U-Pb (SIMS SHRIMP-II) age of volcanic rocks from the Tulukuev caldera (Streltsov Uranium-Ore Cluster, Eastern Transbaikalia)

Abstract

The precision dating (U-Pb local by zircons, SHRIMP-II) of volcanic rocks in the unique uranium-bearing structure of Transbaikalia is performed for the first time. The basic conclusions are as follows. The volcanic activity in the Tulukuev caldera covers the period of not less than 30–35 mln years, within the period from (not later than) 162 to 128 mln years. Two stages of caldera evolution are established: the early (trachydacite-basalt) stage up to 154 mln years and the late (trachybasalt-rhyolite) stage from 142 to 128 mln years, with a 10 mln year break, which caused the deep erosion of the lower layer. Three phases of rhyolite magmatism are substantiated. The first one, 142 mln years, is the ejection of ignimbrites (microfelsitic rhyolites); the second one, 137–135 mln years, is the outflow of lavas of sanidine-morion rhyolites and subvolcanic and ring dyke intrusions. The third phase, 128 mln years, is connected with the occurrence of cesium-bearing perlites in the southwestern part of the caldera. The age of the granite-porphyries of the Krasnokamensk stock almost coincides with the precision data of the age of the uranium ores [4]. It is found that zircons from the granite-porphyries within the ore field of the Argunsk deposit have an anomalously high content of uranium. This fact can additionally testify to the time-and-spatial closeness of magmatism and processes of ore formation.