A study of the ages of the Precambrian of Texas

Abstract

Age determinations using the Sr^(87)-Rb^(87), Ar^(40)-K^(40), and Pb-U methods were made on samples of muscovite, biotite, amphibole, microcline, and zircon from igneous and metamorphic rocks from the Franklin Mountains, Hueco Mountains, Pump Station Hills, and Carrizo and Van Horn Mountains. In addition ages were determined on a number of basement cores from Texas and New Mexico. The results show that a belt of rocks of varied lithology extending from El Paso to east of the Llano uplift are all of the same age. The general age by the strontium and argon methods is 1000 to 1090 m.y.; and by the lead-uranium method on zircons it is 1150 to 1200 m.y. This event is in the same time band as the ‘Grenville’ orogeny in Canada and the northeastern United States and possibly should be considered part of the general ‘Grenville’ episode. All the data now available indicate that the orogenic event at about 1000 to 1200 m.y. is the most widespread and pervasive episode of Precambrian orogeny on the North American continent for which adequate evidence has been presented. At least one and probably two older periods of igneous activity and metamorphism occurring at 1250 and 1400 m.y. are found in the northern regions of the Texas Precambrian basement. No evidence was found for any igneous event between the early Paleozoic and the 1000-m.y. episode.