Relics of an early-Panafrican metabasite–metarhyolite formation in the Brno Massif, Moravia, Czech Republic

Abstract

The Brno Massif in Moravia, Czech Republic, is an important exposure of Precambrian basement in central Europe. It includes large volumes of Cadomian granitoids and a narrow fault-bounded zone with metagabbros, metadiorites, and metabasalts. This so-called Central Basic Belt also contains some metarhyolites; one of these was dated by means of the zircon evaporation method at 725 ±15 Ma. Chemical and isotope data show that the dated rock represents a mantle-derived magma which is cosanguinous with surrounding MORB-type metabasites. The data suggest that the Brno Massif hosts the oldest metabasite complex currently known in central Europe. Its formation apparently coincides with the main period of ocean-floor spreading and island-arc formation in the Panafrican orogens. This lends further support to the theory that the Brno Massif is a Gondwana-derived element.