Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246

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Journal of South American Earth Sciences

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jsames

Crustal growth of the central-eastern Paleoproterozoic domain, SW Amazonian

craton: Juvenile accretion vs. reworking
Moacir José Buenano Macambira a,*, Marcelo Lacerda Vasquez b, Daniela Cristina Costa da Silva c,
Marco Antonio Galarza a, Carlos Eduardo de Mesquita Barros d, Julielson de Freitas Camelo e
a
Laboratório de Geologia Isotópica – Para-Iso, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Pará, Caixa Postal 8608, 66075-110 Belem, PA, Brazil
b
Companhia de Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais, Av. Dr. Freitas, 3645, 66095-110 Belém, PA, Brazil
c
Programa de Pós-graduação em Geologia e Geoquímica, Universidade Federal do Pará, Caixa Postal 8608, 66075-110 Belém, PA, Brazil
d
Universidade Federal do Paraná, Departamento de Geologia, Centro Politécnico, Caixa Postal 19001, 81531-990 Curitiba, PR, Brazil
e
Mineração Rio do Norte S.A., Porto Trombetas, PA, Brazil

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The Trans-Amazonian cycle was an important rock-forming event in South America, generating volumi-
Received 2 August 2007 nous juvenile and reworked fractions of continental crust. The Bacajá domain, in the southern sector of
Accepted 6 February 2009 the Maroni-Itacaiúnas Province in the Amazonian craton, is an example of the Trans-Amazonian terranes
adjacent to the Archean Carajás block. Zircon Pb-evaporation and whole-rock Sm–Nd analyses were car-
ried out on representative samples of six lithological units, and allowed the proposal of a comprehensive
Keywords: tectonic-magmatic evolutionary sequence for the central and eastern parts of this domain, from the Neo-
Trans-Amazonian cycle
archean to the Rhyacian. Gneisses with ages of ca. 2.67 and 2.44 Ga are the oldest rocks recorded in the
Zircon
Nd isotopes
region, and probably represent remnants of island and continental arcs. The Três Palmeiras succession,
Amazonian craton emplaced between 2.36 and 2.34 Ga, hosts gold deposits and represents the first record of Siderian supra-
Paleoproterozoic crustal rocks in the Amazonian craton. It was probably part of an island arc/ocean floor accreted to a cra-
ton margin. Rhyacian granitogenesis lasted for ca. 140 My (2.22–2.08 Ga), marking different stages of the
Trans-Amazonian cycle. The first stage is represented by continental arc granitoids formed by melting of
Archean crust at 2.22–2.18 Ga. The second is characterized by the production of juvenile material
between 2.16 and 2.13 Ga. The third and final stage at ca. 2.08 Ga is represented by a large volume of
granitoids originated from either juvenile material or reworked crust during compressive stresses. Nd
isotopes reveal that juvenile rocks dominated in the northern part of the domain, whereas those formed
from reworked crust predominate in the south. The present-day configuration of the Bacajá domain
results from collision against the Archean Carajás block at the end of the Trans-Amazonian cycle.
Ó 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction nari and Macambira, 1999). The boundaries between these

The geotectonic model of evolution suggesting that the Amazo-
nian craton (Guiana and Central Brazil shields) represents a collage
of Proterozoic belts or geochronological provinces surrounding Ar-
chean nuclei was first presented in the seventies (e.g. Amaral,
1974; Cordani et al., 1979). Presently, this model is considered to
be the most appropriate to explain the main general features of
the craton, and has been updated by several authors (Lima, 1984;
Teixeira et al., 1989; Tassinari and Macambira, 1999, 2004; Tassi-
nari et al., 2000; Dall’Agnol et al., 2000; Santos et al., 2000,
2006). The division of the craton into provinces (Fig. 1) mainly
takes into account the geochronology of the regional basement,
as well as general geological and geophysical features (e.g. Tassi-
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +55 91 3201 7483; fax: +55 91 3246 2323.
E-mail address: moamac@ufpa.br (M.J.B. Macambira).
geochronological provinces are key areas for understanding the
growth of the craton and of the provinces themselves, which
have their own geochronological, tectonic and lithological
characteristics.
The Trans-Amazonian cycle was an important rock-forming
event in the South American Platform (e.g. Cordani and Sato,
1999). The southern part of Maroni-Itacaiúnas Province, which is
the Bacajá domain, is a special example of the Trans-Amazonian
terranes since it makes contact with the Archean Carajás block
(Fig. 1), included in the Central Amazonian Province (e.g. Tassinari
and Macambira, 2004). Mapping projects carried out by CPRM re-
sulted in conflicting proposals for the location of the boundary be-
tween the Archean and Paleoproterozoic domains (e.g. Santos,
2003; Faraco et al., 2005; Santos et al., 2006). Apart from this ques-
tion, it is also important to take into account the internal structure,
composition and evolution of the provinces themselves.

0895-9811/$ - see front matter Ó 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2009.02.001
236 M.J.B. Macambira et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246

60º W 50º W
60º W
Amazonian craton
Venezuela Guyana
Suriname
Colombia French Guiana
Guia
na sh
i ield
Atlantic
Guiana Shield Ocean 0º
Ecuador
Amazon
Basin

ield
Peru il sh
Braz
tralBrazil Shiel
Central
Cen
Brazil

g Pacífic
Ocean
Bolivia
500 km

b
(Iricoumé) 0º
Atlantic
Ocean
Amazon
Solimões Basin
Basin c
b
(Xingu)
a
10º S

a - Carajás block

b - Xingu-Iricoumé block

c - Bacajá domain

500 km

Geochronological Provinces

Neoproterozoic belt
Sunsás (1.25-1.0 Ga) Ventuari-Tapajós (1.95-1.8 Ga)
Rondoniano-San Ignacio (1.5-1.3 Ga) Maroni-Itacaiúnas (2.2-1.95 Ga)
Figure 2
Rio Negro-Juruena (1.8-1.55 Ga) Central Amazonian (> 2.5 Ga)

Fig. 1. Sketch map showing the geochronological provinces of the Amazonian craton (based on Tassinari and Macambira (2004)) and the location of the study area.

This work presents new isotope data (Pb-evaporation on zircon
and whole-rock Sm–Nd) for rocks cropping out in the central and
eastern parts of the Bacajá domain, Pará state, in order to better
characterize the age and origin of these rocks. Additionally, we
hope to clarify the formation and evolution of the southernmost
part of the Maroni-Itacaiúnas Province and its nature, whether
by juvenile accretion, or by reworking of the rocks involved in
the Trans-Amazonian cycle.
2. Regional geological setting
According to recent studies (e.g. Tassinari et al., 2000; Tassinari
and Macambira, 2004; Santos et al., 2000, 2006), Archean terranes
constitute the southeasternmost part of the Amazonian craton
(Central Amazonian Province), and are surrounded by Proterozoic
provinces, which become progressively younger southwestwards
(Fig. 1). Tassinari and Macambira (2004) defined the Central Ama-
zonian Province as the oldest continental crust of the craton, which
was not affected by the Trans-Amazonian cycle. Following Tassi-
nari and Macambira (1999), Dall’Agnol et al. (1999a), and Tassinari
et al. (2000), Tassinari and Macambira (2004) divided the province
into two segments: the Carajás and the Xingu-Iricoumé blocks
(Fig. 1). The first comprises a 3.00–2.85 Ga granite-greenstone
basement covered, in its northern part, by a ca. 2.76 Ga volcano-
sedimentary sequence hosting the most important mineral depos-
its (Cu, Fe, Au, Mn etc.) of the craton. All the Archean rocks of the
Carajás block have TDM(Nd) ages between 3.2 and 2.86 Ga. The Xin-
gu-Iricoumé block is a NW–SE segment located in the central part
of the craton, and is partially covered by Phanerozoic sedimentary
rocks of the Amazon basin. It represents the least studied part of
the Amazonian craton. Paleoproterozoic granitoids and volcanic
rocks, which dominate in this block, are largely covered by sedi-
mentary sequences. Geochronological data for the regional base-
ment are not available, but it has been considered to be of pre-
‘‘Trans-Amazonian” age (>2.5 Ga) (Tassinari and Macambira,
2004). The Archaean age for the rarely exposed metamorphic base-
ment is based on a few TDM(Nd) ages of the Paleoproterozoic grani-
toids and volcanic rocks, which were probably formed by melting
of the basement.
The Maroni-Itacaiúnas Province (2.2–1.95 Ga) borders the
northeastern and northern parts of the Central Amazonian
 M.J.B. Macambira et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246
Province. It was formed during the Trans-Amazonian orogenic cy-
cle, but several Archean inliers are recognized within the Paleopro-
terozoic rocks. The province is characterized by widespread
exposures of greenschist to amphibolite facies metavolcanic and
metasedimentary units, as well as by granulitic and gneissic-mig-
matitic terranes.
Apart from the two provinces described above, Tassinari and
Macambira (2004) revised some province boundaries, while main-
taining others proposed in previous works (Fig. 1), which are: Ven-
tuari-Tapajós (1.95–1.8 Ga), Rio Negro-Juruena (1.8–1.55 Ga),
Rondonian-San Ignacio (1.55–1.3 Ga) and Sunsas (1.3–1.0 Ga). San-
tos et al. (2000) suggested other names and limits for the geochro-
nological provinces of the Amazonian craton, which were also
updated in recent publications (e.g. Santos et al., 2006).
The Maroni-Itacaiúnas Province can be divided into several do-
mains according to their geological features and geographical dis-
tribution. The Bacajá domain (Fig. 2) borders the northern part of
the Carajás block (Central Amazonian Province). Its northern part
is covered by rocks of the Amazon basin, and its eastern part by
the Grajaú basin and the Neoproterozoic Araguaia belt. The domain
extends westwards parallel to the southern margin of the Amazon
basin, and is covered here by the Paleoproterozoic volcanic rocks of
the Central Amazonian Province. The Bacajá domain is compara-
tively less well studied than the Carajás block. Its central-eastern
part, the object of this work, is composed of deformed granitoids,
granulites, gneisses and the Três Palmeiras and São Manoel green-
stone belts which are discussed below.
3. Geology of the central-eastern part of Bacajá domain
Few studies have been carried out in the eastern Bacajá domain.
The RADAM project (Silva et al., 1974; Issler et al., 1974) produced
the first geological map of the region when, based only on K–Ar
and Rb–Sr data, it was speculated that the Trans-Amazonian cycle
had affected older rock units. Later on, Jorge João et al. (1987) and
Santos et al. (1988) studied the northwestern part of this region.
Their investigation recognized several lithostratigraphic units such
as: the Bacajaí Granulite, the Três Palmeiras Metamorphic Suite
(greenstone belt), the Anapu Granodiorite, the Oca Granodiorite,
and the João Jorge Granite. The second study cited presented Rb–
Sr data, and suggested that the domain was formed by Paleoprote-
rozoic reworking of gneisses, as well as juvenile additions
represented by the mafic metavolcanic rocks of the Iriri-Xingu
region.
Some local studies were carried out on the central and the wes-
tern parts of the Bacajá domain (Fig. 2). In the central part in the
Manelão gold mine, Souza et al. (2003) and Souza and Kotschoubey
(2005) described the poly-metamorphic regional basement of the
Xingu Complex (Silva et al., 1974), and the São Manoel volcanosed-
imentary sequence, both of them intruded by the Felício Turvo
Granite. For the northwestern part of the domain, in the Iriri-Xingu
area, Vasquez et al. (2008) and Santos (2003) presented new Pb-
evaporation and U–Pb SHRIMP zircon data for granitoids and
gneisses which indicated ages between 2.50 and 2.07 Ga.
Faraco et al. (2004, 2005) reviewed the geology of the eastern
Bacajá domain (Fig. 2) and proposed new lithostratigraphic units
which are usually elongated along NW–SE and WNW–ESE trends.
These are: the Direita Granulitic Suite composed by foliated
quartz-feldspar granulites; the calc-alkaline Bacajaí Charnockitic
Complex; the Ipiaçava Kinzigitic Complex including rocks with gar-
net, biotite and sillimanite; the Rio Preto Piriclasite represented by
tholeiitic to calc-alkaline mafic granulites formed at high temper-
ature and pressure; and the Cajazeiras Enderbitic Complex com-
prising calc-alkaline granulites. Metavolcano-sedimentary rocks
were included in the Misteriosa and São Manoel groups, as well
237
as in the Itatá Amphibolite, and in the Bacajá Micaschist. According
to Faraco et al. (2005), the Três Palmeiras greenstone belt encom-
passes the last two units. Siderian granitoids are grouped into the
Jacaré Complex, whereas Rhyacian granitoids are represented by
the Valentin Complex, as well as the Felício Turvo and Bacajá gran-
ites. The map presented by Faraco et al. (2005) will be used as the
geological background of this study. In spite of some divergences in
relation to our data regarding rock classification, and the locations
of the contacts between the lithological units, we maintain this
map because it is the most recent and the most complete available.
For this reason, in this work geographical references to sample
locations are preferred, rather than the geological units and con-
tacts proposed by Faraco et al. (2005).
Barros et al. (2007) studied a NW–SE oriented area, parallel to
the BR230 road in the northeastern part of the Bacajá domain,
and described monzogranites and granodiorites, with subordinate
tonalites, syenogranites and scarce quartz diorites. These rocks are
rather homogeneously deformed at the regional scale, with folia-
tions striking N60 W and WNW–ESE. Primary subvertical and
flat-lying igneous layering are transposed to high-temperature sec-
ondary foliations and mylonite zones. According to these authors
the development of these structures was controlled by progressive
deformation under decreasing temperatures, characterizing the
syntectonic emplacement of these granitoids during regional
shortening. Taking into consideration the age of the granitoids
(2076 ± 6 Ma, Pb-evaporation zircon age), they proposed an evolu-
tion related to a continental arc environment developed during soft
amalgamation of continental plates at the end of the Trans-Amazo-
nian cycle.
4. Analytical methods
Zircon from seven samples, and 15 whole-rock samples from
the central-eastern part of the Bacajá domain were analyzed by
Pb-evaporation and by Sm–Nd methods, respectively, at the Iso-
tope Geology Laboratory of the Federal University of Pará (Pará-
Iso), Brazil, using a Finnigan MAT 262 mass spectrometer.
For the Pb-evaporation technique (Kober, 1986, 1987), zircon
crystals were concentrated by conventional methods of heavy min-
eral separation, and then were hand-picked. In this technique, the
individual zircon grain is encapsulated in the Re-filament used for
evaporation, which was placed directly in front of the ionization
filament. Both filaments are introduced into the mass spectrome-
ter. The evaporation filament is heated to evaporate the Pb from
the zircon, and the Pb liberated is condensed on the cold ‘‘ioniza-
tion” filament. Three evaporation steps, each of a maximum of
5 min, are performed at 1450, 1500 and 1550 °C. After each evap-
oration step, the temperature of the ionization filament is raised to
the point of Pb emission, and the isotopic measurements are
dynamically made with the ion counter of the instrument. The
intensities of the emission of each Pb isotope were measured in
one cycle by peak stepping through the 206–207–208–206–207–
204 mass sequence for five mass scans, defining one data block
with eight 207Pb/206Pb ratios. Five blocks are usually recorded for
each evaporation step. The weighted 207Pb/206Pb mean for each
block is corrected for common Pb using appropriate age values de-
rived from the two-stage model of Stacey and Kramers (1975), and
the corrected block is used for sample age calculation. Blocks yield-
ing a 204Pb/206Pb mean above 0.0004, and those that scatter more
than two standard deviations (2r) from the mean age value are
discarded. The calculated age for a single zircon grain and its error,
according to Gaudette et al. (1998), is the weighted mean and stan-
dard error of the accepted blocks of data. The same procedure is
adopted to calculate the age for a rock sample from a set of coge-
netic grains. The ages are presented with 2r error.
238 M.J.B. Macambira et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246

Fig. 2. Geological map of the central-eastern Bacajá domain (based on Faraco et al. (2005)) with location of dated samples.
 M.J.B. Macambira et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246 239

For the Sm–Nd analysis, a mixed 150Nd–149Sm spike is added to
ca. 100 mg of rock powder and attacked with HF + HNO3 in Teflon
vials inside PARR containers at 150 °C for one week. After evapora-
tion, new additions of HF + HNO3 are made, the solutions are dried,
followed by dissolution with HCl (6 N), drying, and finally dissolu-
tion with HCl (2 N). After the last evaporation, the REE are sepa-
rated from other elements by cation exchange chromatography
(Dowex 50WX-8 resin) using HCl (2 N) and HNO3 (3 N). After that,
Sm and Nd were separated from the other REE by anion exchange
chromatography (Dowex AG1-X4 resin) using a mixture of HNO3
(7 N) and methanol. The isotopic measurements are statically ac-
quired using the Faraday cups of the mass spectrometer, and Nd
data are normalized to a 146Nd/144Nd ratio of 0.7219. Procedure
blanks were <100 pg for Sm and <400 pg for Nd. The La Jolla Nd
standard yielded a 143Nd/144Nd ratio of 0.511844 ± 22 (2r) based
on four analyses. The crustal residence ages were calculated using
the model of De Paolo (1988) for the depleted mantle (TDM).
Age calculation was done using the software Isoplot (v.2.49) of
Ludwig (2001) and others developed in the Pará-Iso.
5. Zircon ages
Seven rock samples from different igneous and metaigneous
lithological units of the central-eastern Bacajá domain were dated
by the zircon Pb-evaporation technique. The results revealed ages
within a ca. 0.6 billion years interval. Combined with the field
and petrographic data, as well as with previous geochronological
results, the rock units can be separated into six groups represent-
ing different stages of the magmatic and tectonic evolution of the
Bacajá domain. Although the rocks show different degrees of re-
crystallization and deformation, the general features of the zircon
grains, the similarity with some previous results, and the accuracy
of the new ages allow them to be interpreted as the crystallization
ages of the grains and, consequently, the emplacement ages of the
bodies. These results will be discussed below, from the oldest to
the youngest rock units.
5.1. Tonalitic gneiss
Sample MDM03A was collected at the Manelão gold mine lo-
cated on the WNW–ESE Bacajá transcurrent shear zone (Fig. 2). It
is an orthogneiss included by Souza et al. (2003) and Souza and
Kotschoubey (2005) in the Xingu Complex (Silva et al., 1974). It
is a light gray, fine to medium-grained, banded hornblende-biotite
tonalitic gneiss. Under the microscope, this gneiss shows polygonal
granoblastic quartz-feldspar arrays and lepido-nematoblastic
aggregates of mafic minerals. Hornblende and epidote are subordi-
nate, and apatite, titanite, zircon and opaque are accessory
minerals.
Selected zircon crystals are prismatic, bipyramidal, light brown
to colorless, semitransparent, and show few inclusions, fractures
and metamictization features. Some crystals have rounded edges
and are sometimes drop-shaped. Five crystals were analyzed yield-
ing individual ages varying from 2674 to 2664 Ma, and a mean age
of 2671 ± 3 Ma (Table 1, Fig. 3). The 40 blocks and 270 isotopic

Table 1
Zircon Pb-evaporation isotopic data from rocks of the central-eastern part of the Bacajá domain. Only results included in the age calculation are presented. In the Ratios column,
xxx/yyy is the total isotopic ratios measured (xxx) and used (yyy) in age calculation.
204
Sample/grain Ratios Pb/206Pb ±2r (208Pb/206Pb)c ±2r (207Pb/206Pb)c ±2r Age (Ma) ±2r
MDM03/3 24/62 0.000009 4 0.13606 35 0.18177 55 2669.5 5.0
MDM03/5 34/62 0.00002 4 0.12147 31 0.18158 23 2667.5 2.1
MDM03/6 40/114 0.000005 4 0.15041 57 0.18122 37 2664.3 3.4
MDM03/9 106/114 0.000013 2 0.13313 81 0.18208 44 2672.3 3.9
MDM03/10 66/88 0.000071 47 0.15042 134 0.18225 17 2673.8 1.6
207
270/440 Pb/206Pb mean age= 2671.2 2.6
MDM01/1 16/54 0.000248 26 0.18409 117 0.15922 69 2447.6 7.4
MDM01/2 34/44 0.000019 4 0.16612 69 0.15899 54 2445.2 5.8
MDM01/12 40/100 0.000027 4 0.16481 6 0.15842 23 2439.1 2.4
MDM01/13 32/70 0.000024 3 0.14657 34 0.15809 24 2435.6 2.5
207
122/268 Pb/206Pb mean age= 2438.5 3.9
MDM07C/1 30/38 0.000099 11 0.08815 63 0.15055 32 2352.4 3.7
MDM07C/2 36/72 0.000019 7 0.15248 38 0.15114 26 2359.1 3.0
MDM07C/4 32/66 0.000019 3 0.13579 43 0.15136 41 2361.7 4.6
MDM07C/7 34/34 0.000052 7 0.10401 95 0.15123 56 2360.2 6.3
MDM07C/8 62/86 0.000017 13 0.12469 37 0.15118 16 2359.6 1.8
MDM07C/10 8/8 0.000021 2 0.11289 66 0.15159 53 2364.2 6.0
207
202/304 Pb/206Pb mean age= 2359.0 2.3
MJ36/1 32/64 0.000034 4 0.20205 69 0.13681 39 2187.5 4.9
MJ36/2 38/62 0.000027 2 0.21637 58 0.13714 35 2191.7 4.5
MJ36/5 34/70 0.000011 4 0.24534 64 0.13712 2 2191.4 2.5
207
104/196 Pb/206Pb mean age= 2190.8 2.1
MCM18/4 40/54 0.000062 8 0.11353 71 0.13395 31 2150.6 4.0
MCM18/8 36/48 0.000118 22 0.11915 103 0.13362 97 2146.3 12.7
MCM18/9 72/72 0.000039 15 0.10852 103 0.13447 4 2157.4 5.2
MCM18/10 20/20 0.000076 76 0.09662 181 0.13311 63 2139.6 8.2
MCM18/11 62/62 0.000039 3 0.07653 58 0.13381 24 2148.8 3.1
MCM18/12 34/42 0.000014 5 0.10268 13 0.13411 65 2152.7 8.4
207
264/298 Pb/206Pb mean age= 2153.9 3.8
MDM02/2 16/24 0.000349 37 0.10198 73 0.12924 68 2088.0 9.3
MDM02/3 32/62 0.000154 2 0.13494 57 0.12902 21 2084.9 2.8
MDM02/4 16/46 0.00004 18 0.09334 38 0.12945 66 2090.8 8.9
MDM02/6 8/12 0.000133 2 0.12484 174 0.12832 58 2075.5 7.9
207
72/144 Pb/206Pb mean age= 2084.7 4.0
MCM58/1 40/78 0.000110 12 0.35182 39 0.12492 18 2079.2 4.4
MCM58/2 38/54 0.000041 13 0.17094 45 0.12822 36 2073.4 4.9
MCM58/4 20/50 0.000053 6 0.07279 67 0.12856 57 2078.8 7.8
207
98/182 Pb/206Pb mean age= 2076.9 3.0
207 206 208 206
( Pb/ Pb)c and ( Pb/ Pb)c = ratio corrected for common Pb.
240 M.J.B. Macambira et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246

box heights are 2 σ box heights are 2 σ

2678 2458
Tonalitic gneiss MDM-03 Quartz-monzodioritic gneiss MDM-01
MDM3/3 2454
2674
MDM01/2
2450
MDM03/10
2670

Age [Ma]
Age [Ma]

2446
MDM03/6
MDM03/9
2442 MDM01/12
2666
MDM3/5 MDM01/1
2438

2662
2434

Mean = 2671 ± 3 Ma Age = 2439 ± 4 Ma MDM01/13

MSWD = 5.6 MSWD = 5.7
2658 2430
Zircon Zircon
box heights are 2 σ box heights are 2 σ
2374
Metandesite MDM-07C 2197 Monzogranite MJ-36

2370
2195
MJ36/5
MDM07C/4 MDM07C/7
2366 2193 MJ36/1
Age [Ma]

MDM07C/8 2191
Age [Ma]
2362

2189
2358
MDM07C/10
2187
MDM07C/2 MJ36/2
2354
2185

2350
2183
Age = 2359 ± 2 Ma Age = 2191 ± 2 Ma
MDM07C/1
MSWD = 3.5 MSWD = 1.1
2346 2181
Zircon Zircon
box heights are 2 σ box heights are 2 σ

Granodiorite MCM-18 Granodiorite MDM-02

MDM02/4
2165 2100
MCM18/9

MCM18/8

MCM18/4
2155 2090 MDM02/3
Age [Ma]
Age [Ma]

2145 2080
MCM18/11
MCM18/12 MDM02/2

2135 2070

MDM02/6
MCM18/10
Mean = 2154 ± 4 Ma Age = 2085 ± 4 Ma
MSWD = 3.2 MSWD = 2.6
2125 2060
Zircon Zircon
box heights are 2 σ
2090
Granodiorite MCM-58

2086

2082
Age [Ma]

MCM58/2
2078

2074 MCM58/1

2070 MCM58/4

Age = 2077 ± 3 Ma
2066 MSWD = 1.7
Zircon

Fig. 3. Zircon Pb-evaporation age diagrams for rocks from the central-eastern part of Bacajá domain.
 M.J.B. Macambira et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246
ratios, mostly obtained at the highest evaporation temperature
(1550 °C), show a very homogeneous pattern, yielding a well-de-
fined mean age.
5.2. Quartz-monzodioritic gneiss
Sample MDM01 is a gneissic quartz-monzodiorite collected at
Belmonte (Fig. 2), where the outcrop is intruded by a pink medium
to coarse-grained leucogranite (possibly a leucossome vein?). The
gneiss is fine to medium-grained, light gray and banded, with gra-
noblastic and lepidoblastic textures. The fabric is marked by elon-
gated crystals of quartz and feldspar. Hornblende and biotite are
subordinate, and the accessory minerals are apatite, zircon and
allanite.
Zircon crystals are prismatic, semitransparent, light brown to
colorless, and show fractures and metamictization features. Differ-
ent types of inclusions are present: long and colorless (fluid?),
round, dark brown, irregular etc. The analytical results for four
grains yielded a mean age of 2439 ± 4 Ma Table 1, Fig. 3) from 17
blocks and 122 isotopic ratios. Crystal # 6 was rejected since it
has a slightly older age (2457 ± 5 Ma) and most likely represents
an inherited grain.
A similar early Siderian age (2440 ± 7 Ma obtained by Pb-evap-
oration on zircon) was reported by Vasquez et al. (2005) for an en-
clave of quartz dioritic gneiss hosted by a porphyroclastic
granodiorite with an age of 2215 ± 2 Ma obtained by Pb-evapora-
tion on zircon. The granodiorite is exposed south of Brasil Novo
on the western bank of the Xingu River (Fig. 2). Additionally, San-
tos (2003) presented an age of 2491 ± 7 Ma (U–Pb SHRIMP) for
inherited zircon crystals included in the Brasil Novo Tonalite
(2182 ± 7 Ma) (Fig. 2).
5.3. Três Palmeiras metandesite
Mafic to intermediate metavolcanic rocks, metatuffs, and asso-
ciated tonalites and diorites are exposed in the eastern part of the
Três Palmeiras greenstone belt. These rocks are cut by gold-bearing
quartz veins with arsenopyrite, pyrite and chalcopyrite related to
NW–SE shear zones. Sample MDM07C, from the Zé Meneses gold
mine (Fig. 2), is a metandesite with porphyroclasts of plagioclase
and hornblende, in a microgranular biotite and quartz groundmass.
Epidote, zircon, apatite and titanite are accessory minerals.
Zircon crystals from sample MDM07C are prismatic, bipyrami-
dal, but with slightly rounded edges. They are pale brown color,
translucent to transparent, and have few inclusions and fractures.
Radial cracks and long inclusions parallel to the c-axis are observed
in some grains. Of the crystals selected for isotopic analysis, eight
were used to calculate an age of 2359 ± 2 Ma (Table 1, Fig. 3),
which was obtained from 220 isotopic ratios of 33 blocks.
Two other rocks from Bacajá domain furnished similar ages by
U–Pb SHRIMP on zircon (Fig. 2): a tonalite (2313 ± 9 Ma, Faraco
et al., 2005), intruded into the Jacaré Complex and located close
to the town of Novo Repartimento, and a metatonalite
(2338 ± 5 Ma, Vasquez et al., 2008), intruded into the Três Palme-
iras greenstone belt.
5.4. 2.19 Ga old monzogranite
Sample MJ36 was also collected at Belmonte (Fig. 2) and is a
monzogranite of medium grain size and pale gray to pink color,
which cuts the MDM01 metaquartz-monzodiorite gneiss. The rock
shows hipidiomorphic granular to granoblastic texture with mod-
erate to incipient mylonitic foliation, and is locally banded. Anti-
perthite is present and amphibole and biotite are the mafic
minerals. Accessory minerals are allanite and zircon; muscovite
seems to be an alteration product.
241
Zircon crystals from sample MJ36 selected for analysis have
rounded edges, few inclusions and fractures, and are pale brown
to colorless, transparent to translucent and show faint oscillatory
zoning. From seven grains analyzed, only three crystals emitted en-
ough Pb for isotopic measurements to be useful in the age calcula-
tion (Table 1, Fig. 3). They yielded a mean age of 2191 ± 2 Ma from
104 isotopic ratios distributed in 15 blocks.
Santos (2003) obtained a similar age of 2182 ± 6 Ma (zircon U–
Pb SHRIMP) for a tonalite exposed near Brasil Novo, on the left
margin of the Xingu River in the northwestern part of the study re-
gion (Fig. 2).
5.5. 2.15 Ga old granodiorite
In Belo Monte, at the eastern margin of the Xingu River (Fig. 2),
granodiorites are common. They host E–W quartz-feldspathic
veins, which are folded, giving them a gneissic structure. Sample
MCM18 is a medium- to fine-grained leucogranodiorite having
granular to granoblastic, locally cataclastic textures and incipient
foliation. Biotite and hornblende are the main mafic minerals,
and titanite, apatite, zircon and allanite are accessory minerals.
Zircon crystals show rounded edges, light pink color, and are
translucent to transparent, with few inclusions and fractures. They
have oscillatory zoning suggesting an igneous origin. The isotopic
results for six grains yielded the mean age of 2154 ± 4 Ma calcu-
lated from 264 ratios in 39 blocks (Table 1, Fig. 3).
Vasquez et al. (2008) presented a U–Pb SHRIMP zircon age of
2133 ± 10 Ma for a sheared tonalite from the northwestern part
of the region, on the east bank of the Xingu River (Fig. 2). This rock
contains 2340 Ma-old inherited zircon crystals. Additionally, a
quartz monzodiorite intruded into the Três Palmeiras greenstone
belt at the Galo gold mine was dated at 2160 ± 3 Ma.
5.6. 2.08 Ga old monzogranite and granodiorite
A coarse-grained biotite leucogranodiorite (sample MCM58)
showing N70 W sub-horizontal magmatic foliation is exposed
approximately 15 km NE from Novo Repartimento (Fig. 2).
Zircon grains from sample MCM58 are euhedral, pale to dark
brown, forming short prisms with few inclusions or cracks, and
having weak oscillatory zoning. From seven grains selected for iso-
topic analysis, only three emitted enough Pb to be considered in
the calculation of a mean age of 2077 ± 3 Ma (Table 1, Fig. 3), ob-
tained from 19 blocks encompassing 140 isotopic ratios.
Barros et al. (2007) analyzed a sample (MCM55b) of titanite–
biotite granodiorite, collected 8 km NW from Novo Repartimento
(Fig. 2). This granodiorite is considered to be a variety of the
MCM58 leucogranodiorite. Four zircon crystals yielded an age of
2076 ± 6 Ma by the Pb-evaporation method. A fifth grain indicated
an age of 2110 ± 11 Ma, which ‘‘probably corresponds to an inher-
ited grain from an early stage of the long magmatic event associ-
ated with the Maroni-Itacaiúnas Province”.
A foliated, medium-grained, pale pink monzongranite (sample
MDM02) is exposed between Belmonte and the Manelão gold mine
(Fig. 2). In this monzogranite, varietal minerals are biotite and
muscovite, while zircon, allanite and apatite are accessory
minerals.
Zircon crystals are frequently euhedral, form long, colorless to
pale brown prisms with few inclusions and fractures, and faint
oscillatory zoning. Some grains have rounded edges, radial cracks
and metamictization features. Four zircon grains provided isotopic
results suitable for age calculation and yielded a mean age of
2085 ± 4 Ma from 72 isotopic ratios divided into 10 blocks (Table
1, Fig. 3).
The petrographic features and age of sample MDM02 are very
similar to those described by Souza and Kotschoubey (2005) for
242 M.J.B. Macambira et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246

the Felício Turvo Granite (2069 ± 6 Ma, Pb-evaporation method), at
the Manelão gold mine. In light of additional mapping undertaken
by Faraco et al. (2005), it is possible to confirm that both samples
belong to the same elongated igneous body.
Similar ages to those discussed above were obtained for granitic
rocks from the Bacajá domain, on the left margin of the Xingu River
(Fig. 2); for example, the Belo Monte monzogranite yielded a U–Pb
SHRIMP age for zircon of 2086 ± 6 Ma (Santos, 2003). To the south-
west, Vasquez et al. (2005) described an inequigranular biotite
monzogranite with an age of 2077 ± 2 Ma (Pb-evaporation on zir-
con) crosscutting a 2215 ± 2 Ma old porphyroclastic granodiorite.
At the eastern end of the Bacajá domain (Fig. 2), Faraco et al.
(2005) reported a U–Pb SHRIMP zircon age of 2114 + 35/ 33 Ma
for a granodiorite of the Valentim Complex.
6. Whole-rock Sm–Nd isotopic data
Except for sample MCD58, all samples dated by the Pb-evapora-
tion technique were also analyzed by the Sm–Nd method. Analyses
on eight additional samples were also carried out. The results are
given in Table 2 and Fig. 4. There is a direct relationship between
the number of samples analyzed and the estimated area of expo-
sure of each unit in the study area. In consequence, there are more
results for the younger groups compared with the older ones. Sam-
ple MDM07A, from the same gold mine where metandesite
MDM07C was collected, corresponds to a metadiorite with amphi-
bole and biotite. Taking into consideration the field relationships,
and that it is isotopically similar to the metandesite MDM07C
(see Table 2), it was considered to be coeval with the metandesite,
and also to belong to the Três Palmeiras greenstone belt.
The crustal residence ages were calculated using the De Paolo
(1988) model for the depleted mantle (TDM), whereas eNd(T)(CHUR)
values were calculated using the zircon ages obtained in this study.
Where the ages are not available, the sample was correlated with
one of the lithological units of the Bacajá domain, taking into ac-
count similarities of petrographic features and geographical distri-
bution. Its age was assumed to be that of the unit.
Since metandesite MDM07C is composed of different fragments
from drill-core samples, two of them (C1 and C2) were analyzed in
order to check heterogeneity in the sequence. The Sm and Nd con-
tents of the sample set range from 2 to 9 ppm and 12 to 71 ppm,
respectively, with the lower contents in the mafic to intermediate
rocks from the Três Palmeiras greenstone belt. An exception is
sample MCM56 (hornblende-biotite granodiorite), with 25 ppm
Sm and 171 ppm Nd.
Nd TDM model ages for the sample set range from 2.25 to
2.93 Ga and can be divided into two groups with Paleoproterozoic
and Archean model ages. The samples with Paleoproterozoic model
ages are dominated by 2.08 Ga monzogranite to granodiorite. A
particular aspect of this group is that all the samples were collected
in the northern part of the area, especially along the BR-230 road.
Samples from all other lithological units belong to the group with
Archean model ages. The higher eNd(T) values are close to zero and
correspond to samples of the group with Paleoproterozoic model
ages (eNd(T) from 0.60 to +0.83) and also to the mafic to interme-
diate rocks of the Três Palmeiras greenstone belt (eNd(T) from –0.87
to +0.78). A special case is represented by sample MDM03 (Arche-
an tonalitic gneiss), with one sample showing the highest eNd(T)
value (+2.7). Apart from these samples, the others have negative
eNd(T) values ranging from 2.9 to 8.3, typical of rocks with a
crustal origin.
In summary, taking into account the division into lithological
units and the Nd isotopic data, the samples from the study area
can be divided into the following geochronological and isotopic
groups:
1. Paleoproterozoic monzogranite and granodiorite (2.08 and
2.15 Ga) with Paleoproterozoic Nd TDM ages (2.25–2.47 Ga)
and eNd(T) close to zero, between 0.60 and +0.83;
2. Paleoproterozoic monzogranite to granodiorite and quartz-
monzodioritic gneiss (2.08–2.44 Ga) with Archean Nd TDM ages
(2.57–2.93 Ga) and negative eNd(T), between 8.33 and 2.9;
3. Paleoproterozoic mafic to intermediate rock (2.36 Ga) with
Archean Nd TDM ages (2.56–2.71 Ga) and eNd(T) close to zero,
between 0.87 and +0.78, and
4. Archean tonalitic gneiss (2.67 Ga) with Archean Nd TDM age
(2.65 Ga) and positive eNd(T) (+2,66).
7. Discussion
Table 3 summarizes the geochronological data available for
igneous and metaigneous rocks from central-eastern Bacajá

Table 2
Whole-rock Sm–Nd isotopic results from the central-eastern part of the Bacajá domain.
147
Sample Sm (ppm) Nd (ppm) Sm/144Nd 143
Nd/144Nd (±2r) f (Sm/Nd) eNd(0) t(zircon) (Ga) eNd(t) TDM (Ga)
2.67 Ga Archean tonalitic gneiss
MDM03 3.47 16.32 0.12845 0.511571 (22) 0.3470 20.81 2.67 2.66 2.65
2.44 Ga Siderian gneisses
MDM01 13.05 71.42 0.11048 0.511104 (17) 0.4383 29.92 2.44 2.90 2.89
2.36 and 2.31 Ga Siderian metandesites and metadiorites
MDM07C1 2.50 12.19 0.12412 0.511549 (23) 0.3690 21.24 2.36 0.78 2.56
MDM07C2 2.84 13.76 0.12485 0.511476 (31) 0.3653 22.67 2.36 0.87 2.71
*
MDM07A 2.47 11.95 0.12490 0.511549 (16) 0.3650 21.24 2.36 0.55 2.58
2.22–2.18 Ga Rhyacian granitoids
MJ36 8.16 52.20 0.09448 0.510774 (15) 0.5197 36.36 2.19 7.63 2.93
*
MJ37 7.08 45.07 0.09492 0.510912 (12) 0.5174 33.67 2.19 5.04 2.76
2.16 to 2.13 Ga Rhyacian granitoids
MCM18 2.37 17.60 0.08140 0.511013 (32) 0.5862 31.70 2.15 0.21 2.35
2.09 to 2.07 Ga Rhyacian granitoids
MCM27 9.04 53.42 0.10234 0.511132 (10) 0.4797 29.38 2.08 4.25 2.63
MCM54 1.95 12.63 0.09319 0.511266 (26) 0.5262 26.76 2.08 0.83 2.25
*
MCM55 6.13 44.93 0.08248 0.511047(22) 0.5807 31.04 2.08 0.60 2.33
*
MCM56 25.19 171.07 0.08903 0.510957 (08) 0.5474 32.79 2.08 4.12 2.57
MDM02 3.90 25.49 0.09257 0.510806 (14) 0.5294 35.74 2.08 7.89 2.84
*
MDM04 7.44 38.16 0.11787 0.511376 (16) 0.4008 24.62 2.08 3.63 2.67
*
MDM08 5.32 23.51 0.13691 0.511804 (13) 0.3040 16.27 2.08 0.34 2.47
*
MDM09 2.44 19.61 0.07506 0.510642 (28) 0.6184 38.94 2.08 6.55 2.66
*
Estimated age.
 M.J.B. Macambira et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246 243

15 15
10 A 10
B
DM DM
5 5
CHUR CHUR
0 0
-5 -5
-10 -10
ε (Nd)

-15 -15
Trans-Amazonian rocks
-20 -20
2.19 Ga monzogranite
Pre-Trans-Amazonian rocks
-25 -25 MJ36
2.67 Ga tonalitic gneiss MJ37
-30 MDM03 -30 2.15 Ga granodiorite
2.44 Ga quartz-monzodioritic gneiss MCM18
-35 MDM01 -35 2.08 Ga monzogranite to granodiorite
2.36 Ga metandesite and metadiorite MCM27 MDM02
-40 MDM07C1
-40
MCM54 MDM04
MDM07C2 MCM55 MDM08
-45 MDM07A -45 Carajás Block MCM56 MDM09
Carajás Block
-50 -50
1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 3.0 3.2 3.4 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 3.0 3.2 3.4

T(Ga) T(Ga)
Fig. 4. eNd vs. time diagram from the central-eastern part of Bacajá domain: A – Pre-Trans-Amazonian rocks, and B – Trans-Amazonian rocks. Field of Archean rocks from
Carajás block is also plotted (see text for references).

domain, including those obtained in this work. Only zircon analy-
ses (U–Pb SHRIMP and Pb-evaporation) were considered in order
to better constrain the timing of the magmatic events. The rocks
are Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic (Siderian and Rhyacian peri-
ods). Taking into consideration the ages of the rocks and their geo-
logical setting, the following magmatic events, and their most
probable tectonic settings may be recognized in the Bacajá
domain:
1. Archean tonalitic gneiss, whose protolith was formed at ca.
2.67 Ga, occurs at the Manelão gold mine, and is included in
the Xingu Complex (Souza and Kotschoubey, 2005). At the sam-
pling site, evidence that clarifies the origin and the genetic rela-
tionship of this gneiss with the surrounding rocks was not
observed. Since it is the oldest rock in the domain, adjacent
rocks intrude or cover it (Souza and Kotschoubey, 2005). Corre-
lation with Archean rocks in the adjacent Carajás block in the
Central Amazonian Province seems unlikely. In the Carajás
block, the rocks are older (3.00–2.76 Ga), and have generally
higher Nd TDM ages, mainly 2.9–3.20 Ga (e.g. Olszewski et al.,
1989; Sato and Tassinari, 1997; Dall’Agnol et al., 1999b; Teixe-
ira et al., 2002; Rämö et al., 2002; Galarza, 2002; Rolando and
Macambira, 2003; Barros et al., 2004), whereas the Manelão
mine gneiss is clearly juvenile. Unless new results show that
these rocks played a significant role in the evolution of the Bac-
ajá domain, a possible working hypothesis is that this gneiss is
just a small fragment of older crust, trapped during the accre-
tion of arcs which probably generated the Bacajá domain during
the Paleoproterozoic. Its isotopic characteristics suggest that
the protolith was an island-arc or TTG suite. Another Archean

Table 3
Geochronological data available for zircon from igneous and metaigneous rocks of the central-eastern of the Bacajá domain.

Rock type/lithological unit/sample Area Zircon age (Ma) magmatic/inherited Method Ref.
2.67 Ga Archean tonalitic gneiss
Tonalitic gneiss/MDM03A Manelão gold mine 2671 ± 3 Pb-evaporation 1
Siderian gneisses of 2.44 Ga
Quartz-dioritic gneiss Brasil Novo 2440 ± 7 Pb-evaporation 3
Quartz-monzodioritic gneiss/MDM01 Belmonte village 2439 ± 4 Pb-evaporation 1
2.36 and 2.31 Ga Siderian metatonalites and metandesites
Metandesite/Três Palmeiras/MDM07C Zé Meneses gold mine 2359 ± 2 Pb-evaporation 1
Porphyroclastic metatonalite Bacajá River 2338 ± 5 U–Pb SHRIMP 4
Tonalite/Jacaré Complex Novo Repartimento 2314 ± 9 U–Pb SHRIMP 5
2.22–2.18 Ga Rhyacian granitoids
Porphyroclastic granodiorite Brasil Novo 2215 ± 2/2524 ± 5 Pb-evaporation 3
Monzogranite/MJ36 Belmonte 2191 ± 2 Pb-evaporation 1
Tonalite Brasil Novo 2182 ± 6/2491 ± 7 U–Pb SHRIMP 2
2.16–2.13 Ga Rhyacian granitoids
Quartz monzodiorite Galo gold mine 2160 ± 3 U–Pb SHRIMP 4
Leucogranodiorite/MCM18 Belo Monte 2154 ± 4 Pb-evaporation 1
Sheared tonalite Xingu River-Brasil Novo 2133 ± 10/2340 U–Pb SHRIMP 4
Granodiorite/Valentim Complex Novo Repartimento 2114 +35/-33 U–Pb SHRIMP 5
2.09–2.07 Ga Rhyacian granitoids
Belo Monte Monzogranite Belo Monte 2086 ± 6 U–Pb SHRIMP 2
Leucogranodiorite/MCM58 Novo Repartimento 2077 ± 3 Pb-evaporation 1
Granodiorite Novo Repartimento 2076 ± 6/2110 ± 11 Pb-evaporation 6
Felício Turvo Granite/MDM02 Manelão gold mine 2085 ± 4 Pb-evaporation 1
Felício Turvo Granite Manelão gold mine 2069 ± 6 Pb-evaporation 7
Monzogranite Xingu River-Brasil Novo 2077 ± 2 Pb-evaporation 3

References: 1 – this work; 2 – Santos (2003); 3 – Vasquez et al. (2005); 4 – Vasquez et al. (I 2008); 5 – Faraco et al. (2005); 6 – Barros et al. (2007); 7 – Souza et al. (2003).
244 M.J.B. Macambira et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246
gneiss is exposed at the western end of the Bacajá domain,
south of Uruará, outside the area showing in Fig. 2. It is a
2503 ± 10 Ma old tonalitic gneiss with inherited crystals dated
at 2581 ± 6 Ma (U–Pb SHRIMP on zircon, Santos, 2003).
2. Siderian granitoids crystallized at ca. 2.44 Ga and were later
transformed into quartz-dioritic gneiss (Brasil Novo area) and
quartz-monzodioritic gneiss (Belmonte area). At the Brasil Novo
area, the quartz-dioritic gneiss is a xenolith included in Rhya-
cian granitoids. Apart from the Nd results for the Belmonte
gneiss, which suggest an origin from melting of older Archean
crustal rocks (Table 2), their situation is similar to that of the
Archean gneiss of Bacajá domain, i.e., there is no clear evidence
to speculate about the origin of these rocks. The hypothesis sug-
gested here that these Siderian gneisses are simply small rem-
nants of older continental crust (in a continental arc?) needs
confirmation.
3. Siderian metatonalites, metadiorites and metandesites (2.36–
2.31 Ga, Table 3) are associated with the Três Palmeiras green-
stone belt and with the Jacaré Complex, in the northwestern
and northeastern parts of the study area (Fig. 2), respectively.
According to Jorge João et al. (1987), the compositions of the
Três Palmeiras mafic rocks range from island-arc tholeiite to
MORB. On the other hand, the Nd isotopes (Table 2) denote a
common mantle source, and no or very little crustal contamina-
tion for both metandesite and metadiorite. This, added to char-
acteristics previously described, is indicative of an island-arc
environment. In spite of the absence of conclusive evidence to
characterize the tectonic setting of the Três Palmeiras green-
stone belt and surrounding gneiss and metagranitoid units, it
is thought that remnants of an oceanic floor are present, as
has been suggested for the northern part of Maroni-Itacaiúna
Province – Guiana shield (Vanderhaeghe et al., 1998). These
supracrustal rocks in the Bacajá domain, together with the
2.44 Ga gneisses, are the first Siderian rocks reported in the
Amazonian craton, and represent a unique feature that con-
trasts with other domains of the Maroni-Itacaiúnas Province.
The Jacaré Complex (Novo Repartimento area) was described
by Faraco et al. (2005) as a 2313 ± 9 Ma old (SHRIMP age for a
tonalite) association of protomylonitic monzogranite, met-
amonzogranite, metatonalite, metagranogranodite, tonalite
and metasienogranite. However, Barros et al. (2007) reported
the age of 2076 ± 6 Ma for a granodiorite from the same area,
in agreement, therefore, with the age of 2077 ± 3 Ma reported
here for another granodiorite sample (Fig. 2, Table 3). Our
Sm–Nd results (Table 2) suggest the participation of a juvenile
component in the northern part of the region, corroborating
the homogeneity of the rock types as suggested by Barros
et al. (2007). Since tonalite is a subordinate rock type in the
area, the hypothesis that Siderian rocks have restricted occur-
rences remains to be tested; they might represent remnants
of plutonic rocks associated with the Três Palmeiras greenstone
belt.
4. Rhyacian granitoids are widespread in the northern part of the
Bacajá domain and are represented by different rocks types.
Tonalite, granodiorite and monzogranite were emplaced
roughly in this sequence during an igneous event which lasted
for approximately 140 My. Few detailed petrographic and
structural studies have been carried out on the Bacajá domain
(Vasquez et al., 2005; Barros et al., 2007), and the observation
that the older rocks are more deformed than the younger ones
needs confirmation.
Despite the scarcity of data, it is possible to trace a parallel with
other better studied domains of the Maroni-Itacaiúnas Province. In
this way, the Rhyacian granitoids can be separated into sub-
groups, which may correspond to different stages (or orogenies:
Santos, 2003) of the tectono-magmatic evolution of the Trans-
Amazonian cycle, as already suggested for the northern part of
the province, the Guiana shield (e.g. Vanderhaeghe et al., 1998; De-
lor et al., 2003; Santos, 2003; Rosa-Costa et al., 2006).
Monzogranite, tonalite and quartz monzodiorite showing hipid-
iomorphic granular to granoblastic texture with moderate to incip-
ient mylonitic foliation, locally banded, are recognized in the Brasil
Novo and Belmonte areas. They were intruded between 2.22 and
2.18 Ga into older continental crust, as indicated by their Nd isoto-
pic compositions (Nd TDM ages = 2.9 and 2.8 Ga; eNd(T) = 5.0 and
8.3) and by the presence of inherited zircon grains (2491 ± 7 Ma
and 2524 ± 5 Ma, see Table 3). The evidence corroborates the tec-
tonic setting as a continental arc at the margin of an Archean con-
tinent, representing, therefore, the fist stage of the Trans-
Amazonian cycle.
The period between 2.16 and 2.13 Ga is characterized by the
emplacement of tonalite, quartz monzodiorite and granodiorite
in the northwestern part of the region. They cross cut the Três
Palmeiras greenstone belt, which had been already accreted to
the continental margin. A particular feature of this phase, which
contrasts with the previous, is the presence of juvenile material
(Table 2). In fact, this period corresponds to the main granitogene-
sis in the Guiana shield, similarly correlated with the evolution of a
continental arc (e.g. Vanderhaeghe et al., 1998; Delor et al., 2003;
Rosa-Costa et al., 2006).
The rocks formed in the central-eastern Bacajá domain during
the short period of time from 2.09 to 2.07 Ga mainly comprise
granodiorites, monzogranites with subordinate syenogranites
(Felício Turvo Granite), and charnockites with preserved igneous
textures. They predominate in the northern part of the study re-
gion, where Barros et al. (2007) reported a belt of calc-alkaline I-
type granitoids. Nd isotopes allowed the classification of these
rocks into two groups: granitoids with Paleoproterozoic Nd TDM
ages (2.25–2.47 Ga) and eNd(T) close to zero, between 0.60 and
+0.83, and granitoids with Archean Nd TDM ages (2.57–2.84 Ga)
and eNd(T) essentially negative, between 7.9 and 3.6. These data
lead to the proposal that both juvenile and Archean reworked
crusts are the sources for the last magmatic products of the
Trans-Amazonian cycle. Some degree of mixing generated inter-
mediate Nd TDM ages values.
8. Conclusions
Although a Paleoproterozoic evolution for the Bacajá domain
was proposed several decades ago (Amaral, 1974; Cordani et al.,
1979), its geology is still very poorly known, especially when com-
pared with that of the adjacent Carajás block. Over the last years,
efforts of teams from the Federal University of Pará and CPRM-Bra-
zilian Geological Survey have improved the knowledge about the
domain, allowing the tracing of parallels with other areas of the
Maroni-Itacaiúnas Province, especially those in the Guiana shield.
Our new geological and isotopic results combined with previous
data lead to the proposal of a comprehensive multi-stage evolution
for the eastern part of the Bacajá domain, starting during the Neo-
archean and ending at the Rhyacian.
Neoarchean tonalitic gneiss (2671 ± 3 Ma) included into the
Xingu Complex is the oldest rock recorded in the Bacajá domain.
Due to its composition and juvenile nature, it probably represents
a remnant of an island arc or TTG suite and marks an early stage of
crust formation. Another probable remnant is represented by Side-
rian gneisses crystallized at ca. 2.44 Ga. Contrasting with the Neo-
archean gneiss, protholiths of these rocks represent reworked
continental crust, most likely in a continental arc. Despite the
uncertainty about the origin of these gneisses, it is evident that
these rocks cannot be correlated with the Archean rocks of the
 M.J.B. Macambira et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 27 (2009) 235–246
Carajás block, which are older and originated from reworking of a
ca. 2.9–3.2 Ga crust.
The Três Palmeiras greenstone succession forms NW–SE belts
affected by shear zones and hosting gold deposits. Its volcano-plu-
tonic association, emplaced between 2.36 and 2.34 Ga, represents
the first Siderian supracrustal rocks recorded in the Amazonian
craton. This succession is surrounded by younger continental
rocks, suggesting that it was part of a probable island arc/oceanic
floor accreted to the continental margin, a hypothesis corroborated
by its chemical composition and juvenile origin indicated by Nd
isotopes.
Rhyacian granitoids were intruded at different times during an
interval of ca. 140 My (2.22–2.08 Ga), marking at least three stages
of the Trans-Amazonian cycle. In general, the granitoids related to
the younger stages are chemically more evolved and less de-
formed. The first stage is represented by granitoids produced at
2.22–2.18 Ga by melting of the Archean crust in a probable conti-
nental arc setting. The second encompasses 2.16–2.13 Ga old
granitoids which display a larger juvenile component in their ori-
ginal magmas. Finally, the third stage (2.09–2.07 Ga) was mainly
characterized by the emplacement of granodiorites, monzogranites
(Felício Turvo Granite), and charnockites produced from melting of
either juvenile or reworked crust during soft collisions.
The present-day configuration of the lithological units of the
area investigated suggests that the collision of the Bacajá domain
against the Archean Carajás block occurred during the Trans-Ama-
zonian cycle. Although only a few Nd analyses are available, espe-
cially in the northern part of the domain, the Nd TDM ages and
eNd(T) reveal that juvenile rocks dominated in the north, whereas
in the south, approaching the boundary with the Carajás block, a
reworked crust predominates. No clear contribution of the Carajás
block was observed on the rocks of the Bacajá domain, although
mixing processes could mask the evidences of this inheritance.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by CNPq (Grant 467104/00-0), CTMin-
eral/FINEP 01/2001 project, CPRM–Geological Survey of Brazil and
Pará-Iso Laboratory/UFPA. R. Florencio is acknowledged for techni-
cal support during analytical work at UFPA. The manuscript was
substantially improved with the constructive contributions of the
reviewers, as well as the English language review of I. McReath.
This paper is a contribution to PRONEX/CNPq (Proj. 103/98, Grant
662103/1998-0).
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