ABSTRACT In the Southeastern Quadrilátero Ferrífero, a package of metapelitic rocks previously attributed to the Archean Rio das Velhas Supergroup crops out in Piranga locality. This study presents the mineral chemistry and U-Pb-Hf zircon geochronology on foliated staurolite-garnet mica schists. Garnet and staurolite index minerals are syn- to post-kinematic towards the main schistosity. Garnet porphyroblasts display well-developed compositional zoning of Mg-Fe-Mn-Ca, with increase of almandine and pyrope and decrease of spessartine towards the rim, implying in prograde metamorphic pattern. Estimates of P-T values for the metamorphic peak resulted in temperatures between 630 to 650ºC and pressure around 7 kbar. Pseudosections show well-defined stability fields in amphibolite facies, with a metamorphic path displaying progressive increase in P-T conditions. Maximum depositional age of 1,875 ± 51 Ma is established for the Piranga mica schists pointing to a depositional history that is younger than those previously described. Metamorphic Cambrian ages characterize the strong influence of deformational processes related to the final stages of Brasiliano Orogeny in the Southeastern Quadrilátero Ferrífero.

RESUMO: Este trabalho apresenta o estudo de petrografia, química mineral e geocronologia de escarnitos gerados no contato de mármores do Complexo Paraíba do Sul com diques metamáficos e félsicos, no sul do Espírito Santo. Os mármores foram metamorfizados sob condições de pressão e temperatura da fácies granulito durante a fase sin-colisional do orógeno neoproterozoico Araçuaí. Os corpos metamáficos são compostos de anfibolito e hornblenda granofels, enquanto os diques félsicos consistem de álcali-feldspato granito, monzogranito ou sienogranito. Do mármore para o dique, escarnitos associados com os diques metamáficos são compostos das zonas carbonato + olivina e diopsídio + hornblenda. Escarnitos associados com os diques graníticos são compostos de três zonas mineralógicas distintas: carbonato + tremolita, diopsídio e escapolita + diopsídio. Variações na composição química mineral ao longo das zonas metassomáticas sugerem introdução de Mg e Ca dos mármores, Fe dos diques metamáficos e Na dos granitos. A presença de espinélio nos diques metamáficos e em seus escarnitos indica que ambos foram metamorfizados sob condições de fácies granulito durante o estágio sin-colisional (580-560 Ma). A geocronologia U-Pb via LA-ICP-MS em zircões de um dique de álcali-feldspatogranito resultou em uma idade de cristalização de ca.540 Ma, o que sugere que seus escarnitos são, portanto, mais novos que os escarnitos associados com os diques metamáficos sin-colisionais.

ABSTRACT: This paper concerns the study of petrography, mineral chemistry and geochronology of skarns generated at the contact of marbles of the Paraíba do Sul Complex with felsic and metamafic dykes in the southern Espírito Santo State. The marbles were metamorphosed under P-T granulite facies conditions during the syn-collisional stage of the Neoproterozoic Araçuaí orogen. Metamafic bodies are composed of amphibolite and hornblende granofels, while felsic dykes consist of alkali-feldspar granite, monzogranite or syenogranite. From marble towards the dyke, skarns related to the metamafic bodies are composed of carbonate + olivine and diopside + hornblende zones. Skarn associated to the granitic dykes are composed of three different zones: carbonate + tremolite, diopside, scapolite + diopside. Variations in mineral chemical compositions along the metasomatic zones suggest introduction of Mg and Ca from the marbles, Fe from the metamafic dykes and Na from the granitoids. The presence of spinel in the metamafic dykes and their skarns indicates that both were metamorphosed under granulite facies conditions during the 580-560 Ma syn-collisional stage. U-Pb zircon geochronology (LA-ICP-MS) of an alkali-feldspar granite dyke resulted in a crystallization age of ca.540 Ma, which suggests that its skarns are therefore younger than skarns associated with the syn-collisional metamafic dykes.

Abstract The Pedra Dourada Granulite (PDG) occurs at the southeastern portion of the Araçuaí Belt, north of the town of Ponte Nova. It comprises bodies up to 45 km2 inserted into amphibolite-facies gneisses of the Mantiqueira Complex. Motivated by the discrepancy of metamorphic grade with surrounding rocks, this paper presents results of the petrographic and geochemical investigation of the PDG. The unit is comprised of meta-igneous and metasedimentary rocks. Meta-igneous rocks dominate and include felsic granulites (biotite ± garnet-bearing and orthopyroxene-bearing) and subordinate mafic granulites. Metasedimentary rocks are aluminous granulites with Al-rich mineral assemblages (garnet, sillimanite, spinel). Geochemical data show that most of felsic protoliths are peraluminous rocks including granites, granodiorites and diorites of calc-alkaline character, chemically similar to granitoids of convergent tectonic settings. Mafic protoliths are metaluminous rocks comprised of gabbros and subordinate diorites of tholeiitic affinity, compositionally similar to plate margin basalts. Aluminous protoliths may be peraluminous pelitic rocks and wackes, analogous to sediments from convergent environments. The mineral assemblages indicate that these rocks were metamorphosed under medium-P granulite-facies conditions. Coronitic garnet textures suggest a near-isobaric cooling (IBC-path) after metamorphic peak.

RESUMO: No Distrito Esmeraldífero de Itabira-Nova Era, sudeste do Brasil, esmeralda gemológica é extraída em minas subterrâneas em depósitos do Tipo Xisto na zona de contato da sequência metavulcanossedimentar arqueana do Complexo Guanhães com granitos anorogênicos paleoproterozoicos da Suite Borrachudos. Depósitos do Tipo Xisto são comumente gerados por reações promovidas por deformação e calor durante metamorfismo regional. A idade da mineralização na região tem sido motivo de debates por décadas: idades variando do Arqueano ao Neoproterozoico são mencionadas na literatura. Na zona mineralizada da mina Piteiras, titanita portadora de alumínio e flúor é encontrada em rochas metamáficas. O conteúdo de flúor foi provavelmente derivado dos granitos e pegmatitos Borrachudos, tal como o berílio para a esmeralda, portanto ambos minerais podem ter sido gerados durante o mesmo evento. Geocronologia U-Pb via ablação a laser associada a espectrometria de massa por plasma acoplado indutivamente laser (LA-ICP-MS) em titanita foi realizada em uma seção delgada de um flogopita-plagioclásio-hornblenda xisto da mina Piteiras. A idade determinada de 576 ± 7 Ma é também a provável idade de geração da esmeralda durante o ciclo Brasiliano, que foi o único evento tectonometamórfico posterior à intrusão dos granitos. Este evento forneceu calor e fluidos necessários para reações entre as rochas portadoras de berílio e de cromo, possibilitando assim a formação de esmeralda.

ABSTRACT: In the Itabira-Nova Era Emerald District, southeast Brazil, gemological emerald is extracted from underground mines found in schist-type deposits at the contact zone of the Archean Metavolcanosedimentary Sequence of the Guanhães Complex and Paleoproterozoic anorogenic granites of the Borrachudos Suite. Schist-type deposits are commonly generated by reactions enhanced by deformation and heat during regional metamorphism. The age of the mineralization in the region has been a matter of debate for decades: Ages ranging from the Archean to the Neoproterozoic are mentioned in the literature. In the mineralized zone from the Piteiras mine fluorine-aluminum-bearing titanite is found in metamafic rocks. The fluorine content was probably derived from the Borrachudos granites and pegmatites like the beryllium for emerald, thus both minerals could have been generated during the same event. U-Pb titanite geochronology via laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was performed on a thin section of a phlogopite-plagioclase-hornblende schist from the Piteiras mine. The determined age of 576 ± 7 Ma is also the probable age for emerald generation during the Brasiliano cycle, which was the only tectonometamorphic event postdating the intrusion of the granites. This event provided heat and fluids necessary for reactions between the Be- and the Cr-bearing rocks, thus enabling the formation of emeralds.

Abstract The Acaiaca Complex (AC) is located in southeastern Minas Gerais state, and comprises felsic, mafic, ultramafic, and aluminous granulites as well as lower grade gneisses and mylonites. The complex is distributed over an area of ca. 36 km by 6 km, surrounded by amphibolite facies gneisses of the Mantiqueira Complex (MC). The discrepancy in the metamorphic grade between both complexes led to the present study aiming to understand the metamorphic history of the AC by means of geothermobarometric calculations and electron microprobe Th-U-Pb monazite dating. Estimates of the metamorphic conditions of the granulites based on conventional geothermobarometry and THERMOCALC resulted in temperatures around 800 ºC and pressures between of 5.0 and 9.9 kbar and a retrometamorphic path characterized by near-isobaric cooling. Part of the granulites was affected by anatexis. The melting of felsic granulites resulted in the generation of pegmatites and two aluminous lithotypes. These are: i) garnet-sillimanite granulite with euhedral plagioclase and cordierite that show straight faces against quartz, and is the crystallization product of an anatectic melt, and ii) garnet-kyanite-cordierite granulite, which is probably the restite of anatexis, as indicated by textures and high magnesium contents. Th-U-Pb monazite geochronology of two granulite samples resulted in a metamorphic age around 2060 Ma, which is similar to the age of the MC registered in the literature. The similar Paleoproterozoic metamorphic ages of both complexes lead to the conclusion that the Acaiaca Complex may be the high grade metamorphic unit geochronologically related to the lower grade Mantiqueira Complex.

Abstract The Capelinha Formation (Macaúbas Group) consists of a lower quartzitic unit with metamafic intercalations and an upper metapelitic sequence. It occurs in a complex tectono-metamorphic sector of the Araçuaí orogen, where post-collisional collapse-related structures superimposed collisional structures. The garnet-bearing assemblages started crystallization in the collisional deformation stage that formed the main regional foliation around 570 Ma. Garnet porphyroblasts display a well-developed growth zonation of Fe-Mg-Ca-Mn and show, from core to rim, increasing almandine and pyrope contents in contrast with decreasing grossular and spessartine contents. Mineral relations and microstructures provide criteria for local equilibria and a structurally controlled application of geothermobarometers based on cation exchange and net transfer reactions. The P-T values calculated from cores to rims of garnets, aligned along clockwise trends, resulted in increasing temperatures (from 500 ºC up to 620 ºC) under decompression conditions (from 8.0 kbar to 4.5 kbar). The Th-U-Pb dating of homogeneous monazites by electron microprobe revealed a recrystallization period at around 490 - 480 Ma. These ages can be related to the tectono-thermal event associated with the gravitational collapse, constraining the youngest time limit for metamorphic processes in the Araçuaí orogen.

Abstract This paper presents the results of a petrographic and geochronological investigation of the Furquim Quartzite (FQ) to establish its stratigraphic correlation to quartzitic units of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero (QF) province. The Quartzite comprises a ca. 20km long and 1-6km wide ridge overlying discordantly the Archean to Paleoproterozoic gneissic basement and rocks of the Archean Rio das Velhas Supergroup between the city Mariana and the town Furquim, southeast of the QF. Despite the discordant contacts, previous field-based stratigraphic studies considered the Furquim Quartzite as part of the Archean Maquiné Group – top unit of the Rio das Velhas Supergroup. U-Pb zircon geochronology via LA-ICP-MS identified several detrital populations ranging from Paleoproterozoic to Archean age. The youngest population of 2087±19 Ma defines the maximum age for the sedimentation of the precursor sandstone. This age can be correlated to be the age of the youngest zircon population of the Itacolomi Group quartzites in the QF. Thus, in contrast to previous studies, the results indicate that the FQ is an eastern extension of the Itacolomi Group, the youngest unit of the Paleoproterozoic Minas Supergroup.

Rubis e safiras de quatro depósitos em Minas Gerais, denominados Sapucaia, Indaiá e Palmeiras, na região de Caratinga-Manhuaçu, e Malacacheta, mais ao norte, foram caracterizados em termos geológicos, gemológicos, químicos e espectroscópicos, com o objetivo de interpretar causas de cor, gênese, bem como analisar o potencial econômico dos depósitos. Resultados de análises químicas e espectroscopia UV-visível mostram que a provável causa da cor azul é transferência de cargas entre Fe2+ e Ti4+, enquanto Cr3+ causa tonalidades violeta e púrpura, efeito alexandrita e fluorescência. A ausência de Ce e La e o teor relativamente mais alto de Ga distinguem as amostras de Malacacheta das demais. Além de sugerir particularidades genéticas, a diferença em termos de elementos-traços, pode ser utilizada como indicador de proveniência das gemas. Inclusões de um polimorfo de Al2SiO5 e indícios de campo sugerem que o coríndon deve ter sido gerado por processos metamórficos regionais, o que expande as possibilidades para a descoberta de novas ocorrências de rubi e safiras nos terrenos de alto grau metamórfico do leste de Minas Gerais.

Rubies and sapphires from four deposits in Minas Gerais named Sapucaia, Indaiá and Palmeiras, in the region of Caratinga-Manhuaçu, and Malacacheta, farther north, were characterized in terms of geology, gemology, chemistry and spectroscopy in order to interpret causes of color and genesis. The economical potential of the deposits was also analyzed. Chemical analyses and UV-visible spectroscopy reveal that the probable cause of the blue color is a charge transfer between Fe2+ e Ti4+, while Cr3+ causes violet and purplish tints, alexandrite effect and fluorescence. Absence of Ce and La and relatively higher Ga-contents distinguish the Malacacheta samples from the others. Besides suggesting genetic particularities, the difference in terms of trace elements might be used as a provenience indicator for the gems. Inclusions of an Al2SiO5 polimorph and field evidences suggest that the origin of corundum might be due to regional metamorphic processes, thus expanding the possibilities for the discovery of new occurrences of ruby and sapphires in the high grade metamorphic terrain in eastern Minas Gerais.

A região de Lamim, sudeste do Quadrilátero Ferrífero (QF), é constituída de gnaisses e rochas metamáficas e metaultramáficas, estas do Grupo Nova Lima, base do greenstone belt Rio das Velhas. As principais rochas metaultramáficas são pedra-sabão, amplamente explotada no QF, e serpentinito. A região distingue-se por rochas com olivina preservada, interpretadas como o protólito magmático das metaultramáficas. São olivina-anfibólio fels com textura semelhante a cumulus, com inclusão de vários grãos de olivina em anfibólio de porte maior. O teor relativamente alto de ferro da olivina (Fo75Fa25) indica a sua origem magmática. Há dois tipos de anfibólio, cristais centimétricos de tremolita, envolvendo vários grãos de olivina, interpretados como pseudomorfoses, substituindo o piroxênio intercumulus original, e antofilita acicular. Os teores de serpentina, clorita, dolomita e talco variam. A composição química e as texturas sugerem que o provável protólito das rochas metaultramáficas são komatiitos peridotíticos plutônicos e não komatiitos vulcânicos encontrados em outras regiões do QF. O peridotito foi variavelmente metamorfizado em condições de fácies xisto verde alto a anfibolito baixo durante a infiltração de fluidos aquosos que acompanharam o processo metamórfico-metassomático.

The region of Lamim, in the southeastern portion of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero (QF), is composed of gnaisses, metamafic and metaultramafic rocks. The last ones belong to the Nova Lima group, base of the Archean Rio das Velhas greenstone belt. The main metaultramafic rocks are soapstone, largely exploited in the QF, and sepentinite. Rocks preserving olivine, interpreted as the magmatic protolith of the metaultramafic rocks, distinguish the region of Lamim. These rocks are olivine-amphibole fels with cumulus-like textures characterized by the inclusion of several grains of olivine within larger amphibole crystals. The relatively high Fe-content of olivine (Fo75Fa25) is an indication of its magmatic origin. Two types of amphibole were identified, centimetric tremolite crystals involving olivine grains, interpreted as pseudomorphs replacing the original intercumulus pyroxene, and acicular anthophyllite. The amounts of serpentine, chlorite, dolomite and talc vary. Rock chemistry and textures suggest that the most probable protolith of the metaultramafic rocks are plutonic komatiitic peridotites and not volcanic komatiites found elsewhere in the QF. The peridotite was variably metamorphosed under conditions of higher greenschist to lower amphibolite facies during infiltration of aqueous fluids accompanying the metamorphic-metassomatic process.

A Faixa Araçuaí corresponde à porção ocidental externa do orógeno neoproterozóico Araçuaí-Congo Ocidental. Margeia a borda leste do Cráton do São Francisco e é separada do núcleo cristalino do orógeno pela descontinuidade geofísica de Abre Campo. A porção meridional da Faixa Araçuaí envolve quatro unidades litológicas principais: os ortognaisses arqueanos e paleoproterozóicos do Complexo Mantiqueira, os charnoquitos Pedra Dourada, os granitóides paleoproterozóicos da Suíte Borrachudos e as rochas metavulcanossedimentares do Grupo Dom Silvério. O Grupo Dom Silvério ocorre em uma faixa NNE-SSW e engloba um pacote de rochas metapelíticas com intercalações de quartzitos, anfibolitos, meta-ultramáficas, formações ferríferas, gonditos e mármores. Todas as unidades da porção meridional da Faixa Araçuaí foram envolvidas em quatro fases deformacionais sin-metamórficas no curso do Evento Brasiliano. A primeira fase, sincrônica a um metamorfismo regional de fácies anfibolito, associou-se a um transporte tectônico geral para norte ao longo da zona de cisalhamento sinistral de Dom Silvério e no segmento de baixo ângulo a ela conectado. A segunda e terceira fases representam estágios progressivos de um encurtamento com movimentação geral para oeste, com desenvolvimento de empurrões localizados e intenso dobramento em todas as escalas. A quarta fase é extensional e reflete o colapso do orógeno.

The Araçuaí belt corresponds to the external portion of the western half of the Araçuaí-West Congo Neopro-terozoic orogen. TheAraçuaí belt fringes the São Francisco craton to east and is separated from the crystalline core of the orogen by the Abre Campo geophysical discontinuity. The southern Araçuaí belt involves four major lithologic units: the Archean and Paleoproterozoic gneisses of the Mantiqueira Complex, the Pedra Dourada Charnockite, the Paleoproterozoic Borrachudos Granitoid, and the metavolcanosedimentary rocks of the Dom Silvério Group. The Dom Silvério Group occurs in a NNE-SSW striking belt and consists of a thick package of metapelitic rocks with intercalations of quartzites, amphibolites, meta-ultramafics, banded iron formations, gondites and marbles. All units of the southern Araçuaí belt underwent four syn-metamorphic phases of deformation in the course of the Brasiliano event. The first phase, synchronous to a regional amphibolite facies metamorphism, was associated to a general tectonic transport towards north along the left-lateral Dom Silvério shear zone and its low angle segment. The second and third phases represent progressive stages of a west directed shortening, which led to the development of local thrusts and pervasive folds in several scales. The fourth phase is extensional and reflects the collapse of the orogen.