1. U-Pb geochronology of brittle deformation using LA-ICP-MS imaging on calcite veins
- Author
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Gebremicheal Gebremedhin, Gebreselassie and Gebremicheal Gebremedhin, Gebreselassie
- Abstract
Absolute age dating of a brittle deformation using radiometric techniques is often problematic. Unlike ductile deformation, suitable minerals with high parent/daughter and low common Pb are rare. Nevertheless, U-Pb dating of carbonate minerals has become one of the most conceivable geochronometers despite low U and high initial Pb in carbonates. Carbonates can be formed in wide range of environments and are a typical fracture-filling minerals in rocks affected by brittle deformation. U-Pb dating technique using Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) has been utilized with some success for near a decade. However, challenges remained, and a new method (LA-ICP-MS imaging U-Pb dating) is developed recently which enables surface scan of larger analytical area to increase the possibil-ity of getting sufficient spread in U-Pb ratios. The main aim of this research project was to test the LA-ICP-MS imaging technique on fracture filling calcite minerals. Samples were collected at the Dalby and Skrylle quarries which are located along the Sorgenfrei Tornquist Zone (STZ) of Scania in southernmost Sweden. Linear surface scans were conducted on selected rectangular areas (analytical areas) of chosen samples across relatively less altered and homogeneous zones based on petrographic characterization. Age dating calculations were done based on selection and pooling of data points using certain criteria. Age dating results of calcite in the Skrylle quarry are 222 ± 46 and 213 ± 29 Ma. Dated calcite from the Dalby quarry yielded 495 ± 29, 553 ± 10, and 505 ± 9 Ma. The results show that combining petrography and LA-ICP-MS imaging U-Pb analyses is a promising approach to acquire plausible absolute ages of car-bonates and hence brittle deformation. On the assumption that the ages are accurate, and that calcite is formed at the instant of fracturing, these U-Pb ages are the first that directly dates brittle deformation along the STZ. Given that, age dating, Absolut åldersdatering av spröd deformation med radiometriska tekniker är ofta problematiskt. Till skillnad från duktil deformation är lämpliga mineral med högt förälder/dotter isotopförhållande och lågt innehåll av initialt Pb sällsynta. Ändå har U-Pb-datering av karbonatmineral blivit en av de mest tänkbara geokronometrarna trots lågt U och högt initialt Pb i karbonater. Karbonater kan bildas i många olika miljöer och kalcit är ett typiskt sprickfyllande mineral i bergarter som påverkats av spröd deformation. U-Pb-dateringsteknik med laserablation induktivt kopplad plasmamasspektrometer (LA-ICP-MS) har använts med viss framgång i nästan ett decennium. Utmaningar kvarstod dock och en ny metod (LA-ICP-MS imaging U-Pb-datering) har nyligen utvecklats, vilket möjliggör ytskanning av större analytisk yta och ökar möjligheten att få tillräcklig spridning i U-Pb-förhållanden. Huvudsyftet med detta forskningsprojekt var att testa LA-ICP-MS avbildningstekniken på sprickfyllande kalcitmineral. Prover togs vid Dalby och Skrylle stenbrott som ligger längs Sorgenfrei Tornquist Zonen (STZ) i Skåne i sydligaste Sverige. Linjära ytavsökningar utfördes på utvalda rektangulära områden (analytiska områden) av valda prover över relativt mindre förändrade och homogena zoner baserat på petrografisk och 2-D element- och isotopkarakterisering. Åldersdateringsberäkningar gjordes baserat på urval och sammanslagning av datapunkter med hjälp av vissa kriterier. Åldersdateringsresultat av kalcit i Skryllebrottet är 222 ± 46 och 213 ± 29 Ma. Daterad kalcit från Dalbytäkten gav 495 ± 29, 553 ± 10 och 505 ± 9 Ma. Resultaten visar att kombinationen av petrografi och LA-ICP-MS avbildning U-Pb-analyser är ett lovande tillvägagångssätt för att få rimliga absoluta åldrar av karbonater och därmed spröd deformation. Under antagandet att åldrarna är korrekta och att kalcit bildas i ögonblicket för sprickbildning, är dessa U-Pb åldrar de första som direkt daterar spröd deformation längs STZ. Med tanke på, U-Pb dating of carbonates can be applied to a variety of geological themes including constraining the time of a brittle deformation/faulting (i.e., tectonic processes of the upper, rigid part of the crust). However, absolute age dating of brittle deformation is challenging mainly due to a lack of robust chronometers that meet isotopic prerequisites. To tackle these challenges, the combined use of U-Pb geochronology and Laser Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) of carbonate minerals have been utilized since a near decade. Carbonates, and especially calcite, are prime targets because they are typical fracture-filling minerals, and they can incorporate sufficient amounts of U during formation. Nonetheless, the challenges remained as the U incorporated to carbonates is low (typically below ca. 10 ppm) while the amount of initial Pb is significant. Additionally, carbonates are susceptible to a secondary alteration process that involves mobility of U and Pb. The LA-ICP-MS imaging U-Pb method circumvent many challenges via increasing surface scan of analytical areas, thereby allowing usage of 2-D elemental and isotope map characterization as well as petrographic interpretations of analyzed areas. The goal of this thesis project was to test and apply the LA-ICP-MS imaging U-Pb method on tectonic carbonate/fracture-filling calcites using the Bruker Aurora Elite single collector ICP-MS at the Department of Geology, Lund University. Samples were collected in the Skrylle and Dalby quarries along the Sorgenfrei Tornquist Zone (STZ) of Scania region, southernmost Sweden. STZ represents a 20-50 km wide, NW-SE trending major tectonic system of fault zones within the gneissic basement, which also affects overlaying Phanerozoic sediments in southern Sweden. In situ sampling was done on thin section surfaces via successive linear scans of rectangular areas aimed to obtain the largest possible spread in U-Pb to constrain a lower intercept age in the Tera-Wasserburg
- Published
- 2023