Estudos de proveniência em zircões detríticos através do método U-Th-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) dos metassedimentos do Complexo Metamórfico Porongos determinaram a existência de duas áreas-fontes principais de onde derivaram idades paleoproterozóicas e mesoproterozóicas para os xistos Arroio Areião, Cerro Cambará e quartzo milonitos associados. Foram obtidas idades entre 967 ± 15 Ma e 2454 ±26 Ma para a seqüência Arroio Areião, entre 894 ± 30 Ma e 2783 ± 18 Ma para a seqüência Cerro Cambará, e idades entre 1621 ± 16 Ma e 3185 ± 117 Ma para os quartzo milonitos associados. A área fonte com idades paleoproterozóicas pode ser correlacionada ás rochas do Complexo Encantadas, que faz parte do embasamento das unidades supracrustrais. As áreas-fontes para os zircões mesoproterozóicos (entre 967 e 1621 Ma) não foram ainda reconhecidas no Cinturão Dom Feliciano. Estes zircões podem ser derivados de associações de rocha pertencentes aos cinturões mesoproterozóicos (orogêneses Elzeverian e Greenville), associados ao sistema geodinâmico que incluí os crátons Amazonas, Kalahari, Congo – São Francisco e Laurencia e cinturões associados. O ambiente geotectônico de formação da paleobacia Porongos é compatível com a margem passiva, onde se estabeleceu um arco magmático. Este trabalho demonstra que do ponto de vista isotópico e estratigráfico, não existem diferenças significativas de idades detríticas entre as seqüências metassedimentares que afloram nos flancos da Antiforme de Santana da Boa Vista. / Provenance studies based upon detritic zircon grain U-Th-Pb methodology (LA-ICP-MS) from metasediments of Porongos Metamorphic Complex have determined the existence of two principal source-areas with paleoproterozoic and mesoproterozoic ages to the schists of Arroio Areião, Cerro Cambará and associated quartz mylonites. Where obtained ages between 967 ± 15 Ma and 2454 ±26 Ma to the Arroio Areião sequence, between 894 ± 30 Ma and 2783 ± 18 Ma to Cerro Cambará sequence, and 1621 ± 16 Ma e 3185 ± 117 Ma to the associated quartz mylonites. The source-area with paleoproterozoic ages can be related to the Encantadas Complex rocks, which is basement of the supracrustal sequences. The source-areas to the mesoproterozoic zircons (between 967 and 1621 Ma) are not recognized in the Dom Feliciano Belt. These zircons can be related to mesoproterozoic petrotectonic associations (Greenville and Elzeverian orogens) associated to the geodynamic system that includes the Amazon, Kalahari, Congo – São Francisco and Laurentia cratons, and associated belts. The tectonic environment of Porongos paleobasin it’s compatible with a passive margin, after where established a magmatic arc environment. This work shows that from isotopic and stratigraphyc point of view there is no significantly differences between the metasedimentary sequences cropping out in both Santana da Boa Vista antiform flanks.

O Complexo Jacurici, localizado no NE do Craton São Francisco, hospeda o maior depósito de cromita do Brasil. O Complexo é constituído de várias corpos N-S, possivelmente fragmentos de um único grande sill rompido durante deformação. A idade das rochas hospedeiras é assunto de debate. Alguns trabalhos sugerem que está intruso no Bloco Arqueano Serrinha enquanto outros acreditam que é parte do Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá. Mapeamento está em desenvolvimento pela CPRM e FERBASA. Entretanto, poucos dados geocronológicos estão disponíveis para a área específica onde as rochas máfica-ultramáficas afloram. O terreno é dividido em dois segmentos chamados informalmente de paragnaisses e ortognaisses, o último supostamente mais jovem considerando estar menos deformado. Os ortognaisses ocorrem na parte norte do cinturão. Petrografia revelou que alguns dos paragnaisses são álcali-feldspato granitos fortemente milonitizados. Estes afloram relacionadas às bordas da intrusão máfica-ultramáfica na área de Ipueira. Ainda, os ortognaisses consistem, ao menos em parte, de monzogranitos com deformação de baixa temperatura. Datações de zircão por LAM-MC-ICP-MS foram realizadas para cinco amostras consideradas representativas. Apenas três resultaram em boas idades Concordia: uma rocha máfica, um monzogranito e um álcali-feldspato granito. Uma rocha máfica supostamente do embasamento produziu uma idade de 2102±5Ma e é petrograficamente similar aos metanorites descritos no Complexo Jacurici. A rocha é interpretada como registro dos primeiros pulsos do magmatismo máfico. O monzogranito gerou uma idade de 2995±15Ma, sendo mais antigo do que o esperado, relacionado ao Bloco Serrinha. O álcali-feldspato granito produziu uma idade de 2081±3Ma. O Sienito Itiúba e os pegmatitos que cortam o Complexo Jacurici tem idades semelhantes. Isto mostra uma relação muito estreita entre todas estas rochas. Considerando a falta de informações sobre a seqüência supracrustal que hospeda as rochas alcalinas e máfica-ultramáficas intrusivas nas áreas de Ipueira e Medrado, é possível que parte do terreno pertença ao Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá. Sugerimos que o Complexo Jacurici possa ter sido intrudido após a colagem tectônica entre o Bloco Serrinha e a parte mais antiga do Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá e, portanto, poderia ser hospedado por ambos. / The Jacurici Complex, located in the NE of the São Francisco Craton, hosts the largest chromite deposit of Brazil. The Complex is constituted by several N-S bodies, possible fragments of a single larger sill disrupted during deformation. The age of the host rocks is still debatable. Some works suggest it is intruded on the Serrinha Archean Block while others believe it is part of the Salvador-Curaçá Belt. Mapping is under development by CPRM and FERBASA. Nevertheless, few geochronological data is available for the specific area where the mafic-ultramafic rocks outcrop. The terrain is broadly divided in two segments called informally as paragneisses and orthogneisses, the last is supposed to be younger considering it is less deformed. The othogneisses occur at the northern part of the belt. Petrography revealed that some of the believed paragneisses are actually an alkali feldspar granite strongly milonitized. It outcrops closely related to the borders of the mafic-ultramafic intrusion in the Ipueira area. Also, the orthogneisses consist, at least in part, of monzogranites with low temperature deformation. Zircon LAM-MC-ICP-MS dating were performed for five samples considered representative. Just three provided good Concordia ages: one mafic rock, one monzogranite and one alkali feldspar granite. A supposed basement mafic rock produced a 2102±5Ma age and is petrographyly similar to the metanorites described in the Jacurici Complex. The rock is interpreted as the record of the first pulses of mafic magmatism. A monzogranite yields a 2995±15Ma age, older than expected, related to the Serrinha Block. The alkali feldspar granite yields a 2081±3Ma age. The Itiúba Syenite, the Jacurici Complex and pegmatites that crosscut the Complex have similar ages. It shows a very close relationship between all these rocks. Considering the lack of information about the supracrustal sequence that hosts the intrusive alkaline and mafic-ultramafic rocks at the Ipueira and the Medrado areas, it is possible that part of the terrain belongs to the Salvador-Curaçá Belt. We suggest that the Jacurici Complex can be intruded after the tectonic amalgamation of the Serrinha Block and the older part of the Salvador-Curaçá Belt and, therefore, could be hosted by both terrains.

O Complexo Jacurici, localizado no NE do Craton São Francisco, hospeda o maior depósito de cromita do Brasil. O Complexo é constituído de várias corpos N-S, possivelmente fragmentos de um único grande sill rompido durante deformação. A idade das rochas hospedeiras é assunto de debate. Alguns trabalhos sugerem que está intruso no Bloco Arqueano Serrinha enquanto outros acreditam que é parte do Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá. Mapeamento está em desenvolvimento pela CPRM e FERBASA. Entretanto, poucos dados geocronológicos estão disponíveis para a área específica onde as rochas máfica-ultramáficas afloram. O terreno é dividido em dois segmentos chamados informalmente de paragnaisses e ortognaisses, o último supostamente mais jovem considerando estar menos deformado. Os ortognaisses ocorrem na parte norte do cinturão. Petrografia revelou que alguns dos paragnaisses são álcali-feldspato granitos fortemente milonitizados. Estes afloram relacionadas às bordas da intrusão máfica-ultramáfica na área de Ipueira. Ainda, os ortognaisses consistem, ao menos em parte, de monzogranitos com deformação de baixa temperatura. Datações de zircão por LAM-MC-ICP-MS foram realizadas para cinco amostras consideradas representativas. Apenas três resultaram em boas idades Concordia: uma rocha máfica, um monzogranito e um álcali-feldspato granito. Uma rocha máfica supostamente do embasamento produziu uma idade de 2102±5Ma e é petrograficamente similar aos metanorites descritos no Complexo Jacurici. A rocha é interpretada como registro dos primeiros pulsos do magmatismo máfico. O monzogranito gerou uma idade de 2995±15Ma, sendo mais antigo do que o esperado, relacionado ao Bloco Serrinha. O álcali-feldspato granito produziu uma idade de 2081±3Ma. O Sienito Itiúba e os pegmatitos que cortam o Complexo Jacurici tem idades semelhantes. Isto mostra uma relação muito estreita entre todas estas rochas. Considerando a falta de informações sobre a seqüência supracrustal que hospeda as rochas alcalinas e máfica-ultramáficas intrusivas nas áreas de Ipueira e Medrado, é possível que parte do terreno pertença ao Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá. Sugerimos que o Complexo Jacurici possa ter sido intrudido após a colagem tectônica entre o Bloco Serrinha e a parte mais antiga do Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá e, portanto, poderia ser hospedado por ambos. / The Jacurici Complex, located in the NE of the São Francisco Craton, hosts the largest chromite deposit of Brazil. The Complex is constituted by several N-S bodies, possible fragments of a single larger sill disrupted during deformation. The age of the host rocks is still debatable. Some works suggest it is intruded on the Serrinha Archean Block while others believe it is part of the Salvador-Curaçá Belt. Mapping is under development by CPRM and FERBASA. Nevertheless, few geochronological data is available for the specific area where the mafic-ultramafic rocks outcrop. The terrain is broadly divided in two segments called informally as paragneisses and orthogneisses, the last is supposed to be younger considering it is less deformed. The othogneisses occur at the northern part of the belt. Petrography revealed that some of the believed paragneisses are actually an alkali feldspar granite strongly milonitized. It outcrops closely related to the borders of the mafic-ultramafic intrusion in the Ipueira area. Also, the orthogneisses consist, at least in part, of monzogranites with low temperature deformation. Zircon LAM-MC-ICP-MS dating were performed for five samples considered representative. Just three provided good Concordia ages: one mafic rock, one monzogranite and one alkali feldspar granite. A supposed basement mafic rock produced a 2102±5Ma age and is petrographyly similar to the metanorites described in the Jacurici Complex. The rock is interpreted as the record of the first pulses of mafic magmatism. A monzogranite yields a 2995±15Ma age, older than expected, related to the Serrinha Block. The alkali feldspar granite yields a 2081±3Ma age. The Itiúba Syenite, the Jacurici Complex and pegmatites that crosscut the Complex have similar ages. It shows a very close relationship between all these rocks. Considering the lack of information about the supracrustal sequence that hosts the intrusive alkaline and mafic-ultramafic rocks at the Ipueira and the Medrado areas, it is possible that part of the terrain belongs to the Salvador-Curaçá Belt. We suggest that the Jacurici Complex can be intruded after the tectonic amalgamation of the Serrinha Block and the older part of the Salvador-Curaçá Belt and, therefore, could be hosted by both terrains.

Estudos de proveniência em zircões detríticos através do método U-Th-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) dos metassedimentos do Complexo Metamórfico Porongos determinaram a existência de duas áreas-fontes principais de onde derivaram idades paleoproterozóicas e mesoproterozóicas para os xistos Arroio Areião, Cerro Cambará e quartzo milonitos associados. Foram obtidas idades entre 967 ± 15 Ma e 2454 ±26 Ma para a seqüência Arroio Areião, entre 894 ± 30 Ma e 2783 ± 18 Ma para a seqüência Cerro Cambará, e idades entre 1621 ± 16 Ma e 3185 ± 117 Ma para os quartzo milonitos associados. A área fonte com idades paleoproterozóicas pode ser correlacionada ás rochas do Complexo Encantadas, que faz parte do embasamento das unidades supracrustrais. As áreas-fontes para os zircões mesoproterozóicos (entre 967 e 1621 Ma) não foram ainda reconhecidas no Cinturão Dom Feliciano. Estes zircões podem ser derivados de associações de rocha pertencentes aos cinturões mesoproterozóicos (orogêneses Elzeverian e Greenville), associados ao sistema geodinâmico que incluí os crátons Amazonas, Kalahari, Congo – São Francisco e Laurencia e cinturões associados. O ambiente geotectônico de formação da paleobacia Porongos é compatível com a margem passiva, onde se estabeleceu um arco magmático. Este trabalho demonstra que do ponto de vista isotópico e estratigráfico, não existem diferenças significativas de idades detríticas entre as seqüências metassedimentares que afloram nos flancos da Antiforme de Santana da Boa Vista. / Provenance studies based upon detritic zircon grain U-Th-Pb methodology (LA-ICP-MS) from metasediments of Porongos Metamorphic Complex have determined the existence of two principal source-areas with paleoproterozoic and mesoproterozoic ages to the schists of Arroio Areião, Cerro Cambará and associated quartz mylonites. Where obtained ages between 967 ± 15 Ma and 2454 ±26 Ma to the Arroio Areião sequence, between 894 ± 30 Ma and 2783 ± 18 Ma to Cerro Cambará sequence, and 1621 ± 16 Ma e 3185 ± 117 Ma to the associated quartz mylonites. The source-area with paleoproterozoic ages can be related to the Encantadas Complex rocks, which is basement of the supracrustal sequences. The source-areas to the mesoproterozoic zircons (between 967 and 1621 Ma) are not recognized in the Dom Feliciano Belt. These zircons can be related to mesoproterozoic petrotectonic associations (Greenville and Elzeverian orogens) associated to the geodynamic system that includes the Amazon, Kalahari, Congo – São Francisco and Laurentia cratons, and associated belts. The tectonic environment of Porongos paleobasin it’s compatible with a passive margin, after where established a magmatic arc environment. This work shows that from isotopic and stratigraphyc point of view there is no significantly differences between the metasedimentary sequences cropping out in both Santana da Boa Vista antiform flanks.

O Complexo Jacurici, localizado no NE do Craton São Francisco, hospeda o maior depósito de cromita do Brasil. O Complexo é constituído de várias corpos N-S, possivelmente fragmentos de um único grande sill rompido durante deformação. A idade das rochas hospedeiras é assunto de debate. Alguns trabalhos sugerem que está intruso no Bloco Arqueano Serrinha enquanto outros acreditam que é parte do Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá. Mapeamento está em desenvolvimento pela CPRM e FERBASA. Entretanto, poucos dados geocronológicos estão disponíveis para a área específica onde as rochas máfica-ultramáficas afloram. O terreno é dividido em dois segmentos chamados informalmente de paragnaisses e ortognaisses, o último supostamente mais jovem considerando estar menos deformado. Os ortognaisses ocorrem na parte norte do cinturão. Petrografia revelou que alguns dos paragnaisses são álcali-feldspato granitos fortemente milonitizados. Estes afloram relacionadas às bordas da intrusão máfica-ultramáfica na área de Ipueira. Ainda, os ortognaisses consistem, ao menos em parte, de monzogranitos com deformação de baixa temperatura. Datações de zircão por LAM-MC-ICP-MS foram realizadas para cinco amostras consideradas representativas. Apenas três resultaram em boas idades Concordia: uma rocha máfica, um monzogranito e um álcali-feldspato granito. Uma rocha máfica supostamente do embasamento produziu uma idade de 2102±5Ma e é petrograficamente similar aos metanorites descritos no Complexo Jacurici. A rocha é interpretada como registro dos primeiros pulsos do magmatismo máfico. O monzogranito gerou uma idade de 2995±15Ma, sendo mais antigo do que o esperado, relacionado ao Bloco Serrinha. O álcali-feldspato granito produziu uma idade de 2081±3Ma. O Sienito Itiúba e os pegmatitos que cortam o Complexo Jacurici tem idades semelhantes. Isto mostra uma relação muito estreita entre todas estas rochas. Considerando a falta de informações sobre a seqüência supracrustal que hospeda as rochas alcalinas e máfica-ultramáficas intrusivas nas áreas de Ipueira e Medrado, é possível que parte do terreno pertença ao Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá. Sugerimos que o Complexo Jacurici possa ter sido intrudido após a colagem tectônica entre o Bloco Serrinha e a parte mais antiga do Cinturão Salvador-Curaçá e, portanto, poderia ser hospedado por ambos. / The Jacurici Complex, located in the NE of the São Francisco Craton, hosts the largest chromite deposit of Brazil. The Complex is constituted by several N-S bodies, possible fragments of a single larger sill disrupted during deformation. The age of the host rocks is still debatable. Some works suggest it is intruded on the Serrinha Archean Block while others believe it is part of the Salvador-Curaçá Belt. Mapping is under development by CPRM and FERBASA. Nevertheless, few geochronological data is available for the specific area where the mafic-ultramafic rocks outcrop. The terrain is broadly divided in two segments called informally as paragneisses and orthogneisses, the last is supposed to be younger considering it is less deformed. The othogneisses occur at the northern part of the belt. Petrography revealed that some of the believed paragneisses are actually an alkali feldspar granite strongly milonitized. It outcrops closely related to the borders of the mafic-ultramafic intrusion in the Ipueira area. Also, the orthogneisses consist, at least in part, of monzogranites with low temperature deformation. Zircon LAM-MC-ICP-MS dating were performed for five samples considered representative. Just three provided good Concordia ages: one mafic rock, one monzogranite and one alkali feldspar granite. A supposed basement mafic rock produced a 2102±5Ma age and is petrographyly similar to the metanorites described in the Jacurici Complex. The rock is interpreted as the record of the first pulses of mafic magmatism. A monzogranite yields a 2995±15Ma age, older than expected, related to the Serrinha Block. The alkali feldspar granite yields a 2081±3Ma age. The Itiúba Syenite, the Jacurici Complex and pegmatites that crosscut the Complex have similar ages. It shows a very close relationship between all these rocks. Considering the lack of information about the supracrustal sequence that hosts the intrusive alkaline and mafic-ultramafic rocks at the Ipueira and the Medrado areas, it is possible that part of the terrain belongs to the Salvador-Curaçá Belt. We suggest that the Jacurici Complex can be intruded after the tectonic amalgamation of the Serrinha Block and the older part of the Salvador-Curaçá Belt and, therefore, could be hosted by both terrains.

Estudos de proveniência em zircões detríticos através do método U-Th-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) dos metassedimentos do Complexo Metamórfico Porongos determinaram a existência de duas áreas-fontes principais de onde derivaram idades paleoproterozóicas e mesoproterozóicas para os xistos Arroio Areião, Cerro Cambará e quartzo milonitos associados. Foram obtidas idades entre 967 ± 15 Ma e 2454 ±26 Ma para a seqüência Arroio Areião, entre 894 ± 30 Ma e 2783 ± 18 Ma para a seqüência Cerro Cambará, e idades entre 1621 ± 16 Ma e 3185 ± 117 Ma para os quartzo milonitos associados. A área fonte com idades paleoproterozóicas pode ser correlacionada ás rochas do Complexo Encantadas, que faz parte do embasamento das unidades supracrustrais. As áreas-fontes para os zircões mesoproterozóicos (entre 967 e 1621 Ma) não foram ainda reconhecidas no Cinturão Dom Feliciano. Estes zircões podem ser derivados de associações de rocha pertencentes aos cinturões mesoproterozóicos (orogêneses Elzeverian e Greenville), associados ao sistema geodinâmico que incluí os crátons Amazonas, Kalahari, Congo – São Francisco e Laurencia e cinturões associados. O ambiente geotectônico de formação da paleobacia Porongos é compatível com a margem passiva, onde se estabeleceu um arco magmático. Este trabalho demonstra que do ponto de vista isotópico e estratigráfico, não existem diferenças significativas de idades detríticas entre as seqüências metassedimentares que afloram nos flancos da Antiforme de Santana da Boa Vista. / Provenance studies based upon detritic zircon grain U-Th-Pb methodology (LA-ICP-MS) from metasediments of Porongos Metamorphic Complex have determined the existence of two principal source-areas with paleoproterozoic and mesoproterozoic ages to the schists of Arroio Areião, Cerro Cambará and associated quartz mylonites. Where obtained ages between 967 ± 15 Ma and 2454 ±26 Ma to the Arroio Areião sequence, between 894 ± 30 Ma and 2783 ± 18 Ma to Cerro Cambará sequence, and 1621 ± 16 Ma e 3185 ± 117 Ma to the associated quartz mylonites. The source-area with paleoproterozoic ages can be related to the Encantadas Complex rocks, which is basement of the supracrustal sequences. The source-areas to the mesoproterozoic zircons (between 967 and 1621 Ma) are not recognized in the Dom Feliciano Belt. These zircons can be related to mesoproterozoic petrotectonic associations (Greenville and Elzeverian orogens) associated to the geodynamic system that includes the Amazon, Kalahari, Congo – São Francisco and Laurentia cratons, and associated belts. The tectonic environment of Porongos paleobasin it’s compatible with a passive margin, after where established a magmatic arc environment. This work shows that from isotopic and stratigraphyc point of view there is no significantly differences between the metasedimentary sequences cropping out in both Santana da Boa Vista antiform flanks.

La formation de la croute continentale est une des conséquences majeures de la différenciation de la Terre. Les avancées récentes dans la compréhension de ce phénomène résultent de l’amélioration des techniques analytiques permettant la mesure in situ des compositions isotopiques en U-Pb-Hf-O de grains de zircon, minéral abondant dans les roches crustales. Cette étude reconstitue l’histoire du segment de croute affleurant dans l’est du Massif Central français (MCF), portion de la chaine Varisque d’Europe de l’Ouest, dans le but d’évaluer les limites d’utilisation des zircons pour retracer l’évolution crustale. L’origine et la signification géodynamique des principales unités lithologiques du MCF ont été étudiées en combinant les approches classiques de la pétrologie avec des données isotopiques U-Pb-Hf-O acquises sur zircon. Deux incohérences majeures existent entre nos résultats et les conclusions tirées de l’étude des zircons considérés hors de leur contexte pétrologique, approche généralement suivie pour analyser l’évolution crustale. Les âges modèles calculés à partir des données Hf suggèrent une importante croissance crustale au Mésoproterozoique dans le MCF, en contradiction avec le fait que 60% de la croute locale soit d’âge Néoproterozoïque. De plus, 5 à 10% de la croute du MCF a été formée durant l’orogènese Varisque sans que cela ne soit enregistré par le zircon. Dans les deux cas, ces incohérences résultent du caractère hybride des signatures isotopiques portées par les zircons. Celles-ci ne peuvent être correctement détectées et interprétées qu’en disposant de données pétrologiques complémentaires sur les roches contenant les grains analysés / The formation of the continental crust is a major consequence of Earth differentiation. Understanding how the crust formed and evolved through time is paramount to locate the vast mineral deposits hosted therein and address its influence on the global climate, ultimately affecting the development of terrestrial life. Recent advances on the topic of continental crust evolution benefited from improvements of analytical techniques enabling in situ measurements of U-Pb- Hf-O isotope compositions in zircon, a widespread accessory mineral of continental igneous rocks. The time constrains derived from the U-Pb chronometer coupled with the petrogenetic information retrieved from Hf-O isotope signatures are currently used to unravel the diversity and succession of magmatic events affecting the continental crust at the regional and global scales. This study reconstructs the evolutionary path followed by the crust segment today exposed in the eastern part of the French Massif Central (FMC), a portion of the Variscan belt of Western Europe, with the aim to investigate the potential flaws of the zircon record of crust evolution. In this scope, the origin and geodynamic significance of the constituent FMC lithological units are tackled by combining conventional petrological observations with zircon U-Pb-Hf-O isotope data. The results obtained following this integrated approach are then confronted to the conclusions that would have been drawn solely from zircon isotopic signatures, taken out of their petrological context, as is commonly performed in studies investigating crust evolution. The oldest rocks of the FMC correspond to Ediacaran (590_550 Ma) meta-sediments deposited in back-arc basins along the northern Gondwana margin. Such basins were fed by a mixed detritus originating from the adjacent Cadomian magmatic arc and a distal Gondwana source, presumably the Sahara Metacraton. Partial melting of these meta-sediments at the Ediacaran/Cambrian boundary led to voluminous S-type granitic magmatism, pinpointing a first major crust reworking event in the FMC. The origin of anatexis likely stems from the transient thickening of the hot, back-arc crust caused by the flattening of the Cadomian subduction. Subordinate melting of the depleted backarc mantle at that time is also documented. During the Lower Paleozoic, rifting of the northern Gondwana provoked coeval crust and (limited) mantle melting. Mantle-derived igneous rocks show markedly diverse trace element and isotopic signatures, consistent with a very heterogeneous mantle source pervasively modi_ed by the Cadomian subduction. Finally, the Variscan collision resulted in crustal melting as evidenced by the emplacement of S-type granites and the formation of migmatite domes, the spatial distribution of which being partly controlled by the crustal architecture inherited from pre-orogenic events. Synchronous intrusion of mafic mantle-derived magmas and their differentiates testify for Variscan post-collisional new continental crust production in the FMC. Two major inconsistencies exist between these results and the zircon record. First, zircon Hf model ages would point to substantial Mesoproterozoic crust formation in the FMC whereas more than 60% of the crust is actually Neoproterozoic in age. Second, new additions to the continental crust volume during the Variscan orogeny are not recorded even though 5 to 10% of the exposed crust formed at that time. The origin of both discrepancies inherently lies in the mixed isotopic signature carried by many zircon grains. Such equivocal information can only be detected when additional petrological constrains on the zircon host rocks are available and provide guidance in interpreting the zircon record of crust evolution

Three studies on Cordilleran foreland basin deposits in the western U.S.A. constitute this dissertation. These studies differ in scale, time and discipline. The first two studies include basin analysis, flexural modeling and detailed stratigraphic analysis of Upper Cretaceous depocenters and strata in the western U.S.A. The third study consists of detrital zircon U-Pb analysis (DZ U-Pb) and thermochronology, both zircon (U-Th)/He and apatite fission track (AFT), of Upper Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous foreland-basin conglomerates and sandstones. Five electronic supplementary files are a part of this dissertation and are available online; these include 3 raw data files (Appendix_A_raw_isopach_data.txt, Appendix_C_DZ_Data.xls, Appendix_C_UPb_apatite.xls), 1 oversized stratigraphic cross section (Appendix_B_figure_5.pdf), and 1 figure containing apatite U-Pb concordia plots (Appendix_C_Concordia.pdf). Appendix A. Subsidence in the retroarc foreland of the North American Cordillera in the western U.S.A. has been the focus of a great deal of research, and its transition from a flexural foreland basin, during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, to a dynamically subsided basin during the Late Cretaceous has been well documented. However, the exact timing of the flexural to dynamic transition is not well constrained, and the mechanism has been consistently debated. In order to address the timing, I produced new isopach maps from ~130 well log data points that cover much of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and northern New Mexico, producing in the process, the most detailed isopach maps of the area. These isopach maps span the Turonian to mid-Campanian during the Late Cretaceous (~93–76 Ma). In conjunction with the isopach maps I flexurally modeled the Cordilleran foreland basin to identify when flexure can no longer account for the basin geometry and identified the flexural to dynamic transition to have occurred at 81 Ma. In addition, the dynamic subsidence at 81 Ma is compared to the position of the hypothesized Shatsky Oceanic Plateau and other proposed drivers of dynamic subsidence. I concluded that dynamic subsidence is likely caused by convection over the plunging nose of the Shatsky Oceanic Plateau. Appendix B. The second study is a detailed stratigraphic study of the Upper Cretaceous, (Campanian, ~76 Ma) Sego Sandstone Member of the Mesaverde Group in northwestern Colorado, an area where little research has been done on this formation. Its equivalent in the Book Cliffs area in eastern Utah has been rigorously documented and its distal progradation has been contrastingly interpreted as a result of active tectonism and shortening in the Cordilleran orogenic belt ~250 km to the west and to tectonic quiescence, flexural rebound in the thrust belt and reworking of proximal coarse grained deposits. I documented ~17 km of along depositional dip outcrops of the Sego Sandstone Member north of Rangely, Colorado. This documentation includes measured sections, paleocurrent analysis, a stratigraphic cross section, block diagrams outlining the evolution of environments of deposition through time, and paleogeographic maps correlating northwest Colorado with the Book Cliffs, Utah. The sequence stratigraphy of the Sego Sandstone Member in northwest Colorado is similar to that documented in the Book Cliffs area to the south-southwest, sharing three sequence boundaries. However, flood-tidal delta assemblages between fluvio-deltaic deposits that are present north of Rangely, Colorado are absent from the Book Cliffs area. These flood-tidal-delta assemblages are likely caused by a large scale avulsion event in the Rangely area that did not occur or was not preserved in the Book Cliffs area. In regards to tectonic models that explain distal progradation of the 76 Ma Sego Sandstone Member to be caused by tectonic quiescence and flexural rebound in the thrust belt, the first study shows that at 76 Ma, flexural processes were no longer dominant in the Cordilleran foreland, so it is inappropriate to apply models driven by flexure to the Sego Sandstone Member. Dynamic processes dominated the western U.S.A. during the Campanian, and flexural processes were subordinate. Appendix C. In order to test the tectonic vs. anti-tectonic basin-filling models for distal coarse foreland deposits mentioned above, the third study involves estimating lag times of Upper Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous conglomerates and sandstones in the Cordilleran foreland basin. Measuring lag time requires a good understanding of both the stratigraphic age of a deposit and the thermal history of sedimentary basin. To further constrain depositional age, I present twenty-two new detrital zircon U-Pb (DZ U-Pb) sample analyses, spanning Upper Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous stratigraphy in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota. Source exhumation ages can be measured using thermochronology. To identify a thermochronometer that measures source exhumation in the North America Cordillera, both zircon (U-Th)/He, on eleven samples, and apatite fission track (AFT) thermochronology, on eleven samples was performed. Typically, the youngest cooling age population in detrital thermochronologic analyses is considered to be a source exhumation signal; however, whether or not these apatites are exhumed apatites or derived from young magmatic and volcanic sources has been debated. To test this, I double dated the detrital AFT samples, targeting apatites with a young cooling age, using U-Pb thermochronology. Key findings are that the maximum depositional ages using DZ U-Pb match existing biostratigraphic and geochronologic age controls on basin stratigraphy. AFT is an effective thermochronometer for Lower to Upper Cretaceous foreland stratigraphy and indicates that source material was exhumed from >4–5 km depth in the Cordilleran orogenic belt between 118 and 66 Ma, and zircon (U-Th)/He suggests that it was exhumed from <8–9 km depth. Double dating apatites (with AFT and U-Pb) indicate that volcanic contamination is a significant issue; without having UPb dating of the same apatite grains, one cannot exclude the possibility that the youngest detrital AFT population is contaminated with significant amounts of volcanogenic apatite and does not represent source exhumation. AFT lag-times are 0 to 5 Myr with relatively steady-state to slightly increasing exhumation rates. We compare our data to orogenic wedge dynamics and subsidence histories; all data shows active shortening and rapid exhumation throughout the Cretaceous. Our lag-time measurements indicate exhumation rates of ~.9–>>1 km/Myr.

The Tibetan plateau is a vast, elevated region located in central Asia, which is underlain by the thickest crust known on Earth (up to 90 km). An outstanding question of importance to many fields within geology is how and why did the Tibetan plateau form? Models attribute the growth of the plateau to a consequence of the ongoing India-Asia continental collision, but differ in the details of how the crustal thickening was accommodated: was it by underplating of Indian lower crust or by homogeneous shortening? High-grade metamorphic rocks sampled from the region potentially hold the key to answering this question, as they contain a record of past tectonic events that can discriminate between the various proposed models. This record can be decoded by integrating field, thermobarometric and geochronological techniques, to elucidate a detailed thermotectonic understanding of a region. This methodology was applied to three case studies, each of which targeted rare tectonic windows into the mid-crust of the plateau. These regions comprise Danba in eastern Tibet, Basong Tso in south-eastern Tibet and the Western Nyainqentanglha in southern Tibet. Each case study documents previously unreported metamorphic events that have allowed original interpretations to be made regarding tectonic evolution: in Danba, all metamorphism is shown to be early Jurassic; in Basong Tso, two metamorphic belts are documented that reveal a late Triassic--early Jurassic orogenic event; and in the Western Nyainqengtanglha, Cretaceous--Neogene magmatism is shown to overprint late Triassic metamorphism. Integration of the results has enabled commentary on the large scale evolution of the Tibetan plateau from the Permian until the present day, and even hinted at its future. The results indicate that the closure of the Paleotethys played an important role in the construction of the Tibetan plateau, and suggest that homogeneous crustal thickening is not a viable model for the documented exposure levels.

O estágio pós-colisional Neoproterozoico no sul do Brasil é marcado por intenso magmatismo granítico controlado por zonas de cisalhamento transcorrentes, relacionadas ao Cinturão de Cisalhamento Sul-brasileiro (CCSb). O CCSb controlou a ascensão e o posicionamento de magmas crustais e mantélicos. Neste contexto, O Granito Corre-mar (GCM) representa uma pequena intrusão posicionado em uma zona de baixa deformação localizada entre dois importantes segmentos do CCSb: as Zonas de Cisalhamento Major Gercino e Itajaí- Perimbó. O GCM possui um diagnóstico par de foliações subevetical que forma um par S-C sinistral, presente em todas as intrusões, independentemente do tamanho, e foi posicionado em um sistema conjugado, onde um cisalhamento sinistral de direção NNE, e uma extensão na direção NW-SE, gerando espaço ao longo da direção NE. Deformação de estado sólido associada ao cisalhamento NNE é atestado por microestruturas como recristalização de feldspatos e caudas de recristalização assimétricas. A abertura é atribuída à dinâmica regional destral transcorrente das zonas de cisalhamento Major Gercino e Itajaí-Perimbó, sendo que o posicionamento foi controlado essencialmente pela componente de estensão NW-SE. A idade de cristalização em zircão U-Pb LAMC- ICP-MS do GCM de 615 ± 4 Ma, muito próxima a outros granitos regionais, como as idades de 611 Ma do Granito Serra dos Macacos (GSM) e de 620 Ma do Granito Rio Pequeno (GRP) sugere que esses três corpos graníticos são sincrônicos. As fortes feições de deformação presents no GCM, diferentemente dos granitos Neoproterozoicos próximos, demonstra que o espaço, mais do que o tempo, pode explicar a diferença dos padrões estruturais identificados no GCM. Assinaturas geoquímicas e de isótopos de Sr-Nd, como caráter levemente peraluminoso, altos conteúdos de K, altas razões de ETRL/ETRP, moderados conteúdos de Rb, Nb, Zr e ETR em relação à SiO2, juntamente com baixas razões de 86Sr/87Sri e valores de εNdt fortemente negativos, indicam que o GCM é derivado de fontes crustais antigas, possivelmente relacionadas à rochas quartzofeldspáticas ortognáissicas Paleoproterozoicas do Complexo Camboriú. A relaçãodas das idades das heranças Arqueanas a Paleoproterozoicas do GCM com as idades dos eventos de migmatização identificados no Complexo Camboriú, além da relação das idades de cristalização de ~615-611 Ma dos granitos crustais da área com o último evento de migmatização em 640-610, reforça a conexão genética entre eles. As idades TDM paleoproterozoicas, as assinaturas geoquímicas e isotópicas, a cristalização e as idades de heranças do GCM e do GSM atestam que eles representam pulsos graníticos contemporâneos e comagmáticos, com uma conexão genética com o evento de migmatização Neoproterozoico do Complexo Camboriú. / The Neoproterozoic post-collisional stage in south Brazil is marked by intense granitic magmatism controlled by transcurrent shear zones all related to the Southern Brazilian Shear Belt (SBSB). The SBSB controls the ascent and emplacement of crustal and mantle magmas. In such scenario, the Corre-mar Granite (CMG), represent a small intrusion emplaced in a low strain zone located between two important segments of the SBSB: the Major Gercino and Itajaí-Perimbó Shear Zones. The CMG have a diagnostic subvertical foliation pair that form a sinistral S-C pair, present in all intrusions regardless of their size, and was emplaced within a conjugate system, where sinistral NNE shearing and NW-SE extension were both active, generating space along the NE direction. Solid state deformation associated to the NNE shearing is attested by microstructures as feldspar recrystallization and asymmetric recrystallization tails. The opening is attributed to the regional dextral transcurrent dynamics of the Major Gercino and Itajaí-Perimbó shear zones and magma emplacement was essentially conditioned by the NW extension component. The zircon U-Pb LA-MC-ICP-MS crystallization age of CMG at 615 ± 4 Ma, very close to other regional granites, as the 611 Ma Serra dos Macacos (SMG) and 620 Ma Rio Pequeno Granite (RPG) points these three granitic bodies as quite synchronous. The strong deformation features present in the CMG, as opposed to the other nearby Neoproterozoic granites (RPG and SMG) demonstrate that space, rather than time, must be called upon to explain the difference in the structural patterns identified in the CMG. Geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic signatures, as slight peraluminous character, high-K contents, high LREE/HREE ratios, moderate Rb, Nb, Zr, and REE contents to regular SiO2, together with low 86Sr/87Sri and the strongly negative εNdt values indicate that the CMG is derived from old crustal sources possibly related to the Paleoproterozoic Camboriú Complex quartz-feldspatic orto-gneissic rocks. The match of the Archean to Paleoproterozoic inheritance ages of the CMG with the migmatization event ages identified in the Camboriú Complex and moreover the match of the crystallization ages of ~615-611 Ma of the crustalderived granites with the last migmatization event at 640-610 Ma reinforces the genetic link between them. The Paleoproterozoic TDM ages, the geochemical and isotopic signatures, the crystallization and inheritance ages resemblance of the CMG and the SMG attest that they represent comagmatic and contemporaneous granitic pulses with a genetic connection with the Neoproterozoic migmatization event in the Camboriu Complex.