ABSTRACT A U-Pb SHRIMP zircon geochronological study was carried out in the Nico Pérez Terrane in the central-eastern portion of Uruguay with the aim of constraining its geological evolution and its cratonic affinity. Nico Pérez Terrane is made up by a mosaic of tectonic blocks with diferente lithologies and sizes. This terrane is limited to the west by the Piedra Alta Terrane through the Sarandí del Yí shear zone, and to the east, is in tectonic contact through the Retamosa thrust with the Dom Feliciano Belt (Brasiliano orogenic cycle). Lithologically, the Nico Pérez Terrane is composed by medium to high grade metamorphic rock contained in three tectonic blocks (Pavas, Valentines and Rivera blocks) represented mainly by granitoids, as well as ortho and parametamorphic rocks, such as amphibolites, metapyroxenites, BIFs, schists, quartzites with fuchsite, among others. Archean inheritance, Rhyacian, Statherian, and Neoproterozoic magmatic ages are reported here. Similar ages, which show Archaean inheritance and Neoproterozoic imprint, reported in units of the Piedra Alta Terrane modify the idea that the Río de La Plata Craton only corresponds to a juvenile Paleoproterozoic tectonic unit. This, together with recently published geophysical information, supports the cratonic affinity of the Nico Pérez Terrane with the Río de La Plata Craton.

RESUMEN Un estudio geocronológico U-Pb SHRIMP en circón fue realizado en rocas del Terreno Nico Pérez, con el objetivo de circunscribir la evolución geológica y su afinidad cratónica. Este terreno, localizado en la porción central del Uruguay, está constituído por un mosaico de tres bloques tectónicos y se encuentra limitado al oeste por el Terreno Piedra Alta a través de la zona de cizallamiento Sarandí del Yí. Al este, se encuentra en contacto tectónico a través del corrimiento Retamosa con el Cinturón Dom Feliciano (Ciclo Orogénico Brasiliano). Litológicamente, el Terreno Nico Pérez está compuesto por rocas metamórficas de grado medio a alto (bloques Pavas, Valentines y Rivera) representados principalmente por granitoides, así como por rocas orto- y parametamórficas, tales como anfibolitas, metapiroxenitas, BIFs, esquistos, cuarcitas con fucsita, entre otras. Se presenta en este trabajo un conjunto de edades magmáticas que poseen herencia arqueana, y edades riacianas, estaterianas y neoproterozoicas. Edades similares a estas, que muestran herencia arqueana e impronta neoproterozoica, reportadas en unidades del Terreno Piedra Alta, modifican la idea de que el Cratón del Río de La Plata corresponde a una unidad tectónica paleoproterozoica juvenil. Esto, junto con la información geofísica publicada recientemente, respalda la afinidad cratónica del Terreno Nico Pérez con el Cratón del Río de La Plata.

Abstract The Iriri-Xingu domain, located in the central part of the Amazonian craton, consists of extensive occurrences of Paleoproterozoic volcanic rocks and granites with published ages of ca. 1990 to 1840 Ma, which show a strong crustal contribution for their magmas. Exposures of basement rocks are small and rare. Samples from two areas were dated in this work by U-Pb SHRIMP in zircon. In the northern Maribel area, a high-grade pelitic paragneiss presented an age of 2160 ± 8 Ma and the leucosome of a migmatitic orthogneiss, probably a diatexite, crystallized at 2149 ± 20 Ma. These Rhyacian ages suggest that it is part of the Bacajá domain, related to the Trans-Amazonian cycle. The Morro Grande area occurs in the central part of Iriri-Xingu domain, where a high-grade muscovite gneiss with a protolith of 2120-2180 Ma is dated at 1982 ± 7 Ma, and the leucosome of a migmatitic orthogneiss is crystallized at 1979 ± 8 Ma. These are the first records of high-grade metamorphism at ca. 1980 Ma in the Central Brazil shield and may be related to the generation of this Orosirian felsic magmatism, which is widespread throughout the nearby Ventuari-Tapajós province.

Abstract The Huayna Potosi, Zongo and Taquesi are Triassic plutons located at the core of the Real Cordillera of Bolivia. In this paper, several Rb-Sr and K-Ar ages obtained in the past at the São Paulo Geochronology Laboratory, yet unpublished, will be presented, along with newer U-Pb Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) determinations made in the same laboratory, allowing us to redefine the geologic history of this part of the Central Andes. Rb/Sr analyses of some low grade metapelitic country rocks of the early Paleozoic (Amutara and Cancañiri Formations) yielded a Rb-Sr isochron age of 344 ± 38 Ma, indicating the action of an early Gondwanide regional event. A five-point Rb-Sr isochron from a granite outcrop of the Huayna Potosi pluton yielded an age of 224 ± 28 Ma. In addition, an important Ar loss in micas was detected in the Zongo granitoids and their country rocks, recording a thermal event that opened this isotopic system in the Oligocene. Newer U-Pb SHRIMP zircon ages of ca. 221 Ma were obtained in two other granitic outcrops of the Huayna Potosi granite. They confirmed its Triassic crystallization age, and a similar U-Pb SHRIMP age of 221.9 ± 1.5 Ma was obtained for one sample of the Taquesi pluton. For the Zongo pluton, many of the zircon grains obtained from one sample of its Kuticucho facies yielded extremely high uranium content, which produced reverse discordant apparent ages. However, due to the fair alignment of the analytical points in the Concordia diagram, possibly corresponding to a linear correlation, we made a regression calculation and the interception of the Concordia curve resulted in a rather imprecise age of 220 ± 20 Ma. Our conclusion was that the final magmatic crystallization and the intrusion of plutons in the central part of the Cordillera Real of Bolivia have occurred close to 221.5 ± 2.0 Ma, in late Triassic times. Finally, the U-Pb SHRIMP ages obtained in inherited zircon xenocrysts from the four available granitic rocks yielded very different ages, and many of them are related to previous magmatic episodes of the Andean Tectonic System. A few other age measurements indicated sources related to much older Proterozoic magmatic events associated with rocks from the Andean basement.

Abstract Salinas Formation occurs in a large region of the Northern Araçuaí orogen, Southeastern Brazil. It includes turbiditic wackes (> 10% matrix) to arenites (< 10% matrix), pelites and clast-supported conglomerates, metamorphosed from the biotite zone of the greenschist facies to the sillimanite zone of the amphibolite facies. Salinas Formation lies unconformably on the top of or in tectonic contact with the Macaúbas Group, and hosts Cambrian granitic intrusions dated between 540 and 500 Ma. Aiming to unravel sediment provenances for the Salinas basin, we present a detailed lithochemical (45 samples) study on low-grade rocks preserved from the regional deformation, which are found in the type area of the Salinas Formation. In addition, we compare them with deformed and more metamorphic rocks of similar composition but located in other basin sectors. The lithochemical data indicate limited chemical weathering in the sediment sources, good correlations with the mineralogical compositions in respect to the variable amounts of metamorphic minerals typical of pelitic (micas, garnet, and other peraluminous silicates) and psammitic (feldspars, quartz) fractions. The main provenances of sedimentary protoliths are clearly related to continental magmatic arc and active continental margin environments. U-Pb (SHRIMP) analyses performed on zircon grains from clasts of intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks, extracted from a clast-supported metaconglomerate, yield concordant zircon Pb 206 /U 238 ages from ca. 579 Ma to ca. 697 Ma, with most of the ages in the interval of 587 to 630 Ma. This indicates that the main primary sediment source is the Rio Doce magmatic arc (630-580 Ma), in very good agreement with the arc-related lithochemical signature. Eleven zircon crystals yield a Concordia age of 620 ± 10 Ma, representing an important Ediacaran volcanic episode in the tectonic evolution of the Araçuaí orogen.

ABSTRACT: New age determinations by Ar-Ar and U-Pb SHRIMP for the alkaline complexes of Banhadão and Itapirapuã that occur in the Ribeira Valley are in agreement with the previously radiometric K-Ar ages available in literature. Ar-Ar ages on biotite for Banhadão range in the 106-110 Ma interval, and suggest a minimum age of 106 Ma for the complex. Ar-Ar data on biotite for Itapirapuã are more uniform, indicating an age of 102 Ma for the complex. U-Pb SHRIMP determinations on titanite from Itapirapuã melanite syenitic rocks yielded an age of ~106 Ma. Thus, the age interval of 100 and 110 Ma does exist indeed, suggesting an intermediate magmatic pulse between the already well-defined peaks of 80-90 Ma and 130-140 Ma for the alkaline rocks in southern Brazil, confirming the periodicity of the magmatism.

RESUMO: Este trabalho inclui diversas idades U-Pb SHRIMP e LA_ICP-MS em zircão, produzidas para contribuir com o conhecimento da história geológica da província tectônica Rio Negro-Juruena na parte noroeste do Craton Amazônico. A região é constituída por rochas granitoides, descritas como gnaisses, granitos e migmatitos cálcio-alcalinos, afetadas por metamorfismo de fácies anfibolito, em nível crustal médio. As novas datações, com as idades K-Ar e Rb-Sr previamente existentes, indicam a formação dessas rochas numa série de arcos magmáticos essencialmente juvenis, associados a processos de subducção. A sistemática Sm-Nd indica que todas as amostras analisadas, quaisquer que sejam as suas idades, apresentam idades modelo TDM entre 1,9 e 2,2 Ga, sugerindo ausência de material crustal mais antigo. Na parte nordeste (áreas de Puerto Inírida e San Carlos), a Faixa Atabapo inclui rochas formadas num período de 60 Ma, entre 1800 e 1740 Ma. Na parte sudoeste, que inclui as vilas de Mitú e Iauaretê, os granitoides foram formados entre 1580 e 1520 Ma na Faixa Vaupés. Finalmente, as idades K-Ar disponíveis indicam o advento do importante aquecimento intraplaca cobrindo a região inteira, acima de 300oC, denominado Nickerie-K'Mudku, com ca. 1200 - 1300 Ma.

ABSTRACT: Here we report the results of several U-Pb zircon ages, made to generate an integrated history for the Rio Negro-Juruena tectonic province, for the northwestern part of the Amazonian Craton. This region comprises granitoid rocks, described as calc-alkaline syntectonic gneisses, granites and migmatites, affected by medium level amphibolite facies metamorphism. The new measurements, with the available Rb-Sr and K-Ar ages, indicate the formation of these rocks within a series of essentially juvenile magmatic arcs, that are closely related with subduction. Sm-Nd analyses indicate that all samples, regardless of their zircon ages, yielded TDM model ages roughly between 1.9 and 2.2 Ga, suggesting the absence of a much older source material. In the northeastern part (areas of Puerto Inírida and San Carlos), the Atabapo belt comprises rocks formed within a period of about 60 Ma, from 1800 to 1740 Ma. In the southwestern region, including the towns of Mitú and Iauaretê, the granitoids formed in the Vaupés belt between 1580 and 1520 Ma. Finally, the available K-Ar measurements indicate the onset of the Nickerie-K'Mudku intraplate heating event, with temperature above 300oC within the entire region at 1200 - 1300 Ma.

The Payún Matrú Volcanic Field is located in the Payenia Basaltic Province of the recent back-arc of western Argentina (35°S-38°S). This province is younger than 5 Ma, and most of its volcanic activity took place since 2 Ma. The Payún Matrú Volcanic Field contains two composite volcanoes, Payún Matrú and Payún Liso, and two basaltic fields in an E-W oriented zone, located east and west of the Payún Matrú volcano. Payún Matrú is the largest volcano of this volcanic field, and consists of a shield-shaped edifice with a circular summit caldera of 8 km in diameter. The composition of both composite volcanoes is alkaline and predominantly trachytic, having also minor intermediate lavas. The basaltic fields consist of basalts and trachybasalts, with clinopyroxene and abundant olivine as phenocrysts and also in the groundmass. Textures indicating mixing and mingling processes, such as dusty plagioclases along with clear ones, biotite replaced by anhydrous minerals and two groundmasses with a fluid-fluid relationship, are common in the early pre-caldera stage of Payún Matrú and some post-caldera lavas. The latest post-caldera lavas are trachytic, with clean sanidine phenocrysts without disequilibrium textures. A remarkable characteristic of the Payún Matrú Volcanic Field is the fact that the Payún Matrú caldera is surrounded by basaltic fields at its base, while no basalts were erupted in the caldera region. We propose that the absence of basaltic lavas in the Payún Matrú volcano is due to the presence of a magmatic chamber below it, and that the mafic magmas rising from deeper levels were unable to erupt without interaction with more evolved melts. Intermediate hybrid magmas produced as a consequence of magma mixing and mingling between basaltic and trachytic magmas, are present in the early and mid-history of Payún Matrú volcano. We present here new information about the Quaternary Payún Matrú Volcanic Field derived from field work, petrography, and major element geochemistry and 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratios. For the first time a detailed map of the Payún Matrú Volcanic Field and its volcanic stratigraphy, primarily based on field observations, are presented.

El Campo Volcánico Payún Matrú está localizado en la Provincia Basáltica Payenia, en el retroarco reciente al oeste de Argentina (35°S-38°S). Esta provincia es más joven que 5 Ma, y la mayor parte de su actividad volcánica tuvo lugar desde hace 2 Ma. El Campo Volcánico Payún Matrú contiene dos volcanes compuestos, el Payún Matrú y el Payún Liso, así como dos campos basálticos en una franja E-W, ubicados al este y oeste del Payún Matrú. El Payún Matrú es el volcán más grande de este campo volcánico, y consiste en un edificio en forma de escudo con una caldera circular en su cúspide de 8 km de diámetro. La composición de ambos volcanes compuestos es alcalina y predominantemente traquítica, con menor participación de lavas intermedias. Los campos basálticos consisten en basaltos y traquibasaltos, con clinopiroxeno y abundante olivina como fenocristales, presentes también en la pasta. En la etapa pre-caldera del Payún Matrú y en algunas lavas post-caldera son comunes las texturas que indican procesos de mezcla de magmas, 'mixing' y 'mingling', como plagioclasas cribadas en panal de abejas junto con otras limpias, biotitas reemplazadas por minerales anhidros y la presencia de dos pastas con una relación fluido-fluido. Las lavas post-caldera tardías son traquíticas, con fenocristales limpios de sanidina y sin texturas de desequilibrio. Una característica destacable del Campo Volcánico Payún Matrú es el hecho de que la caldera está rodeada por campos basálticos en su base, mientras que no se han producido erupciones de basaltos en la zona de la caldera. Proponemos que la ausencia de lavas basálticas en el volcán Payún Matrú se debe a la presencia de una cámara magmática por debajo del mismo, y a que los magmas máficos que ascienden desde niveles más profundos fueron incapaces de extruirse sin interactuar antes con fundidos más evolucionados. Magmas intermedios híbridos, producidos a consecuencia de la mezcla entre magmas basálticos y traquíticos, están presentes en la historia temprana y media del volcán Payún Matrú. Presentamos aquí nueva información sobre el Campo Volcánico Payún Matrú de edad Cuaternaria, basada en trabajos de campo, petrografía, geoquímica de elementos mayoritarios y relaciones isotópicas de 87Sr/86Sr. Por primera vez se presenta un mapa detallado del Campo Volcánico Payún Matrú y su estratigrafía, basado fundamentalmente en observaciones de campo.

To the east of Sierra Grande, the oldest unit is the El Jagüelito Ectinite mainly composed of meta-greywackes and slates, and cut by Ordovician granitoids (Rb-Sr whole rock 467 ± 16 Ma; U-Pb zircon 476 ± 4 Ma). Ectinites and granitoids are covered in unconformity by fossiliferous siliciclastic sedimentary rocks of Sierra Grande Formation of Silurian age. All together, these units are folded and thrust. To the south of Sierra Grande, at Hiparsa Mine, the outcrops of El Jagüelito Ectinite, Sierra Grande Formation and granitoids are strongly deformed. It has been discussed since the middle of the last century whether the granitoids constitute the basement of the Sierra Grande Formation or they are intrusive in this unit. The Sierra Grande Formation is affected by thermal metamorphism. Previous radiometric data of granitoids are discordant (Rb-Sr whole rock 252 ± 5 Ma, 363 ± 57 Ma and 318 ± 28 Ma; U-Pb SHRIMP zircon 476 ± 6 Ma). New Rb-Sr whole rock and mineral analyses were carried out on granitoids from Hiparsa Mine. The new data are indicative of two granitic units. To the northwest of the mine, at Mina Hiparsa Granite, two isochron ages were obtained (262 ± 6 Ma, 87Sr/86Sr (i) = 0.7162 ± 0.0003 and 263 ± 9 Ma, 87Sr/86Sr (i) = 0.7149 ± 0.0009). To the west of Hiparsa Mine, at Laguna Medina Granodiorite, just one isochron was obtained (260 ± 3 Ma, 87Sr/86Sr (i) = 0.7078 ± 0.0012). The studied rocks are the products of Early Ordovician and Early to Late Permian plutonism. Although the three whole rock-minerals isochrons are of Permian age, two of them represent metamorphism and overprint of Ordovician rocks (87Sr/86Sr (i) ~ 0.7150) and the remaining one represents igneous crystallization (87Sr/86Sr (i) ~ 0.7080).

Al este de Sierra Grande la unidad más antigua es la Ectinita El Jagüelito, metagrauvacas y pizarras, cortadas por granitoides ordovícicos (Rb-Sr en roca total 467 ± 16 Ma; U-Pb en circón 476 ± 4 Ma). Ectinitas y granitoides son cubiertos discordantemente por sedimentitas clásticas fosilíferas silúricas de la Formación Sierra Grande y el total de unidades deformado por pliegues y fallas. Al sur de Sierra Grande, Mina Hiparsa, afloran la Ectinita El Jagüelito, la Formación Sierra Grande y granitoides, en un contexto de fuerte deformación tectónica. Desde mitad de siglo pasado se discute si los granitoides constituyen el basamento de la Formación Sierra Grande o si son intrusivos en la misma. La Formación Sierra Grande está afectada por metamorfismo térmico. Datos radimétricos previos de granitoides son discordantes (Rb-Sr en roca total 252 ± 5 Ma; 363 ± 57 Ma; 318 ± 28 Ma; U-Pb SHRIMP en circón 476 ± 6 Ma). Se efectuaron nuevos análisis Rb-Sr en roca total y minerales y se propone la existencia de dos unidades graníticas. En granitoides del noroeste de la mina, Granito Mina Hiparsa, se obtuvieron dos isocronas (262 ± 6 Ma, 87Sr/86Sr inicial = 0,7162 ± 0,0003 y 263 ± 9 Ma, 87Sr/86Sr inicial = 0,7149 ± 0,0009). En los granitoides al oeste de la Mina Hiparsa, Granodiorita Laguna Medina, se efectuó una isocrona (260 ± 3 Ma, 87Sr/86Sr Inicial = 0,7078 ± 0,0012). Las rocas estudiadas son el producto de plutonismo ordovícico temprano y pérmico tardío-temprano. Las tres isocronas roca total-minerales son pérmicas, pero dos por metamorfismo y reseteo de rocas ordovícicas (87Sr/86Sr inicial ~ 0,7150) y una por cristalización (87Sr/86Sr inicial ~ 0,7080).

O Centro de Pesquisas Geocronológicas (CPGeo), um dos centros interdepartamentais do Instituto de Geociências (IG) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP), desde 1964 desenvolve estudos relacionados a diversos processos geológicos que se associam a diferentes tipos de rochas. A técnica amplamente utilizada no Laboratório U-Pb é a diluição isotópica por espectrometria de massa termo ionizada (ID-TIMS). Esta sistemática proporciona resultados bastante confiáveis e precisos na determinação das idades de eventos geológicos superpostos. Entretanto, o comportamento de sistema aberto como perda de Pb, problemas de herança isotópica e processos de metamictização, nos permite o entendimento do poder e limitação da geocronologia e termocronologia U-Pb. Neste artigo apresentamos a metodologia atualmente utilizada no Laboratório U-Pb do CPGeo-IGc-USP, as melhorias atingidas na técnica ID-TIMS e alguns dados obtidos em zircão, epídoto, titanita, baddeleyita e rutilo de diferentes tipos de rochas de alguns domínios da região sul-sudeste brasileira e da Argentina e Uruguai.

Since 1964, the Center for Geochronological Research - CPGeo, one of the interdepartmental centers of the Instituto de Geociências (IG) of São Paulo University, has developed studies related to several geological processes associated with different rock types. Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry Isotopic Dilution (ID-TIMS) has been the technique widely used in the CPGeo U-Pb Laboratory. It provides reliable and accurate results in age determination of superposed events. However, the open-system behavior such as Pb-loss, the inheritance problem and metamictization processes allow and impel us to a much richer understanding of the power and limitations of U-Pb geochronology and thermochronology. In this article, we present the current methodology used at the CPGeo-IGc-USP U-Pb laboratory, the improvements on ID-TIMS method, and report high-precision U-Pb data from zircon, monazite, epidote, titanite, baddeleyite and rutile from different rock types of several domains of the Brazilian south-southeast area, Argentina and Uruguay.

Few articles deal with lead and strontium isotopic analysis of water samples. The aim of this study was to define the chemical procedures for Pb and Sr isotopic analyses of groundwater samples from an urban sedimentary aquifer. Thirty lead and fourteen strontium isotopic analyses were performed to test different analytical procedures. Pb and Sr isotopic ratios as well as Sr concentration did not vary using different chemical procedures. However, the Pb concentrations were very dependent on the different procedures. Therefore, the choice of the best analytical procedure was based on the Pb results, which indicated a higher reproducibility from samples that had been filtered and acidified before the evaporation, had their residues totally dissolved, and were purified by ion chromatography using the Biorad® column. Our results showed no changes in Pb ratios with the storage time.