Evolução geológica do terreno Paraíba do Sul, Orógeno Ribeira, Sudeste do Brasil, com base em estudos litogeoquímicos e de geocronologia U-Pb (LA-ICPMS)

Abstract

The crustal structure of the Ribeira Belt can be defined, in its central segment, by some tectono-estratigraphic terrains which are different, and limited by thrusts over São Francisco Craton and obliquous shear zones, result of successful docking events in the Brasiliano. In this context, the Paraíba do Sul Terrane is presented as a sinformal structure, covering the Occidental Terrane, a reworked margin of São Francisco Craton (Heilbron et al., 2004). Although the Ribeira mobile belt is the most studied in the West Gondwana, this study has contributed to the understanding of the constitution, origin and evolution of the units which compose the Paraíba do Sul Terrane, in this orogen. For that, systematic geochronological investigations were carried out, subsidized by lithogeochemical analysis, considering the regional character of the terrane being analyzed. This integrated study is necessary due to the few and spaciously restricted existing ages for the orthogneisses of the basement (Quirino Complex) and granitoids, and the absence of ages of provenance of its metasedimentary coverage (Paraiba do Sul Group). The litogeochemical data of 41 analyses (32 from Valladares et al., 2002) distinguish two calc-alkaline series for Quirino Complex: one of medium-K and tonalitic composition; other of high-K and granitic/granodioritic composition, related to a volcanic arc environment. Some possible cogenetic groups we identified, for each of these series (groups 1 to 8 for the high-K series, and 1 to 3 for the medium-K series), considering rates between incompatible elements varying below 1.5 times (Allégre & Minster, 1978) and other petrologic criteria, for the orientation of the geochronological investigation. The U-Pb geochronological analysis was performed by LA-ICPMS method, in zircons selected from ten samples, of which six were from orthogneisses from the Quirino Complex (four from the high-K series and two from the medium-K series), two from quartzites from Paraíba do Sul Group and two from neoproterozoic granitoids. All the analyses were produced by the author in the Radiogenic Isotope Facility of University of Alberta, Canada. The data obtained presented, for the Quirino Complex, palaeoproterozoic crystallization ages related to the Transamazonic Event, the high-K series being older (2308 ± 9.2 Ma a 2185 ± 8 Ma) that the medium-K series (2169 ± 3 Ma a 2136 ± 14 Ma). The integration of the geochronological data with the petrogenetic evaluation leads to the conclusion that four or five suites occur in the high-K serie. The medium-K series would be represented by one sole cogenetic suite, evolved by concomitant assimilation during fractioned crystallization, resulting, in part, from the melt of an archean crust during the same event which generated juvenile crust on the Palaeoproterozoic. The expressive quantity of inherited archean grains and TDM archean age (Valladares et al., 2002) support this hypothesis. The metasediments investigated are originated from the erosion of palaeoproterozoic rocks (with higher concentration between 1.9 Ga and 2.1 Ga), partly originated from the basement itself, together with subordinated contributions of archean sources. The maximum deposition age obtained at 1951 Ma (youngest zircon concordant), together with the oldest concordant age of the metamorphism of its basement (645 ± 13 Ma), defines the best estimate for the implementation of the Paraíba do Sul Basin, in some interval between the end of the Transamazonic Orogeny and the beginning of the Brasilian Orogeny. Three neoproterozoic metamorphic events were also identified based on registers of overgrowth grain, prismatic tips and lower intercepts of zircons of the basement and granitoid crystallization ages: one precocious, between 645-605 Ma, characterized in this study as pre-M1; and two subsequent, with intervals of 605-570 Ma and 540-520 Ma respectively correlated to Heilbron (1993) M1 and M2 events for the Ribeira Belt. Among the hypothesis for the metamorphic pre-M1 register, we suggest possible influence of the collision episodes, of chronorrelated age, south of the Brasilia Belt, or the existence of a fragment of continental crust positioned between the Rio Negro Arc (Oriental Terrane) and São Francisco Craton. In the second case, an accretion event of this crust fragment to the arc, from before the collision with the Craton, would result in the earlier metamorphism ages. Finally, the ID-TIMS age of 503 ± 2 Ma in titanite of the Quirino Complex (Valladares, 1996) would still be the youngest, reflecting the decrease of the metamorphic activity for this terrane.