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40Ar-39Ar LASER PROBE DATING OF INDIVIDUAL PRECISE, SMALL SAMPLEU-Pb GEOCHRONOLOGY: A
CRITICAL TOOL FOR THE STUDYOF EARLYCRUSTAL
INCLUSIONS IN DIAMONDS
EVOLUTION.
G TURNER, R BURGESS, M LAURENZI, S KELLEY and
J HARRIS (Physics Department, University of Sheffield
F. CORFU, D.W. DAVIS and T.E. KROGH
UK)
( D e p t . ~ Geology, Royal Ontario Museum, 100
Queen's Park, Toronto, Ont., Can. M5S 2C6)
A laser probe is being used to measure 40Ar-39Ar
ages from individual mineral inclusions in diamonds Current, low blank (2-5 pg) U-Pb dating techni-
of eclogitic paragenesis from the Premier mine. ques, combined with highly selective sample prepa-
Initial results obtained from a single garnet
ration procedures, permit the routine measurement
inclusion, which ispresumed to have remained closed
of precise (1-3 Ma) and reproducible ages on
to argon diffusion since it became enclosed by the
microgram size zircon samples. The sensitivity of
diamond, indicated an age of 1440 ± 140 Ma, slightly this method is such that i t imposes severe
older than the emplacement age of the host constraints on models for crustal evolution.
kimberlite. This observation is similar to that Extensive application to Archean rocks in the
based on Sm-Nd measurements made on aggregates of Superior Province shows that greenstone and gneis-
inclusions extracted from diamonds of eclogitic
sic terrains consist of individual segments with
paragenesis from Premier [I]. It contrasts with distinct evolutions. Sparse evidence is present
much older Sm-Nd model ages obtained on diamonds for shelf sequences associated with older sialic
of periodotitic paragenesis from Finsch and
micro-continents and for possible rifted margins.
Kimberly [2].
Early greenstone-tonalite sequences (ca. 3000-2800
The small amounts of radiogenic argon involved
Ma), in general, did not interact with subsequen-
are two orders of magnitude lower than in any
t l y developing greenstone belts. On the other hand
previously reported age determination. Because of
some greenstone belts comprise apparently confor-
the inability to apply a conventional atmospheric
mable stratigraphic packages, separated by large
argon correction based on 36At, accuracy is time gaps without clear-cut unconformities; this
determined by the reproducibility of blanks.
assemblages may be the result of thrusting. In
f;~e chemistry of the inclusion, which based on several cases older sequences have been demonstra-
visual observation was an orange garnet, was
bly thrust onto younger ones as a result of major,
determined from 37Ar, 39At and 38Ar produced in somewhat diachrono,s collisional events at 2720-
the neutron irradiation as: [Ca] 9%; [K] 60 ppm;
2680 Ma. Voluminous felsic plutonism accompanied
[CI] I0 ppm. The presence of potassium in the
the consolidation of the individual segments into
garnet was somewhat surprising. Even more
a single craton. Concordant ages from detrital
surprising were the strong variations in (K/Ca)
zircons indicate that major sedimentary sequences
and (CI/Ca) based on (39Ar/37Ar) and (3BAr/37Ar) and unconformities developed in connection with
from different parts of the inclusion. Since the
this collision events.
inclusion is presumed to be an equilibrium
Cratonization continued for over 50 Ma with
assemblage, this observation may indicate the
plutonism and metamorphism in the lower crust
possibly as a result of underplating by mantle
presence of an additional mineral such as pyroxene.
Laser probe 40Ar-39Ar ages for a further ten
derived melts and/or melting induced by mantle
clinopyroxene inclusions from Premier diamonds
fluids and heat. At higher crustal levels these
will be presented.
processes caused low-grade alteration and reset
~l] Richardson S H (1986) Nature 322, 623-626
"soft" (e.g. Rb-Sr) isotopic systems.
[2] Richardson S H e t al (1984) Nature 310, 198-202
THE CHEMICAL EVOLUTION OF PRECAMBRIAN ~
SEAWATER: REE AND ISOTOPIC DATA
ZIRCON TRACING OF E M P L A C E M E N T , INHERITANCE AND
MErAMO~ IN TI-W KAMBALDA GREENS~NES, W. AUSTRAIJA L.A. DERRY and S.B. JACOBSEN.
(Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard
J.C. CI,AOUI~LONGANDW. COMPSTON University, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.).
(Research School of Earth Sciences, AusUr~ian National University. Clmberra
2601, Australia)
Chemical sediments precipitated from seawater can
IN THE SEARCH for a means of precisely dating Archanan mafic lavas, it record trace element patterns and isotopic compositions that
has been discovered that interflow "cherts" within the komatiite-basah pile are characteristic of the water mass from which they form.
at Kambalda,W. Australia.containzirconsfrom air-falltufts eruptedas the
sediments were being laid down. Ion microprobe analyses have
NASC-normalized REE patterns from oxide facies banded
successfully unravelled this magmatic component from complexities of iron formation (BIF) samples of Late Archean and Early
inheritance and altezation (see Coocordiadiagram),and dated the units to a Proterozoic age appear to be similar to REE patterns of
precisionof t-0.15%. Identification of these units as precisely dateable has modern seawater, implying that these BIFs formed from
enabled high-resolution stratigraphic dating of the mafic-ullxamafic pile "normal" seawater. Significant differences are apparent in
without reference to adjacent felsic volcanics, whose relationship to the Ce and Eu anomalies. NASC-normalized REE patterns
mafic componentof the belt is in questionand can now be independently from modern seawater have a characteristic prominent
resolved. negative Ce anomaly, reflecting the incorporation of Ce 4÷
Precise zircon dates for an aplite intruding a D 1 thrust and deformed by into Mn nodules, and lack an Eu anomaly. The
D2 folding, and a granite post-dating both deformation and regional Precambrian BIFs do not have Ce anomalies, and show
metamorphism,show that thrustingcommenced immediately after eruption positive Eu anomalies. The Eu anomalies reflect a greater
of the basalts, and tectonism was completed within 30Ma. However, contribution to ocean chemistry from seafloor hydrothermal
consistent Proterozoic ages for altered zirconsin some samples testify to a
hitherto unsuspected (?hydrothermal) event, long after cooling of the circulation. Nd isotopic data lENd(T)= --1 to +4] from the
same samples also require a higher hydrothermal flux.
grecnstonesbelow the 300°C biotite blocking temperature. Independent mass balance calculations based on the REE
Zircon xenoorysts as old as 3450Ma are the only extant model-
independent evidence of pre-greeoston¢ crust in this region, exposed and ENd data yield different values for the ratio of
remnants of which are yet to be identified. hydrothermal (HW) to river water (RW) flux. This
apparent discrepancy results from fractionation of Eu 2÷ at
0.8 [ ~ Interflowsediment _35~o/ or near the vent sites of hydrothermal systems. The REE
I'~ at Kambalda 3ooo~ " patterns of sulfide and carbonate facies BIF samples display
similar Ce and Eu systematics, but overall are somewhat
fractionated from a normal seawater pattern. The
carbonate facies patterns can be simply related to coexisting
F° ~ .f Xenoorysts seawater patterns. We suggest that the precipitation of Fe
o, I- 2000/3.: \ hydroxides scavenges REE essentially without major
fractionations, whereas sulfides and carbonates fractionate
t" /:*- I~lagmatic age REE from seawater, probably in a systematic manner. The
L / \ 2692+4Ma record of Sr isotopes from Proteroeoic carbonates also
I/ Altered ...... implies higher values of the ratio of HW fluxes to RW fluxes
I/ grains 206 pb/238U into the Precambrian oceans. Major changes in this ratio
and large fluxes of Fe 2÷ required to form BIFs have
Or I I , I I I significant implications for the chemistry of seawater and
0 10.0 20.0 30.0 the oxidation state of the the Precambrian ocean-
Ion microprobe data for a single interflow "chert" sample at Kambalda atmosphere system.
showing a 1500Ma spread of ages from 3450Ma xenocrysts to 2200Ma
altered grains. The magmatic age is the mean of 45 identical analyses.
