Cratonisation of Archaean continental crust: Insights from U–Pb zircon geochronology and geochemistry of granitic rocks in the Narryer Terrane, northwest Yilgarn Craton
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Cratonisation of Archaean continental crust : Insights from U–Pb zircon geochronology and geochemistry of granitic rocks in the Narryer Terrane, northwest Yilgarn Craton. / Rowe, Matthew L.; Kemp, Anthony I.S.; Wingate, Michael T.D.; Petersson, Andreas; Whitehouse, Martin J.; van der Riet, Christiaan.
In: Precambrian Research, Vol. 372, 106609, 2022.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Cratonisation of Archaean continental crust
T2 - Insights from U–Pb zircon geochronology and geochemistry of granitic rocks in the Narryer Terrane, northwest Yilgarn Craton
AU - Rowe, Matthew L.
AU - Kemp, Anthony I.S.
AU - Wingate, Michael T.D.
AU - Petersson, Andreas
AU - Whitehouse, Martin J.
AU - van der Riet, Christiaan
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Assembly of the Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia was related to Neoarchaean magmatic episodes that stabilised an Archaean continent. Neoarchaean granitic magmatism across the Yilgarn Craton was typified by early (2750–2680 Ma) tonalite and granodiorite emplacement, followed by craton-wide 2680–2620 Ma granodiorite and monzogranite emplacement. Products of the younger magmatic event are the most voluminous in the Yilgarn Craton, although magma source compositions and tectonic settings related to magmatism have remained ambiguous. We report U–Pb zircon ages and whole-rock geochemistry of ultramafic, mafic, intermediate, and felsic magmatic rocks from the Narryer Terrane and the adjacent Youanmi Terrane in the northwestern Yilgarn Craton. Our results show that Neoarchaean magmatism occurred in three stages, at c. 2740 Ma, 2680 Ma, and 2630 Ma. The compositions of granitic magmas evolved during each stage, from relatively high CaO/K2O, V, and EuN/Eu* tonalite, granodiorite, and monzogranite to high K2O/Na2O, Zr, and Ga/Al2O3 monzogranite with A-type affinity. We infer that cratonisation of the northwestern Yilgarn Craton involved a change from convergent to intraplate tectonic environments during these three magmatic episodes. We suggest that thickening of Archaean continental nuclei through convergent tectonics was followed by extension and decompression melting of the lithosphere. The latter events triggered craton-wide crustal anatexis and episodic granitic magmatism, culminating in stabilisation of the Yilgarn Craton. This distinctive Neoarchaean crustal evolution, from convergent to intraplate regimes, appears to be consistent with late magmatism associated with cratonisation of other Archaean terranes, and reflects a unique process stabilising continental crust on the early Earth.
AB - Assembly of the Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia was related to Neoarchaean magmatic episodes that stabilised an Archaean continent. Neoarchaean granitic magmatism across the Yilgarn Craton was typified by early (2750–2680 Ma) tonalite and granodiorite emplacement, followed by craton-wide 2680–2620 Ma granodiorite and monzogranite emplacement. Products of the younger magmatic event are the most voluminous in the Yilgarn Craton, although magma source compositions and tectonic settings related to magmatism have remained ambiguous. We report U–Pb zircon ages and whole-rock geochemistry of ultramafic, mafic, intermediate, and felsic magmatic rocks from the Narryer Terrane and the adjacent Youanmi Terrane in the northwestern Yilgarn Craton. Our results show that Neoarchaean magmatism occurred in three stages, at c. 2740 Ma, 2680 Ma, and 2630 Ma. The compositions of granitic magmas evolved during each stage, from relatively high CaO/K2O, V, and EuN/Eu* tonalite, granodiorite, and monzogranite to high K2O/Na2O, Zr, and Ga/Al2O3 monzogranite with A-type affinity. We infer that cratonisation of the northwestern Yilgarn Craton involved a change from convergent to intraplate tectonic environments during these three magmatic episodes. We suggest that thickening of Archaean continental nuclei through convergent tectonics was followed by extension and decompression melting of the lithosphere. The latter events triggered craton-wide crustal anatexis and episodic granitic magmatism, culminating in stabilisation of the Yilgarn Craton. This distinctive Neoarchaean crustal evolution, from convergent to intraplate regimes, appears to be consistent with late magmatism associated with cratonisation of other Archaean terranes, and reflects a unique process stabilising continental crust on the early Earth.
KW - Cratonisation
KW - Granite
KW - Narryer Terrane
KW - Neoarchean
KW - Yilgarn Craton
U2 - 10.1016/j.precamres.2022.106609
DO - 10.1016/j.precamres.2022.106609
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85125445898
VL - 372
JO - Precambrian Research
JF - Precambrian Research
SN - 0301-9268
M1 - 106609
ER -
ID: 344651995