com comportamento competente, e o calcítico (mais argiloso) que atuou de forma mais plástica. Nas melhores exposições desta área os estromatólitos estão agrupados em bioermas de Conophyton, sem indícios de exposição ou retrabalhamento sub-aéreo ou por ondas, evidenciando um ambiente calmo e relativamente profundo, provavelmente abaixo do nível de base de ondas, de talvez até algumas dezenas de metros de profundidade. Conophyton de Itapeva é semelhante a estromatólitos coniformes próximo a Abapã (PR), também no Grupo Itaiacoca, a cerca de 100 km de Itapeva, mas difere de outras formas, incluindo Conophyton cylindricum e C. metulum, de unidades proterozóicas associadas a margem oeste do Cráton do São Francisco. O Conophyton do Grupo Itaiacoca é semelhante a formas na ex-União Soviética que são geralmente encontrados no Mesoproterozóico ou Neoproterozóico inferior, que é consistente com as datações radiométricas disponíveis que colocam esta unidade próximo ao final do Mesoproterozóico. / Stromatolites were studied at nine localities south of Itapeva, São Paulo, Brazil, generally in light-gray metadolostones and secondarily in dark-gray metalimestones of the Itaiacoca Group, a Mesoproterozoic volcanosedimentary unit of the Ribeira Belt. Five columnar forms were distinguished, the most common consisting of unbranched, coniform columns, with centimetric to decimetric diameters and heights, attributed to Conophyton. The other four forms exhibit convex, but not coniform lamination and differ in size, silhouette and style/frequency of branching. Differences in stromatolite preservation are related to the differing tectonic behavious of the purer and more competent metadolostones and the more argillaceous metalimestones which behaved more plastically. In the best exposures in this area the stromatolites are grouped into Conophyton bioherms, without any evidence of subaerial exposure or reworking by waves, which suggests that they formed in a calm and relatively deep setting (perhaps up to several tens of meters in depth), probably below the base of fairweather water. Conophyton from Itapeva is similar to other coniform stromatolites in the Itaiacoca Group near Abapã (Paraná), about 100 km SW of Itapeva, but differs from other forms, including Conophyton cylindricum and C. metulum, from Proterozoic successions associated with the western margin of the São Francisco Craton. The Conophyton from the Itaiacoca Group is most similar to forms in the ex-Sovietic Union that are usually found in the Mesoproterozoic or lowest Neoproterozoic, which is consistent with available radiometric age dates that place this unit near the end of the Mesoproterozoic.

Os sistemas eólicos foram abundantes e muito comuns no início da Era Proterozoica Era, depois de 2.2 Ga. No entanto, a maioria das sucessões eólicas dessa idade são intensamente deformadas e fragmentadas, o que implica que até o momento, poucas tentativas foram feitas para aplicar uma abordagem de estratigrafia de sequências, para determinar os mecanismos de construção, acumulação e preservação das sequências eólicas, da mesma forma, não existem trabalhos realizados até o presente momento que utilizem os registros de acumulação eólica e reconstruções paleogeográficas para modelar a circulação atmosférica do Pré- Cambriano. A Formação Mangabeira é uma sucessão eólica de idade Mesoproterozóica bem preservada no Cráton do São Francisco, nordeste do Brasil. Duas unidades principais foram identificadas com base na arquitetura deposicional e na análise dos paleoventos. A unidade inferior da Formação Mangabeira (~ 500 m de espessura) compreende depósitos eólicos de duna, interdunas, lençóis de areia eólicos, assim como depósitos fluviais. Estes depósitos são organizados em ciclos sedimentares que se sucedem verticalmente, cada ciclo com 6 a 20 m de espessura, caracterizados por lençóis de areia eólicos e depósitos fluviais que são substituídos por dunas eólicas e depósitos interdunas indicando uma tendência de ressecamento para o topo. Os dados de paleoventos indicam um transporte atual dominantemente à norte. Estes ciclos surgem em resposta a oscilações climáticas de um clima relativamente úmido para condições climáticas áridas possivelmente relacionadas com forças orbitais. O limite entre a Unidade Inferior e a Unidade Superior sobrejacente é marcado por uma mudança na arquitetura deposicional e uma mudança brusca no padrão de paleoventos. A Unidade Superior (200 m de espessura) é caracterizada por sucessivos sets de estratos cruzados simples, cada set com ~ 3 a 10 m de espessura, que indicam a migração e acumulação de grandes dunas eólicas sem regiões de interdunas, e que se acumulou como um sistema eólico seco. Os dados de paleoventos indicam transporte atual predominantemente ao sul. Esta sucessão se acumulou durante um episódio de longa duração de hiperaridez. Localmente, a Unidade Superior inclui depósitos fluviais menores que registram um evento úmido de curta duração, ou uma inundação rara por sistemas fluviais provenientes das margens da bacia. A combinação dos dados de paleoventos com mapas paleogeográficos demonstra uma boa correlação entre a circulação atmosférica e distribuição das massas de terras. Entre 1,6-1,54 Ga o Cráton São Francisco estava localizado entre as latitudes médias e o equador. Os registros do regime de vento a partir dos estratos cruzados da Unidade Inferior são consistentes com as posições paleogeográficas do Cráton do São Francisco entre 25º a 35º S, prevalecendo um padrão de vento zonal. Entre 1,54-1,5 Ga a grande massa de terra (cratons do São-Francisco, Congo e Sibéria) derivou mais ao norte atingindo paleolatitudes entre 30º S e 30ºN. Nessa altura, o Cráton do São Francisco estava posicionado na zona equatorial. Esta paleogeografia é consistente com os paleoventos registrados na Unidade Superior, dominando um padrão de vento de monções. / Aeolian systems were abundant and widespread in the early Proterozoic Era, after 2.2 Ga. However, the majority of aeolian successions of such great age are intensely deformed and are preserved only in a fragmentary state meaning that, hitherto, few attempts have been made to apply a sequence stratigraphic approach to determine mechanisms of aeolian construction, accumulation and preservation in such systems, as the same way, no attempts to use the records of aeolian accumulation and palaeogeographic reconstructions of the land mass distribution to model Precambrian atmospheric circulation have been undertaken so far. The Mangabeira Formation is a well preserved Mesoproterozoic erg succession covering part of the São Francisco Craton, northeastern Brazil. Two main units are identified based on stratigraphic architecture and analysis of regional palaeo-sand transport directions. The lower unit of the Mangabeira Formation (~500 m thick) comprises aeolian deposits of dune, interdune, and sand-sheet origin, as well as some of water-lain origin. These deposits are organized into vertically stacked depositional cycles, each 6 to 20 m thick and characterized by aeolian sandsheet and water-lain deposits succeeded by aeolian dune and interdune deposits indicative of a drying-upward trend. Palaeocurrent data indicate aeolian sand transport dominantly to the presentday north. These cycles likely arose in response to climatic oscillations from relatively humid to arid conditions, possibly related to orbital forcing. The boundary between this lower unit and an overlying upper unit is an unconformity of regional extent marked by a change in the depositional architecture and an abrupt shift in palaeocurrent pattern. The Upper Unit (200 m thick) is characterized by stacked sets of simple cross strata, each ~3 to 10 m thick, which are indicative of the migration and accumulation of large aeolian dunes that lacked interdune flats of appreciable size, and which accumulated as a dry aeolian system. Palaeocurrent data indicates aeolian sand transport dominantly to the present-day south. This succession is interpreted to have accumulated during a long-lived episode of hyper-aridity. Locally, the upper unit includes minor fluvial deposits that may record a short-lived event of heightened humidity, or a rare flood event by fluvial systems sourced from the basin margin. The combination of the palaeowinds data with 1.6 - 1.5 Ga palaeogeographic maps demonstrate a good correlation between atmospheric circulation and land mass distribution. At 1.6 to 1.54 Ga São Francisco Craton has been located between mid-latitudes and equatorial zone. The wind regime records from the cross-strata of the Lower Unit are consistent with the palaeogeographic positions of São Francisco between 25º to 35º S, prevail a zonal wind pattern. At 1.54 to 1.5 Ga the large land mass (São-Francisco-Congo and Siberian cratons) drifted farther north reaching palaeolatitudes between 30º S and 30ºN. At that time the São Francisco Craton has been located in the equatorial zone. This palaeogeography is consistent with the northwestern palaeowinds directions recorded in the Upper Unit which dominates a monsoonal wind pattern.

Three folded maps (1 col.) in pocket. Bibliography: leaves 81-94.

Bibliography: p.127-141.

Typescript (Photocopy) Copies of 4 published papers co-authored by author, and 7 maps, in back cover pocket. Bibliography: leaves 203-218.