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Journal of the Geological Society; 2005; v. 162; issue.1; p. 65-71;
DOI: 10.1144/0016-764904-003
© 2005 Geological Society of London

Original Article

Neoproterozoic palaeogeography of the Cadomia and Avalon terranes: constraints from detrital zircon U–Pb ages

Scott D. Samson1, Richard S. D'Lemos2,3, Brent V. Miller1,4 & Michael A. Hamilton5,6

1 1Department of Earth Sciences, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-1070, USA (e-mail: sdsamson@syr.edu)
2 2Crustal Dynamics Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
3 3Present address: Deers Cottage, Aston View, Somerton, Bicester OX25 6NP, UK
4 4Present address: Department of Geology and Geophysics, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
5 5Geological Survey of Canada, 601 Booth Street, Ottawa, ON K1A 0E8, Canada
6 6Present address: Department of Geology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B1, Canada

Detrital zircons from three Neoproterozoic sandstone units from the Cadomia terrane of northern France and the Channel Islands yield ages in three broad groups: late Neoproterozoic (650–600 Ma), early Palaeoproterozoic (2.4–2.0 Ga) and Archaean (>2.5 Ga). The lack of Mesoproterozoic zircon crystals, combined with the high abundance of grains between 2.20 and 2.00 Ga, corresponds closely to the ages of exposed rocks in the West Africa Craton, and thus it is suggested that Cadomia was in close proximity to West Africa by c. 580 Ma. In contrast, the main age groups of detrital zircon from the Neoproterozoic Avalon terrane are Mesoproterozoic and there is a distinct gap of ages between 2.40 and 2.05 Ga. These significant differences suggest that the two terranes were in different locations relative to major Gondwanan cratons in latest Neoproterozoic time.


Keywords: Cadomian Orogeny, U–Pb, detrital zircon, palaeogeography.




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