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Precambrian Research 206–207 (2012) 159–167 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Precambrian Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/precamres U–Pb zircon geochronology of the eastern part of the Southern Ethiopian Shield R.J. Stern a,∗ , Kamal A. Ali b , Mohamed G. Abdelsalam c , Simon A. Wilde d , Qin Zhou e a Geosciences Dept., U Texas at Dallas, Box 830688, Richardson, TX 75083-0688, USA Department of Mineral Resources and Rocks, Faculty of Earth Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80206, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia c Geological Sciences and Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65409, USA d Department of Applied Geology, Curtin University, Perth, 6845 WA, Australia e Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10029, China b a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 5 October 2011 Received in revised form 2 February 2012 Accepted 12 February 2012 Available online xxx Keywords: East African Orogen Neoproterozoic Ethiopia U–Pb zircon geochronology Pan-African a b s t r a c t The Southern Ethiopian Shield (SES) in the central East African Orogen lies at the junction of Neoproterozoic (880–550 Ma) largely greenschist-facies juvenile crust of the Arabian-Nubian Shield in the north and more metamorphosed and remobilized older crust of the Mozambique Belt to the south. The SES exposes a polycyclic sialic gneissic basement (represented by the Alghe Terrane in this study) with interleaved ophiolitic–volcano–sedimentary (Kenticha, Megado, and Bulbul) terranes. U–Pb zircon SHRIMP and LA-ICP-MS dating of 8 igneous and metamorphic intermediate and felsic bodies in the eastern SES yield Neoproterozoic crystallization ages: 847 ± 11, 855 ± 14, 732 ± 5, 665 ± 8, 657 ± 6, 560 ± 8, and 548 ± 8 Ma. From these and previously published ages, we infer 4 principal magmatic episodes: 840–890 Ma (Late–Tonian–Early Cryogenian), 790–700 Ma (Cryogenian), ∼660 Ma (Moyale Event), and Pan-African (630–500 Ma; Ediacaro-Cambrian). Neoproterozoic zircon xenocrysts (941, 884, 880, 863, 762, 716 and 712 Ma) confirm the dominance of Neoproterozoic crust in the study area. One sample of undeformed granite from the Alghae Terrane has abundant Archean zircons and may be a ∼550 Ma melt of ∼2.5 Ga crust, demonstrating for the first time that Archean crust or sediments with abundant Archean zircons exists in the SES. In spite of ∼300 million years of Neoproterozoic igneous activity, we see no evidence of systematic compositional evolution in SES igneous rocks from early low-K suites to late high-K suites. Ediacaran deformation and magmatism of the SES reflects Late Tonian and Cryogenian formation of mostly juvenile crust that was subsequently deformed and chemically modified as a result of collision between large fragments of East and West Gondwana. Terminal collision began at ∼630 Ma and caused crustal thickening, melting, uplift, erosion, orogenic collapse, and tectonic escape over a broad region of the East African Orogen, including up to ∼25 km of erosion of SES crust. Plate convergence was likely continuous from ∼630 Ma, forming major N-S structures. Deformation stopped at ∼550 Ma and was followed by exhumation between ∼ 530 and 500 Ma. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction The East African Orogen (EAO) is one of Earth’s great deformation belts, stretching ∼6000 km N-S along the eastern flank of Africa (Fig. 1a). Evolution of the EAO reflects a NeoproterozoicCambrian Wilson Cycle that began with the breakup of Rodinia (870–800 Ma: Kusky et al., 2003; Li et al., 2008) and led to the final amalgamation of Gondwana in Cambrian time. The EAO was even longer before rifting truncated it in the north and opening of the Southern Ocean removed ∼2000 km of the orogen in Antarctica (thus reconstructed, the orogen is sometimes called the East ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (R.J. Stern), [email protected] (K.A. Ali), [email protected] (M.G. Abdelsalam), [email protected] (S.A. Wilde), [email protected] (Q. Zhou). 0301-9268/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2012.02.008 African-Antarctic Orogen or EAAO; Jacobs and Thomas, 2004). The northern EAO consists of the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS), composed largely of juvenile Neoproterozoic crust flanking the Red Sea (Fig. 1b), whereas the southern part comprises the Mozambique Belt (MB) with predominantly reworked older crust. The ANS contains abundant ophiolite fragments, in contrast to the MB, where ophiolites are not found. The MB is where Ediacaran collision between large continental blocks of East and West Gondwana was most intense, where deep erosion has exposed medium- to high-grade gneisses and granulites, and where great mountains rose and were eroded in Late Ediacaran and Early Paleozoic time (Squire et al., 2006). Crust formation in the EAO encompassed nearly all of Neoproterozoic (∼900–540 Ma) and much of Early Paleozoic time. The final stage of EAO evolution witnessed collision of large continental blocks: the Congo and Kalahari cratons and Saharan metacraton in the west, the Indian and Australian cratons and Cryogenian continental lithosphere of E Arabia in 160 R.J. Stern et al. / Precambrian Research 206–207 (2012) 159–167 Eritrea Tertiary & Younger Sediments Miocene - Quaternary Volcanics Oligocene - Miocene Volcanics Mesozoic Sediments 12°N Sudan Precambrian Basement East African Rift Somalia 8° South Sudan Somalia 4° Kenya Fig. 3 36°E 40° South Ethiopian Shield 44° 48° Fig. 2. Geologic map of Ethiopia, showing the location of the Southern Ethiopian Shield. White lines and irregular shapes are rivers and lakes, respectively. Rectangle shows location of Fig. 3. Map is modified from Tefera et al. (1996). erupted from the Afar mantle plume ∼30 Ma ago (Hofmann et al., 1997). However, there is a ∼200 km × 300 km region in southern Ethiopia where EAO basement is exposed, which we call the Southern Ethiopian Shield (SES; Figs. 1b and 2). The SES is situated at the junction of the ANS and MB and has affinities to both. Studying SES rocks provides an opportunity to better understand the nature of the ANS-MB transition and thus the evolution of the EAO in space and time. 2. The Southern Ethiopian Shield Fig. 1. (a) Location of the East African Orogen at the juncture between East and West Gondwana, reconstructed prior to the Jurassic and younger rifting. Note the location of Southern Ethiopian Shield at the transition between the Arabian-Nubian Shield and Mozambique Belt. (b) Location of the Southern Ethiopian Shield near the junction of the Arabian-Nubian Shield and the Mozambique Belt. Modified after Tsige and Abdelsalam (2005). the east (Stern, 1994; Squire et al., 2006). This collision was key for forming the Neoproterozoic/Cambrian supercontinent Greater Gondwana. In addition to thickening the EAO crust, this collision caused significant but unquantified along-strike transport of crust via tectonic escape (Stern, 1994). Both EAO segments were intruded by countless Neoproterozoic and Early Paleozoic plutons from ∼880 to ∼500 Ma. These igneous bodies and their metamorphosed equivalents provide opportunities to obtain radiometric ages and chemical compositions that can be used to infer tectonic evolution of the EAO, which is the strategy we use in this contribution. The nature of the transition between the MB and ANS – which encompasses the region now occupied by Ethiopia and Kenya – is poorly defined. This is largely because the basement rocks of Kenya have not been studied with modern isotopic and geochronologic methods and because Ethiopian basement is mostly buried beneath Phanerozoic sediments and flood basalts of the Ethiopian Plateau, The SES consists of granite-gneiss basement interleaved with three belts (Megado, Kentisha and Bulbul) of low-grade greenschist-facies ophiolitic–volcano–sedimentary rocks (Fig. 3; Yibas et al., 2002). The granite-gneiss terrane consists of granitoids and quartzofeldspathic para- and orthogneiss, intercalated with amphibolite and sillimanite–kyanite-bearing schist. Granitoids vary from undeformed to strongly foliated plutons and range compositionally from diorite to granite (Worku and Yifa, 1992; Worku and Schandelmeier, 1996; Yibas et al., 2002; Yihunie et al., 2004; Tsige, 2006; Abdelsalam et al., 2008). The ophiolitic–volcano–sedimentary belts are composed of mafic, ultramafic and metasedimentary rocks thought to mark Cryogenian arc–arc sutures overprinted by Ediacaran deformation (Abdelsalam and Stern, 1996). The gneisses in the Alghe terrane near Kenticha (∼5◦ 10 N, 39◦ E) were metamorphosed to upper amphibolite facies. Garnet–biotite and amphibole–plagioclase geothermometry indicate peak metamorphism at 630–650 ◦ C and 7 kbar, corresponding to a depth of ∼25 km (Tsige, 2006). Yihunie et al. (2004) documented three episodes of metamorphic mineral growth in the Alghe terrane – up to 590–640 ◦ C and 7 kbar – and inferred that these accompanied deformation. In contrast, the ophiolitic belts were subjected to lower T and P metamorphism (480–520 ◦ C and 4–5 kbar) indicating 13–17 km depth in the Kenticha terrane. On this basis, Yihunie et al. (2004) concluded that Kenticha and Alghe terrane protoliths were metamorphosed and brought up from the mid-crust before juxtaposition with the Kenticha sequence along a N-S trending thrust, during or after terminal EAO collision. Several models are proposed to explain the relationship between the granite-gneiss basement and the ophiolite–volcano–sedimentary belts: (1) Worku and Yifa (1992), and Worku and Schandelmeier (1996) suggested that the Megado, R.J. Stern et al. / Precambrian Research 206–207 (2012) 159–167 2 Adola Foldand-thrust Belt 4,5 6°N 9,10,11 DidesaAdola SZ A B E 1 3 G 7 15 8 12 7 Fig. 4 F 5° D 7 Thrust 1 Antiform 4° Eth iop ia Synform 7 C Strike-Slip 13 Kenya 100 km 38°E Granitoids Normal Fault 6,14 39° 40° Low-grade volcano-sedimentary and mafic-ultramafic rocks High-grade gneisses and migmatites Fig. 3. Geology and geochronology of the Southern Ethiopian Shield. Principal tectonic elements (after Tsige and Abdelsalam, 2005): A = Megado belt; B = Kenticha belt; C = Moyale belt; D = Bulbul belt; E = Wadera shear zone; F = Bulbul shear zone; G = Alghe Terrane/Melka Guba Domain. Previous zircon and Ar geochronological results: 1 = Metoarbasebat granite magmatic age U–Pb zircon SHRIMP 526 ± 5 Ma; biotite 40 Ar/39 Ar 506 ± 4 Ma; hornblende 40 Ar/39 Ar 511 ± 4 Ma cooling ages (Yibas et al., 2002); 2 = Meleka granodiorite gives 3 groups of U–Pb zircon SHRIMP ages: 610 ± 9 Ma; 560 ± 8 Ma; 489–515 Ma. Biotite 40 Ar/39 Ar 534.5 ± 8 Ma, 512 ± 4 Ma; muscovite 40 Ar/39 Ar 515 ± 3 Ma (Yibas et al., 2002); 3 = Digati diorite gneiss emplacement age 570 ± 7 Ma U–Pb zircon SHRIMP; biotite 40 Ar/39 Ar 502 ± 4 Ma (Yibas et al., 2002); 4 = Wadera diorite gneiss magmatic age 579 ± 5 Ma U–Pb zircon SHRIMP (Yibas et al., 2002); 5 = Wadera deformed granitic dyke magmatic age 576 ± 7 Ma (Yibas et al., 2002); 6 = Moyale granodiorite 666 ± 5 Ma U–Pb zircon SHRIMP (Yibas et al., 2002); 7 = Melka dioritic gneiss magmatic age 778 ± 23 Ma U–Pb zircon SHRIMP and metamorphic age 552 ± 13 Ma U–Pb zircon (Yibas et al., 2002); 8 = Bulbul mylonitic diorite gneiss magmatic age 876 ± 7 Ma U–Pb zircon SHRIMP (Yibas et al., 2002); 9 = Granite gneiss 752.3 ± 0.6 Ma Pb–Pb zircon evaporation (Teklay et al., 1998); 10 = Metarhyolite crystallization age 605 ± 7 Ma; 1125 ± 2.5 Ma, 1657 ± 2 Ma xenocrysts Pb–Pb zircon evaporation (Teklay et al., 1998); 11 = Alghae augengneiss magmatic age 559.9 ± 0.9 Ma Pb–Pb zircon evaporation (Teklay et al., 1998); 12 = Tonalitic gneiss magmatic age 884.2 ± 0.8 Ma Pb–Pb zircon evaporation (Teklay et al., 1998); 13 = Amphibolitic ophiolitic metagabbro magmatic age 700.5 ± 1.3 Ma Pb–Pb zircon evaporation (Teklay et al., 1998); 14 = Moyale trondhjemite magmatic age Pb–Pb zircon evaporation 657.9 ± 0.8 Ma (Teklay et al., 1998); 15 = Yavello granitic gneiss magmatic age Pb–Pb zircon evaporation 716.2 ± 1.2 Ma (Teklay et al., 1998). Not shown (lies west of area) is charnockitic Konso gneiss, magmatic age 721 ± 12 Ma U–Pb zircon SHRIMP; 728.6 ± 0.6 Ma Pb–Pb zircon evaporation (Teklay et al., 1998). Kenticha and Bulbul belts were preserved between the granitegneiss rocks as N-trending synforms resulting from folding of a once coherent E-verging nappe about N-trending axes. They further inferred that the these synforms and complementary gneissic antiforms represent N-trending “shortening zones” developed due to terminal collision between fragments of East Gondwana and the Saharan metacraton (Abdelsalam and Stern, 1996; Abdelsalam et al., 2002; Avigad et al., 2007). Additionally, this model implies that the MB-ANS in southern Ethiopia 161 represents a “basement–cover” relationship in which reworked continental crust of the MB extends northward beneath the juvenile crust of the ANS. (2) Yihunie and Tesfaye (2002), Yihunie (2003) and Yihunie et al. (2004) examined the northern part of the Bulbul belt and proposed that it evolved from a SW-verging fold and thrust belt to N-trending dextral strike-slip shear zone due to NE-SW directed oblique collision between the Alghe and the Bulbul terranes. (3) Different from the previous constructional deformation style model, Burke and Sengor (1986), Bonavia and Chorowicz (1992) and Stern (1994) interpreted the Megado, Kenticha and Bulbul belts as strike-slip shear zones representing escape routes of northward expulsion of the ANS from the MB because of continental collision between East and West Gondwana along the MB. (4) Tsige and Abdelsalam (2005) used the presence of SE-plunging stretching lineations and kinematic indicators showing top-to-the-southeast tectonic transport to propose that the southern Bulbul belt developed by regional gravitation tectonic collapse where the Bulbul terrane slipped east relative to the Alghe terrane. (5) To reconcile the along-strike variation in structural style within the Bulbul belt (SW-verging fold and thrust belt in the north, dextral strike-slip shear zone in the center, and low-angle top-to-the-southeast normal fault in the south), Abdelsalam et al. (2008) proposed an anti-clockwise terrane rotation during NW-SE oblique collision between the Alghe and Bulbul terranes. There are two modern geochronological studies of SES basement published in the peer-reviewed literature. Teklay et al. (1998) used Pb–Pb zircon evaporation techniques to date 8 samples of gneissic and granitic rocks (Fig. 3). They identified 3 important magmatic periods in the SES: ∼850, ∼750–700, and ∼650–550 Ma. Teklay et al. (1998) found pre-Neoproterozoic zircons of ∼1125 Ma and ∼1660 Ma in 605 Ma meta-rhyolite. In the second study, Yibas et al. (2002) identified 5 major tectonic episodes (1160–1030 Ma, 875 Ma, 770–720 Ma, 700–550 Ma, and 550–500 Ma, accompanied by 7 intrusive episodes Gt1 (>880 Ma), Gt2 (800–770 Ma), Gt3 (770–720 Ma), Gt4 (720–700 Ma) Gt5 (700–600 Ma), Gt6 (580–550 Ma), Gt7 (550–500 Ma). According to Yibas et al. (2002), intrusive rocks of all but Gt7 are deformed. The east-central SES is the focus of this study (Fig. 3). The structure of this region is dominated by the N-trending Bulbul Shear Zone, which separates the Bulbul terrane in the east from the Alghe terrane to the west (Fig. 4). The Alghe terrane (Yihunie and Tesfaye, 2002) represents the southern continuation of the Alghe gneisses of Kazmin (1975) and Kazmin et al. (1978) and is the equivalent of the Zambaba domain of Worku and Schandelmeier (1996). This terrane is dominated by hornblende and quartzofeldspathic gneiss and granitic migmatite. These rocks show well-developed NNW- to NNE-striking gneissic layering and are intruded by deformed and undeformed granitoids. The gneissic layering is disrupted by early rootless intrafolial folds and late map-scale NNE-trending open antiforms (Abdelsalam et al., 2008). The Bulbul terrane (Yihunie and Tesfaye, 2002) is dominated by amphibolite schists, ultramafic slivers, and pre- and syn-tectonic granitoids, all showing N- to NNW-trending, moderately E- and ENE-dipping foliation. This foliation is cut by N- to NNW-trending cleavage associated with W- and WSW-verging folds and thrusts. The intersection of foliation and cleavage produces strong subhorizontal pencil structure. The Bulbul Shear Zone is a 100 km long, N-S trending belt that is 5–7 km wide. The northern extension of the shear zone is intruded by a granitic body whereas its southern part terminates against a bow-shaped dextral strike slip shear zone (Fig. 3). This zone is dominated by E-dipping mylonitic fabric with stretching lineations that plunge NE in the north and SE in the south. Kinematic indicators show that the northern Bulbul Shear Zone represents a SW-verging fold-and-thrust belt; its central part is dominated by dextral strike–strike shearing, and top-to-the-southeast normal 162 R.J. Stern et al. / Precambrian Research 206–207 (2012) 159–167 Fig. 5. K2 O vs. SiO2 plot of analyzed samples, series after Peccerillo and Taylor (1976). Colors denote ages in 100 m.y. intervals, the same color code used in Fig. 8. (For interpretation of the references to color in the figure caption, the reader is referred to the web version of the article.) Fig. 4. Simplified geological map of study area showing sample localities. Location of this map is shown by dashed rectangle in Fig. 3. faulting characterizes the southern part (Abdelsalam et al., 2008). In addition, many parts of the shear zone also show co-axial but non-co-planar complex folds reflecting strong E-W shortening. Samples were collected in the course of detailed structural studies by Abdelsalam et al. (2008) in a ∼55 km × 30 km region bounded by 5◦ 15 –4◦ 45 N, 39◦ 15 –39◦ 30 E (Fig. 4). The study area is a relatively small part of the SES but the 8 analyzed samples are from lithologic units that are broadly representative of the SES, including gneiss of the Alghe terrane in the west and greenschist-facies metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks of the Bulbul Terrane in the east. Field photographs of typical lithologies and structures in the Alghe and Bulbul terranes, and the Bulbul Shear Zone can be found in Abdelsalam et al. (2008). 3. Analytical methods Eight samples for age determination were collected at locations (determined by GPS) provided in Section 4. Samples were crushed at UT Dallas. Powdered samples were analyzed for major oxides and some trace elements (Ba, Sr, Y, Zr, Sc, and V) at Actlabs (http://www.actlabs.com/) using routine ICP fusion techniques. Zircons were isolated at UT Dallas by crushing, magnetic separation, and heavy liquids. Grains from the non-magnetic fractions were hand-picked, mounted on double-sided adhesive tape, and set in EpirezTM resin along with several grains of Sri Lanka zircon standard (CZ3) which has a conventionally measured 206 Pb/238 Pb age of 563 Ma (Nelson, 1997). The mounted zircons were ground and polished to effectively cut them in half and then gold-coated. U–Th–Pb analyses were performed on 1 sample (BSZ-04-1-4) using a SHRIMP II ion microprobe at Curtin University in Australia following techniques described by Nelson (1997) and Williams (1998) utilizing five-cycle runs through the mass stations. Another 7 samples were analyzed for U–Th–Pb concentrations and Pb isotopic compositions using an Agilent 7500a Q-ICP-MS connected to a 193 nm Excimer laser ablation system at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, following techniques described by Xie et al. (2008). For the SHRIMP session, a total of 12 spots were analyzed on 11 zircons of sample BSZ-04-1-4, along with 17 analyses of the CZ3 standard, which yielded a 1 sigma variation in Pb/U of 0.42% for those sites located in the same mount. A total of 129 spots on 129 zircons were analyzed by LA-ICP-MS, along with 43 analyses of the 91500 standard and 21 analyses of the GJ-1 standard. The relative standard deviations of reference values for 91500 were set at 2%. Data were processed using SQUID (Ludwig, 2001a) and Isoplot (Ludwig, 2001b) software. Ages >1000 Ma are calculated from 207 Pb/206 Pb and ages <1000 Ma are calculated from 206 Pb/238 U because young zircons provide low count rates on the 207 Pb peak, thus increasing uncertainties (Black et al., 2004). Both data sets were corrected using the measured 204 Pb (Compston et al., 1992). 4. Results Geochemical results are listed in Table 1. Fig. 5, modified after Peccerillo and Taylor (1976), enables identification of the mafic, intermediate, and felsic components. Analytical results for zircons are listed in Tables A1 (ion probe results) and A2 (LA-ICP-MS) (supplementary material). Whole rock abundances of SiO2 and K2 O are also summarized below for each sample. SiO2 contents indicate whether igneous (sometimes metamorphic) rocks are mafic (derived by melting of the mantle) or felsic (generated by crustal melting or by fractionation of mafic melts). In contrast, K2 O contents reflect if the source – whether mantle or crust – was enriched or depleted. Considered together, these two elements approximate the most important aspects of igneous rock compositions. Compositional and age results are summarized below for each sample. 1. BSZ-04-1-4 (05◦ 15 17.0 N, 39◦ 30 44.0 E): This is a medium-K granodiorite (∼59% SiO2 , ∼1.3% K2 O; Fig. 5) from the northern Bulbul Shear Zone (Fig. 4). This pluton is deformed, with a well-developed mylonitic fabric striking 010◦ and dipping 60◦ E, along with a NE-trending stretching lineation. Three data points are discordant and were not used in age calculations (Fig. 6a). Nine data points are concordant and cluster together yielding a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 847 ± 11 Ma (MSWD = 0.55), which we interpret as the age of intrusion. 2. BSZ-04-1-5 (05◦ 08 57.5 N; 39◦ 28 50.7 E): This is an amphibolite schist from the Bulbul Terrane (Fig. 4) with a well-developed schistosity that strikes 020◦ and dips 70◦ E. It contains ∼55% R.J. Stern et al. / Precambrian Research 206–207 (2012) 159–167 163 Table 1 Geochemistry of Southern Ethiopian Shield basement rocks. Sample 1–4 Lithology Granodiorite 851 Age (Ma) Major elements (wt. %) 58.99 SiO2 0.79 TiO2 18.43 Al2 O3 6.22 Fe2 O3 T MnO 0.09 MgO 2.72 CaO 6.12 Na2 O 4.41 1.26 K2 O 0.2 P2 O5 LOI 0.71 Total 99.94 Trace elements (ppm) 531 Ba Sr 536 10 Y Sc 11 Zr 147 109 V 0.156 1–5 2–1A 2–1B 2–1C 3–2 3–5 4–3 5–1 Amphibolite 659 Gneiss Granite 560 Felsic dike 548 Granodiorite 665 Gneiss 731 Granite ∼2500 Granodiorite 840 55.03 0.18 15.46 9.1 0.15 5.87 7.45 3.68 1.78 0.12 1.15 99.97 68.4 0.44 15.16 4.47 0.06 1.81 3.3 4.23 1.79 0.18 0.46 100.3 73.9 0.17 13.91 2.19 0.03 0.46 1.61 3.14 4.63 0.11 0.42 100.57 76.76 0.06 13.42 1.26 0.02 0.09 1.21 3.97 3.99 0.02 0.11 100.91 73.77 0.18 13.11 3.56 0.04 1.3 2.43 3.67 1.53 0.04 0.21 99.84 71.73 0.53 13.79 3.84 0.06 0.65 1.86 2.98 4.18 0.21 0.45 100.28 65.07 0.83 15.5 4.29 0.05 1.32 2.37 4.47 4.07 0.42 0.58 98.97 76.36 0.12 13.01 1.16 0.03 0.22 1.05 3.66 4.4 0.04 0.83 100.88 172 251 29 27 157 183 262 404 9 5 154 62 922 271 9 2 244 28 99 55 5 2 12 <5 478 158 9 3 109 33 956 160 33 7 295 32 1849 854 8 5 337 61 886 184 3 2 61 9 (b) BSZ-04-1-5 (a) BSZ-04-1-4 820 0.135 920 206 Pb/ U weighted mean age = 762 ± 8 Ma (N = 6) (MSWD = 0.39) data-point error ellipses are 2σ 0.152 0.148 238 0.125 880 780 740 0.144 840 660 0.136 206 U 238 Pb/ 238 Pb/ U weighted mean age = 847 ± 11 Ma (N = 9) (MSWD = 0.55) data-point error ellipses are 2 σ 800 0.132 0.128 1.15 0.14 1.25 1.35 1.45 0.105 206 0.095 0.7 1.55 0.17 750 0.12 0.8 0.9 1.0 (d) BSZ-04-2-1C 800 550 700 0.08 206 238 0.11 Pb/ U weighted mean age = 560 ± 8 Ma (N = 3) (MSWD = 0.91) data-point error ellipses are 2 σ 450 600 0.09 350 500 250 206 0.05 0.02 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 207 Pb/ 238 Pb/ U weighted mean age = 548 ± 8 Ma (N = 4) (MSWD = 0.32) data-point error ellipses are 2σ 0.07 0.4 1.3 900 0.13 0.2 1.2 1000 650 0.04 1.1 0.15 1.00 0.06 238 Pb/ U weighted mean age = 657 ± 6 Ma (N = 12) (MSWD = 0.76) data-point error ellipses are 2σ 620 (c) BSZ-04-2-1B 206 700 0.115 0.140 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.3 1.5 235 U Fig. 6. U–Pb concordia plots. (A) BSZ-04-1-4 granodiorite from the northern Bulbul Shear Zone; (B) BSZ-04-1-5 amphibolite schist from the Bulbul Terrane; (C) BSZ-04-2-1B undeformed granite; (D) BSZ-04-2-1C undeformed felsic dike. All error ellipses are 2. Dotted symbols are excluded from age calculations, as discussed in text. 164 3. 4. 5. 6. R.J. Stern et al. / Precambrian Research 206–207 (2012) 159–167 SiO2 and ∼1.8% K2 O and plots on the boundary between mafic-intermediate and medium- to high-K calc-alkaline suites (Fig. 5). We interpret this as having formed from a melt prior to being metamorphosed to amphibolite facies (orthoamphibolite). Twenty zircons were analyzed. Two data points are discordant and were not used in age calculations (Fig. 6b). Twelve data points yield a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 657 ± 6 Ma (MSWD = 0.76), which we interpret as the time of crystallization. The remaining six analyses are concordant with a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 762 ± 8 Ma (MSWD = 0.39), which we interpret as the age of xenocrysts (Fig. 6b). Alternatively, the igneous rock could have formed at ∼760 Ma and then been metamorphosed ∼660 Ma, as suggested by the fact that Th/U for ∼660 Ma zircons = 0.60 ± 0.21 (1), significantly lower than Th/U = 1.02 ± 0.35 for ∼760 Ma zircons. Further work is required to resolve this uncertainty. BSZ-04-2-1B (2-1A, B, and C are all from 04◦ 44 24.3 N; 39◦ 15 52.5 E): This sample is from a granite body that intrudes the Alghe Terrane. It is a felsic, high-K calc-alkaline igneous rock (∼74% SiO2 and ∼4.6% K2 O; Fig. 5). The body has a welldeveloped foliation that is concordant with layering in the surrounding gneiss. One analysis was conducted for each of 18 zircon grains. Twelve data points are discordant and were not used in the calculations, whereas 3 concordant analyses yielded a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 560 ± 8 Ma (MSWD = 0.91), which we interpret as the best estimate of the age of crystallization (Fig. 6c). The remaining three analyses are concordant and yield 206 Pb/238 U ages of 613 ± 8 Ma and 716 ± 9 Ma, also interpreted as xenocrysts. Spot 18 yields a younger 206 Pb/238 U age (540 ± 8) than the other 18 analyses, which may record Pb-loss or perhaps the effects of a slightly younger thermal event. BSZ-04-2-1C: Is an undeformed felsic dyke intruded into gneiss (BSZ-04-2-1A; undated but chemical analysis listed in Table 1) and ∼560 Ma granite (BSZ-04-2-1B) of the Alghe terrane. This dike is a felsic, high-K calc-alkaline igneous rock (∼77% SiO2 and ∼4% K2 O; Fig. 5). One analysis was conducted for each of 9 zircon grains. Three young data points are discordant and were omitted from the age calculation (Fig. 6d), whereas 4 data points are concordant and yield a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 548 ± 8 Ma (MSWD = 0.32), which we interpret as the crystallization age of the dike. The remaining two analyses are concordant and yield 206 Pb/238 U ages of 880 ± 13 Ma and 884 ± 13 Ma, which we interpret as xenocrysts. BSZ-04-3-2 (05◦ 02 26.3 N; 39◦ 28 01.8 E): This sample is from a highly sheared granodiorite body in the Bulbul Terrane (Fig. 4). It is a medium-K felsic igneous rock (∼74% SiO2 , ∼1.5% K2 O; Fig. 5). This pluton has a mylonitic fabric that strikes 010◦ and dips 50◦ E. One analysis was conducted for each of 8 zircons. One data point is discordant and was not used in age calculations (Fig. 7a). Six concordant analyses yield a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 665 ± 8 Ma (MSWD = 0.096), which we interpret as when the rock crystallized. The remaining analysis gives a 206 Pb/238 U age of 863 ± 14 Ma, which we interpret as a xenocryst. BSZ-04-3-5 (05◦ 02 42.2 N; 39◦ 27 14.6 E): This sample is from a quartzo-feldspathic gneiss at the contact between the Bulbul Shear Zone and the Bulbul terrane. The dated sample is a felsic, high-K calc-alkaline metamorphic rock (∼72% SiO2 and ∼4.2% K2 O; Fig. 5) that probably formed from an igneous protolith (orthogneiss). It has a well-developed mylonitic fabric that strikes 020◦ and dips 50◦ E and also a well-developed stretching lineation (azimuth 066◦ , plunge 28◦ ). One analysis was conducted on each of 36 zircon grains. Seven analyses are discordant and were excluded from age calculations (Fig. 7b). Twenty-five data points cluster around a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 732 ± 5 Ma (MSWD = 0.75). We interpret these zircons to have formed by crystallization from a melt, as indicated by mean Th/U = 0.60 ± 0.24 (1), so this age is taken to reflect when the protolith crystallized. The four remaining analyses are concordant but younger; one (spot 36) yields a 206 Pb/238 U age of 699 ± 12 Ma and three others yield a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 605 ± 11 Ma (MSWD = 0.80), perhaps reflecting metamorphic recrystallization, an interpretation supported by the low Th/U for some of these zircons of ∼0.10. 7. BSZ-04-4-3 (05◦ 13 06.8 N; 39◦ 29 44.6 E): This sample is from an undeformed granite intruding the Alghe Terrane. It has ∼65% SiO2 and ∼4% K2 O, and plots near the boundary between intermediate and felsic igneous rocks with high-K calc-alkaline affinities (Fig. 5). Twenty-four zircons were analyzed and concordant ages range from 2505 ± 36 Ma to 568 ± 9 Ma. Three of these yield a weighted mean 207 Pb/206 Pb age of 2514 ± 18 Ma (MSWD = 0.18). The youngest ages are identical to the weighted mean age of sample BSZ-04-2-1B; a granite that also intrudes the Alghe terrane. It is not clear if this is a ∼2.5 Ga igneous rock metamorphosed in Late Neoproterozoic time or a Late Neoproterozoic melt of Archean crust, but the fact that the body is undeformed suggests that it is an Ediacaran intrusion that was generated by melting of ∼2.5 Ga crust or sediments with a concentration of such zircons. 8. BSZ-04-5-1 (04◦ 55 51.3 N; 39◦ 26 59.4 E): This sample is from a granodiorite at the contact between the Bulbul Shear Zone and the Alghe Terrane. It is a felsic, high-K calc-alkaline igneous rock (∼76% SiO2 and ∼4% K2 O; Fig. 5). It has both a well-developed mylonitic fabric (strike 020◦ , dip 50◦ E and stretching lineation (azimuth 075◦ , plunge 45◦ ). One analysis was conducted for each of 14 grains. Six were discordant and were omitted from age calculations (Fig. 7d). Four data points yield a weighted mean 206 Pb/238 U age of 855 ± 14 Ma (MSWD = 0.28) which we interpret as the time of intrusion; three points are discordant around this age and may reflect Pb-loss. The remaining four concordant ages gave scattered 206 Pb/238 U ages of 941 ± 16, 800 ± 14, 710 ± 14 and 648 ± 12 Ma. The oldest of these ages may be a xenocryst, whereas the three younger ones may reflect younger thermal disturbance. 5. Discussion SES exposures provide a chance to examine the middle EAO crust, 13–25 km deep, as it existed at ∼550 Ma when deformation stopped. Because it juxtaposed metamorphic rocks of very different grade, it is likely that prior to terminal collision, the present steep contact between lower grade ophiolitic–volcano–sedimentary basins and higher grade granite-gneiss middle crust was subhorizontal, so that gneiss and low grade sequences were separated by a shear zone that facilitated lateral movements of the upper crustal “superstructure” relative to the mid- and lower crust “infrastructure” (Abdelsalam et al., 2008). Such shear zones would have likely concentrated fluids, including those responsible for gold mineralization in the area (Tsige, 2006). Thus the results presented above should be viewed in the context of a midcrustal environment, with the possible exception of the youngest intrusions. These results largely confirm conclusions from earlier geochronologic studies that the SES is largely a juvenile Neoproterozoic crustal addition. With the exception of ∼2.5 Ga zircons in BSZ-04-4-3, the inferred crystallization ages are 851, 840, 731, 665, 659, 560, and 548 Ma. The dominantly Neoproterozoic nature of the crust in the study area is also confirmed (again with the exception of ∼2.5 Ga material) by the fact that zircon xenocrysts, although common, are entirely Neoproterozoic (941, 863, 880, 884, 762, 716 and 712 Ma). Sr–Nd isotopic studies (Teklay et al., 1998; Yihunie et al., 2006) also indicate that the R.J. Stern et al. / Precambrian Research 206–207 (2012) 159–167 0.135 (a) BSZ-04-3-2 900 0.15 206 238 Pb/ U weighted mean age = 665 ± 8 Ma (N = 6) (MSWD = 0.096) data-point error ellipses are 2s 0.13 (c) BSZ-04-3-5 206 0.125 860 165 800 238 Pb/ U weighted mean age = 732 ± 5 Ma (N = 25) (MSWD = 0.75) data-point error ellipses are 2s 760 720 820 0.115 780 680 740 0.105 700 0.11 660 600 580 0.09 0.7 0.6 0.9 1.1 1.3 1.5 0.085 0.6 0.18 (c) BSZ-04-4-3 0.5 2600 0.8 207 0.3 1400 1.2 Pb/ U weighted mean age = 855 ± 14 Ma (N = 4) (MSWD = 0.28) data-point error ellipses are 2s 950 206 0.16 1.4 238 850 0.14 206 Pb/ Pb weighted mean age = 2514 ± 18 Ma (N = 3) (MSWD = 0.18) data-point error ellipses are 2s 1800 1.0 (d) BSZ-04-5-1 2200 0.4 238 Pb/ U weighted mean age = 605 ± 11 Ma (N = 3) (MSWD = 0.80) data-point error ellipses are 2s 560 U 238 Pb/ 206 0.095 620 206 640 750 0.12 0.2 1000 650 0.10 0.1 600 Youngest concordant age = 568 ± 9 Ma 550 0.0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 207 0.08 0.6 Pb/ 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 235 U Fig. 7. U–Pb concordia plots. (A) BSZ-04-3-2 Alghe sheared granodiorite; (B) BSZ-04-3-5 Bulbul quartzo-feldspathic gneiss; (C) BSZ-04-4-3 undeformed Alghe granite; (D) BSZ-04-5-1 Bulbul-Alghe mylonitic granodiorite. All error ellipses are 2. Dotted symbols are excluded from age calculations, as discussed in text. SES mostly comprises juvenile Neoproterozoic crust. We see no evidence, either in crystallization or xenocryst ages, to support the conclusion that significant tracts of 1160–1030 Ma crust (Adola tectonothermal event of Yibas et al., 2002) are present in the SES. Our zircon crystallization ages mostly agree with the 3 magmatic episodes (∼850, ∼750–700, and ∼650–550 Ma) identified by Teklay et al. (1998) for the SES. However, considering the data of Teklay et al. (1998) and Yibas et al. (2002) along with our own, we infer 4 principal magmatic episodes in the region (Fig. 8): 840–890 Ma (Late Tonian-Early Cryogenian); 790–700 Ma (Cryogenian), ∼660 Ma (Moyale Event), and Pan-African (630–500 Ma; Ediacaro-Cambrian). The first episode marks the beginning of crust formation and encompasses the 876 ± 5 Ma Bulbul–Awata tectonothermal event, which Yibas et al. (2002) correlated with the Samburian-Sabachian episode in Kenya (Rb–Sr whole-rock ages of Key et al., 1989). The first two episodes overlap with ∼0.85–0.74 Ga Tsaliet arc magmatism in NE Ethiopia and Eritrea (Avigad et al., 2007). The Cryogenian episode is essentially the same as the 770–720 Ma Megado tectonothermal event of Yibas et al. (2002). There is no evidence for the distinctive ∼720–750 Ma carbonates and other sediments of the Tambien Group, which define synformal keels in the Neoproterozoic basement of NE Ethiopia (Miller et al., 2009). It is unknown whether the Tambien was removed by erosion (more extensive in the SES than in NE Ethiopia) or was never deposited on SES crust. The ∼660 Ma “Moyale” event seems to have been important for SES evolution, including both granitic intrusions (like that of Moyale granodiorite) and formation of amphibolite schist (BSZ-04-1-5) of this study. There may be a range of ages for amphibolite protoliths; Teklay et al. (1998) report ages of 700.5 ± 1.3 Ma for amphibolite from the Moyale area, and Yibas et al. (2002) note that amphibolite xenoliths are common in the ∼650 Ma Moyale granodiorite. Worku (1996) reported a Sm–Nd whole- rock age of 789 ± 36 Ma for meta-mafic igneous rocks near Megado. Further research is needed to resolve the importance of the ∼660 Ma episode, to map the extent of the region affected by this event, and to identify the full age range of amphibolites and ophiolitic rocks. SES rocks studied here also provide insights into magmatism and deformation accompanying continental collision between fragments of East Gondwana and the Congo-Tanzanian craton – Saharan metacraton, beginning at ∼630 Ma. These events formed the EAO (Fig. 1B) and other Ediacaran orogens referred to as PanAfrican (Kennedy, 1964; Kröner and Stern, 2004). High mountains were created by these collisions, and the continental assembly and relief affected climate and other aspects of the Earth System, including the rapidly evolving biosphere (Meert and Lieberman, 166 R.J. Stern et al. / Precambrian Research 206–207 (2012) 159–167 Denudation Collision 40 Pan-African M B B B B = Biotite; M = Muscovite; H = Hornblende Early Cryogenian Late Cryogenian Moyale event B Ar/ 39Ar age (Yibas et al., 2002) U-Pb & Pb-Pb Zircon Ages Crystallization age, Teklay et al (1998) Crystallization age, Yibas et al (2002) H T Crystallization age, this study Xenocryst age, Teklay et al (1998) Xenocryst age, this study T 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850 900 950 1000 1125 T 1650 2500 Ma Fig. 8. Age summary diagram comparing results of this study with those of Yibas et al. (2002), including zircon crystallization ages and mineral 40 Ar/39 Ar ages, as well as zircon Pb–Pb evaporation and one SHRIMP zircon age and xenocrysts of Teklay et al. (1998). Color-coded 100 million year intervals as used in Fig. 5. See text for more discussion of timing. (For interpretation of the references to color in the figure caption, the reader is referred to the web version of the article.) 2008). This collision triggered crustal thickening in the EAO south of the Ariab-Nakasib-Tharwah-Bir Umq suture (Johnson et al., 2003), which in turn engendered crustal melting, uplift, and erosion over a broad region. Deformation is likely to have been continuous from ∼630 Ma, and includes the ∼580 Ma Wadera shearing event (Yibas et al., 2002); other SES shear zones need to be dated. Post-630 Ma shortening probably formed the major N-S structures, overprinting older structures. Deformation stopped in at least part of Alghe terrane at ∼550 Ma (constrained by 560 ± 8 Ma deformed granite intruded by 548 ± 8 Ma undeformed felsic dyke), and this probably reflects localization and diminishing of strain as shortening stopped (after 70 million years) and the orogen relaxed. This approximates the start of the post-orogenic Berguda tectonothermal event at 550–500 Ma (Yibas et al., 2002) and was followed by exhumation between ∼500 and 530 Ma, as indicated by 40 Ar/39 Ar hornblende, biotite and muscovite ages (Yibas et al., 2002). Late Pan-African exhumation engendered tremendous erosion of the SES and other parts of the central and southern EAO (Johnson et al., 2003). Vast volumes of clastic detritus were transported northwards and an estimated (15–90) × 106 km3 of sandstone was deposited on the northern margin of Gondwana (Avigad et al., 2005; Squire et al., 2006). The higher estimate is equivalent to eroding 12.5 km of crust from the 8000-km-long and at least 1000-km-wide East African–Antarctic Orogen. Of course, uplift and erosion were not distributed evenly across the orogen, mostly being greater in the south. One difference between the ANS and MB is that uplift and erosion was much greater in the MB than the ANS. In that sense, the SES is more like the MB in showing erosion to ∼25 km depth (Tsige, 2006). We suspect that much of this rapid erosion was the product of Alpine-style glaciation. The SES lay at ∼30◦ S (Meert and Lieberman, 2008) but glacial deposits are inferred from lowlatitude deposits as late as ∼580 Ma (e.g., Bingen et al., 2005). It is likely that high-altitude regions such as the Ediacaran mountains of the EAO were extensively glaciated during this time and perhaps later, even though no clear signs of glaciation are known from the SES. In this study, we document the presence of reworked Neoarchean/Paleoproterozoic crust (or sediment with abundant ∼2.5 Ga zircons) in the undeformed granite sample BSZ-04-4-3 from the Alghe Terrane. Zircons with similar ages (2489.3 ± 0.3 Ma; 2947 ± 2 Ma) were reported by Teklay et al. (1998) from E Ethiopia, ∼600 km NE of the SES, near 9◦ N, 42◦ E (Fig. 2). Such old ages are much less common than Neoproterozoic ages from the Ethiopian basement, but indicate that scattered remnants of older crust may be present in the Ethiopian basement. Further geochronological and isotopic work is needed to understand how important preNeoproterozoic crust has been for the evolution of the SES and Ethiopian basement in general. Finally, we note that there is no strong evidence of geochemical evolution of igneous rocks with time shown in the potassium–silica diagram using both our data and those of Teklay et al. (1998) (Fig. 5). The youngest igneous rocks are enriched in incompatible elements, as shown by the fact that all have >4% K2 O, but older rocks may have high or low contents of incompatible elements. This further indicates the complex magmatic history that the middle crust of this region experienced during Proterozoic time. 6. Conclusions New and existing geochronologic data from the Southern Ethiopian Shield indicate that the rocks mostly formed in the middle crust and represent a Neoproterozoic addition to the crust, although further studies are needed to assess the extent and role of Archean components. Neoproterozoic crustal growth spanned ∼300 million years, from ∼850 Ma to ∼550 Ma. This age range is indistinguishable from that seen for crustal growth of the ANS to the north. This, together with the fact that SES basement includes a significant proportion of ophiolitic and volcano-sedimentary terranes, indicates that the generation of juvenile Neoproterozoic crust in the EAO affected regions well to the south of the ANS. On the other hand, the abundance of high grade metamorphic rocks, along with the recognition of Archean protoliths in the Alghae Terrane, indicate similarities to crust of the MB, and uplift and deep erosion of the SES is readily ascribed to terminal collision between large fragments of what became East and West Gondwana, with erosion aided by glaciation. Deformation in the SES related to terminal collision along the EAO continued until 548 ± 8 Ma. Acknowledgments We dedicate this study to the memory of Dr. Lulu Tsige. Lulu who worked extensively in the SES, and helped MGA collect the samples in 2005. He passed away on September 5, 2011 of cancer in Addis Ababa at the age of 45. This work was supported by NSFOISE grant #0804749 and a Blaustein-Cox fellowship at Stanford R.J. Stern et al. / Precambrian Research 206–207 (2012) 159–167 University to RJS and a post-doctoral fellowship from Curtin University in Perth, Australia to KAA. 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