Geochemistry of Vendian (?) Metasedimentary Rocks of the Byrka Series of the Argun Superterrane.

This paper presents first geochemical and Sm-Nd isotope-geochemical data on conditionally Vendian metasedimentary rocks of the Byrka Series of the Argun superterrane. Analysis of chemical composition of rocks made it possible to establish that sources of detrital material were both felsic and mafic rocks. This conclusion is consistent with the presence of felsic and mafic metavolcanic intercalations in sequences. The isotope-geochemical studies of metasedimentary rocks of the Byrka Series indicate that their source areas contained rocks with Paleoproterozoic Nd model age. The main sources of clastic material for metasedimentary rocks of the Byrka Series were likely Precambrian magmatic and metamorphic complexes located at the Argun superterrane, within Eastern Transbaikalia, and at the adjacent territory of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]