Extremely U-depleted (<1 ppm) zircons from H8 banded ores in the East Orebody of the Bayan Obo REE–Nb–Fe deposit are presented, with mineral compositions, textures, 232Th–208Pb SHRIMP ages and petrological context. Cores of East Orebody zircon contain up to 7 wt% HfO2 and are zoned, depicting bipyramidal crystal forms. A distinct generation of patchy, epitaxial rim zircon, similarly depleted in U, is intergrown with rare earth ore minerals (bastnäsite, parisite, monazite). Overprinting aegirine textures indicate paragenetically late, reactive Na-rich fluids. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns without Eu anomalies match closely with those from the Mud Tank and Kovdor carbonatitic zircons. Increased HREE in rims ((Lu/Gd)N 43–112) relative to cores ((Lu/Gd)N 6–7.5) and the localized presence of xenotime are attributable to reactive, mineralizing fluid compositions enriched in Y, REE and P. Cathodoluminescence further reveals HREE fractionation in rims, evidenced by a narrow-band Er3+ emission at 405 nm. The extreme depletion of U in core and rim zircon is characteristic for this mineral deposit and is indicative of a persistent common source. U depletion is also a characteristic for zircons from carbonatitic or kimberlitic systems. 232Th–208Pb (SHRIMP II) geochronological data reveal the age of zircon cores as 1,325 ± 60 Ma and a rim-alteration event as 455.6 ± 28.27 Ma. The combined findings are consistent with a protolithic igneous origin for zircon cores, from a period of intrusive, alkaline–carbonatitic magmatism. Fluid processes responsible for the REE–Nb mineralizations affected zircon rim growth and degradation during the widely reported Caledonian events, providing a new example in a localized context of HREE enrichment processes.
Using replicate measurements of a homogeneous reference zircon, the discrimination of Pb+ and UO+ ions relative to U+ observed in zircon analysis with the SHRIMP ion microprobe has been established as a power law relationship. This relationship minimizes uncertainty in comparative measurement of 206Pb/238U ages in zircons. Ages thus obtained have been compared with isotope dilution thermal ionisation mass spectrometric (1DTIMS) analysis of zircons in the Paterson Volcanics (Carboniferous, Australia) and 40Ar/39Ar dating of sanidines in the Z1 tonstein (Carboniferous, Germany). No bias can be detected between the three dating...
ABSTRACT Using the ion microprobe SHRIMP we have analysed zircons from the Ben Vuirich, Glen Kyllachy, Inchbae and Vagastie Bridge granites from the Scottish Caledonides, in an attempt to resolve the ages of inherited zircons shown to be present in these granites by previous conventional multigrain analyses. Middle Proterozoic age components were found in inherited zircons from all four granites. Late Proterozoic (900–1,100 Ma) components have been identified in zircons from the Glen Kyllachy and Ben Vuirich granites in the Grampian Highlands. A Late Archaean age has only been detected in one zircon from the Glen Kyllachy granite. The distribution of inherited components in the granite zircon populations could reflect fundamental divisions in the age composition of granite source rocks; however, detailed assessment of this possibility must await further ion microprobe analyses on zircons from many more granites. SHRIMP isotopic and U, Th and Pb analyses were made on successive shells of zoned zircon surrounding inherited cores from the Glen Kyllachy granite to monitor chemical changes during magmatic zircon growth. Results show that zircon shells have characteristic but significantly different Th, U and Pb concentrations. Magmatic zircon from the Vagastie Bridge granite also forms as clearly defined oscillatory zoned shells around unzoned nuclei of inherited zircon. However, the distinction between magmatic and inherited zircon in zircons from the Inchbae granite is less clear. Zircons from the Ben Vuirich granite occur as euhedral, magmatic zircons, or as rounded, subhedral, inherited zircon grains. A SHRIMP age of 597 ± 11 (2σ) Ma for euhedral magmatic zircon from this granite is identical, within the uncertainty, to the conventional multigrain zircon age of 590 ± 2 (2σ) Ma reported by Rogers et al. (1989) and confirms the conclusions of those authors that sedimentation of the Dalradian sequence took place in the Precambrian.
Abstract A sequence up to 40,000 ft thick of unmetamorphosed and only slightly deformed sedimentary and volcanic rocks occurs in the Carpentaria Province of Northern Australia. Metamorphic and granitic rocks form the basement to this sequence, and K‐Ar and Rb‐Sr age measurements show that the basement granites are about 1,800 ± 50 m.y. old. Associated in space and time with the granitic rocks are acid volcanics which form the basal unit in the overlying sequence. Glauconites in sedimentary rocks from this succession yield dates ranging from 1,600 m.y. in the Tawallah Group, the second lowest unit, to about 1,390 m.y. in the Roper Group, the uppermost unit. Plagioclase and pyroxene from dolerites intrusive into the Roper Group give K‐Ar dates ranging from 1,100 to 1,280 m.y.; the older date provides a younger limit to the age of the Roper Group. Following slight folding the Wessel Group was deposited unconformably on the Roper Group; a single glauconite from the topmost formation of the Wessel Group yields concordant Rb‐Sr and K‐Ar dates of 780 ± 20 m.y. The results generally are internally consistent and provide much information, not previously available, as to the age of the Precambrian rocks in this region. Correlation with other Precambrian sequences in Australia now becomes possible as more dates are measured on rocks from other areas. Three alternatives are offered for the subdivision of Precambrian time in Australia; (i) the adoption of an arbitrary time‐scale independent of rock sequences, (ii) the adoption of the Canadian system of nomenclature, and (iii) the definition of standard time‐rock units for use throughout Australia. The third alternative is strongly recommended and such time‐rock units should be bounded by horizons that are amenable to accurate and precise dating by isotopic methods. By the judicious choice of several sequences it should be possible to obtain a satisfactory time scale for all Precambrian rocks in Australia. Part of the sequence developed in the Carpentaria Province is proposed as a time‐rock unit to be known as Carpentarian.
Journal Article The Palmer Granite—A Study of a Granite within a Regional Metamorphic Environment Get access A. J. R. WHITE, A. J. R. WHITE Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar W. COMPSTON, W. COMPSTON Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar A. W. KLEEMAN A. W. KLEEMAN Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of Petrology, Volume 8, Issue 1, 1967, Pages 29–50, https://doi.org/10.1093/petrology/8.1.29 Published: 01 February 1967
'/%3e%3c/defs%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0h10080v5040H0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='.6' d='m0 0 6 3m0-3L0 3' clip-path='url(%23b)' transform='scale(840)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23e4002b' stroke-width='.4' d='m0 0 6 3m0-3L0 3' clip-path='url(%23c)' transform='scale(840)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='840' d='M2520 0v2520M0 1260h5040'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23e4002b' stroke-width='504' d='M2520 0v2520M0 1260h5040'/%3e%3cg fill='%23fff'%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23d' x='2520' y='3780'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='7560' y='4200'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='6300' y='2205'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='7560' y='840'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='8680' y='1869'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23e' x='8064' y='2730'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(23.036 .093 25.536)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(45.87 1.273 16.18)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(69.945 .996 12.078)'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' transform='rotate(20.66 -19.689 31.932)'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
