ALBERT

Description: We report new in-situ U-Pb zircon ages which were obtained from a variety of lithologies within the Dete-Kamativi Inlier of western Zimbabwe using both LA-ICP-MS and SIMS. These include igneous or metamorphic zircon grains from granitoids and granitic gneisses as well as detrital zircon grains from a number of paragneisses. The oldest ages are from two highly deformed migmatitic granitoid orthogneisses, which yielded Neoarchaean concordia ages of 2723 Ma and 2694 Ma, which are interpreted to be crystallisation ages. These are the first Archaean ages from the Dete-Kamativi Inlier, indicating that the Archaean Zimbabwe Craton extends much farther west than previously recognised. Our new maximum ages of deposition of 2.31, 2.0 and 2.07 Ga for the Malaputese, Inyantue and Tshontanda Formations, respectively, match closely with previously determined maximum ages of 2.29, 2.07 and 2.16 Ga for the Deweras, Lomagundi and Piriwiri Groups, thus supporting the lithostratigraphic correlation of the Dete-Kamativi Inlier with the Magondi Supergroup. Foliated and unfoliated K-feldspar megacrystic granites and granodiorites have yielded concordia ages ranging from 2.08 to 2.01 Ga. They contain abundant Archaean inherited zircon grains ranging in age from 3.34 to 2.66 Ga, implying the involvement of Archaean crust in their petrogenesis. These results suggest the formation of a calc-alkaline continental magmatic arc on the western edge of the Archaean Zimbabwe Craton, some 80 Ma prior to the onset of the Palaeoproterozoic Magondi Orogeny.

Description: Zircon petrochronology from amphibolites and retrogressed eclogites from the basement of the Western Tatra Mountains (CentralWestern Carpathians) reveals a complex rock evolution. An island-arc related basaltic amphibolite from Žiarska Valley shows three distinct zircon forming events: igneous zircon growth at ca. 498 Ma (Middle/Late Cambrian) and two phases of amphibolite-facies metamorphism at ca. 470 Ma (Early Ordovician) and at ca. 344 Ma (Early Carboniferous). A retrogressed eclogite from Baranèc Mountain records two zircon forming events: metamorphic zircon growth under eclogite-facies conditions at ca. 367 Ma (Late Devonian) and amphibolite-facies metamorphism at ca. 349 Ma (Early Carboniferous). These data contribute towards understanding and correlating major tectonothermal events that shaped the eastern margin of Gondwana in the Early Palaeozoic and its subsequent Variscan evolution. The metabasites record vestiges of two completely independent oceanic domains preserved within the Central Western Carpathians: (1) An Ediacaran to Cambrian oceanic arc related to the proto-Rheic - Qaidam oceans and metamorphosed to amphibolite-facies in the Early Ordovician subduction of the proto-Rheic - Qaidam arc during the Cenerian orogeny (ca. 470 Ma) and (2) Late Devonian oceanic crust related to a back-arc basin (Pernek-type), formed by the opening of the Paleotethys and metamorphosed to eclogite-facies during Devonian subduction (ca. 367 Ma). The common Variscan and later evolution of these oceanic remnants commenced with amphibolite-facies metamorphic overprinting in the Early Carboniferous (amphibolite: ca. 344Ma; retrogressed eclogite: ca. 349Ma) related to an Early Variscan consolidation and the formation of Pangea. None of the investigated rocks of the Central Western Carpathians show any evidence of being chronologically or palaeogeographically related to the Rheic Ocean, therefore any prolongation of the Rheic suture from the Sudetes into the Alpine-Carpathian realm is highly problematic. Instead, the Southern and Central Alpine Cenerian orogeny can be traced into the CentralWestern Carpathians.

Description: Oxygen self-diffusion coefficients (DOx) were measured in single crystals of dry synthetic iron-free olivine (forsterite, Mg2SiO4) at a temperature of 1600 K and under pressures in the range 10−4 to 13 GPa, using a Kawai-type multi-anvil apparatus and an ambient pressure furnace. Diffusion profiles were obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry operating in depth profiling mode. DOx in forsterite increases with increasing pressure with an activation volume of −3.9 ± 1.2 cm3/mol. Although Mg is the fastest diffusing species in forsterite under low-pressure conditions, O is the fastest diffusing species at pressures greater than ∼10 GPa. Si is the slowest throughout the stable pressure range of forsterite. Based on the observed positive and negative pressure dependence of DOx and DMg (Mg self-diffusion coefficient), respectively, DOx + DMg in forsterite decreases with increasing pressure, and then increases slightly at pressures greater than 10 GPa. This behavior is in agreement with the pressure dependence of ionic conductivity in forsterite based on conductivity measurements (Yoshino et al., 2017), and can be used to explain the conductivity increase from ∼300 km depth to the bottom of the asthenosphere.

Description: The Singhbhum Craton, one of five major Archean cratons in the Indian subcontinent, contains abundant well-preserved Paleoarchean supracrustals and granitoids. This study presents zircon U-Pb ages and whole rock geochemistry of tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorites (TTGs) and granites from the Bonai Granite Complex (BGC) and Older Metamorphic Tonalite Gneiss (OMTG), which are separated from each other by the Jamda-Koira-Noamundi Iron Ore Group (IOG) supracrustals. Emplacement ages obtained in this study indicate that a major episode of TTG magmatism took place in BGC around 3368 ± 8 Ma (1σ), followed by granitic magmatism around 3331 ± 33 Ma (1σ). In contrast, a TTG from the Deo Nala area representing OMTG yielded crystallization age of 3312 ± 8 Ma (1σ). The emplacement and evolution of the BGC were coeval with granitoid magmatism from the central part of the Singhbhum Craton. Whole rock geochemical data identify both high- and low-HREE TTGs in both the BGC and OMTG to the west and east of the IOG basin, respectively. The trace element systematics of high-HREE Bonai TTG are similar to those of Icelandic dacites, suggestive of their derivation from a garnet free, plagioclase rich amphibolite. The low-HREE TTGs of the BGC and OMTG were derived from an amphibolite source with varying amounts of garnet. The potassic granites of the BGC were sourced from the older TTGs which had undergone partial melting at a shallow depth. The evolution of the BGC and OMTG can be attributed to the partial melting under a thickened mafic crust. Dome and keel structures and emplacement ages of granitoids from the west and east of the Jamda-Koira-Noamundi IOG basin, support the origin of these Paleoarchean granitoids in a stagnant lid regime. High geothermal gradients induced by heat supplied by mantle upwelling appear to have induced the melting of the thickened crust, to form the TTG. Delamination induced mafic–ultramafic underplating resulted in melting of early formed TTGs, to form the younger potassic granites of the BGC at ~ 3.33 Ga.

Description: The existence of a core dynamo during the first billion years of Earth history is closely related to the thermal state of the Earth’s interior and composition of the early atmosphere. The scarcity of well-preserved rock units older than 3.5 billion years (Ga) has motivated the paleomagnetic analysis of detrital zircons. Studies of zircons from Jack Hills, Australia, however, have found the pervasive occurrence of secondary ferromagnetic minerals, casting doubt on the ability of these zircons to record a 〉3.5Ga geomagnetic field. Here we report paleomagnetic analyses on a set of 19 zircons with crystallization age 3.5-4.0Ga from the Barberton Greenstone Belt (BGB) of South Africa, which have undergone lower grade metamorphism compared to all other known 〉3.5Ga detrital zircon localities. We find that BGB zircons have magnetic moments nearly one order of magnitude weaker than Jack Hills zircons, precluding the retention of primary paleomagnetic information. This result corroborates findings from the Jack Hills and other Archean zircon populations that primary ferromagnetic inclusions are readily eliminated from zircons during sedimentary transport and metamorphism, likely facilitated by radiation damage-induced permeability. Paleomagnetic determination of geodynamo activity prior to 3.5Ga may require investigation of other detrital grains with lower radiation damage potential or whole-rock samples that have escaped high degree metamorphism.

Description: Proficiency testing (PT) is one of the few ways for an analytical laboratory to assess data quality under routine operating conditions. Here we report the results of Round 1 of the G-Chron PT programme, which is sponsored by the International Association of Geoanalysts. G-Chron is the first PT scheme devoted to the U-Th-Pb dating of mineral phases, primarily zircon, in geological materials. In this first round of G-Chron a total of 72 geochronology laboratories received the test material “Rak-17”, which previously had been characterized by seven well-established isotope dilution TIMS laboratories. A total of 63 of the PT participating laboratories reported data by the 15 December 2019 deadline. Here we both report and assess the measurement results submitted to this round. Our analysis provides a means for participating laboratories to assess their individual performance in relation to the isotope ages assigned, the experimental fitness-for-purpose criteria proposed by the scheme’s organisers and the results of similar laboratories participating in this round.

Description: At the DREAMS (DREsden AMS) facility we are implementing a so-called Super-SIMS (SIMS = Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) device, which combines the micron-scale spatial resolution of a commercial SIMS (CAMECA IMS 7f-auto) with the very high selectivity through molecule suppression by AMS. We have demonstrated high transmission for major element ions including silicon, fluorine and iodine, however the lack of well characterized calibration materials makes a true quantification of trace and ultra-trace elements contents difficult. Measurements of P in Si show the linearity of the instrument’s relative sensitivity factor over more than three orders of magnitude, and measurements of the isotopic ratio of bromine in ZnS document the reliability of our approach. The goal of the DREAMS Super-SIMS project is to provide quantitative concentration data of ultra-trace elements in geological samples in the context of resource technology.

Description: We investigated emerald, the bright-green gem variety of beryl, from a new locality at Kruta Balka, Ukraine, and compare its chemical characteristics with those of emeralds from selected occurrences worldwide (Austria, Australia, Colombia, South Africa, Russia) to clarify the types and amounts of substitutions as well as the factors controlling such substitutions. For selected crystals, Be and Li were determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry, which showed that the generally assumed value of 3 Be atoms per formula unit (apfu) is valid; only some samples such as the emerald from Kruta Balka deviate from this value (2.944 Be apfu). An important substitution in emerald (expressed as an exchange vector with the additive component Al2Be3Si6O18) is (Mg,Fe2+)NaAl–1☐–1, leading to a hypothetical end-member NaAl(Mg,Fe2+)[Be3Si6O18] called femag-beryl with Na occupying a vacancy position (☐) in the structural channels of beryl. Based on both our results and data from the literature, emeralds worldwide can be characterized based on the amount of femag-substitution. Other minor substitutions in Li-bearing emerald include the exchange vectors LiNa2Al–1☐–2 and LiNaBe–1☐–1, where the former is unique to the Kruta Balka emeralds. Rarely, some Li can also be situated at a channel site, based on stoichiometric considerations. Both Cr- and V-distribution can be very heterogeneous in individual crystals, as shown in the samples from Kruta Balka, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe. Nevertheless, taking average values available for emerald occurrences, the Cr/(Cr+V) ratio (Cr#) in combination with the Mg/(Mg+Fe) ratio (Mg#) and the amount of femag-substitution allows emerald occurrences to be characterized. The “ultramafic” schist-type emeralds with high Cr# and Mg# come from occur-rences where the Fe-Mg-Cr-V component is controlled by the presence of ultramafic meta-igneous rocks. Emeralds with highly variable Mg# come from “sedimentary” localities, where the Fe-Mg-Cr-V component is controlled by metamorphosed sediments such as black shales and carbonates. A “transitional” group has both metasediments and ultramafic rocks as country rocks. Most “ultramafic” schist type occurrences are characterized by a high amount of femag-component, whereas those from the “sedimentary” and “transitional” groups have low femag contents. Growth conditions derived from the zoning pattern—combined replacement, sector, and oscillatory zoning—in the Kruta Balka emeralds indicate disequilibrium growth from a fluid along with late-stage Na-infiltration. Inclusions in Kruta Balka emeralds (zircon with up to 11 wt% Hf, tourmaline, albite, Sc-bearing apatite) point to a pegmatitic origin.