Zirconology of miaskites from the Ilmeny Mountains, South Urals

Abstract

It is shown that the replacement and long evolution of miaskitic zircons led to the formation of two main age groups: 420–380 Ma (I) and 260–240 Ma (II). The age of miaskites is estimated at 440–445 Ma. Zircons I bear traces of fragmentation, dissolution, and replacement; they have “flat” REE patterns typical of metasomatic (hydrothermal) types, which is caused by allochthonous nature of the studied miaskites. Zircons II with differentiated REE patterns are similar to magmatic varieties, but have metamorphic origin. Mineralogical–geochemical and age characteristics of zircons in combination with structural–compositional features of miaskites define their metasomatic nature. The origin of the early zircon generations was related to the Ordovician rifting, while late generations were formed during shear deformations at the final stage of the evolution of the Uralian orogen.