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Dating magmatic and hydrothermal processes using andradite-rich garnet U–Pb geochronometry

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Abstract

Andradite-rich garnet is a common U-bearing mineral in a variety of alkalic igneous rocks and skarn deposits, but has been largely neglected as a U–Pb chronometer. In situ laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry U–Pb dates of andradite-rich garnet from a syenite pluton and two iron skarn deposits in the North China craton demonstrate the suitability and reliability of the mineral in accurately dating magmatic and hydrothermal processes. Two hydrothermal garnets from the iron skarn deposits have homogenous cores and zoned rims (Ad86Gr11 to Ad98Gr1) with 22–118 ppm U, whereas one magmatic garnet from the syenite is texturally and compositionally homogenous (Ad70Gr22 to Ad77Gr14) and has 0.1–20 ppm U. All three garnets have flat time-resolved signals obtained from depth profile analyses for U, indicating structurally bound U. Uranium is correlated with REE in both magmatic and hydrothermal garnets, indicating that the incorporation of U into the garnet is largely controlled by substitution mechanisms. Two hydrothermal garnets yielded U–Pb dates of 129 ± 2 (2σ; MSWD = 0.7) and 130 ± 1 Ma (2σ; MSWD = 0.5), indistinguishable from zircon U–Pb dates of 131 ± 1 and 129 ± 1 Ma for their respective ore-related intrusions. The magmatic garnet has a U–Pb age of 389 ± 3 Ma (2σ; MSWD = 0.6), consistent with a U–Pb zircon date of 388 ± 2 Ma for the syenite. The consistency between the garnet and zircon U–Pb dates confirms the reliability and accuracy of garnet U–Pb dating. Given the occurrence of andradite-rich garnet in alkaline and ultramafic magmatic rocks and hydrothermal ore deposits, our results highlight the potential utilization of garnet as a powerful U–Pb geochronometer for dating magmatism and skarn-related mineralization.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Guang Wen, Meijun Yang, and Zhaochu Hu for assistance with the field work, the electron microprobe analyses, and the LA-ICP-MS analyses, respectively. This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2016YFC0600104), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41325007, 91514303), and the Research Funds from China University of Geosciences (MSFGPMR03-1, 05; CUG170606). This is contribution 2 from CUG Center for Research in Economic Geology and Exploration Targeting (CREGET). We thank Profs. David Lentz, Paul Robinson, Brent Miller, and Harold Stowell who provided suggestions that have improved the presentation. We also thank the reviewers, Fernando Corfu and an anonymous reviewer, as well as the editor Franck Poitrasson, for their efforts at improving the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Xiao-Dong Deng, Jian-Wei Li & Tao Luo

  2. Faculty of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Xiao-Dong Deng, Jian-Wei Li & Hong-Qiang Wang

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  1. Xiao-Dong Deng
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  2. Jian-Wei Li
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  3. Tao Luo
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  4. Hong-Qiang Wang
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Correspondence to Xiao-Dong Deng or Jian-Wei Li.

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Communicated by Franck Poitrasson.

Electronic supplementary material

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410_2017_1389_MOESM1_ESM.doc

EMS_1 Electron microprobe analyses of garnets from the Dongping syenite intrusion and the Nanminghe and Qicun skarn deposits (DOC 272 kb)

EMS_2 Instrumental setups and operating parameters for the laser ablation system and ICPMS in this study (DOC 34 kb)

EMS_3 Trace element compositions (ppm) of reference glasses determined by LA-ICPMS (DOC 72 kb)

410_2017_1389_MOESM4_ESM.doc

EMS_4 LA-ICPMS trace elements data (ppm) of garnets from the Dongping syenite and the Nanminghe and Qicun skarn deposits (DOC 496 kb)

410_2017_1389_MOESM5_ESM.doc

EMS_5 LA-ICPMS U–Pb isotope data of the garnets and zircons from the Dongping syenite and the Nanminghe and Qicun skarn deposits (DOC 329 kb)

EMS_6 Lead compositions of pyrite and K-feldspar used for 207Pb-correction of garnet U–Pb isotope data (DOC 66 kb)

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Deng, XD., Li, JW., Luo, T. et al. Dating magmatic and hydrothermal processes using andradite-rich garnet U–Pb geochronometry. Contrib Mineral Petrol 172, 71 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-017-1389-2

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