Detrital zircon U–Pb ages of the Palaeozoic Natal Group and Msikaba Formation, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: provenance areas in context of Gondwana
Abstract The Natal Group and Msikaba Formation remain relatively poorly understood with regards to their provenance and relative age of deposition; a much-needed geochronological study of the detrital zircons from these two units was therefore undertaken. Five samples of the Durban and Mariannhill F...
Published in: | Geological Magazine |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2015
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0016756815000370 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0016756815000370 |
id |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0016756815000370 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0016756815000370 2024-09-15T17:48:38+00:00 Detrital zircon U–Pb ages of the Palaeozoic Natal Group and Msikaba Formation, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: provenance areas in context of Gondwana VORSTER, CLARISA KRAMERS, JAN BEUKES, NIC VAN NIEKERK, HERMAN 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0016756815000370 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0016756815000370 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Geological Magazine volume 153, issue 3, page 460-486 ISSN 0016-7568 1469-5081 journal-article 2015 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0016756815000370 2024-08-28T04:03:41Z Abstract The Natal Group and Msikaba Formation remain relatively poorly understood with regards to their provenance and relative age of deposition; a much-needed geochronological study of the detrital zircons from these two units was therefore undertaken. Five samples of the Durban and Mariannhill Formations (Natal Group) and the Msikaba Formation (Cape Supergroup) were obtained. A total of 882 concordant U–Pb ages of detrital zircon populations from these units were determined by means of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Major Neoproterozoic and secondary Mesoproterozoic detrital zircon age populations are present in the detrital zircon content of all the samples. Smaller contributions from Archean-, Palaeoproterozoic-, Cambrian- and Ordovician-aged grains are also present. Due to the presence of a prominent major population of 800–1000 Ma zircons in all the samples, late Stenian – Tonian ancient volcanic arc complexes overprinted by Pan-African metamorphism of Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia, along with areas of similar age within Antarctica, India and Sri Lanka, are suggested as major sources of detritus. The Namaqua–Natal Metamorphic Complex is suggested as a possible source of minor late Mesoproterozoic-aged detritus. Minor populations of Archean and Palaeoproterozoic zircons were likely sourced from the Kaapvaal and Grunehogna Cratons. Post-orogenic Cambrian – Lower Ordovician granitoids of the Mozambique Belt (Mozambique) and the Maud Belt (Antarctica) made lesser contributions. In view of the apparent broad similarity of source areas for the Natal Group and Msikaba Formation, their sedimentation occurred in parts of the same large and evolving basin rather than localized in small continental basins, and the current exposures merely represent small erosional relicts. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Cambridge University Press Geological Magazine 153 3 460 486 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract The Natal Group and Msikaba Formation remain relatively poorly understood with regards to their provenance and relative age of deposition; a much-needed geochronological study of the detrital zircons from these two units was therefore undertaken. Five samples of the Durban and Mariannhill Formations (Natal Group) and the Msikaba Formation (Cape Supergroup) were obtained. A total of 882 concordant U–Pb ages of detrital zircon populations from these units were determined by means of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Major Neoproterozoic and secondary Mesoproterozoic detrital zircon age populations are present in the detrital zircon content of all the samples. Smaller contributions from Archean-, Palaeoproterozoic-, Cambrian- and Ordovician-aged grains are also present. Due to the presence of a prominent major population of 800–1000 Ma zircons in all the samples, late Stenian – Tonian ancient volcanic arc complexes overprinted by Pan-African metamorphism of Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia, along with areas of similar age within Antarctica, India and Sri Lanka, are suggested as major sources of detritus. The Namaqua–Natal Metamorphic Complex is suggested as a possible source of minor late Mesoproterozoic-aged detritus. Minor populations of Archean and Palaeoproterozoic zircons were likely sourced from the Kaapvaal and Grunehogna Cratons. Post-orogenic Cambrian – Lower Ordovician granitoids of the Mozambique Belt (Mozambique) and the Maud Belt (Antarctica) made lesser contributions. In view of the apparent broad similarity of source areas for the Natal Group and Msikaba Formation, their sedimentation occurred in parts of the same large and evolving basin rather than localized in small continental basins, and the current exposures merely represent small erosional relicts. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
VORSTER, CLARISA KRAMERS, JAN BEUKES, NIC VAN NIEKERK, HERMAN |
spellingShingle |
VORSTER, CLARISA KRAMERS, JAN BEUKES, NIC VAN NIEKERK, HERMAN Detrital zircon U–Pb ages of the Palaeozoic Natal Group and Msikaba Formation, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: provenance areas in context of Gondwana |
author_facet |
VORSTER, CLARISA KRAMERS, JAN BEUKES, NIC VAN NIEKERK, HERMAN |
author_sort |
VORSTER, CLARISA |
title |
Detrital zircon U–Pb ages of the Palaeozoic Natal Group and Msikaba Formation, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: provenance areas in context of Gondwana |
title_short |
Detrital zircon U–Pb ages of the Palaeozoic Natal Group and Msikaba Formation, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: provenance areas in context of Gondwana |
title_full |
Detrital zircon U–Pb ages of the Palaeozoic Natal Group and Msikaba Formation, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: provenance areas in context of Gondwana |
title_fullStr |
Detrital zircon U–Pb ages of the Palaeozoic Natal Group and Msikaba Formation, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: provenance areas in context of Gondwana |
title_full_unstemmed |
Detrital zircon U–Pb ages of the Palaeozoic Natal Group and Msikaba Formation, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: provenance areas in context of Gondwana |
title_sort |
detrital zircon u–pb ages of the palaeozoic natal group and msikaba formation, kwazulu-natal, south africa: provenance areas in context of gondwana |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0016756815000370 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0016756815000370 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica |
op_source |
Geological Magazine volume 153, issue 3, page 460-486 ISSN 0016-7568 1469-5081 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0016756815000370 |
container_title |
Geological Magazine |
container_volume |
153 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
460 |
op_container_end_page |
486 |
_version_ |
1810290082822750208 |