Exhumation history of the Variscan orogen in western Iberia as inferred from new K-Ar and 40Ar/39Ar data on granites from Portugal

Exhumation of the roots of collapsing omgens is a key process in the evolution of mountain belts, which is critical for the understanding of orogenic cycles. From new structural analyses, K-Ar and 40Ar/39Ar on muscovite, biotite and K-feldspar, and available U-Pb ages, we constrain the cooling and exhumation history of granitic batholiths from the main structural zones of the Variscan orogen in Iberia. We show that: (1) the oldest Ar dated granites (ca. 335 Ma on biotite) record exhumation of gneisses crystallized much earlier (up to ca. 530-510 Ma U-Pb age); (2) granitoids crystallized at ca. 330 Ma record mostly ductile stretching (L-tectonites striking around N-S), consistent with N-S extension (Variscan intra-orogenic collapse); (3) most granites crystallized between ca. 320 and 305 Ma record ductile stretching consistent with deformation along NW-SE to ENE-WSW shear zones during the late-Variscan compression (C3); (4) granites crystallized after 305 Ma record mostly isotropic strain (no visible ductile foliation or lineation), consistent with their emplacement during/after the final collapse of the Variscan orogeny (E2); (5) comparison between Ar ages on micas and zircon U-Pb ages shows two contrasting situations: (i) similar ages, reflecting crystallization and fast cooling, which can be explained by relatively shallow intrusion and/or fast tectonic uplift; (ii) significant difference between U-Pb and Ar ages, supporting crystallization of deeper seated intrusions and their subsequent uplift for several Ma to tens of Ma; (6) thermochronological modelling on K-feldspar supports significant tectonic exhumation in the core of the chain between ca. 315 and 285 Ma, followed by late-stage passive denudation; 7) Late Carboniferous to early Permian tectonic exhumation was accompanied by significant formation of ore-deposits. Tin deposits occur in pegmatites and/or quartz veins associated with muscovite-rich syn-C3 granites and those of tungsten in quartz veins, breccia pipes and skarns associated with the E2 biotite-rich granites.

Automated summary

This study investigates the cooling and exhumation history of granitic batholiths from the main structural zones of the Variscan orogen in Iberia using various geological methods. The results highlight different deformation and tectonic evolution characteristics during different periods.