U–Pb geochronology of detrital zircons from a contact metamorphic Brixen Quartzphyllite (South-Tyrol, Italy): evidence for a complex pre-Variscan evolution of the Southalpine basement

Abstract

Laser ablation ICP-MS U-Pb zircon geochronology of detrital zircons from a contact metamorphic sample of the Brixen Quartzphyllite from the innermost part of the contact aureole adjacent to the Brixen granodiorite yielded three different Precambrian concordia ages: zircon cores and an older generation of zircons give a maximum age of 2,023 ± 31 Ma, zircon rims and a younger generation of single grains yield a concordia age of 882 ± 19 Ma. A third generation of single zircon grains yields an age of 638 ± 20 Ma. In contrast to Austroalpine quartzphyllite complexes from the Eastern Alps neither Cambrian/Ordovician (570-450 Ma) nor Carboniferous (360-340 Ma) ages on single zircons have been observed so far in these samples. These ages provide evidence of a complex pre-Variscan evolution of the Southalpine basement since these data suggest a possible affinity of the Southalpine basement to Gondwana-related tectonic elements as well as to a possible Cadomian hinterland. This study shows that dating detrital zircons of the Brixen Quartzphyllites has great potential for providing age constraints on the complex geological evolution of the Southalpine basement.