Late Palaeoproterozoic mafic dyking in the Ukrainian Shield of Volgo-Sarmatia caused by rotation during the assembly of supercontinent Columbia (Nuna)

The Ukrainian Shield comprises the exposed crust of the large Palaeoproterozoic protocraton Volgo-Sarmatia, which together with the Fennoscandian crustal segment constitutes the East European Craton (“Baltica”). Geological and geophysical data indicate that 1.80 to 1.75 Ga mafic dykes related to anorthosite–mangerite–charnockite–granite (AMCG) plutons are widespread within the Ukrainian Shield. We examined their ages, distribution patterns, orientations and compositions in three different crustal blocks (Volyn, Ingul and Azov), and found close spatial relationships with major strike-slip fault systems developed during two phases of extension. The early, 1.80–1.77 Ga, generation of mafic dykes mostly follows NW (330 ± 20°) and more rarely N–S- or E–W-trending faults corresponding to major NE–SW extension (the Submoshorino phase). These dykes contain olivine dolerites, picrites, camptonites, lamprophyres, kimberlites and other rocks belonging to tholeiitic and subalkaline jotunitic series. The compositions of these dykes differ between the host blocks, but all feature upper mantle geochemical signatures such as high contents of Ni and Cr, and positive values of εNd(1800) up to + 2.8. High degrees of REE fractionation indicate deep levels of mantle melting, which is particularly characteristic of the Ingul block as marked by the most extensive and dense mafic dyke swarms. The later, 1.76–1.75 Ga, dyke swarms occur close to the most voluminous AMCG suites of similar age and were emplaced during the second (Korsun) phase of faulting when all the older strike-slip fault zones were reactivated and partly transformed to tensional faults by E–W extension. These dyke swarms mainly trend 030 ± 20°. They are jotunitic and their isotopic signatures indicate a greater participation of crustal sources in the parent melts. The overall transtensional tectonic setting of the mafic dyking associated with the AMCG magmatism in Volgo-Sarmatia was created by convergent tectonics and postcollisional collapse of the thickened lithosphere, as well as by mantle delamination coupled with the rotation of Volgo-Sarmatia between 1.80 and 1.75 Ga. This agrees with palaeomagnetic reconstruction suggesting rotation(s) of Volgo-Sarmatia during its protracted oblique docking with Fennoscandian terranes and Laurentia as supercontinent Columbia (Nuna) was assembled.

► Two stages of mafic dyking are related to 2 cycles of AMCG plutonic magmatism between 1.80 and 1.75 Ga.
► The mafic dykes were emplaced during two phases of transtension and rotation of Volgo-Sarmatia.
► The mafic dyking was caused by convergent tectonics and postcollisional upper lithosphere extension.
► Volgo-Sarmatia rotated against Fennoscandia during the assembly of supercontinent Columbia (Nuna).