Publications

° Hollis, J.A., Clarke, G.L., Klepeis, K.A., Daczko, N.R. and Ireland, T.R., 2004. The regional significance of Cretaceous magmatism and metamorphism in Fiordland, New Zealand, from U Pb zircon geochronology. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 22, 607-627.

Abstract

The western Fiordland Orthogneiss (WFO) is an extensive composite metagabbroic to dioritic arc
batholith that was emplaced at c. 20–25 km crustal depth into Palaeozoic and Mesozoic gneiss during collision and accretion of the arc with the Mesozoic Pacific Gondwana margin. Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe U–Pb zircon data from central and northern Fiordland indicate that WFO plutons were emplaced throughout the early Cretaceous (123.6 ± 3.0, 121.8 ± 1.7, 120.0 ± 2.6 and 115.6 ± 2.4 Ma). Emplacement of the WFO synchronous with regional deformation and collisionalstyle orogenesis is illustrated by (i) coeval ages of a post-D1 dyke (123.6 ± 3.0 Ma) and its host pluton (121.8 ± 1.7 Ma) at Mt Daniel and (ii) coeval ages of pluton emplacement and metamorphism/ deformation of proximal paragneiss in George and Doubtful Sounds. The coincidence emplacement and metamorphic ages indicate that the WFO was regionally significant as a heat source for amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphism. The age spectra of detrital zircon populations were characterized for four paragneiss samples. A paragneiss from Doubtful Sound shows a similar age spectrum to other central Fiordland and Westland paragneiss and SE Australian Ordovician sedimentary rocks, with age peaks at 600–500 and 1100–900 Ma, a smaller peak at c. 1400 Ma, and a minor Archean component. Similarly, one sample of the George Sound paragneiss has a significant Palaeozoic to Archean age spectrum, however zircon populations from the George Sound paragneiss are dominated by Permo-Triassic components and thus are markedly different from any of those previously studied in Fiordland.

 
Dr Nathan R. Daczko
Lecturer
GEMOC ARC National Key Centre
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Macquarie University NSW 2109
AUSTRALIA

Phone: +61 2 9850 8371
Fax: +61 2 9850 6904
Email: ndaczko@els.mq.edu.au