Neoproterozoic oceanic crust remnants in northeast Brazil

Fabrício Caxito1,2, Alexandre Uhlein1, Ross Stevenson2, and Gabriel J. Uhlein1

1
Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
2
Geotop, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal H3C 3P8, Canada

ABSTRACT acted as a single coherent crustal entity since

The Borborema Province of northeast Brazil occupies a strategic position in the central Paleoproterozoic time as part of the Atlantica
portion of West Gondwana, linking three of its major cratonic constituents: the São Fran- supercontinent (Rogers, 1996; Neves, 2011).
cisco–Congo, Amazon, and West Africa cratons. The southern portion of the province, the This suggests that the Borborema Province
Riacho do Pontal fold belt, comprises an association of exhalative rocks with metabasalts and the central portion of West Gondwana
having transitional mid-oceanic ridge basalt geochemistry (Monte Orebe Complex) that evolved within a dynamic environment involv-
suggests the preservation of remnants of Neoproterozoic oceanic crust. This view is sup- ing the collision of multiple plates throughout
ported by geophysical data: the Riacho do Pontal fold belt corresponds to the inflexion of the Proterozoic rather than exclusively intra-
a paired positive-negative Bouguer anomaly similar to other Precambrian suture zones. continental reworking of older crust during
Sm-Nd isotope data for the metabasalts yield a whole-rock isochron age of 819 ± 120 Ma the Brasiliano orogeny, as proposed in current
with an initial εNd = +4.4, indicating derivation from a depleted mantle source. The onset models (e.g., Neves, 2011).
(t)
of subduction within the Borborema Province (ca. 630 Ma) caused the inversion of basins
and obduction of slices of oceanic crust. In this scenario, the Riacho do Pontal fold belt GEOLOGIC SETTING
represents a complete late Neoproterozoic plate tectonics cycle involving the collision of The Riacho do Pontal fold belt can be subdi-
the São Francisco craton (lower plate) with the Pernambuco-Alagoas block (upper plate). vided from south to north into three zones, the
This interpretation challenges current views that the Borborema Province has acted as a external, central, and internal, showing distinct
coherent block since Paleoproterozoic time (part of the Atlantica supercontinent), suggest- sedimentary, metamorphic, and structural fea-
ing instead a dynamic setting, where multiple plates interacted during the Proterozoic. The tures (Fig. 1). The entire fold belt is intruded by
Monte Orebe ophiolite provides a link with other Cryogenian oceanic crust occurrences in multiple generations of ca. 630–540 Ma syncol-
central Brazil and West Africa, indicating the preservation of a transcontinental Neopro- lisional to postcollisional granitic plutons (Rb-
terozoic suture zone in the heart of West Gondwana. Sr ages; Jardim de Sá et al., 1992). The ages of
sedimentation, volcanism, and metamorphism
INTRODUCTION zones and remnants of oceanic crust that will of the supracrustal sequences are still poorly
The recognition of ancient oceanic crustal help to reconstruct the geodynamic history of constrained in this area.
remnants and juvenile terranes is a key issue in West Gondwana. The internal zone is dominated by 1000–
paleocontinent reconstructions, because they of- Geological studies have identified what may 960 Ma rocks (Afeição Suite augen-gneisses
ten mark the sites of ancient plate boundaries and be Neoproterozoic ophiolite remnants within and porphyry granites), interpreted as part of a
suture zones. In this respect, the interpretation of the Brazilian shield (Fig. 1) in southeast Brazil Tonian magmatic arc (Cariris Velhos belt; Caxi-
allochthonous mafic and ultramafic complexes (Pedrosa-Soares et al., 1998; Tassinari et al., to et al., 2014). The overall geology and Neo-
within Precambrian orogenic areas as ophiolitic 2001) and central Brazil (Paixão et al., 2008). proterozoic age of the internal zone are similar
remnants has far-reaching implications for the By comparison, the geological evolution of to those to the north within the Borborema Prov-
understanding of past tectonics and crustal evo- northeast Brazil (Borborema Province; de Al- ince (Brito-Neves et al., 2000), but contrast with
lution in general (e.g., Furnes et al., 2013). meida et al., 1981) and its connection with West the geology of the São Francisco craton realm
Much of the debate involving the geodynam- Africa is still poorly understood. A better under- (external zone) in which Archean and Paleopro-
ic evolution of West Gondwana, for example, standing of the geodynamic history of this re- terozoic rocks are thrust by a south-verging Edi-
has revolved around the importance of crustal gion is crucial to constraining West Gondwana acaran schist nappe system (Fig. 1). Thus, the
accretion versus crustal reworking processes amalgamation because the Borborema Province central zone, forming a 100 km × 20 km east-
(e.g., Pimentel and Fuck, 1992; Neves, 2011). links three of the most important constituents in west–trending synformal structure and charac-
The geological processes involved in the amal- the central portion of this paleocontinent: the terized by the metavolcanosedimentary Monte
gamation of this paleocontinent during the São Francisco–Congo, Amazon, and West Af- Orebe Complex, separates two crustal blocks of
Neoproterozoic are particularly important be- rica cratons (Fig. 1). distinct radiometric age and composition.
cause they coincide with key events in Earth’s We present new geochemical and isotopic The Riacho do Pontal fold belt is character-
evolution, such as extreme climatic variations, evidence for the presence of slices of obducted ized by a major linear Bouguer anomaly (Fig. 1)
major changes in the geochemistry of the hy- oceanic crust within the Riacho do Pontal fold with a gravimetric low (down to ~−75 mGal) on
drosphere and atmosphere, global-scale orog- belt in the southernmost Borborema Province the external zone side and a high on the inter-
enies, and ultimately the explosive diversifica- (Fig. 1). This evidence is supported by gravi- nal zone side, with a mean 50 mGal peak-to-
tion of complex life (Gaucher et al., 2009). The metric data (Oliveira, 1998) suggesting that peak gap (Oliveira, 1998). This gravity profile
tectonic arrangement of the paleocontinents the fold belt corresponds to an ancient suture is typical of Precambrian suture zones, where
and how it has affected and interplayed with zone between two crustal blocks of distinct two crustal blocks of different density are sepa-
major biological, geochemical, and climate densities and compositions. In addition to its rated by a zone of crustal thickening (Gibb and
changes is central to the understanding of Neo- significance for the global ophiolite archive, Thomas, 1976). The inflection zone from the
proterozoic Earth systems. In this context, the and particularly for the Precambrian ophiol- lower to upper Bouguer levels commonly repre-
Ediacaran (ca. 630–542 Ma) fold belts that ite record, the recognition of Neoproterozoic sents the site of an ancient suture zone in which
form the so-called Brasiliano–Pan-African oceanic crust remnants in northeast Brazil remnants of oceanic crust may be found, in this
branching system of orogens (Fig. 1) are key rules out current interpretations that the ma- case coinciding with the southern limit of the
areas to search for evidence of ancient suture jor cratonic blocks of West Gondwana have central zone (Fig. 1).

GEOLOGY, May 2014; v. 42; no. 5; p. 387–390; Data Repository item 2014160 | doi:10.1130/G35479.1 | Published online 31 March 2014
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America. For permission to copy, contact Copyright Permissions, GSA, or editing@geosociety.org. 387
 A however, a minor tendency of some samples to-
Map key A Pernambuco ward the arc array (Fig. 2B), as also suggested
8º S Shear
Phanerozoic cover
N Paulistana Zone by the overall low Ti/V ratios of 17–25 (Sher-
A SI
B
Brasiliano granitoids (630-550 Ma) vais, 1982). The chondrite-normalized rare earth
BA
N AÍ São João element patterns are relatively flat and remark-
Neoproterozoic
R supracrustals
PA do Piauí ably homogeneous (LaN/YbN = 1.1–1.7; Eu/Eu*
Monte Orebe Complex (ca. 820 Ma)
= 0.9–1.1), very similar to transitional MORB
Afeição Suite (1000-960 Ma) patterns (Sun and McDonough, 1989). Patterns
Afrânio
Archean / Paleoproterozoic
São Francisco Craton basement
PI in MORB-normalized incompatible element
Borborema Province basement PE spidergrams (Fig. 2C) are also similar to those
Interst
Strike-slip
a te
Bo of continental margin ophiolites, showing de-
Thrust BA rd
Shear Zone PI er scending Ba-Nb and flat Zr-V segments. Nega-
Trace of A-A’
section
City 9º S er
tive Nb-Ta and Pb anomalies, typical of supra-

e
BA

iv
Zo
Casa subduction zone ophiolites, are not well defined.

ncisco R
Nova
São Raimundo An Sm-Nd whole-rock isochron of four me-

ar
WA PE tabasalt samples yields an age of 819 ± 120 Ma,

ra
Sh
F
A 1 Major cratons ão BA
A’ interpreted as the age of the basalt protholiths,

S
SOBRADINHO
SF
7 DAM
with initial εNd = +4.4 (Fig. 3). Despite the large
So

uth 2 Petrolina (t)

Neoproterozoic
4 C 6 Orogens Sobradinho uncertainty due to the homogeneous 147Sm/144Nd
Am

ho
P3 (Brasiliano /
5 values of the sample set (Table DR2 in the Data
din
eri

Pan-African) SÃO FRANCISCO

bra
ca

Africa
So CRATON Repository), this age constrains extrusion and
Neoproterozoic juvenile crust
(1, 3, 4, 5, 6 = ophiolites;
0 50 km emplacement of the allochthonous mafic-ul-
2 and 7 = arc sequences)
41º W 40º5’ W tramafic slices to the Cryogenian, as metamor-
-15 phism is dated to ca. 600–550 Ma in the Riacho
do Pontal fold belt (Jardim de Sá et al., 1992).
B
mGal

-45 Bou Three samples show 147Sm/144Nd values above

guer
Anom
aly P
the chondritic value of 0.1967 (positive frac-
rofile tionation factor, fSm/Nd, values). This is typical of
-75
present-day basalts generated in oceanic areas.
Internal Zone Central Zone
External Zone
(thrust-and-fold belt)
The geochemical and isotopic features of the
Monte Orebe Complex metabasalts suggest a
CO Strike-slip HO
A (NW) BU NE Thrust IN NE depleted mantle source. A minor sample subset
AM ZO a Shear zone AD ZO
nio

n BR AR
N R ta
R A li s shows restricted influence of a metasomatized
Afrâ

PE HE u PI PE SO HE A’ (SE)
PE BA
S Pa S
mantle source (low Nb/Yb), such as in a mantle
wedge above a subduction zone. However, the
age of 820 Ma is significantly older than ca. 640–
0 10 25 50 km
610 Ma Ediacaran arc activity within the Bor-
borema Province (Van Schmus et al., 2011). One
Figure 1. A: Schematic geological map, Bouguer anomaly profile, and transect of Riacho do possibility is that the Monte Orebe metabasalts
Pontal fold belt, Brazil. States of northeast Brazil: PE—Pernambuco, BA—Bahia, PI—Piauí. were extruded in an environment not related to
Inset in lower left shows major cratons and orogenic areas involved in amalgamation of West subduction, but partially inherited the geochemi-
Gondwana (South America and Africa) during Neoproterozoic Brasiliano–Pan-African orog-
eny. Stars represent possible Neoproterozoic ophiolite remnants (1—Quatipuru, 3—Pira- cal characteristics of a mantle wedge that was
pora, 4—Ribeirão da Folha, 5—Matchless, 6—Marich) and juvenile magmatic arcs (2—Goiás, previously contaminated by subduction-derived
7—Mayo Kebbi) that may mark sites of ancient suture zones surrounding São Francisco– fluids. This may have occurred during the Tonian
Congo (SFC) craton (A—Amazon craton, WA—West Africa craton). See text for data sources. Cariris Velhos orogeny, which generated the Af-
eição magmatic arc to the north (1000–960 Ma;
Caxito et al., 2014). In this respect, the Monte
MONTE OREBE COMPLEX: OCEANIC Geochemical data (Table DR1 in the GSA Orebe ophiolite is better classified as a remnant
CRUST REMNANTS Data Repository1; see also Moraes, 1992) sug- of a continental margin–type ophiolite (Fig. 4A).
The Monte Orebe Complex is composed gest a tholeiitic affiliation for the basic metavol- This type of ophiolite forms during the early
mainly of basic metavolcanics (actinolite-ande- canics. Samples cluster around the mid-oceanic stages of ocean basin evolution and consists of
sine bright green schists with a fine- to medi- ridge basalt (MORB) field in the classic Pearce exhumed subcontinental mantle directly overlain
um-grained nematoblastic texture), interleaved and Cann (1973) diagrams (not shown). The by basaltic lavas (Dilek and Furnes, 2011). The
within deep-sea pelagic metasedimentary rocks, low variability of TiO2 and MgO contents is stratigraphic characteristics of the Monte Orebe
mainly metachert (locally iron rich) and garnet- reminiscent of ophiolites not related to subduc- Complex, such as the scarcity of mafic plutonic
mica schist; metaultramafic lenses (talc and tion; samples cluster in the typical continental rocks and the absence of a sheeted dike complex,
serpentine schists) as much as tens of meters margin–type ophiolite field (Dilek and Furnes, are consistent with this model. The metachert
thick occur, as well as minor coarse amphibolite 2011) in a bivariant diagram (Fig. 2A). In the layers that occur in close spatial association with
lenses. Locally, millimetric vesicular structures Th/Yb/Nb diagram of Pearce (2008), most the basic metavolcanics might represent potential
can be seen in otherwise massive metabasalts. samples plot within the MORB array. There is, seafloor hydrothermal alteration and/or precipita-

1
GSA Data Repository item 2014160, materials and methods, and Tables DR1 and DR2, is available online at www.geosociety.org/pubs/ft2014.htm, or on request
from editing@geosociety.org or Documents Secretary, GSA, P.O. Box 9140, Boulder, CO 80301, USA.

388 www.gsapubs.org | May 2014 | GEOLOGY

 10 Continental The recognition of Neoproterozoic juvenile
continental margin ay
3 Crust arr
(CM) ophiolites ted RB crust within the southern Borborema Province
a
TiO2(%) 1 y rel MO OIB
ties in with other sparse occurrences border-
rra tion- tes

Th/Yb
2 a c li
arc bdu hio E-MORB ing the São Francisco craton, especially in
1 0.1 su op
the Tocantins Province farther west, where a
0
A 0.01
B N-MORB
Cryogenian ophiolitic complex (Quatipuru
0 5 10 15 20 0.1 1 10 100 ophiolite; Paixão et al., 2008) and a Neopro-
MgO (%) Nb/Yb terozoic juvenile magmatic arc (Goiás arc; Pi-
100
mentel and Fuck, 1992) have been documented,
Mean CM ophiolites
and in the central African counterparts, where
Sample / MORB

a Cryogenian juvenile arc sequence (Mayo

10 Kebbi terrane; Penaye et al., 2006) and ophio-
lite (Marich ophiolite; Ries et al., 1992) have
been described (Fig. 1). The strategic location
1 of the Monte Orebe ophiolite between the cen-
tral South American and central African occur-
C rences (Fig. 1) suggests the continuation of this
0.1 juvenile crust belt around the cratonic margin,
Rb Th Ta K Ce Pr P Zr Sm Gd Tb Y Er Yb V Co Ni
Ba U Nb La Pb Sr Nd Hf Eu Ti Dy Ho Tm Lu Sc Cr possibly marking a transcontinental suture zone
in the heart of West Gondwana. Farther south,
Figure 2. Chemical plots of Monte Orebe metabasalts. A: TiO2-MgO. B: Th/Yb-Nb/Yb
plot of Pearce (2008). OIB—ocean island basalt; MORB—mid-oceanic-ridge basalt
the presence of Neoproterozoic juvenile crustal
(E—enriched; N—normal). Patterns for typical continental margin ophiolites in A and fragments bordering all sides of the São Francis-
C are from Dilek and Furnes (2011). C: Incompatible element spidergrams normal- co–Congo paleocontinent (Ribeirão da Folha,
ized to MORB values from Dilek and Furnes (2011). Pirapora, and Matchless ophiolites in Fig. 1; Pe-
drosa-Soares et al., 1998; Tassinari et al., 2001;
Furnes et al., 2013) suggests that it drifted as an
data-point error ellipses are 2σ
isolated lithospheric plate during the dispersion
0.51294
of Rodinia’s fragments and the final amalga-
mation of West Gondwana. This hypothesis is
also supported by available paleomagnetic data
0.51290 (Tohver et al., 2006). Thus, The São Francisco–
Figure 3. Sm-Nd isochron Congo craton was not linked to the West African
of Monte Orebe metaba- craton through the Borborema Province until at
Nd/144Nd

0.51286 salt samples. White ellipse
(sample 73) was not used
in regression (outlier);
using all samples, iso-
143
least Ediacaran time, during the early stages of
West Gondwana amalgamation.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

0.51282 chron age is 792 ± 120 Ma Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de

with higher MSWD (mean Minas Gerais and Vale S.A. (Brazil) supported this
square of weighted devi- work through grant CRA-RDP-00120-10. An earlier
Age = 819 ± 120 Ma ates) of 2.2. version of the manuscript was greatly improved by
0.51278
Initial 143Nd/144Nd = 0.51180 ± 0.00015
(εNd(t) = +4.4)
comments and suggestions of B. Murphy, Y. Dilek,
MSWD = 0.55; Probability of fit = 0.58 and an anonymous reviewer.

0.51274 REFERENCES CITED

0.178 0.182
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resent ancient dikes and gabbroic bodies.
CONCLUSIONS
The data presented here suggest that metaba-
salts of the Riacho do Pontal fold belt represent
preserved oceanic crust that formed between the
São Francisco and Borborema blocks (specifi-
cally the Pernambuco-Alagoas block of south-
central Borborema; Brito-Neves et al., 2000)
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Manuscript received 16 January 2014
Revised manuscript received 27 February 2014
Manuscript accepted 5 March 2014
Printed in USA

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