. U-Pb detrital zircon ages from the Beiras Group: Implications for the Neoproterozoic evolution of the SW Iberia

Abstract

U-Pb detrital zircon ages from the Beiras Group greywackes (SW Central Iberian Zone - CIZ) indicate a maximum depositional age of late Ediacaran (c. 560-578 Ma). Two salient features distinguish the Beiras Group from the Série Negra greywackes (age equivalent from the Ossa-Morena Zone - OMZ): i) The presence of Tonian and Mesoproterozoic (<8%) age clusters in the Beiras Group greywackes, that are almost absent in the OMZ, imply either a distinct or an additional source of detrital zircons from the West African Craton; and 2) The higher content of Cryogenian zircon ages of the Beiras Group greywackes (mainly at c. 840-750 Ma and c. 685-660 Ma), that contrast with the dominant Ediacaran zircon ages of the Série Negra greywackes (OMZ). The Cryogenian zircon forming events that are dominant in the SW CIZ basins are probably related to a different source with early Cadomian juvenile crust (c. 700-635 Ma) and with a possible contribution of the Pan-African suture (c. 850-700 Ma). The Nd isotopic signatures support the addition of a juvenile source to pre-existent older crust for the Beiras Group metasediments. Although the Beiras Group (SW CIZ) and Serie Negra (OMZ) late Ediacaran basins have evolved together in the active margin of Gondwana, they were sufficiently separated to account for the differences in their detrital zircon content and isotopic signatures.