U-Pb isotope ages of granitic plutons near Cananea, Sonora

Abstract

The Cananea "granite" crops out in the Cananea mining district, which includes some of the most important known copper deposits in Mexico. The area is in northern Sonora, approximately 100 km southeast of the twin cities of Nogales, Arizona-Sonera, on the international border.By means of isotopic analyses of U-Pb systems in cogenetic suites of zircon from two different phases of the pluton, its interpreted age has been firmly established at 1,440 + or - 15 m.y. Cananea granite, actually a quartz monzonite, is lithologically characteristic of a major Precambrian suite of anorogenic, consanguineous plutons of porphyritic granodiorite to granite. Constituents of this previously recognized series, which crop out throughout the southwestern U. S. and into northern Mexico, consistently yield zircon radiometric ages within the interval 1,425-1,475 m.y.Major younger intrusions in and nearby the Cananea district include Cuitaca granodiorite and Chivato monzodiorite. These bodies yield apparent zircon ages of 64 + or - 3 and 69 + or - 1 m.y., respectively. Although more precise geochronologic relationships between young plutons, the adjacent layered sequence, and cross-cutting, brecciated, quartz porphyry plugs are needed, correlation exists between major plutonism and mineralization.The Precambrian age of the Cananea granite precludes its chronological association with the younger mineralized plugs and should be taken into account in future planning of exploration.