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Grain-scale variations in trace element composition of fluid-altered zircon, Acasta Gneiss Complex, northwestern Canada

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Abstract

SEM back-scattered electron images of zircon separates from a 2.9 Ga granitic dyke from the Acasta Gneiss Complex, Slave Province, reveal primary igneous oscillatory zoning which is transgressively overprinted by irregular alteration domains. Electron microprobe analyses show that altered zircon domains are depleted in Zr and Si relative to unaltered zircon while retaining a constant Zr/Si ratio. SIMS trace element analyses indicate that LREE are preferentially enriched in the altered domains. Altered zircon contains elevated concentrations of Ba (up to 580 ppm), Ca (up to 2% weight of the element) and common Pb (>50 ppb). The presence of LREE, Ca, Ba and common Pb in the zircons is interpreted to be the result of secondary alteration by an aqueous fluid, and not by primary incorporation during crystallization. We propose that the alteration-related elements are located in amorphous zircon domains.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks go to W. Bleeker at the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) for providing the rock sample. Natalie Morriset is thanked for ensuring that the SHRIMP instrument was always running smoothly. We are grateful to Pat Hunt (GSC) for her assistance in collecting the back-scattered electron images and we also gratefully acknowledge Katherine Venance (GSC) for the time and effort that she put into ensuring the quality of the electron microprobe data. Dr. J. Hanchar of The George Washington University generously provided synthetic zircon and hafnon electron microprobe standards. This manuscript benefited greatly from thoughtful reviews by Yuri Amelin, Paul Hoskin and John Hanchar. Financial support was provided to NR through a Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) graduate scholarship and by Carleton University Graduate Scholarships as well as an NSERC research grant to SDC. Geological Survey of Canada Contribution# 2002263.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Survey of Canada, 601 Booth St., Ottawa, ON, K1A 0E8, Canada

    N. Rayner & R. A. Stern

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada

    S. D. Carr

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  1. N. Rayner
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  2. R. A. Stern
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  3. S. D. Carr
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Correspondence to N. Rayner.

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Rayner, N., Stern, R.A. & Carr, S.D. Grain-scale variations in trace element composition of fluid-altered zircon, Acasta Gneiss Complex, northwestern Canada. Contrib Mineral Petrol 148, 721–734 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-004-0633-8

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