Sm-Nd, Rb-Sr and K-Ar age constraints of the El Molle and Barroso plutons, western Sierra de San Luis, Argentina

Within the Early Paleozoic Famatinian orogeny of Southern Sierras Pampeanas (Sierra de San Luis and Sierra de Cordoba), the post-orogenic granitoids are characterized by circular intrusions. The published Rb-Sr and K-Ar ages from plutons in the Sierra de San Luis range between 408 and 320 Ma (see synthesis in Llambias et al., 1998). The El Molle and Barroso plutons (Sims et al., 1997; Gonzalez and Sato, 2000) are the two main exposures of a post-orogenic intrusive complex located in the western area of the Sierra de San Luis basement. They also exhibit an overall circular map view of almost 8 km in diameter, and are emplaced in a metamorphic complex developed through pre-Famatinian (Proterozoic? to Early Paleozoic) to Famatinian (Early Paleozoic) orogenies (Gonzalez and Llambias, 1998; von Gosen and Prozzi, 1998). We are carrying out isotopic datings of the El Molle and Barroso plutons in order to contribute to the understanding of the magmatic and metamorphic evolution of the final stages of the Famatinian orogenic cycle in the Sierra de San Luis. The first results of the Sm-Nd, Rb-Sr and K-Ar dates are here presented (au)