Time constraints on magmatism along the Major Gercino Shear Zone, southern Brazil: Implications for West Gondwana reconstruction

The Dom Feliciano Belt, situated in southernmost Brazil and Uruguay, contains a large mass of granite–gneissic rocks (also known as Florianópolis/Pelotas Batholith) formed during the pre-, syn- and post-orogenic phases of the Brasiliano/Pan-African cycle. In the NE extreme of this granitic mass, pre-, syn- and post-tectonic granites associated with the Major Gercino Shear Zone (MGSZ) are exposed. The granitic manifestation along the MGSZ can be divided into pre-kinematic tonalitic gneisses, peraluminous high-K calc-alkaline early kinematic shoshonitic, and metaluminous post-kinematic granites. U–Pb zircon data suggest an age of 649 ± 10 Ma for the pre-tectonic gneisses, and a time span from 623 ± 6 Ma to 588 ± 3 Ma for the early to post-tectonic magmatism. Negative εHf (t) values ranging from − 4.6 to − 14.6 and Hf model ages ranging from 1.64 to 2.39 Ga for magmatic zircons coupled with whole rock Nd model ages ranging from 1.24 to 2.05 Ga and εNd (t) values ranging from − 3.84 to − 7.50, point to a crustal derivation for the granitic magmatism. The geochemical and isotope data support a continental magmatic arc generated from melting of dominant Paleoproterozoic crust, and a similar evolution for the granitic batholiths of the eastern Dom Feliciano Belt and western Kaoko Belt.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► In this study we determined the age of magmatism of the Dom Feliciano Belt. ► Continetal arc magmatism was derived from older crust formed from 650 Ma to 587 Ma. ► We suggested similar evolution for batholiths of the Kaoko and Dom Feliciano belts. ► An integrated tectonic model for the SW Gondwana is presented.