Cited by 151Geological and Geochemical AnalysisGeological Studies and ExplorationGeochemistry and Geochronology of Asian Mineral Deposits

Isotopic dating of the migration of a low-grade metamorphic front during orogenesis

Rasmussen, Birger, Fletcher, Ian R., Sheppard, Stephen·2005·Geology

Abstract

The southern margin of the Pilbara Craton in northwestern Australia underwent regional heating, folding, and thrusting as well as extensive fluid flow during collision in the Paleoproterozoic. However, the precise timing of this event is uncertain. Previous geochronologic studies of Archean basement rocks have yielded a wide range of younger radiometric dates (from ca. 2.4 Ga to ca. 2.0 Ga), interpreted to record multiple hydrothermal alteration events. In situ U-Pb geochronology of authigenic monazite and xenotime in very low grade Archean metasedimentary rocks from across the craton suggests that the Pilbara was affected by at least two cryptic thermotectonic events, the first between ca. 2430 Ma and ca. 2400 Ma, and the second between ca. 2215 Ma and ca. 2145 Ma. The older event is restricted to three localities in the west, and its cause is unknown. The younger event affected most of the craton (> 100,000 km(2)), spanning a 70 m.y. period from ca. 2215 Ma nearest the collisional margin in the south, to ca. 2145 Ma toward the craton interior in the north. The widespread geographic and stratigraphic distribution of ca. 2.2 Ga phosphates suggests that fluid flow was pervasive. This event was probably driven by the northward-advancing Ophthalmian fold-and-thrust belt that developed during protracted collision. The associated low-grade metamorphic front migrated over similar to 350 km at an average rate of similar to 5.0 mm/yr, placing important constraints on the rate and duration of deformation and metamorphism in orogenic settings.

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Crossref · 10.1130/g21666.1

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  • Previous work suggests the Pilbara Craton, including Ripon Hills, experienced multiple episodes of hydrothermal fluid flow, particularly around peak regional metamorphism at ~2.1 Ga.

    “and that the Pilbara Craton, including the Ripon Hills region, has experienced multiple episodes of hydrothermal fluid flow, particularly around the time of peak regional metamorphism at ∼2.1 Ga (18,41).”

    From Reappraisal of hydrocarbon biomarkers in Archean rocks (2015) · cites this paper as [18]

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Authors
Rasmussen, B., Fletcher, I. R., & Sheppard, S.
Affiliations
  • The University of Western Australia (AU)
  • Geological Survey of Western Australia (AU)
Venue
Geology
Published
2005
Volume
33
Issue
10
Pages
773
ISSN
0091-7613 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2093101208
Cited by
151
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 4
FWCI
5.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Geology (publishedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Australian Research Council
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geophysics › Geological and Geochemical Analysis
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geology › Geological Studies and Exploration
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Geochemistry and Geochronology of Asian Mineral Deposits
Keywords
Pilbara Craton, low-grade metamorphism, orogeny, xenotime, U-Pb geochronology, hydrothermal alteration, fluid flow, strain rate

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