Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Archaean Re–Os age for Siberian eclogites and constraints on Archaean tectonics

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

CONSIDERABLE uncertainty surrounds the nature and evolution of the Earth's mantle in Archaean times (>2.5 Gyr ago). Mantle-derived eclogite xenoliths erupted by kimberlites provide important clues in this regard, because their basaltic composition suggests that they may be remnants of an early (>4 Gyr) magma ocean1,2, subducted Archaean oceanic crust3–5, or crystallized high-pressure mantle melts6–9. Better constraints on the age and origin of mantle eclogites are thus important for our understanding of early Earth processes. Here we present rhenium–osmium isotope data for diamond-bearing eclogites from the Udachnaya kimberlite pipe in Siberia, which indicate formation in the Archaean (2.9 ± 0.4 Gyr). This age is too young for the eclogites to be remnants of early Earth differentiation, but overlaps the age range for crust generation and craton stabilization on both the Aldan and Anabar shields of the Siberian craton (2.85–3.2 Gyr)10,11. These data, together with 3.1 Gyr Re–Os model ages for diamond-bearing Udachnaya peridotites12, show that the Siberian craton lithosphere was at least 150 km thick (the minimum required for diamond stability) by the Mid-Archaean.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. McCulloch, M. T. in Kimberlites II (ed. Ross, N.) 864–876 (Geol. Soc. Australia, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Snyder, G. A. et al. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 118, 91–100 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Jagoutz, E., Dawson, J. B., Hoernes, S., Spettel, B. & Wanke, H. Lunar planet. Sci. XV, 395–396 (1984).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Neal, C. R. et al. Earth, planet. Sci. Lett. 99, 362–379 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Jacob, D., Jagoutz, E., Lowry, D., Mattey, D. & Kudrjavtseva, G. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 58, 5191–5207 (1995).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. O'Hara, M. J. & Yoder, H. S. Scott J. Geol. 3, 67–117 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hatton, C. J. thesis, (Univ. Cape Town, 1978).

  8. Smyth, J. R., Caporuscio, F. A. & McCormick, T. C. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 93, 133–141 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Caporuscio, F. A. & Smyth, J. R. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 105, 550–561 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Nutman, A. P., Chernyshev, I. V., Baadsgaard, H. & Smelov, A. P. Precambrian Res. 54, 195–201 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Turchenko, S. I. in Precambian Geology of the USSR (eds Rundqvist, D. V. & Mitrofanov, F. P.) 247–264 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Pearson, D. G. et al. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 59, 959–977 (1995).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Sobolev, N. V. et al. (abstr.) 5th Int. Kimberlite Conf. Araxa 391 (CPRM, 1991).

  14. Walker, R. J., Shirey, S. B. & Stecher, O. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 87, 1–12 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Walker, R. J., Shirey, S. B., Hanson, G. N., Rajamani, V. & Horan, M. F. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 53, 3005–3013 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Martin, C. E. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 55, 1421–1434 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Reisburg, L. et al. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 120, 149–167 (1993).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hauri, E. & Hart, S. R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 114, 253–271 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Ireland, T. R., Rudnick, R. L. & Spetsius, Z. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 128, 199–213 (1995).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Richardson, S. H. Nature 322, 623–626 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Smith, C. B. et al. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 55, 2579–2590 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Taylor, L. A. & Neal, C. R. J. Geol. 97, 551–567 (1989).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Snyder, G. A. et al. Am. Mineral. (in the press).

  24. Jerde, E. A., Taylor, L. A., Crozaz, G., Sobolev, N. V. & Sobolev, V. S. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 114, 189–192 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Richardson, S. H., Gurney, J. J., Erlank, A. J. & Harris, J. W. Nature 310, 198–202 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Pearson, D. G., Carlson, R. W., Shirey, S. B., Boyd, F. R. & Nixon, P. H. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. (in the press).

  27. Walker, R. J. et al. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 58, 4179–4197 (1994).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Martin, C. E., Esser, B. K. & Turekian, K. K. Aust. J. Earth Sci. 38, 569–576 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Lindner, M., Leich, D. A., Russ, G. P., Bazan, J. M. & Borg, R. J. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 53, 1597–1606 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Shirey, S. B. & Walker, R. J. (abstr.) Eos 75, 355–356 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. D. G. Pearson

    Present address: Department of Geological Sciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK

    D. G. Pearson

  2. Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, 5241 Broad Branch Road NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA

    D. G. Pearson, S. B. Shirey & R. W. Carlson

  3. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996, USA

    G. A. Snyder & L. A. Taylor

  4. Institute of Mineralogy and Petrography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia

    N. V. Sobolev

Authors
  1. D. G. Pearson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. A. Snyder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. B. Shirey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. L. A. Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. R. W. Carlson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. N. V. Sobolev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pearson, D., Snyder, G., Shirey, S. et al. Archaean Re–Os age for Siberian eclogites and constraints on Archaean tectonics. Nature 374, 711–713 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/374711a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/374711a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation