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In the Variscan Bohemian Massif, (ultra-)potassic plutons are conspicuously associated with the high-grade, lower crustal/upper mantle Gfohl Unit (Moldanubian Zone). They can be subdivided into two contrasting groups: (1) coarse amphibole–biotite melagranite to quartz syenite with conspicuous K-feldspar phenocrysts (the ‘durbachite suite’), and (2) essentially equigranular biotite–two-pyroxene quartz syenites to melagranites (the ‘syenitoid suite’). The latter suite, represented by the Tabor and Jihlava plutons, is characterized by an originally ‘drier’ mineral assemblage orthopyroxene + clinopyroxene + Mg-biotite + plagioclase + K-feldspar + quartz, with accessory zircon, apatite, ilmenite, monazite and/or rutile + chromite. The rich assemblage of both rock-forming and accessory minerals allows testing of numerous geothermobarometers. The resulting P–T data are mutually consistent; they document emplacement of the parental magmas at mid-crustal levels (~5 kbar/19 km for Tabor and 7–8 kbar/26–30 km for Jihlava) and record near-isobaric crystallization from at least 1170 °C to the solidus. New Isotope-Dilution Thermal Ionization Mass-Spectrometry (ID-TIMS) U–Pb ages for zircon (336.9 + 0.6 Ma) and rutile (336.8 + 0.8 Ma) from the Tabor Pluton, together with previously published ages from the Jihlava Pluton, provide temporal constraints for the emplacement and rapid cooling of the syenitoids below c. 600 °C. This supports the hypothesis of post-tectonic emplacement of a hot and dry melt (>1200 °C?) into an essentially consolidated orogenic crust. The two syenitoid plutons have comparable, crust-like radiogenic isotope signatures (87Sr/86Sr337 = 0.7114–0.7133, e337Nd = −6.8 to −8.0). This, in context of whole-rock geochemical variation and K-feldspar Pb isotopic compositions, is consistent with generation from a strongly enriched lithospheric mantle source. Shortly before melting, the local orogenic mantle was most likely modified by deep subduction and relamination of felsic crustal material of the Saxothuringian provenance, transformed to the felsic high-pressure granulites common in the Moldanubian Zone. In the subsequent evolution of the two-pyroxene syenitoid plutons, crystal fractionation and accumulation played a key role, unlike in the durbachite suite itself, where magma mixing with leucogranitic melts was much more important. Structural relations inside and around the (ultra-)potassic plutons (~343–335 Ma) suggest that – besides different depths and specific processes of magma emplacement – these plutons track different kinematic histories and evolutions of regional strain fields in their high-grade country rocks in this crucial period of the Variscan Orogeny.

Garnet and zircon geochronology combined with trace element partitioning and petrological studies provide tight constraints on evolution of the UHT-(U)HP terrain of the Orlica-Śnieznik Dome (OSD) in the NE Bohemian massif. Lu-Hf dating of peritectic garnet from two mesocratic granulites constrained the time of its initial growth at 346.9 ± 1.2 and 348.3 ± 2.0 Ma recording peak 2.5 GPa pressure and 950 °C temperature. In situ, U-Pb SHRIMP dating of zircon from the same granulite gave a younger age of 341.9 ± 3.4 Ma. Ti-in-zircon thermometry indicates crystallization at 810–860 °C pointing to zircon formation on the retrograde path. Lu partitioning between garnet rim and zircon suggest equilibrium growth and thus U-Pb zircon age constrain the terminal phase of garnet crystallization which lasted about 6 Ma. All Sm-Nd garnet ages obtained for mesocratic and mafic granulites are identical and consistently younger than the corresponding Lu-Hf dates. They are interpreted as reflecting cooling of granulites through the Sm-Nd closure temperature at about 337 Ma. The estimated PTt path documents the ca. 10 Ma evolution cycle of the OSD characterized by two distinct periods: (1) 347 - > 342 Ma period corresponds to nearly isothermal decompression resulting from crustal scale folding and vertical extrusion of granulites, and (2) at > 342–337 Ma which corresponds to a fast, nearly isobaric cooling.

A new data set of ca. 500 LA–ICP-MS U–Pb detrital zircon ages for six metasedimentary units from the Tuscan basement (Apuan Alps, Monti Pisani, Monticiano-Roccastrada), along with a precise SHRIMP U–Pb crystallization age of a metavolcanic unit (Apuan Alps) have been collected to determine their depositional ages and provenance. These results have been integrated with the recently published ca. 900 U–Pb detrital zircon ages from Elba Island to draw a complete picture of the Paleozoic journey of the Tuscan basement. A major change in the sources supplying sediments to the Tuscan basins is shown to occur during this journey. Detrital zircon ages of early Cambrian to middle Ordovician metasediments mirror those of coeval northern Africa sediments: most samples were sourced in western Africa, while one sample is derived material from central northern Africa. The Tuscan block was therefore located at the peri-Gondwana margin, close to central northern Africa. The prominent mid-Ordovician magmatic arc activity (ca. 460 Ma) at the northern Gondwana margin and its detritus, characterise the zircon age distribution of Ordovician and Silurian volcano-sedimentary rocks, that were therefore generated at the northernmost Gondwana margin during subduction and subsequent initial Paleotethys rifting. The Carboniferous–Permian metasediments are dominated by populations of Ordovician and Variscan-age zircons, with a minor occurrence of Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic zircons that is best explained by recycling of European Neoproterozoic–Cambrian metasediments. In summary, the main sources supplying the Tuscan basins were located in northern Africa throughout Cambrian–Ordovician times, shifting to the volcanic arc active at the northern Gondwana margin during the middle Ordovician. During Variscan and post-Variscan times, detrital zircon sources were mostly located in European terrains, witnessing the shift of Tuscany from Africa to Europe.

Elba Island, located midway between Corsica and mainland Italy, is a small but important fragment of the Adria Plate. It has a rich sedimentary record preserved in a stack of tectonic nappes of both continental margin and oceanic origin. Especially the detrital zircons in early Paleozoic to early Mesozoic metasedimentary rocks provide an archive of many important geological events in the island's history. Elba Island and Adria originated along the northern margin of Gondwana, but drifted north in Silurian times to become part of Europe. A large new dataset of LA-ICP-MS and SIMS U–Pb zircon ages allows us to trace this history. Three main stratigraphic units have been investigated. The oldest Porto Azzurro Unit was deposited in the early Cambrian and has zircon age distributions indicating a typical northern African provenance, most likely sourced from the Saharan Metacraton. The Ortano Unit has a simple, mostly unimodal Ordovician age distribution that is entirely dominated by metavolcanic rocks and their erosional products; a sample of the metavolcanic Ortano Porphyroids provided a SIMS U–Pb zircon age of 460 ± 3 Ma. This phase of intense volcanism is related to the subduction of the Rheic Ocean beneath Gondwana, terminating with initial rifting and subsequent opening of the Paleotethys. This also marks the onset of the separation of a range of European terranes, including Adria and future Elba Island, from Gondwana. The Permo-Triassic Monticiano–Roccastrada Unit is the first to show a European provenance with the appearance of large amounts of Variscan and late to post-Variscan detritus. The presence of Variscan detrital zircons in the Permo-Triassic sediments is unexpected, since a Variscan age signature is so far not well recorded in the Adria Plate. This dataset is the most comprehensive detrital zircon dataset so far available for the Adria Plate and documents Adria's close affinity to Africa in the Lower Paleozoic, as well as its initial rifting within an active continental margin setting during the Ordovician and its final separation and independent evolution since late Palaeozoic times.

The Khantaishir Magmatic Complex (KMC) (south–central Mongolia) exposes a section of a magmatic system consisting of deep crustal, ultramafic cumulates (coarse-grained Amp gabbros and hornblendites; c. 0.35–0.5 GPa) to shallower crustal levels dominated by Amp–Bt tonalites ( c. 0.1–0.2 GPa). The magmatic rocks were emplaced during most of the Cambrian ( c. 538–495 Ma) and are mostly geochemically primitive (Mg# ~ 50), Na-rich and metaluminous. The (normal-) calc-alkaline signature and characteristic trace-element enrichment in hydrous-fluid mobile large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) relative to high-field strength elements (HFSE) suggest an origin within a magmatic arc. Multiple intrusions of basic magma derived from a subduction-modified depleted mantle developed by fractional crystallization and/or accumulation of (Ol, Cpx) Amp + Bt, later joined by Pl. Magma mixing with, or without, exchange of xenocrysts between compositionally dissimilar melt batches was also important. Over time, partial melting of older, lower crustal metabasic rocks became increasingly significant, again with a strong subduction signature. The lack of zircon inheritance in the magmatic products and rather high zircon e Hf t values (all >+3, but for most samples > +8) as well as whole-rock Sr–Nd isotopic compositions imply that the arc was not founded on mature continental crust. It was probably located at the margin of the Baydrag microcontinent, dominated by accreted metabasic rocks of an older (early Tonian?) island arc covered by a thin layer of subordinate metasediments containing detrital zircons with Tonian and ill-defined Palaeoproterozoic ages. The KMC represents a small vestige of an extensive Cambrian–Ordovician subduction system (termed here the Ikh-Mongol Arc System), bordering the western margin of a chain of Precambrian microcontinents (Tuva-Mongolia, Zabkhan and Baydrag) that, together with accreted Neoproterozoic marginal basins (the Lake Zone), defines the external part of the Mongolian orocline.

Accepted manuscript version. Published version available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2017.06.017. Detrital zircon provenance study of a metamorphosed sedimentary succession in the eastern part of the Kaoko Belt in Namibia has revealed two distinct sources for the Neoproterozoic sedimentation along the southwestern Congo Craton margin. The lower part of the succession shows detrital zircon ages consistent with erosion of Paleoproterozoic basement of the Congo Craton with an inferred Mesoproterozoic volcano-sedimentary cover. Within the middle part of the succession, which includes glaciogenic sediments correlated with the Sturtian (717–660 Ma) glaciation, the Mesoproterozoic zircon grains disappear and the signal is dominated by ages known from the Congo Craton basement. The sedimentation in these parts of the succession is interpreted as related to the early Neoproterozoic rifting. The sedimentary rocks in the top part of the profile contain only subordinate proportion of the Paleoproterozoic–Archaean zircon grains and the populations are dominated by three age groups of ca. 1.0–1.2 Ga, ca. 800–750 Ma and ca. 650 Ma, consistent with erosion of the Punta del Este–Coastal Terrane exposed in the centre of the Kaoko–Dom Feliciano–Gariep orogen. An associated glaciogenic horizon interpreted as reflecting the Marinoan (645–635 Ma) glaciation constrains the sedimentation in the upper part of the succession and suggests a short time span between the high-grade metamorphism/magmatism in the Punta del Este–Coastal Terrane and its exhumation. Sedimentary rocks with such detrital zircon pattern appear also in the Damara and Gariep belts. Their source in the western part of the Kaoko–Dom Feliciano–Gariep orogen suggests that they represent an early orogenic flysch that originated during early collision in the western part of the orogen. The short time span between the metamorphism/magmatism in the Punta del Este–Coastal Terrane and deposition of the early orogenic flysch derived from it suggests that the Coastal Terrane was never separated from the Congo Craton by an oceanic domain. The estimated time span between the end of lithospheric stretching and sedimentation of the early flysch suggests that the hypothetical Adamastor Ocean separating the western and eastern forelands of the Kaoko–Dom Feliciano–Gariep orogen must have been small.

Zircon ages (U–Pb, LA-ICP-MS) obtained from skarns in the Kutna Hora and Svratka units and in the Moldanubian Zone (Bohemian Massif) show significant variations between the lithotectonic units as well as among samples from individual localities. The ages fall between 310 Ma and 3.1 Ga. We suggest that such large spread is a result of both different zircon clastic grain sources and subsequent metamorphic histories. The oldest Neoarchaean to Neoproterozoic ages are interpreted as detrital zircon grains from pre-Cadomian basement. Pronounced age maxima between 600 and 520 Ma (late Neoproterozoic to early Cambrian) were found in skarn samples from the Moldanubian Zone, Svratka and Kutna Hora units. We interpret these as maximum ages of skarn precursor deposition. Apparent Cambrian–Ordovician– Silurian to early Devonian zircon ages were obtained from non-mineralized samples of the Moldanubian Zone and also in the Kutna Hora Unit. This wide temporal interval could reflect maximum ages of skarn precursors related to disintegration of abundant early Palaeozoic magmatic rocks, provided the zircons were not modified by later metamorphism or fluid circulation. The early Carboniferous ages are interpreted to result from strong Variscan HT metamorphism and subsequent circulation of post-metamorphic fluids. Zircons of this age are dominant in skarns with massive magnetite mineralization, while the non-mineralized samples preserve the older ages.

Distinctly different crustal blocks converge in southern Tanzania which are thought to belong to the Paleoproterozoic Usagaran/Ubendian Belt, the Mesoproterozoic Irumide Belt and the Neoproterozoic East African Orogen. Zircons from thirteen samples were dated by LA-SC/MC-ICPMS in order to assign the different crystalline basement rocks to one of the above mentioned geological units based on the age of metamorphism and formation of the igneous precursor rocks. The mainly migmatic gneissic samples were taken along a traverse from Mbamba Bay, Lake Malawi to Masasi, S-Tanzania. Zircon cores and rims trace magmatic protoliths between 1000 ± 9 and 1055 ± 6 Ma and metamorphism between 563 ± 10 and 616 ± 12 Ma. Ages belonging to the Usagaran/Ubendian event as well as the 640 Ma EAO event were only found in the westernmost and easternmost part of the transsect, respectively. Magmatic ages of 724 ± 6 and 764 ± 4 Ma were determined in locally confined undeformed granitoid bodies. Mostly similar ages as well as lithological units can be found in the Unango and Marrupa Complexes in N-Mozambique which are considered as part of the Southern Irumide Belt. The exact location of terrane boundary between the Southern Irumide Belt and the Western/Eastern Granulites and the Usagaran/Ubendien Belts in southern Tanzania remains uncertain. With aid of digital elevation data, satellite images and airborne geophysical data we suggest that a combination of fault systems is responsible for the distribution of the different units. The northeastern limit of the Southern Irumide Belt (Unango and Marrupa Complexes) can be traced along a major tectonic boundary, the Mwembesi Fault system, that extends from Malawi to the south of the Mahenge Mountains in Tanzania.

The Eger Complex in the northwestern Bohemian Massif consists mainly of amphibolite facies granitic gneisses containing a subordinate volume of felsic granulites. Microstructural changes and modelling of metamorphic conditions for both rock types suggest a short-lived static heating from ~760 to ~850 °C at a constant pressure of ~16 kbar, which led to the partial granulitization of the granitoid rocks. Detailed study of the protolith zircon modifications and modelling of the Zr re-distribution during the transition from amphibolite to granulite facies suggests that the development of c. 340 Ma old zircon rims in the granulite facies sample is the result of recrystallization of older (c. 475 Ma) protolith zircon. This study suggests that the partial granulitization is a result of a short exposure of the Eger Complex metagranitoids to a temperature of ~850 °C at the base of an arc/fore-arc domain and their subsequent rapid exhumation during the Lower Carboniferous collision along the western margin of the Bohemian Massif.

Isotopic dating of detrital zircon populations from metasediments and of magmatic zircon from intercalated metavolcanic layers in the medium- to high-grade part of the Kaoko Belt in Namibia provides first robust constraints on the age of Neoproterozoic sedimentation along the southwestern margin of the Congo Craton. Dating of detrital zircons from metasediments directly overlying the cratonic basement shows maximum sedimentary ages of c. 1.00 and c. 1.45 Ga, and age populations comparable with known protolith ages from the gneisses of the Congo/Kalahari cratons. Dating of zircon from associated metavolcanics constrains the age of the earliest preserved sediments at c. 740–710 Ma. Detrital zircon populations from the samples collected from the upper parts of the metasedimentary succession contain only small proportion of grains with ages similar to those from the Congo Craton. These samples show dominance of c. 1.00 Ga, c. 750 Ma and c. 650 Ma old zircon grains that are probably derived from the Punta del Este – Coastal Terrane (Dom Feliciano and Kaoko belts) that acted as an arc/back-arc domain at c. 650–630 Ma. Neodymium model ages for the samples of metasedimentary cover of the cratonic basement provide another evidence that the youngest preserved sediments could not have been derived from the Congo Craton. Recognition of the Punta del Este – Coastal Terrane crust as a source region for the youngest pre-collisional sediments of the Kaoko Belt suggests that this terrane must have been in close proximity to the Congo Craton passive margin already some time prior to their mutual collision at c. 570–550 Ma. This is in accord with an interpretation that the c. 650–630 Ma arc/back-arc Punta del Este – Coastal Terrane has developed directly on top of, or very close to, the attenuated Congo Craton passive margin.

High-pressure kyanite–K-feldspar granulites in the Běstvina granulite body, which belongs to the Variscan orogenic root in the Bohemian Massif, preserve muscovite, rutile and kyanite inclusions in garnet. High-Ti muscovite (Ti = 0.09–0.20 p.f.u., Si = 0.21–3.24 p.f.u.) included in garnet is associated with quartz and is in crystallographic continuity with biotite, interpreted in terms of exsolution from an original less-dioctahedral higher-Ti muscovite. The assemblage garnet–kyanite–antiperthite–perthite–quartz–rutile and the mineral compositions indicate a peak of metamorphism at about 900 °C and 17–21 kbar, based on P–T pseudosection modeling, ternary-feldspar and Zr-in-rutile thermometry. The matrix assemblage garnet–kyanite–plagioclase-K-feldspar–quartz–rutile–ilmenite and garnet rim compositions at contact with feldspars and quartz indicate the end of overall equilibration in the presence of melt at 12–14 kbar and 820–840 °C. Embayments of biotite and plagioclase locally replacing garnet, and connected with modification of garnet composition, may indicate sites of last isolated melt or diffusion of H2O from that melt down to 10 kbar and 800 °C. Zircon with uniform cathodoluminescence (CL) pattern is present as rims around cores with faint oscillatory zoning, or as entire rounded grains. These zircons gave a cluster of ages at 359 ± 4 Ma, interpreted as the age of metamorphism. Zircon ages from the cores with common faint oscillatory zoning range from 500 to 398 Ma, and are interpreted as magmatic grains variably reset during metamorphism. Two older ages obtained on cores of 620 ± 18 Ma probably represent an inherited zircon component. Molar isopleths of zircon along the P–T path in pseudosections suggest that crystallization of metamorphic zircon occurred during decompression and cooling from 17 to 21 kbar and 900 °C to 12–14 kbar and 820–840 °C. The inferred P–T path and the age of metamorphism are discussed in the framework of a geodynamic model that considers the granulites to be a part of a subducted plate that failed to continue to subduct and was spread below the upper plate.

Detrital zircon U–Pb age data from the Moldanubian part of the Bohemian Massif obtained by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry show variations between the lithotectonic units and point to their formation in spatially close but separated basins that were supplied by detritus from somewhat different source areas, possibly over different periods of time. The youngest detrital zircon component in metasediments of the Monotonous and Varied Units is Early Ordovician and Mid- to Late Devonian in age, respectively, suggesting their deposition in Palaeozoic times. Reliable interpretation of the Mid- to Late Devonian zircons recovered from metasediments of the Gfohl Unit is precluded by their high metamorphic grade and presence of anatectic melt. The Early Carboniferous zircons from the Gfohl Unit are interpreted as being of metamorphic origin. Comparison of detrital zircon age spectra from the Moldanubian, Tepla–Barrandian and Moravo-Silesian metasediments suggests that these were deposited in separate basins but the overall similarity of the Neoproterozoic and Palaeoproterozoic age maxima and sparse Neo- and Mesoarchaean ages suggest that the three crustal segments must have been spatially related prior to the Variscan orogeny. Future tectonic models of the Variscan assembly of the Bohemian Massif must account for nearly synchronous evolution of the Moldanubian, Tepla–Barrandian and Moravo-Silesian Palaeozoic sedimentary basins that shared a common crust and most of their sedimentary sources, as well as for a rapid burial of the Moldanubian sediments to mid- and lower crustal levels that was followed by their rapid exhumation to the upper crust in Mid-Devonian to Early Carboniferous times. Supplementary material: Results of LA-ICP-MS U–Pb analyses of zircons extracted from the Moldanubian and Moravo-Silesian metasediments are available at www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18676.

Inter-laboratory comparison of laser ablation ICP-MS and SIMS U-Pb dating of synthetic detrital zircon samples provides an insight into the state-of-the art of sedimentary provenance studies. Here, we report results obtained from ten laboratories that routinely perform this type of work. The achieved level of bias was mostly within ± 2% relative to the ID-TIMS U-Pb ages of zircons in the detrital sample, and the variation is likely to be attributed to variable Pb/U elemental fractionation due to zircon matrix differences between the samples and the reference materials used for standardisation. It has been determined that ~ 5% age difference between adjacent age peaks is currently at the limit of what can be routinely resolved by the in situ dating of detrital zircon samples. Precision of individual zircon age determination mostly reflects the data reduction and procedures of measurement uncertainty propagation, and it is largely independent of the instrumentation, analytical technique and reference samples used for standardisation. All laboratories showed a bias towards selection of larger zircon grains for analysis. The experiment confirms the previously published estimates of the minimum number of grains that have to be analysed in order to detect minor zircon age populations in detrital samples. Une comparaison inter-laboratoires de datation U-Pb d'echantillons de zircons detritiques de synthese par les methodes d'ablation laser ICP-MS et SIMS donne un apercu de l'etat de l'art des etudes de provenance sedimentaire. Nous presentons ici les resultats obtenus par dix laboratoires qui effectuent regulierement ce type de travail. Le niveau de biais atteint etait compris dans l'intervalle ± 2% par rapport aux âges U-Pb ID-TIMS des zircons de l'echantillon detritique et la variation peut certainement etre attribue a un fractionnement elementaire Pb/U variable relie a des differences de matrices entre les zircons des echantillons et les zircons de reference utilises pour la normalisation. Il a ete determine qu'environ 5% de difference d'âge entre les pics d'âge adjacents est actuellement a la limite de ce qui peut etre resolu en mode routine par la datation in situ d'echantillons de zircons detritiques. La precision de la determination de l'âge de zircon individuel reflete principalement la reduction des donnees et les procedures de mesure de la propagation de l'incertitude, et elle est largement independante de l'instrumentation, de la technique d'analyse et des echantillons de reference utilises pour la standardisation. Tous les laboratoires ont montre un biais vers la selection des plus gros grains de zircon pour l'analyse. L'experience confirme les estimations precedemment publiees sur le nombre minimum de grains qui doivent etre analyses afin de detecter les populations mineures d'âge de zircons dans les echantillons detritiques.

*Corresponding author The Guacimal Pluton is situated in the Cordillera de Tilaran in the northwestern Costa Rica. It forms an oval-shaped body strongly elongated in the NW–SE direction. Its dimensions are ~15 × 4–6 km with an exposed surface of 60–70 km 2 . The pluton intruded basic volcanic rocks of the Aguacate Group (Miocene–Pliocene) and is surrounded by a wide thermal aureole of calc-silicate metasomatic rocks. The pluton is mainly formed of monzogranites to granodiorites, which strongly prevail over more basic types occuring scarce and relatively thin dykes and enclaves. The dominant magmatic minerals of this felsic suite are quartz, plagioclase, and K-feldspar with subordinate Mg-rich biotite, amphibole I, and magnetite. Orthopyroxene, Mn-rich ilmenite, Al-poor titanite, rutile, apatite, zircon, thorite, and chalcopyrite are accessories. Secondary minerals, which occur as fillings of miarolitic cavities and interstices, are quartz II, K-feldspar II, epidote, chlorite, actinolite, ilmenite II and Al-rich titanite II. The much less frequent mafic suite (mainly quartz diorite to quartz monzodiorite/monzogabbro) is composed of plagioclase, pargasite, actinolite, K-feldspar, quartz and magnetite, with accessory amounts of opaque minerals, epidote, chlorite, and titanite. The pluton was emplaced at a depth of c. 3 km, crystallized at temperature of c. 760–800 °C under a relatively high oxygen fugacity (1.6–2.1 log units above the NNO buffer). Increased activities of volatiles (H 2 O, F) upon cooling are indicated by the presence of highly aluminous, F-rich titanite and other hydrous silicates in miarolitic cavities. The prevailing, felsic rocks of the Guacimal Pluton are high-K calc-alkaline, whereas the mafic suite is nearly exclusively medi um-K calc-alkaline in nature. Laser ablation ICP-MS dating of zircons from two granite samples yielded statistically identical U–Pb ages of 6.3 ± 0.5 and 6.0 ± 0.4 Ma, respectively. The Sr–Nd isotopic compositions are rather primitive ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr 6 = 0.70380–0.70413, e 6 Nd ~ +7.3 to +7.9). Narrow range of these values rules out open-system processes such as magma mixing or assimilation of isotopically contrasting upper continental crust. Instead, the felsic suite is interpreted as either having crystallized from a highly fractionated melt extracted from a plagioclase–amphibole-dominated crystal mush in a putative deep crustal reservoir or a product of partial melting of older arc-related rocks, such as intermediate lavas or volcaniclastics or immature psammitic sediments rich in volcanic material. The observed variation in the felsic suite was most likely produced by low degrees of closed-system fractional crystallization of an assemblage dominated by feldspars. At least some of the rocks of the volumetrically subordinate mafic suite may represent litholo gies rich in the complementary cumulates.

*Corresponding author Skarns in the Svratka Unit, in the neighbouring part of the Moldanubian Zone and in the Kutna Hora Complex were studied with respect to their metamorphic evolution, major- and trace-element geochemistry, oxygen isotopic composition and zircon ages. Skarns form competent lenses and layers in metamorphosed siliciclastic rocks and preserve some early deformation structures and several equilibrium assemblages representing the products of successive metamorphic reactions. The main rock-forming minerals, garnet and clinopyroxene, are accompanied by less abundant magnetite, amphibole, plagioclase, epidote ± quartz. In the Svratka Unit the early prograde M 1 , prograde/peak M 2 , and retrograde M 3 metamorphic stages have been distinguished. Metamorphic conditions in skarns of the Moldanubian Zone are limited to a relatively narrow interval of amphibolite facies. The prograde and retrograde events in the Kutna Hora Complex skarns probably took place under amphibolite-facies conditions. The presence of magnetite and the increasing proportion of the andradite component in the garnet indicate locally increased oxygen fugacity. Skarn geochemistry does not show systematic differences in the skarn composition among the three units. The regional variations are exceeded by differences among samples from individual localities. The Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 /Zr, TiO 2 /Nb ratios point to the variable proportion of the detrital material, combined in skarn protoliths with CaO and FeO, the major non-detrital components. The skarns exhibit elevated abundances of Cu, Zn, Sn and As. The Eu/Eu* ratio varies in the range of 0.5–8.6, the total REE contents vary from 8 to 345 ppm. The lowest ΣREE values (< 100 ppm) occur in skarns with magnetite mineralization. The wide intervals of ΣREE and Eu/Eu* values are interpreted to indicate variations in the temperature and redox conditions among layers of the same locality and at various localities. The oxygen isotope compositions of garnets, pyroxenes and amphiboles from skarns of the Svratka Unit exhibit a range of δ 18 O = 0.1 to 4.1 ‰. In situ (laser-ablation ICP-MS) U-Pb dating of zircon from one of the Svratka Unit skarn bodies yielded a wide range of ages (0.5–2.6 Ga), supporting the detrital origin of this zircon population. The skarn protoliths were probably rocks of mixed detrital-exhalative origin deposited on the sea floor . The geological position of skarns, with their structural and metamorphic record, probably reflect tectono-metamorphic evolution shared with that of their host rocks. The geochemical characteristics, including oxygen isotopic compositions and the presence of detrital zircons with a wide range of ages exclude metasomatic, and point to a sedimentary-exhalative mode of origin for the studied skarns.

The Pinjarra Orogen, stretching along the western coast of Western Australia, is one of the least understood orogens on the continent. Exposure is limited to fault-bound basement blocks within the Phanerozoic Perth Basin, which have been interpreted as either remnants of a Mesoproterozoic orogen or as allochthonous blocks within a Neoproterozoic orogen. Thus even the timing of orogenesis is controversial. However, since the orogen is in a critical position for reconstructions of both Rodinia and Gondwana, a better understanding is highly desirable. New U–Pb ages of detrital zircon cores, metamorphic zircon rims and metamorphic monazites from the Northampton Complex, the northernmost and largest of the exposed basement blocks, provide better insights into the sedimentary provenance and metamorphic history of the metasediments exposed in this part of the orogen. Both the monazite ages and the youngest metamorphic zircon rims constrain metamorphism in the Northampton Complex to 1090–1020 Ma. Additionally, a large number of older metamorphic zircon rims pre-date this event and were inherited from the Albany-Fraser Orogen in southwestern Australia, which is also identified as the main source region for the detrital zircon cores. Additional sources of detrital zircons are the Mawson Continent (the South Australian Craton and parts of East Antarctica) and possibly the North Australian Craton, as well as synsedimentary volcanic rocks. However, the combination of ages from the cores and inherited metamorphic rims shows that zircons from the Mawson Continent/North Australian Craton were not directly transported to the Northampton Complex but arrived there after being incorporated into the Albany-Fraser Orogen and then eroded from there. The dataset records therefore two orogenic cycles: (1) erosion of the Mawson Continent/North Australian Craton, deposition along the craton margins, collision between the Mawson Continent and North-West Australian Craton and metamorphism in the Albany-Fraser Orogen and (2) erosion of the Albany-Fraser Orogen, deposition along Australia's western margin and metamorphism during the Pinjarra Orogeny. This highlights the care that must be taken in detrital zircon studies, since many of the detrital cores record a second-order provenance. It also explains how zircons from the Mawson Continent could be transported across the Albany-Fraser Orogen that should normally have been a barrier to northwest-directed sediment transport. Finally, in light of these new and previously published data, we support the interpretation that the Pinjarra Orogen is a Mesoproterozoic orogen formed along Australia's western margin.

Detrital zircon grains in coarse-grained sedimentary rocks of the Noisy formation, (traditionally considered as the H6 unit of the uppermost Hooggenoeg Formation) in the Paleoarchean Barberton Greenstone Belt (BGB) South Africa, are investigated by laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS to constrain their U–Pb and 207Pb/206Pb ages for depositional age and provenance determination. Drill core and field observations indicate that these rocks are clastic polymictitic diamictites and sandstones. A wide range in 207Pb/206Pb ages between ca. 3600 and 3430 Ma is reported. The youngest detrital zircon grain identified has an age of 3432 ± 10 Ma, constraining the maximum depositional age of the sedimentary sequence and the formation of a major underlying erosional unconformity. The youngest grains correspond in age to the ca. 3460–3430 Ma tonalite–trondjemite–granodiorite (TTG) gneisses of the Stoltzburg terrane and felsic intrusions of the uppermost Hooggenoeg Formation that constitute most of the Songimvelo Block of the BGB on the Kaapvaal craton. The 207Pb/206Pb ages of the oldest grains identified corresponds to plutonic sources identified in older proto-continental blocks of the Kaapvaal craton, namely the ca. 3509 Ma Steynsdorp Block and ca. 3667–3223 Ma Ancient Gneiss Complex (AGC). This new data indicates provenancial linkage between the Songimvelo Block and older proto-continental blocks exposed on the Kaapvaal craton at ca. 3432 Ma. It is argued here, that the Noisy formation is a remnant of the earliest tectonic basin in the BGB, that developed during major tectonic accretion and uplift at ca. 3432 Ma that lead to formation of the erosional unconformity. In conjunction with new drill core and field observations, the geochronological constraints presented here support plate-tectonic processes operating in the proto-Kaapvaal craton that resulted in its formation as a stable continental landmass as early as ca. 3432 Ma.

Age spectra of detrital zircons from metamorphosed quartzites of the Krkonoše–Jizera Massif in the northeastern part of the Saxothuringian Domain were obtained by U–Pb laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry dating. The zircon ages cluster in the intervals of 450–530 Ma and 550–670 Ma, and show individual data between 1.6 and 3.1 Ga. Zircons in the analysed samples are predominantly of Cambrian–Ordovician and Neoproterozoic age, and the marked peak atc. 525–500 Ma suggests a late Cambrian maximum age for the sedimentary protolith. Detritus of the quartzites probably originated from the erosion of Cambrian–Ordovician granitoids and their Neoproterozoic (meta)sedimentary or magmatic country rocks. The lack of Neoproterozoic (meta)sedimentary rocks in the central and eastern part of the Krkonoše–Jizera Massif suggests that the country rocks to voluminous Cambrian–Ordovician magmatic bodies were largely eroded during the formation of early Palaeozoic rift basins along the southeast passive margin of the Saxothuringian Domain. The detrital zircon age spectra confirm the previous interpretation that the exposed basement, dominated by Neoproterozoic to Cambrian–Ordovician granitoids, was overthrust during Devonian–Carboniferous subduction–collision processes by nappes composed of metamorphosed equivalents of the uppermost Cambrian–Devonian passive margin sedimentary formations. Only a negligible number of Mesoproterozoic ages, typically from the Grenvillian event, supports the interpretation that the Saxothuringian Neoproterozoic basement has an affinity to the West African Craton of the northwestern margin of Gondwana.

Detrital zircon U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotope data from Neoproterozoic to Cretaceous sandstones exposed in eastern Greenland, 70°30′–74°N, are reported to characterize and evaluate the provenance from Greenland during pre-breakup and post-breakup sedimentation in the Norwegian–Greenland Sea. Middle Devonian to Lower Cretaceous samples all show similar detrital zircon age distributions characterized by variable Archean populations, abundant Proterozoic populations ranging from ca. 2000 to 900 Ma and a Caledonian population peaking at ca. 440 Ma. Neoproterozoic sediments of the Eleonore Bay Supergroup give a more narrow age distribution with a dominant age peak at 1100 to 1000 Ma, a secondary peak at 1700–1400 Ma, and rare Archean to Paleoproterozoic ages. We suggest that the Neoproterozoic metasediments of the Krummedal and Smallefjord sequences and the Eleonore Bay Supergroup together with Caledonian rocks of age ca. 440 Ma and variable amounts of Paleoproterozoic basement were the main sources for the analyzed Middle Devonian to Lower Cretaceous sandstones. The scarcity of Archean zircons could indicate a rather limited role of the Archean basement rocks of the eastern Greenland Caledonian orogenic belt as a source for some of the analyzed younger sedimentary rocks. The composite age distribution of the zircons from the Phanerozoic eastern Greenland samples, i.e., a minor Archean to Paleoproterozoic (Siderian and Rhyacian) component, abundant Paleoproterozoic (Orosian) to Neoproterozoic (Tonian) ages, and a significant Lower Silurian (Caledonian) signal, is very similar to zircon age distributions reported for Upper Cretaceous turbidite sandstones from large parts of the Norwegian Sea, and to the age distributions determined in this study for three Oligocene sandstone samples from east of Jan Mayen Island. Upper Cretaceous to Paleocene Norwegian Sea sandstones, known to be derived from Norway, differ from this eastern Greenland-derived pattern by a near total lack of Archean zircon ages and a less pronounced Caledonian component. Wide detrital zircon age spectra with a distinct Silurian group and a population of Neoarchean zircons is thus suggested as indicative of sediments sourced from the studied area of eastern Greenland. The Hf isotopic compositions of detrital zircons suggest that Eoarchean crust derived from a source with chondritic Lu/Hf ratios at ca. 3900–3700 Ma contributed to zircon-forming processes in the source area for the eastern Greenland sandstones until ca. 2300 Ma. The Caledonian orogeny in this area was probably a crust reworking event with a limited contribution from depleted mantle.

International audience; LA-ICP-MS U-Pb analyses performed on zircon grains from the Lizio granite yielded an emplacement age of 316 6 Ma. Typical S-C structures show that the Lizio granite was emplaced contemporaneously with dextral shearing along the northern branch of the South Armorican Shear Zone and that it was therefore active at that time. 40Ar/39Ar analyses performed on muscovite grains yielded plateau dates ranging between 311.5 and 308.2 Ma. Muscovite chemistry is typical of primary magmatic muscovite, which precludes a late fluidsinduced resetting of the K-Ar isotopic system. 40Ar/39Ar dates thus likely correspond to the cooling ages below the argon closure temperature. Considering the uncertainties on the measured ages, we can propose that either the Lizio granite cooled down quickly in less than a million of years or that it remained in a hot environment for several millions of years after its emplacement. This latter scenario could have been sustained by shear heating during dextral shearing along the northern branch of the South Armorican Shear Zone.

In order to facilitate the understanding of the geological evolution of the Kalahari Craton and its relation to South America, the provenance of the first large-scale cratonic cover sequence of the craton, namely the Ordovician to Carboniferous Cape Supergroup was studied through geochemical analyses of the siliciclastics, and age determinations of detrital zircon. The Cape Supergroup comprises mainly quartz-arenites and a Hirnantian tillite in the basal Table Mountain Group, subgreywackes and mudrocks in the overlying Bokkeveld Group, while siltstones, interbedded shales and quartz-arenites are typical for the Witteberg Group at the top of the Cape Supergroup. Palaeocurrent analyses indicate transport of sediment mainly from northerly directions, off the interior of the Kalahari Craton with subordinate transport from a westerly source in the southwestern part of the basin near Cape Town. Geochemical provenance data suggest mainly sources from passive to active continental margin settings. The reconnaissance study of detrital zircons reveals a major contribution of Mesoproterozoic sources throughout the basin, reflecting the dominance of the Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic Belt, situated immediately north of the preserved strata of Cape Supergroup, as a source with Archaean-aged zircons being extremely rare. We interpret the Namaqua-Natal Metamorphic Belt to have been a large morphological divide at the time of deposition of the Cape Supergroup that prevented input of detrital zircons from the interior early Archaean Kaapvaal cratonic block of the Kalahari Craton. Neoproterozoic and Cambrian zircons are abundant and reflect the basement geology of the outcrops of Cape strata. Exposures close to Cape Town must have received sediment from a cratonic fragment that was situated off the Kalahari Craton to the west and that has subsequently drifted away. This cratonic fragment predominantly supplied Meso- to Neoproterozoic, and Cambrian-aged zircon grains in addition to minor Silurian to Lower Devonian zircons and very rare Archaean (2.5 Ga) and late Palaeoproterozoic (1.8-2.0 Ga) ones. No Siluro-Devonian source has yet been identified on the Kalahari Craton, but there are indications for such a source in southern Patagonia. Palaeozoic successions in eastern Argentina carry a similar detrital zircon population to that found here, including evidence of a Silurian to Lower Devonian magmatic event. The Kalahari and Rio de la Plata Cratons were thus in all likelihood in close proximity until at least the Carboniferous.

The Letovice Complex, composed of metamorphosed enriched mid-ocean ridge basalts with trondhjemitic sheets, as well as gabbroic and ultrabasic bodies, is exposed within an important Variscan suture separating the Moldanubian Domain (to the west) from the Brunovistulicum (to the east) in the eastern part of the Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic. A polyphase tectonic evolution of the study area was connected with underthrusting and subsequent exhumation of the former oceanic realm, which resulted in three deformation phases (D 1 –D 3 ). New U–Pb laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry dating of magmatic zircons from amphibolite and trondhjemite yielded statistically identical concordia ages of 530 ± 6 Ma and 529 ± 7 Ma (2σ), respectively. These are interpreted as dating intrusions of the Early Cambrian protoliths of the studied rocks. Based on this age as well as whole-rock geochemical and Nd isotopic data, the Letovice Complex is interpreted as a vestige of an incipient oceanic basin developing on attenuated crust. The most likely geotectonic setting was a post-Cadomian extensional regime at the northern margin of Gondwana that marked the onset of its break-up. Supplementary material: Photomicrographs of microstructures, sample locations, descriptions of analytical techniques, and selected electron microprobe analyses of the main rock-forming minerals are available at http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18424.

Albitization is a common metasomatic process active in various geodynamic contexts. In the northern Pyrenees, there are several occurrences of albitites but, until now, only one occurrence has been dated (117 Ma, Ar–Ar dating). This paper presents new U–Th–Pb ages for several albitite occurrences throughout the Pyrenees to test whether they are contemporaneous and, if so, to specify the regional extent of the albitization event. Ages obtained from large euhedral titanite and monazite grains from distinct albitites are 110 ± 8 and 98 ± 2 Ma, respectively. The zircon U–Th–Pb isotopic system did not record this Cretaceous metasomatic event, even when grains were selected in metasomatically Zr-enriched rocks or in hydrothermal structures (millimetre-sized veins cross-cutting granitoids). We argue that the total time span of 20 Ma recorded by albitites corresponds to a long-lived hydrothermal system that was active during the rotation of Iberia around Europe, along the North Pyrenean Fault. Because albitization and talc mineralization have the same spatial and temporal distribution in the Pyrenees, we argue that these two metasomatic phenomena are two independent records of this single, regional-scale, long-lived hydrothermal system.

At the northeastern edge of the Moldanubian Zone, a large body of felsic to intermediate granulite with relics of high-pressure mineral assemblage is exposed within medium-grade paragneisses, micaschists and metagranites. A polyphase tectonic evolution in the study area resulted in three deformation phases (D 1 –D 3 ). Peak metamorphic conditions (860–1000 °C and 16 kbar) in granulites are interpreted as reflecting an early stage of the high-grade evolution of the orogenic lower crust. These conditions were followed by exhumation of the orogenic lower crustal block to mid-crustal levels (6–8 kbar). In contrast to this, the study of metamorphic conditions in the surrounding micaschists (660 °C and 8 kbar) shows that these rocks never experienced pressures and temperatures of the orogenic lower crust. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb dating of zircon from the granulite yielded a concordia age of 354 ± 7 Ma, whereas the conventional isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS) and LA-ICP-MS dating of xenotime gave identical concordia ages of 336.2 ± 1.2 and 339 ± 3 Ma, respectively. Combination of new structural and petrological results with LA-ICP-MS zircon and xenotime dating leads to development of a well-constrained exhumation model and brings new insights into the behaviour of lower crustal rocks during orogenesis.

Metamorphic basement rocks, that are exposed beneath the very low-grade to unmetamorphosed Upper Jurassic-Eocene formations north of the Torud fault zone within the Great Kavir Block, were investigated to elucidate the origin of their protoliths and the pressure and temperature conditions of metamorphism. The basement, previously assumed as a pre-Cambrian metamorphic complex, is mostly formed by amphibolite-facies orthogneisses (tonalite, granodiorite, and granite) with amphibolites and small amounts of metasediment-micaschists. Major- and trace-element geochemistry in combination with U–Pb age dating of zircon showed that the protoliths formed during Late Neoproterozoic continental arc magmatism that has also been identified in other tectonic blocks of Central Iran. In addition to quartz, feldspar(s), micas in orthogneisses, and amphibole + plagioclase in amphibolite, all rocks may contain garnet that shows prograde zoning. Kyanite was found only in some Al-rich amphibolite together with gedrite. The PT conditions of the rocks, based on conventional geothermobarometry and the pseudosection method, show a medium-pressure amphibolite-facies metamorphism. Ar–Ar age dating of muscovite reveals that this metamorphism occurred in the Middle Jurassic (166 Ma) and related to the closure of the Neotethyan basin.

Using a state-of-the-art 193 nm-LA-MC-ICP-MS system and with careful control of analytical procedures, the long term external reproducibility and accuracy of the ages Phanerozoic zircons measured over a period of months using calibrator bracketing for the 206Pb/238U and 207Pb/206Pb ages were ca. 1% (2 RSD) if a single reference zircon was used for the matrix-matched calibration. When different reference zircons were used for the calibration, suspicious systematic shifts in the obtained ages were observed and thus a reduction in the overall accuracy of the dating method became obvious. Such shifts were within a few percent range of the U-Pb and Pb/Pb ages and seemed to vary independently of zircon age and composition. A “test of accuracy” experiment was conducted reducing instrumental effects as far as possible by analysing five different reference zircons mounted on a single mount eight times during the same session. An identical protocol was used for all analyses, with unchanged instrument parameters and with ion beam intensities kept as identical as possible. For data reduction, every zircon served consecutively as the reference zircon for calibration, with the others in the batch treated as unknowns. The known reference age and the four calculated ages obtained using the four other RMs for calibration were then compared. Even using such a strict analytical protocol, shifts in 206Pb/238U, 207Pb/235U and 207Pb/206Pb ratios were still present. They varied non-systematically and ranged from −4.35% to 3.08% for the investigated age range (1065 Ma to 226 Ma). Assuming the absence of instrumental effects (i.e., memory, dead-time correction, non-linearity of ion counters and interdetector calibration, crystallographic orientation, ablation cell geometry and setup, gas flows), the observed shifts were attributed to matrix and/or ablation related effects. It is proposed that non-spectral matrix effects in the Ar plasma torch resulted in non-uniform signal enhancement (or depression?) leading to shifts both in elemental and Pb isotopic ratios. Additionally, the ablated particle size distribution could be an important factor controlling plasma conditions and thus mass bias and fractionation. Until such effects are well understood and controlled, it would seem that any LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb and 207Pb/206Pb age determination cannot be meaningfully interpreted at below a ca. 3% to 4% (2 RSD) confidence level. Ce travail repose sur l'utilisation d'un systeme de 193 nm-LA-MC-ICP-MS de derniere generation, avec un controle minutieux des procedures analytiques. La reproductibilite externe et la justesse des mesures d'âges 206Pb/238U et 207Pb/206Pb effectuees par la methode de l'encadrement par des calibrateurs sur des zircons d'âge phanerozoique, ont ete testees sur plusieurs mois et sont de l'ordre de 1% (2 RSD) si un seul zircon de reference etait utilise pour effectuer la calibration de matrice identique. Quand differents zircons etaient utilises pour la calibration, des biais systematiques suspects etaient obtenus sur les âges mesures entrainant une moins bonne justesse globale de cette methode de datation. Ces biais etaient de l'ordre de quelques pourcents sur les âges U-Pb et Pb/Pb et semblaient varier independamment de l'âge du zircon ou de sa composition. Un test de justesse a ete realise, afin de reduire au maximum les effets instrumentaux, en analysant 8 fois durant une meme session, 5 zircons de reference differents, montes dans la meme pastille. Le meme protocole analytique a ete utilise pour toutes ces analyses, sans modification des parametres instrumentaux et avec des intensites des signaux emis conserves aussi proches que possible. Lors du traitement des donnees, chaque zircon a servi de zircon de reference pour la calibration, les autres etant traites comme des inconnus. Les âges recommandes et les âges mesures des 4 zircons ainsi traites en inconnus ont ete compares. Les biais sur les rapports 206Pb/238U, 207Pb/235U et 207Pb/206Pb etaient encore presents, malgre l'application d'un tel protocole. Ils montraient des variations aleatoires, de l'ordre de −4.35%a 3.08% pour la gamme d'âge consideree (1065 Ma a 226 Ma). Nous avons suppose l'absence d'effets instrumentaux tels que: effet de memoire, correction du temps mort, non linearite des compteurs d'ions, probleme d'inter calibration des detecteurs, orientation cristallographique, geometrie de la cellule d'ablation, flux des gaz. En consequence, les biais observes ont ete attribues a des effets de matrice ou des effets lies au processus d'ablation. Des effets de matrice, non spectraux, au niveau de la torche a plasma d'argon pourraient entrainer des amplifications (ou attenuations) du signal, conduisant a des biais, a la fois entre elements et entre isotopes du Pb. De plus la distribution de la taille des particules ablatees pourrait etre un facteur important dans le controle des conditions du plasma, donc des biais de masse et des fractionnements. Tant que de tels effets ne sont pas compris et controles, il semble que l'intervalle de confiance de toute determination d'âge U-Pb ou 207Pb/206Pb par LA-ICP-MS ne peut pas etre inferieur a 3 ou 4% (2 RSD).

Granitoid intrusions of the Boundary Igneous Complex separate segments with different ages of high-grade metamorphism in the Kaoko Belt, NW Namibia. Two granitoids of this complex were dated at 575 ± 10 Ma (secondary ionization mass spectrometry; SIMS) or 571 ± 9 Ma (laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; LA-ICP-MS) and 562 ± 11 Ma (SIMS) or 572 ± 4 Ma (LA-ICP-MS), respectively. The age of granulite-facies metamorphism in the eastern part of the Western Kaoko Zone was established at 549 ± 5 Ma (SIMS) by analysing metamorphic overgrowths of older ( c . 1850–1000 Ma) zircons from melt segregations in amphibolites. The coastal part of the Western Kaoko Zone consists of horizons of migmatitic metasedimentary rocks that are intercalated with fine-grained orthogneisses and amphibolites resembling metamorphosed sequences of bimodal volcanic rocks. Zircons from felsic members of two bimodal suites have SIMS ages of 805 ± 4 Ma and 810–840 Ma, respectively, that are interpreted as dating their respective igneous protoliths. Melt segregations in the mafic member of the lower bimodal suite contain two populations of zircon dated at 650 ± 5 Ma (SIMS) or 645 ± 5 Ma (LA-ICP-MS) and 629 ± 6 Ma (SIMS) or 630 ± 5 Ma (LA-ICP-MS), respectively. The later age is indistinguishable from the age of 630 ± 4 Ma (SIMS) or 625 ± 10 Ma (LA-ICP-MS) obtained from melt patches present in overlying metagreywackes. The available age data suggest that the Boundary Igneous Complex masks the suture between the Coastal Terrane and the rest of the Kaoko Belt. Ages of granitoid intrusions in this igneous complex are indicative of magmatic activity between 580 and 550 Ma.

The Huqf Supergroup in Oman contains an exceptionally well-preserved and complete sedimentary record of the Middle to Late Neoproterozoic Era. Outcrops of the Huqf Supergroup in northern and central Oman are now well documented, but their correlation with a key succession in the Mirbat area of southern Oman, containing a sedimentary record of two Neoproterozoic glaciations, is poorly understood. Integration of lithostratigraphic, chemostratigraphic and new U–Pb detrital zircon data suggests that the Mirbat Group is best placed within the Cryogenian ( c . 850–635 Ma) part of the Huqf Supergroup. The c . 1 km thick marine deposits of the Arkahawl and Marsham Formations of the Mirbat Group are thought to represent a stratigraphic interval between older Cryogenian and younger Cryogenian glaciations that is not preserved elsewhere in Oman. The bulk of detrital zircons in the Huqf Supergroup originate from Neoproterozoic parent rocks. However, older Mesoproterozoic, Palaeoproterozoic and even Archaean zircons can be recognized in the detrital population from the upper Mahara Group (Fiq Formation) and Nafun Group, suggesting the tapping of exotic sources, probably from the Arabian–Nubian Shield.

Hf isotopic data of minerals in a mafic pyroxene granulite from the southern Bohemian Massif, together with their major and trace element composition and petrological observations were used to decipher the metamorphic history and behaviour of zircon in the granulite. The Hf isotopic composition in the minerals was used to estimate whether the decompression reaction, namely the consumption of garnet and rutile, could have provided Zr for the formation of newly grown metamorphic zircon. The age of the decompression reaction indicated by the evolution of Hf isotopes in garnet and orthopyroxene is between 333 and 331 Ma, i.e. ca. 7 Ma younger than the available U–Pb zircon ages from the Moldanubian granulites and than the newly obtained 343 ± 2 Ma laser ablation ICP-MS U–Pb age of zircons. The combination of bulk and in-situ Hf isotopic data, major and trace element composition and petrological modeling of P–T evolution revealed that the formation of zircons can not be related to the decompression phase of the evolution of the mafic granulites.

Zircon fission-track (FT) and U–Pb analyses were performed on zircon extracted from a pseudotachylyte zone and surrounding rocks of the Asuke Shear Zone (ASZ), Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The U–Pb ages of all four samples are ∼ 67–76 Ma, which is interpreted as the formation age of Ryoke granitic rocks along the ASZ. The mean zircon FT age of host rock is 73 ± 7 (2 σ ) Ma, suggesting a time of initial cooling through the zircon closure temperature. The pseudotachylyte zone however, yielded a zircon FT age of 53 ± 9 (2 σ ) Ma, statistically different from the age of the host rock. Zircon FTs showed reduced mean lengths and intermediate ages for samples adjacent to the pseudotachylyte zone. Coupled with the new zircon U–Pb ages and previous heat conduction modeling, the present FT data are best interpreted as reflecting paleothermal effects of the frictional heating of the fault. The age for the pseudotachylyte coincides with the change in direction of rotation of the Pacific plate from NW to N which can be considered to initialize the NNE–SSW trending sinistral–extensional ASZ before the Miocene clockwise rotation of SW Japan. The present study demonstrates that a history of fault motions in seismically active regions can be reconstructed by dating pseudotachylytes using zircon FT thermochronology.

The rocks of the crystalline basement of the East European Craton in southern Estonia show effects of partial melting under granulite facies conditions. Zircons extracted from partial melting products (tonalite from the Tapa Zone – 1824 ± 26, tonalite from the South Estonian Zone – 1788 ± 16 Ma and charnockite from the Tapa Zone – 1761 ± 11 Ma) yield U–Pb crystallisation ages that span over approximately 80 Ma, suggesting a prolonged high-grade metamorphism or several separate events. U–Pb zircon age of one sample of charnockite is concordant with the Nd model age of partial melting of its host mafic granulite facies gneiss (intercept at 1.76 Ga). Linear geochemical trends and similar initial Nd isotopic compositions of mafic granulites and charnockites suggest their possible genetic relationship. From our new and previously published data it follows that the peak granulite metamorphic conditions and formation of tonalites and charnockites (850 °C and 6 kbar) in the Estonian basement occurred at 1788–1778 Ma. Then, the rocks cooled down, passing through the garnet closure temperature of approximately 650–700 °C at 1728 ± 24 Ma. The age of metamorphism of the Estonian granulites is lower than the metamorphic ages known from southern Finland, but it is similar to the age of metamorphism reported from the Belarus-Baltic Granulite Belt in Latvia.

New single-grain and within-grain U-Pb zircon ages from the central Tauern Window help sorting out the time dimension among the various Variscan and pre-Variscan basement components that were strongly overprinted by Alpine orogeny. Single-grain isotope dilution (ID-TIMS) U-Pb zircon geochronology of three Basisamphibolit samples yield protolith formation ages of 351±2, 349±1 and 343±1 Ma. Laser ablation ICP-MS and ID-TIMS U-Pb detrital zircon dating of the Biotitporphyroblastenschiefer constrained the maximum time of sedimentation to between 362±6 Ma and 368±17 Ma. Paragneisses from the Zwolferzug yield maximum sedimentation ages from 345±5 Ma (ion microprobe data) to 358±10 Ma. Zircons from gabbroic clasts and detrital zircons from a meta-agglomerate from the Habach Phyllite give an upper intercept age of 536±8 Ma and a near-concordant age of 506±9 Ma, respectively. Hence, apart from the Habach Phyllite, the maximum sedimentation ages of the metasediments investigated range from Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous. Consequently, the Basisamphibolit, the Biotitporphyroblastenschiefer, and the paragneisses of the Zwolferzug form parts of the Variscan basement series. The Basisamphibolit (351-343 Ma) is distinct both in space and time of formation from the Zwolferzug garnet amphibolite (c. 486 Ma), which forms part of the pre-Variscan basement.

The chemical and phase compositions of particles produced by laser ablation (266 nm Nd:YAG) of silicate NIST glasses and zircon were studied by SIMS and HR-TEM techniques. The data suggest that the formation of phases of different mineralogy and/or chemical composition from the original sample at the ablation site can result in elemental fractionation (non-stoichiometric sampling) in material delivered to the ICP-MS for quantitative analysis. Evidence of the element fractionation is preserved in chemically zoned ejecta deposited around the ablation pit. The chemical composition and mineralogy of particles varies with particle size so that the efficiency of transport of particles also plays a role in elemental fractionation. During the first 250 pulses in a typical ablation experiment using a 266 nm laser, particle sizes are mainly

U-Pb isotopic data obtained by laser ablation ICPMS analysis of nine zircons with centre to margin oscillatory growth zones from a K-feldspar-rich augen gneiss in the allochthonous Lower Crystalline Nappe of the Erzgebirge domain of the western part of the Bohemian Massif yield a concordia age of 524 ± 10 Ma (2 sigma). This Early Cambrian age represents the time of magmatic crystallization of the protolith of a representative, from near Měděnec, of the allochthonous “Red gneiss” whose igneous nature is shown by the presence of (deformed) xenoliths. Data from TIMS analysis of zircons with variable proportions of unzoned xenocrystic cores surrounded by oscillatory-zoned overgrowths point to magma derivation from upper Proterozoic, or older, rocks. Data obtained for five zircon grains from another “Red gneiss” in the Lower Crystalline Nappe (in the Klinovec anticline) plot below the concordia with the age of the one point that is near concordant being 519 ± 26 Ma (2 sigma). These data, together with internal features of the zircons, are consistent with Early Cambrian granitic plutonism also in this part of the Erzgebirge but with later Pb loss, possibly associated with considerable fluid movement during thrust nappe development. Another sample of a coarse-grained orthogneiss from the autochthonous St Catherine9s dome yielded a significantly younger Early Ordovician age of 480 ± 10 Ma (2 sigma) calculated from eight zircon analyses. However, three zircon grains from the same sample gave a significantly older near-concordant Late Proterozoic age of ca. 620 Ma. Provided that the age difference of ca . 40 Ma between orthogneisses from Měděnec - Klinovec and St Catherine9s dome holds also for other orthogneisses in the Erzgebirge, zircon U-Pb age data could be used to discriminate between allochthonous and autochthonous units in this region. The ca. 25 Ma difference between the Early Cambrian protolith age of the augen gneiss from near Měděnec determined by the laser ablation ICPMS technique and a previously reported older age of 550 ± 9 Ma for a nearby sample determined by the Pb-Pb evaporation technique is accounted for on the basis of the latter not being adequate for dating zircons with a small xenocrystic component. This study demonstrates the importance of high spatial resolution dating techniques, such as SHRIMP or laser ablation ICPMS, in dating zircons with complex growth history that are common in crustally-derived melts.

The provenance of Cretaceous to Paleocene sandstones from the Norwegian Sea has been determined by laser ablation ICPMS U–Pb and Pb–Pb dating of detrital zircons. The zircon grains were extracted from sandstones sampled in the More and the Voring Basins. The potential source regions for the Norwegian Sea sediments are the surrounding landmasses of East Greenland and Norway. The basement of East Greenland contains both Archaean (3800–2500 Ma) and Early Proterozoic (ca. 2000 Ma) rocks, whereas the main Norwegian basement ages are younger (1000–1600 Ma). Sandstones of known provenance, derived from East Greenland and the Norwegian landmasses, have been analysed for comparison with the investigated sandstones of unknown provenance. The analysed detrital zircons derived from the East Greenland and Norwegian landmasses reflect the known basement ages as the sandstones derived from East Greenland are characterized by a wide detrital zircon age pattern with a considerable Archaean component. The Norwegian-derived detrital zircons show a narrow age pattern with the age maxima between 1000 and 1600 Ma. The Turonian–Maastrichtian sandstone samples from the Voring Basin show wide-range zircon age patterns, all with a discernible Archaean component, indicating an East Greenland provenance. A sample of Cenomanian sandstone from the Donna Terrace, located on the eastern flank of the Voring Basin, shows a narrower detrital zircon age pattern typical of sediments derived from the Norwegian landmass. Sandstones of Maastrichtian–Paleocene ages in the More Basin show zircon age patterns that are indicative of an eastern source, whereas a Coniacian sandstone sample from the More Basin shows detrital zircon age spectra typical of a western source. The provenance change from a western to an eastern source found in the More Basin sandstones was most likely a result of the Baltic margin elevation during Coniacian to Maastrichtian times, resulting in an increased sediment supply from the eastern margin.

Volcanics of the Skinner Cove Formation of western Newfoundland carry a primary remanence acquired at 550 Ma at a paleolatitude of 19°S. There has been doubt that this represents the latitude of the Laurentian margin at 550 Ma, because the Skinner Cove Formation is allochthonous. We present new evidence from inherited zircons in the volcanics that should remove this doubt. Zircon crystals extracted from an ankaramite flow and a trachyte flow were dated individually by measuring U–Th–Pb isotopes for ∼ 30 μm ×30 μm areas using a laser ablation microprobe (LAM) linked to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Most of the zircons from the ankaramite are concordant and yield a 550±5 Ma date indistinguishable from the 550+3/−2 Ma date previously reported using multi-grain thermal ionisation mass spectrometry. About half of the zircons from the trachyte are also concordant yielding an overlapping date of 556±5 Ma. The other half clustered at ∼1000 and 1500–1600 Ma, which are characteristic ages of the Grenvillian basement exposed nearby in the Long Range Inlier. These zircon xenocrysts were very likely picked up as the Skinner Cove magma ascended through Grenvillian basement of the Laurentian margin. There can now be little doubt that the ∼19°S Skinner Cove paleolatitude represents Laurentia’s southern margin at 550 Ma. This makes it unlikely that Laurentia changed from south polar at ∼523 Ma to equatorial at ∼508 Ma due to a rapid ∼90° change in the Earth’s rotation axis. Such an inertial interchange true polar wander (IITPW) event has been proposed as a trigger for the Cambrian faunal explosion. An IITPW event may have occurred in the Vendian, mostly between 577 and 565 Ma, judging by paleomagnetic results from Laurentia. However, it is more likely that the paleomagnetic results suggesting high latitude for Laurentia at 577 Ma or low latitude at 565 Ma are flawed. We suggest that Laurentia remained at low latitude throughout the Vendian (from the ∼600 Ma start of near-equatorial glaciations). This is supported by magmatic evidence suggesting that Laurentia’s incipient Iapetus margin was stationary over a mantle plume throughout the Vendian. Laurentia at low latitude throughout the Vendian also helps provide the predominance of low latitude continents needed to account for the Vendian’s near-equatorial glaciations, according to the snowball Earth hypothesis.

Nous avons acquis des donnees geochronologiques (systeme U-Th-Pb) par ablation au laser avec un plasma a couplage inductif et spectrometrie de masse (LAM-ICP-MS) afin de preciser in situ l'âge de l'allanite et du zircon dans une seule lame mince polie du granite de October Harbour, au Labrador. C'est la premiere fois que l'allanite est ainsi etudiee pour datation Th-Pb par methode LAM-ICP-MS, avec verification des resultats par datation du zircon dans le meme echantillon. Des cristaux atteignant a peine 20 X 20 μm ont meme pu etre analyses dans une lame mince polie d'une epaisseur de 100 μm. Au prealable, les cristaux de zircon ont ete examines avec des images d'electrons retrodiffuses afin d'evaluer la presence de coeurs herites, de surcroissances, et de croissance oscillatoire. Nous avons effectue 45 analyses LAM-ICP-MS de 35 cristaux de zircon. Selon les donnees U-Th-Pb obtenues sur zircon, l'âge du granite serait 1657 ′ 10 Ma (MSWD = 0.77, moyenne ponderee des âges 2 0 7 Pb/ 2 0 6 Pb telle que determinee avec 25 points concordants). Les donnees indiquent la presence de zircon herite ayant un âge de 1800-1850 Ma, et des signes de pertes repetees de plomb dans plusieurs grains. L'allanite se presente en gros cristaux idiomorphes. Elle fait preuve de teneurs elevees en U et en Th. Vingt-six analyses de deux cristaux d'allanite ont donne seize points concordants, provenant surtout du noyau a faible teneur en Th d'un seul cristal, et une moyenne ponderee de l'âge 2 0 8 Pb/ 2 3 2 Th de 1635 ′ 17 Ma (MSWD = 2.1). Quoique les signes d'une perte complexe de plomb sont aussi presents dans certaines portions de l'allanite, il n'y a aucun signe d'un coeur herite. L'âge du granite de October Harbour serait d'environ 1640-1660 Ma, ce qui est passablement plus jeune que ce que l'on avait propose anterieurement suite a une analyse conventionelle U-Pb de plusieurs grains de zircon pris de la suite intrusive de Strawberry, soupconnee d'etre liee genetiquement, ce qui avait donne un âge de 1719 ′ 3 Ma. La suite de Strawberry pourrait donc etre plus complexe qu'une simple suite de roches mise en place il y a environ 1720 Ma, et contenir des roches d'âges tres differents.

In situ U-Th-Pb geochronology was born some two decades ago with the introduction and development of high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS or SHRIMP [Sensitive High Mass Resolution Ion MicroProbe]; Compston et al. 1984, Williams 1998, Compston 1999, Davis et al.; this volume, Ireland and Williams, this volume). This technique clearly demonstrated the existence of age heterogeneities within the single crystals of zircon and other accessory phases and therefore the need for high-spatial resolution (tens to hundreds of cubic micrometers) geochronological data. In situ dating by ion probe is capable of achieving an analytical precision that is only an order of magnitude worse than the conventional isotope dilution-thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS) dating technique. It has the advantage, however, of more readily identifying concordant portions of grains, does not require chemical treatment of samples prior to the analysis, is essentially nondestructive, and can achieve greater sample throughputs. A major obstacle to the wider use of ion probe dating has always been the high cost of instrumentation and hence relative scarcity of suitably equipped geologic laboratories. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) emerged in 1985 and rapidly became an important analytical tool for trace element determinations in geological samples (Jackson et al. 1992). It was soon realized that the large variations in radiogenic Pb and Pb/ U isotopic ratios found in nature could be resolved by ICPMS techniques and, when coupled to a laser, ICPMS could be used as a dating tool similar to the ion probe. The pioneering work of Feng et al. (1993), Fryer et al. (1993), Hirata and Nesbitt (1995) and Jackson et al. (1996) illustrated the potential usefulness of laser sampling for in situ dating by ICPMS particularly well. However, these studies and others that followed also revealed the major …

In the Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux deposit (Massif Armoricain, France), the Ordovician Gres Armoricain sandstones have undergone several fluid-rock interaction events, including diagenetic cementation and orogenic base metal-As-Sb-Au mineralisation. Ironstone layers interbedded in the sandstones contain several generations of spectacular authigenic xenotime overgrowths that formed around detrital zircon grains in response to successive hydrothermal events. Textural and chemical characterisations allow to distinguish three generations of xenotime overgrowths, differing notably in their REE characteristics. In-situ U-Pb data obtained on these xenotime overgrowths show that their U-Pb systematics were largely disturbed by successive hydrothermal events over about 90 Ma between ~ 330 and ~ 420 Ma, a time interval encompassing most phases of the construction of the Variscan orogen in France. The younger dates cluster around ~ 330–340 Ma and likely correspond to the age of the deposition of massive sulphides and base-metals in the Saint-Aubin-des-Châteaux deposits, which is consistent with the structural contexts where they formed. Finally, this study shows that similarly to monazite, another phosphate widely used for U-Pb and Th-Pb dating studies, the U-Pb chronometric system in xenotime appears to be highly sensitive to fluid circulations.

New developments in U–Pb dating of zircons by laser ablation (LA) ICPMS are described and, for the first time, a direct comparison of detrital zircons dated by LA ICPMS and SIMS methods is presented. True real-time mass bias correction is made by aspirating a Tl/U tracer at the same time as laser ablation. The method is similar to that described in Horn et al. (2000) , except that enriched 233U rather than 235U is used in the tracer solution. Correction for laser-induced Pb/U elemental fractionation is based on a mathematical treatment of time-resolved data that is independent of laser ablation characteristics and does not require external standardisation. Internal corrections for mass bias and elemental fractionation eliminate the effects of variable sample matrix on isotopic ratios and improve the accuracy of U–Pb dating by laser ablation ICPMS. With the proper error propagation, the precision of U–Pb age determinations is only slightly worse than SIMS-based ion probe dating. However, LA ICPMS is capable of much more rapid analysis of the large number of zircons required for sediment provenance studies. There is excellent agreement between concordant laser ablation ICPMS and SIMS analyses of detrital zircons extracted from lower Silurian metasandstone from the Ulven Group (Skarfjell Formation) in the west Norwegian Caledonian nappes. Both LA ICPMS and SIMS U–Pb zircon ages indicate that sedimentary detritus of the Ulven Group was supplied from a terrain containing zircons of Archean, Proterozoic and early Ordovician age.

Deformation of granulite-facies rocks in the Moldanubian Zone of the southern Bohemian Massif is expressed in two intersecting planar fabrics – steeply disposed (S1) and flat-laying (S2) – which correspond to two deformation stages (D1) and (D2). The existing Sm-Nd garnet ages from banded granulite gneisses, new U-Pb zircon data from deformed granite intrusions within the granulite gneisses, and the P–T and field structural relations constrain the ages and P–T conditions of the two deformation phases. The early deformation (D1) was associated with a HP-HT metamorphic stage with a minimum age of ca. 354 Ma which was followed by a near-isothermal decompression. A concordant U-Pb zircon age of 318±1 Ma dates the emplacement of intrusions of deformed granite into the granulite gneisses and constrains deformation phase (D2). This phase was associated with an LP–HT metamorphism dated in the region at ca. 340–330 Ma. The available structural and isotopic data indicate that granulites in the southern Bohemian Massif were exhumed from lower to middle crust during compression. The structural relations and P–T–t data for the studied granulites are consistent with their exhumation by near-vertical extrusion of the softened orogenic root.

High-precision garnet chronometry using the Sm–Nd, U–Pb, Rb–Sr or Lu–Hf isotope systems is gaining widespread application for constraining the prograde and high-temperature history of metamorphic belts. However, due to the low concentrations of the chronometrically important elements, garnet analyses are often susceptible to incorporation of small quantities of accessory phases such as zircon, monazite and allanite. Here we assess the extent to which such inclusions affect garnet analyses by comparing in situ analyses of Sm and Nd concentrations in the crystal lattice, obtained by laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), with those obtained by isotope dilution (ID) on separates of the same garnets. The results show that the garnets studied here are largely free from inclusions. In general, however, the low concentrations of Sm and Nd in the garnet lattice mean that the incorporation of even very small quantities of accessory phases will result in a significant change in the measured garnet Sm and Nd concentration. Simple modelling of the effect of such inclusions on age information shows that garnet inclusion disequilibrium and the extent to which inclusions decrease the apparent parent–daughter ratio are critical. Such modelling demonstrates that the incorporation of old LREE-enriched minerals such as monazite will yield an apparently lower age than the true garnet age. However, this study indicates that erroneous age information can be identified if duplicate garnet analyses are performed. In addition, LA-ICP-MS is shown to be a useful technique in verifying the purity of samples for isotope analysis.

Thermal breakdown of zircon during laser ablation sampling for ICP-MS analysis results in decoupling of Si from Zr, and Pb from U + Th, following the reaction ZrSiO4(U, Th, Pb) = ZrO2(U, Th) + SiO2(Pb). The rate of the laser-induced elemental fractionation can be linked to the concentration of oxygen in the ambient He sample carrier gas. Deposition of ZrO2 and SiO2 on the walls of the ablation craters is enhanced by the presence of oxygen during ablation, and the composition of the deposit is dominated by ZrO2. This study shows that even a small amount of oxygen (e.g., 500 ppm) added to the sample carrier gas can shift the U–Pb ages of zircon by as much as 9%, which is well beyond the typical analytical uncertainty of LA-ICP-MS zircon dating. Addition of up to 2000 ppm oxygen to the sample carrier also increases the instrument sensitivity by as much as 3 times for light elements and ca. 1.5 times for heavy elements. The increase in sensitivity is accompanied by an increase in the U and Th oxide formation, suggesting that the signal enhancement is not related to the concomitant M+ and MO+ ion formation, but rather to the improved atomization and ionization capabilities of the mixed gas ICP. The study shows that maintaining a constant level of O2 throughout the ablation cell over an analytical session at the time of analysis is a prerequisite for further improvements in the repeatability of U–Pb LA ICP-MS dating of zircon.

Xenotime overgrowths on detrital zircon in siliciclastic sediments have been reported in numerous studies. However, in natural samples, solid solution of zircon and xenotime is limited to near-end-member compositions. In order to characterize the interface region between both minerals and to draw inferences on the growth mechanisms of authigenic xenotime, we studied xenotime overgrowths on detrital zircon grains from two Phanerozoic sandstone samples with contrasting post-depositional histories. In one sample, the small (≤10 μm), pyramidal xenotime overgrowths are of diagenetic origin and grew without major discontinuity on the detrital zircon grain. The second sample shows up to >50-μm-wide, porous and inclusion-rich, hydrothermal xenotime overgrowths on detrital zircon, whereas the transition zone between both minerals is accompanied by large pore volume. Chemical compositions of the xenotime precipitates from the two samples differ particularly in Y, REE, Th and Sc concentrations, whereas high MREE availability in the diagenetic sample and the presence of Sc in the hydrothermal sample, respectively, appear to have promoted xenotime growth. Transmission electron microscopy on electron-transparent foils cut from the interface region shows that both the diagenetic xenotime and the hydrothermal xenotime are crystalline and grew in optical and crystallographic continuity to their detrital zircon substrata. Only a narrow transition zone (≤90 nm—diagenetic sample, 200–300 nm—hydrothermal sample) between zircon and xenotime is in part made up of nanometre-scale crystalline domains that are slightly distorted and may have formed from dissolution–re-precipitation processes at the zircon rim along with precipitation from the respective fluid.

[1] We investigated some of the sampling and mineral separation biases that affect the accuracy of detrital zircon provenance studies. The study has been carried on a natural catchment in the Scottish Highlands that represents a simple two-component source system and on samples of synthetic sediment prepared for this study to test the effects of heavy mineral separation on the resulting zircon age spectra. The results suggest that zircon fertility of the source rocks and physical properties of zircon represent the most important factors affecting the distribution of zircon age populations in the stream sediments. The sample preparation and selection of zircons for analysis may result in preferential loss of information from small zircon grains. Together with the preference for larger crystals during handpicking, it can result in several-fold difference compared to the real age distribution in the sediment sample. These factors appear to be more important for the reproducibility of zircon age spectra than is the number of zircon grains analyzed per sample.

We introduce and propose zircon M257 as a future reference material for the determination of zircon U-Pb ages by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry. This light brownish, flawless, cut gemstone specimen from Sri Lanka weighed 5.14 g (25.7 carats). Zircon M257 has TIMS-determined, mean isotopic ratios (2s uncertainties) of 0.09100 ± 0.00003 for 206pb/238U and 0.7392 ± 0.0003 for 207pb/235U. Its 206pb/238U age is 561.3 ± 0.3 Ma (unweighted mean, uncertainty quoted at the 95% confidence level); the U-Pb system is concordant within uncertainty of decay constants. Zircon M257 contains ∼ 840 μg g−1 U (Th/U ∼ 0.27). The material exhibits remarkably low heterogeneity, with a virtual absence of any internal textures even in cathodoluminescence images. The uniform, moderate degree of radiation damage (estimated from the expansion of unit-cell parameters, broadening of Raman spectral parameters and density) corresponds well, within the “Sri Lankan trends”, with actinide concentrations, U-Pb age, and the calculated alpha fluence of 1.66 × 1018 g−1. This, and a (U+Th)/He age of 419 ± 9 Ma (2s), enables us to exclude any unusual thermal history or heat treatment, which could potentially have affected the retention of radiogenic Pb. The oxygen isotope ratio of this zircon is 13.9%o VSMOW suggesting a metamorphic genesis in a marble or calc-silicate skarn. Nous presentons et proposons a la communaute le zircon M257 qui pourrait devenir un materiau de reference pour la determination des âges U-Pb sur zircon par spectrometrie de masse a ions secondaires (SIMS). Ce specimen scie d'une gemme brun clair, sans defauts, provenant du Sri Lanka, pese 5.14 g (25.7 carats). Les moyennes des rapports isotopiques (et les incertitudes associees 2s) mesurees par TIMS sur ce zircon M257 sont 0.09100 ± 0.00003 en 206pb/238U et 0.7392 ± 0.0003 en 207pb/235U. Son âge 206pb/238U est de 561.3 ± 0.3 Ma (moyenne non ponderee, incertitude: 95% intervalle de confiance); le systeme U-Pb y est concordant, aux erreurs sur les constantes de desintegration pres. Le zircon M257 contient ∼ 840 μg g−1 U (Th/U ∼ 0.27). Ce materiel montre de tres faibles heterogeneites, avec une quasi absence de textures internes, meme a I'examen par cathodoluminescence. Le degre de dommage lie aux radiations (estime par I'expansion des parametres de la cellule unitaire, I'elargissement des parametres des spectres Raman et la densite) est modere et uniforme. II se correle bien, (sur I'alignement “Sri Lanka”) avec les concentrations en actinides, I'âge U-Pb et la fluence calculee de 1.66 × 1018 g−1 Ceci, couplea son âge (U+Th)/He de 419 ± 9 Ma (2s), nous permet d'exclure I'existence d'evenement thermique passe, ou de traitement par la chaleur, qui aurait potentiellement pu affecter le processus de retention de Pb radiogenique. Le rapport isotopique de I'oxygene de ce zircon est 13.9%o VSMOW, suggerant une genese par metamorphisme, au sein d'un marbre ou d'un skarn calco-silicate.

Matrix-matched calibration by natural zircon standards and analysis of natural materials as a reference are the principle methods for achieving accurate results in inicrobeam U-Pb dating and Hf isotopic analysis. We describe a new potential zircon reference material for laser ablation ICP-MS that was extracted from a potassic granulite facies rock collected in the southern part of the Bohemian Massif (Plesovice, Czech Republic). Data from different techniques (ID-TIMS, SIMS and LA ICP-MS) and several laboratories suggest that this zircon has a concordant U-Pb age with a weighted mean (206)Pb/(238)U date of 337.13 +/- 0.37 Ma (ID-TIMS, 95% confidence limits, including tracer calibration uncertainty) and U-Pb age homogeneity on the scale used in LA ICP-MS dating. Inhomogeneities in trace element composition due to primary growth zoning prevent its use as a calibration standard for trace element analysis. The content of U varies from 465 ppm in pristine parts of the grains to similar to 3000 ppm in actinide-rich sectors that correspond to pyramidal faces with a high degree of metamictization (present in ca. 30% of the grains). These domains are easily recognized from high intensities on BSE images and should be avoided during the analysis. Hf isotopic composition of the Plesovice zircon (>0.9 wt.% Hf) is homogenous within and between the grains with a mean (176)Hf/(177)Hf value of 0.282492 +/- 0.000013 (2SD). The age and Hf isotopic homogeneity of the Plesovice zircon together with its relatively high U and Pb contents make it an ideal calibration and reference material for laser ablation ICP-MS measurements, especially when using low laser energies and/or small diameters of laser beam required for improved spatial resolution.

We investigated the Neoproterozoic–early Paleozoic evolution of the Gondwanan margin of the north-central Andes by employing U-Pb zircon geochronology in the Eastern Cordilleras of Peru and Ecuador using a combination of laser-ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry detrital zircon analysis and dating of syn- and post-tectonic intrusive rocks by thermal ionization mass spectrometry and ion microprobe. The majority of detrital zircon samples exhibits prominent peaks in the ranges 0.45–0.65 Ga and 0.9–1.3 Ga, with minimal older detritus from the Amazonian craton. These data imply that the Famatinian-Pampean and Grenville (= Sunsas) orogenies were available to supply detritus to the Paleozoic sequences of the north-central Andes, and these orogenic belts are interpreted to be either buried underneath the present-day Andean chain or adjacent foreland sediments. There is evidence of a subduction-related magmatic belt (474–442 Ma) in the Eastern Cordillera of Peru and regional orogenic events that pre- and postdate this phase of magmatism. These are confirmed by ion-microprobe dating of zircon overgrowths from amphibolite-facies schists, which reveals metamorphic events at ca. 478 and ca. 312 Ma and refutes the previously assumed Neoproterozoic age for orogeny in the Peruvian Eastern Cordillera. The presence of an Ordovician magmatic and metamorphic belt in the north-central Andes demonstrates that Famatinian metamorphism and subduction-related magmatism were continuous from Patagonia through northern Argentina to Venezuela. The evolution of this extremely long Ordovician active margin on western Gondwana is very similar to the Taconic orogenic cycle of the eastern margin of Laurentia, and our findings support models that show these two active margins facing each other during the Ordovician.