Kar and RbSr whole-rock ages reset during pan african event in the sinai peninsula (Ataqa Area)

A. Ayalon*, G. Steinitz, A. Starinsky

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

A low pressure metamorphic Pan African terrain, composed mainly of schists and hornfels, ranging from high greenschist to low amphibolite facies, is exposed west of Dahab, southeastern Sinai, located between the metamorphic Kid Complex and the Feirani Volcanics. The studied metamorphic unit was dated using RbSr and KAr methods. A RbSr whole-rock isochron (based on seven samples) yields an age of 602 ± 11 Ma with an initial (87Sr/86Sr) ratio of 0.7041 ± 4. The RbSr age is assumed to be the age of a metamorphic phase (600 ± 10 Ma) well known in the area. On the other hand, KAr whole-rock ages (based on nine samples) show different values ranging from 590 to 526 Ma. These low KAr ages are due to the resetting of the KAr system by a thermal event, before 530 Ma affecting the Ar behaviour without disturbing the RbSr system. The Ar escape took place mainly from K-bearing feldspars, which were not affected by later textural, crystallographic or mineralogic variations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)191-197
Number of pages7
JournalPrecambrian Research
Volume37
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1987

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