The late stages of the Pampean Orogeny, C
ordoba (Argentina): Evidence of postcollisional Early Cambrian slab break-off magmatism

V.A, RAMOS; ESCAYOLA, M.; LEAL, P.; PIMENTEL, M.; SANTOS, J.

JOURNAL OF SOUTH AMERICAN EARTH SCIENCES

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2015 vol. 64 p. 351 - 363

0895-9811

Widespread rhyolitic and mafic volcanism in the northern and southern sectors respectively of Eastern Sierras Pampeanas, central western Argentina, are associated with an important phase of extension anduplift linked to slab break-off on latest stages of the Pampean Orogeny. The main orogenic deformation took place between 540 and 535 Ma based on new ages available for this region. New UePb ages in zircons from the Oncan Rhyolite and new and old recalculated zircons from Los Burros Rhyodacite in the northern sector of Sierras de Cordoba, together with new UePb ages of the southern sector, indicate that volcanic and subvolcanic rocks of both sectors are partially coeval and unconformably overlying and/or intruding the basement rocks during a period of exhumation and subsequent cooling at 530-520 Ma. These data are in agreement with previous estimates for the final uplift of the Sierras de Cordoba based on the KeAr cooling ages. The southern sector of Eastern Sierras Pampeanas may represent deeper structural levels within the crust and is characterized by the occurrence of small mafic bodies with OIBlikesignature. New and reinterpreted UePb SHRIMP and TIMS ages on zircons and monazites in the metamorphic associated rocks date this episode, which is related to a rapid slab break-off event at 519-515 Ma. This episode is also associated with the emplacement of peraluminous granitoids, and with the extension, cooling and final uplift of the rocks affected by the Pampean Orogeny all along the Eastern Sierras Pampeanas.