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Earth and Planetary Science Letters 150 (1997) 427-441

Geochronology and Nd isotopic data of Grenville-age rocks in the Colombian Andes: new constraints for Late Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic paleocontinental reconstructions of the Americas
Pedro A. Restrepo-Pace a,, Joaquin Ruiz a3 , George Gehrels a, Michael Costa b *
a Department of Geosciences, Unioersity of Arizona, Tucson. AZ 85721, USA b Institute du Mineralogie, Unioersit6 de Lmsanne, 1015 Lausanne. Switzerland
Received 25 February
1997; revised 8 May 1997; accepted 8 May 1997

Abstract
New U-Pb zircon crystallization ages and Ar/ 39Ar cooling rocks metamorphosed during the Orinoquian Orogenic Event (ca. these rocks range from - 3.9 to + 0.91, which is interpreted as juvenile material produced during the 1.1 Ga erogenic event. The ages from the Colombian Andes confirm the existence of 1.0 Ga) of northern South America. eNd (t = 1.1 Ga) for a mixture of Late Archean-Early Proterozoic crust with Colombian Grenville age rocks are part of a much longer

metamorphic pericratonal belt, sporadically exposed along the Andes, in western-central Peru, southern Bolivia and northern Argentina. In addition, Nd model (T,,) ages for the Colombian rocks range from 1.9 to 1.45 Ga, similar to those obtained in the Grenville Province of the eastern U.S. and in the Mexican basement, placing constraints on Late Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic paleocontinental reconstructions. 0 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.
Keywords: Northern Andes: Grenvillian Orogeny; geochronology; neodymium; reconstruction

1. Introduction Recent paleocontinental reconstructions of the Americas based on correlating age, isotopic tracer, lithostratigraphic, fauna1 and paleomagnetic data [ l81 have focused on the possible tectonic interactions

Corresponding author. Tel.: + 1 602 621 2365. Fax: + 1 602 621 2672. E-mail: jruiz@geo.arizona.edu Current address: Conoco Inc., Advance Exploration Organization, 600 N. Dairy Ashford, Houston, TX 77252-2197, USA.

between western South America and northeastern North America in the late Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic. Recently [9,10] geological affinities between basement rocks of northern South America and eastem Mexico have also been suggested. However, these affinities need further support. The presence of Grenville age crust in eastern Mexico has been well documented [9,11,12], yet its possible counterpart in northwestern South America has been less constrained because of the strong Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic overprints on older rocks. The purpose of this paper is to review the existing age data for the

0012-821X/97/$17.00 0 1997 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PZI s0012-821x(97)0009l-5

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basement rocks of the Colombian Andes and to report new ages which confirm the existence of a N 1.1 Ga Orinoquian tectonometamorphic episode in northern South America (after Martin-Bellizzia [ 131). We also provide Nd isotopic data, which, together with regional geologic relationships, constrain the Late Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic paleogeography of the Americas.

2. Regional setting The northern termination of the Andes of South America, in Colombia, branch into three ranges trending north-northeast and separated by narrow valleys (Fig. 1). Here the Andean system was built

by successive discrete erogenic episodes which began in the late Cretaceous and climaxed during the late Tertiary Andean Orogeny. Uplift initiated with the collision of terranes with oceanic affinity, derived from the Pacific, and continues today as a result of the ongoing convergence between the South American and Nazca plates and by the collision of the Panama arc with South America [14-161. As a result of the Andean uplift, Mesozoic rift and pericratonic sedimentary sequences were inverted and partially removed unveiling the pre-Mesozoic core of the northern Andes, mainly along the eastern and central range, of Colombia. The Andean domain is separated from the eastern Guiana shield domain by the NE-SW trending Borde Llanero fault system. Crystalline rocks of the Guiana shield are exposed in

ibbean _&B

Santa Marta Massif /

Guajira

Fig. 1. Andean physiography of Colombia. A = Eastern range; B = Magdalena Valley; C = Central range; D = Western range; E = Merida Andes; F = Perija range; G = Santa Marta uplift. Main map shows the location of basement exposures in the northern Andes and major fault systems: I = Borde-Llanero fault system; 2 = Santa Marta-Bucaramanga fault; 3 = Pamplona-Cubugon-Mercedes thrust-front and T&chira depression; 4 = Oca fault system.

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the vicinity of the Colombian-Venezuelan-Brazilian border. The upthrusted basement rocks of the Colombian Andes consist primarily of high grade metamorphic rocks of Precambrian age, low grade metamorphic pelitic rocks of Early Paleozoic age and marine sedimentary rocks of Cambro-Ordovician, Devonian and Permo-Carboniferous age. MacDonald and Hurley [ 171, Goldsmith et al. [18], Ward et al. [ 191 and Tschanz et al. [20,21] have reported the existence of Precambrian rocks. K/Ar and Rb/Sr ages of basement rocks from the Garz6n Massif led Alvarez and Cordani [22], Alvarez [23,24], Kroonenberg [25] and Priem et al. [26] to suggest that sporadic basement exposures in the Colombian Andes constituted remnants of a Grenville age metamorphic belt. A compilation of previously obtained ages is summarized in Table 1. 2. I. Geology of Andean basement exposures Three significant exposures of Andean basement, known as the Garzbn, Santander and Santa Marta massifs, are shown in Fig. 2.

The Garzcin Massif is the most extensive and best known Andean basement exposure in Colombia (Figs. 1 and 2a). It is bounded on the east by the east-verging Borde-Llanero fault system that places the massif over Tertiary elastics of the Andean foreland. On the west, the massif is bounded by the west verging Garzbn-Suaza thrust fault placing the massif basement over Meso-Cenozoic sedimentary fill of the Upper Magdalena Valley. Triassic-Jurassic plutons intrude the basement complex at its western margin. Garz6n basement metamorphic rocks extend west beneath the Magdalena Valley fill and into the eastern margin of the Central Andean range. Exposures everywhere are limited to road cuts and river gorges since the area is covered with lush vegetation. Detailed petrology of the Garz6n basement was conducted by Radelli [27] and later by Kroonenberg [25,28], who divided the massifs metamorphic rocks into two petrotectonic units: the dominant (about 80%) Garz6n Group, consisting of banded felsic and mafic granulites and the less extensive Guapot6n and Mancagua gneisses consisting of pegmatitic augen ortho-gneisses. In detail, Garz6n Group rocks are

Table I Previously Location

reported

Grenvillian

ages in the Colombian

Andes (data from Maya [61]) Method and type Age (Ma) 601 + 56 847 + ? 895 + 16 912 + 35 918 + 27 925 f 50 971+ 19 lOOOk 1150+ 180 1150+70 1172+90 1180+? 1595 f 300 945 + 40 752 + 70 940 f 30 1300&? 1300+ 100 1400 f ? 1250 f ? Reference

Lithology

Garz6n Massif Garz6n Massif Garzdn Massif Car&n Massif Car&n Massif Garzdn Massif Garzbn Massif Garz6n Massif Car&n Massif Garz6n Massif Garz6n Massif Garz6n Massif Garz6n Massif Santander Massif Santa Marta Massif Santa Marta Massif Santa Marta Massif Santa Marta Massif Santa Marta Massif Guajira

Granulite Pegmatitic granitoid Pegmatitic granitoid Marble Granulite Mafic granulite Clinopx. amphibolite Banded amphibolitic granulite Granulite Granulite Granulite Granulite Granitic augen-gneiss Amphibolitic gneiss Granulite Granulite Potasic granite Quartz-perthite gneiss Granulite Leuco granite

Rb/Sr Rb/Sr Rb/Sr K/Ar Rb/Sr K/Ar K/Ar K/Ar Rb/Sr Rb/Sr Rb/Sr Rb/Sr Rb/Sr K/Ar Rb/Sr K/Ar Rb/Sr Rb/Sr Rb/Sr U-Pb

whole rock whole rock K-spar phlogopite K-spar hornblende hornblende hornblende whole rock whole rock whole rock whole rock whole rock hornblende whole rock hombiende whole rock whole rock whole. rock zircon

[231

[261
[26]

[261 [Xl
[241

[261 [Xl
1231 1231 1261 [23]

[Xl
[191 El1

[211
[67]

[211
[I71

@I

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varied and comprise banded chamockites and pelitic gneisses alternating with mafic granulites and/or marbles, metacalcsilicate layers and cross-cut by

aplite dykes [28]. Subordinate amphibolites and lotally othopyroxene homblendite and meta-ultramafic lenses are also found. Ubiquitous orthopyroxene and

Map

units ;

=I

Catibbam Sm Dibutta

5fii@* Jurassic continenial series l?ldz.2

:: CII : : Triass-Jur plutonic rocks Mid-Late Paleazoic marine sediments = ------Early Paleozoic peliiic schists

73ow
I

--.-.

74aw t

Precambrian metixnorphic rocks

ihta
L

Mmta

mass$

Fig. 2. Simplified geologic maps of (a) Garz6n Massif; (b) Santander and names of localities quoted in text.

Massif and (c) Santa Marta Massif. Maps also show sample location

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strongly perthitic and/or anthiperthitic feldspars indicate granulite grade P-T conditions. The absence of cordierite in the pelitic rocks and the presence of olivine plus plagioclase in the mafic suite suggest intermediate pressures [28]. Retrogression is evident in some samples from the presence of hornblende rims around orthopyroxene. Gneisses of the Guapoton-Mancagua unit consist of gray to pink colored, hornblendeand biotite-bearing, foliated granitic pegmatitic gneisses. The GuapotonMancagua augen gneisses are concordantly foliated with the hosting Garzon Group rocks and are regarded as being syntectonic granitoids [25,28]. As a whole, the Garzon Massif lithologies are quartzfeldspathic rich, which, together with the calcareous and talc-silicate rocks. suggest a continental sedimentary and volcanic origin. On the eastern flank of the Garzon Massif, a Cambrian shelfal sequence is exposed at La Uribe and Duda River [29-311. The basal contact of this sequence is not exposed but it is assumed to be discordantly overlying the Garzon metamorphics [30,31]. The Cambrian sequence is 1500 m and consists of limestone, dolomite, serpentinized diabase and towards the top, sandstone and shale beds; Ehmmlia [29] and Paradoxides [32] trilobites have been recovered from this sequence. North of the Garzon Massif is the Santander Massif (Figs. 1 and 2b), which has one the most complete late Proterozoic and Phanerozoic rock records of the northern Andes [33]. The Santander Massif is bounded on the west by the left-lateral Bucaramanga-Santa Marta fault and on the east by the east vergent Pamplona-Cubugon-Mercedes thrust system that places the Santander Massif over the Tachira depression, the southern Venezuelan MCrida Andes and also over the petroleum-rich Catatumbo basin to the north. The oldest exposed rocks are the Bucaramanga gneisses, which consist of quartz-feldspathic gneisses with subordinate interlayered amphibolitic gneisses and diopside-tremoliteepidote-bearing metacalcsilicate rocks, and the Silgara schists. The Bucaramanga gneiss also commonly contains the association quartz-plagioclasebiotite-andalusite-cordierite f sillimanite or quartz-plagioclase-biotite-sillimanite-potassium feldspar + garnet, indicating high metamorphic grade [19]. Given the overall preponderance of pelitic gneisses and metacalcsilicate rocks, the Bucara-

manga gneisses are considered to be mainly of sedimentary origin. The contact between the Bucaramanga gneisses and the low to medium metamorphic grade Silgara schists remains unclear and currently appears to be defined by the biotite-sillimanite isograd. Ages obtained from synkinematic plutons emplaced within the schists suggest that they formed during the Late Ordovician Caparonensis regional metamorphic event [33]. The overlying sedimentary cover rocks include Silurian (?&Devonian and Permo-Carboniferous marine sediments, a thick Jurassic continental molasse, Cretaceous marine sediments and Tertiary continental sediments. Calc-alkaline plutons of Triassic-Jurassic age intrude the basement complex and have strongly perturbed all pre-Jurassic isotopic systems [19,33]. The third exposure of basement is the Santa Marta Massif (Figs. 1 and 2c), which is an isolated, triangular-based uplift bounded on the north by the rightlateral Oca fault. on the west by the left-lateral Santa Marta-Bucaramanga fault and on the southeast by the Cesar Valley. The massif consists of three northeast-southwest trending tectonostratigraphic belts [20,21]. The two younger northwestern belts are low grade metamorphic pelitic schists intruded by Triassic-Jurassic and Tertiary talc-alkalic plutonic rocks. The southeastern belt consists of granulite facies migmatites. Exposed gneisses in the Santa Marta massif consist of interlayered pelitic and quartzfeldspathic garnet-orthopyroxene-biotite granulites, which is the dominant lithology, and orthopyroxene-clinopyroxene metabasites and homblende-clinopyroxene mafic gneisses. Similar lithological associations and equivalent metamorphic grade rocks are found in the Garzon massif. However, Santa Marta also has anorthosites, which are exposed at the western portion of the high metamorphic grade belt [34,20].

3. Analytical

methods

Sampling was carried out according to guidelines described in Yafiez et al. [9], and analytical methods are described in detail in Restrepo-Pace [33]. Many of the samples analyzed were collected at the same sites as previous studies (see Table 1). This proce-

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dure allowed us to compare our results with those previously obtained. Mineral separations were done at the University
S;arron Masslf

of Arizona, using heavy liquids only for the zircon separates. All minerals were hand picked and inspected to ensure purity. U/PI, analyses were perSantanderMassif

OT-1 Hornblende

Amphibolitic @Wiss

Santa Marta Massif

hegrated Age = 174 f3 Mn

cumuLtiw %39Ar Released

ChamickilicGtiss

Fig. 3. @Ar/ 3gAr apparent age spectra for selected basement rocks of the Colombian

Andes.

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0.20

0.18 W

=IJ
cl.17

0.14 1.4 0.32

I
1.6

I 1.8

I 2.0

, Z.2

Upper intercept = 1088 rt 6 Ma Lower intercept = 238 + 79 Ma

0.170

0.28 J 2.02 0.24

RGl

I
1.74 1.78

I
1.8Z

I,
1.86 I.)0

t 1.98

I,

1.94

20Pb*P)5U

0.0s
II 1 2 3 4

Pb*/=W
Fig. 4. U/Pb zircon concordia diagrams for selected basement rocks of the Colombian Andes.

formed as described in Gehrels [35] and Sm/Nd analyses as described in Patchett and Ruiz [ 121. Ar/ 9Ar analyses were carried out at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, as described by Costa and ONions [36].

4. Geochronology:

results and discussion

Ar/ 39Ar analyses were performed on mineral separates from ten samples; six were from the Garz6n massif, two from the Santander massif and two from the Santa Marta massif (Fig. 3) (for 40Ar/ 39Ar isotopic compositions, see the EPSL Online Background Dataset *). With the exception of Garzon

URL: http://www.elsevier.nl/locate/epsl. http://www.eIsevier.com/locate/epsl

mirror

site:

sample HP-3, all the samples depict complex degassing spectra, which was expected, as these rocks experienced an intense tectonothermal event during a Triassic-Jurassic event [21,33,68]. Hornblende separates from rock sample SnAnKr1, a pegmatitic biotite-hornblende augen-gneiss from the Guapoton-Mancagua unit of the Garz6n massif, yields a staircase Ar/ 39Ar apparent age spectrum (Fig. 3). Approximately 45% of 39Ar was released at N 180 Ma apparent age in the first steps of the heating experiment. During the following steps the gas was released gradually, with the final gas discharged at an N 890 Ma apparent age. The K/Ca ratio mimics the age spectrum. suggesting the presence of two mineral phases within the homblendes. No scattered electron microscopy analyses were made to determine if such was the case. By following the criteria outlined by McDougall et al. [37], this samples Ar/ 39Ar spectra may be inter-

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preted as an older N 890 Ma cooling age, which approximates its metamorphic age, and a younger thermal overprint at N 180 Ma. The older cooling age is interpreted here to be related to the Orinoquiense metamorphic event at N 1.1 Ga, while the younger age is related to partial resetting due to me intrusion of the Triassic-Jurassic Suaza-Altamira granitoid exposed along the western margin of the massif. Samples HP-3, G-20, G-17 and G-2 are from the Garzon Group and HP-3 from the Higado creek, in the eastern flank of the central Andean range (Fig. 2a). In the Higado creek, the gneisses of the Garzon Group underlie fossiliferous sedimentary rocks of Llanvimian age (- 475 Ma) [38]. A hornblende separate from sample HP-3, an amphibolitic gneiss, yields a 40Ar/ 39Arplateau age of 911 + 2 Ma, which is a cooling age related to the Orinoquiense orogeny. Very dark green euhedral homblendes from sample G-20, an orthopyroxene-bearing homblendite, displayed a OAr/ 39Ar saddle-shaped spectrum indicating the presence of excess argon. Approximately
Table 2 U/PI, zircon comoosition Sample Weight (ILg) SnAnKr-1 25 21 34 23 53 14 24 9 24 9 33 19 23 26 26 13 36 51

50% of the 39Arwas released in the middle stages of the heating experiment. The central portion of the spectra defines a plateau age at 1074 Ma, interpreted as the cooling metamorphic age related to the Orinoquiense orogeny. Inverse isochron plots yield poor correlations, due to the overwhelming radiogenic Ar component in the samples. Feldspar and biotite separates from sample G-17 and biotite from sample G-2, both garnet-orthopyroxene charnockites, yield complex 40Ar/ 39Ar apparent age spectra, which are probably a result of the relatively lower retaining temperatures for the argon system of these minerals. Zircons were separated from sample SnAnK-1 to further corroborate the cooling ages obtained by 40Ar/ 39Ar.Under the binocular microscope the separates were crystalline euhedral and transparent pink colored crystals. U-Pb analyses of six abraded single zircons yielded an age of 1088 f 6 Ma based on two concordant grains, and a lower intercept of 238 f 79 Ma for the four discordant grains (Fig. 4, Table 2). The upper intercept is interpreted as recording the Orinoquiense orogeny. The lower intercept

and aee data for selected basement Pb (ppm) 104.3 21.5 35.9 72.9 82.8 107.5 91.8 120.1 205.8 291.3 27.6 190.6 117.8 235.2 301.5 40.0 106.2 129.8 U (ppm) 600 112 195 385 567 690 584 723 1290 1600 145 1750 1550 2030 2214 146 377 416 Measured ratios 206/204 4200 700 10600 990 7870 4200 5500 1580 13600 8800 6100 1850 3060 3700 1290 450 7490 1197

samnles of the Colombian

Andes Apparent ages

206/207 12.79 10.53 12.99 11.09 13.44 12.42 12.39 11.29 13.00 12.11 12.19 11.99 12.11 12.89 11.31 8.10 10.26 9.37

206/208 12.5 7.6 11.3 11.5 19.7 14.6 18.8 11.7 23.5 13.3 16.9 32.9 12.9 46.5 23.9 6.1 20.3 13.5

206 /238 1036 + 4 1062 + 6 1088 * 4 1088 + 4 906+3 942 f 3 963 f 3 975 * 4 989 + 3 1082 * 4 1146+5 691 k3 697 & 3 743 * 4 834 4 4 1384 + 13 1620+7 1707 + 7

207 /235 1046*4 1066 + 8 1089 + 5 1091 f 6 936 + 3 1000+4 1023 f 4 1045 + 5 1023 k 4 1130f4 1164f5 793 f 4 815 & 4 820 + 5 921 &6 1427 + 14 1587f8 1631 f 8

207 */206 1067+4 1074 * 1092 f 1098 + 1007+3 1130+5 1155*5 1194*5 1096+4 1224 + 1197+4 1092+5 115oi3 1037 * 1137*8 1492 f 1543 + 1534 +

10 4 8

SMR-4

RG-1

3 15 2 3

* Radiogenic Pb. Measured ratios are uncorrected for blank, spike, or initial Pb. Constants used: h235 = 9.8485 X lo-, A238 = 1.55125 X lo-, 238/235 = 137.88. Data reduction from [69], concordia diagrams from [70]. Analytical methods described by Gehrels [35]. Samples corrected for: (1) fractionation factors of 0.14 4 O.O6%/amu for Pb and 0.04 f O.O6%/amu for U; (2) blank values of 5 pg for Pb and 1 pg for U; and (3) initial Pb values interpreted from Stacey and Framers 1711.

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may record an event associated with the late Paleozoic consolidation of Pangea, although the high MSWD of 15 for the regression suggests that zircons may have experienced a complex Pb-loss history. A cooling curve has been constructed for the Garzon basement rocks with the most reliable data thus far gathered (Fig. 5). From this curve a simplified cooling history is derived relating it to distinctive tectonic episodes. A protracted cooling period followed the Orinoquian erogenic episode ( N 1.1 Ga) at an approximate rate of 1.5-2C/Ma then, after an episode of plutonism and back-arc extension, a rapid Jurassic cooling period at rates above SC/Ma followed and finally, by an accelerated cooling period at a rate exceeding lOC/Ma, since about 10 Ma, related to the final uplift of the massif during the Andean orogen y. The samples collected from the Santander Massif were picked at the same localities sampled by Ward et al. [ 191 who reported K/Ar mineral ages of 945 + 40 Ma. 4Ar/ 39Ar apparent age spectra for two hornblende separates from samples OT-1 and 1000 ,

OT-2, amphibolitic gneisses, obtained in this study resulted in complex patterns (Fig. 3). Both samples experienced partial argon loss at - 200 Ma, as interpreted from the initial stages of their spectra, which is probably related to the Triassic-Jurassic plutonic arc along the eastern range [19,33]. Both spectra also exhibit a stair-case 39Ar release pattern with increasing apparent ages up to N 800 Ma for sample OT-1 and N 850 Ma for sample OT-2 (at 1100C). During the final stages of the heating experiment apparent ages decrease gradually. K/Ca ratios for these samples mimic their age spectra overall shape, implying again that perhaps more than one mineral phase was present in the degassed samples. In thin section a few hornblende grains were associated with chlorite. The resulting age spectra, therefore, could represent a mixing age between hornblende and younger phyllosilicates ([37], pp. lOO- 101). These samples reveal an older argon component with an apparent initial cooling age of at least 800 Ma that, when added to stratigraphic relationships, suggest that these rocks may represent an

800 -

u ;i

600 -

400 -

200 -,

optTTy,. , , , , ,I
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Age Ma
0 = ranges associated with closure temperature and age.
closure temperature ranges for U-Pb

Fig. 5. Temperature-time curve for the Garz6n massif. Data from [61,62] and this work. Estimated zircon from [63] and all others from [64].

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extension of Orinoquian rocks exposed in the Garzon Massif. Supporting this interpretation are ages for the Lajas Granite in the Perija range [39] and the Paramo Rico pluton in the Santander Massif (Grosser, written commun., 1994), which yield Orinoquian ( N 1.1 Gal U/Pb upper discordia age intercepts. The Santander basement lithologies differ in their mineral assemblages from those of Garz6n, the former attaining peak upper amphibolite low pressurehigh temperature PT conditions [19,33], while the latter depicts characteristic granulite facies PT conditions. The high temperature-low pressure conditions of Santander prevailed during a Late Triassic-Early Jurassic intrusive-related regional metamorphic episode [33]. Samples RG-3 and RG-6, quartz-pyroxenegarnet-biotite gneisses from the Santa Marta massif yield complex saddle-shaped Ar/ 39Arapparent age spectra for their biotite separates. Inter-layered or included chlorite could account for the samples degassing behavior. U/PI> zircon analyses were conducted for two Santa Marta samples to improve the above age constraints. For sample RG-1, the nine abraded zircon grains lie along the discordia line with intercepts of 15 13 + 35 Ma and 456 f 60 Ma (Fig. 3). The significance of these intercepts is not clear, however, because of the large uncertainty of the regression (MSWD = 390), the reverse discordance of two grains, and the occurrence of grains near both the lower and upper intercepts. Our interpretation is that the upper intercept records crystalTable 3 Neodymium Sample

lization and that the lower intercept is approximately the age of Pb loss and perhaps new zircon growth during high-grade metamorphism. The reverse discordance in two grains could be explained by diffusion of radiogenic Pb from a high-U rim into a low-Pb core during high grade metamorphism, followed by removal of some or all of the rim material during laboratory abrasion. A crystallization age of 15 13 Ma is older than Orinoquian ages but is consistent with crystallization ages for rocks along the western edge of the Guiana shield [40]. Regional metamorphism at N 456 Ma during the Caparonensis orogeny [41,33] may relate to the lower intercept. Dark red and rounded zircons from sample SMR4, a quartz-plagioclase-hornblende gneiss yield U/Pb ages between 1.0 and 1.3 Ga. The detrital character of the zircons from sample SMR-4 precluded a definition of a unique crystallization or Pb-loss age.

5. Nd isotopic data, results and discussion Nd model ages were calculated for samples from the Garzon and Santa Marta massifs and the results are summarized in Table 3 and plotted in Fig. 6. The Garzon samples show a consistent average model age of = 1.55 Ga, excluding sample G-20 from a mafic granulite with a Nd model age of 2.7. The high Sm/Nd ratio of the mafic sample, however, yields an unreliable model age.

isotope composition Unit

data for selected basement Age

(Ma)

rocks of the Colombian 47Sm/ 44Nd

Andes
c &Nd &Nd d

Sm
(mm)

Nd
(mm)

43Nd/ 44Nd b measured 0.511770 0.512032 0.5 12626 0.512472 0.512085 0.512062 0.511872 0.511879 + 7 k 5 + 7 + 10 It. 6 + 7 + 8 * 8

present - 16.93 - 11.82 - 0.24 - 3.23 - 10.79 - 11.2 - 14.9 - 14.8

initial -0.51 -0.16 +0.6 +0.2 0.91 -0.7 - 3.9 -3.13 1.45 1.54 2.71 1.97 1.46 1.50

G-2 G-11 G-20 HP-3 HP-5 SnAnKr- 1 RG-3 RG-6

Garzon group Garz6n group Garz6n group Garzdn group Garz6n group Guapotdn gneiss S. Marta Massif S. Marta Massif

1100 1100 1100 1100 1100 1100 1100 1100

1.37 1.941 1.14 9.25 0.18 14.93 7.38 1.13

16.78 16.68 3.62 32.95 1.587 78.97 40.42 9.68

0.1325 0.1885 0.1896 0.1697 0.18801 0.1143 0.1104 0.1883

1.72
1.77

a Uncertainties at 20 are +0.5%. b Ratios normalized to 46Nd/ 44Nd = 0.7219 (2~ errors reflect in-run precision). &Nd = 104[(43Nd/ 44Nd(t)CHUR) - 111, using 14Nd/ 44Nd = 0.512638 as present 0.1966. d Model ages calculated using equation of DePaolo [72].

day CHUR

value, and 14Sm/ 44NdCHUR =

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Samples from the Santa Marta Massif appear to have slightly older ( N 1.7 Ga) model ages relative to the Garzon samples (- 1.55 Ga). ,sNdtt= ,_, oa) range from - 3.9 to +0.6, suggesting mixing of older

crustal with juvenile material N 1.1 Ga ago. Our calculated model ages closely match the crystallization ages obtained from rocks of the western Guiana shield [40,42]. These data, when added to the

8
4 0

eNd

-4 -8 -12 -16 0
I I I I

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

I
0.0

2.5

2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 Nd Crustal Residence Age (Ga)

T DMmodd ages, Ga cl EJ Southwest U.S. & Mexicu Eastem U.S. GIenviue~vinloe

Andes - Colombia

a)

n Colombian

Andean

basement

samples

nobilebelt mobilebelt

Fig. 6. (a) Nd crustal residence ages for selected - 1.1 Ga age rocks of Colombia. (b) Comparison with crustal residence Grenvillian rocks of North America (modified from [65]). (c) Distribution of Nd crustal residence ages for the Grenvillian Colombia in relation to age provinces from western Guiana shield (modified from Teixeira et al., [40]).

ages for the basement of

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quartzo-feldspathic rich lithological associations of the Orinoquiense basement rocks, suggests that these samples are a metamorphosed pericratonal sequence of mostly reworked Guiana shield rocks. 6. Tectonic implications The geochronological data indicate unequivocally that the Garz6n basement rocks were metamorphosed during a regional tectonothermal event which took place 1.1 Ga ago. The data still does not uniquely constrain the age of the Santa Marta and Santander massifs basement rocks. However, regional geologic relationships suggest that the Garz6n Massif extends north towards the Santander and Santa Marta massifs, representing the northernmost

exposure of Grenvillian-age basement in South America. In South America the Orinoquiense erogenic event (ca. I. 1 Ga) is represented by an extensive metamorphic belt sporadically exposed along the entire Andes from Colombia, continuing in Peru in the coastal Arequipa Massif [43], in the Eastern Cordillera of Peru [44,45], in eastern Bolivia at the Sunsas Belt [46], and into the northwestern Argentinean Precordillera [47]. Relative paleocontinental positions following the Orinoquiense erogenic event may be inferred from the close biostratigraphic affinities between the Cambrian shelf sequences that overlie the Grenville age basement rocks of Colombia [48,30,3 11,eastern North America, and northwestern Argentina. In Colombia

Fig. 7. Paleocontinental reconstruction B = Baltica, modified from [2,8,66].

for the 1.2-0.5

Ga period, showing the position of A = Amazonia

with respect to L = Laurentia and

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and Planetary Science Letters 150 (1997) 427-441

439

these rocks are marked by the presence of the trilobites Ehmania [29], akin to the Argentinean Precordillera Amecephalina zone (cf. [29,49]) and Paradoxides [32] of Acado-Baltic affinity, present in several Appalachian terranes [50-531. Additionally, the overlying Ordovician strata in Colombia contains fauna of the Olenid-Ceratopygid province of Whittington et al. [54], present at El Bail in eastern Venezuela and akin to southern Mexicos which overlies the Oaxaca TiiiG Formation, Grenville-age basement [55-581. These rocks are correlated by the presence of Parabolina argentina, a zonal index fossil for the Lower Tremadoc in northwestern Argentina. The Clarenville Fm. in Random Island-Eastern Newfoundland also yields Parabolina argentina, together with Angelina [59]. In the Ordovician sequence at the Macarena uplift, an eastern prong of the Garzdn Massif, fauna also relate to northern Argentina-southern Bolivia and recall the Kaianella fauna of Argentina-Bolivia [46,29]. Previous models postulating intercontinental linkages based on this type of data (e.g. [6,7]), have failed to incorporate data from Mexico and Colombia. Given the sparse paleomagnetic data for the Late Precambrian to Early Paleozoic, many scenarios can explain the regional geological relationships outlined here. One model, illustrated in Fig. 7, shows the South American Grenville-age basement of collisional origin marking the closure of a Wilson Cycle, as suggested recently by Hoffman [2] and Dalziel [3]. Characteristic high metamorphic grade basement, similar petrologic assemblages and matching isotopic signatures of Colombian and North American Grenvillian-age rocks argue in favor of a collisional origin. In South America, the latter is reinforced by the magnitude of the Orinoquiense event, as evidenced by 0.9-l .2 Ga cooling ages obtained along the western edge of the Guiana shield in northwestem South America, deep inland from the mobile Andean basement [25,60].

work was partly supported by The National Science Foundation through grant EAR 935061, the W.M. Keck Foundation, and The National Hispanic Scholarship Fund. [RF]

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