Unravelling a Proterozoic basin history through detrital zircon geochronology: The case of the Espinhaço Supergroup, Minas Gerais, Brazil

New U–Pb in situ zircon dating provides a new approach for the study of the Espinhaço Supergroup units exposed in the São Francisco Craton and Araçuaí Orogen. Located in Southern Espinhaço, Minas Gerais, the following two basins were formed in intraplate conditions: (i) the Lower Espinhaço Basin is marked by a volcano-sedimentary sequence with alluvial, fluvial and eolian deposits that were formed from 1.68 Ga to 1.80 Ga; (ii) the overlying sequence, called the Upper Espinhaço Basin, is a rift-sag basin that presents basal diamond-bearing continental deposits (the Sopa–Brumadinho Formation) with a younger zircon peak at 1192 Ma, which is the maximum age for deposition of the upper units. The obtained U–Pb detrital zircon data of the studied units show age groupings related to the orogenic cycles of Jequié (Neoarchean) and Transamazonian (Paleoproterozoic), which are associated with the stability period from 1.8 Ga to 0.91 Ga in the São Franscico Craton, and record deposition during at least the three basinal cycles. The Stenian–Tonian ages of the Upper Espinhaço Basin units (906 Ma to 1192 Ma) suggest a direct link with the evolution of the Rodinia Supercontinent and represent a marker for Mesoproterozoic to Early Neoproterozoic evolution in the São Franscico Craton and adjacent areas.

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► First detection of detrital zircons with Stenian age (1.2–1.0 Ga) in the Espinhaço SG units.
► Implications for the tectonic and kinematic models of the S. Francisco-Congo Paleocraton.
► Regional correlation for diamond-bearing sequences in cratons of South America.