The geochronological data of South-Riograndense shield and its implications on geotectonic order

Based on 250 new radiometric analyses using K-Ar, Rb-Sr, Pb-Pb and Fission Tracks methods, all of them interpreted with the existing geochronological data, this paper divides the Rio Grande do Sul Shield (Southern Brazil) into geotectonic provinces, as well as presents the ages that seem to be of the major rock generator events. It is suggested that the Brasiliano Cycle (Upper Precambrian) was active during a time interval greater than has been thought and its chronological limits could be extended from 850 to 550 Ma with late and local magmatic episodes reaching the 450 Ma ago. Outcrops of Early Proterozoic or older terranes are rare, being the most areas related to the Late Proterozoic. These areas can be divided into two tectonic entities: (1) the Pelotas Batholit, a multi-intrusive and polyphase granitoid body, in the eastern shield, pointing out ages that range from 850 to 550 Ma and (2) its Marginal Basin in the west represented by supracrustal rocks such as gneisses, mafic-ultramafic and volcano-sedimentary sequences showing a complex structural pattern and green schists to amphibolite metamorphic facies. Their K-Ar and Rb-Sr ages are concentrated between 760 and 640 Ma, though values of 800 may be found. Polyphase granitic suites and their volcanic correspondents, sometimes interbabded with molassoid sediments, are being attributes to the 650 - 450 Ma time interval. Finally, it tries to enclose the Rio Grande do Sul Shield in the regional geologic context (Southern Brazil and Uruguay), which to supposed to have developed in agreement with the Plate Tectonic. (Author)