ABSTRACT: Three series of alkaline dikes are characterized in a restricted area of the Mantiqueira Range: a weakly silica-undersaturated series (normative ne < 7), of potassic character, represented by basanite, tephrites, alkali basalts, basaltic trachyandesites, phonotephrites, tephriphonolites, and trachyandesites, an intermediate series (7 > normative ne > 13), of potassic character, consisting only of basanites and tephrites, and a strongly silica-undersaturated series (normative ne > 13), of sodic character, consisting of basanites, tephrites, phonotephrites, and phonolites. Ar-Ar data for biotite from a tephriphonolite dike yielded an average age of 85.4±0.4 Ma. All three series show similar evolution trends controlled mainly by early-fractionation of olivine, spinel and clinopyroxene and, secondly, fractionation of plagioclase and apatite. Different degrees of crustal assimilation are suggested for each series. Assimilation processes are responsible for the wide 87 Sr/ 86 Sr i (0.70447-0.71172) and 143 Nd/ 144 Nd i (0.51237-0.51244) ranges, for the increased K 2 O/Na 2 O, Ba/Sr and Rb/Sr ratios, and for the reduced Ce/Pb ratios. In general, a significant contribution from partially melted host rocks is associated to the weakly silica-undersaturated potassic series. A phlogopite-bearing carbonate-metasomatized heterogeneous peridotite source accounts for the main chemical variations in the least contaminated samples of each series. Geochemical signatures of the strongly sodic alkaline series indicate a greater contribution from carbonated pyroxene-rich veins in the mantle source.

Caxias é um depósito de ouro orogênico do fragmento cratônico São Luís, que é correlacionável aos terrenos Riacianos do Cráton Oeste-Africano. O depósito se formou após o metamorfismo regional (estimado em 2100 ± 15 Ma) e está hospedado em zona de cisalhamento que secciona xistos do Grupo Aurizona (2240 ± 5 Ma) e o Microtonalito Caxias. O microtonalito foi aqui datado em 2009 ± 11 Ma, e representa um estágio magmático tardio na evolução do fragmento cratônico São Luís. Cristais de zircão com idades de 2139 ± 10 Ma foram herdados da fonte magmática ou são produto de contaminação durante a intrusão. A composição dos isótopos de chumbo sugere que granitoides de arco de ilhas de ca. 2160 Ma são a fonte provável para o Pb incorporado na pirita relacionada com o minério. Sericita hidrotermal mostra idade 40Ar/39Ar de 1990 ± 30 Ma, que, combinada com a idade de posicionamento do microtonalito hospedeiro, limita o evento mineralizador ao intervalo 2020-1960 Ma.

Caxias is an orogenic gold deposit in the São Luís cratonic fragment, which is correlated with the Rhyacian terranes of the West-African Craton. The deposit postdates peak metamorphism (estimated at 2100 ± 15 Ma) and is hosted in a shear zone that cuts across schists of the Aurizona Group (2240 ± 5 Ma) and the Caxias Microtonalite. The emplacement age of the microtonalite, as determined in this work by SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating, is 2009 ± 11 Ma and represents a late-stage magmatic event in the São Luís cratonic fragment. Older zircon age of 2139 ± 10 Ma is interpreted as due to inheritance from the older granitoid or volcanic suites (magmatic sources?) or to contamination during emplacement. Lead isotope compositions indicate that the Pb incorporated in ore-related pyrite was probably sourced from regional, orogenic calc-alkaline granitoids of ca. 2160 Ma. Hydrothermal sericite from Caxias yielded a 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 1990 ± 30 Ma, which combined with the emplacement age of the Caxias Microtonalite brackets the age of gold mineralization between 2009 ± 11 and 1990 ± 30 Ma.