Zircon formation processes in high-pressure granulites from the Carvalhos Klippe, southern Brasília Orogen

• Grant number: 23/08262-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Caue Rodrigues Cioffi
• Grantee: Gyovana Patricia Gonçalves Costa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IGC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The chemical and physical properties of zircon (ZrSiO4), in particular its ability to incorporate several trace elements (e.g., U, Th, Hf, REE), make it an extremely useful mineral that is widely used in petrological, geochemical and geochronological investigations. In metamorphic environments, zircon can be generated in different ways, including sub-solidus crystallization and crystallization from melts, among other processes. Understanding the processes responsible for zircon generation under metamorphic conditions is fundamental for the interpretation of ages obtained by geochronological methods and for the association between ages and metamorphic evolution. This project aims to investigate zircon generation processes in felsic high-pressure granulites from the Carvalhos Klippe (southern Brasília Orogen) using an integrated petrochronological approach including zircon U-Pb geochronology and zircon and garnet trace element geochemistry. We expect to contribute to the understanding of zircon generation processes in high-temperature and high-pressure environments and the comprehension of the tectonic evolution of the southern Brasilia Orogen.