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Age limits for the Ubendian metamorphic episode in Northern Malawi

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

M. H. Dodson ,
B. J. Cavanagh ,
E. C. Thatcher  and
M. Aftalion
M. H. Dodson
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, The University Leeds, LS2 9JT, England
B. J. Cavanagh
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, The University Leeds, LS2 9JT, England
E. C. Thatcher
Affiliation:
R. F. Loxton, Hunting, P.O. Box 39265, Bramley, Johannesburg, South Africa
M. Aftalion
Affiliation:
Scottish Universities Research and Reactor Centre, East Kilbride, Near Glasgow, Scotland
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Summary

The Nyika granite gives a U-Pb zircon age of 1970±30 Ma, which is a minimum age for the high-grade Ubendian metamorphism in Northern Malawi. Cordierite gneisses from the same region yield an Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron age of 1815±260 Ma. Because this age is believed to reflect the high-grade Ubendian metamorphism, the latter cannot be significantly older than about 2100 Ma.

Type
Research Article
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 112 , Issue 4 , July 1975 , pp. 403 - 410
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

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